2021

Good Morning ALL! How are you on this Wednesday, September 22, 2021. Happy Birthday to Ashley. I hope that you have a great day. Today is also the first day of FALL or AUTUMN. My favourite season of all. Although I do love them all. I am so grateful that here in Alberta, Canada we still enjoy four different seasons with winter being the longest of them.

Quick update about the ongoing saga and me and Mr. Alvin. Well I won’t say that he is loving sleeping upstairs because I am not convinced at this point that he is. I do think that he actually likes sleeping on the main floor more. Not a big fan of being carried up and down the stairs. I guess things in our bedroom look different from before with the addition of some pieces of furniture from my daughter and son-in-law and the “sofa spot” that I made up of cushions/his dog bed in case he jumps from the corner of the bed. We went to bed at 9:30 ish, he was up about 12:30 so I took him outside and then back upstairs. He was up again at 3:00 and we came downstairs and settled on the sofa until almost 6:00 a.m. So the in between times seem to be getting longer. If he would just say settled/sleeping from the time that we went to bed until even 3:00, I would be a happy Momma. As I was reiterating to a friend yesterday he never used to sleep through the night anyway so for him to sleep from bedtime until 3-4 would feel like a good night sleep. Not sure what to do tonight. Last night when he was up, he was panting and when he is panting he is super anxious (as he was not hot) so I do not like him to be in that state so of course, we were up and outside. The only thing is he is heavy at 30 pounds to lug up and down the stairs at anytime but most especially in the middle of the night. Oh well, every night is a new opportunity, a chance for things to be better. I just have to keep positive thoughts and see a better outcome.

Yesterday was a good day. I accomplished lots at my job (working from home). We have been going for walks at my lunch break from work and after I am finished work. Last night after work, we got ready and were outside when our neighbour in the other half of the duplex arrived home. We hadn’t seen each other for a bit so we stopped for her to give Alvin some love & attention and to catch up. Then we were on our way to the park. When we got to the park, Alvin was so happy sniffing that I thought let’s go and see our friend Pauline. The extra walk would be good for both of us. It is not that much further beyond the entrance to the park to her house which backs onto the park. We love her and they have the best backyard. I realized as we were walking that it has been months since we have walked in the park. We missed the whole summer. Alvin happily sniffed each and every blade of grass along the way. I took in each and every leaf on the trees which are slowly beginning to change colour and any bird chirping and everything in the park along the way. I, we were in our happy place. Definitely this was something that we both needed badly. An escape from the routine and back to some semblance of our old life which seems like years ago now. When we got to her house, we did not find her in the backyard but I noticed the kitchen window open so I called up with hopes she would hear me and not loud enough to disturb any neighbours. A couple of minutes later, I heard a little voice say “Oh’s it’s Carol” and then come down the stairs to the backyard calling us to come in ….. We were both so excited to see her as we have not been to her back yard since June, 2021. I missed seeing all of her beautiful flowers. Thankfully over the summer we have seen each other when she has come to our house. This was the best medicine for us. I desperately needed that for my mental well being. A piece of what we had not that long ago. Pauline checked the gate at the top of the yard to ensure it was closed so that Alvin could come off his leash and run around the yard. His favourite thing to do. She invited us to stay for a visit. We were all so happy for this time together. We chatted and chatted. Looked at flowers. Her husband popped in to say hello and then said better let you girls visit. He is a wonderful guy. I am so blessed to have such wonderful friends. Oh, almost forgot to mention that Georgie, Pauline’s grandpup, a wee little dog was there visiting so he joined us as well. He spent a great deal of time on my lap. No photos of this time as I did not have my phone with me but perhaps that is a good thing as I have my memories locked in to remind me that life is good.

On our way home we bumped into another neighbor and her pup. We hadn’t seen them for a bit so we stopped and chatted making a plan to get together soon.

When we got home it was 6:30 – two hours past the time we left for our walk. A long time past Alvin’s suppertime so I fed him right away and as I got his food out of the fridge, he then realized he was hungry. What a guy.

Well time to go and put on the coffee. I love using my computer instead of the phone. Much easier.

I hope that you have a great first day of FALL. Enjoy the colours and the changes in temperatures and smells. Our tree is a lovely mix of gold and green now.

Thank you for continuing to read my blog, I so appreciate your time.

Continuing to live this life with kindness, respect, patience, compassion, understanding, gratitude, love and laughter.

Always, Carol & Al

2021

Good Morning ALL! How are you this morning? I was hoping that we would have had more sleep last night with less ups and downs but not the case. I think he was up more and likely due in part to not having any medication. Alvin does not appear to be in any pain and his neck seems to be okay, so I did not give him medication before bed. The moon was full last night and I think it has an effect on all creatures to some extent. Anyway we watched a good portion of the Canadian Federal Elections before retiring to bed about 9:30 p.m. I was excited to read more of my book before going to sleep. Alvin was good but I did notice that my left shoulder was hurting a bit and likely due to carrying Alvin up and down the stairs. I kind of put him on my left shoulder. Looking like not the best of ideas. I had turned out the light and it only seems like minutes but it was about two hours later and he woke up. He stood at the end of the bed and I was able to coax him back to bed but not much later or so it seemed, the same thing so before long we were outside enjoying the full moon. Then back upstairs to bed. The next time we got up was about 3:00 a.m. and at that time after going outside – we laid down on the sofa. I did notice the first time we came in from outside that he stood by the sofa (likely thinking we were going to lay down there but instead we went upstairs). I am beginning to think that he likes sleeping on the sofa. Well it is closer to go in and outside and less stress on my body carrying him up and down the stairs. But I do not wish to give up on sleeping in my own bed. I love my bedroom plus I want to read my book. There is no way that he would sleep downstairs without me. Not even an option as that thought may have crossed your mind as it has done mine. Anyway, that is our saga ….

The sunrise is gorgeous this morning. The darkness has not as yet left the sky or perhaps there are some rain clouds forming. But as I look out of my office window all I see is beauty. Dark blue to pink shades in the morning sky. Yes, I am upstairs on the computer. I just felt like I need to write on my computer. Typing my blog on my phone is just frustrating. There still seems to be problems with keyings. The hesitation or the deletion of letters and then words drives me mad. So there have been no peeps from the boy which is good. Plus I get to look out of my office window and admire the morning sky. We should be close to the first day of fall. I do not remember off hand what the date is officially. Just quickly googled on my phone and it is actually tomorrow, Wednesday, September 22nd, 2021.

I have been watching the temperature lows so that I can get my Canas Lily (plant) into the basement before it freezes. There are still a couple of pots of flowers to pull but they are still blooming and I just do not have the heart to do it. Maybe on the weekend.

I hope that life is treating you with grace and respect. I just keep thinking if I could have a good night sleep. Perhaps I need to change my thought and keep thinking / saying “thank you for the good night sleep.” I am grateful for the good night sleep. Trying to keep those thoughts positive and in line with what you want is sometimes a challenge. Mind over matter. Yup.

Okay, time to go. I actually for the first time in a bit am not running late which is wonderful. I can go downstairs and put on the coffee and get set up for work a bit early.

Have a wonderful Tuesday.

Continuing to live this life with kindness, respect, compassion, patience, gratitude, love and laughter.

Always, Carol & Alvin

P.S. I have to figure out how to select “category” on my phone when doing this post so that they are not miscellaneous. LOL

2021

Good Morning All! Monday morning. The sun is rising as the night sky disappears. The air was cool but not cold as we just returned from a trip to the backyard. Me with only three quarter length sleeves.

Last night the moon was bright and fun. The stars shining brightly in the night sky.

We made another attempt at sleeping upstairs in our bed after much thought and action. I had thought and even took the mattress and boxsprings off the bed frame thinking if it were removed that the distance to the area rug under the bed would not be a far jump should Alvin not wait for me to lift him down. At one point I had the mattress leaning against the wall with the windows and the boxspring precariously leaning against the dresser. I then realized having the boxspring on the floor wouldn’t work due to the large metal rod on the bottom and only coveted by a light material. Even with something on the floor to protect it, just not going to work. I brought up Alvin’s round bed from the main floor and then hunted for the air mattress in the basement and garage. I opened every container but no air mattress. Finally in the garage I realized that maybe I could use the cushions from the patio furniture. So I did. I carried Alvin upstairs to try things out. He just walked the bed and rolled at one point. I thought that I would try leaving the room peeking in but he saw me. I tried again and he walked to the edge and looked over the edge before jumping off using the bench. He seldom used it for coming off the bed. So I figured we would try sleeping in our bed for the first time in several weeks. I was over the moon excited. Then I carried him back downstairs. When it came time for bed, I made sure that I had gone up first and prepared. I will say he settled pretty fast. It was great reading at bedtime for the first time since beginning of July. I started a new book to celebrate. A few hours later someone woke up and I was able to coax him to lay back down with this happening another time before I collected him and carried him downstairs and outside we went at about 2:00 am. Then back into the house after he did his business and after wiping paws and turning out lights back upstairs to bed. Managed to keep him in bed till 5:34 am. Then up for his breakfast and outside. It was glorious sleeping in my bed after so long. It will take him getting used to another routine but it is going in the right direction.

I hope you have a great Monday.

Continuing to live this life with kindness, respect, compassion, patience, understanding, love and gratitude and laughter.

Always Carol&Alvin

2021

Good Morning All! How are you? Alvin and I are great. We had the best sleep in months. Last night just as we were going to sleep there was a huge boom of thunder. I am so grateful that Alvin is not bothered by the thunder. The grass in the backyard is starting to come back to a nice bright green.

Yesterday I was able to give away some items that I no longer need. I also sold the extra television that I had.

Sometimes on a Sunday you need flowers and the sky from last night. A correction I have a Canas Lily not Callas Lily.

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I am loving my Marigold plant in my back flower bed.

Clouds are so amazing. The last couple of days there have been times that we happily retreated to the deck and sat on our love seat looking up at the clouds and imagining what the shapes could be. I am not sure that Alvin was enjoying the clouds as much as me but he certainly enjoys being outside.

Well it is Sunday. Oh, I forgot to say that one of my free items was picked up by a lady I used to work with who has since retired. We had tea and a great visit catching up.

Time to go. I hope you are smiling and enjoying the weekend.

Happy Sunday.

Continuing to live this life with kindness, respect, patience, compassion, understanding, love and gratitude and laughter.

Always Carol&Alvin

2021

Good Morning All! How are you this Saturday morning? Alvin and I are well. I wont say we had a great sleep but not too bad. Isn’t it funny that sleep has been my major topic of this blog for quite some time. Sleep or lack of is a major force in how we live our daily lives. It drives our health. Lack of sleep does not give your body and mind the time to regenerate and rest affecting everything we do. I am happy that somehow through this time, I have managed to keep my sanity, to fo my job and look after Alvin. Or have I?

This will be short as I have people coming to pick up items that i am giving away. I had an extra television so just sold it and it was picked up. Nice to do some fall cleaning.

The sun is finally breaking through the clouds.

Have a wonderful day.

Continuing to live this life with kindness, respect, compassion, patience, understanding, love and laughter and gratitude.

Always Carol&Alvin

2021

Good Morning All! How are you this Friday morning? I am upstairs just having finished having a refreshing shower and getting ready for the day. Even popped on some sparkly earrings. I guess by the positiveness of this post in the first few words you can tell that I actually some sleep, we actually had some sleep. Nothing near perfection when when you are running on near empty, some is better than none. I am so grateful for the sleep and grateful that today is Friday, last day of work for the week. We did not get frost at my house but I cannot speak for the rest of the City of Edmonton. Last night after work I put my Callas Lily into the garage to protect her, just in case of frost. They were forecasting the possibility of such. Mr. Alvin is quiet at the moment. I think when I leave the upstairs hall light on, he barks as once I turned it off he has remained quiet. I decided to write my post from my computer this morning. Such a difference actually typing with both hands on a keyboard as opposed to a small screen and with one finger. I am looking at my poor little plants in my upstairs office and they will need a drink of water before I head back downstairs.

I am surprised at how many leaves remain green and by the amount of yellow leaves on the ground from my tree. It is that time of year and things can change quickly. We have increased our noon walks and after work to include the entrance to the park. Sometimes we sit down on the benches, well I sit on the bench and Alvin stays on the ground. Yesterday when we went for our walks, I found his sweater so he sported a sweater on our walk. The wind was brutally cold considering it is only September. I decided to stop the early morning walks as it does not get light until later and I do not like walking in the dark. Soon it will be dark later but with working from home we can get a walk in at lunchtime and if we go right after work, we should get at least a partial walk in. When I was in my bedroom getting ready, I was dreaming of sleeping in my bed. I cannot wait until that time. Alvin’s neck appears to be healing. He cries a lot less and allows me to pick him up and put him down from the sofa and going off the deck and the front steps for our walk without fussing.

Well the time is quickly passing and it is almost time for me to head downstairs. I have to put on the coffee to perk before I start work. I am so grateful that I am able to work from home. No commute has been amazing. To be able to walk at noon and after work and some days before work. Our days are a bit longer together because of this and I am so grateful. As we age, time together is so important. Which reminds me – I need to see some of my friends. Once Alvin is able to be left alone, I will sneak out for a coffee with my girls for a couple of hours. We all need our friends. Texting is not enough. I wished that I could see my sister and my friends from back home in Regina but between Alvin’s surgeries, that financial twist, and the Pandemic, I will have to wait yet another year.

I hope that you have an awesome Friday. Looks like the sun is going to shine. That is a good thing.

Continuing to live this life with kindness, respect, compassion, patience, understanding, love, gratitude and laughter and so much more.

Always, Carol & Alvin

Nice to be able to properly categorize my posts and use tags properly. Someone I have not figured that part out using my iPhone, guess not too smart that phone is or maybe the user. LOL.

2021

Good Morning All! Well I did not think that while Alvin was recovering from torn ligament knee surgery would he pull muscles in neck and have yeast infection in his ears. Of course, this never ending saga does not end here. Yesterday we were almost home from our walk when we saw friends coming toward us. Alvin was happy to see Jack and I was happy to see his Mom. Jack is a little guy. The boys said a brief hello followed by Alvin rolling in a neighbour’s grass. We ended up coming to my house as Jack had to poop. To my house and out to the backyard. Jack didn’t poop. We chatted for a minute and his Mom said they should go as Jack had gas. Never know where that may go. Alvin had jumped onto the grass and I helped him onto the deck. In the house, I offered my friend one of the cookies I had baked the night before, she loved it so I asked if she would like to take some home and she said yes. While I was packing up some cookies she said Alvin is limping asking which leg was his surgery? Well, of course it was on the opposite one. Not his leg but his paw. He cried when I touched it. Very gingerly, I felt to see if any thorns or anything sharp wedged in his paw, nothing. Our friends had to go but my daughter was coming. She stopped in briefly on way to Dentist before our walk and would be coming shortly

We just waited for her to arrive and I massaged his paw. When Amanda arrived he was clearly still in pain. After a visit with our girl and some TLC for Alvin she had to go home as she now has about 45 minute drive to her new home. We had a quiet evening. He managed to rest for awhile giving me an opportunity to do dishes and some small chores.

Our sleep was the most broken since his surgery. He is not limping this morning. I did find a small black piece of something hard on the floor after stepping on it. Was that the culprit? No idea.

Well time to go to work.

I hope life is treating you well and that you are getting some sleep. My poor boy – never would have thought he would be jn this situation.

Have a great day.

Continuing to live this life with kindness, respect, compassion, patience, understanding, love and gratitude and laughter.

Always, Carol&Alvin

2021

Good Morning All! Well, I cannot say that we had a great night or even a good night. But as much as I am without sleep, he is as well. I am not sure why the pain meds and muscle relaxants are not doing their jobs. The wind is cool this morning and I am grateful to have the heat from the furnace. The night cloud cover has almost cleared leaving almost clear skies. We had some rain overnight so again the grass is wet.

I will have to do more outside cleanup this next weekend. Empty the remaining flower pots. Not sure when to put away the patio furniture. The flower beds will need to be cleaned out. I’m watching the weather for frost. Has to be done before the frost for sure.

My thoughts are jumbled from lack of sleep. I hope today we round the corner. Thankfully we have good walks during the day.

Bogart is in our backyard, his Momma just called. He just squeals when has to be in the house. So she put a GPS tracker on him and she can keep track of him. Not letting him ho further than our backyard, of course.

Well time to head to work. By the way my sister despite all your great instructions I am finding the keys are still sticking.

Here is to a better day!

Wishing you all a great day.

Continuing to live this life with kindness, respect, patience, compassion, understanding, love and gratitude and laughter.

Always, Carol&Alvin

2021

Morning, I honestly cannot say it is a good morning other than I am breathing. My life feels like it is spiralling out of control. This darn keyboard is not working, press a key and it chugs and hesitates and runs things together making it frustrating and taking forever to write this post. This is only a fraction of my nerves being close to shattering. I had to take half a day vacation to take Alvin to the vet. Originally it was meant to trim his nails, anal glands, check his ears and check the range of motion of his knee and leg but because he has not been sleeping and cries out in pain, definitely something further wrong. Well as it turns out he pulled a muscle in his neck and has yet another yeast infection in his ears. But there was some good news – he has excellent range of motion in his injured knee/leg. Some good news, I suppose.

If i wasn’t so tired, i would feel like a bad Momma but there isn’t anything in the tank, it is empty. Yesterday i was so hopeful with the news thinking that once he could have the Robaxin (which we had left from last year’s neck injury and didn’t have to buy) we, I could have a good night sleep but that wasn’t the case. We were up and down with up being more. Isn’t old age fun.

Well I am beyond frustrated mainly with this keyboard. When i popped upstairs to wash my face, get dressed and brush my teeth – Alvin barked the whole time. I lost it. No physical harm came to him but I did say some unkind words. I cannot pretend that things are good when i haven’t had a good sleep in weeks, actually months.

I apologize for the negative rant but I have to get it down on paper so to speak with hopes that maybe something will change.

Really need that coffee. i just could not go for a walk with Alvin this morning.

If this keyboard / phone was cooperating i could better explain and now I am out of time. Now have to work.

Feeling frazzled ……

I cannot type my regular closing as not feeling it….

Always, Carol&Alvin

2021

Good Morning All! A bright sunny, bit on cool side morning but there are no rain clouds in sight. i decided that we should try and go for a walk and see if there are any problems for Alvin. When i went to get his harness he immediately ran under the table but instead of hiding there he ran under and to the back door. There the boy was wagging his tail and didn’t fuss when I put on the harness. With the grass so wet i carried him down the steps and to the public sidewalk. Not quite sure why I thought that was necessary as a few doors down he was checking out a bush on a neighbour’s lawn. Then he was wet. That is why there is a towel at the front door. The walk was great with no signs of distress. Thank goodness as over the weekend he was not himself.

We were almost at the park when we had to stop at a friends so he could sniff on the power box. it was there I noticed an empty liquor bottle on their lawn with some cigarette butts on the sidewalk. Further down on the sidewalk more butts and a lighter. Someone was partying and didn’t care where they took the party. As we got closer to the park, I noticed something off. Yes, likely the party people had tipped over the large cement glower pot that sat near the entrance to the park spilling dirt and flowers everywhere. Why oh why, don’t people have regard for other’s property? I would think they don’t treat their property respectfully either. Disappointing.

Well human brings what can you say.

Time to get to work. Alvin has a vet appointment today so will take the afternoon off from work.

Have a great day.

Continuing to live with kindness, respect, patience, compassion, understanding, love and gratitude and laughter.

Always Carol&Alvin