A New YEAR 2023

Good Morning ALL! The sun is shining and right beside me on my old computer is my daughter Amanda. She is helping me to move my 42,000 + photos from the old computer to the external hard drive. Technology is great if it is all current but when you have some old components, not so much. This process is going to take us a long time but hopefully not to long as the on-line service that I am paying for to back up my computer keeps asking why I have not backed up my computer in the last month. Well I got a new computer and have not removed the old one yet because of all of this. WHEW. Anyway that is what is going on in our household this morning. Mr. Alvin is patiently waiting for us to be done and I am trying to hurry as I have my friend Signe’s Happy Birthday party at 11:00 a.m. Thank goodness that Gillian, the host lives close by.

Yesterday I took Mr. Alvin for a walk at my lunch break as I ended up working from home. It was so nice out that I literally could have kept walking but Alvin decided when it was time to turn around and come home. It was our first walk together in some weeks. I am so grateful for this warmer weather which means we will be out walking.

I hear Mr. Alvin groaning in the hallway and I have to take him outside before I leave so will need to cut this short. To my sister if you should be reading this, I will be calling you tonight or tomorrow.

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

Always, Carol & Alvin

A New YEAR 2023

Good Morning ALL! How are you this morning? We are okay and very happy that today is Friday. The weekend is ahead. Full of promise and hopefully some good surprises. Who knows right? Another busy, long week but that is okay. Almost done. Alvin is waiting patiently outside my office door as I type these words. The air outside this morning and throughout the night has definitely warmed up considerably. Spring around the corner? I love spring. Soon the bunnies will start to turn brown! Am I being overly optimistic at this time as it is February 3rd today? Maybe, but being positive at this time and every day is all that I really have and I mean our thoughts are what we really have. They are all ours and it is up to us to use them properly. I will admit that I have definitely gone down the NEGATIVE path the last while and I aim to change that right here, right now. I am by nature a positive person. I like to give positive feedback and extend positive energy to those I met. So I need to get working on things. Nothing is going to change for me until I change me. So bye bye “bad thoughts” and hello “good thoughts.” I got this. I can do anything that I put my mind to. That I know as I have had to most of my life. Sometimes I procrastinate but I think that is the way most of us handle things that happen out of the blue unless it is life threatening …. then we jump into action. Perhaps it is different for everyone. I just know that I do what I need to do when I need to do it and sometimes I am a bit late starting. I guess something else to work on, right. Okay, I need to get going here.

I look forward to my first cup of coffee. I am grateful to my friends and neighbours for taking such great care of Mr. Alvin through all of this.

Have an awesome day. Happy Friday.

Continuing to live this life with kindness, respect, compassion, patience, love, laughter, understanding, gratitude, focus, possibilities and coffee. Thank goodness for that liquid gold.

Always, Carol & Alvin

A New YEAR 2023

Good Morning ALL! How are you this morning? I am okay despite being up six times during the night not including the time we actually got up for the day. NOTE: it is darn cold outside. I pray and hope every night and day that Alvin will be better that day. So fingers crossed today is the day that he makes the switch to good poop and that it continues from now on. I went to Save-On on my lunch break yesterday with one of my coworkers to pick up chicken breasts for Alvin and lottery tickets for me. At this point, the possibility of money out weighs my desire to buy groceries for myself (don’t worry my fridge, freezer and panties (whoops, meant pantries) have enough food to keep me going for awhile. As I was typing and notices that I typed “panties” instead of pantries, I thought well that is funny, just leave it. Sometimes an error needs to be left but not quite undone. Although considering I may have had four hours sleep during the past two days, I apparently still have sort of a sense of humour. Hopefully I keep that to myself today as we have a meeting with our AVP and Director followed by a lunch meeting with them and all of the site teams. I will take my coffee and sit as close to a wall out of the way as I can. Surely do not want to nod off or anything. Yesterday, I was bouncing off the walls and like a squirrel could not stay focused for very long at a time. This is not by any means, my normal self but is due to lack of sleep, stress and anxiety between Alvin and work. Oh well, I have so much to be grateful for …… that every morning I wake up in this beautiful house that I wait until I was 52 to have …… that even if we are waking up on the sofa, I have Mr. Alvin beside me ……. that I, we have lots of good food to eat …… that I can afford to order pizza every so often (which I did last night and believe you me, it is like buying a small car, these days) …… that I am in good health except for being tired …… that I am surrounded by so many good, caring, compassionate family and friends who love and support me who matter what …… that I live in this country where we can live our dreams so we should decide to ……. that I have beautiful plants that are flowering at this time and their colours bring me great joy ….. there is so much more but I am running out of time. Alvin needs to go outside before I leave for work and that is fast approaching.

One more day this week and then it is the weekend. I have five days next week to work and then I am on two weeks vacation. I was thinking that perhaps I should only take one week as I am using all of my earned vacation and then I thought …. no …. I need this break ……. so vacation time in February in Edmonton …… on my sofa and figuring out my life……

Wishing you a great day.

Yesterday was our friend Signe’s birthday. I did remember in the morning to send her a birthday text and we are celebrating her birthday at Gillian’s house on Saturday. I forgot to send her wishes from this blog. I try to remember people here but honestly when I write these posts early in the morning, sometimes I forget. Trying to remember! Looking forward to Saturday morning with my friends with a short break from the “madness” of my home. Not really but sounds good, not really……..lol.

I be needing those mugs of coffee this morning for sure. Perhaps I should take my big mug today.

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

Trying to keep remember “when nothing is sure anything is possible.” I love that thought.

Always, Carol & Alvin

A New YEAR 2023

Good Morning ALL! How are you this morning? Well we are doing okay here in Edmonton at this house. I had four hours straight sleep last night and it has made all the difference in the world. Alvin well he is getting better, I think. I have to keep that outlook on the positive side. Somedays, like yesterday, I admit, not so easy. I appreciate all the love and support that I have in this world. We all know that sometimes you just need to vent. When you live by yourself, that venting or speaking aloud manifests with talking to oneself or perhaps writing on paper or on a blog if you happen to have one. Anyway that you can put your thoughts out to the Universe is a good thing. Keeping them all inside is definitely not a great idea. I suppose that I never thought in a million years that at age 65, I would be in the situation. I always dreamed of having my own house and from a young age thought it would be filled with the perfect partner and children and grandchildren. Likely a pup or two or maybe a cat. Like most people thinking by age 65, I would be retired and living that dream. Well things do not always work out that way. I made some unusual choices later and perhaps even earlier in my life and I suppose they brought me to this place. Am I bitter and sorry, hell no. Am I perhaps a bit nervous about how to start this next chapter, absolutely. But you have to be brave and pick yourself up and figure it out. No one can help you make your choices. Of course, people can pose ideas and perhaps offer advice but at the end of the day it is up to you and should be up to you.

It is snowing outside this morning. My Alvin, my buddy. I sure hope that he gets well soon. I would jump in a snowbank to have him back the way he was before all of this …… really.

It is almost time to head downstairs so that we can go outside before I leave for work. Yes, today is a go to the office day. Not sure why but the higher ups insist upon it.

Have an awesome Wednesday.

For some reason near the end of the day, I figured that baking some chocolate chip cookies was a good thing and would be a happy distraction from my world. I guess I would say it worked. I took a few over for Sonja & Steve and have a container to take to work and have some for treats at home.

Continuing to live this life with kindness, respect, compassion, patience, love, laughter, understanding, gratitude, focus, possibilities and coffee. Cause a world without coffee is not tasty.

Always, Carol & Alvin

Grateful to have good health, a beautiful home, income to live our lives, a ride to work and wonderful and supportive family and friends.

A New YEAR 2023

Good Morning ALL! Another kind of cold morning out there. It has been snowing off and on throughout the night and early morning hours. We did not have a great night. Bed at 9:15 p.m. and then just as I laid down and turned off the lights, Mr. Alvin began to pant, on with the lights and back downstairs as I realized that he had to poop. Outside, after more than one day with no blood in his poop and poop starting to look like good poop, we were back to blood and not good poop. How many times can I put poop in one sentence. Lots. Let me tell you. After he was done, as it was not even 10:00 p.m., I carried the boy back upstairs to bed. We are starting to spend more time on the sofa than in our bed. After that we were back downstairs in less than two hours, I wrote down the time (which is downstairs on the kitchen cupboard) every single time we got up which was four times not including the time we got up just after 5:30, and I gave him breakfast and back outside. Back in the house, I set the alarm for 7:00 which gave me another hour of sleep. Did not really feel like it. I am exhausted. So hard to concentrate or even straight when you have not had much sleep. I did call the Vet yesterday and spoke to the Vet Assistant. I had told her because at the time, he was doing so much better. No blood and his poop was beginning to look like poop should. Instructions were to continue to give him the Prednisdone for two weeks after no blood/poop and then every other day for a week until the pills are gone. Now she also said that perhaps he will need to be on them for the rest of his life. ARGH. It seems like it has been forever since he was on this medication but has it been one week or two? Good thing that I write things down. I will have to call back and see what to do. I am worried about leaving Alvin when I got to the office this week which is starting tomorrow. Too long days for him and I am sure that having to hold it in does not help matters. Oh, how it would be great to have him back in good pooping order and me being able to work from home all of the time. I guess I need to get going on things but it is so difficult when you are not getting proper sleep. I know. Procrastinating. Maybe but I am scared to be honest. Our future is uncertain. I know all of the things that I need and should be doing but I cannot get my head wrapped around any of it. The days are counting off and I am running out of time. So I need to be doing more but I feel stuck and tired. Okay this is not the positive outlook that I need to be having but it is how I feel after yet another night of literally no sleep.

Time to head downstairs and put on some coffee. I am surprised that Alvin has not started to bark yet. Perhaps he is tired as well.

Fingers crossed that he gets better soon. I feel so badly for him. He must be in pain from all of this. I will need to buy another package or three of chicken tomorrow when I go to the office. Thank goodness there is a SaveOn nearby the office. There is one close to my home as well.

I hope that you have a good day.

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

I am grateful for my life, Alvin and my home. Just a few things that I would like to change.

Always, Carol & Alvin

A New YEAR 2023

Good Morning ALL! I, we had a pretty good sleep. Up a couple of times but all in all, not bad. Always helps matters when I am able to work from home. A person could even have a nap on lunch break if one was tired, right? We are experiencing a cold snap. I guess more like winter than the previous few weeks. A mix of weather is good, I think. Do you ever wonder if it is a cold or allergies that you have? Just a random question that popped into my mind. Sorry, lol.

This is good news, Alvin’s poop seems to be getting closer to normal the past couple of days. I am so relieved. This morning or on my lunch break to call his Doctor and give her an update. I started to mix in more of his food and give him some of his hard food as a snack. Seems to be going okay thus far. Fingers crossed.

Sometimes you just need to see some cuteness …… photo time…… Alvin and family and friends and some flowers ……..

A proper Gentleman

A great way to start the week with photos of Alvin and his family and friends. They are all like family. Special shout out to Sir Elton and Miss Penny who passed away in 2016. We miss you guys. We love to be surrounded by all the joy that these beings bring us. Always love in my heart and a smile on my face. Cuteness abound. Thank you Sir Elton, Miss Penny, Aspen, Milo, Humphrey, Bogart, Teddy, Kobi, Bailey, Cookie and Duck…..

Have a wonderful Monday. Great way to begin the week.

Continuing to live this life with kindness, respect, compassion, patience, love, laughter, understanding, gratitude, focus, possibilities and COFFEE. Need coffee on this cold morning.

Always, Carol & Alvin

A New YEAR 2023

Good Morning ALL! Another bright sunny blue sky morning out there. Cold. Very cold. We went to bed quite early last night and I guess we had a pretty good sleep as far as our sleeps usually go. I just did not want to get up and get going this morning at all. Laying on the sofa cuddling next to Alvin under our red cozy blanket was all I wanted to do. But it was Alvin that made me get up and get going this morning. Perhaps a shower after writing this post will get me going and my hair feels like it has not been washed in a month which is not true. But anyway!

We had a good day yesterday. I cleaned, did laundry, made some bagels, some soup and roasted some turkey breasts and made an apple crisp. Supper was soup, a bagel and some apple crisp. YUM. I used some of the Epicure packets that my friend Val gave me for the soup and the bagels and spice for the turkey breasts. Very good. I topped the soup with avocado which I will need to use tonight but I will have some turkey with supper as well. Nothing like hot soup on a cold winter’s day.

I realized this morning just how long Mr. Alvin’s nails are getting and that would be due to not many walks. Will have to check the calendar and see when he had them trimmed last. I know it was in January. Also I need to see when the 30 days is up for the treatment that he had for his right ear. Both ears will need to be cleaned. I could give him a hair cut and a bath but I think I will wait and hopefully by next weekend his poop will be normal with no blood. I was so happy to see that his first poop in a long time was actually firm. He pooped more than once and by the last bit there was blood. But I think things are going in the right direction. Tomorrow and Tuesday I work from home so I will need to call and give an updated report to his Vet. They called on Friday while I was on the way home from work and had my phone turned off so did not see the call in time to call back before they closed.

Oh, my did I ever dream last night and this morning. Some good and some well not so …..

Time to hit the shower and then go and make some coffee. We will have a quiet morning and then this afternoon put the laundry away that is drying in the basement. Perhaps I will be able to put away the Christmas decorations as well as they are sitting out in the basement family room. As I will be down there for awhile, I will need to take Alvin with me and just want to ensure that he will be okay for a bit so that I don’t have to carry him up and down and down and up much.

I hope that you are doing well. With all that is going on between Alvin and work, I have not kept in good contact with my family and some friends at a distance and even close by. Just not enough time in a time. But I am thinking of you all and please forgive me for not reaching out more often.

Oh, I transplanted some slips from a plant yesterday. They had such long roots. I am sure that they will be enjoying the dirt. This particular plant is so beautiful and has the prettiest little flowers. I just do not recall the name.

Have a wonderful Sunday. Keep warm and stay safe. You are in my thoughts!

Continuing to live this life with kindness, respect, compassion, patience, love, laughter, understanding, gratitude, focus, possibilities and coffee. Always coffee!

Always, Carol & Alvin

From Christmas ……. me Alvin, Aspen at the window and Milo and Alvin watching her from the sofa.

A New YEAR 2023

Good Morning ALL! Thank goodness it is the weekend. I am hoping for less drama and more calm, easy, fun, days. How is it at 65 there seems to be more drama in my life than in my earlier years? Am I really drawing it to me? Are my thoughts really causing this? Perhaps so, I am working on changing this as soon as possible. I long for calm, relaxing, fun days and nights. At this age I deserve this in my life.

As I look out of the office window, I see bright blue sky as the sun is shining and that is a beautiful thing. Much to cold for Alvin and I to go for a walk. At least him, I can bundle up and go, should I choose. Alvin is still having issues with his poop. We are still getting up several times during the night and I am well doing much better than I would have anticipated. It is very breezy out there this morning. A little while ago I was out there with Alvin in my pjyamas, winter coat and boots. The wind whipped through my pjyama bottoms. No wonder my legs are chapped. I can smell the the coffee that has just finished brewing. Looking back over the past couple of weeks, I was explaining to Alvin about how sorry I was that I was not able to host a 14th Birthday party for him. This is the first year in many that we did not have a big party with guests, birthday cake (cupcakes) and gifts for him. Poor boy. I am sure that he is missing Aspen and Milo after spending three full weeks with them. Also I am sure that he thinks he will never again see his BF Teddy and his little sis Kobi. It has been so long since we have seen them. Between weather, everyone’s schedule and Alvin’s health – we have not been able to see each other. I miss them.

I will have to see how Mr. Alvin does with going outside as I wanted to spend some time downstairs today putting away the Christmas decorations that are neatly sitting in the family room waiting to be packed into their containers. Laundry needs to be done though. I guess I will do what I can and that is all that I can do.

I thawed some bags of chopped apples to make an apple crisp tonight. I cannot wait.

Okay, I better get going downstairs. I will carry Alvin down first and then come back for the laundry, my phone and stuff. This is the second time today I have carried him up and down. I guess good for my arms, lol.

Wishing you a great day.

Sending good wishes to my daughter who has been feeling under the weather. Any birthdays that I have forgot – Happy Birthday.

Despite the constant drama at work, I am grateful to be employed at this time. I am grateful that retirement is coming. I am grateful that I have Mr. Alvin as my constant companion. I am grateful to live in this beautiful home. I am grateful to be alive and in good health and to be surrounded by the best friends and family on the planet Earth. Also much thanks to Sonja for taking such good care of the boy on Thursday and Friday while I was at the office.

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

Always, Carol & Alvin

A New YEAR 2023

Good Morning ALL! How are you this morning? I am great, today is Friday and the weekend is ahead of us. We had another choppy but yet not to bad sleep. I always figure if I can get anywhere between 3-4 hours of continuous sleep, I am doing great. So I am pretty great. Earlier we walked outside to a snow rain mix. They were showing on the news (just happened to be on that channel, I normally do not watch the news this early in the day) that the outside cameras were icing up. Do not think that is a great thing but I am hoping that the roads are good this morning.

I have been thinking as of late as I reread THE SECRET that I should just put this out to the world. Thoughts become Things after all! Okay, I am going to say it. Deep breath! Here it is:

I am retiring. This is the goal. When you write something down for others and yourself to see, it makes it feel much more real. So I have done this. My thoughts become things. I am retiring with more than enough money and no mortgage. How about we all do this? Whatever you are dreaming about? Say it aloud or put it in writing for yourself and the Universe to hear and see. Then go in that direction. I will say that is what I did when I retired the first time and moved to Alberta. I kept saying that I was going to buy my own house in Edmonton close to my daughter and son-in-law and I did just that. So it is possible. Everyday and every chance – get those thoughts out there.

Mr. Alvin is quietly waiting for me downstairs so I am going to say goodbye for this Friday. I hope that you have a wonderful day. Be safe. Dream.

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

Always, Carol & Alvin

A New YEAR 2023

Good Morning ALL! How are you this Thursday morning? We are okay here in windy Edmonton or at least it is breezy here in our neighbourhood. We were in bed by 9:30 and I read for a few minutes. I am rereading THE SECRET. At this point, I need some positive reinforcement in my life. Our office is filled with negativity and not by choice. Sometimes when choices are made – how it is reflected by the staff is not joined with the same enthusiasm. This is the case. But I have noticed over last decade that change happens on a regular basis with this employer, almost daily. So after a time, people are just deflated and tired. It always irritates me when we get told about “change is good” and blah blah, well change can be good but sometimes it is difficult to embrace. Anyway, I am going to stop there. I am grateful everyday by all the goodness in my life. I am grateful to be surrounded by loving, supportive family and friends. I may have mentioned that once or twice. I am so over the moon grateful that I had the opportunity to buy and live in this house and hope to continue to be here for many many years to come. Gratitude for the wind, for the snow, for the birds and the bees. Grateful for life, for the good health that I am blessed to have and grateful that Mr. Alvin is my trusty companion through this stage of my life. I am grateful that retirement is just around the corner, that will be the next step in my life. I look forward to that time where I can snuggle with Alvin, it won’t matter if he is up during the night because we can sleep in, walks whenever we choose, I can write more and perhaps get that book done, go through my photos and learn some technical stuff.

I wanted to share this with you. Are you older like me or just not tech savvy. Somedays I feel like life is just changing at a pace that I can not keep up with ….. who knew that watching hours of my beloved “Disney + channel” would result in an extra $55.00 on my cable/internet bill. Well it did. I was shocked when I saw how much my bill was and immediately contacted my provider to find out why. I learned a valuable lesson …… “streaming” …… well I guess streaming has nothing to do with water and more about extra money. Anyway, my provider gave me for six months free “unlimited” something or other, I just forget what it is called at the moment and I want to say this before I have to sign off. Oh, “unlimited data” that is the term. I guess to have unlimited data there is a $20.00 charge or at least with Telus. The young man on the phone explained everything and was very patient and kind. Lesson learned. So I need to get all of these terms figured out and make sure that I know what is going on. I had no idea that watching a day of Disney or many days of Disney would end up costing me $55.00 extra when I had already paid $125.00 for Disney. They find a way to take your money – all of these billion dollar companies. It is sometimes over the top frustrating.

Time to fly. I hope that you have a great day. Keep the positive thoughts coming in. Thoughts become things. That is my mantra once again. I kind of got away from it. It is so true. Keep positive.

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

Always, Carol & Alvin

P.S. it was raining last night after supper and it is plus 4 or so here in Edmonton this morning. WOW.