It is the NEW YEAR.

Happy Sunday Morning.

We have more snow.

As I look out of my office window the sky is filled with horizontal blue clouds and below rooftops are covered in white.

So pretty …. so very pretty.

Our temperatures are to remain at the minus 30’s celsius for this week.

ARGH.

I know that Alvin is already showing signs of cabin fever as am I.

The only difference is that I go to work during the week.

Thankfully at least we can go to the deck for a few minutes at a time so at least there is some fresh air for the little guy.

 

Well yesterday I managed to get down the majority of the Christmas decorations.

The tree took a few hours as each decoration is carefully packed away, followed by the removal of the lights, followed by wrapping the lights so that next year they are easy to put onto the tree and

are not tangled, then packing the stand and last but not least the tree skirt.

I have a great deal of Christmas ornaments spread all over the main floor or had.

There are Hallmark Snow people, Nutcrackers, Santa’s workshop, Santa sitting by the fireplace, Santa in his sleigh going over the rooftops, Santa figures standing (several of them),

other Snowmen/Snowwomen, Christmas Snow globes that play music, and more.

I took down my Christmas cards as I hang them.

I also have various signs and wreaths.

After the tree came down, I vacuumed of course and then washed the floor before moving the chair back into its’ place.

Then the same for the other corner of the room so that I could move the chair that was moved to the kitchen back to the living room.

It is always quite the process.

As I filled rubbermaid containers they all had to be carried down to the basement and put away.

So there is always much rearranging.

The house looks bare now but I am happy that it is done for another year.

In between all of that coming down of the Christmas decorations and cleaning there was laundry.

There was also some playing happening with Mr. Alvin as well.

He has started to enjoy playing tug of war with his new Darth Vader toy.

His Sister and Brother-in-law and Niece and Nephew pups gave it to him.

He loves it and plays with it often.

 

Now that is done I have Alvin’s birthday next Sunday and the next weekend Teddy and Kobi will come and be with us for a week.

I threw Alvin his first birthday party last year as it was his tenth and have decided that I will do it every year.

It will be a bit more low key this year.

Invitations have already gone out to his best friend Teddy, his little sister Kobi and parents.

Of course to our family Miss Aspen and Milo and their parents, Alvin’s sister and brother-in-law.

I will pick up a little cake again for the pups and a treat for the humans.

A few little treats for the pups.

More of a play date for everyone.

Looking forward to seeing everyone.

 

Well today I have two more loads of laundry to do.

Bathrooms to clean and of course, prepare for the work week.

I also put out my clothes and make my lunch for the next day.

 

Yesterday was the first tip of my reduction in household and personal plastic challenge.

So I want to take some time and write some idea down so that I can readily post them each day.

 

Well I guess back to it, get dressed and I need some coffee.

Alvin is laying on his blue blanket.

 

An update on my daughter’s brother-in-law …. he is doing well after the heart transplant.

He is on track to return home to his family soon.

 

Tomorrow is my youngest brother’s 55th Birthday.

Wow, I cannot believe the baby is going to be 55.

 

Okay, time to fly here.

I hope that you all have an awesome day.

If you have any idea, hints or tips for the reductions of household/personal use plastics; please send them my way.

A comment on my post would be most helpful.

 

Thank you

 

Always, Carol & Alvin

 

Thought for the day ……

Good Morning and Welcome to Saturday the 10th day of November, 2018.

Today my second youngest brother would have been “55” years old.

He passed in March of 2009.

We miss him terribly.

Today I am thinking of him and our loss of his spirit.

We miss you buddy.

The boy with the big heart.

 

 

IF I HAD KNOWN

Looking at photos of us when we were kids.

It seems like only yesterday,

but it was a lifetime ago.

Things have changed.

We were five now we’re four.

How I long for those days.

When we were all together.

When playing school, all sitting in a row … I’d be the teacher…

Running about the yard playing in a nearby slough looking for tadpoles …

Playing in the dirt ….

Imagining driving to far off places in that old black car, and eating Mom’s homemade french fries and pumpkin pie.

Playing hide and seek and watching Disney on Sundays.

Was what we did, when we were just kids.

Now we’re grown,

Time has past.

If only I had known,

We would be four and not five.

I would have taken your hand.

I would have told you how much I loved you every day.

I would have loved you better.

I would have visited you more often.

I should have tried.

I would have known your pain.

I would have understood.

I would have known your favourite song.

I would have known your favourite colour.

I would have known you better.

Now we’re four and it’s too late

For me to take your hand.

To share your pain, and to comfort you.

I wished that I had knew you better.

Between the pain and the laughter.

You were a man, and I remember the boy

The little boy with a zest for life.

The little boy that always seemed to find a way ….. now that’s our secret….

That irresistible little guy that made me smile.

The little boy with such a big heart.

That much I did know when the boy became the man.

I feel that I let you down, but it is too late

I wished that I knew your favourite song.

Or what you made you cry late at night.

Why the time passed so fast.

Now we’re four instead of five

What did you think?  Your thoughts?

I wished that I knew.

If I had, I had only known  the man, not just the boy.

 

Written by Carol Yvonne Lewis, January 8th, 2010

Jeff and his sisters at Christmas

Grandpa Jim & All 5 of us ……

Jeff & two of five (Cindy & John)

Jeff and three of five (Carol, Cindy & John)

Jeff and Five of Five (Tyler, Cindy, Carol & John) – 1992

 

Special Hello to: my little brother ….. miss you

Always, Carol & Alvin

Thought for the day…..

Welcome to Thursday, August the 9th, 2012 …… almost 6:30 a.m.

Today is my 55th Birthday ….. yikes.

Where did the time go?

I know one thing with absolute certainty …

That is:  my dreams have changed every decade.

In fact, they have changed dramatically over the years.

When I was very young I wanted to have four children, be married, have a house with the white picket fence and be an awesome cook and also do some writing.

As I grew older I had dreams of becoming a nurse as I always loved to help people and write.

I would say that the one constant dream is to be a published WRITER.

So why not?

I am not sure.

This blog is a step in the right direction ….. to see if anyone would enjoy to read things that I have written.

I have started so many stories and have so many ideas …… just have to do it.

Yes, I can….

So on this day ….. I shall continue to dream as I hope you do.

Have an awesome day everyone and thank you so much for helping one of my dreams to come true (people reading what I have written).

Special Hello:  to all those people that share this day with me.  My cousin Michael and my friend Lisa’s son Justin.  Happy Birthday GUYS.

P.S.  a very special thank you to G and the boys for starting my birthday celebration a bit early and making it so special for me.  Love you guys.

I am the luckiest gal on the planet…….

Always, Carol

Whoops, Alvin thank you for laying on my lap this morning as I wrote in my journal….. love your cuddles.