The Next Chapter

Good Morning! Happy 40th Wedding Anniversary to my good friends Val & Howard. Wishing you many more happy, healthy years ahead.

Another morning with skies filled with smoke. No wind. Seems to be even more thick than yesterday. I will have to check to see how far away the wildfires are from the City of Edmonton. We have a forest area to the west of the City – not too far from my neighbourhood. The only break is the road before houses begin. I hope that today is the day that the Province of Alberta receives some much needed rain. I would be happy if we had a good soaking rain that last for two weeks. Just nice steady rain. One that would soak into the ground. Not sure about the two week time period but definitely several days. The ground is so dry. Yesterday my friend G came for a visit and told me that her sister and family are on Evacuation Alert which means be prepared to evacuate if situation worsens. If situation worsens an Evacuation Order will be issued and that means Evacuate now, situation is dangerous. People are gathering pets, important documents and having a place to escape to, ready on a moment’s notice. I pray for rain and that no more loss of life.

Photo day.

Below are the yellow Begonia plant and Lavender plants that I purchased on Thursday night. In the fridge is part of my diet plan for the next few days while my mouth heals from the multiple extractions. I am grateful that I at least love applesauce, yogurt and jello and pudding. Eggs are on the list but honestly lately they do not seem to be agreeing with me. So they will not be an everyday food. I can also have soup and that is in the pantry and potatoes on the counter. Love potatoes. Baked and then mashed with butter. Prepared I am. The red and pink flowers are from some of the many plants that I have and they are called Kalanchoe. I did some reading up on them and they can go outside so I might move some of them outdoors, maybe. After speaking with G and Amanda yesterday, I am thinking that perhaps this is not the year to have a deck, porch and flower beds full of flowers. Water is precious and with all the smoke there will not be much sunlight for growth. I have perennials in my back flower bed which are starting to come back to life and although I thought that I had pulled the plants in the front flower bed, they are about six inches tall now. I am grateful that they grew despite my efforts. The bottom three photos are my grand-pups who spent a few hours with me yesterday while their parents went to visit a friend and to meet her boyfriend. These days, I do not think it is a good idea to leave your pets at home while you are away if you live in the countryside, in any area close to wildfires. I will gladly have them here anytime. They depend on us to keep them safe! You can see the smoke in the last photo of the pups looking out the window.

Yellow Begonia & Lavender

Soft Food Stores

Orange Jello

Eggs

Kalanchoe Plant

Kalanchoe Plant

Miss Aspen

Master Mi-Mi (Milo)

Watching out the window

Hopefully the smoke will dissipate today and the sun will shine. I hear people working outside and honestly breathing in that air is not good for you. If you have to be outside, then be prepared. I could even smell smoke in the basement when I was doing laundry yesterday.

Time to hit the shower and freshen up before going downstairs. Up a bit later this morning. For some reason I could not go to sleep last night. Oh, I broke down and had some coffee. Waited till it was only warm and then had some. When I went over the sheets that the Dental Office gave me and went over in my head the instructions from the Dental Assistant there was no mention of coffee, only smoking and not drinking anything hot. So I am okay, I think. A wise woman who has undergone multiple dental surgeries told me that she had not heard “no coffee” and that all drinks had to be cool-warm not hot. I will not drink too much but I so missed the smell of coffee perking. I am going to transplant the Lavender and Begonias into bigger pots and I have some of the Kalanchoe Plants that need larger pots so will move them as well. I have a few things on my to do list for this day. Time to hit the shower.

Happy Sunday All – be safe and be well.

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

Always, Carol & Alvin, My Forever Angel

The New YEAR 2022

Good Morning ALL! The sky is filled with what appears to be rain clouds. There is a slight breeze. The temperature when we were outside earlier is actually quite nice. Not exactly sure the number as I did not google it yet this morning. Mr. Alvin did not have a great sleep last night. He was up and down. We ended up on the sofa at 12:32 AM, I am so grateful that the sofa is comfortable and that we have the red warm blanket to cuddle under. I checked his paws and I do not see any places where there is an open wound from the removal of the hair matts. Which still freaks me out and writing and sharing it with all of you. Well, I feel like a bad “Momma.” My poor Alvin.

He spent a bit of time outside with me yesterday while I was repotting my geraniums. They are looking a bit “not pleased” with the new situation. I remember two years ago when I repotted them and it took awhile for them to acclimatize to their new home. Perhaps I should have brought them in and out more than just two days. Well it has been done. Only time will tell, if I made the right call or not. My pansies and violas and tomatoes are doing well. The oregano seems to be growing as well. I planted the begonias in flower pots and placed them on the front porch. The colours are amazing. There are four of them. Begonias that is. The impatiens I planted some in a pot and put the remaining five in the front flower bed along with the borage seeds. I am excited to see if those plants grow from seeds. The ferns are coming up so I left them. Planting done for now. I would still like to get some petunias. The backyard does not have much colour at the moment. The violas and pansies are the holding up that end and are so pretty with purples, white and yellow mix.

Fingers crossed about Mr. Alvin.

I sold a outdoor glider that I had as I am downsizing things around here.

Well it is time to head downstairs and put on the coffee, I really really need it this morning.

I hope that you had a great long weekend. Ours was a mix but I am grateful that Alvin is on the mend. Positive thoughts.

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

Always, Carol & Alvin

P.S. I am grateful to be alive, to be in good health, to have Mr. Alvin in my life, for sunshine and rainbows, for my own house, for oranges in the fridge and peanut butter, for this post and all of you. Happy Tuesday.

PPS. Perhaps I will be able to get a couple of baskets with petunias.

Thought for the day …..

Good Morning and Welcome to Tuesday the 22nd day of May, 2018.

‘Tis a bright and shining morning.

Not much of a breeze this morning which is great in some ways as it is trash day and several bits would have been air borne for sure.

We just arrived back home from a 30 minute walk this morning.

I figured it was the last day of my long weekend and we should take advantage of it.

Back to the grindstone tomorrow.

This week is to be a HOT one so perhaps we shall get our acts together and go for a walk in the morning before work.

We have time if we get it together.

 

I finally got the photos uploaded to my computer.

I chose some of my old favourites and some new ones this year.

I love the reds and purples and yellows.

Different from the pinks and purples of yesteryear.

Flowers bring smiles to our faces.

 

 

The ferns in the front flower bed are racing to the sky.

I love the impact of the greens, reds and blue in the front flower bed.

In the back it is purples, greens and yellows, mainly.

 

Time to have breakfast.

Wanted to get these photos up for you to see.

Have a wonderful Tuesday.

 

Special Hello to: my sister “C” and my friend “V”

Always, Carol & Alvin

 

 

 

 

 

Thought for the day …….

Good Morning and Welcome to Saturday the 16th day of May, 2015.

It is overcast and very windy.

We did however receive some rain overnight which is great.

Perhaps it will rain over the course of the day and that would be wonderful as it is so needed.

Well I had the best start to the long weekend.

Yesterday started off with bootcamp.

This one was very engaging ….

Found out “all of the arms work” really engaging when I went to dry my hair after a nice warm shower.

I could barely lift my arms …… arg ….

This morning they feel great …. not tired ….. they feel strong.  YAY.

My friend “S” and I went shopping/ running errands after bootcamp.

First stop was the VET to pick up food for Alvin and some treats for him.

Our second stop was Home Depot to pick up some more flowers.

OMG, I could have bought every single flower there.

I picked up a ready made pot filled with pinks and white flowers.

Impatiens and I think begonias to plant for the front porch.

Petunias, and some others that I am not certain of their names.

Have to read the labels.

Also small basket of purple pansies.

So pretty.

I LOVE FLOWERS.

I LOVE LOVE FLOWERS.

They make me so happy.

The colours.

There was one tiny white flower that filled the air with the most amazing fragrance.

I made sure that I picked up some of them.

I decided to plant them (was hoping today) later.

Later might be tomorrow.

They are carefully sitting in the garage by the window.

Will check them later to see if they need a drink of water.

After our stop at Home Depot we went to Costco.

Now that store on a Friday was “busy” …..

People were doing silly driving parking things.

Well of course when you go to Costco …. do you ever stick to the list?  NOPE. Never.

After all doesn’t everyone need a ten pound bag of carrots ….

Apparently me and Alvin did …..

One last stop before home.

Save-On for the winning lotto tickets.

P.S. the one item that I really should have picked up was new house phones because apparently mine are not working …. just filled with static when someone calls ….. I did find out that they can hear me quite fine……..

It was wonderful to spend time with my friend “S” ….. we laughed and chatted and laughed.

Great time.

Now on this quiet Saturday ….

The only sounds in the house are the clock tick tock ing in the bathroom, the sound of the keys as I type these words and the wind as it blows through the upper vents.

Friday was great …… exercise, shopping, walk with Alvin and then being at home.

So on this quiet lovely Saturday morning I hope that you too are enjoying your day.

I love being in my home ….. just puttering …. doing laundry ….. sipping on a cup of coffee ….. just being.

I did think however after yet another bootcamp that I had better get out my yoga equipment and get stretching.

It is amazing as you get older how inflexible you become if you do not work at it.

So I am going to ……

I want to be the most healthy almost 58 year old woman…..

So time to go and get at it.

Remember to take time for yourself. ….

If you like flowers….. go to and pick up some to plant or a ready made pot.

If you do not have the extra money to buy flowers today then just go and spend some time at one of the retail garden stores.

Smell them and take in all of the amazing colours.

This experience will uplift and bring you to a great place.

Well I hear the laundry calling and another cup of coffee …. perhaps I will drink it while it is “hot.”

Have a wonderful Saturday …..

Special Hello to: my daughter and family …. we miss you guys.

Always, Carol and Alvin