Thought for the day ….

Good Morning and Welcome to Friday the 26th day of April, 2019.

Sunrise this morning is partially covered by a deep blue cloud bank.

The forecast for this weekend in Edmonton is cooler and wet.

We could use some rain.

 

Last night after work my daughter picked me up and gave me a ride home.

I absolutely love our conversations in the car ride home.

Trying to squeeze in and also to remember every bit of news that we can.

There is usually a bout of laughter about something or other.

I love my girl very very much.

We made a couple of stops including one at Alvin’s Vet to pick up some food for him before reaching home.

I was surprised as the cost of his food had increased by almost $3.00 per bag.

So lovely that everything rises in our daily lives but our income.

Why is that?

I often wonder how big families afford to buy food, good food?

Anyway ….. just thinking.

We had a quick visit at the house.

One of the other stops we made or rather I went into the store while I was waiting for my girl …. BON TON BAKERY.

They have been in business for over 60 years.

I could see why.  Busy place.

The baked goods smelled so delicious.

WOW, it was amazing.

I ended up buying a few things …. a loaf of bread, 1/2 dozen cinnamon buns, two muffins and an oatmeal raisin cookie.

I know it was an odd mix of items.

A bunch of carbs ….. do the raisins count to fruit?

They even gave us a lovely fresh “FRENCH BAQUETTE” as we were leaving the store.

As my daughter was leaving the phone rang and it was our friend P wondering about a walk.

Ten minutes later I was changed, had Alvin in his harness and out the door (his water bottle, too).

We walked all about the big lake to the north of us ….. we walked for about 50 minutes.

On the way home I stopped at the mailbox as we had a parcel waiting for us.

I even managed to carry the parcel (which was big), some mail, Alvin’s water bottle and of course, the boy.

The boy I did not carry, though.

Anyway home we opened the parcel which for Alvin could not happen fast enough.

He barked and barked.

I took out his present from our friend V and placed it on the floor.

He was able to get partially opened and then needed some help.

I took some video and photos.

Alvin got a can of some nice wet food and a toy.

He was happy.

I got well V’s famous cheese buns, regular buns, a carrot cake in the shape of Mrs. Rabbit.

The carrot cake is too die for …… so good.

I had to stay away from the fridge after the first piece.

A bunch of chocolates all kinds, a handmade dish cloth, a fancy sponge and more.

Well I see carbs in my near future and my belly is going “oh, no.”

 

Well I would have posted some photos but as I was going to do so found that my camera needs a change to the battery pack.

I do not have a spare one at the moment.

So no photos.

 

Well time to leave for work.

I hope that you have an awesome Friday.

Teddy comes tomorrow …. that always makes me and Alvin extra happy.

 

Happy Friday.

 

Special Hello to: our friend “V” who always spoils us.

Always, Carol & Alvin

COUNTDOWN: 60 Days to 60

Today is Tuesday, July 11, 2017 and it is the 30th day until my 60th Birthday.

Okay, now we are less than one month until my Birthday.

I am so excited.

My sister is coming from Saskatchewan to stay with me and Alvin for TEN days.

So excited about that.

My youngest brother is also coming from Calgary for an undetermined amount of time.

Any amount of time I can have with my family is time well spent.

When I think about all of the time over the years that we have spent together it makes me HAPPY.

Doing the Happy DANCE right now.

When you surround yourself with the ones you love and laugh, you know the real deep down belly laughing.

That is the absolute BEST.

Also my daughter is on vacation at the same time as me, and I am looking forward to spending some extra time with her as well.

Sometimes the BEST VACATION of all is sitting around the kitchen table drinking coffee with your sister, your brother and your daughter.

Perhaps throw in some freshly baked cinnamon buns.

Not sure where that came from …….

Simple times ….. are the best.

So many thoughts …..

 

Always, Carol

 

Thought for the day …..

Good Morning and Welcome to Monday the 29th day of May, 2017.

Wow, what a glorious weekend.

There was time to socialize with family, friends and co-workers.

There was time to do some yard work.

There was time to relax.

Best Weekend Award.

Received email from my sister with details of trip to see me.

She is coming in August.

YAY.

I am feeling very lucky, grateful and blessed at this moment.

Alvin is laying on his belly just outside the office door looking at me as he always does.

Oh, me Alvin.

We had walks with friends this weekend and extra visits as well.

Both of us had a great weekend.

Although when he was alone during my visit to the ZOO – he may not agree with me.

So on this sunny Monday morning …… feel the gratitude.

Write it down.

Some days you may feel as though you do not have much to be grateful for but trust me everyone does …… there is a silver lining in each moment of our lives.

Sometimes you may just have to look for it.

Well time to put on the final touches (shoes) and go catch the bus to work.

I have packed some disposable non-latex gloves and a plastic bag so that I can pick up the trash on the walk way on my way home tonight.

There was quite a few coffee cups and McDonalds dishes laying about and I did not have a chance to go over the weekend.

Prepared I will be today.

Happy Monday.

Happy Monday.

 

Special Hello to: my sister ….. cannot wait for you to arrive.  I have not told Alvin or he would be waiting at the window for you.

Always, Carol and Alvin

Thought for the Day …..

Good Morning and Welcome to Tuesday the 17th day of November, 2015.

It is beautiful out this morning with a high of plus 5 degrees celsius which is great for past mid November.

How blessed are we?

So much.

Well update on the little creature …. so sight since Wednesday at 5:00 p.m.

Almost one week.

Alvin has given no indication that it is here.

He has not left my side since this happened.

How lucky am I?

Very.

Traps set …. empty.

Perhaps now with the plug ins properly set up, nothing blocking the sound waves, they are working correctly.

Whatever it is I am happy.

Still wearing my indoor running shoes.

I have come so far just not quite there.

Not sure if I will ever be there but no matter close enough.

 

Tonight I am going with my neighbour and friend and her daughter to the Brownie’s “Cookie Sale.”

Works very well …. $1.00 admission ….. $4.00 for one dozen cookies (of your choice, I believe you can do them individually) and bring your own container.

They will have containers for $1.00 if you need one.

So excited to go out …

Normally I do not go far on a week night but this is a special occasion.

For a great cause.

It is a fundraiser for the Brownie’s.

 

Last night when I was getting ready for bed.

I noticed a notebook tucked in the bottom of my nightstand.

It has a cool cover covered in a border of pretty flowers it states in bold letters:  THINK HAPPY BE HAPPY

How great is that.

In order to be Happy first we have to think Happy.

So that is my task if you will for today ….. think Happy thoughts.

Usually I do but it does not hurt to specifically think on Happy thoughts …. think happy be happy ….

I wish this for the world.

How wonderful would it be if we thought 98% of the time Happy thoughts …..

We would then be Happy.

Whenever you find yourself going down that Unhappy road …. think of something or someone that truly makes you happy …. makes you smile.

It could be anything ….. some place that you visited …… a new baby …… your puppy ….. whatever makes you grin from ear to ear.

I have an easy one ….. me Alvin.

Just thinking of him as I rub his belly makes me grin from ear to ear.

Thinking of time spent with my daughter makes me grin from ear to ear.

Thinking of SKYPING with my sister and my great niece makes me grin from ear to ear.

It is easy.

There is always someone or something to make you smile and feel happy.

Let us make happiness reign supreme.

Happy Tuesday everyone.

Are you smiling yet?

I am…..

Keep on practising…

We will get it right.

 

Special Hello to: my friend “M” back in Saskatchewan who reads my blog and is so supportive.  She is kind and a wonderful person.

Always, Carol and Alvin

 

 

Thought for the day…..

Good Morning and Welcome to Friday the 8th day of May, 2015.

The sun is beginning to rise promising to be a great day.

Most of our snowfall melted with the warmth of the sun yesterday.

YAY …… on our way to a great weekend.

The snow helped cleaned up the dust and add some moisture to lessen the dryness.

Mr. Alvin is happy that it is the weekend.

His sister is coming for a visit on Sunday and he always loves when she arrives.

Penny and Elton are coming, too.

I know he misses their presence everyday.

Sometimes we forget to be grateful for our lives.

Today my thoughts go to gratitude.

I am grateful to be good health, to be surrounded by loving family and friends, for my companion Alvin, for my own house, my home, to have electricity and running water, to have books to read, food in my belly, sunshine to warm me, green grass to see, time to write, time to make jewellery, time to have fun and for inspiration. Thank you.

I hope that you have a wonderful Friday and have time to relax and enjoy.

Special Hello to: all the Mothers out there …. this is your special time.

Always, Carol and Alvin

Thought for the day…..

Good Morning and Welcome to Tuesday the 17th day of March, 2015.

Happy St. Patrick’s Day to everyone.

My family and friends all over the world, Happy St. Pat’s Day.

We are having a potluck lunch at work today and we can also wear sports jerseys and anything green.

Just so happens that I have a Saskatchewan Roughrider (football) jersey which is both.

YAY, me….

Also to top off the celebration my friend “G” is coming over coffee after her “bootcamp” (exercise class).

I am so excited.

I have not seen her in what feels like forever.

YAY …. I am so lucky and feeling really blessed right now.

 

If you remember I mentioned picking up what they call “pet steps” so that when Alvin and the puppies want to get onto the bed they don’t have to jump so high.

Well Mr. Alvin will have nothing of it.

So I shall leave the steps by the bed and see if perhaps over the course of a few days he will gradually get used to them.

Stubborn boy that one.

 

Well life is good …. great, in fact.

I hope that it is in your home as well.

Spread the kindness.

Spread the joy.

Spread the laughter.

Always laugh …. giggle ….. feel it right down to the bottom of your belly.

Have a great green day.

Happy St. Patrick’s Day.

Special Hello to: everyone … I would like to yell from the rooftops “HELLO”

Always, Carol and Alvin

Thought for the day ……

Good Morning and Welcome to Thursday, the 21st day of August, 2014.

Overcast but what a glorious morning it is.

I am surrounded by people that I love.

I am surrounded by me Alvin and grand-puppies Elton and Miss Penny.

I am have a great job …. scratch that …. two great jobs.

I work with great and wonderful people.

I always have good healthy food in my belly.

I feel wonderful ….. healthy …. energized.

I can smell the beautiful fragrances that Mother Nature brings my way.

I can see my family, friends, nature and the world.

I can hear the sounds that surround me.

I am so grateful on this Thursday for everything in my life at this moment.

I am so grateful on this Thursday for everything from yesterday and before ….

I am so grateful on this Thursday for all that is to come.

Today is my super duper gratitude day.

Thank you …. thank you …. thank you….

Life is a blessing and my life is blessed.

Have a wonderful Thursday and I only wish for you all the many blessings that I have in my life.

Take Care.

Special Hello to: all those people who are going to see family and friends at a distance this weekend, such as I am.

Always, Carol and Alvin

Story Line by line – September 13, 2013

Chapter Two:

September 1, 2013

“Alvin, you found me”, I cry as my heart and soul are filled with a gratitude magnified by the love I have for my friend and I know we will find our way together.

September 2, 2013

There is silence between us – no words or barking – just silence in knowing that as long as we are together we will figure this all out and get back home where we belong and we continue on our way side by side.

September 3, 2013

“So me Alvin, what now?” as I search his body to make sure that he has no wounds and give him hugs  and wished that the fog would lift so that I could see where we are going.

September 4, 2013

“Well Mr. Alvin, I guess we had better get moving so maybe we can eventually walk out of this fog and actually find some help” with this Alvin begins to move forward slowly and we are on our way.

September 5, 2013

I have no idea how far we have walked or where we are but I know one thing it is getting colder ….. freezing in fact.

September 6, 2013

Thank GOD, Alvin has a fur coat and that I had not cut it recently but me on the other hand, I only have flip flops, cotton capri pants, a t-shirt and light jacket; the jacket hadn’t really been needed that morning but I needed a place to put my keys and poop bags for Alvin; my keys?

September 7, 2013

I reach into my pocket and touch the coolness of my keys; I am not certain how they are actually going to help us at this point but they give me a sense of peace in that they are our link to home.

September 8, 2013

At this point I am really grateful that I have my Alvin with me and that we are okay despite being cold and now we will just continue on – one step at a time.

September 9, 2013

As we walk along  I fight to see through the fog and in some places I think that I can see the outline of trees, but I am not sure; the only thing I know for certain is we are no longer near “home” and my heart skips a beat.

September 10, 2013

Thank GOD that I have my Alvin the best “sniffer” on the planet here with me as his nose guides us along this path to who knows where or when.

September 11, 2013

As we move along, Alvin does his thing as I listen to him carefully sniffing, and I hope that soon we find someone as we are both showing signs of dehydration, and I can hear my stomach rumble and I know Alvin must be hungry.

September 12, 2013

Out of nowhere I had a flash …. I suddenly remembered something ….. something that I knew would make Alvin one happy puppy dog ….. why didn’t I think of it sooner?

September 13, 2013

As I slowly reached into my other pocket the one without the poop bags I found a bag of doggie treats and I smiled knowing that my Alvin would have a bit of food in his belly and be happy; after all isn’t being happy all about giving something unexpectedly to others, and I am glowing.