Good Morning All,
It is mid morning on this Saturday morning half way through the month of October, 2020. The sky is pretty with a cool pale blue lined streaked with long thin white clouds. There is a bit of a breeze. Most of the leaves have fallen from the trees but there are some that are holding on for dear life. Lawns are covered with frozen yellow, orange, red and green leaves and clumps of snow. Pretty to the eye and crunchy to the feet. I do not expect that we will have warm temperatures again before spring – just a feeling. But I am not a meteorologist and would love to be wrong. Oh well, it is mid October after all. I do note that looking out of my office window there are some trees that still are covered in golden leaves. I am always amazed by the difference between the front and back sides of my house. Happens with weather as well. Sometimes it can be raining in the front and not in the back and a few times we had hail in the back and not in the front. Weather.
14 sleeps until Halloween and 15 sleeps until the Christmas tree goes up. I am excited for both. Have you decided if you are going to dress up in a costume for Halloween even if you stay at home? Our employer is having a virtual costume contest. I am undecided at the moment. Definitely easier to do without having to go out for sure. Time will tell. I can always throw together something at the last minute. Halloween being on a Saturday is cool as well. I am also thinking that with Sunday being my putting the Christmas tree and decorating the house that perhaps I may take a vacation day on Monday to put the finishing touches on things. Most times I can get the majority done in one day especially when that day falls on the weekend and definitely not if it falls on a weekday. So excited. It is these things that we look forward to and that give us good feelings. I will say for this year – it is more important than ever to be doing things that give us joy and provide good cheer. I could sit on the floor or on the sofa or stand in the kitchen in the dark and watch the lights on the Christmas tree forever. Speaking off Christmas tree lights – this will be another year where I will have to place all of the lights on the tree by hand. My once prelit tree is no longer. I believe it was last year that I manually removed each one from the tree and then manually hung strings of lights. Removing them took many many hours of work. It was not much fun but in the end I was happy to have done so. As much as it is nice to have a prelit tree, I don’t think I would do it again. Now that may not even be possible …. perhaps they all come prelit, I do not know. Time is zipping along and soon the house will be donned in its’ Christmas apparel for me to enjoy and all to see.
I guess there is no point in leaving light jackets and sandals in the closet. Time to take those items and pack them in the basement closet. Time to wash and freshen up winter coats, scarfs, mittens and bring up the boots. Also to switch up my clothes closet. That is a job for today. Along with laundry, some cleaning of floors, dusting and bathrooms. I have a couple of parcels that need to be mailed on the remaining Tuesdays in October in order to use the free shipping that Canada Post provides for people with small businesses. I have some craft projects in the works so time to get things moving along with them. Time to start thinking about the calendar and the days left and what needs to be done. What am I getting for Christmas for my daughter and son-in-law and a few others? Soon it will be time to address and write letters for Christmas cards to be mailed. This year there will be fewer than other years. Or at least at this moment. I also have to think about baking. What sweet treats will I make this year. I also give them out to friends and neighbours – so make that list as well. I see a lot of lists happening here. Bring it on, I say, bring it on, lol.
Well the time is evaporating here. I will admit that even though we were first up at 5:00 a.m. – the sofa called us to lay down and it was so toasty warm and delightful just snuggling with my Alvin that we did not get until almost 9:00 a.m. Most of the time I dreamed away but some of the time I was just enjoying life in foggy thought. I had a great dream. Only remembering bits and pieces but there was a cute, good guy, cause would you dream of other, a trip to a warm climate with friends, there was a thing about money and he helped me with a credit card. This will make sense to some people including me.
Okay time to hit the shower and wash off the night and get this day going. Get those closets changed up. Wash some coats and clothes. Tomorrow the girls are coming for coffee and a visit. I love when we can get together. Oh, almost forgot that last night after work, me and Alvin headed out for a walk. I found his winter jacket (I need a sweater that fits him) and I put on a light jacket on top of my long sleeved sweater and off we went. When we were on the halfway point which happens to be his best friend Teddy’s house, he made a beeline across the driveway and up the front porch steps before I had a chance to reign him in. I asked him to announce himself but all he did was sniff at the door, I could hear the pups in the house and rang the doorbell. Iris came to the door with Kobie in tow and Teddy coming towards Alvin. Iris is one of those people that always makes you feel like a million billion dollars. She is always so happy that you dropped in unannounced. Truly. So we went in for a short visit. She asked if I would like a cookie as she just made some and you know me when would I ever ever turn down an offer of a cookie! Never. To my big surprise they were the unbaked chocolate macaroons that my Mom used to make and that I make for family and friends (one of our favourites). I graciously took one. It was so good. She had baked them for her brother who lives and teaches English halfway around the world. My friend was so excited to tell me all about the cookie story. I loved to listen. The cookie was so yummy and I was hungry so I asked politely for another and made my friend so happy. She was super pleased that I loved them and that they tasted so good. Makes me want to make some. They are a family favourite of ours, as well. No bake cookies. They call them chocolate clusters and we call them unbaked chocolate macaroons. Many names for these delectable treats. Both Alvin and I had treats. Lucky us and a great visit before leaving for home.
Well time to get this show on the road. Take care and be safe on this day and always. If we remember to all live our lives with love, kindness and respect for all – what a great world this would be. Little things matter. They do.
I/We shall remain,
As always, Carol & Alvin
My New Life @ 51 