The Next Chapter

Good Morning! How are you this morning? I am okay. Had a much better sleep last night. I have been going for walks after work and I am finding that this enables me to clear the “crap” from my brain and then settle down for the evening. Did you ever see that when you slow down and concentrate on one task or one thought at a time, that you feel more positive and just feel more relaxed? I have noticed that with me. Yesterday when I was feeling better and then last night after work. Just refocused to one thing at a time.

Starting to feel like spring during the day as the sun rises higher in the daytime sky. Yesterday there was a lot of water that had melted so it begins to get sloppy. I noticed when I was outside that the storm drain is plugged again. People driving over it pushing the snow onto the grates and eventually plugging it. So tonight if it is melting and the ice has softened I will chip away and try to open it up so that the water does not pool on the street. Our streets are always a pain. Either icy or full of massive ruts. Most of the time in the winter it is massive ruts. When the street was “plowed” a few weeks ago, they basically went down the middle of the street so the middle is clear but they pushed the snow up. Anyway, it is always fun when you are driving. Of course, cars line both sides of the street so down to one lane driving. I am grateful that spring is close.

I am going to try something different today and have breakfast before I leave home. Finding eating at the new office is a pain. Everyone is so busy – no one takes a coffee break. Lunch, I usually don’t eat anyway so unless I go for a walk, it is hard to actually take a break. So have to work out some things. Anyway, I will see what my body likes. I used to always eat in the morning and then eat at supper and sometimes have a snack at noon. I like breakfast and supper, not so much lunch. But have to have something during the day (including morning) otherwise I get a headache. Experiment, I guess.

I hope that life is treating you kindly. May your day be filled with possibilities of all good things and that your dreams are coming true.

Have a wonderful day.

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 Next Chapter

Good Morning! I hope that this finds you doing well. The sky is beginning to lighten and appears that we received a light blanket of fresh snow last night or perhaps during the early morning hours. When I went to turn on the computer this morning, I received a message that the keyboard battery was very low and to recharge. I thought recharge? What? So I realized upon further inspection that you just take the USB cable, I think that is what it is called and hook it to the keyboard and then to the computer to be recharged. How cool is that? No more batteries for the keyboard. The mouse on the other hand still appears to require double AA batteries. But I like that the keyboard is free so to speak.

I have a question for you? I realize that I have not been drinking near enough water as of late. Too many life distractions and I have not been keeping track of my water intake. So today, that changes, so important to drink enough water. Good for your mind, body and soul.

The house does not feel the same no matter who walks through the front door. Last night my good friends Gillian and Signe came over for a visit. We talked about the usual. It was great to see them, to have conversation with someone outside of the drama at the office. Perhaps if I stop using the word “drama” and start saying everything will work out and I am taking one day at a time. Repeat, repeat and repeat several more times. Only we, only I can change my reaction to the every day stuff. So I am. The house is lonely without my Alvin and that will never change but how I react to the things that happen in my life can. I have so many wonderful memories of Alvin. I think that at noon today, I am going to take a stroll and walk for the first time our old route, our old path. I need to get up and get out. Get some exercise. He would want me to be well in mind and body, I know that. I can still keep him close in my thoughts, in my memories and in my heart. This weekend is my daughter, his sister’s birthday and the whole family including Betty Ann who is staying with them are coming over. The kids, being my daughter and son-in-law will drop Miss Aspen, Mi-Mi and Betty Ann off while they go and have lunch with friends who are in town from Saskatchewan and then come here for Amanda’s birthday supper and celebration. So I have things to do tonight and tomorrow and Saturday to prepare. As much prep work as I can do, I will. I am looking forward to seeing everyone again but sad that Alvin will not be here in body to celebrate with us. Our first birthday party without him. My heart hurts.

I am working from home today so time to head downstairs and put on the coffee. Wishing you a wonderful day. Remember to drink lots of water and go for a walk. Nothing like a walk to clear the negative babble and make you feel good in general!

I am so grateful to all my friends for being so supportive during this time and always. I have the best friends on the planet.

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).

2021

Good Morning ALL! I hope that this finds you well. Both Alvin and I had a great sleep. He woke up at first about 3:45 and then back to the sofa until 6:40 a.m., how wonderful. We then got up and he had his breakfast. I wasn’t quite ready to get up so we laid back down for a few minutes as I pondered my day. I forgot that yesterday was May 1st, how crazy is that. Guess what, I was having my coffee yesterday morning when the “phone rang” and I saw that it was the Pharmacist from Pharmasave. He was calling to see if I could go in at 11:30 a.m. to receive the vaccine. I said yes, of course and thanked him. The call came in at 10:22 a.m. After that I quickly drank some coffee and went to prepare to leave the house. I had a winning lotto ticket to cash in so I wanted to leave the house a bit early and go to the convenience store in the same strip mall. I am so grateful to Alvin’s Vet Dr. Karen for hooking me up with the Pharmacist Dr. W., and to think everything is all in the same mall. A quick walk. The convenience store was renovating and looking good thus far. It sure was windy yesterday and we ended up with some rain later in the day, actually evening. I was at the Pharmasave a bit early and decided to pick up a few items that I needed and plus it helps him out. Showing my gratitude to him for scheduling me so quickly for the vaccine. I had asked him about the vaccines as I had heard him say that he was only taking names now for the next batch that is coming in. Apparently he receives 100 at a time. He gave all those vaccines out in a three day period. Busy man. I asked him if he gets paid to give out the vaccines and he said yes which is great as I know his business has been suffering throughout the pandemic much the same as others. This is a small pharmacy not like a Shoppers Drug Mart. I had to complete a two page form going over a multitude of things from name and health number and date of birth to if you had any symptoms to allergies and more. Once I filled out the form which was basically giving a quick history and releasing him from any further liability, I waited for a few minutes. The whole time that I was there people were in and out. It was a real assembly line. Everyone was masked of course and physically distanced. When it was my turn, he called me into this little room. He excused himself as the phone rang and in a few minutes he was back and advising me of the possible side effects and so on. I listened and then he asked which arm. I had decided on my right arm as it is not my writing arm (not sure if that mattered or not). My jacket was off and I pushed off my sleeve and was ready. Next thing I know he was readying the shot and into my arm. Painless, really. He was so gentle despite the fact that they basically throw the needle at your arm. I remember him beforehand telling me to relax my arm and to hold it a certain way which I am thinking now really helped the process. Once done he grabbed a bandaid and I checked to ensure it was latex free as I am allergic. He said yes, it was as he had read that I mentioned about being allergic to latex/elastoplast. He then advised that I could go and wait until 11:50 which was 15 minutes later. Both the chairs that he had set up against a partial wall were full so he asked me to go around so I made sure that I did not go close to the two women in the chairs. Dr. W. then called the one that had just filled out her paperwork in for her vaccine and I took her chair. A few minutes later he gave me a card that said that I had received the Moderna vaccine on May 1st, 2021 and that the next one was scheduled for August 21, 2021. Fifteen minutes later I was on my way. Thanking this kind man as I left the pharmacy. Today he has extended his hours so that he can give out the remaining vaccines. I received the Moderna vaccine in case you were wondering.

I was happy that I had bought the items in his store and I will continue to give him as much business as possible. A few minutes later I was at home warming up a cup of coffee in the microwave as I had unplugged the coffee pot before leaving and it was barely warm by this point. Oh and beforehand I of course let Mr. Alvin out for a pee. He was happy to see me and I him.

Oh, almost forgot when I texted my daughter to tell her that I was getting the vaccine – she told me that her husband, my son-in-law was getting his as well. How strange is that we were both getting ours on the same day and around the same time. Now just my daughter to have hers.

A couple of loads of laundry later, I decided to go for a walk with Alvin. The sky has been clouding over and then clearing for most of the morning and now in the early afternoon. Thinking that we had better get going before it rained. It was quite windy and there were several folks out walking likely having the same idea as me. I am always amazed at how cool Alvin is around the geese. The couple that have been hanging around our park are always together somewhere as we walk through and Alvin usually stops and takes a look and continues on. He does not bark or even go toward them, just gives him a look and we keep going. I love how chill he is around them. I think that stems from his youth when we used to go for walks before I was working and we would literally plunk ourselves down on the sidewalk / grass by the water in one of two parks in our neighbourhood and watch the geese and ducks. I would hold him in my arms and he would just watch them literally for hours. Usually it was me that wanted to get up and go not Alvin. He has always enjoyed watching them. When we approached his best friend Teddy’s house, I could not say no to him so up the driveway and the steps and ringing the doorbell. I could hear the pups and some movement. All of a sudden Kobi was up looking out the porch window. Then I could hear both Teddy and Kobi and next thing I knew it, Walter was opening the door. He said that Iris had just popped out to the store but would be home soon and asked us to go in. In we went. This is the only place outside our house and the vet and the odd retail shop that we go. Always, physically distancing. Now we have all had our first vaccines. Walter and I visited until Iris came home. She invited me for tea and I graciously accepted. I told her about our Friday night and as I had mentioned to Walter about receiving my first vaccine. We had a great visit. Then home to finish the laundry and feed Alvin and to make my special pasta dinner. My daughter had picked me up some lentil pasta and this was the first time I have eaten it and cooked with it. It was awesome. I made a simple sauce to add to the cooked pasta of caramelized onions (because why not) with black pepper in olive oil, once down I poured the onions into a bowl and then added to the pan some halved grape tomatoes, salt and pepper and greek spice and once cooked down I added some minced garlic (several cloves). Once done, I added the onions and let them mingle together. I added some pasta water to the onions/tomatoes and garlic and then added the drained pasta to this pan to mix. Then into a bowl. On top of my seving I threw some shredded parmesan cheese and more black pepper. OMG, it was so good. Simple and did not take much time. That was supper. Leftovers for tonight and likely tomorrow. I will make some roasted broccoli to put on top tonight for more veg.

Last night we had a quiet evening. Watched a couple of movies before going to bed.

I was thinking of how a house/home is like us. The roof is the top of our heads. The windows are our eyes looking out and within. The kitchen is liken to our heart. The bathrooms are our kidneys. The basement is the bottom half of us with the furnace which would be our lungs and the floor would be our feet. Another way to look at our homes.

Well time to hit the shower and get refreshed. It is cloudy outside.

I hope that this finds you well and that you are enjoying your Sunday. I cannot wait for a cup of coffee this morning. Just because.

• 

  Photo by Ian Turnell on Pexels.com

• 

  Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

• 

  Photo by James Wheeler on Pexels.com

I love to share photos giving us all an opportunity to go places we may have never been before …… I love the elephant. Elephants and Dragonflies are my favourites (please do not tell Mr. Alvin).

Have an awesome day.

Remembering to always live with kindness, respect, compassion and patience for all.

Always, Love Carol & Alvin

Thought for the day ….

Good Morning and Welcome to Saturday the 16th day of March, 2019.

Now officially more than halfway into the third month of 2019.

The sun is shining brightly to the east and soon it shall fill the entire sky.

Warm temperatures forecasted for the weekend.

I took Monday as a vacation day to have an extra long weekend.

Just sneezing and keeping positive thoughts of feeling well.

My neighbour is feeling so much better and I am grateful.

Last night I shovelled a path across the snowbank from my house to my neighbours.

The sidewalks are a mess of ice and water.

Alvin has his regular vet appointment this morning.

Thankfully we will have a ride this morning.

The streets and sidewalks are so full of icy ruts and in a few hours will be melting and mixed with water.

ARGH.

I love spring but could take less of the ice part.

I also am going to pick up some groceries after Alvin’s appointment.

Making a fruit pizza for my daughter’s birthday party tomorrow.

Love fruit pizza ….. not something one would make every weekend but it is a great treat.

 

A NEW DECADE …..

I was thinking over the past few days about what it has been like to be a single woman in her 60’s.

Crazy that I can say ’60’s” ….. when did that happen?

In August I will turn 62.

The years, the decades have blurred together to bring me to this place.

I am more than grateful to be in good health, to be surrounded by loving family and friends, to have my own home, to be employed.

I am grateful to be learning every day from Mr. Alvin who really has taught me so much.

I am grateful to live in a wonderful community filled with so many wonderful people of all ages.

There is something to be said about being in your sixties.

I have reached a point where I am comfortable in my own skin.

Now there are days when I look at my body and wish that a couple of things were different.

The tummy area for sure.

Those things can change with a bit more exercise.

I look in the mirror and I am happy with the face that smiles back at me.

There is no moaning and groaning about droopy eye lids or wrinkles.

Every decade things change.

Part of getting older is just that …. things change.

Your body changes.

Your mindset changes.

Your sense of worth and desires changes.

You just keep changing.

No longer do I worry on a moment to moment basis about what others think.

I of course, do care about what others think but it no longer defines me.

It no longer is the driving force in my thoughts and actions.

All in all, I love being in my sixties.

 

Well looks like I must hit the shower as Mr. Alvin has his appointment in a little while.

The blue sky and sunshine out of my window makes me happy.

Happy Saturday.

 

Special Hello to: all those folks out there who are in their sixties …. you rock.

Always, Carol & Alvin

 

 

 

 

Thought for the day …..

Good Morning and Welcome to Thursday the 25th day of January, 2018.

Well it be snowing …… just tiny tiny snowballs falling from the sky.

Or at least they were when I was outside about 5:30 am.

Sometimes it is just a poem day,  here is a poem I wrote back in 2011.

***********************************************************

IN YOUR HEART

In your heart lies the secret to your life.

In your heart lies the beat to every song and every dance.

In your heart lies the dreams for the future, and the ones forgotten.

In your heart lies every moment, every tear, every bout of laughter, every everything.

In your heart lies the gold that shines in the sunlight.

In your heart are the stars that shine like diamonds, blinding in the night.

In your heart is the strength to go where your body must follow.

In your heart is the soul that reminds you to live, love and laugh.

In your heart is mine beating like a reminder to all that we shared.

In your heart ……

In your heart I long to be…

In your heart I wonder…

In your heart I hear…

In your heart I feel….

In your heart I live, I love and I remember.

In your heart, for my heart.

My soul I do surrender.

CLewis, April 4th ,2011  (dedicated to the loves of my life)

 

Special Hello to: All those that I have loved over my life.

Always, Carol & Alvin

Thought for the day …..

Good Morning and Welcome to Wednesday the 20th day of September, 2017.

Well another rainy dark morning here in Edmonton.

I caved after work and turned on the HEAT.

After hearing that during the day we had a SNOW RAIN mix (it did not stay), I felt so sorry for Mr. Alvin.

Home in the dark with no heat.

I know that he has a fur coat but just the same ….. he needed some heat.

So it is the first warm morning in the house for awhile.

Sure was nice having a shower without freezing before the warm hit me body.

Too much information …… sorry.

 

According to the weather channel this is our reality for a few days.

Rain and more rain.

Low temperatures.

Hopefully I will be able to dig out the flowers once the sun comes out.

If it freezes it will make it almost impossible until spring.

Oh well.

I guess I should have paid closer attention to the forecast.

I just could not bear to clean out the pots when the flowers were still somewhat green and the flowers were blooming.

Some of the snapdragons were so pretty that I picked them Monday night and am glad that I did.

Perhaps once this wet cool snap passes we shall have a nice long warm fall.

That would be nice.

Well almost time to hit the road.

Extra layers and shoes that lace up.

Umbrella, of course.

Cannot leave home without it.

 

Have an awesome Wednesday.

Special Hello to: my sister ……

Always, Carol & Alvin

COUNTDOWN: 60 Days to 60

Today is Sunday June 18, 2017 and it is the 53 day until my 60th Birthday.

Wow the days are passing away quickly as it has been one week since I decided to do the countdown.

Mmm, let me see: things that I have learned along the way.

 

Learn new things everyday ….. will keep you healthy in body, mind and soul.

Be forgiving ….. less stressful.

Respectful.

Incorporate variety into your life in every aspect.

Be kind to yourself ….. perhaps the biggest lesson to learn and the most important.

Surround yourself with people …… we all need each other’s energy to exist.

Do more of what makes you feel fantastic.

Listen to music.

Dance to your own beat …. do not be afraid to do things your way …… it is okay to be different.

Be grateful for everything you have in your life.

Be kind to others.

Meditate …. even if it is only a few minutes each day.

Listen more …. speak less.  ( I find this one difficult but I have worked on it my whole life).

Be yourself as there is no one else like you on the planet.

 

Always, Carol

 

 

COUNTDOWN: 60 Days to 60

Well today is Sunday, June 11, 2017 and is the 60th day until my 60th Birthday.

I would say that this has been on my mind, as of late.

Not that I am stressing over this upcoming date.

Just pondering the path behind and the road ahead.

Over my lifetime to this point;  how I envisioned my life is not exactly how it has turned out.

In the early days I wanted the white picket fence, the house, the husband, the four children-two sons and two daughters, summer vacations and to be a nurse and writer.

However that is not exactly the course that my life has taken.

I do not have the white picket fence.

Fences are not all that necessary.

I finally got the house on my own just months before I turned 52.

I do have have a husband, and that is okay.

I was married and have been divorced for several decades.

I do not have four children.

I do however have ONE amazing, wonderful DAUGHTER and a great SON-IN-LAW and GRAND-PUPPIES.

I adopted my four-legged companion, Alvin in 2010.

He brings great joy to my days.

I am not able to take summer vacations.

I am not a nurse.

But I write ….. this I have done since I was 6 years old.

So life changes as the days and years pass.

Our dreams change over time.

I will say that I never thought that I would be single, take early retirement after 30 years with a company and then start another “career” and am now almost 6 years into it.

Time flies.

I kid with folks and say that I am “OLD” but truth is …. I feel young even though somedays my body reminds me otherwise.

I love to laugh and when I find that I am taking life too seriously I change directions and find the laughter once again.

 

I watched a video last night of James Corden doing an interview with Ed Sheeran in a car.

They were driving along ….. singing and talking ….. talking and singing.

Enjoying life.

I must say I love ED SHEERAN and pleasantly surprised by James Corden’s voice (he easily could have been a singer).

You may wonder what Ed and James have to do with 60 days to 60 but in actuality it is partly the choices we make about music and such that keeps us young.

Think young ….. act young ….. be young.

 

Well I guess if I am to write things for 60 days about turning 60, I should stop now.

Safe to say the next 59 days worth of posts will be shorter.

I hope that my journey to 60 will perhaps inspire you, make you laugh, maybe even bring a tear to your eye but most of all I hope that it brings some joy to your day(s).

Now yikes only 59 days till I turn 60……………

 

Always, Carol

 

Thought for the day …..

Good Morning and Welcome to Friday the 10th day of February, 2017.

YAY, it is the weekend and the temperatures are warming up.

How perfect.

I spoke to the birthday boy er, I mean man, yesterday and that was nice.

My how time flies ….. still cannot believe my baby boy is 40 years old.

 

So I wonder, how do the milestone birthdays such as 40 of your first born nieces and nephews make you feel?

At first I thought oooh sixty but then I think wow I have a 40 year old nephew.

Actually I have an almost 37 year old daughter, too.

Sometimes I feel old and it has nothing to do with their birthdays.

Just because.

Sometimes your body feels older and some days not.

That is something that will not change – we all age.

Some of us age better than others.

Depends on gene pool and environment.

Perhaps the elixir of eternal life may be found in some future century but not now.

So we do not have to worry about living forever.

Just live your best life now.

If you have a moment where you feel old and truly you are not ….. live it and then carry on.

 

Well almost time to hit the road ….. to the bus.

Have an awesome Friday.

Special Hello to: my Sister, the Mother of my Nephew ….. a great person and I love her very much.

Always, Carol and Alvin

 

Thought for the day …..

Good Morning and Welcome to Thursday August 18th, 2016.

It feels like fall in the mornings now as it drastically cools off at night.

Feels refreshing and is pleasant to sleep.

Alvin likes to sit on the deck for a few minutes until I call him into the house so that I can get ready for work.

We are fast approaching my favourite time of year.

The temperatures are most comfortable at this time of year on the prairies.

Which is nice for all creatures.

I see many posts from family and friends who are busy canning and putting away their garden crops.

I think most gardens seem to have done very well with the moisture and sunshine.

Some were damaged beyond repair in the summer storms that we had quite often.

 

Well here we are at Thursday already.

The 18th of August …..

I am grateful this day to be loved, appreciated, supported in whatever venture I take on, to be employed, and most of all to be surrounded by the dearest people on this planet.

I am truly blessed.

Family – Friends, they surround me.

Well I kind of slept in this morning – I think my body thinks I should be hibernating or at least preparing.

No actually it was likely the cup of coffee that I decided to have after I got home from work.

Or maybe it was because I just kept thinking of life and dreaming and waking up.

Whatever the reason, morning is here and I must get off to work.

Wishing you a splendid day …

Remember to keep it simple …… love your life and live your life……

Happy Thursday.

 

Special Hello to: all my fellow bloggers ….. great job everyone!

Always, Carol and Alvin