Last Half 2022 – December

Good Morning ALL! How are you this morning? Did you sleep well? I had a pretty decent sleep. Since Alvin’s departure to this sister’s house, I find myself taking longer to actually fall asleep. I suppose when the body next to you is clearly relaxed and “lightly snoring” – it cues you to do the same. I miss the little guy so much but on the other hand it has been great being “single.” I have made that reference a few times in the last couple of days because being alone feels like being single again. He kept me in a routine of sorts, his but still a routine. Tomorrow is one week since he went to stay with his sister and in two weeks he will be back home. My daughter shared that the night before last he slept through the night. No middle of the night getting up to go outside. Wow, he almost never does that. I am happy that he is settling in with them and is comfortable and not anxiety ridden as I felt/feel guilty enough with him not being at home.

I am glad that today marks the end of the week. We are having a Secret Santa and little Christmas party with our group which takes in three small departments totalling 17 staff including a Manager and Supervisor. It will be a nice break on a Friday. I made up individual packages for each person of chocolate chip cookies. That way everyone can just take a package and we do not have to put our fingers on them. With all of the “bugs” going around – better to be safe than sorry.

Countdown to Christmas Eve: with today being December 9th there are only 15 sleeps remaining.

I love the photos that come up on my computer screen each morning. What a wonderful reminder of where I have been and where I am now with thoughts of where I may be in the future. I absolutely love the photos of me and my siblings. They seem to rotate a lot so I take that as a reminder from the Universe that I should reach out to them. It can be a simple text or a phone call or even an email. Just reaching out. They are the ones outside of your parents that know you the longest and usually the best. Siblings. There are only four of us now – we started out with five. We have an angel watching over us each and everyday. I can feel him around him. He was so charming and loveable. I just spoke to my youngest brother a few days ago which reminds me to reach out to my other brother and my darling sister. Oh, when I see those photos, I think of way back then. A simpler time not always easier. To my sister, if you are reading this, I love you and miss you so much. To my brothers, well I love you both very much and miss you as much. Family.

Well looks like the clock is counting down and I still have to pack the Secret Santa gift, a small gift for my Manager (and friend) and the big container of cookies.

Have an awesome day, it is Friday. YAY.

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

Always, Carol & Alvin

PS: Grateful for the reprieve from winter temperatures.

It is a NEW YEAR.

Good Saturday morning all.

After hitting plus 28 degrees celsius for the first time this year we are to have a slightly cooler day at 25 degrees.

There is a breeze today so that helps keep it more manageable.

Yesterday was a great day.

My daughter did the shopping for both households at COSTCO.

She surprised me with some beautiful potted flowers.

We had supper together and we had some of the strawberry-rhubarb crisp that I had made Thursday night.

It turned out pretty good.

We also did some gardening as she is starting to really be interested in growing plants/flowers.

I am happy about that as there is nothing more calming and fun than gardening.

One of my most favourite things is to garden but to sit back later and just enjoy the colour, their scents and their simple beauty.

Alvin is doing really well after his teeth cleaning.

I would say 100% back to normal.

 

Today is the birthday of our friend Pauline, I am going to just use her name and not just her initial.

Using one’s initial seems so impersonal.

After all it is not like I am giving her last name and address.

Happy Birthday to our friend.

She is a grower of the most beautiful flowers and plants.

Green thumb for sure.

 

The rest of this blog is going to be all photos as I finally was able to download those photos.

 

Beautiful flowers from my daughter.

Alvin’s tooth – that most forgetful tooth fairy did not bring him any loot !

Photos of the storm brewing last night. The ones with the dark border were near the roofline of our house.

Alvin and I enjoying the sunshine before his dental appointment on Thursday.

While out on the deck with Alvin before his appointment, I was going for some flower shots when I noticed two bugs “doing the wild thing.”

They were sitting on the railing but when I moved they started to fly.

What a sight.  I tried valiantly to snap a photo but it is not a crisp shot.

Very cool all the same.  Oh, I love nature.

Teddy, Kobi spent Wednesday with us.  Those pups love to move about making it impossible to grab any great closeups.

The baby Kobi is getting so big and remains full of puppy energy.  I love the photo of her and then the second one

where all of the ups are standing up looking out of the window.

Humphrey spent a few hours in the evening with us.

Truly was a friends day for Alvin and me, too.

My back raised flower/shrub garden.

I love it so much.

Whoops what about the front ……

I did manage to snap a couple or three of the friends.

Oh, I did snap some of my front garden.

Very nice and green.

Forgot the impatiens on the front porch.

 

Well I better get this day going.

I was going to take Mr. Alvin for a walk since we missed ours yesterday.

Before it gets too warm.

Coffee and laundry can wait.

It is 8:44 a.m. already and we were up much earlier than usual.

 

Wishing you a grand day.

I hope that you have a garden to putz in and to enjoy.

Continuing to live our lives with kindness and respect.

I/We, shall remain,

As Always, Carol & Mr. Alvin

It is a NEW YEAR.

Well Good Morning All,

It is windy, overcast and warm here in Edmonton.

This morning I am hosting the birthday party for one of my younger friends.

I was hoping to have the party on the deck but it appears that I will have to wait until the last minute due to the skies and wind.

Perhaps we shall have coffee on the deck and grab our snacks from the house and just take them outside.

Time will tell.

There is a few minutes less than 2 hours till start time.

There will be four of us ladies as the birthday girl is bringing her Mother.

I have not seen her for awhile so it will be nice to catch up.

I have already prepped our snack which is a fruit tray of strawberries, blueberries and watermelon.

Actually three bowls filled with the delectable fruits.

The bowls are tupperware and so colourful.

I thought if we were outside, with lids would keep bugs out more easily.

All taste so yummy as I had to try them while I was getting them washed and prepped.

It has been a bit since I had watermelon and it is ripe.

The watermelon as well as the berries are from COSTCO.

Will be sending watermelon home with the girls as it is just at the perfect eating stage and will not last for long.

I am hoping that it is okay this morning after I cut up half of the large melon early last evening.

We are also having a strawberry shortcake from COSTCO.

It looks so good.

Nice and light and yummy.

We will have coffee as our liquid refreshment.

One of the girls not the birthday girl is very fussy about her drink so she always brings along her tea bag.

I have tried to convert her to Steeped Tea over the last five years but to no avail other than she loves our Sangria teas in ginger ale.

Well help from my daughter yesterday we gave Alvin one of his best hair cuts ever.

With her help the hair cut was done in just a bit over one hour and then the bath took a handful of minutes compared to the usual 3+ hours by myself.

He looks so handsome.

Perhaps I should have snapped a photo, cannot believe that I forgot.

She also helped with a few other chores around the house.

I feel like I did not get much housework done like washing the floors and dusting.

The floor honestly look okay and dusting …. well there are not many dust bunnies hanging around.

With my injured foot, I have been trying to be a good girl and stay off it here and there.

As my son-in-law said yesterday when he came to pick up my daughter …. “it looks like it” ….. meaning not really.

It is hard to keep me down especially when I have company company.

The bruises were definitely more prominent yesterday as the day progressed and even this morning.

My baby toe and the next one are badly bruised with the little one taking the brunt of the injury.

The top almost half of my foot from my toes upward is bruised.

Definitely looks worse than it feels.

I really have not had much pain but I am blessed as I have a high tolerance.

Which I suppose can also be a problem.

Anyway, other than taking it slow up and down the stairs and I am good.

I elevate the foot when I am sitting down.

Icing it from time to time.

 

Alvin for some unknown reason, decided to be up multiple times during the night from about 11:00 p.m. onward.

We were up to stay up just before 7:30 a.m. so I feel a bit on the tired side.

Perhaps an afternoon nap will be in store for us later.

He is napping now.

 

Well I suppose that I should hit the shower and get dressed.

I want to have a cup of coffee before the girls arrive.

Make sure that I have things ready although I will say that having my friends over is less stressful.

We are pretty laid back when it comes to our get togethers.

I have the gift wrapped and the card written up.

Cake and goodies are ready.

Just have to make the coffee and decide on where I am going to set up.

I actually wrote on the “new section of the fence” in chalk “Happy Birthday ….. ” and drew some flowers (my version of a flower).

I have a birthday banner and I will hang it after my shower.

So wherever we are you will know it is a birthday.

Long gone are the days of balloons and streamers.

I do not like balloons and do not use them anymore.

Bad for animals and for the environment.

 

Okay time to fly here.

It is almost 8:30 and I have a short list of things that I would like to do before the guests arrive.

 

I hope that you have an awesome Sunday.

Living with kindness and respect,

I/We remain,

As Always Carol & Alvin

Thought for the day ….

Good Morning and Welcome to Sunday the 22nd day of July, 2018.

Happy Birthday to my younger brother’s youngest “Z.”

WOW, another beautiful morning with a BREEZE.

Perhaps more than a breeze but it is keeping it cooler.

Hopefully cooler at least until I have a shower and get out for a morning stroll with the boy.

What a busy weekend.

We, rather I cleaned all the blinds in the house (10 sets of them).

How often do you clean out the window wells in your garage?

Likely not often.

Figured good time to vacuum the bugs and then give them a good washing.

WOW, they look amazing.

So when I decided to that, I first had to move some things around so that I could get into the window properly.

The garage got cleaned up, once again and a good sweeping.

GARAGE done.

PULLED WEEDS, with all this rain they are everywhere.

Weeds between the garage and the fence.

Weeds in with my flowers in the front flower bed and the back.

Weeds beside the driveway in the back.

Now this is more than weeds as some of the neighbours chose not to take care of them.

Now there is grass of all sorts.

I do my best to pull them out but they take hold quickly.

We will have to use some WEED/GRASS control agent to ourselves of them.

ARGH

In between LAUNDRY ( always ).

Just as we were about to finish the garage, I saw that these LARGE rain clouds were looming in the sky so I turned down the umbrellas and moved my tomato plant into the protection

of the garage ….. then back inside to put away my cleaning stuff.

Only it started to RAIN, no time, turned off the light and yelled at ALVIN to run just as the HEAVENS opened WIDE.

We were soaked by the time that we reached the HOUSE – which is not far.

In the house we dried off.

 

I made a big pot of what I will call a CHILLI TOMATO SOUP (a mix mash of things but oh, it tastes so good).

USED up all of the bags of tomatoes left in the freezer.

They were from my friend’s garden last year.

Enough to freeze and to eat.

I have red tomatoes on my one lone plant.

The sunflowers are growing as well.

 

Finally after supper we crashed and watched a movie.

THE Agatha Christie movie “MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS” was to rent for $1.00.

Cannot beat that so that is what we watched before retiring at 9:30 p.m.

 

Good old fashioned “cleaning” can sure play one out.

Good exercise and good for the soul.

So today just odds and ends before back to work tomorrow.

I am making PANCAKES for breakfast.

Just have to shower, walk and then EAT.

PANCAKES with MAPLE SYRUP and raspberries & blueberries on top.

MMMMM

Well better get this show on the road.

I hope that you enjoy your Sunday.

Take some time for yourself.

 

Rainclouds are coming back in ……

ARGH, hopefully we get our walk in …..

Otherwise will have to try later.

 

Special Hello to: my siblings ……

Always, Carol & Alvin

 

Thought for the day ……

Good Morning and Welcome to Sunday the 28th day of May, 2017.

A bright gorgeous morning here in Edmonton.

A slight cool breeze at this time making it absolute perfection.

I love these kind of mornings.

My neighbour is out trimming the lawn.

Her battery would not charge on her lawn mower and my push mower is too small to cut the grass which has grown at lightning speed over the past week and a bit.

We tried to start my son-in-law’s mower which I still have but to no avail.

My neighbour’s father is coming over so he will see if he can figure it out.

Off to a start.

Soon I will be out mowing the back yard again ….. I mowed it last weekend and it has grown lots.

After the grass gets cut it will be giving Mr. Alvin a hair cut and bath.

Followed by a walk and perhaps some more laundry and few small chores around the house.

 

Yesterday was fantastic.

Started out with the birthday party of my friend “G” …… we did a good job hosting.

The decorations looked good, the cake turned out to be yummy and she loved her gift.

We had good conversation and even the odd laugh.

Afterward Alvin and I went for a short walk.

Our friends were busy and could not make it but we are going today.

THE ZOO.

OH my gosh.

I had the best 10 minutes of my life on the PADDLE BOATS.

My daughter accompanied me on the Office Event.

We had a barbecue supper, salads and dessert.

Then everyone went checking out the Zoo.

One of the first things we did was go on the paddle boats.

Neither of us had ever done that and it was great fun.

There was a narrow passage way around some trees and we did not make it through either time.

The boat got turned sideways and we had to back it up and up to get turned around to get out.

We laughed so hard – I almost peed my pants.

So much fun.

The Zoo staff did remark that the boats were hard to steer.

Best time ever.

We spent the rest of the evening walking around checking out the animals which including SEALS, OTTERS, ARTIC WOLF, VARIOUS MONKEYS, CALVES, SHEEP, GOAT, LAMA, OWL, and so many more.

ZEBRAS …… so beautiful.

Did not see tigers or Lucy, the Elephant.

Some of the little creatures were sleeping ……

We even rode on a small train that took us for a little ride.

As we walked around the zoo we laughed about how much fun we had on the paddle boats.

If I could have a small body of water on my property I would totally have a paddle boats.

Best fun …..

NOTE:  usually I do not post photos of people but decided sometimes you just have to and I know that they would be okay with that……

The tulip garden celebrating Canada’s 150 Birthday this year was beautiful.

Tulips are my daughter’s favourite flower.

The grounds are beautiful…..

Some breath-taking trees.

Perfect ending to a perfect day.

Surrounded by friends in the morning and my daughter for the evening (and of course, fellow co-workers).

GREAT DAY.

 

Now time to get back outside and finish the yard work.

My neighbour just finished mowing the front lawn.

We managed to get my son-in-law’s lawn mower going with her Dad’s help.

I have mowed the back and hand trimmed the edges.

Going to rake now.

Decided that Alvin can wait till next weekend for a hair cut.

I may even take next Friday afternoon off and do it then ……

Have an awesome Sunday …..

 

Special Hello to: my daughter, thank you for a great evening.

Always, Carol & Alvin

 

 

 

Thought for the day…..

Good Morning and Welcome to Thursday, the 4th day of April, 2013.

Wow, I am feeling much better now …. almost 100% ……

Sure seems to be the time of year when bugs go around…..

 

I am so happy to see the sky getting light earlier …

Also the sun has been shining for several days nows ….

The snow is melting and the ground is peering through.

We still have huge banks on our front lawns (we face north).

But spring is definitely here.

 

So on this 4th day of April, I wish you a great day.

May you be surrounded by love and laughter, goodness and joy.

Happy Thursday everyone.

 

Special Hello to: all my family and friends who I miss everyday….

 

Always, Carol and Alvin

 

Thought for the day…..

BRRR, WELCOME to Tuesday, January 29th, 2013 …. and it is a COLD morning here in Edmonton.

Luckily it will be short-lived.  Only to last for a couple of days.

The wind has been blowing since last night.

 

Well I have been thinking lately of all the people that I know that are still here with me and all those “lights” that have long since flickered out.

I have been so blessed to know so many wonderful people.

I have friends that are every age and from every background.

I think that is such a blessing.

I have learned so much over the years from all of these great human beings.

It is funny when you think back to when you were younger.

Do you remember lots about your childhood?

Or is it just clumps and clusters of little things?

It is strange that my earliest memory is of a nightmare, or perhaps that isn’t strange at all.

I remember playing with my sister outside on the farm and smelling that gorgeous scent from the lilac bushes.

I remember when my Dad built me a “dresser” for my room in our new house.

It was great …. it had drawers on one end and shelves on the other …. a modern day wall unit..

I remember going to a nearby lake to celebrate family birthdays ….we had so many in August that we celebrated them altogether ….. with cousins, Aunts and Uncles.

It was always with family or so I recall.

We roasted hot dogs and marshmallows.

I remember going to Texas with my family for a winter when I was about 10-11.

We visited Padre Island … on the gulf …. the water ….. ooooooooooooooh

It was glorious…..except for the bugs who were larger than life.

We were not used to that …..

But the people were amazing and we had the best neighbours.

I still have great neighbours and always have …… lucky me.

Well here we are … time to go to work.

I hope that you take the time to go down memory lane.

Even if it is for a little while ….. it is good to remember.

Thank you for indulging me.

Special Hello: OMG, thank you to those people who just subscribed to my blog.  You are making my dream come true.  Thank you to everyone who reads my blog.  I am working towards one million … I will get there someday.

Have a great day.

Always, Carol and Alvin