A New YEAR 2023

Good Morning ALL! How are you this morning? I am okay despite being up six times during the night not including the time we actually got up for the day. NOTE: it is darn cold outside. I pray and hope every night and day that Alvin will be better that day. So fingers crossed today is the day that he makes the switch to good poop and that it continues from now on. I went to Save-On on my lunch break yesterday with one of my coworkers to pick up chicken breasts for Alvin and lottery tickets for me. At this point, the possibility of money out weighs my desire to buy groceries for myself (don’t worry my fridge, freezer and panties (whoops, meant pantries) have enough food to keep me going for awhile. As I was typing and notices that I typed “panties” instead of pantries, I thought well that is funny, just leave it. Sometimes an error needs to be left but not quite undone. Although considering I may have had four hours sleep during the past two days, I apparently still have sort of a sense of humour. Hopefully I keep that to myself today as we have a meeting with our AVP and Director followed by a lunch meeting with them and all of the site teams. I will take my coffee and sit as close to a wall out of the way as I can. Surely do not want to nod off or anything. Yesterday, I was bouncing off the walls and like a squirrel could not stay focused for very long at a time. This is not by any means, my normal self but is due to lack of sleep, stress and anxiety between Alvin and work. Oh well, I have so much to be grateful for …… that every morning I wake up in this beautiful house that I wait until I was 52 to have …… that even if we are waking up on the sofa, I have Mr. Alvin beside me ……. that I, we have lots of good food to eat …… that I can afford to order pizza every so often (which I did last night and believe you me, it is like buying a small car, these days) …… that I am in good health except for being tired …… that I am surrounded by so many good, caring, compassionate family and friends who love and support me who matter what …… that I live in this country where we can live our dreams so we should decide to ……. that I have beautiful plants that are flowering at this time and their colours bring me great joy ….. there is so much more but I am running out of time. Alvin needs to go outside before I leave for work and that is fast approaching.

One more day this week and then it is the weekend. I have five days next week to work and then I am on two weeks vacation. I was thinking that perhaps I should only take one week as I am using all of my earned vacation and then I thought …. no …. I need this break ……. so vacation time in February in Edmonton …… on my sofa and figuring out my life……

Wishing you a great day.

Yesterday was our friend Signe’s birthday. I did remember in the morning to send her a birthday text and we are celebrating her birthday at Gillian’s house on Saturday. I forgot to send her wishes from this blog. I try to remember people here but honestly when I write these posts early in the morning, sometimes I forget. Trying to remember! Looking forward to Saturday morning with my friends with a short break from the “madness” of my home. Not really but sounds good, not really……..lol.

I be needing those mugs of coffee this morning for sure. Perhaps I should take my big mug today.

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

Trying to keep remember “when nothing is sure anything is possible.” I love that thought.

Always, Carol & Alvin

2021

Good Morning ALL. How are you this morning? We are doing well. A few times up during the early morning hours and finally up to stay just before 8:30 a.m., on this slightly overcast Sunday morning. The sun is rising in the morning sky spreading the glow. How was your Saturday? Mine was amazing. First thing in the morning, Alvin and I hosted our friend Signe’s birthday party in our garage. Our friend Gillian brought over small heaters and it definitely took the edge off in between blowing the breaker box in the garage until we realized it was the smaller older heater that was causing the disruption. We unplugged the older heater at that point. We had blankets and of course all of our winter gear. I snuggled up to Mr. Alvin on the two seat sofa with him in his sweater and wrapped with a warm blanket. You never saw happier friends. I cannot tell you how much I miss our get togethers. We used to have coffee dates almost every weekend for years and then when the girls changed career paths; the coffee dates were spread out to every couple of three weeks. We absolutely love each other. I am grateful these days that I have a cell phone as we text all the time. It is a great way to keep in touch. We also speak on the phone as well. Sometimes there is nothing better than to hear the voice of a dear friend. I am happy to say that the commissioned gifts which were paper collages made by my super talented daughter Amanda were a huge hit. She definitely has an artistic gift. I am so glad that I could help support her artistic endeavour and to give something truly unique and beautiful to my friends. A treasure for all time. Gillian and I gave Signe gift cards to her favourite store on the planet “CHAPTERS/INDIGO” and we know that she will enjoy buys books. Oh, the vanilla from scratch cupcakes were a hit. That will be a recipe that I will definitely keep and the icing which I modified from my regular sugar cookie/cake icing I will remember to use again. What a great way to spend a Saturday morning with your friends. I was happily shocked that Mr. Alvin sat on the sofa with his sweater wrapped in the blanket the whole party (he did not lay down, he say up). These gals are the best. Perhaps in hindsight having the birthday party later in the day when the temperature had definitely warmed up more would have been good but despite the chill in the air we thoroughly enjoyed our time together and cannot wait until the next time OR when the restrictions are lifted so that we can get together in the house even if we have to social distance. I have lots of room for that. Better to be together than apart.

After the birthday party disbanded and the ladies went home. I gathered up the remaining items left in the garage and put the furniture back to its original stored location. Another successful birthday party held. I then grabbed a mug of coffee and chilled on the sofa with Mr. Alvin until I had to get ready to leave for the Optometrist’s office to pick up my new eyeglasses. I arrived a few minutes early which is par for me. Do not like to be late or right on time. Although with the COVID19 Restrictions and Protocols, being right on time is actually better. Before I stepped into the entranceway, I donned a blue mask. One of the staff opened the inner door and asked to take my temperature. I told her that I had walked over and would be cool so she asked if she could take it at my wrist and with this new fangled thermometer she took my temperature. It did not even seem that she looked at it unless it perhaps beeps or glows some bright colour if you have a temperature. She asked me to use some hand sanitizer which I was already doing and then to follow her. I had been hesitate about my new glasses after reviewing the photos I had taken from my visit a month ago trying on frames. But when she handed me the new glasses and I put them on, I was in love. The new frames look great. They feel nice and light. I am quite certain that the whole visit took less time than it took me to walk there in the first place. Before I left “Sunni” asked if I wanted some of the anti fog spray. They had mentioned this to me on my second visit and how good this spray was so I picked up one for me, one each for both my daughter and son-in-law as they also wear specs. After that I was on my way back home to Mr. Alvin. At home, I put Mr. Alvin’s sweater back on along with his harness and leash and we went for our first walk in over a week. It has been over a week since the frigid temperatures hit our city. There was a bit of a breeze which was cool but really all in all it was perfect. Bright sunshine. Both of us enjoyed the walk until we were 3/4 of the way home, then Alvin began to hop on three paws. We stopped and I rubbed his cold paw with my mitt. He is too heavy for me to carry although if he was injured, I certainly would find the strength to carry him as far as was necessary. He was good until we were almost home and then another paw. Stopped again, warmed the paw and then we were home. At home I wiped his paws so they were warmed up and dry. Removed our outerwear. Then, I went upstairs and changed as I was pretty warm after being dressed for being in the garage. Then grabbed some laundry and down to the basement to get that started. After the laundry was going, I went upstairs and warmed up a mug of coffee and snuggled with Mr. Alvin. I decided to go and shovel the driveway as it had not been done since the last snowfall. It was not too deep. While I was outside one of the neighbours came home, so we chatted from our driveways.

By this time it was almost time to start preparing supper. Alvin was hungry so I ended up feeding him a bit earlier than usual. I made roasted chicken breasts with roasted sweet potatoes, carrots and onions for my supper.

What a wonderful Saturday.

Well I guess I had better get the remaining laundry downstairs for round two. I was going to give Mr. Alvin a haircut and bath but have decided to do that next weekend. We will go for a walk this afternoon. The sun is really shining brightly now.

I hope that you are having a great weekend. Be safe, take care and be strong.

Continuing to live with kindness, respect, compassion and learning to have more patience as each day passes.

Always, Carol & Alvin

Living … One day at a time.

Hello,

It is Sunday ….

Overcast and raining.

My nephew leaves later this afternoon and my sister arrived about 4:00 p.m. yesterday afternoon.

We have been enjoying our time together.

This is what my nephew and I did yesterday around noon.

Bright sunny day ….

The pergola came down.

At the end near the back door it was beginning to split and I was afraid it would come crashing down.

It was very poorly constructed as we found out once we decided to take it down.

The deck looks bigger and is so open.

There are the four corner posts remaining and I will remove them once I have a proper saw but for now they are solid.

 

We had pizza for supper …. nice and easy.

 

Well today is our family get together and belated birthday celebration for me.

So time to get cooking.

I am making potato salad and chicken (deep fried, chicken breast) and some vegetables and that cake.

That beautiful carrot cake.

 

Also I am going on a road trip with my sister and daughter leaving tomorrow morning.

My sister and I will take Alvin to my daughter’s where we will change vehicles.

Alvin will stay with my son-in-law while we are away.

So excited for our second annual girls road trip.

 

While I am away …. I will not be writing this blog.

So will have lots of stories and photos to share upon my return.

Have a great next few days.

 

 

 

Travelling along life’s path with kindness and respect, that is how I roll.

 

Always, Carol & Alvin