It is a NEW YEAR.

Good Morning and Welcome to Wednesday.

Welcome Wednesday.

Yesterday seemed more like a Monday than a Tuesday.

At work our connection to the INTERNET was down for most of the morning.

We are so independent on the WORLD WIDE WEB.

Not just my office but everyone – everywhere.

The world almost comes to a crashing halt when the connection is lost.

Very sad.

To be so dependant on ONE thing.

Anyway.

 

Last night was cold so I opted for us to stay home after work instead of walking.

Alvin is starting to feel the cold and when it is a certain temperature – we sometimes just stay put.

Otherwise we walk.

Exercise helps to keep us agile and breathing in the fresh air so so good for our lungs.

Walking is good for our bodies, minds and souls.

So we do love to walk whenever possible.

 

I had almost forgot but my friend that sells FIFTH AVENUE JEWELRY or FAC (Fifth Avenue Collection) reminded me that I am hosting a party on February 29th.

Luckily “technology” came to the rescue.

She set up a FACEBOOK party and I invited my friends and family.

I did make a couple of phone calls, okay TEXTS to invite a few more folks.

As someone who is not really a lover of speaking on the telephone, I do like texting.

Keeping in mind ….. to keep them relatively short.

 

Update on baby KOBI, the diarrhea is dissipating and hopefully she is on the mend.

This has been hard on her, Teddy and Aunt J.

Aunt J has scrubbed, wiped and disinfected the house every day to keep the bacteria from growing and spreading.

Fingers crossed and a little prayer or THREE.

 

Well it is getting close to the time for us to head downstairs.

Time to go out and pick up Alvin’s little bundles of good health.

Grab my lunch.

Grab my coat, scarf, boots and mitts.

Purse at the end.

I am grateful to my daughter who gave me this purse that makes into a backpack.

It is very roomy and I use it most especially in the wintertime so that I only have to carry one bag.

 

Happy Wednesday.

Be safe and warm.

Keep each other with kindness and respect.

Have an awesome day.

 

Always, Carol & Alvin

I love these photos …. angling the camera down and looking up …. well I like this look.

My hair has grown quite a lot since the photo was taken.

AL his handsome self.

Thought for the day …..

Good Morning and Welcome to Sunday the 15th day of October, 2017.

What a beautiful morning as the sun rises into a clear blue sky.

The temperature for the next few days is forecasted to be in the double digits….. over 10 degrees celsius …. seems like a cooler summer day.

Looking forward to our walk this afternoon.

 

Today is my eldest grand-pup “Miss Aspen’s” 2nd Birthday and today also is the day that my kids adopted Baby Milo (who was just a few months old when he was adopted).

Happy Birthday Aspen and Happy Adoption Day Baby Milo.

Aspen and Milo – first Christmas with our family – Dec 2016.

 

Puppy watch went great yesterday.

Teddy and Alvin got along just fine.

Alvin of course, if Teddy wanted his chew treat (which at the time he had in his mouth) would growl.

But nothing out of the normal there.

They even played a bit ….. although Alvin is working on his technique.

I played with Teddy some and snuggled as he likes that per his Momma.

It was so cute when he first arrived he ran and ran and when his Momma came to pick him up he ran and ran.

This cute black and white ball of fur.

We enjoyed our time with Teddy.

It looks like we are on for next Saturday as well.

 

Today is the work day ….. finish off the laundry….do some cleaning ….. change bedding……walk…..go get groceries……some other odd and ends.

That is okay we had an awesome relaxing, fun Saturday.

 

Time to get to work.

Even got to sleep in this morning.

Coffee …………

 

Happy Sunday Everyone.

I hope that wherever you are and whatever you are doing that you are having some fun and laughing.

We all need to laugh more.

Tell someone a joke or just have a giggle.

 

Special Hello to:  all those dreamers ….. keep on dream’

Always, Carol & Alvin

 

 

Thought for the day …..

Good Morning and Welcome to Wednesday the 23rd day of December, 2015.

WONDERFUL only ONE day until Christmas EVE.

I am so excited ….. if I can just get through today …. it will be smooth sailing.

Last night after supper one of the neighbours from down the street “A”, and our very good friend stopped by.

She had in her hands something loosely wrapped in tissue paper with instructions that it was for me Alvin.

Alvin jumped off the sofa and went over to say hello but was not really interested in the present.

Unfortunately he was rather involved with a chew treat and no matter how excited I was for this present he would not open it.

Finally just before she left he stuck his nose into the tissue paper giving us a bit of a show …..

I did feel bad ….

“Just wait I said until I opened the bag of treats …. he will remember then where they came from” …. we both giggled.

What a character he is …..

I see a bath in your future Mr. Alvin.

Should have done that on Sunday but I am thinking that he needs a bath so that he is fresh and clean for Christmas.

After all we are going to his sister’s house …. we cannot show up not in perfect condition.

Tonight is a bath before our company arrives at 7:30 p.m. ….. lots of time.

It was so funny last night ….. he really does get into his chew treats.

Loses all track of what is going on ……

Just like his Momma and a good book.

Well here it is almost time to leave for work.

One day until Christmas ….. Christmas Eve that is …. are you ready?  will you be ready?

Of course, you will.

Whatever is done …. is done and whatever will be … will be.

Happy almost Christmas.

Have a wonderful day everyone.

I will be back tomorrow …… with tales of the BATH …… for sure.

Special Hello to:  friends and family all over the world.

Always, Carol and Alvin

 

Thought for the day ……

Good Morning and Welcome to Saturday the 17th day of October, 2015.

The sun is coming up and to the south from my office view the sky is almost a variegated peach.

So very soft and pretty.

I just am seeing now that the neighbour building the garage behind me now has his garage door and window in place.

WOW, it is almost done.

The house is so quiet this morning without me Alvin.

I sure miss the little guy.

Last night after work my daughter stopped by to pick him up.

As she was by herself (so her pups had someone at home) we had supper together.

Nothing like a grilled two kind of cheese sandwich and a hearty lentil soup with added peas.

We had a chat and caught up.

After supper the three of us went for a walk.

Once the house was clear I went to work with the exception of my neighbour stopping by to pick up another catalogue I spent until 12:30 last night preparing the house for the Open House today.

Laundry done, floors washed, bathrooms cleaned, table set up with teas, tea cups and such, and some of our jewellery (as one of my friends wants to pick up some earrings), balloons blown up.

There were so many little odds and ends but they are all done.

I always like to just get up and have breakfast and have a shower and be ready.

There will be a trip outside to tie some balloons to the tree and to the porch (already have some up inside the house).

Business cards out …..

Samples ….. catalogues ….. order forms.  CHECK.

DONE.

Well wish me luck …. it will be a great day between the Steeped Tea Open House and going out with my friends this evening.

Alvin will be having fun with his sister and family (there will be children as my son-in-law’s niece and nephew are also coming for a sleepover).

So on this great Saturday I wish you time with family and friends, time to work on your TO DO LIST items, time to relax and to have fun.

Happy Saturday.

Special Hello to: all my fellow tea drinkers ……

Always, Carol and Alvin

Thought for the day ……

Good Morning and Welcome to Saturday the 19th day of September, 2015.

It is a warm, bright sunny morning here in Edmonton.

WOW, it is the weekend and I am so happy.

Mr. Alvin has his regular monthly pedicure / other checks appointment this morning.

When I mentioned the receptionist name “J” he jumped up and gave me a kiss.

Safe to say that he loves this girl.

It is so funny he is always excited to go and see “J” and the other girls that work at the Clinic but when he is having his nails done he is not so happy.

At least I do not have to carry him there ….. now that would be something.

After I write this blog it will be time to get ready and go.

After I get home I am going to make me a pot of coffee and set down and write up my TO DO LIST.

There are items that must get done over the next few weeks plus the routine items such as laundry and cleaning.

Did you have a good week?

I hope so.

It was good at the office ….. busy as per usual.

I like to be busy but it is always nice if one can be “caught up.”

It has never happened since I started at the office.

It is the nature of the beast so to speak that one always has an inflow of work.

Never to be “caught up.”

Well one of the things on my list is to clean out the closet in this office.

I have kind of stashed things in there since the kids moved in April.

Well that is not entirely true.

It has always been my gift closet, craft storage, odds and ends storage.

But it is time to go through it and see what is needed and what is not.

Last weekend I cleaned out the guest closet and it looks great.

One closet at a time.

Closets are always interesting.

We always seem to put things behind doors just in case we might need them.

Eventually the doors barely close and you have to make some decisions.

Otherwise you become a hoarder or sorts.

I am not making light of this issue for sure.

So many of us ….. keep things thinking we might need them at some point.

Part of this comes from not wanting to do without.

Part comes from perhaps laziness.

Part comes from history …. depressions ….. wars….

There are all sorts of reasons.

But for me, it is the thought I might use it.

I have found that since I turned 50, I do find it easier to “toss” and “give” things away when I am not using them.

There is something freeing about it actually.

Well I had better go and get ready to start this day.

I have a bit of a headache … maybe because I have not had coffee yet.

But it will have to wait until we return from the Vet.

That is usually a quick visit …. so I won’t have to wait too long.

I wish you a Happy Saturday.

I wish you great pride in whatever you accomplish or not.

I wish you time to relax.

I wish you to be surrounded by love and laughter.

Special Hello to: my friend “M” who brings back fond memories.

Always, Carol and Alvin

Thought for the day ……

Good Morning and Welcome to Saturday the 18th day of July, 2015.

It is a bright sunny breezy morning here in Edmonton.

I always appreciate the weekends and being at home.

Sure sometimes I am not fond of having to clean the bathrooms …. but I am at home.

When you go from having two jobs and working seven days a week …. having the weeknights and weekends free ….

Well it is amazing …..

I love sitting here writing on my blog with the window open listening to the children a couple doors down as they play in their back yard.

I love snuggling with Alvin every chance I get ….

I love watering my flowers and taking in their beautiful fragrances.

I love going for walks after supper with Alvin and enjoying our neighbourhood and each other.

I do actually love to clean and today is a cleaning day……

I love doing laundry and listening to my favourite songs.

I love dancing with Alvin and he “tolerates.”

I love thinking and planning what I am going to do ….. writing up a TO DO LIST.

So many things to do and now I do have the time.

There is time to relax.

There is time to write.

There is time to entertain.

There is time to visit my friends.

There is time to go for walks.

There is time to live my life.

But always at the end of the day I am very grateful to have had the second job when I needed it.

I worked with great people and most days had fun working.

Of course, there is always that one customer that would “sink your ship” but then there would be several that would make you feel like a million dollars.

So worth it and really every person should have to work retail.

All in all, I have a pretty amazing life.

I have my own house ….. which ten years ago I would not have thought possible.

I have a dog ….. never would have thought that would happen.

I lived for six years within walking distance to my kids (the last year under the same roof).

Some days there might be a small dark cloud that follows me around the house ( I do not mean Alvin ) but I try to let that be for a short time only.

Most of the time I feel that I have rainbows shining over me …..

My pot of gold is my life …… me Alvin … my daughter…. all my family, friends …….

Well it is time to go quickly to a neighbour’s garage sale as I said that I would and then come get Mr. Alvin and walk to the Vet to pick up food for our Miss Penny (who is visiting tomorrow with her Momma).

THEN WORK …….. but I will enjoy it ….. blast the music and in between it all dance with Mr. Alvin.

Special Hello to: all those folks who feel like there are dark clouds over head ….. you can change it …. bring on the rainbows.. your life is your life ….. make it what you want it to be.

Always, Carol and Alvin

Thought for the day…..

Good Morning and Welcome to Sunday the 12th day of April, 2015.

It is a peaceful, quiet, partially overcast morning here in Edmonton.

I am so enjoying being at home on the weekend.

This is my first real weekend at home without working at the store.

I do miss my friends ….

Yesterday I had a full day.

Started out by taking Mr. Alvin to the Vet for his regular six month appointment.

He does not like having his nails done.

Poor guy ….. he was not happy.

The rest of the visit was great.

He loved the treat ….. silly boy.

Also he was so happy to see his Jenn as she only works some Saturdays.

After arriving back home I changed and had a nice cup of coffee before hitting the streets.

Hitting the streets near my home to clean up the trash.

It always amazes me the amount of trash that is strewn about.

I so wished that I would have had my camera with me yesterday so that you could see.

The worst spot was in the walkway between our neighbourhood and a busy artery.

It was literally covered in MacDonald’s bags, coffee and drink cups from Dairy Queen, StarBucks and various places.

There was also broken “beer” bottles and other glass, food containers, plastic bags wrapped around the branches of the rose bushes.

That is the other thing about cleaning this spot as it is lined with rose bushes, the sidewalk in between and then grass on the other side.

The Styrofoam packing pieces had been broken and there were small pieces everywhere …. down to the small round ones.

I did my very best to pick them up … finding that picking them up with leaves kept them from sticking to my “disposable latex” gloves.

There were a great many children and adults that walked by during my 1.5 hours there and I made sure that they all had a lesson in picking up the trash and what it does to the environment.  Example being the bits of styrofoam that are ingested by birds and wildlife and even some of our pets.  Birds and animals then feel as though they are full as it tricks the stomach (cannot be digested), and they eventually starve to death.  How horrible is that!  It was not my intention to give everyone a lecture but I felt that I must.  People just get so wrapped up in their own little worlds that they forget the damage that is being done.  We are “killing” this beautiful planet that we call home.  It is time.  Time for everyone to smarten up.

As it took longer than I had planned the other half of the neighbourhood will have to wait until next Saturday.

It was the weirdest thing as I was only about six houses from home when the wind got up and blew dirt and trash from down the street from the other direction.

I could hardly hold on to the garbage bag.

Thank goodness I was close to home.

Well that was an experience.

I filled three bags of garbage and carried them home to my garage.

YIKES.

Once home I completely changed, brushed the dirt from my teeth and cleaned up.

Put on a pot of coffee and made a snack.

GLAD TO BE INSIDE as it started to rain and the wind blew and blew.

The balance of the day I spent doing laundry and odds and ends.

Even though the garbage makes me a bit “mad” and so sad I am so grateful that I am now home on the weekends so that I can keep the neighbourhood clean.

Perhaps I shall organize another neighbourhood cleanup.

Also I want to do some teaching ……

No wonder the planet is in such bad shape ….. it starts at home ….. in your neighbourhood.

If we cannot keep it clean how can we ever keep the planet clean.

The planet is our neighbourhood.

So on this Sunday I am so grateful ….. grateful to be at home.

Alvin is curled up on the bed dreaming away, and I love it.

I wish you a peaceful, happy Sunday.

Special Hello to: my friend “P” who is recovering from cancer surgery and treatment and is on the road to being well.

Always, Carol and Alvin

Thought for the day ……

Good Morning and Welcome to Tuesday the 3rd day of February, 2015.

Warming up.

Not sure if spring is 6 weeks away or 6 months away…. just kidding.

I am sure it will come when Mother Nature thinks it is time!

This morning I am reminded that one should always surround themselves with the things that they love.

If you love the colour turquoise then paint a couple of walls in your bedroom and or living room that particular shade.

If you love photography …. have a hallway filled with family photos or ones from your travels.

If you love baking then make some extra cookies and deliver them to an elderly neighbour or working single parent.

If you love to cook then once again make something extra and deliver to someone who works multiple jobs …. someone that would really appreciate a home-cooked meal.

If you love to write ….. send off a newsy letter to a loved one who lives far away.

Perhaps you love to be around children, and have none ….. then offer to help watch family/friend’s children so the parent(s) can go out.

If you love to walk then check with a neighbour who owns a dog who may need help getting their beloved that extra exercise.

There are so many things that one can do …. to help by doing things and surrounding ourselves with things that you love.

If you love to clean then volunteer to help the elderly or go out and pick up the trash in your neighbour.

If you have extra time … shovel some sidewalks ….

So many things ….. so much love.

Just be the person you love to be without worrying about what others think.

Surround yourself with things you love.

Live your life doing what you love to do.

Have the best day ever.

Special Hello to: my friend “V” who is one of the best people I know.

Always, Carol and  Alvin

Thought for the day……

Good Morning and Welcome to Tuesday the 26th day of August, 2014.

The sky is overcast this morning and there is a medium breeze happening.

I am not sure if we will get rain or not but for comfort it is cool.

 

After a weekend away from home it always takes a day or two to get back into the groove.

To feel like you are back to normal.

Usually you stay up late when you are away from home ….. not the case this time ….. I was in bed earlier than most weekends and some week nights.

Usually you sleep in when you are away from home …… not the case this time …… even without Alvin ….. I was up EARLY.  (no naps either) – must have been the fresh air.

Usually you do not take out the garbage when you are away from home ….. not the case this time …… my brother thought it was a good idea to take the family with him to the dump.

Now that was a bit different ….. he works away from home and was on the back side of his break ….. so it was in his schedule ….. just thought it was funny ….. taking the family for an outing to the dump.

It wasn’t the kind of dump that I had imagined ….

It was actually neat and clean …….. no big piles of stuff.

Anyway enough about garbage ….

By the way did I tell you that my brother “J” runs a tight ship……. his house is always neat as a pin …… (and clean).

So if you were away from home and were feeling a bit out of sorts …. just remember it takes a few days to get back into the groove.

At least that is what I have found ……

 

I hope that you all have a wonderful Tuesday.

Go out there and be kind, be happy and be good…….. right …..

 

Special Hello to: all those travellers

Always, Carol and Alvin

Thought for the day…..

Good Morning and Welcome to Tuesday the 22nd day of April, 2014.

WOW ….. what a great weekend I had.

Weather was spectacular.

Most of the snow has melted.

Cleaned up the neighbourhood.

Looks so much better …..

Had several long walks with “me Alvin.”

Had a wonderful walk with my daughter, her puppies and of course, Alvin.

Between all of the items on my “to do list” ….. I had lots of time to have the odd nap and RELAX.

Yesterday morning I had coffee with my friend down the street.

We always have a great visit.

We laugh …. we cry (no tears yesterday).

It is always good to have someone to talk to ….. to really talk to ….. to vent if you need to …… get things off your chest ….. away from your heart.

Protect the heart ….. keep the stress level down …… that is why it is good to talk to someone.

This doesn’t mean that you have bad things to gossip about …. it just means that you need to release all of the things that you think about continuously.

So all in all, I had the best weekend.

It was so great to have three complete days off in a row.

The only place I went was the grocery store other than out for my coffee break and walks.

Perfect.

I hope that you had that kind of weekend.

Thank you again for taking the time to read my blog …. I really appreciate you and your time.

Well supposed to be another 16 degree celsius day ….. that is great.

The rest of the week is another story.

I turned off the furnace yesterday so hopefully it won’t cool down too much.

Have a great Tuesday.

I will be back tomorrow.

Special Hello to: all of those people who take the time to read our blogs ….. you rock and if you write one …. double ROCK.

Always, Carol and Alvin