Last Half 2022

Good Morning ALL! Thinking that I would change the category name this morning. Definitely no longer a new YEAR. I hope this finds you well. We had some excited already this morning. We went to bed close to 10 and were up at 4:15, so not too bad. Although I can always sleep given the opportunity. By the time that we were up and downstairs and what not, and went outside, it was closer to 4:45 so I gave Mr. Alvin his breakfast. Then after all was done including giving him the second last Tramadol (pain pill) as he was licking his paws and shaking his head. Not good signs. He seems to be okay now. Will have to watch him. I noticed another little piece of fur that must have been wedged in the bottom of his paws had broken free, likely when he was madly licking them. This would have been from his hair cut. I spent a lot of time looking over his paws and pulling out any pieces that had been trapped but it is hard to see, so I may have missed some. Another job which is difficult on your own with a dog that does not like his paws or ears touched. Just more fun in my day to day. Anyway, we went back to the sofa and he did settle down however he decided he would lay across the chaise part of the sofa so I had to move the pillow and lie down on the other part, which is small and I have to bend my legs but I was happy to do it, if it meant he would sleep. Trust me. You would, too. I was dozing off and on when he woke up, I checked my phone for the time and it as 7:48, definitely time to get up and going. I grabbed my sweater as he wanted to go outside and I was in my pj’s. Put on some footwear and grabbed some pooping bags just in case. Poor Alvin has had some diarrhea over the past couple of days but this morning it was almost back to normal. I had given him a bit of banana on Friday, I think. So NO MORE HUMAN FOOD except the pumpkin. Last night for his supper I did not give him pumpkin, now that I think about it. His poop this morning was almost back to what it should be. Maybe I need to cut that out and see? Anyway, time to get this day going.

By the way, I did try several times earlier to download/upload those photos. Something is definitely wrong with the technology as several blank videos showed up on my computer. Three miscellaneous photos. I give up. Thankfully my daughter said she will come by at some point and take a look. Unfortunately not just anyone can look as I have APPLE products and you need to know how they work as they are quite different from others. Anyway, they are having company this weekend so perhaps one night after work this week. I also thought that this was a short week but that was last week, lol.

One way or another I will get those photos to you. You must see her garden. I wished that I was tech savvy.

Yesterday after our very late start, it was raining so we had a quiet morning. I did finish the laundry and later in the afternoon we went for a walk. We were just a few doors away from home, when I thought I heard someone call out my name and sure enough I turned about and saw our friend Joanna out on her porch. So we walked back and stopped for a porch visit. We chatted for several minutes and then were on our way. We made it just inside the park and then he wanted to go home, so we did.

Last night was quiet. The sun came out which was lovely. The sun is out now.

Just after we got up to stay up. We went outside. I thought that perhaps he had to go pee so I had grabbed my sweater to cover, yes my pj’s and headed outside. He walked around the deck for a bit while I went and sat on the edge of the deck that goes down to the grass. I listened and watched this huge crow cawing away and then land on the neighbour’s chimney. He was huge. He sat there for a few minutes making some noise in response to another crow in the distance. After I turned my head to see what Alvin was doing – I noticed that he was looking up. Turning my head in the direction that he was looking, I noticed this big black and white cat perched on the roof of our neighbours garage. Alvin and the cat had a quite intense staring match going on. I got up to see if Alvin would come down and looked back to the garage and the cat was gone. We were both up on the deck and then Alvin made a beeline for the fence on the other side of the deck. Then it was that I saw the cat looking down from the top of the fence. Alvin started to bark and jumped up onto the upper part of our deck and I could not stop him so I quickly followed. He kept barking and the cat was swishing its’ tail back and forth, looking very scary and I was thinking it may jump so I quickly went into the garage and grabbed a broom. I gently placed the broom between Alvin and the cat and moved Alvin away. Finally with the aid of the broom I was able to coral him down the steps and onto the other deck and then into the house. Then I turned and the cat was gone. Alvin likes cats so I was surprised when he barked. Anyway that was our excitement for the morning.

Okay story time over and time to head downstairs and get some coffee brewed. It was so lovely on the deck earlier basking temporarily in the sunshine that I think I may go out again with coffee this time.

Have a great Sunday.

You never know in this house – there be cats – there be good poop or bad – technology issues – sun or rain ……..

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

Always, Carol & Alvin

PS: now 37 days until my 65th Birthday. Thank goodness my birthday is in early August or the summer would be gone, lol.

2021

Good Morning All! How are you doing this Sunday morning? Did you sleep well last night? We slept straight through for six hours and then up and then back to the sofa. Nice to have a solid amount of sleep. The skies are overcast this morning. We managed to get all of our housework completed yesterday. Only have to bring up the clothes that are air drying from yesterday and put them away. I think that I may clean out my bathroom cabinet. It wasn’t long ago but I feel it could be better organized. Likely time to put away the winter coats and things as well. But perhaps I will do that on the Easter long weekend as I will have four days off and a project or two is always good to have. There will be time for lots of walks and if the weather remains dry – I may get out to do a neighbourhood trash pick up. I have been picking up trash everyday now for awhile. It blows in front of my house or onto the lawn. Trash sticks in the storm drain grates and in the gutters. Garbage is everywhere. Seems to be so much this year. I cannot remember if I mentioned this when we walked to Alvin’s vet appointment on Wednesday there is a walkway. In the bushes on the walkway were what seemed like a hundred disposable coffee cups from McDonalds, Starbucks and Tim’s and others. I wanted to cry. It was obvious that people were finished their drinks and then tossed them into the bushes. What is wrong with people? Now this almost 64 year old woman who was appalled by their actions has to take her time and garbage bags to go and clean up their messes. On the bright side it is exercise for me. Also there are blue disposable masks everywhere and I mean everywhere. Come on people! Are you neighbourhoods like mine? People cannot say that it is only the old or poor neighbourhoods that are dirty and filled with trash for that is definitely not true. I am truly disgusted by some people. I wish that people would just carry their cups and masks and what have you to the nearest garbage bin or home. Also another reason for trash blowing about in our ‘hood is the lack of proper placement when putting out their garbage. Most especially the recycling. When Alvin and I are out for our walks, I see people put papers, egg cartons loose in a blue bin or cardboard box and what happens when the wind comes up ….. they end up at my house or on the street for me to pick up. So many people just leave crap laying on their lawns, in the gutters and on the sidewalks in front of their homes. They sometimes even walk around items instead of picking them up and putting said trash in their garbage bin. There is hope coming for garbage as we will eventually all have bins with lids and then garbage cannot blow about. Also will help keep the crows, ravens and magpies out of the trash. Hopefully it won’t be another decade until we have bins for recycling. I guess that is a heavy duty rant for a Sunday morning as I smile.

Well I guess someone needs a cup of coffee or three. Alvin is impatiently waiting at the office doorway giving me that look. What look? That look ….. impatience. Perhaps he has to go back outside. He went before we can back upstairs for me to have a shower. Oh well, old bladder, I get that. LOL.

I hope that you all are having a great weekend. I am looking forward to our walk this afternoon.

Have a wonderful Sunday. May you have some quiet relaxing time throughout this day.

Remembering to live with kindness, respect, compassion and patience (always working on).

ALLways, Carol & Alvin

Thought for the day ….

Good Morning and Welcome to Tuesday the 18th day of September, 2018.

No moisture overnight.

Sidewalks are dry.

Alvin is laying on his blue blanket and sound asleep.

He can sleep anywhere, so cute.

I sure love that guy.

 

Happy Birthday to “G” …… he came into our lives almost ten year ago.

Alvin and I wish you the best birthday.

Have an awesome day and take some time off work.

Can someone reading this post please pass this message to him.

You know who you are.

Smiling….. thank you.

 

Last night I put away the last of the furniture from the deck.

Actually I have a river rock top bistro table and two chairs remaining.

I will leave them out for now.

The bistro table is heavy so might need a hand putting it into the garage.

The flowers are hanging in their inside of the garage although we have not had much sunshine as of late.

Perhaps it is time to just dig them up …. they are still so pretty.

I feel that they are cold in the garage …. my poor little flowers.

Still have to do something with the lavender as it smells too good to waste.

Keeps me busy.

Oh, I have lots of snapdragon seeds for next year.

 

Last night we walked with our friend “P.”

We did the walk in just over 45 minutes.

About halfway into it or so …. Alvin wanted to turn around …. but we urged him to continue.

He did …. we did.

With the snow and rain on the weekend we did not walk Saturday or Sunday.

Always good to get exercise whenever you can.

Especially when you like “treats” and both Alvin and I like the treats.

I will say that his treats are more healthy than mine

 

We noticed on our walk last night that the gulls, pigeons, magpies and crows are all starting to hang out on the rooftops.

I bet near the chimneys for warmth.

 

Well here we go for Tuesday.

Another Tuesday.

I hope that you have an awesome Tuesday.

 

Special Hello to: my sister ….

Always, Carol & Alvin

Thought for the day ….

Good Morning and Welcome to Thursday the 19th day of July, 2018.

What a gorgeous morning.

Alvin and I went for a walk at 5:15 this morning.

The birds serenaded us as we walk around our ponds – park area.

The fountain was silent as they turn it off at night.

So no water falling.

Robins hopping along looking for breakfast.

We did receive a shower in the early morning hours which helped to cool the HOT MUGGY air and give the plants, trees and flowers some extra moisture.

Our house is WARM.

I have the windows open, the electric fan and the furnace fan ALL going but it remains warm.

Not as cool in here this morning as it was yesterday morning.

Accumulated heat?

Luckily it is not to be as hot today.

The sky is that beautiful pale blue with a few morning clouds floating around.

The sun is shining brightly already high in the sky.

I captured a couple of photos of cool cloud formations last night.

Those stiff WHITE ones, the ones that look as though they mean business.

Something coming.

You know the ones.

 

Well it is almost time to go to work.

I need to go and make sure that I can have the house as cool for Mr. Alvin as possible.

Leaving the bathroom door open on the main floor as it is always cooler in there.

Always good idea at this time of year as it is on the inside wall – in event of a storm.

 

I hope that you are enjoying your July …..

I can hear the crows cawing, cawing ….

Have an awesome Thursday.

 

Special Hello to: my sister … not long now.

 

Thought for the day ….

Good Morning and Welcome to Tuesday the 26th day of June, 2018.

The sky is overcast with “rain” clouds and the air is considerably cooler than the past week or so.

The house has COOLED to a comfortable temperature, thankfully for Alvin.

We did not even have to run a FAN last night.

Such a good sleep we had.

We opted not or rather I opted not to go with Alvin for a walk this morning.

We walked last night and it was great having two walks in one day.

Tomorrow will be a two walk day.

I do like going in the mornings.

The peace that fills the air.

Birds conversing as only birds can do.

I have the office window open just to provide some extra coolness to the room and can hear the squawking of crows in the near distance along with the hum of traffic

from the road that wraps around the city.

Otherwise it is quiet, no voices, no sirens, now an airplane, now a truck just started.

That has always amazed me at how many people auto start their cars in the morning and let them run for several minutes.  Why?

I understand in the winter but in the SUMMER.

People.

The sky is being to clear from the south.

A gust of wind just caused the trees to flutter.

Almost time to leave for work.

The carpool is back in action this week.

So many colds and allergies rearing up this season.

 

I hope that wherever you are and whatever you are doing that you use good judgment, common sense and KINDNESS.

Can you imagine what this world would be like?

 

Have a great Tuesday.

Special Hello to: all those folks who read books

Always, Carol & Alvin

Thought for the day ….

Good Morning and  Welcome to Wednesday the 25th day of April, 2018.

As April winds down and Spring has definitely sprung; we are happy for the months ahead.

Summer: no socks, sandals, capris, sometimes shorts (not short shorts for me), light sweater or somedays just a top.

Happy Days.

So nice not to spend 5 minutes or so donning your outer apparel.

I saw a Robin the other day as I was chatting to a friend when we were out for out walk.

That was the first Robin that I had seen thus far this spring.

We usually have Robins by our home.

I have a bird house in the back yard.

Usually there are some of the smaller birds debating over who gets the house this year.

Most times the Magpies and the Crows scare the little ones away.

A handful of times I have had a Hummingbird in my backyard.

Oh, how I love those little ones.

So gorgeous.

Another creature that I love is the Dragonfly.

We used to see huge ones around our house at the front and the back.

The past couple of years they have all but disappeared.

Not sure why.

Here are a couple of photos, they were big.

Soon it will be time for planting flowers.

One of my favourite times of year.

I love to get my hands dirty.

I love to watch the flowers grow and show off their beautiful blooms.

All things baby soon.

 

Well time to get this show on the road.

Cute story.

This morning while I was brushing my teeth, Alvin was in the bathroom with me.

Cause where else would he be?

He sat there and just starred at me brushing my teeth.

I was so hoping that perhaps he could understand better when I was brushing his and perhaps let me really brush them well.

Not so much.

I brushed his right after mine.

He was more than happy to jump up onto the bed and lick his tasty toothpaste while I “brushed his teeth.”

I do get them brushed, most specially the front ones but the back ones are another story.

Just keep trying every day and have done this for the past 8 years.

 

Happy Wednesday.

Happy Spring.

 

Special Hello to: my friend “V”

Always, Carol & Alvin

(Somehow this appears not to have been published on Wednesday, so better late than never, I guess).

 

Thought for the day …..

Good Morning and Welcome to Sunday the 3rd day of September, 2017.

Woke up to sunshine and a slight breeze.

Of course when we were first up it was still dark but that is another story.

There are no sounds except for the clicking of the computer keys as I “type” these words and the sound of Alvin licking his paws in the hallway.

The house is relatively quiet.

The office window is closed keeping out the morning sounds and the cool morning air.

Perhaps I will open the window to feel that coolness on my face.

I opened the window and can hear the leaves rustling as they blow in the breeze.

It begins as the leaves are begin to dry out and soon shall fall from the trees.

Autumn / Fall is only a few short weeks ago, officially anyway.

Now the birds are beginning to chirp, and I can hear magpies and crows.

“No, Alvin” I say as he starts to bark to reply to their conversation.

The sky just turned a bit dark and there is rain in the forecast.

No watering for me last night with the rain which was nice and looks like perhaps not today.

Good for the water bill and better for the flowers, plants and grass.

Time for a shower and then I am going to make myself some pancakes before meeting my friend for a walk with her pups.

Hopefully we make it out before the rain.

Time will tell.

I hope you have an awesome Sunday.

 

 

Open a window or go outside, close your eyes and listen.

Do not talk just listen.

Listen to the sounds of nature.

Listen to the leaves blowing in the wind.

Listen to the birds chirping and cawing and having a conversation.

Smell the air.

Feel the air.

Enjoy these moments.

Happy Sunday.

 

Special Hello to: the people affected by floods and fires, we hope you are safe, warm and dry.

Always, Carol & Alvin

Thought for the day ….

Good Morning and Welcome to Tuesday the 26th day of January, 2016.

Well it is a fine morning here in Edmonton.

I imagine if there birds other than crows/magpies they would be singing a merry tune.

My experience from crows/magpies they sound like they are talking in a gruff tone not really singing a merry tune.

But they are all part of our ecosystem and I respect that.

 

January seems to be zipping along.

Did you make resolutions this New Year?

I did not …..

When I was much younger I used to get on that bandwagon and come up with a list usually small but one nonetheless.

Sometimes I was successful and sometimes not.

I have found it is much better to just resolve to live your life each day to the fullest and be your best.

Whether it is how you eat, sleep or exercise.

Or whether it is how you treat yourself and others.

Just do your best.

That is all any of us can do, really.

I have found in my going on 59 years on this planet that there are just some things that happen that you have no control over.

So you assess the situation and take it from there.

It is all in how you handle yourself and each situation that makes life great or not so great.

Better to go easier on yourself ….. be the best YOU.

 

Well almost time to get this show on the road.

I love Tuesdays ….. I love any day that I get out of bed, my feet touch the floor and I am ALIVE.

Now some of those days may turn out less than perfect but there again perfection is in the eye of the beholder.

My perfect is not your perfect.

Right.

So today I feel great, I think that I look pretty great and today is a great day.

 

Take care.

Have a wonderful Tuesday.

 

Special Hello to: my fellow human beings …… today is a great day.

Always, Carol and Alvin

 

 

Thought for the day….

Good Morning and Welcome to Monday the 28th day of April, 2014.

Well as I write these words and look out of the window the sky is mainly overcast.

There is rain in the forecast but sunshine is on the way.

I love this time of year because it gets light early even when we do not see the brightly coloured sunrise.

Soon we can don our summer wear ….. capris and shorts ….. short sleeved tops and light sweaters …. and SANDALS.

Ooh, my feet an breathe again ….. fresh air…..

I guess it is time to finish putting away my winter gear.

I had packed away most of the coats, boots and mittens and such.

But had left a winter coat, one pair of boots and some mitts ….. because we did have a cold snap.

I will be pulling out that big blue rubbermaid and washing my summer clothing ……

So nice to start wearing bright and light clothing.

I would like to get some summer dresses this year.

I noticed at THE GAP they had some beautiful dresses.

So perhaps I will pick one up……

Also another great thing about spring…summer is the birds.

I love to watch the robins, hummingbirds, bluebirds and such.

So pretty and lovely.

I have a bird house in my backyard and although they start to build the nest the birds never seem to stay.

Not sure why.

We do have an abundance of ravens and crows.

I think they bully the smaller birds and chase them away.

I think ravens and crows have a place in the grand scheme of things but sure wish they would not chase the smaller birds.

Oh well, maybe this summer I will have a family of birds nesting in my backyard.

That would be grand.

Well better hop to it and finish getting ready as it is my early start at work today.

I hope that you have a great day.

Thank you again for reading my words it means the world to me.

Special Hello to: my friend Val …. a great baker and friend.

Always, Carol and Alvin