Thought for the day …..

Good Morning and Welcome to Sunday the 9th day of December, 2018.

The sun is now shining and the sky is clear.

What a Saturday I had …..

Master Teddy slept over on Friday night so I had both of the pups here yesterday.

We were up a few times during the night as I mentioned yesterday.

So the baking and laundry got off to a late start but a good start.

I somewhere along the line decided to change up the cookie menu and make the following:

Raisin Nut cookies, Oatmeal Chocolate Coconut cookies and Chocolate Chip Cookies.

After the first two cookies were baked I took a break and we went for a walk.

It was so nice out.

Me and the pups went for the full 1/2 walk and it was great.

Once back to the house after checking and doing more laundry, it was back to the cookie baking.

The time past and then it was time for the boys to eat.

I opened the pantry door which is on the interior wall in the kitchen to fetch the food.

Note: that I had been in and out of the pantry all day long.

The pups did not act any differently than usual BUT when I moved the plastic container which housed Al’s food I saw something move and I freaked screaming so loud that I

almost gave myself an anxiety attack.

The pups stopped in their tracks.

I grabbed the rubbermaid container that is currently housed the excess baking supplies and placed it in front of the pantry door.

Knowing full well that it did not completely block the opening at the bottom of the door.

I need weather stripping.

I grabbed the phone and started calling neighbours and by the fifth one I finally reached someone at home.

It was my friends that helped with the dryer, installing the trap door by the dryer vent on the deck and so on.

My friend “N” came over shortly thereafter.

I wasn’t even sure it was still in the pantry but when he opened the door …. yes it was still there.

It moved.

I screamed.

He tried in vain to catch it with his gloves ( it was very small ) but it ran under the basement door and the chase was on.

I kept the dogs away.

My friend followed it down the stairs and watched it run to the bottom and into the family room.

He asked where the light was and I yelled down where it was …

I got up the courage to go down the stairs not quite to the bottom but I could see over the stairway partial wall what was going on.

I said to close the door to the furnace room as the carpet is so thick he would not be able to run under the door.

There were a few boxes stacked in the corner by the trunk and he gingerly removed each one looking for the little creature.

ARGH.

He said we should try and catch it in the vacuum.

I took the vacuum down and plugged it in removing all of the extensions so it was down to the handle portion.

We did not see it for awhile and then it came out and ran along the wall.

I screamed.

The chase continued.

After several minutes of chasing the mouse from one side of the room to the other.

Under the television stand and around and back, my friend caught the mouse in his big thick gloves.

I ran FAST up the stairs to unlock the back door and back to the living room to keep the dogs away and to be at a safe distant.

My friend, the male friend who is older than me – did not quite get how absolutely terrifying this was for me.

So he went to show me what he had in his gloves – I screamed and he went to the back door and threw it onto the snow bank.

Which in hind sight was likely not the best plan as I watched from the bay window in the kitchen, at a safe distance …. it running down the snowbank toward the house.

I felt coldness fall over my whole body.

My friend had shut the door and was checking the weather stripping to ensure it could not get in that way and determined it likely came in when I had the door open for the dogs.

He determined that it ran under the deck at the house by the garbage can and just told me to leave the door closed and perhaps take the pups out the front if they had to go.

Not really that easy.

Anyway for a moment I calmed down.

By this time, I lost my desire to continue with the baking and felt sick and drained.

I cleaned up the kitchen.

Made sure that the boys had supper.

Made a bit of supper for myself when Teddy’s Mom and Dad arrived to pick him up.

I told her quickly and she said that she could stay with me if I wanted and I gratefully said no, that is okay.

After Teddy left …. I ate supper….. we just left all of the lights on as I heard they do not like bright lights.

I settled down later to watch a movie when the phone rang and it was my friend who was on her way home from Calgary.

He had arrived home and saw that I had called … I had not left a message.

I retold the story and she had some ideas.

After a lengthy conversation I told her that I had been watching a movie (rented one) and it was getting late by then so had to go.

Thanking her for her call.

What a night.

WHEW.

I must get this show on the road as I am once again baking and have a long list of things to do.

 

I know what it is like to be so terrified of something that it stops you literally in your tracks.

So scared that it is hard to think straight.

 

I know in my brain that it is silly to be scared of something so small when I am so big.

Perhaps it is because they are so fast.

Perhaps it is because they can carry disease.

Perhaps it is just because I had two, no actually three bad experiences when I was a child.

Scarred for life.

 

Special Hello to: all those folks who have fear for something …. I know your pain.

Always, Carol & Alvin

 

 

Thought for the day…….

Good Morning and Welcome to Sunday the 19th day of March, 2017.

The sun was shining in through my kitchen windows this morning.

I still have the decorations from my daughter’s birthday party hanging in the window and they are BUTTERFLIES.

They are so pretty I decided to leave them up for awhile.

They were used originally for a store display.

Lucky me.

So pretty …… they are well made and will last for years.

 

We were up early as usual and then before heading back to the sofa I turned on the dryer to fluff up the load that I had left in the dryer from last night and put in the last of the two loads to wash.

Always grabbed all of the clothes that were drying and brought them upstairs to be put away.

I put away the dishes that were air drying in the sink.

Pulled out my baking dishes as I plan to bake banana muffins this afternoon after my morning coffee party.

 

Then we hit the sofa.

I must say that one of my most favourite moments in time is when Alvin and I snuggle on the sofa in the morning before getting up to stay.

We have this pillow from IKEA that is rectangular on the sofa.

I lay it flat and place my head at one end and then Alvin shuffles around before laying his head next to mine.

Placing our favourite red blanket over top of us and with my arm over his body we nap for a little longer.

It is truly one of my favourite moments in time.

What a wonderful way to begin the day.

 

Usually after I get up he moves over to my spot and I cover him up.

He lays there while I write in my gratitude journal and once I have breakfast including the always “banana” – he will leave the sofa and come to the table.

We always eat breakfast at the table …… he has his food much earlier but we always share a banana.

His fav.

 

Last night it was raining …. yes, raining in March and windy.

This morning we woke up to snow.

Actually I knew it had snowed because I looked out the window at 2:30 a.m. (bathroom break).

 

While writing in my journal this morning – Alvin got up to go outside.

I decided that I would grab my coat and boots and shovel off the deck …..

 

So time to hit the shower as I have a coffee date with my girls this morning.

Not my turn to host.

I will be walking most carefully this morning.

Feels quite warm out so it should melt today.

Sky is clear so that is a good sign.

Gotta run.

Also want to make coffee for my neighbour before I leave for coffee.

 

Have an awesome day.

Special Hello to: my sister …. SKYPE at 6:30 p.m. ????  If different time call me, please.

Always, Carol and Alvin

 

P.S.  Mr. Alvin looks so good in his new hair cut and feels so soft after the bath.  The longer is hair the more course it is ….

Thought for the day ….

Good Morning and Welcome to Saturday the 13th day of February, 2016.

One day before Valentine’s Day.

I am going to start this blog by sharing a great little story from yesterday.

Sometimes you have a day that is well not exactly what you had in mind ….. less than perfect.

Perhaps part of it …. began with me going to empty a glass of water into the sink but instead literally tossed it the opposite direction and onto the countertop.

The countertop that help my electric percolator and electric mix stand, and other stuff ……

But as the water travelled in slow motion through the air …. I realized what I had done. 

I never moved so fast ….. where was my brain at that moment …

During the day I struggled to accomplish what I had planned because I had several unexpected interruptions.

Now I did get several things done but not everything ….. oh well …. before I knew it I was on the bus heading home.

As I unlocked the door my friend “S” was just driving by and stopped for a moment to see how things were and to see if I would be making coffee later and I said “of course, I can.”

She had to carry on as someone drove up behind her ….

When I entered the house  Mr. Alvin was happy as ever to see me, and to go outside to relieve himself …. oh what the hay to go “pee” ….. much better word.

I decided to go straight outside and clean up after him ….. and also finished my conversation with the neighbour who had by now parked her car and was going into her house.

The plan was to feed Alvin, have supper and then make us a cup of coffee.

Originally I had planned to finish up canvassing for the Heart and Stroke Fund but it was snowing and blowing pretty hard making it hard to keep paper dry etc.

So another change in plans.

Oh well.

After I had given Mr. Alvin his supper …. I decided to go upstairs and onto the computer to send a FB message to a friend and to my surprise I had a message from another friend.

It read “GO CHECK YOUR MAILBOX.”

I blinked a few thousand times in utter excitement because when this friend says go check your mailbox …. you just know it is going to be GOOD … no I mean,  GREAT.

So I literally RAN down the stairs …. grabbed my boots and coat from the closet, a bag to put the mail in …. grabbed keys …. locked the house on my way out and carefully WALKED fast to the mailbox.

When I opened the mailbox door I saw the RED tag of the key for one of the PARCEL boxes and lots of flyers.

HEAVEN ….. I knew that I had a parcel ….

I threw the flyers and odd piece of mail into the bag…..

Holding my breath I opened the mailbox with the parcel inside ….

There was a huge box with my NAME and ADDRESS printed on it …..

The return address ….. yes it was from my friend “V” in Regina …..

I quickly closed the door and put the key into the letter slot and was on my way home.

I yelped with excitement and decided to stop and see my neighbour “S” ….. she was the one that I had seen just as I was arriving home.

She came to the door …. I was so excited …… quickly explaining that  there would be some good treats inside for sure.

I told her of the chocolate covered biscotti that this friend had sent me a couple of years ago AND said that we would have a treat with our coffee later.

Then she told me “thank you and to be careful walking down the sidewalk and home.”

I abided by her and in a couple of minutes was safely back home.

Parcel in my hot little hands.

OMG …. I do love receiving packages …..

Alvin was not sure what happened to his Momma.

So I grabbed the letter opener and some scissors and ran upstairs as my computer was on and my camera was upstairs as well.

I placed the parcel on my desk …..

THE PARCEL

THIS IS WHAT GREETED ME WHEN I OPENED THE BOX

THERE WERE DIFFERENT KINDS OF BUNS …. CINNAMON ….. CHEESE AND PLAIN AND THIS HUGE WHAT I THOUGHT WAS A COOKIE BUT TURNED OUT TO BE THE BEST BROWNIE EVER MADE.

The Brownie was/is heart-shaped and decorated with perfection.

I was totally overwhelmed ……

How extraordinarily kind, wonderful and thoughtful is my friend “V”.

My day went from being kind of a disappointment in some ways to being so WONDERFUL …. it felt like winning the lottery.

I had this overwhelming feeling that I was so extra special.

Alvin as I mentioned was not certain was had happened but he knew it all smelled great.

The next thing I did after snapping photos was to post my surprise to Facebook, thanking my friend.

Not only did she send all of the sweet treats but she wrote me a special letter, gave me a Valentine’s card, she put in some napkins with pink hearts and forgot to mention …. she had filled the card full of tiny red hearts that flew all over my desk and the floor when I opened the card.

I know that I am babbling and not using proper punctuation and all of that ….. but this is straight from the heart.

This gal knows that she is very blessed to be surrounded by the most wonderful people on the planet.

I do not take any of them for granted.

This morning I want to thank each and every one of my friends for choosing me to be a part of your life.

I know that without your love and support I would just be Carol.

This morning I want to send a special thank you to my friend “V” back in Regina ….

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

You are so kind and thoughtful.

You lightened my dreary day.

You made me scream with delight.

You made me feel special.

You filled my tummy with the most exquisite treat.

You are talented beyond words.

You are the best …..

Thank you.

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

So now I had better get this day going …. I have massive amounts of towels and bedding to launder as now my dryer is fixed thanks to other friends.

On this Saturday morning I am feeling so blessed to be surrounded by good, honest and caring people.

My friend and my family are the most incredible beings and I am so grateful to have them all in my life.

Thank you

 

Special Hello to:  “V” in Regina …… there are no words ……

Always, Carol and Alvin

 

P.S. ….. “V” …. my neighbour loved the brownie, too.

 

 

 

 

Thought for the day …..

Good Morning and Welcome to Saturday the 30th day of January, 2016.

The second last day of the first month of the New Year.

I just had a thought ….. my message is still the Holiday one ….. time to change it ….

The sky is very pretty this morning at just after 8:00 a.m. ….. filled with shades of pinks and yellows as the sunrises.

It is always quiet at this time of day as the neighbourhood slowly starts the weekend.

Soon there will be cars zipping down the street.

Soon there will be children playing outside on the sidewalk sliding on the ice and splashing in the water.

 

Last night after work I worked once again on the massive ice/water pool out front of my house.

One of the little girls from down the street stopped as I was chipping away at the ice and wanted to help.

So she took the shovel and was scooping the water/ice into the path to the storm drain.

After two very small scoops with the shovel she exclaimed “it is too hard on my hands.”

I giggled and said “I know, it is hard work.”

Once I put down the shovel …. she wanted the ice chipper …. I asked her to be very careful and she tried to break up the ice but she is small so not to successful.

After that she kind of fell / sat down in the snow bank in front of my house.

It was nice to have company as I worked.

Alvin patiently looked out of the window.

 

We have not been walking as it is crazy on the sidewalk down the street.

Not everyone is trying to break up the ice.

There are some that have it all chipped away but they do not have the snow melting to the storm drain so it is easier.

 

Alvin and I have his appointment at the Vet this morning so that will be an interesting walk ….

Thank goodness I have my spikes but poor Alvin will be a slipping and sliding.

I am going to take a small towel with us so that I can wipe him off when we get to his Doctor.

Well time to get this show on the road.

Someone is coming to take a peek at the dryer tomorrow so that is good.

Today I will just wash clothes and hang them as I did last weekend.

Until tomorrow have a great one.

Special Hello to : all those folks just watching the sunrise and loving them.

Always, Carol and Alvin

Thought for the day …..

Good Morning and Welcome to Sunday the 24th day of January, 2016.

Another odd looking sky this morning however this one is blue but not the kind synonymous with sunny skies …. but blue all the same.

Both Alvin and I are super happy because my daughter, his sister is coming for a visit today.

I am pancakes for us …… so will have to get on that right away ….

I like to have them made and in the oven keeping warm when she arrives.

 

The weekend seems to be zipping along as per usual UNTIL ……

Another speed bump in the flow of our lives …..

Yesterday  I noticed when I was drying a load of clothes that the inside of the dryer window was fogging over and then I could smell something burning.

So I quickly turned off the dryer and unplugged it.

I googled it to see if it was something that perhaps I could fix.

But it is likely better that I call in something familiar with dryers.

Could be lint or could be the motor.

Hopefully it is something that can be fixed and doesn’t cost a truck load of money.

Somedays it would be nice to be married to an electrician or someone handy with things.

Somedays I think I should go back to school.

If truly things happen in threes …. I am done.

 

On the up side, I won $5.00 on the lottery.

At least some extra money coming in …..

Guess I will have to get selling lots of tea ….. likely good incentive …. right.

 

Well enough woe is me …. I apologize …. just had to vent.

I do not wish my daughter to come into the house and first thing out of my mouth is the dryer …..

Thank you so much for listening – I appreciate it.

 

Have a great Sunday.

I am going to enjoy my day ……

Things will and always do at some point get better …..

I will always look to the positive.

Sometimes I have to take the time to mourn the negative and get it out of my system.

 

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

Always, Carol and Alvin

 

P.S. I did manage to give Alvin quite a lovely hair cut and followed by a bath.  I noticed of course well into the evening that I missed a small patch on his one side … about 1 by 1 inch ….. otherwise his hair cut was a success.  I even managed to get his paws trimmed quite well.  All in my life ….. of course.

 

Life is like that …… Part III

It is funny or perhaps strange would be better word for remembering a current task, and  how differently it was performed years ago.  For me, this just happened.  I am currently doing a couple of loads of laundry.  When I was removing the clothes from the dryer it suddenly dawned on me “how lucky I was” to have my own washer and dryer in the house.  When I was growing up, there were times when we would take our clothes to the local laundromat.  We would carry bag upon bag inside, and then would fill up as many of the empty machines, as were required.  I could even see the dirty tiled floor (it had been raining that day).  Smell that clean clothes scent.  Feel the heat from the dryer as we folded the warm clothing, towels and bedding. Oh, the static electricity.  Not my favourite thing. I could actually see in my mind’s eye the clothes, as I was folding them.  It was the strangest feeling.  I remember that I was so HAPPY to have clean dry clothes.  One great thing about going to the laundromat was you could do so many loads all at once.  At home, it took all day to wash clothes.

This gave me the oddest feeling.  To remember in such detail is amazing.  Visualizing things is work for me.  I want to do it, but my wandering mind and insistent thoughts cloud the pictures.  But NOT this time.  How great.  I feel like I made a major breakthrough.  LOL

Now this probably would seem crazy to most people.  The fact that I was happy to be washing and drying clothes in a laundromat.  But when I was a little girl growing up on the farm, all we had was a wringer washing machine.  I was about 7 or 8 when I started using that machine.  It was hard work.  The clothes were washed in the machine but  before you rinsed them they had to be put through the wringer to remove the excess water.  This task not only took some ingenuity but was dangerous as well.  You had to be so careful that you did not accidentally get your hand, shirt sleeve  or arm caught in the wringer.  One of my younger brothers actually put his arm through the machine when our attention had been averted.  VERY SCARY.  We had an outdoor clothes line as did most people of that era (1960’s).  But at some point, I think it was after we had been in the new house on the farm for awhile, (the one that my Dad built), he bought a gas dryer.  That was great.  It was wonderful in the wintertime as we didn’t have to hang up the clothes outside.  They always froze of course, so then you would spend hours getting them dried, and then ironing everything.  We (being me, most of the time) even ironed the towels and sheets.  Okay, that is another story.

So as you can see to have this amazing luxury is a big deal for me.  I have over the years thought about it.  I mean up until I moved into this house, I did not have my own washer and dryer.  In the apartment building there were machines which were shared between 24 different tenants.  But even then …… I was a happy girl.  Walking down the hall is a far cry from standing on the porch and hanging out sheets to dry when it was bitterly cold.

So, I wonder how many people my age (53) can remember doing laundry the old fashioned way!!   Hey, my grandma Stella even had an old wash board (I remember her using it from time to time).

For all those reasons above, I am eternally grateful.  Sometimes those jobs from the past  not only bring back interesting memories, and  food for stories, but are good for the character, as well.   So the wringer washer replaced the wash board and so on and so forth.  Here we are today.  At some point, I am sure that we will stand inside a shower like unit, and something will clean our clothes without us even removing them.  Kind of like the sonic shower in the Star Trek shows. Not sure about how that would work with bedding and towels but I am sure they will work that all out.

Interesting, hey.  So take a few minutes and think back to your childhood and how you did some task.  Compare it to today.

 

Always, Carol

Guess, Alvin needs me…..