The New YEAR 2022

Good Morning ALL! Happy Friday. I trust you are well. The sky was totally overcast with a light rain when we were outside about 15 minutes ago. Now the horizon beginning to clear so perhaps we may have sunshine at some point. Yesterday was gorgeous bordering on too warm for us. In fact, Alvin was warm and woke up so we went downstairs and outside for another pee about 12:30 or was it 11:30 and then settled down on the sofa with the windows open and the fan on. We slept until 6:00. This afternoon my friend Pauline’s grand pup Georgie is coming to spend the weekend with us as his family is going to Jasper for the weekend. Pauline’s grand- daughter works there. I am excited for Mr. Alvin to have company for the weekend, it will be good for him. We know Georgie quite well and the pups get along which is great.

Yesterday we enjoyed a walk at lunchtime. I had the afternoon off as Mr. Alvin had his 5 week vet appointment. We bumped into Cookie and her Dad out for a walk. We walked together to the park and then they had to go back home as her Dad had to leave for work. Nice to catch up. Alvin had a good appointment. Nice to have his nails trimmed, his anal glands expressed, his ears healing and paws checked.

Quite breezy out there this morning.

Well folks I don’t have much more to say which is strange, I suppose. So this will be short. I hope that life is treating you well and that you have an awesome Friday.

I am grateful for my life, for Alvin, for Georgie coming for the weekend, for warmed up pizza, for nice walks, for fresh air, for clean water ……..

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

Always, Carol & Alvin

P.S. have to get working on prepping for the garage sale. Whoops almost forgot “60” days until my 65th Birthday……

Second Half of the NEW YEAR.

Welcome to Thursday, July 23, 2020.

Wow, not many days left in July 2020.

The time just seems to zip by.

We had rain earlier and was raining when we were up at 4:30.

I did not hear any thunder but then again, I had the electric fan running most of the night.

Slept in our bed last night and we both were awake at 4:30, thankfully did not stay up.

Makes for an early night if up that early.

Although if it had not been raining the sun would have been coming up.

It is muggy in the office this morning even with the windows open.

Looks like more rain.

 

So how are we all doing at almost the end of 5 months since this COVID19 virus became so much on our radar.

Perhaps on some more so than others.

With every country on the planet affected by COVID19 which I believe is the majority at this point; every different leader and government has taken a different approach.

Some were fast to shut down out of country air travel.

Others were not.

There were countries that took very cautious approaches and with diligence they were able to lower the amount of cases and deaths.

While others just seemed to stand by and hope for the best.

No one knows at this point the real numbers because they are only as good as they are reported.

Also I read some place that countries were initially treating any deaths as COVID19 and not doing any autopsies.

That is scary but sort of understandable in a way.

Anyway, if we all listen to our government health officials we can make a difference.

In public wear a mask.

Wash your hands often.

Social Distancing.

Just be careful.

To be honest since I came home to work on March 19, 2020 – the most people at one time that I have been around other than me is 3.

So any numbers larger than that …. honestly kind of freak me out.

I know that this is because I have not been out to the grocery stores and in public.

So this is something that I will have to get used to and be prepared with.

Food for thought.

If we do not work together …. we fall apart.

 

Well time to head to work.

Alvin is doing much better, thankfully.

I think the second set of medication has made a huge difference.

Time will tell when that medication has all been taken.

 

I hope that you are safe and in good health.

Living with kindness and respect.

I/We, shall remain,

As Always, Carol & Alvin

Second Half of the NEW YEAR.

Good Morning and Welcome to Monday the 20th day of July 2020.

The sun is shining brightly here in Edmonton.

The sky is a bright blue (no rain clouds).

The morning air remains cool and refreshing and there is only the slightest hint of a breeze.

 

Well our household is not back to normal.

Perhaps it never will.

Mr. Alvin and I slept on the sofa last night.

I figured one less time he would have to go upstairs and I have been carrying him down.

So have to keep that to a minimum.

He never has liked me to be out of sight and now even less.

It took us awhile to get settled down.

He did jump off the sofa last night and cried as he made contact with the floor.

Walking over to his bed on the floor he laid down.

I then laid back down on the sofa but a bit later he came back to the sofa for the night.

It was warm in the house even with the window open a crack.

So I decided at one point to turn on the fan.

Once we settled down we both slept.

This morning we did all of our main floor routine before coming upstairs.

I figured that I would just come upstairs in time to brush my teeth and wash my face, get dressed, write this post and then go to work.

I can then slip downstairs to grab my coffee and he usually stays up here anyway so that should work.

By the time coffee break comes it will be about four hours since he went for a bathroom break so I will have to carry him downstairs.

Very carefully I might add.

 

Most of our day yesterday was good as we had lots of company.

Two of my friends came in the morning for coffee and then my daughter came for a visit as well.

I always enjoy spending time with the girls.

 

We did not go out for a walk but I am hoping to try again today.

I think they are forecasting about 25 degrees today so it will be a late afternoon early evening walk.

Likely just a short one …. I don’t want to push him.

I understand as well that he is getting older.

He turned 11 in January so that makes him 11.5 years old.

Now that was an approximate date but not out by much, I don’t think.

Last night I also texted with one of my friends from Regina.

I am not sure why we didn’t just call each other but texting is beginning to be a habit for us all.

Even though it takes longer to get a thought across and then there is spell check and don’t get me started on that “feature.”

 

So I guess as I recently read in a post by Maria Shriver …. take one day at a time, sometimes half a day or sometimes one hour at a time….

Not exact words but you get the idea.

I really enjoy reading posts and Maria Shriver’s Sunday Paper.

She just makes sense to me.

 

I need that coffee this morning.

This weekend was a revelation as well.

I had decided just at the end of last week to change my August vacation from two weeks to one.

Then with the recent events starting with the after hours calls on Thursday night and then Alvin and with help with my daughter; I realized that I do need to take two weeks vacation.

It has been a long haul and with recent events, I need a nice break.

Time to do my thing even if that thing is just relaxing with Alvin.

So I emailed my Manager to see if I can once again change my mind.

I hope that it is not a big deal.

Sometimes we don’t realize just how close we are to “that point” until someone tells us.

That point has arrived and if I want to stay healthy in body, mind and soul, I have to look after me.

I have to stop always putting everyone and everything in front of my needs.

Meaning that if I do not look after me first – then how can I look after anyone or anything else.

That sounds better.

Man, I need to run and grab that coffee.

 

We had another two big storms yesterday.

One about 5 p.m. and the other a short time later.

Lots of heavy rainfall, thunder and lightning.

I don’t think that the storms are helping Alvin much either.

Seems like everything just has come to a head this weekend.

 

I have learned so much this weekend.

I do hope and pray that Alvin recovers quickly and in full.

Thinking that his days of jumping up and down from the bed, sofa, chair and possibly stairs might be over.

Perhaps he will be able to do the stairs with some help.

Definitely not onto the hard floor even though I have strategically placed mats with padding in the places where he goes up and down.

These past few months have been full of change.

I have been trying to roll with it and find my way.

I guess we all have …..

 

Time to go and grab my coffee.

Wishing you a wonderful day.

Please keep Alvin in your thoughts and with positive energy.

I will monitor him for one more day and if no change back to the vet tomorrow …..

Big sigh from the boy as he lays on his bed not far away from me.

Living with kindness and respect.

I/We shall remain,

As Always, Carol & Alvin

 

Thought for the day ….

Good Morning and Welcome to Friday the 6th day of July, 2018.

The sky is partially overcast at this time of the day.

Another HOT one is on the way.

I have windows OPEN at this moment at each end of the house so that the breeze can come into our house and cool the air.

So far so good.

The air feels cooler.

The furnace FAN is on and an electric fan all working together to cool the house for Mr. Alvin.

With the office window open I can hear the humming of the cars and trucks on the nearby highway that encircles our city.

Today is Friday.

Thank goodness for the weekends.

Just seeing the sun making its’ way higher in the morning sky.

 

I am reminded by just how important it is to be surrounded by positive energy.

Work is one of those places that can be negative.

At work I sit and work, I seldom participate in any conversations.

Somedays the negativity washes over me like a COLD shower leaving me feel drained and blue.

If only people would think about what comes out of their mouths, if only.

I am far from perfect and have from time to time SAID the wrong words.

If you work with people please be aware of others.

Be kind and recognize that perhaps others are in the same position as you are OR perhaps worse.

 

I am so grateful that I have a quiet home with Alvin.

He greets me every night and from time to time gets vocal.

But that is okay.

We all have to something to say.

 

Well here it is almost time to leave for work once again.

Grateful today is Friday.

Grateful that the house is cool for Mr. Alvin.

Grateful that I prepared the bags of clothing and odds and ends for DIABETES to pick up today.

Always good to donate.

 

Special Hello to: my sister ….. have a wonderful day.

Always, Carol & Alvin

Thought for the day …..

Good Morning and Welcome to Sunday the 9th day of July, 2017.

What a hot day yesterday and tomorrow’s forecast is even warmer.

I am so grateful to my friend and neighbour for lending us an electric fan.

It has made our lives bearable in this heat wave.

Last night Alvin and I went for a walk just after 9:30 p.m.

The sun was going down and was still light out with a breeze.

It was delightful.

This morning, wait for it, GUESS WHAT?

Mr. Alvin slept in until 6:19 a.m.

Yes, he did.

I believe that is the latest he has ever slept in without getting up.

We were in bed at about 11:00 p.m.

He was pooped between the walk and the heat.

The air is cool this morning so after I write this blog – I am going to scoop him up and go for a walk.

Likely later will not be cool enough and I have to work tomorrow.

Forecast for earlier this week is COOLER with rain showers.

It is summer so some heat is to be expected.

Yesterday I switched around the living room.

I like it but it the way that the sofa is takes a bit of getting used to for both sitting on and watching television.

Just a lefty thing, I suppose.

It does look good.

 

Well better get in gear before it gets too hot to walk.

I hope that you are well and if it is HOT where you are – I hope that you have a fan.

Also, before we had the fan ….. I have this little lace fan and used it to fan both of us.

I think that Alvin actually liked it.

He was sure looking.

 

Happy Sunday.

 

Special Hello to: my friends all over the world.

Always, Carol & Alvin

Thought for the day ….

Good Morning and Welcome to Saturday the 8th day of July, 2017.

Another hot day on the way.

Nice to have warm weather but not good for energy levels.

Last night Alvin and I were invited to one of my neighbours for the evening.

We sat outside in their gorgeous back yard.

Alvin ran, jumped, rolled in the grass and barked with delight and a bit of anxiety.

My friend said it was all too much for him.

But after awhile he settled down and we all enjoyed the time together.

We sat on their covered swing which fit me, my friend and Mr. Alvin.

He would jump up (when it was swinging) and we would chat and just relax.

After we were there for awhile – Alvin he jumped up and snuggled next to my friend.

Oh, I loved that ….

There was a beautiful breeze and it was wonderful.

She treated me with lemon pie and lemonade which was delicious and Alvin with carrots.

Alvin drank the whole bottle of water that I had brought with us.

We were talking about the heat and air conditioning and such.

She loaned me a fan which because I have central air – I did not own.

So last night we were comfortable with windows open and the fan blowing.

Isn’t it funny how whenever we need something it has a way of showing up.

Also to note that when we were first up this morning at 4:30 it was raining……

I felt like standing outside in the rain but as I had a nightgown on – decided against it.

Now I wished that I had …..

Well time to get going …. lots to do before it gets too hot.

Thankfully we have a fan to keep us cool.

I have the best friends, I would say.

Have an awesome Saturday.

Always, Carol & Alvin