2021

Good Morning ALL! How are you this Thursday morning? I almost typed Friday. Guess I am rushing the weekend just a wee bit. Oh well! It has been one of those weeks. I lost my patience a couple of times but tried to remain composed which is so much better when you are working from home. Some days even though I am very grateful for my job – it drives me around the bend. I guess most people say that. There are many aspects that I enjoy about my job and others not so much. Okay enough of venting first thing in the morning. Not the way that I want to start to my day.

I do want to share something with you. We were up about 3:00 a.m. and outside. The sky was so crystal clear that even though we are in the city, we could see so many stars in the sky. In fact, the sky was so full of stars that I was in awe. First time in the city that I have been able to see so many stars. It reminded me of our trip to see the kids for Thanksgiving and how clear the night sky was and how many billions of stars I could see. I was also reminded of being a child and looking up to the sky and making wishes on the first star and then seeing so many others. I have always throughout my entire life being drawn to the sky. I most especially love the stars. Maybe that is why some of my fav television shows and movies are situated in space. Although they cannot see the stars, one could imagine they were surrounded by them. As I have not been to space, I do not know what you can see or not. The stars took my mind off of being outside at 3:00 a.m., I will tell you.

We enjoyed two walks yesterday. The after work walk was most especially special as we bumped into a neighbor who lives just off the park, she was out walking the puppy. We have spoke before but never had such a conversation and I enjoyed it so much. The puppy for which I have now forgotten her name is so adorable. Not tiny and full of energy. She reminded me of a poodle. We chatted for several minutes admiring each other’s pups. She loved Alvin, too. Rosie was the Mom’s name. We were walking with them back toward their home and to ours when Alvin started to pull big time. I could not see anyone or anything around so wondering why he was pulling forward. So we said goodbye. I thought maybe because he was hungry. As we walked we came across people with a dog and I could see our friend Kelly and her pup Jack and then I knew. He definitely could smell their scent even though they were partially hidden by the trees at the entrance. How cool is that? So we raced over to them. I have not seen Alvin move that fast since before his surgery and not even in recent times. He chased after Jack as though he wanted to play. Running fast. It was funny too watch and also made me a little anxious. But I could not stop him and I wanted him to do something that obviously he really wanted to do. We visited with our friends and then Alvin wanted to go. I think he was getting hungry for supper. By the time we got home it was well after 5:00 p.m. Also on the way, a car pulled up and I could see our friends Ali and Bailey. Bailey spotted us and was yelping and so excited. We quickly said hello and were on our way. Our evening was much more quiet, I will say but we had a great walk. I am so happy that I know so many people in our neighbourhood and that I can get to know some of them even more. It was a great end to a somewhat frustrating day.

I hope that you have an awesome Thursday. Get out and walk. You never know who you will bump into or meet. Even though there still is a pandemic – we can still chat outside and keep apart and safe.

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

Today I choose to laugh more and have more patience.

Always, Carol & Alvin

It is a NEW YEAR.

Good Morning and Sorry for the lateness of this post.

Today is one of the couple of late shifts that I am required to work for my job.

Since we started to work from home, the higher ups thought it would be nice for us to have our after hours phone line answered by staff for a few hours instead of the security company

that we have hired.

So couple of time or so each month we take turns working from 11:00 a.m.  until 7:00 p.m.

It is okay but I much prefer my 8:00 am. until 4:00 p.m.

After all it is not like I do not speak to my clients all day long.

Our “lunch break” ends up being at 3:00 p.m. in the afternoon.

 

Today is to be another warm one for us here in Edmonton.

There is a breeze thank goodness as I want to take Alvin for a walk after I finish this post.

I should have got my back side out of bed earlier, oh what, yes I was up earlier, several times in fact.

Went to bed later and then up early with Alvin and the story goes.

Anyway, no complaints.

 

The surgery for my family member went went and he is doing great.

I have the office window open and can hear everyone’s dogs barking.

I am not sure if people leave their pups out for hours on end or not.

But I am inclined to investigate.

Cause some of the barking is not from large dogs.

 

Last night at 10:22 p.m. it was still light outside here in Edmonton.

I snapped some shots of the sky it was so beautiful.

Oh, I baked several dozen chocolate chip cookies last night, as well.

I love that the moon looks so far away in this shot.

By the time I came out later after dark it was up close and personal.

So beautiful.

My Irises starting to bloom in the front.

The first ones to bloom and were damaged in the hail on Tuesday afternoon.

Some shots from our deck as it was hailing.

 

Well Mr. Alvin is patiently waiting for me.

I guess it is time to go for a walk.

Then home and have breakfast and COFFEE.

 

Wishing you all the most perfect day.

Filled with sunshine and perhaps even roses.

I forgot to tell you about the roses near our park.

They are blooming and the fragrance is so divine.

Seems like heaven.

With this breeze it will carry and be enjoyed by all.

Especially by me, I love those roses.

Reminds me of my Grandma, who always had the most exquisite roses in her garden.

All different colours.

 

Happy Thursday.

With kindness and respect,

I/We shall remain,

As Always, Carol & Alvin

It is a NEW YEAR.

Good Thursday Morning ALL.

What a gloriously beautiful morning it is here in Edmonton.

There is a slight breeze this morning not gale force like yesterday.

For the next 14 days according to the weather channel it will be mid to late teens temperature wise.

Not really what I thought June was going to be like but as long as we have a nice mix of sunshine and rain drops, I am a happy camper.

Big news we went for our full walk last night with no “foot/toe” issues for me.

Yay, next week we will return to our walking at lunch and after work.

 

I just have to share these photos that I snapped from our back deck last night just before 9:00 p.m.

The sky was so gorgeous and the CLOUDS.

I love clouds.

In fact, I could lay down on the deck (have done so) and just watch the clouds floating around above me.

Some of these photos look the same but there are sutle differences between them.

That one cloud was amazing.

Then I noticed the neighbours a few doors down … they planted these trees many moons ago and look how tall they have grown.

I could not help but to take a photo of my Alvin and my flowers in the backyard.

Please do not notice the long weedy grass in the backyard.

It is awaiting for some TLC.

I am going to mow it now after breakfast and before I begin my late work shift (11 am – 7 pm).

Twice per month we man/woman the after hours phones for our company.

Tomorrow night I am going to don some shoes with covered toes (hopefully that goes well) and use my BRAND NEW grass trimmer and fix up the backyard.

Tonight my daughter is stopping by.

I have something for her and she has some new old clothes for me.

I love hand me downs.

A friend gave her a bag of clothes to go through.

Isn’t life great.

 

 

Well Mr. Alvin is patiently, okay very impatiently waiting for me to leave upstairs, perhaps he has to pee, which is likely.

I hope that you enjoy the clouds wherever you are on this Thursday.

Always take up to look up (make sure that you are safe when doing so).

 

Happy Thursday.

 

Living my life with kindness and respect.

I/We shall remain,

As Always, Carol & Alvin

 

It is a NEW YEAR.

Good Morning.

Hello Monday.

The sky is overcast between early morning and snow.

There are no colours in the sky to the east.

We will not see the sunrise from this vantage point.

I feel sad as I missed seeing the SPACE STATION in the night sky.

I believe it was last night.

That would have been cool for sure.

 

Alvin is resting on his little bed beside me.

Coffee is brewing.

Work awaits me …. my start time is 8:00 a.m.

I always sign on before so that I can be all set up and ready to go and yes, sometimes I start early.

I am 62, it is a hard habit to break.

Being early and giving a job 150%.

I am trying to stick to taking breaks and lunch.

Alvin is a great reminder as he already knows our schedule.

Thank goodness, do not even need a watch to be reminded.

He is one smart cookie.

 

The next few days are to be cooler than previous ones.

Yesterday we enjoyed a nice walk.

On our way home I had to put up the hood on my coat.

But other than that it was pleasant.

The streets / sidewalks were frozen in the morning when we walked so easy on the paws.

Friday Alvin was a big muddy mess when we arrived home from our second walk of the day.

Weather, Canada, Alberta, end of March …… it is always a surprise.

Are we really surprised?

No, not really.

After all, we are Canadians and the weather changes sometimes within an hour or less.

 

Yesterday I had a video chat / facetime (I don’t really like that term) with my daughter.

It was great.

We walked around our houses …. showing anything that changed.

Showing all the pups, Alvin, Aspen and Milo.

I took the opportunity to show off my plants.

They are doing great.

Big and bigger.

 

We had a quiet day after the chat with our girl.

Watched television and I worked on my bead painting that I started on the 14th of March when we had a girl’s night.

That seems like forever ago.

I am still not finished the painting but it is coming along.

I will post pictures when I have finished.

 

Hopefully you had a great weekend.

Able to rest and recharge.

Perhaps did some video chatting with family and friends.

Maybe cleaned out a closet or two.

Read a good book and likely finished.

Watched a movie or zipped through a taped t.v. series or on demand.

 

Whatever you are doing on this day be safe.

Think about yourself and others when you go about your day.

Stay in the house unless you are walking or absolutely have to leave for work or food.

It is really important that we follow the instructions set out by Medical and our Leaders.

If you think it will not happen to you, you may be surprised.

Keep an eye on the young ones most especially the teenagers who always think they are invincible.

No one is ….

So follow the instructions.

Get lots of rest, keep hydrated, eat properly, get exercise, keep commonly touched areas clean.

Keeping your anxiety/stress levels low is also important.

 

Okay on that note, I am going to have that cup of freshly brewed coffee before I get signed onto my work laptop.

Please look after yourself and those around you.

Do the social distancing …..

We have the technology so there is no need to be running about to visit your best friend for example.

You can see their pretty face ….. video chat.

 

In kindness and with respect,

We shall remain,

Always, Carol & Alvin

Thought for the day …..

Good Morning and Welcome to Friday the 8th day of September, 2017.

Yesterday we broke the highest temperature for September 7th, 2017, which was I believe 1928.

It was over 31 degrees celsius.

The bus ride home was indeed HOT and the bus was packed full.

Luckily for me I was standing right beside the bus driver so it was not too bad.

Today the temperature is to be a few degrees cooler which is great.

 

Not last night but Tuesday and Wednesday evenings on our way home from our walks two young men were sitting on the benches in the entranceway to the park, smoking weed.

I could smell that distinct odour as we approached.

It is a family neighbourhood ….. no consideration.

Pretty sure it is still against the law to smoke weed in public.

I know that some laws are changing regarding weed.

Oh well.

 

Last night Alvin for some unknown reason decided to toss and turn and kept us both up most of the night.

I hope that I am productive and on the ball today.

Luckily it is Friday and we have the weekend.

 

With the full moon yesterday and last night at sunset the sun was this big huge ball of orange hanging there in the evening sky.

It was so beautiful.

We were on our way on our walk and I did not have a camera otherwise it would have been a great shot.

 

Well folks time to run …. got to go and catch that steamer, I mean bus.

Have an awesome Friday.

Hope it is productive, fun and relaxing all muddled together.

We can do this.

 

Special Hello to:  all those people who ride public transportation …

Always, Carol & Alvin

Thought for the day….

Good Morning and Welcome to Friday the 10th day of April, 2015.

WOW, today is Friday ….. where did that week go?

Well it was a busy one.

It was a fun one.

It was a “stressful” one.

It was a happy one.

It is ending on a great note for me.

This will be my first Friday off in a long time.

My first real weekend in months actually years.

What am I going to do?

Go on a wonderful long walk with Alvin.

Take the patio furniture out of the garage.

Sweep the deck.

Perhaps sip on my tea on the deck as the night falls.

Look up into the night sky and realize that even though there are moments throughout my day at the office that are “stressful” … my life is pretty darn perfect.

Really it is.

I have family and friends who love me, and I love them.

I have the best friend on the planet …. me “Alvin” …..

I am in great / perfect health.

I have my very own house.

I make jewellery with my creative genius daughter.

I write this blog every day and people read it.

Still amazes me.

I can walk, talk and cry and do almost anything I try.

Does that line sound familiar?

I borrowed most of it from a story I read when I was a child.

The character is on a prime time series.

Did you guess?

Let me know…..

Well I just know that my life is pretty wonderful.

I am very grateful each and everyday.

We all have our moments and I have mine, to be sure.

But in between the madness and the joy ….. I am very so very grateful.

With all of the love and joy in my life it does not mean much if you cannot share it.

So I am sharing my hope and love and joy with you.

I know that you can do it.

You can do anything you try.

Keep up the great work.

You are amazing.

We are amazing.

Happy Friday my friends.

Special Hello to: the blogging community ….. keep writing.

Always, Carol and Alvin