Thought for the day ……

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

The sun is desperately trying to break through the smoky haze that has taken over our skies for the past few days.

I can only imagine what it is like near the fires.

The smoke filling the air …. hard to breathe.

I was thinking of all of the poor creatures that lived in the forest with no where to run unlike we two-legged ones that can jump in a car or be flown out of the danger zone.

My heart bleeds today for them all.

If they are fortunate to escape the fire zone then what?

They end up in a habited area and then we do the unthinkable because we think they are a threat to us.

I am just grateful to be where I am …..

This has been an odd weekend.

The basement pretty much done ….. the “DRYWALL” ( I thought of the name ).

When I was vacuuming the more fine dust the filter on the vacuum decided to be done.

A bit later I found a wee small dead mouse behind the furnace tucked behind a small opening ….

Where and when ….. OMG ….. they creep me out.

I also hooked up the dryer vent hose and levelled the dryer (all by myself, found that it wasn’t difficult). YAY, me.

I was just about to start laundry and entered the laundry area (furnace) and found water by the furnace.

It had run down into the area under the stairs ….. grabbing towels I got it wiped up …

Thinking it was the humidifier … I called my neighbour as she had removed the top part by the filter.

She came over and we found it was not the humidifier …. she called her friend’s husband who is a plumber, heating and a/c guy ( they were here in just a few minutes or so it seemed).

He was pretty certain that the a/c pan that is enclosed in the furnace unit was over flowering because it was plugged somewhere and then the water has to come out somewhere …..

So he cleaned it all out and the water stopped running.

Note to self: must have the a/c unit on the furnace checked annually.

It was an invaluable lesson.

Just seemed like one thing after the other.

So glad that it is fixed and that the a/c continues to work when we need it to …..

Once again and I am in continuous gratitude to be surrounded by great people …. truly I have the best neighbours on the planet.

This morning I am on my way to another friend’s place just down the street for coffee and muffins.  A third gal, neighbour and friend is going to be there as well.

This weekend I am so grateful.

I also want to send some love to Miss Aussie, neighbour cat who had surgery on Friday and needs some love and positive energy to make her well.  Come on girl you can do it.  We love you …… Alvin, too.

Well I should go and do a couple of things before heading out to socialize ……

I hope that wherever you are that life is treating you well and that you are treating life well.

Spread the love, gratitude and positive energy …..

Thank you.

Special Hello to: to all those folks who try something new and spread their wings daily.

Thought for the day……

Good Morning and Welcome to Sunday the 24th day of May, 2015.

It is a beautiful morning here in Edmonton, sun shining and a cool breeze masking the heat.

Yesterday felt like a July day ….. HOT.

Weather is a funny thing not funny ha ha but strange.

This morning is what I deem as perfection.

It is warm but the breeze keeps it comfortable to be out and about.

Great for walking.

But alas, Mr. Alvin is on his sleepover at his sister’s house.

His first one at their new place.

I am excited to hear all about it.

While he was away and the reason for his sleepover the furnace was cleaned.

Two of the nicest young men did the job.

Funny though they both told me different sizes for the furnace filter ( I already know which one ).

Perhaps it was the hot day that messed with their memory.

Once they left I got busy …. it was close to 4 p.m. but better late than ever.

I dug out three shrubs from the front “flower bed” ……

It took some work and at one point I was thinking it would have been nice to have had some help.

But I kept at it and got them out.

Got most of the dirt from the roots and then as the shrubs lay on the lawn …..

Now what?

One was quite heavy and with branches how am I going to dispose of them.

Aha, I thought ….. get those big stretchy black garbage bags …..

I managed to squeeze each one into their own bag.

Then lugged them to the back …. up the steps and onto the deck and up more steps and into the garage.

It took me almost one hour to get the shrubs out but I must tell you, I felt like a million dollars.

I did it all by myself …… I am strong and not reliant on someone else.

It was a good thing.

Then after that I raked and moved the dirt around in the now naked flower bed.

Also the neighbour behind is building a huge garage and has a big pile of top soil so I decided to ask him if I would be able to use some to top up my front flower bed.  He kindly said “yes.”

Then I had to find something to put the dirt into …. I found a ten gallon pail in my garage.

Now let me you a pail full of dirt is not light.

But I hauled five of them from his yard across the back alley into my garage down both sets of steps on my deck across the path between me and my neighbour’s to the front flower bed.

What a great workout.

I do believe that going to bootcamp helped me to complete this task.

I definitely could feel my core and arms doing what they were supposed to ….

Here are some photos:  furnace cleaners and the flower bed ….. forgot to take before photos !!

Was so grateful to have my kids shovels and garden tools to use….

Now all I need is a couple of bags of potting soil to top it up and then some flowers.

YAY ….. I did it.

Well time for breakfast and coffee…

Happy Sunday and always remember “do not sell yourself short.”

You are stronger than you think.

You are better than you think.

You are more resourceful than you think.

You can do anything.

Special Hello to: all the single women in the world……

Always, Carol and Alvin