2021

Good Morning ALL. How are you today? Well if you live in Western Canada it is very likely you are experiencing extra low temperatures to the tune of minus 30 degrees celsius and colder. My brother tells me it is minus 42 at his house in rural northern Alberta (northeast of Edmonton), my sister from Regina says it is minus 45 with the windchill and my nephew who is working north of Grand Prairie on the oil rigs, says it is minus 50 and in Edmonton it is hovering somewhere around the minus 33 temperature and I am not sure what the windchill is at this time. I do know that when I was out picking up the poop earlier, I noticed frost on the handle of the shovel. I was moving some snow around the deck as the pups have been peeing in the snow. Cannot blame them too friggin’ cold to be out for longer than a second. Last night Alvin’s bestie Teddy came for a sleepover and a minute ago I heard a toy squeaking downstairs, that would be Master Teddy. Alvin of course, if never far from my side and is laying on the carpet on the hallway floor. For the first time other than Teddy barking when someone walks by the front of the house, he barked. It was a low little bark unlike the loud semi shrill bark of Mr. Alvin. Alvin was barking about god only knows what while sitting beside me on the sofa as I was trying to watch AQUAMAN and then Teddy on the other side of me started to bark. I think he was trying to tell Mr. Alvin to be quiet. But I don’t know. They had a good night. We all need to have someone around from time to time. Without going for walks due to these frigid temperatures, I thought it was time for a friend to sleepover (not for me but for Alvin). At least I can chat on the phone and video chat to see people. We were all snuggled into bed last night and I read for a bit. At first Alvin was on the left side of me not real close and Teddy was by my feet …. as I sleep on my side I had to move my legs around a bit to get comfortable. Finally found the sweet spot and on our way to sleep. After I am not sure how long I felt Teddy move ….. he came up to the pillow and laid on the pillow so that he was almost like a warm scarf on my neck. Alvin does not do that for apparent reasons, main one being he is too big but Teddy is small. He spent the rest of the night snuggling close to me and Alvin nearby. Usually Alvin would growl but not at Teddy. Teddy barked a couple of minutes ago so I went downstairs as he had to go outside so both boys went out. He came back upstairs with me and Alvin for a minute and then back downstairs.

We are enjoying our company. I think with this cold weather we shall have just a lazy day. I will bring up the dry laundry from the basement at some point and I will make coffee and have breakfast and we will watch some television. I may even do some writing. I put my books and pens together last night. My hands are so rough and dry and no amount of hand cream seems to be working. The air is dry. Thankfully we are toasty warm inside the house and I am grateful to have heat and to have a beautiful home to live in.

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  Teddy

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I apologize for these not being current photos of the boys. Both the boys just had hair cuts and are looking top notch. But cuteness still prevails no matter how long their fur/hair is. Yes, Mr. Alvin had a hair cut and bath yesterday before his friend came for the sleepover. I did snap some photos last night but have not downloaded them to the computer as yet. I will thought. They are looking super handsome, these boys.

We hope that you are safe and warm.

Continuing to live with kindness, respect, compassion and patience.

Always, Carol, Alvin and Teddy

2021

Good Morning ALL. How are you today? I, We are well. The birthday party was awesome. We had a great time. Alvin received very thoughtful gifts. He received a beautiful i.d. tag with his name Alvin and our phone number engraved on the back. So thoughtful. From his best buddy and his little sister – two different chew treats. I gave him a toy. The guests all arrived right on schedule. Alvin was slightly overwhelmed when everyone arrived. The kids and grandpups came in the back door from the garage and Teddy & Kobi from the front door. Alvin just ran around barking while everyone said hello. I could tell he was overwhelmed. At one point he jumped up onto the sofa and just barked and stared at me. Poor boy. After several minutes of loving attention from his sister he calmed down. I guess we have not had that many pups in the house since his last birthday. The birthday cupcake and frozen yogurt were a hit with the pups. Amanda had picked up the birthday cupcake and frozen yogurt from the Bone & Biscuit. The cupcake was the same as last year. I should have remembered how hard it was to cut into pieces after being frozen. The packaging said to keep frozen. Even with a hot knife to cut …. it was difficult. Between me and my son-in-law, we managed to get it cut into pieces to share with the five pups: the birthday boy, Aspen, Milo, Teddy and Kobi. I loved how they pretty much all were in a circle around Steven who was holding the cupcake while Amanda and I snapped video and photos. I should say that Steven doled out the yogurt by the spoonful to each pup while I was cutting up the frozen cupcake. At the end of it all …… the pups gobbled down the cupcake and the yogurt. A fine time was had by all. A bit out of order here but we had the pasta salad and garlic bread first and then followed by gift opening. I must say that gift opening is my favourite part. Not because of gifts but I love watching Mr. Alvin open his presents. He has got so proficient at gift opening over the years. All due to the many parcels that our friend Val has sent to us and she always sends a separate gift for the boy. One paw on the gift and with his mouth he rips opens the wrapping. His favourite I think is the tissue paper. Never eating it …. just ripping it, well actually shredding it. So cute to watch. After the pups were all done with their treats – we had the homemade vanilla cupcakes that I had made for the humans. They were a hit as well. The recipe turned out to be a good one. I will keep it in my treasure trove of recipes. Before the kids left for home, my daughter helped me bring the green chair back downstairs from its’ temporary home in my bedroom. I had been thinking that Mr. Alvin was missing sitting in the chair and looking out the window. At Christmas – we took it up as it made more room. For some unknown reason it took us way longer to get it out of the bedroom than it took us to get it into the bedroom. Steven had taken the pups out to the backyard thinking it would only take us a couple of minutes. He had to bring them back in as it took us more than a couple of minutes. Then we had pups running between the chair and the door and under foot. Finally we managed to get the chair out of the bedroom and called the pups to go downstairs which they did. The only ones that had run upstairs were Alvin, Kobi and Milo. In the living room, I moved the brown chair back to its’ spot and the green chair to where it belonged. I would have thought that Alvin would have jumped up but he did not. I placed his blue blanket on the chair but nothing. I guess too much going on.

After everyone had left ….. the house was quiet and still once again. No pups running about. We just sat down on the sofa and chilled. I think that Mr. Alvin was pooped out. Thankfully I made enough pasta salad for an army and will have salad for supper for the next few days. So pasta salad it was for supper. After I washed the dishes that would not fit into the dishwasher – we just say on the sofa and watched t.v. for the evening. Well actually Alvin napped and I sort of watched television. What a great day we had.

We were up early a couple of times before at 5:00 for Alvin to have breakfast and then up to stay at 6:45 this morning. I had the most strange dream ever. Somehow I ended up with these people and I was much younger. Over the course of a few hours I realized that they must be some kind of cult as things just were not normal. The children and young adults were not siblings. The woman in charge was scary. There was a man, that I knew and he was visiting with another adult male. At one point I told him that I was scared and wanted to leave with him. When it was time to go – he was gone. Even the coffee they offered me did not taste like coffee and then I asked for a glass of water and they gave me water with cauliflower. Very strange. I managed to get some plain water. It was all a blur. Very strange and frightening. At one point, I grabbed my belongings which was some books and a small black case and ran out of the door. Another strange thing was that my Mother lived a short distance away. An easy run or walk. Then I woke up. There was also a young girl who was expecting and she was cooking something, I do not remember what at this point. Where this came from I do not know. But definitely woke up with a dry mouth from being scared.

Okay time to head downstairs and put on the coffee and go out and pick up the poop. It is very cold outside. Minus 30 degrees celsius roughly with the windchill. No walking today for us. Likely not this week so we shall have to figure out another means of exercise. Perhaps going up and down the stairs.

I hope that you had a great Sunday.

Continuing to live our lives with kindness, respect, compassion and patience.

Always, Carol & Alvin

Welcome to December 2020

Good Morning ALL. I hope that you are doing extra well on this Sunday, December 13, 2020. Our temperatures took a nosedive last night and with the windchill it is hovering around the minus 30 degrees celsius mark. YIKES, what a change from a few days ago at minus 3-6. Winter in Western Canada. Changes faster than I can change socks or drink a glass of water. Are you feeling some humour in my remarks? I am trying. It remains dark outside at this time. No sunrise just yet. Not sure if it is cloudy or not as I have not checked. Are you counting down the days? We are now at “11 sleeps/days” until Christmas Eve Day. I am almost ready for the big day. I made another double batch of fudge and 5 dozen unbaked chocolate macaroons. The macaroons were perfection, just the way they should be which is unlike the last batch. I mean don’t get me wrong they were not not tasty but just not the way that I like them. The fudge was perfection last time and this time why I decided to add the last of the marshmallows without adding more chocolate chips is beyond me. Now again, taste is good but it is a much lighter unchocolate looking fudge. Disappointed to say the least. It kept me awake last night trying to decide if I should make more. Alas, I have decided that “no more” making fudge for this year. This batch of fudge is more marshmallow than chocolate which is not bad. I am going to bake another batch of sugar cookies, which will be around another 100 or so today. This week in the evenings I am going to bake double batches only of the chocolate chip and my newly arrived at recipe of “raisin gingerbread cookies.” Which were a big hit. It is always funny how each and every time you make something even after making it for say 40 years it can turn out just a bit different. But of course, if someone adds more marshmallows, what can you expect, lol. Oh well. I am most sad about this because I made up treat boxes for my friend “Amber” and she loves fudge. Okay enough woe is me about the fudge. So this morning Amber is dropping off my jewelry order from the mega party last weekend and I will give her some treats followed by my daughter coming by with a new television for me and Alvin, most of the groceries for Christmas and some of the pet gifts that she picked up for me. Okay back to the television as I know you are thinking “new television set.” Well it is not new as is new from the manufacturer but it is new to me. My kids got a new t.v. and are giving me their old one which is not really old and get this is “58 inches” which compared to my 42 or 45 inch (cannot remember exact size) television will nicely fill the wall. So excited. Bonus Christmas present as far as I am concerned. So now I have three televisions. Where to put it? I have one in the family room and then where to put this one. Maybe we can find someone who needs a television. We are planning to have a pancake breakfast later this morning. Busy, busy. Later on this afternoon I will be baking the Sugar Cookies followed by wrapping Christmas presents. Other than delivering gifts to some friends of both the two and four-legged persuasion we will be DONE. Yes, done. Completed. Finished.

Yesterday afternoon after the fudge and macaroon baking/making – Alvin’s best friend Teddy, his little sister and his Mom stopped by for a visit. We masked of course and social distanced. They brought us, well me actually a poinsettia plant so nice and red and some caramel popcorn twists. Their gift to Alvin is coming later. Much better for the pups to exchange gifts together. I am feeling very spoiled this year. Actually every year I am spoiled and am very blessed. So love when the pups come to visit. Both Teddy and Kobi run and jump up to give me some love whenever they come or I go to their house. So happy to have had that visit because the extra visits end today with the new COVID19 restrictions.

Time to go and have a shower. I definitely need COFFEE this morning. Oh, looks like the sun is starting to rise.

I wish you an awesome Sunday. Perhaps you will be relaxing and watching a Christmas Movie or three OR reading a book or maybe you are baking some cookies. Just remember fudge is not something to defer from the original recipe.

Be kind, respectful and show compassion, this is more important now than ever before. All creatures big and small are important to this planet of ours.

Always, Carol & Alvin

Thought for the day …..

Good Morning and Welcome to Tuesday the 6th day of December, 2016.

Happy Birthday Cousin “J” on this COLD December day.

Alvin and I wish you a wonderful day and the best year ahead.

 

Yes, it is true, winter arrived in Edmonton – in most part of Canada late on Sunday.

I knew that there was something about winter that I did not particularly enjoy.

It was these frigid temperatures.

My poor Alvin ….. no walks in the immediate future.

Just too cold, especially after I gave him a hair trim on Saturday.

Last night as I was out shovelling the driveway and deck, I had him in the house and he watched out of our bay window in the kitchen/dining room and was not really happy.

He likes to be where I am at all times when I am at home.

I let him out here and there but it was / it is just too cold for our fur babies to be outside for more than a few minutes.

I realize that some of the bigger dogs need to get old but watch the time.

Their poor paws will freeze quickly.

When I was shovelling at the front of the house with the exception of the porch area and front part of the sidewalk, I was in his visual range and he was okay.

Poor guy.

Sure is nice that he misses me.

 

I am so blessed to have a ride to work this morning.

Another tea order arrived yesterday and it all goes to my co-workers who support my tea business.

I am so grateful for them.

My neighbour that is giving me a ride ….. so grateful for her.

She has been here since I moved in and is a great friend and neighbour.

 

Really hard to concentrate on words when you are thinking about how cold it is outside.

Even the house seems a bit colder.

Our furnaces are truly getting a work-out in this weather.

 

Well time to go and finish getting ready.

I hope that you are safe and warm.

Do not head out on the roads if you do not need.

If you do go anywhere be prepared.

Blankets, flashlights, safety equipment, flares, water, gas can with gas, some chocolate and breakfast bars and make sure if you have a cell phone it is charged.

Safety first.

Always make sure someone knows where you are …. when you leave and your estimated arrival time.

 

Have a great Tuesday.

Special Hello: to my cousin “J” ….. who is one of the most intelligent, kind, witty human beings I know.  Happy Birthday Cousin.

Always, Carol and Alvin

Thought for the day….

Good Morning and Welcome to Saturday the 1st day of March, 2014.

WOW, Happy March …… just a few weeks until it is officially spring.

It sounds like most of North America is experiencing frigid temperatures.

Here in the western Canadian prairie provinces we are more prepared for extreme temperature changes.

Although the minus 60 some windchill temperatures are near the norm.

I hope that on this very cold March 1st that everyone is safe and warm.

So important to also remember your pets – these are not the temperatures that they should be outside for more than a few minutes.

They can get frostbite and much worse.

Fur coats do not protect them at these temperatures.

Also your cows and horses and other farm animals should be in the barn or in some protected enclosure.

If you see a homeless person – get help.

No one should be outside for more than a few and I mean very few minutes in these temperatures.

So with more people staying indoors on this first day of March ….. use this time to have some fun.

Gather the family and play some board games.

Watch a movie together …… have a family meeting.

Find out what is new with everyone.

HAVE FUN.

This is a great opportunity ….

 

Also if you do not have to go out ….. stay home.

Do not chance your vehicle not starting as the tow truck companies will be hours behind being able to assist you for a boost.

If you must go out …. dress in layers …… cover your body ……  cover your head.

If you must go out in the car …. carry booster cables …… carry extra clothing and blankets …… water, candles, and chocolate (something to give you a quick boost).

If you have a cell phone keep it with you.

 

Take care on this Saturday and I hope that you all have a great March.

Special Hello to: all of the people who are staying home and having fun with their families.

 

Always, Carol and Alvin

Thought for the day…..

Good Morning and Welcome to Saturday the 7th day of December, 2013.

There are 18 sleeps till Christmas morning.

Wow, how did that happen?

MAIN TOPIC OF CONVERSATION FOR US NOW:

The western Canadian provinces have been experiencing deep freeze temperatures for the past week.

I heard on the weather channel it is supposed to warm to – 16 degrees celsius, that will be so nice.

As I look out of my office window the smoke from the chimneys is slowly rising in the air.

Even too cold for the smoke from our furnaces.

Just above the horizon the sky is a pale coral whispering up to the soft blue hue.

Very beautiful.

It is so quiet …. no one is out …. too cold.

I must say that once I get my “butt” out of bed I do enjoy the mornings.

It is funny that when it is this cold …. all I want to do is EAT and SLEEP.

I feel like a polar bear and at this point if I am not careful I am going to look like one.

Now all your polar bears living on this planet please do not take offence as you are a beautiful creature.

I only meant “size” … and I am not supposed to be “BIG.”

Oh well, soon this shall pass.

Time to get going …..

I hope that if you are living somewhere with cold temperatures that you remember two things.

Both children and pets should stay indoors.

Play games with them but do not let them play outside.

Too easy to get hypothermia.

Last night on my way to work the bus was late and I waited for over 25 minutes outside in the minus 30’s.

I did dress for it so the only thing cold were my toes.

I guess two layers of socks was not the best idea ( perhaps too tight ).

Anyway, just be aware.

Don’t leave pets or children in your car now either or any time, actually.

Have a great Saturday.

Sorry I didn’t mean to scold but yesterday on my way to work I heard a dog howling outside …..

It may me “mad” and “cry” ……

We need to treat each living creature with respect starting with yourself.

Special Hello to: SANTA WHO MUST BE VERY BUSY AT THIS TIME.

Always, Carol and Alvin

 

Thought for the day…..

Here we are at Thursday, January 26th, 2012.

Five days until the end of January …… we have been so blessed this winter ….. weather-wise.

Living in Canada, especially the western prairie provinces ….. well, I will just say this …… you can close your eyes and then open them to find the weather has changed.

Usually we are shoulder deep in snow, crazy bad ruts on the residential streets and frigid temperatures.  I should add here “strong gusting winds.”

But happy this year has been totally different.

I love a mild winter ……. the warm breeze with just a layer of snow covering the ground.

Having dry streets has made driving to and from work so wonderful.

Our residential streets sometimes are a bit icy but if you drive slowly …. it is okay.

Almost every night has been great for walking with Alvin.

I am very grateful for this mild winter.

I am very grateful for this mild winter.

I shall repeat this many times and hope that Mother Nature and the Universe agree ……

So wherever you may be …. I hope that you are enjoying your “winter” or perhaps it is “summer” ……

Have a great and blessed day.

Special Hello to: all of the Canadian Snow Birds relaxing in the warm southern States ….. One day I shall join you….

 

Always, Carol