The New YEAR 2022

Good Morning ALL! I hope this finds you well and having a great morning thus far. We are up and ready for this day. The sky is overcast but it is warm outside which is a plus. Looks like more snow on the way. I was pleasantly surprised yesterday when we did have some wonderful bright sunshine filling blue skies. So pretty. My daughter came for a visit while she was in the neighbourhood at the Dentist so I took a late lunch break so that we had some time together. Alvin was so happy to see her and very pleased when she sat down on his bed and gave him some rubs. It was great to catch up although we both had so much to say but then forgot at times just what we were going to say. Excitement. It was great spending time with her and I am always grateful for all the time we have with her. She is one of the best people I know.

Teddy did not end up coming for a sleepover so that was disappointing but his Mom said that he was clingy and she just felt that he needed to stay home. But she would bring him over for a visit again before they return to the farm. So that will be nice. I totally understood.

Last night I called one of my friends. We had a lovely chat and caught up on all our news. We miss our walks as usually we walk together over the summer, fall and after the sidewalks clear in the spring. Her husband is celebrating his 69th Birthday today. We wish him a wonderful day.

Yesterday I was watching one of my recorded “talk” shows and they gave some great ideas for trying to lessen the impact of the food ever increasing prices.

1. Buy staples such as: dried beans, lentils, pasta, rice and quinoa and canned goods. If there is a sale stock up. The shelf life is a long time and you do not have to worry about them going bad in two weeks.
2. Purchase frozen green vegetables in the winter time when they are not in season. Frozen vegetables are picked at the height of goodness and are flash frozen for maximum freshness.
3. Do not purchase berries in the winter time as they are not in season and are expensive and do not taste anything like summer berries. Instead purchase tropical fruit like bananas, oranges and pineapple. The oranges and pineapple may seem expensive but they go further than berries and last longer.
4. Cabbage is another vegetable that is usually cost effective and can be added to many dishes. Filled with Vitamin C.
5. If you are purchasing meat such as chicken, buy it whole. When it is cut up for convenience you pay so much more. A whole chicken depending on family size will do for at least two meals. You can always make soup out of the bones and little pieces and who doesn’t love chicken soup with vegetables, noodles or whatever you like.
6. Also if you purchase fresh herbs, clean them, chop in small pieces and freeze in small bags or containers and then you will have for later. Most people use them for one recipe and then into the bottom of the fridge they go never to see the light of day again until they are passed their goodness.

Those are my tips for today. I think if we all work together. We can make things just a bit easier. Maybe it is a time to go back. Less time using electricity. Turn off the lights. Do not leave the television on all day (I am turning mine off).

Have a wonderful Tuesday.

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

Always, Carol & Alvin

The New YEAR 2022

Good Morning ALL! How are you this Sunday morning? Alvin and I are well. I guess that I really cannot drink coffee any longer later in the day because I was awake for hours after we went to bed or at least it felt like it.

Funny or strange story. So we were up at a reasonable time for a Sunday. I put on the coffee and went to clean up the early morning – middle of the night poop from the snow bank on the deck then came upstairs turning on the computer for it to start up while I made the bed. When I came back to start this post, I found that the screen was GRAY, I thought, now what. I did not get too bent out of shape. At first I did think that my computer had “died.” Grabbing my phone I googled “gray screen when starting up a MAC” and it came back with a list of things to do. Most of which I had no idea of what they meant. I would have google the suggestions. Anyway, I decided to turn it off and then went to brush my teeth, wash up and get dressed. When I came back I turned the power button on again and voile the computer was on and you will never guess what was displayed on the middle of the screen over top of the screensaver? You will never guess in a million years. I was dumbfounded. Big time. There was a long statement about MONEY. Money is magnetic energy. You are a magnet attracting to you all things, via the signal you are emitting through your thoughts and feelings. To become a power money magnet: and then it listed a bunch of things to do. How did the Universe know that I was thinking about money, actually the highlight of my thoughts last night was the “lack of money.” Perhaps it was more about the money aspect in my current situation than the coffee that kept me up last night. When I read the words, I could not believe that it. I think that the Universe was telling me that I need to change my focus, change my thoughts and definitely change my feelings. Does not get anymore clear than that. Really. Of all the things that would come up on my screen after the computer would not start, it is eerie and strange but comforting and wonderful. I am grateful for all that I have, truly I am. I have a beautiful house, I am in good health, I have wonderful family and friends, I have a pup who keeps me company and on my toes, I have a job and can work from home to be with him, I have so much in so many ways. So time once again to change my thoughts and feelings about money. Yesterday and for the past little while I have been concentrating more on the lack of than all that I have. Time to clean up my thoughts and feelings. Right! I am so excited. What a blessed way to start the day and who would have thought it all happened because my computer would not start, the GRAY screen – ended up being a GREEN screen. Wow, there are no words right now to explain how I am feeling. Alvin is quiet because he knows.

Yesterday was a busy day. I did laundry. We actually went for a bit of a walk as it was so warm out. We got as far as one of our friends houses and saw her across the street picking up her mail, she crossed back and we chatted as she walked to her house. She invited us in and we ended up having coffee together, Alvin had a couple of treats and we saw her dog, Jaz. Jaz is 17 years old now I believe. She is deaf and going blind and has a heart condition but otherwise does pretty good. I don’t think that Alvin is old at 13. Anyway, we had a good catch up and then were on our way. We walked across the street and up the street going north where the sidewalks were pretty dry and did a quick walk before picking up the mail and going home. I actually had mail – my home insurance policy. I was a little nervous about opening it as one of my friends had mentioned that hers had gone up considerably and that was all that I needed was one more increase to my monthly budget. When I opened it up and did the math, I found that while it had increased, it was not quite $20 per month. It is still an increase but not too much considering. It would be wonderful if our income increased with all of the other increases. It will. I also saw two other neighbours while we were out and about. It was wonderful. People were out chipping away at the monstrous amount of ice that we have out front of our homes. I have some but not as bad as it was.

I was figuring out how much money I had for groceries when I saw that my friend had texted saying that she was going to COSTCO and did I want to go or give her my list? I had to recalculate my budget because of course, the home insurance increased payment was coming out at the end of February. We texted a couple of times before she called me. I ended up going to COSTCO which was great. It was nice to get out and have a little visit with another friend. We have fruit and veg again. I was down to a few pieces of chopped up carrots, a few grapes and two oranges. When my fridge is full, I really do feel rich.

Last night I hostessed another Fifth Avenue Collection Jewelry online party. My friend that sells FAC does all the work actually as she does the LIVE on Facebook. This time because we lost track of when the party was supposed to be, she did one LIVE for two hours. Kind of a nice change from the weekend long party with three LIVES of about one hour each. I was happy to have a few people join me. So much beautiful jewelry. I have so much but I love it all.

Well time to get this day going. Changing my mantra, writing up a cheque to myself for the money that I would like to have. I am rich. I am wealthy. I love money. Money comes to me easily and effortlessly.

I hope that you have a wonderful Sunday. Time to go and have that first cup of coffee as my coffee has perked. I am going to give Mr. Alvin a haircut and bath this afternoon. Tomorrow will do a bit of cleaning and then Tuesday back to work.

Continuing to live this life with kindness, respect, compassion, patience, love, laughter, gratitude, understanding, focus, possibilities with all the money that we need and want.

Always, Carol & Alvin

It is a NEW YEAR.

Good Morning All.

Well today is my first day of working from home.

We left work yesterday during early afternoon hours with laptops in tow.

I managed with a tinge of assistance from a co-worker on line to get set up.

I moved my office around and set up the laptop (which I have not really worked on before).

Set up the  mouse and I am so glad that I brought home my keyboard, that was a good move.

Thank you to a fellow coworker who had decided to take hers home.

It was so much easier setting things up.

My office looks strange with my APPLE on one end and the laptop on the other.

Shortly I will turn on the laptop and start the day ….. my work hours are 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM.

Still almost one hour but I want to do my timesheet and have everything open before 8:00 AM.

Poor Mr. Alvin is definitely wondering what is going on.

I think he noticed that I did not put on much makeup other than some eyebrow gel stuff and some lip care.

I think he definitely noticed that I did not put on my dress clothes and I know he noticed that I put on my work socks.

I did that just to throw him off.

He is just so smart.

I am kind of anxious to see what happens when I am on the phone (work) …. we have been hooked up through an APP for our phone.

This should be interesting.

Alvin does not like it when I am on the phone.

Hopefully after the day he settles into me working from home.

Much different than a weekend.

 

Yesterday my daughter picked me up some fruit, vegetables and bread.

She also picked me up a bag of CHICAGO popcorn (one with the cheese and caramel popcorn).

This was a treat for me, how sweet of a girl do I have.

 

The streets are still busy here or at least they were yesterday.

Our street has had cars zipping by all morning.

I wonder if this will change.

 

Well I am anxious to go and get my coffee and get started.

It will be much different working on a laptop small screen compared to our big computer screen at work.

Likely a bit slower going back and forth between windows but at least we are working.

Our clients will be happy about that.

I think some of them figure that with the doors closed to the public that we are not working.

But we are ….. we certainly are ….

We are all in this together.

 

Well time to go and get things going.

Starting to get light out there.

 

Be kind and respectful to all you encounter.

Remember to check on your elderly neighbours and those that are not able to get out and about.

If someone has a pet and they are sick, help out.

Make sure they have food for their pets.

If they have a dog …. take the dog for a walk.

Help where you can.

Be grateful you are well and are able to do so.

 

From an eternally grateful human being,

I remain as Always, Carol with her trusty friend Alvin

 

My geranium is blooming like crazy.

Outside the bunnies are beginning to turn brown.

Spring is official tomorrow.

Forgot to mention that I saw a coyote downtown on my my to work yesterday morning.

My daughter says there are many of them downtown due to the River Valley being close by.