The Next Chapter

Good Morning! Well we made it, Happy Friday. Yesterday was so beautiful outside. After work, I worked on chipping away at the huge lake of ice/water out front of my house. The storm drain is front of my house. Our backyards were graded so that when it rains or the snow melts the water runs downhill to the drain. Only thing is in the spring before the temperatures stay above zero overnight, we get thawing and freezing. This year we had a lot of snow therefore lots of ice. Just works that way. So I spent over one hour chipping and clearing the ice from the drain. Also when people park on the street they push the snow and block the drain. Never ending fun. Anyway, I got some exercise. During the day I received a text from Alyaa, one of my neighbours and the friend who spent the most time with Alvin since our last October return to the office. She texted that she would come for a quick visit around 5:00 if that was okay. While I was outside, I did not have my watch on but it felt like it should be close to 5:00 and she wasn’t coming so I walked to her house (only a few away) and rang the doorbell, only Cookie barked. I went home and a little while later here she comes with her daughter. She was carrying something and when she got closer I saw that it was a glass dish with food in it. Alyaa made me a casserole of sorts. An original traditional Middle Eastern dish with kabobs, rice and potatoes. I was so excited. Funny thing is I had been thinking earlier what am I going to have for supper as I did not have leftovers and wasn’t really wanting to cook. Talk about blessed. So we had a lovely chat on the sidewalk with me holding my prize carefully in one arm and the ice pick in the other. We got splashed a couple of times from people not paying attention and hitting the water on the street and spraying us so we moved behind a nearby vehicle. When they left for home, I put the food into the house for safekeeping. Oh, the dish was already cooked, I only had to warm it up. Then it was back to chipping for me. I am afraid to look out front this morning as likely it has iced over again. I cannot wait until the temperatures get into the double digits and remain that way over night and the sidewalks are dry. Then I can get out walking. After supper, I walked to drop off another thank you card but my neighbours were not at home. I texted them and they are leaving on a trip for a week. So perhaps will get it over to them after work. By the way, the dish was so delicious, so good. I thanked Alyaa profusely.

Tonight after work, my daughter is going to pick up Alvin’s paw prints from Guardian. I am happy and greatly saddened to receive them. Just another reminder that he is no longer with me. I have all of these reminders of this passing and of his life. All memories, some great and others incredibly sad. I know that he will always be with me. His urn is sitting beside me right now on the computer desk. I have to take him with him from going upstairs at night and going downstairs in the morning. He was my boy. He will always be my boy and I miss him so much.

I hope that you have a good day. Happy Friday.

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

Always, Carol & Alvin (My Forever Angel)

It is a NEW YEAR.

Good Monday Morning,

Happy Birthday to my friend who has always been like an older sister, L.

We are wishing you a day of full of sweet surprises and perhaps even a delectable birthday cake.

 

Well folks it is raining here in Edmonton.

The rain is washing the earth nicely.

Along with the earth, plants and trees; I noticed that the neighbours across the street are going to be needing to paint their fence, shortly.

Likely the paint was peeling but now it is noticeable.

It will be time to paint my fence but that will be next summer as this summer we are getting it fixed.

The fence that separates me and my neighbour in the duplex is leaning due to one of the posts.

Not the whole fence just a section.

But it gets a bit tricky as I have a deck on my side that is right up to and touching the fence and on the other side they have a raised garden up against the fence with

no retaining wall.

No one thought of it at the time.

The whole backyard is done in stone.

It really is beautiful.

So we have someone coming to check it out and give us an estimate.

It has to be fixed.

This young man is the grandson of my good friends down the street.

I will he will be honest and forthright.

He is popping by this afternoon to take a peek.

Hopefully it has stopped raining by then.

Oh, my backyard is nice and sopping wet.

Perhaps it is more wet under the grass that one may have first thought, meaning me.

 

Well we had a great weekend.

I chalked off everything on my list and it was a long one.

Thankfully everything outside got done and inside as well.

We had a great walk yesterday afternoon just as the rain began.

 

For some reason I could not shut off my thoughts last night so I tried to take as many extra zzz’s this morning as possible.

Running a bit late well not really late.

But I like to sign on to the work computer well before my actual start time.

I like to be early.

Just a thing about me.

 

I hope that you are doing well.

Doing the social distancing.

Not having massive crowds over for a visit.

Just having common sense so we get through this safe and to the other side.

Remember to rest and to hydrate.

Wash your hands often.

 

Have an awesome Monday.

Time for coffee.

Alvin is resting on his little bed.

 

With a deep respect and sending so much kindness your way,

I/We remain,

As always, Carol & Mr. Alvin

 

Thought for the day……

Good Morning and Welcome to the 3rd day of April, 2015.

Today is “Good Friday.”

The office I work in is closed for today and Easter Monday but the store remains open.

Today is my second last day of work at the store for me.

Today and tomorrow will be hard as I will truly miss all of the people that I work with at the store.

The young ones all call me “Mom” or “Carol” which is nice.

There is only one employee who around my age.

Being surrounded by youth is a great thing.

Keeps you up to date with all the happenings of the world through their eyes.

I love it.

There are some of us girls who have become good friends, and we get together, and that will remain.

Some of them have moved on to other employments and such but friendship remains.

The sun is shining today and that is wonderful.

We received more of the white stuff yesterday and it is fast melting.

I wonder if the store will be busy today.

Hard to say, I guess.

Only time will tell.

Well time to hop into the shower.

I am so excited to soon have all of my evenings and weekends for my own.

Me and Alvin will be out walking in the neighbourhood catching up on the latest.

Have a great day everyone.

Special Hello to: all of my friends at the store …..

Always, Carol and Alvin