The Next Chapter

Good Morning! Another beautiful morning here in Edmonton, Alberta. The sun is shining, there is a cool breeze blowing in through my office window and the sky is slightly hazy. Last night it was very windy and I actually moved some of my plants beside the fence and with some shelter. I did fear that we might have a storm and wanted to provide them with some protection. I look forward to our annual girls trip to Creekside Nursery tomorrow night after work. I love checking out all of the different flowers and finding new ones to try. I did pick up some plants already at Costco but I do like to support local and Creekside is a local family owned business. Pansies and Impatiens are on my list. I also need another bag of dirt or two.

Last night after supper, I walked with Jeanette and Eddie. They both seem to be doing okay after the recent loss of their beloved Bruno. I know it is a different story in private. I had concerns for Eddie but Jeanette thinks he is doing well. Yesterday her husband called her as they found a puppy (not little, likely about one year old) at his place of employment with no tags and no apparent owner. She picked up the dog and took it to the Humane Society to be checked out. They will keep the pup for three weeks before adopting it out and they would be top of the list. I am not sure how Jeanette felt about that. It is a huge deal to go from two to one dog and I think she was just taking a breather. But she is a kindly practical soul and told me that if it is meant to be, they will gladly adopt the pup and if not, that is okay, too. Well said my friend. Last night on our walk we came across a rose bush. I did not have my phone with me so Jeanette snapped a photo and I am going to share along with the ones that I forgot to post yesterday. I love walking with them. Eddie is so entertaining. He loves to catch the frisbee and to eat part of it or at least chew it and thankfully spit it out. He sure can jump high and catches it most of the time. With the last rain, the grass in the park and trees are doing quite well but can always use a bit more rain here and there.

Multiple Geese Families

Geese Sunday Night

Beautiful Rose Bush

I did not get to close to the geese as there were several sets of parents and then a whole flock of babies of various sizes. I wished that I would have had a camera with a long lens to get some close up shots. I am not sure if you can in the distance as they are closer to the tree line and the water, the little ones. Still so great to see them. Then the rose bush, well absolutely beautiful and smelled so delectable.

Time to go and put on some coffee and then go outside and move my flower pots back to their original positions so that they can get some proper sunlight. I watered them yesterday morning and checked them last night and they were good. Always a balancing act keeping them at the proper moisture level.

Have an awesome Tuesday. I hope that you are safe and well and have some fun along the way.

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

Always, Carol & My Forever Angel, Alvin (I miss you every single second, my buddy).

Last Half 2022 – October

Good Morning ALL! Well almost noon. What a morning already! I am grateful that I booked today off. Poor Mr. Alvin. We are just back from the vet where once again he is suffering from ear infections. One ear was way worse than the other. I have a difficult time keeping them clean as he does not like me poking around or touching them. So another round of meds which will keep them okay for a month. I spoke to the vet about our options. There are two different surgeries that can be performed. One is where they remove his eardrums and ear canals and he would not be able to hear but he would no longer suffer from these nasty yeast infections. She does not perform this surgery. The other she can do and it would mean leaving the eardrums intact but opening up the ear canals so that the yeast cannot grow and he would still have hearing. I think the second option is the better of the two, for sure. Cannot imagine having my hearing taken away like that but she also thinks that his hearing is compromised now. The idea of another surgery with him turning 14 in January, scares me but I am not sure that we have an option at this point. I just want him to have a good quality of life. Yesterday he was panting and work was driving me over the edge and I was raising my voice to him. I feel incredibly guilty and overwhelmed. My poor boy. I just hope he has forgiven my bad reaction to the situation. It is difficult when you are alone. Anyway for now, he has medicine in both ears and it will get rid of the yeast infection soon. I think his paws are bothering him as well.

I do have a beautiful story to share. Earlier this morning I noticed a little girl waiting on the sidewalk across the street from our house. Clearly she was waiting for the school bus which never came. It was cold out there earlier. My neighbor (whom I borrowed her car to take Alvin to vet) had popped in to grab a cup of coffee as she had run out. Sonja said that the girl was waiting for the bus which is always late. I decided to check on her so I opened the door and called out to her to check on her, I think that I scared her. She then started walking away from where she was standing which appeared to be toward home, when an older child came out. I should have asked what school she went to and then called them but I did not think of that. I watched them from my window when a dark blue Toyota Rav4 pulled up and a woman got out. Poor kid was scared not because the woman was trying to hurt her but because of the attention and she was cold. The woman talked to her for a few minutes and the older child came back out. The woman walked back to her car and grabbed her cell phone and then after speaking to the older child, she made a call. Likely the school. Nice to see good samaritans. This woman stood outside chatting with the kids for over 30 minutes closer to 45 minutes. At one point she grabbed a kleenex out of her car for the little girl. After awhile, the little girl got into the car while she waited outside with the older child (early teens, I think). The girl must have been frozen. She had a good warm coat on but her face and hands would have been cold and she was carrying a heavy backpack. Near the end, just a few minutes before a school bus showed up, the woman and the older child, a boy got into the car. They must have been cold. My neighbor told me earlier that the bus is always late. So this bus driver for whatever reason makes these children late for school everyday and nothing has been done. This is deplorable. Hopefully now, they will do something about the driver. This kindly woman who was just driving by put my faith back in humanity. She took almost one hour out of her day to help strangers, two children. She had a smile on her face and appeared to be trying to keep the children in good spirits. I am grateful to her for helping. Doing something that I should have done. Not that I did not want to help but I thought that the bus would have showed up sooner than it did.

Well, I made another pot of coffee as I just need one. It has been quite the week. I am beat. We will just relax on the sofa for awhile and then go for a walk. I hope that you are having a good day.

The sun is shining now which is great so it is warming up now.

Thank you Universe for good people in my neighbourhood.

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

Always, Carol & Alvin

PS: wow, how could I have forgotten this. Yesterday Alvin and I received a package from our friend Val in Regina. So many treats. We are truly spoiled. Alvin was so excited when I went to the mailbox and came back with a box. There were homemade treats for him which he opened. There were three kinds of buns/scones, mini loaves, biscottis and so many other sweet treats. I also had a package of some items that I had ordered from RICKIS. Just needed some clothes. I was happy to see that they all fit. I guess time to do some laundry, too. Coffee first. I think that Alvin just wants to have a nap. Poor boy.

It is a NEW YEAR.

Good Morning and well here we are today is Thursday.

Almost one week in the newly renovated office building.

I actually kind of like my new workspace.

What is taking a bit of getting used to it is so open.

If we use the stand up desk … you can see your neighbour.

It is loud as there is are upper dividers.

Nothing on the walls to absorb some of the sound and echoes.

But all in all, it is okay.

 

Last night Alvin and I shovelled the driveway and deck.

The stripping on the bottom of the garage door came part way off so I called one of my neighbours to the rescue.

Thankfully their older teenage son was home and came to help.

I am most grateful to have such great neighbours.

After that situation was handled; I went to shovel the front.

As I was shovelling the porch I happen to look down and see that the walk and the front of my house had already been shovelled.

My neighbour shovelled.

So then I went and shovelled Humphrey’s Mom’s front sidewalk and then to the house.

I am so blessed to know and be surrounded by such good people.

Got some exercise and fresh air.

We did not make it out for a walk which was disappointing as the snow was too deep for Alvin.

Not everyone had shovelled when we would have gone for our walk.

 

I have been posting some tips for reduction of Plastics on Facebook.

Especially single use plastics.

Most people are also posting tips.

Which has been nice.

At the end of the day it is not just plastics; it is everything.

We in North America are just crazy over the top consumers.

I look around my house and see all of the “stuff” that I have accumulated over the years.

Most things I never use.

To be honest.

Some things once a year and they remain in storage during the rest of the year.

I just want to be more aware and want others to be the same.

We will not always agree on everything but we need to try to do with less.

 

Well time for me to sign off for today.

Be Kind and Respectful to yourself, to others, to animals, to the environment and to this Planet.

We only have one.

 

Always, Carol & Alvin

Thought for the day ……

Good Morning and Welcome to Thursday the 28th day of December, 2017.

The sun is up and shining brightly.

Still a cold day.

Thank you to our friend and neighbour for driving me and Alvin to his appointment yesterday.

This cold weather has put me in hibernation mode.

I just feel like sleeping.

I have decided that in order to get to things that I am going to take down the Christmas decorations.

Sometimes I leave everything up until well in January and other times I have taken things down before New Year’s Day.

This may be the earliest.

Oh well, that way I can clean as I put things away and will have the weekend to do some visiting.

The sky is beautiful although a ridge of deep blue purple coloured clouds just slipped over the bright sun.

I think that Alvin is growing restless ….. we cannot wait until the warmer weather arrives.

It is in the forecast for next week, thank goodness.

 

New Year’s Eve is fast approaching.

Three sleeps.

2017 out and 2018 in.

Have you thought about what you would like to do specially for 2018?

Are you planning to travel?

Are you planning to do some renovations?

Are you planning to read more?

Are you planning to cook more healthy food?

Are you planning to exercise more?

I believe at the end of it all, most of us would just like to be in good health, happy and be surrounded by good people.

 

While I am taking down the Christmas decorations I am going to ponder what to do, to be in 2018.

Sounds like a plan.

 

I hope that you all have a wonderful day and that you are warm, safe and happy.

 

Special Hello to: my friends and family all over the world.

Always, Carol & Alvin

COUNTDOWN: 60 Days to 60

Today is Wednesday, June 14 2017 and it is the 57 day until my 60th Birthday.

 

One thing is for sure:

I have always been blessed and fortunate to be surrounded by the most loving, caring, compassionate and supportive family and friends.

Good people make all the difference in your life.

Definitely got me to this place and will keep me here.

 

Always, Carol

Thought for the day ……

Good Morning and Welcome to Monday the 12th day of October, 2015.

Happy Thanksgiving Canada …..

Happy Thanksgiving to every living creature in this great country.

Today we celebrate peace, kindness, generosity and compassion.

Take the time to show your peaceful, kind, generous and compassionate self to someone.

Invite someone over for a meal.

Perhaps someone needs a ride to the store or to the hospital.

Let’s show everyone who we truly are ……

Just plain good people.

Not taken in by malicious television ads, news reports or social media.

Happy Thanksgiving.

 

I am grateful for my dear family, grand-pups, Alvin and all of my friends.

I am grateful to be in great health.

I am grateful to have my very own house …… my home.

I am grateful to be alive.

I am grateful to have my own mind.

 

Gratitude will light the way.

 

Special Hello to: EVERYONE …. Happy Monday.

Always, Carol and Alvin