Second Half of the NEW YEAR – final quarter

Good Morning, so glad that we did not blow away last night or even this morning. The wind blew down some of my Halloween decorations that I had put up yesterday afternoon. Blew over my garbage can and bye-bye couple of items that were in it. Basically it was other folk’s garbage that had blown onto my lawn. Just like Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz ….. gone, gone, gone. The air is cool but not cold this morning. My two pots of petunias are still amazingly blooming. I am so glad that I put away all of my little knick knacks from the deck yesterday afternoon as they may have taken flight overnight. The sky is blue as the sun is in the early stages of coming up there remains some of the orange colour on the horizon.

Well I accomplished all and then some of the items on my TO DO LIST from yesterday which makes today and tomorrow easier days. Although I can always find things that I want or need to do around the house. With Christmas just around the corner, I need to get working on my craft projects. Started and have ideas but need to put some actual labour into. I have noticed that I do sometimes procrastinate when I do not have a clear vision of the end result and then again sometimes I am not feeling “artistic” and that pushes the timeline. Oh well there is time so no need to panic just yet. Besides Christmas is not about the gifts as we all well know. It is about being together. All of our “holidays” are about being together with family and friends and celebrating those relationships or at least that is my thought.

So Thanksgiving weekend – some folks celebrated yesterday, some today and others tomorrow. This one is different for most folks. I know some of my friends had family over yesterday. Others today with part of the family and the other members of their family got together with them actually last weekend. Tomorrow is the actual day of Thanksgiving. At the end of it all, we should celebrate each other yesterday, today and tomorrow, everyday. Family and friends are so vital to our well being. Relationships need to be worked on in order to thrive. We are a social creature and need the love and support of others in order to survive. Okay how did I get to this point. Oh, well …. Sunday Morning brain. I hope that whenever or with whomever you have the opportunity to celebrate this Thanksgiving with, I hope that it is awesome. Enjoy the food but most of all enjoy the fact that you have family and friends with you. Now there may be folks that due to circumstances are not able to be surrounded by any family or friends and my heart and best wishes go out to you. I hope that you can play music, watch a video or a movie so that you have at least the noise of humans around you. Maybe your family and friends will facetime with you. Technology is a great these days. Even if you are alone you are not alone.

Alvin and I are hosting Thanksgiving at our home this year. We do most times and as I love entertaining. We are having a non-traditional Thanksgiving meal but good food is all you need. Only a couple of times or so a year do I make anything deep fried and today will be one of them. Chicken with a honey mustard sauce (homemade), potato salad (homemade), peas, corn, cheating and having stove top stuffing as have to have stuffing and for dessert “fruit pizza.” Fruit pizza is a favourite in our family. We will have my daughter and son-in-law and my grandpups Aspen and Milo.

Well Mr. Alvin is laying on his blue blanket / towel bed not far away from me. Resting.

On this Thanksgiving I am grateful for:

I am grateful that I have family that love me and that I love so much words cannot express.

I am grateful that I have dear friends all over this planet of ours. Some down the street and others halfway around the globe.

I am grateful that my daughter and son-in-law thought it was a good idea for me to adopt a puppy. Alvin is my companion, my friend and partner in crime. Okay perhaps not so much the “partner in crime” but you get the idea.

I am grateful that I was able to get my own home late in life but better late than never.

I am grateful to be employed especially during this economic crisis and grateful to be working from home.

I am grateful to be safe.

I am grateful for technology and that I have access to it.

I am grateful to be alive, to have more than what I need and some of the things I want but most of all I am grateful to see, to hear, to smell, to taste, to touch and to be in good health so that I may enjoy all of the above.

On this day and always no matter if I have a day or moments that I am feeling a bit less than positive or wonderful, I know that I am strong and that I will be okay.

Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family. May you be in good health and be surrounded with family and friends who support and love you. Happy Thanksgiving.

• 

  Me and my Alvin

• 

  Fall Wreath

Continuing to live in kindness and with respect.

I/We shall remain,

As Always, Carol & Alvin

Thought for the day …..

Good Morning and Welcome to Wednesday the 28th day of October, 2015.

Dark crisp morning here in Edmonton.

On my way home from work last night, I ran into one of our friends “A” and her dog Abi (Alvin’s girlfriend).

They were just going out for a walk.

Abi was so excited to see me that I thought perhaps they should come in and after I fed Alvin we could join them for a walk.

Alvin at first was more excited to see me because he had to go outside and then he foodie that he is …. had to eat.

They had their time and then we went for a great walk together.

Alvin and Abi …. so cute together.

 

Four sleeps until the big day.

I can hardly wait.

On Sunday the 1st day of November my Christmas Tree is going up.

So excited.

I am grateful that I can put it up on my schedule ….. previously I was working at the store most Sundays.

Please do not get me wrong I am grateful to the “STORE” for hiring me when I needed a job ….

Not everyone is willing to take a chance on an employee that is over 50.

Funny thing you would think it would be the other way round …. more experience and all that stuff.

Anyway ….

Back to the TREE.

Sunday morning the Halloween decorations will come down as well as all of my other ornaments ….

Only Christmas things will be displayed.

I have so many beautiful items that I want them to be out front … and not in between a vase that doesn’t really match the Christmas theme.

I am going to check to see if my daughter will be joining me for the big event.

Hot chocolate and a Christmas movie playing in the background.

There is no better way to spend a Sunday ……

Exciting and relaxing all rolled up into one.

Just a few days until my favourite time of year.

Tree goes up.

House gets decorated inside and out.

Pull out my Christmas cards and start writing them so that they can be mailed before the end of November.

Decide on which photo of me and Alvin to get printed from our annual photo shoot.

I always send a photo with the card.

Each year the amount of cards I receive gets less and less.

I love writing each card to friends and family.

Sending a letter about our year and also a photo.

I think it is a way of people catching up with you when perhaps that is the only time of year that you communicate.

Not because you do not wish to but simply because life has a way of passing and there is no time.

Well almost time to get going to catch the bus.

Last night I brought my winter coats/jackets up from the closet in the basement.

Too cool in the morning for my light spring/summer jacket.

I hope that you have an amazing Wednesday.

Special Hello to: all you folks out there who will be putting their Christmas Trees up this weekend.

Always, Carol and Alvin

 

Thought for the day…..

Good Morning and Welcome to Wednesday the first DAY of October, 2014.

Can you believe it?

It is October ….. time to start putting up the Halloween decorations …..

I know what I will be starting to do on the weekend.

Likely it is time to pull the last of the flowers …. yes, I still have some that are blooming.

Poor flowers though, I have been forgetting to water them on a regular basis.

But somehow they are managing to hang in there for yet another day.

I am so grateful.

Love me some flowers.

Also time to pack up the patio furniture and get the deck ready for winter.

Argh, did I say the “w” word.

No….. no I did not.

I do like winter ….. yes, I do.

Well it is that time to ensure that you have your home and yard fallerized ….. winterized.

I just have a few things to do.

If you need to have the furnace cleaned (if you have one) and the vents… most especially the dryer one.  Time to do it.

Change or clean the furnace depending on whether or not you have the “green” or disposables ones.

Last mowing of the grass and fertilize if you do that …..

You know what I love ….. love….. love …

The turning of the leaves …. still some green ones on the tree out front.

But lots of golden ones lying on the ground below the tree.

I love to run or even walk through them …. kicking them about….. hearing them crunch.

Actually the trees that line the street where our office is located they have massive amounts of leaves….

I have walked for almost a block ….. kicking them about and listening to them crunch ….. crunch …. crunch.

So much fun.

What a great way to begin the day.

Well here we go again …. almost time to go to work.

I hope that you have an amazing first day of October.

Mid week ….. a good place to be.

Oh, I had the best night last night….

Alvin and I went on a long walk by the big lake and my friend “G” stopped by to drop off some carrots and to have coffee after her “boot camp” …..

We laughed and talked … talked and laughed.

A great night.

Even with two big mugs of coffee I slept ….. must have been because I went to bed with laughter in my heart and peace in my brain.

Good combination.

Well gotta go.

Special Hello to: all my friend “G” … you are a great friend.

Always, Carol and Alvin

 

Thought for the day…..

Wow, today is Tuesday, October 9th, 2012 ….. October 9th, 2012 ….. did I say that right?

The air is cool but still warm for this time of year.

We had a beautiful Thanksgiving weekend here in Edmonton.

I was so blessed to get several items checked off of my “TO DO” list this weekend and it feels great.

It was wonderful being outside for several hours yesterday.

I started with picking up the trash in the neighbourhood, then mowed the grass front and back and raked it, then pulled flowers (which was sad as some were still blooming), put away all of the deck/patio furniture and trimmed most of my shrubs. WHEW!

Alvin and I went for a walk with Amanda and the puppies.  Oh, and I put up some Halloween decorations.

The air was crisp but the sun shone for most of the day which was wonderful.

This truly is my favourite time of year.

The evening sky was so amazing.  I love star gazing.  When the sky is clear and you can see so many stars and the moon just beams … well it is one of my most favourite things.

In the summertime, I have laid on the deck and watched the sky.  So relaxing.

Well I hope that you all had a wonderful weekend wherever you might reside on this beautiful planet of ours.

I hope that each person does what they can to make this planet even more beautiful …

It is our responsibility to keep our Earth clean and home for generations to come.

So remember when you are out and about …. just by picking up that one piece of paper or bottle can make such a difference.

Treat the outdoors with respect.

I hope that you have a great day as will I.

Take care.

Special Hello to:  all of you ….. you are important, and should be treated with respect and kindness.

 

Always, Carol and Alvin

Thought for the day…..

Wow, today is Thursday, October 20th.

The sky appears to be overcast but the air a bit warmer.

Our autumn, this October has been beautiful.

I noticed that during this warm weather folks are out putting up their Christmas lights (what a grand idea).

So much easier to do the lights when your hands are warm.

Some of my neighbours have their Halloween decorations up.

There is one place that has several big blow up Halloween characters …. one being a huge spider that moves.

When we were walking by the other night ….. Alvin stopped ……. starred for a moment and then planted his feet firmly in place and began to bark.

I think he was protecting me ….. but it was so cute.

I tried to explain to him that it was just a decoration and that spiders did not grow to be that big except in the movies.

But he really didn’t understand (LOL).

Made for a interesting walk, though.

Well from this computer to yours …..

Have a great Thursday.

 

Special hello today to:  Ingrid, Tyler & Family, Linda, Deanna & the Ladies Group, Lisa E, and Vicki.

 

Always, Carol