The New YEAR 2022

Good Morning ALL! How are you this morning? Both Alvin and I are well. I can not believe yesterday. I had one of those headaches on the weekend that just throbbed but not all of the time, it got worse Monday night/Tuesday morning so I texted my Manager to advise her that I would not be “in” but little did I know that she was not in either. Anyway, I took some painkillers and voile around 9:00, I felt so much better. I decided that I would go to work and if it got worse, I would just stop. Ended up I stayed. At noon, I had the most refreshing shower ever. Changed clothes and finished my lunch break and then back to work. I guess it was meant to be as in the afternoon I was returning phone calls and I had a phone conversation with a client that was truly a light bulb moment. One of those conversations that is a reminder about life. Anyway, she helped me as much as I hope that I helped her. Win/win. She was the last call of the day and I ended up not being finished work till close to 4:30 (end date 4:00). Alvin and I had a good night.

This day being the 23rd day of February is my sister Cindy’s birthday and a good friend Diana’s birthday and another good friend Arlene’s birthday. What a day. So many beautiful women celebrating today. Wishing them all a wonderful day filled with love, laughter and joy. Happy Birthday dear ladies. Happy Birthday.

The sun is rising earlier in the morning now. It was starting to rise just after 7:00 , I think. So pretty in pale oranges rising to the most exquisite powder blue. There is a little bit of the moon still visible. What a great day.

We are getting closer to spring. The next 10 days or so are supposed to be mild for February in Edmonton so that is great. Perhaps Alvin and I will be able to get out and walk. Maybe, just maybe we will be able to get rid of that ice and the chunks of snow and ice that are forming the windrow will melt and be gone for this year. One can only hope. Positive thoughts.

I can smell my coffee waiting patiently for me to take the first drink.

Today is a great day.

For all of you who celebrated a birthday yesterday – how cool was that.

Time to head out. Well actually over to the next chair to my workstation. Have a wonderful day. If you have a safe place to walk – take the time as there is nothing like a fresh air to clear the cobwebs and give you a new perspective on life. It is true.

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

Always, Carol & Alvin

The New YEAR 2022

Good Morning ALL! I hope that you are well this Tuesday morning. The only light out of my office window is coming from a upstairs window in a house behind me. Feels strange. I cannot wait until it is light earlier in the morning. Alvin and I had a choppy sleep as we were up at the usual 3:00 a.m., then he figured should be breakfast time at 4:00, then 5:00 and finally got him to sleep until 5:30, although likely we should just stay up about the 5:00 point. Oh well. He ate, then went outside again and then we hit the sofa until 6:45 a.m. when we were roused by some heavy duty barking/growling from out back. I ran into the kitchen and turned on the light and went to the back door but then it stopped. Not sure what happened. Perhaps there was a coyote coming down the back lane and one of the neighbour’s dogs were outside in the backyard and they could smell each other. I do not think that it was worse than perhaps that as I did not hear any more commotion and certainly there would have been more noise. Most of my immediate dogs do not leave their pups outside for any length of time, only to pee and poop.

Certainly was a brief scare early in the morning.

The big news in the neighbourhood was last night the city graders, two of them started about 3:00 p.m. on our street, graded the snow into “windrows” or “banks” along the side of each street. So people were still parked out front so I texted one of my neighbours so that she could move her car and others were out moving them. Some people on the street north of us left their vehicles out front and they now will have to shovel themselves out. The poor guys in the graders. Anyway. They did a pretty good job although it may be spring before I can locate the storm drain out front. The house directly in front of me at some point during the night parked his flatbed truck on the street which is partially blocking traffic coming in and out of that street and they also drove their other truck onto their lawn. They always park their vehicles on the street as apparently they use their garage for something else. Gossip on the block said “man cave” and it wasn’t actually gossip as one of my neighbours was speaking to them shortly after they moved in. They have a sporty car that is usually parked on the street so not sure where it disappeared to. Not my problem. They are blocking the sidewalk to pedestrians. There will be no parking on the street now with four-five feet banks of snow/ice chunks on the side. Usually we have so many people parking on the street that it brings the traffic flow down to one lane. People have to wait and take turns coming down the street. Kind of annoying. They worked on grading the street right down to the pavement until after 6:00 p.m. I can actually see the pavement now.

I went last night after work to put out the trash for this morning and the garage door wouldn’t open. So I lightly kicked at the door hoping to break the ice that was on the outside. Then I tried again and it opened but the weather stripping on the bottom of the door came off, all of it. ARGH. Annoying. I hauled out my ladder and tried to put it back to no avail. I texted several people before finding someone at home as it is really a two person job. One of my friends from a few doors down came over. It was starting to get cold out and the wind was blowing. The rubber would not go back into place. So I found that I could actually safely close the door and then I placed the rubber across the bottom of the door from the inside. I will have to fix it another day when it is warmer and will need some help for sure. There are just some things that one person cannot manage on their own.

Well it will be interesting to see if the City comes out and removes the snow or if it will remain for the rest of the winter. There will be no way of finding the storm drain without moving a pile of snow and ice chunks onto my lawn which will inevitably melt onto the street. So will have to wait and see. Not much that I can do now.

Have yourself a wonderful day. Enjoy that mug of coffee or tea this morning. I am.

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

Always, Carol & Alvin

P.S. perhaps I should download/upload the photos that I took of our streets and the windrows.

Thought for the day ….

Good Morning and Welcome to Monday the 18th day of March, 2019.

The sun is rising bright in the morning sky.

Today I am taking a vacation day.

So nice to be at home for another day.

We were up at bit later and then slept in a bit.

Whenever cars drive by in the back lane you can hear the crunch of snow and ice.

It is a massive rut back there.

We need some warm, warm days to melt this mess.

Would have been nice if the back lanes and the streets in our neighbourhood would have been plowed/scraped during the winter.

Likely not many were …. now we depend on the warmth of the sun to take away the mess.

Our sidewalk out front went from bare to a massive chunk of ice.

When it melts from the back yard it drains to the front.

Frustrating.

We valiantly scoop the water to the drain but then over night it return and freezes.

Not pretty out there and we try to keep it clean to no avail.

Walks are on the opposite side of the street, thankfully it melts faster and is easier for those neighbours to keep clean.

 

I have to share some photos from the birthday party yesterday of my grand-pups and the fruit pizza.

Apparently I must have taken the photos of the birthday girl with my tablet as there are none on this camera.

I was certain that I took them with the camera.

 

Miss Aspen and Milo with Alvin in the background of the above photo to the left.

We had a great visit.

Alvin was so excited when he saw them drive by.

We ran to the back door to watch for them to come in from the garage.

I had to let Alvin outside as he could not contain his excitement.

He waited patiently for the door to open and them to start coming out of the garage.

My son-in-law also commented on the back lane.

We ordered pizza from my new favourite pizza place “Royal Pizza” in the Hamptons.

Best pizza ever.

For dessert “fruit pizza.”

The fruit pizza was heavy ….. lots of fruit on that cookie sheet.

I had a vegetable platter as I figured might be a good idea.

We enjoyed the food and the visit.

 

Well I have a list of things to do today.

Finish laundry, make a big pot of chilli, make pot of oatmeal for this week and go for a walk.

Will work on putting together some orders for Steeped Tea and NORWEX.

I have one of each.

 

Just a lovely day to be at home with me Alvin.

I am so grateful to have such great company.

I am grateful to have a wonderful family.

 

Happy Monday.