2021

Good Morning ALL! It feels strange writing so late on a Tuesday morning. I took the morning off as Mr. Alvin has a 10:00 a.m. vet appointment to check his ears as I believe he may have an ear infection. Seems strange to be taking half a day vacation but those are the rules. I am happy to have some extra time off. Yesterday I started later, off this morning and then I had booked Friday off a month or so ago. The sky is overcast and I hope that it does not rain during our walk to the vet or back home. Before or after would be perfect. I hope that Mother Nature is able to accomodate my request. Fingers crossed. We do need the moisture but I don’t want Mr. Alvin to get wet. He won’t melt or anything, I know. There is a breeze this morning and it is already 10 degrees celsius which is nice for this time of day. I have been thinking that it is time to turn off the heat. Forgot to check what the lows are for the next week and that will be the deciding factor. Likely not minus temperatures for sure. Who knows.

The house is quiet except for the clicking of the keys as I type/key these words and the tick tock of the clock in the bathroom next to the office. I do love the quietness. Closing my eyes and just taking it all in. Perhaps a bit of meditation! May 11, 2021. Today is the birthday of Kalekeni Kalamba from MALAWI. I sponsored him through World Vision many years ago. He will be a man now and perhaps married with a family. Wishing that we had not lost touch. I wish him a wonderful birthday and I hope that he is doing well. In good health, happy and successful.

Time passes. We change and the world around us, changes. I have now lived in Edmonton for 12 years. Hard to believe. I can still feel the excitement coursing through my veins and into my heart as I took the house key and unlocked the door to my new life, my first home on my own. A dream came true that day. You never know where life will take you ….. you dream big and sometimes if you keep those dreams alive …. they just do come true. I have decided that perhaps I need to put that energy, that faith, those thoughts and words, in planning to retire. I have been working what seems like forever. Now that is not that I want to sit on a chair with my feet up all day doing nothing. Nope, it does not. I want to do my own thing. Have more time to really concentrate on different forms of writing. I would love to learn how to paint. To set up a studio where I could play with large canvases. I have lots of ideas. Do some volunteer work. Just do the things that excite me and bring me joy. I do really like my job and I always have appreciated that this employer took a chance on an “older” person as I was almost 54 when I first started. Still cannot believe that it has been ten years in July since I started to work for this company. Time flies. As most of us, we cannot retire on just our good looks alone, lol – so have to get everything in order. I can do this.

In the meantime, I shall gratefully continue to do my job from the comfort of my own home. This is so amazing. I am happy to be home with Alvin, especially since he is in his golden years. We are doing this together.

Time to head downstairs and put on a pot of coffee. I must say that a cup of coffee in the morning is one of my most favourite things in the world. Truly.

I hope that you have a wonderful day. Be safe and take care. Do something just for you today.

Continuing to life this life with respect, kindness, compassion and patience for all.

Always, Love Carol & Alvin

Perhaps with a little help from the Universe !!!

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Second Half of the NEW YEAR.

Good Thursday Morning.

What a beautiful sunrise this morning.

The sky was painted beautiful by Mother Nature as only she can.

The sun was in rising on the horizon.

Various shades of firy pinks and oranges splashed above the sun on the horizon to meet the blue morning sky.

What a beautiful canvas!

What a great way to begin one’s day.

I am feeling so grateful and blessed this morning.

That was the sky out of my bedroom window which faces north and of course that was the view to my right which is to the east.

Now it has been perhaps one hour since I snapped those photos that the sky to the south from my office window is not the same.

The trees are swaying in the breeze and above the sky is beginning to grow dark with deep blue clouds.

What a gorgeous mix of Mother Nature this morning.

Absolutely breathtaking.

I will say it once again, a great way to begin the day.

 

Last night on our second walk of the day we came across two neighbours out for a stroll.

They have always taken a shine to Alvin ever since the beginning, since I first adopted him back in 2010.

At that point in time they had a dog named Rosie.

So last night when they spotted us – I had to show Alvin where they were as we were on different paths.

As soon as he saw them, over he ran.

They both bent over and gave him so many pats with love.

I was blown away by a comment ….

He said “How old again is Alvin.”

I said that he would be 12 years old in January.

Remarking how spry and puppy like he was and that one would never know his real age.

I have to agree.

For the most part Alvin does not show his age.

He does not have any grey and is in good health.

For sure he has had a couple of things or so in the past year.

But bouts of diarrhea is not necessarily age related.

He pulled/strained a muscle in his neck.

Not age related.

So everything could happen at any age.

I am over the moon grateful that he is in good health and hope that he will continue for many years to come.

We have his regular nail trim (spa treatment, haha) and bum thing this morning.

I will also have the vet clean his ears as he makes it difficult for me to do a good job.

I have tried, believe me.

After looking at how furry his paws were – I have been sneaking in trims whenever I can.

Half scissors will travel.

As soon as he falls to sleep on the sofa or wherever, I jump into action.

Well trying not to jump so to speak as he is a light sleeper.

I have managed to get some of the excess fur off his paws so that the vet can more easily trim them.

 

Well I guess it is time to grab that coffee and start looking to get ready to start work.

I have a few minutes, no rush.

Likely one more time to go outside.

The coffee is smelling extra good this morning.

I cannot believe that today is August 27th, 2020.

Where has the time gone?

Time flies when you are having a good time!

Or so they used to say.

 

I wish for you good health, great joy, much love and laughter with all sorts of abundance.

May your Thursday be a happy one.

May you be surrounded with positive energy.

With kindness and respect,

I/We shall remain,

Always, Carol & Alvin

 

P.S.  you know August 27th means?  Fall is right around the corner.  Doing a little happy dancing ……

 

It is a NEW YEAR.

Good Morning and Merry Christmas …..

Well we are having a snow shower at the moment.

Now isn’t that a way to begin a Friday.

Earlier and actually almost all night it was raining and I know this because I was up and out in it with Alvin.

Last night during his last “outing” into the backyard before bed ….. there was bottom end action.

I missed that he had “bottom end action” during one of the earlier escapes to the backyard.

Now how I missed it …. not sure.

But likely because I was holding a huge umbrella and because he happened to be in the grass that has now grown seemingly overnight.

Anyway, things are starting to return to normal.

Still a ways to go but leaning toward the right direction.

Thankfully as I cannot do a third night in a row ….. right now I am likely running on less than full engine capacity.

Not likely, I am …..

Hopefully the coffee can help out this morning.

Perhaps because Alvin was up and down – he will nap most of the day so that I can concentrate on work.

We shall see.

 

The other major “thing” in my life in the moment is the “fence between me and neighbours in other half of the duplex.”

One of the fence posts and 20 feet of the fence has rotted due to the stone work in their yard and because my deck is up against the fence.

Moisture gets in and cannot get out.

So we are having that replaced.

Long story short as I need to grab my coffee and start work shortly (needed to have a few minutes of sleep as virtually I had two last night).

The guy that is doing the work ….. had not factored in that the fence boards were rotten …. he only figured that likely the one post.

Anyway ….. second quote came in and I had a problem with not having a breakdown of pricing and the amount charged for labour.

So I asked some questions ….

Needless to say things did not go over well.

So I have more questions this morning to ask before asking for a requote.

Life in the fast lane.

Note to you and to me …. insist upon something in writing and ensure that you have that paper before starting or accepting any job.

Don’t let it come back and bite you in the butt.

 

Okay, I have done venting.

This is going to be an interesting day for sure.

 

SNOW, RAIN ….. contractor …. ARGH.

 

I hope that this finds you well.

Have a great day.

 

Life has to be lived with kindness and respect.

I/We, remain

As Always, Carol & Alvin

Living … One day at a time.

Good Morning and we are cruising toward November 1, 2019.

Where did the time go?

I cannot believe it is less than two months until Christmas and then the New Year.

2020.

That freaks me out just a little bit.

When I was a child I actually thought of this year and 2025.

What would be going on in the world?

Where would my family be?

Wondering if I fulfilled my dreams of being a Registered Nurse and a Writer.

Where would I be living?

Would I be happy?

The house with the white picket fence was that in my future?

Four children ….. two girls and two boys, of course.

That was my perfection.

Grandchildren possibly.

One never knows where life will take you.

I am perfectly happy with the way that things turned out.

I am okay with the choices that I made.

Perhaps I could / should have done things differently but then I would not have and be where I am today.

It is a package deal.

You cannot have one person, one thing without the other.

So if I zigged instead of zagged …. I could have been living on a farm in southeastern Saskatchewan or perhaps in the big City of Regina or in London or New York.

I may have been married with more than one child.

I may have become a nurse.

Who knows?

But I know that the choices I made at the time were right for me at that time.

I have the most exquisite daughter.

I have my best buddy Mr. Alvin.

I have a job that sometimes drives me crazy.

I have a house which I bought on my own.

I am healthy.

Life is good.

I am surrounded by great friends.

I have the best sister and brothers on the planet.

So that is that.

I have never spent much time worrying or thinking about what may have been …..

I believe in living in the present …..

You cannot change the past but you can change the present which changes the futures.

Now that is a lot of change….

 

Just living my life trying to be kind and respectful.

 

Always, Carol & Alvin

 

 

Living … One day at a time.

Hello,

What a windy, rainy Thursday morning.

The rain appears to have set in for some time.

There is absolutely no sign of Mr. Sunshine anywhere.

No crack, no peep, no nothing.

Only grey ….. only grey….. as far as one can see.

It feels like a day when one should be curled up on the sofa under one’s most favourite blanket next to one’s favourite four-legged buddy.

Mr. Alvin, in my case.

Perhaps sipping on a mug of coffee or hot chocolate.

Maybe reading a nice book.

An actual book.

Just relaxing, enjoying life.

JOLT …. shaking head ….. blinking quickly ….. ARGH ….

 

Reality sits in and now I am dressed for work ….

No coffee, no blanket, no curling up with me Alvin.

Just doing the things that I always do on those mornings where I go to work.

Which seems like always.

Oh well ….

Ride will be here in a few minutes.

 

So grateful that we managed to get our walk in last night before the storm.

 

I am grateful to have a job – do not get me wrong.

The job …. the getting up in the morning …. allows me the luxury of having this house.

Our beautiful home.

Next to family and friends including all of our four-legged family and friends …. my house brings me so much joy.

I am most grateful…..

Even cleaning three bathrooms ….. is wonderful.

 

Well almost time to head downstairs one last time for this morning.

See if Mr. would like to go outside one last time before I leave.

It is raining …. so likely not.

Note to self …. fill Alvin’s water dish with fresh water (downstairs one).

 

I love my life.

My family

My friends.

My grand-pups, all of our fur friends.

Me Alvin.

My home.

My yard.

My life.

My job.

I am so blessed.

Thank you.

 

Kindness and Respect are always the way to go.

Sometimes I know you may think being kind and respectful is too much work or not worth it.

But trust me …

Always better to kind with respect.

Always.

Yes, Always.

 

Happy, Happy Thursday.

I guess I will be going out in the rain, too.

So grateful to have a ride and from work.

 

Always, Carol & Alvin

 

 

 

Thought for the day ….

Good Morning and Welcome to Thursday the 30th day of August, 2018.

Almost another August onto the books.

Our temperatures have dropped below seasonal averages to anywhere between 14-18 degrees.

Still not bad that is for sure.

It has been raining here off and on for the past couple of days.

I pray that it reaches the FIRES and puts them OUT.

 

Last night my daughter picked me up from work.

We stopped at Safeway and picked up a few items.

One of the things that I wanted to pick up there as I only recently found out that they sold was ADULT BUS TICKETS.

So instead of going to Save-On and Shoppers as my daughter had to stop at Safeway …. I figured one stop shopping.

When came time to pick up the bus tickets …. alas they were sold out.

We ended up going to Shoppers ….. always have to have a PLAN B.

I laughed because what else can you do.

I do enough “crying” at work … not really.

After our shopping we came home and threw together a little supper for the two of us.

I made some corn on the cob in the microwave.

A trick that I learned from my brilliant sister earlier this month when she was visiting us.

We also had some Chicken Curry Soup …. from the deli at Safeway.

Crackers and cheese.

YUP, I even bought “saltines” for the occasion.

Simple but yummy.

Sometimes that is the best, right.

We had a great visit and supper.

 

The plan was to go for a walk after supper with Master Teddy and his Aunt J but alas it was raining.

So no walk for us.

I hope that tonight it is not raining as a walk is a must.

Perhaps if only a light rain ….. we will go.

 

Other quick story.

Yesterday in the afternoon at work.

One of the Managers came to my desk.

I was about to call a client and she motioned for me to hang up.

So I did.

She said come on, let’s find a empty space and play JENGA.

What … JENGA.

YAY, I love JENGA.

We had played during some down time at work on day and it was so much fun.

So we played a couple of games of JENGA.

When the blocks came down the first time, we both yelled/screamed.

Brought a staff person running.

After that …. we held it.

I am so grateful to her for giving me a much deserved break from the craziness that is my job.

We are so busy …. that made me take a break …. which most days I do not in the afternoon.

The second game I WON as well, and we were more quiet.

YAY, JENGA, I love that game.

I would like that game.

 

Well almost time to go back downstairs and finish getting ready for work.

It does not appear to be raining at the moment.

I hope that you all have a great Thursday.

I hope that if you are farming …. you are finish the harvest or at least that it is dry so that you can finish.

Happy Thursday.

One more day before the long weekend.

 

Special Hello to:  YOU, thank you.

Always, Carol & Alvin

 

Thought for the day ….

Good Morning and Welcome to Tuesday the 17th day of April, 2018.

No sight of a sunrise at this time as the sky appears to be one gigantic snowdrift.

Just when we had clear streets and sidewalks.

I will not be putting away my snow boots as yet.

They are forecasting +12 celsius for Friday and Saturday.

WOW.

That will make a dent in the snow.

Hopefully this was the last snowfall.

The birds are returning from down south only to find snow covering landing spots and possible homes and their food sources.

The last bunny I spotted was still a mix of brown and white.

Still not completely brown.

I guess we will go from winter/spring to SUMMER.

Not much in between.

 

Well I enjoyed my day off with Alvin.

I did some writing and SHOVELLING.

The snow felt like lifting a huge pail of water.

Hard to push and hard to lift.

I managed to get it done but not an easy task for sure.

 

So back to work.

I so enjoy the long weekends.

Time at home with me, Alvin.

My ride is returning from vacation so will begin to carpool once again.

Will be nice to leave home twenty minutes later and arrive home more than thirty minutes earlier.

It is good for Mr. Alvin.

The days are way too long for him to be home alone.

 

Well time to fly.

I hope that you have a wonderful day.

My wish is that you are doing at least one thing that you love to do.

Even if you are stuck in a job that you are not passionate about …. take up a hobby that you love to do.

That will make the job seem less “stuck.”

No matter what you do in life – you have choices.

Remember.

 

Special Hello to: all those souls that have left before us …. we remember you.

Always, Carol & Alvin

Thought for the day …..

Good Morning and Welcome to Sunday the 25th day of March, 2018.

 

The sky is overcast and the sunshine is no where to see seen.

It is quiet in the house except for the sounds of the furnace running heating the house, and

the sound of my fingers tapping on the keyboard writing these words.

Alvin is resting on the carpet in the hallway outside the office door.

He is never far away from me.

Yesterday we enjoyed the longest walk in weeks or rather months.

We are so happy that the snow and ice are melting away.

We are so grateful that spring is here and summer soon to follow.

I enjoyed a coffee date with two of my neighbourhood girl friends.

Catching up on each other’s news.

We laugh and sometimes we even cry.

The girls both gave me some Easter treats, I am so spoiled.

We had a grand time.

Sometimes I wished that it would last forever.

So it is now Sunday.

The coffee is brewed.

The laundry is done.

Dusting and cleaning check.

Some ice chipping was accomplished.

I see a quiet lovely Sunday in store for us.

We will walk this afternoon.

As I sit here writing these words, I feel so grateful to be here at this very moment.

I am grateful to be in good health and to be surrounded by awesome family and friends.

I am so grateful to have Alvin as a loyal companion.

I am so grateful to have this beautiful house and a job.

So many blessings.

 

Wishing you all a beautiful, happy, relaxing Sunday.

No matter whether or not the sun is shining or there are clouds in the sky, I wish you good health, much joy, love and laughter on this day and always.

 

Special Hello to:  my brothers ….. thank you.

Always, Carol & Alvin

 

 

 

 

Thought for the day ….

Good Morning and Welcome to Thursday the 13th day of July, 2017.

Rained some yesterday ….. but a beautiful day overall.

The house is cool to start this morning which will be great for Mr. Alvin.

Warming up again.

The smoke from the fires in British Columbia is slowly seeping into our city.

When you can see, smell and taste the smoke one can only imagine the density and severity of those fires for the residents of the affected areas.

To all the people and the animals whether domestic or wild you are in my thoughts and prayers.

Please rain.

*************************

On a more personal note:

Sometimes someone will make a remark that makes you think and take notice.

I will admit that somedays, okay perhaps a bit more often as of late,  I feel frustrated with/at “work.

My job can be stressful for sure.

I think that a great many people are under stress these days and I am not alone, for sure.

So as, with most people there is that frustration whether it is because the workload is daunting and never ending.

Or office politics.

Whatever it may be ….. it does have an effect on us all.

 

But at the end of the day it is the work that keeps one employed.

I have never turned away from work and most of my jobs over the years have carried a substantial workload and that is okay with me.

Sometimes it is just a combination of things.

So time to perhaps change things up a bit …..

This morning when I walk through the door at my employment; I will be me once again.

Back to the kinder, gentler, less stressed, less frustrated and more sympathetic ME.

Take things in stride and have patience.

Do not sweat the small stuff.

Remembering that it is okay not to be SUPER WOMAN each and everyday.

 

Outside of work I am that kind, gentle, easygoing, happy person.

I, as with everyone on the planet has bad days even at home but on a whole I am a good, happy, hard working gal.

Just somehow it changes when I go to work and not everyday for sure but somedays.

 

Special Hello to:  All those folks who work outside the home …..

Always, Carol & Alvin

 

 

Thought for the day …..

Good Morning and Welcome to Wednesday the 5th day of October, 2016.

Sorry that I missed yesterday.  I stayed home trying to recover from this cold thing that I have caught.

It would seem that so many people are sick as of late.

Today seems to be much better as I slept most of yesterday.

Sleeping always seems to help me recover more quickly.

Well here we are and today is Wednesday.

Yesterday was bright and sunny for the most part.

No rain.

No rain this morning.

Nice to wake up to dry ground.

The wet will come soon enough.

As I sit here writing these words I see a photo of me Alvin and our beloved Miss Penny whom we lost in March of this year.

In the photo they are sitting on the top of my daughter and son-in-law’s sofa in their old house looking out of the window.

I wonder where Sir Elton is …. perhaps there was no room with them both up there.

I love the photo.

They both have their backs to the camera each looking in a different direction.

Further than the window is blurred.

It is a great photo.

Wow here we are October 5th, 2016.

Less than three months until the end of the year.

Thanksgiving this weekend for Canadians.

Christmas not far away now.

I am always amazed by how fast time seems to be going.

I guess one has to sit back and think of all of the things that happened over the course of a year to truly appreciate it all.

I mean sometimes with time escaping as fast as it does we think that we have not accomplished much.

Sometimes I suppose that may be true but for the most part we do so much in a short period of time.

Keep that in your thoughts.

Just think about what you do in the course of an average day.

Mind boggling.

If you still cannot come to grips with it all ….

Sit down and make a list.

Go back as far as you want …. maybe over your lifetime.

You will be surprised.

Now this does not mean that you had to invent the light bulb – no that as already been done.

It means that you did things that you are proud of …. or things that happened to you that may not have happened to anyone else.

The unique things to you.

That can also mean having your children, your job, your garden or your blog.

Something that only you can do …. remember that means only you could have your children.

No one else can.

They can have their own.

 

Well time to hop scotch to the bus stop.

No, I will be walking carefully.

Have an awesome Wednesday.

 

Special Hello to: my friends everywhere.

Always, Carol and Alvin