2021

Good Morning ALL! Welcome to Sunday, June 13th, 2021. How are you this morning? We are well. Alvin has his own clock and of course it almost never lines up with mine, you would think it may after this many years together but it has not. Oh well, what can you do? Not much. Today is the birthday of a friend of mine who lives in our neighbourhood. I talk of her often as she has the most beautiful garden and Alvin always stops when we are walking and looks into her yard from the public sidewalk to see if she is outside. If she is outside, he pulls me toward her and there is no stopping him until we get to her yard. Happy Birthday our friend, we hope that you have an awesome day. It is the perfect blue sky and sunny morning for her birthday. There are birds chirping happily outside somewhere. We are up and at it quite early. I can feel a bit of coolness coming in through the open window in my office as it dances upon my skin. The forecast for the next few days is to be warm. One of my “younger” girlfriends in the neighbourhood is coming for tea/coffee and a visit this morning. “G” is unable to attend as she has other commitments. We are excited to have company. The flowers are looking beautiful and the backyard lawn has been mowed and is looking good.

It is true that we are inspired at the most unusual of times. For me, when I get an idea for a story it comes after I climb into bed and am comfortable. Sometimes I tell myself – oh you will remember in the morning and can write it down and then come the morning, I have forgotten. So last night, I got up twice and wrote in my notes on my iPhone the story line as it tumbled into my brain. Yay, me, I have a good part of a children’s story written. Honestly not much left to do but to elicit an illustrator. Lucky for me, I happy to have close family and friends that are good at drawing. I am feeling really good about this story. Very good. Excited in fact. Sometimes you just know when you have an idea that it is the one. The one that is going to do it. YAY, me.

I absolutely love the cool air as it drifts through the house landing and cooling everything it touches. The amount of wind in Edmonton seems to have increased over the years since I moved here.

Well I am ready to head into the shower and then have breakfast before our company arrives. The laundry should be dried in the basement so I will bring that up and I have one more load to wash or maybe two and then done.

I hope that you are inspired to go outside your comfort zone today. Take a chance and go for it. Do it today. In this moment if you have an idea for a book or a podcast or a business or a new recipe or whatever it may be – go for it. Take that first step. I know that you can do it ….. I feel it in my core. You have what it takes. After all, don’t we all. If we just lift that veil of “uncertainty” and literally take that first step. Pushing down barriers and fears and negative thoughts we can make our dreams come true. Hey, I am with you. I am the first person who has great ideas and then pushes them aside or ignores them due to FEAR. Fear of not knowing what to do next. Fear of what is ahead. Fear of it all, really. But together we are going to do this. I know that we can. As I always tell Alvin when he is afraid to cross from the area rug in our bedroom to the bathroom floor …. “put one paw (foot) in front of the other and soon you will be walking across the floor.” He eventually calms and makes the journey. You got this. We got this. I got this.

Time to hit the shower. I wish you the best day ever.

Continuing to live each and every day with kindness, respect, compassion, patience, love and gratitude and to be fearless in the journey ahead.

Always, Carol & Alvin

Thought for the day ….

Good Morning and Welcome to Wednesday the 10th day of April, 2019.

The sun is being to rise in the east.

The pink and orange glow on the horizon.

A new day is upon us…..

 

On this mid week day; I would like us all to send a huge wave of positive energy and love to each other.

There are those families at this moment who are dealing with crisis whether health, relationships or financial.

If we could all take just a few minutes to send some love out into the world through our thoughts and with our hearts.

We will help each other.

Positive energy to change a thought or bring joy to someone in need.

Positive energy – positive flow.

We need it now.

Close your eyes.

Think of your family and friends and show your gratitude for them.

With love in your heart and thoughts.

We can help each other.

Support each other.

Show kindness to each other.

Be there, sometimes in silence.

Sometimes with loud thunder.

 

 

I am grateful for all of my family and friends.

I am grateful for our journey together.

I am grateful to be surrounded by love and respect and support.

I am grateful for my life and for yours.

 

 

May peace and love be with you on this day and always.

May you always be surrounded by love and grace.

Happy Wednesday.

 

Special Hello to: all my family today …..

Always, Carol & Alvin

 

 

 

Thought for the day ….

Good Morning and Welcome to Friday the 20th day of July, 2018.

A bit cooler outside this morning and some beautiful cloud formations.

We had two walks yesterday which was great.

So grateful that it was cooler in the house last night.

Cooler weekend on the way which will be nice as my daughter and grand-pups are coming for a sleepover (actually two nights).

So excited.

 

I have some questions and I will provide my answers, what are yours?

1.  Favourite place to visit in the world – my country, Canada and I have another New York City, USA.
2.  Favourite season – Fall, love the colours of the trees and the smell in the air
3. Favourite food to eat – that is way too hard.  I am a foodie and love most things but if I had to narrow it down:  chocolate cake and potato salad (not together)
4. Favourite time of day – sunrise and sunset
5. Favourite companion – Alvin (my four-legged guy)
6. Favourite song – Don’t Stop Believin’ – by Journey
7. Favourite colour – periwinkle blue, purple, but most of all “Kelly GREEN”
8. Favourite thing to do – anything creative, walk or have coffee with my girl friends and my daughter and working in my flower garden.
9. Do you like surprises? – only the good ones
10. Are you a negative or positive person? – definitely more on the positive side, although I have my moments
11. Are you on-time or late in general? – definitely on-time but usually early.
12. One thing that ticks you off the most? – people that have total disregard for animals, people and the environment.

Well I guess that is it for now.  Almost time to leave for work.

Have an awesome Friday.

 

Special Hello to: my friends sprinkled all over the world.

Always, Carol & Alvin

Thought for the day …..

Good Morning and Welcome to Wednesday the 28th day of February, 2018.

The last day of February 2018.

What a great way to celebrate this day with the birthday of my nephew “D.”

Sending him out wonderful wishes for an amazing day.

The weather is supposed to be mild today.

 

I can feel it in my bones that today is going to be like the first day of the rest of my life.

Sometimes you have to stop and think about your life.

The manner in which you speak to people.

The way that you do things.

My work and home life are so different.

Time to bring my home life to work.

Time to be my true self.

Somewhere along this crazy journey I forgot myself at work.

You can get wrapped up in things and sometimes lose yourself.

That has been me.

I am usually a positive, happy, energetic human being.

I want to be that person during the day and not just at night and on the weekends.

Not that I am saying that I am miserable and mean and negative all the time during the day.

But I find myself more and more turning in that direction and it sucks.

Time to turn go back to me.

My true self.

Sometimes it is easy in different situations to get carried away and forget the things that mean most to you.

So today is the first day of the rest of my life.

I want to be fun, 99% positive (have to have the odd moment) and all the time retaining my hard work ethic.

I believe in working hard and earning my salary.

But after all we spend most of our waking hours at the office, at your job so we have to remember to have a bit of fun along the way.

Happy Wednesday.

I am back.

Thank goodness.

I remember.

Special Hello to: all those folks who struggle with the work and home balance of being there true self in the midst of it all.  I hear you.

Always, Carol & Alvin

Thought for the day ……

Good Morning and Welcome to Sunday the 31st day of December, 2017.

Happy New Year’s EVE Day.

The sky is a pale blue with hues of pale orange on the horizon.

Here we are again on the very last day of a year, this one being 2017.

Hopefully the last day of this deep freeze before heading into milder temperatures.

I have been reading over my blogs from previous years.

The blog from this day last year and from 2015.

It is funny how days can be so different from one year to the next.

Last year on December 31st Alvin went to his sisters for a sleepover and the year before we awoke to fire sirens (two doors down).

With my blog I try not to plan too  much ahead and just see where my thoughts and fingers guide me.

Today my mind is all over the place.

I am listening to the music that I put on my iPOD yesterday via the awesome setup that my kids gave me for Christmas.

I transferred “37” songs from iTUNES …. my favourites.

They range from Adele to Elvis, One Direction to Journey, Johnny Cash and Neil Diamond to PINK.

Pharrell to Tina, Elton to Ed and Lady Gaga to Steppenwolf and Blue Suede.

I love listening to music.

Note to self:  I think I will listen to more music in 2018 and DANCE more.

Last night after I transferred this tunes to the iPOD I spent a long time just singing and grooving (dancing) to the music with Alvin looking on.

He likely figured that I had lost my mind OR worse was going to pick him up and make him dance with me.

 

This was the second Christmas that we participated in all gifts home made or reused from things that we had around the house.

I made out like a bandit.

My daughter made me two huge bulletin boards, they gave me the iPOD player with great speakers (awesome sound) and an ADVENT calendar that reminds me of the one on NATIONAL LAMPOON’s  

CHRISTMAS VACATION and it even plays music.

The only ones that were not a part of this were the pups.

My grand-pups did not listen and got me a lovely WHISK (which their Grandma needed).

How can you be a cook or baker with no whisk.

Not sure how it happened.

I used to have a couple of them.

The family arrived on Christmas EVE night and stayed until Boxing Day.

It was a glorious couple of days.

We ate, played games and ate more.

Always wonderful to be surrounded by your loved ones.

 

As this year winds to an end, I am reminded by all of the great times that we saw in 2017.

January saw another new SPRING/SUMMER CATALOGUE for STEEPED TEA.

I remain a consultant although not quite as active as previous years.

I do enjoy the tea and the other products as do several of my co-workers and friends.

February saw us, me and Alvin become debt free.

No consumer debt.

I guess mortgages are not considered to be debt as I still have one of those.

Alvin and I continue to walk as much as possible although the latter part of this year did slow us down a bit.

I write as much as possible.

 

Likely the best part of this year was the time surrounding my 60th Birthday.

My friend “V” from back in Regina sent me a BIRTHDAY PARCEL to end all BIRTHDAY PARCELS ….

Everything from jewellery to a deep dish apple pie.

I am so lucky.

I was so blessed to have my sister come for a whole TEN DAY visit.

On my actual birthday my daughter, sister and I went to FORT EDMONTON PARK and partook in HIGH TEA.

We spent the day walking around taking in the sights.

We went on the rides …. the swings and the carousel.

My youngest brother came for FOUR DAYS and part of it was spent with our other brother at his home in rural Alberta.

While visiting our brother in the country we visited with another nephew and his family.

We also visited with our nephew “J” ….. who continues to heal.

I commissioned one of my co-workers to bake my 60th Birthday cake, a carrot cake with cream cheese icing.

I can still taste it.  OMG it was heavenly.

My eldest nephew and family also surprised us with a visit.

Friends that moved to Quebec came for a visit.

So many wonderful surprises.

I am so grateful for all of the gifts, birthday wishes and visits this year.

I still cannot believe that I am 60 years old.

 

The year just seemed to come and go.

We were lucky to be in good health and to be surrounded by great friends and family.

Both CANADA and I celebrated milestone birthdays.

Happy 150th Birthday to our beloved country.

 

One of our neighbours across the street and down a couple of houses had a fire.

That happened at the end of June and it is December and they are still not back in their home.

It was a duplex so affected two households.

Reminder to be careful and aware.

 

I wrote the next couple of paragraphs last New Year’s Eve and it seems to be fitting to be used once again.  I feel the same way.

The week after Christmas leading up to New Year’s Eve is filled with thinking back on the year, perhaps making resolutions for the year ahead, and making plans for bringing in the New Year.

My wish for 2018 is that you take a look over your life, and take note of what is really important.

Spending time with your family whether two-legged or four or both is so important.

If you are unable to physically see them the technology is there to video chat via SKYPE, and other formats.

Do things with your family and friends instead of buying their joy.

Go on that walk instead of watching television.

Put down that cell phone and spend TIME with them.

Have dinner together and be with your family.

Simplify your life.

Spend less on stuff.

Spend more on doing things.

Create memories that will last a lifetime.

Your children will not remember that video game in 50 years but they will remember those long walks you took together.

They will remember sledding.

They will remember roasting marshmallows around the bonfire.

They will remember the time you spent together.

Which is the best legacy you can give them.

 

Simplify your life.

 

Wishing you and your family the most wonderful New Year, 2018.

May you find joy in the little things.

May you find continued good health.

May your lives be filled with abundance.

May you continue to grow and to learn.

May you spread kindness to all creatures.

May you love and respect yourself, and all others.

Happy New Year.

 

PHOTOS from 2017

April 2017

 

EDMONTON ZOO (May) – our office went for a visit and barbecue.  My daughter was my date.

June 2017 – Alvin and Carol’s GREAT ADVENTURE.

 

 

JULY 2017 – Flowers and YARD

 

 

 

OCTOBER 2017 – garden project

HALLOWEEN 2017

FALL TREAT PARCEL from our Friend “V”

THE CAKE marking the BIG 60.

CHRISTMAS Decorations of 2017

Some of the baking …. the infamous SUGAR COOKIES

Aspen and Milo my beautiful grand pups.

Cutest photo of 2017.

Well it would seem like I could write and gather photos until the cows come home.

So I had better stop now.

If I missed mentioning you, please know this, you are in my heart and soul for all time.

I wish you and your family the most glorious 2018.

Remember to laugh and have fun.

 

Special Hello to: all those folks who participated in my 2017, I am most grateful to each and every one of you.

Always, Carol & Alvin

 

Thought for the day …..

Good Morning and Welcome to Saturday the 25th day of July, 2015.

It is a beautiful morning here in Edmonton with the sun shining brightly and a cool delicious breeze.

I have the windows open and the coolness gives me goosebumps.

What a wonderful sensation …. to be warm and cool at the same time.

Okay just disappeared into la-la land here.

I am back.

Time for a sip of the nectar meant for the soul …. COFFEE.

There is just something about a good cup of coffee that takes me to another place.

It teases my brain and settles my mind and sets me on a journey.

Really, coffee does all that?

Yes, it does ….

I am a coffee girl and although I love my tea in the evenings and I mean love there is just something about that cup of coffee especially on the weekends that sets the tone to my day.

Without it Saturday is just another day ….. Sunday follows Saturday.

I love the smell of coffee as it brews in my percolator.

I adore the feeling of the warm brew as it dances around in my mouth and disappears down, down, down.

I love a great cup of coffee.

There is no way of knowing just how many cups of coffee I have drank but it would likely be in the thousands.

Just happened to glance out the office window and oh my gosh the roof is now on the garage behind us.

He is a contractor who is building his own HUGE garage.

I swear the roof looks almost as high as the pitch on their house.

By the time it is built and the other neighbour across from them builds theirs we will feel like we are in a cocoon.

Nice and cozy.

I am so grateful for the parks/lakes close by.

At least when a person starts to feel closed in …. you can just go for a walk.

Well I guess it is time to get dressed and get going on this day.

I have relaxed long enough.

The laundry won’t get washed and dried and the tree will not get trimmed if I am sitting here on my “laurels”.

I wish you the best Saturday.

May it be filled with both work and play.

May you be surrounded by love and laughter.

Happy Saturday Everyone.

Special Hello to: all the writers out there ….. it is so wonderful to capture your life and thoughts on-line or on paper.

Always, Carol and Alvin

Thought for the day…..

Good Morning and Welcome to Tuesday the 17th day of February, 2015.

What a grand day we had yesterday …. Monday the 16th day of February, 2015.

We ate pancakes, we listened to MUSIC, drank coffee, danced to Sam Smith with me Alvin, MADE JEWELLERY, drank more coffee, and took pups for a walk.

Me and my girl had a grand day ……

It was perfection.

It was the first day in a long while that we actually both sat down together, and made some jewellery and grooved to the music.

Nothing like some great tunes to get you to that place ….. that place where creativity meets fun and fun is creative.

I have the music drifting through my brain ……  “Take Me to Church” by HOZIER ……

“Say Something” by A GREAT BIG WORLD and CHRISTINA AGUILERA …..

“HAPPY” by PHARRELL WILLIAMS……….

“ALL OF ME” – John Legend (lyrics are amazing).

“Titanium” by David Guetta and SIA ………

“SKYFALL” by ADELE and “RIPTIDE” by VANCE JOY

“SHAKE IT OFF” by Taylor Swift

SAM SMITH’s  ……… “STAY WITH ME” and “I’M NOT THE ONLY ONE” ……….

All About that BASS by Meghan Trainor ……

Some CLASSICS ………………    “Hooked on a Feeling” by Blue Suede ( I can still see the 45 playing on the record player that I had in my room on the farm in 1973/74) ……..

Definitely one of my all time favourites “Don’t Stop Believin” by JOURNEY ………… Love Them and the guitar always takes me there.

One that my daughter loved from back in the day …… “Cherry Bomb” by the Runaways. (great name for a song)

Last but definitely not least  ……… the great VAN MORRISON and his “Someone like You” and “Bright Side of the Road.”

GREAT GREAT GREAT MUSIC AND SUCH A FUN DAY.

Thanks for the music and to my daughter who is the sun in my day, and the stars in my night.

Special Hello to: You …. spend the day listening to music and you will be changed forever.

Always, Carol and Alvin

 

 

Story Line by line – November 28, 2013

Chapter Four:

November 1, 2013

Oh, how I loved that dress, and my mind flashes back to the junior high school dance where I first wore that beautiful pink and then I see my favourite books floating in mid air and my best friend “Dee” is there.

November 2, 2013

Alvin is staying very close as we begin to take in this enormous space, and our nervous energies feed each other, and I think of Alice in Wonderland, and  what shall our next move be as a bright purple balloon drifts by.

November 3, 2013

It is absolutely amazing the dress, my friend, balloons, family, old boyfriends, my house, Christmas, all of the things that I have loved during my life are appearing as Alvin and I make our way through it all.

November 4, 2013

I realize throughout all of the memories that my “four” are no longer walking with us and have disappeared.

November 5, 2013

“Where did they go?” I mutter aloud as if I half expect Alvin to answer and yet I know that we are “down the rabbit hole and things are about to get very interesting.”

November 6, 2013

What do I do – what can I do – nothing makes any sense – why would they do this – am I a guinea pig of sorts – are they watching us – who are they – are the questions that flood my mind as we just walk not knowing what will happen next.

November 7, 2013

As we walk further into this new world, I begin to notice that we in fact are not alone.

November 8, 2013

I do not see anyone but I can feel “eyes” watching us as we go deeper into this place, and then out of no where the thought of “YOU ARE NOT ALONE” comes to my mind; like something out of a movie.

November 9, 2013

Carefully I look about not wanting to miss a single thing, and carefully monitoring my thoughts with hopes that I can find out my location without disturbing my “hosts” when in the distance I see a dim light.

November 10, 2013

As I approach the location of the light it becomes brighter and brighter with only about 50 footsteps away I can begin to see what lies ahead of us.

November 11, 2013

Could I ever have imagined this in my wildest dreams, I think not, as the images begin to sharpen and come into focus.

November 12, 2013

I stop, we stop, and I rub my eyes in disbelief as I look ahead and see what appears to be a glass wall with images of ….. ME.

November 13, 2013

There, only a few feet in front of us are ME at different ages, different stages of my life with some I recognize, and other versions are new to me.

November 14, 2013

I am shaking in disbelief and wonder at what is ahead of me; am I dreaming?

November 15, 2013

Alvin has been quiet for awhile just sniffing around the space when suddenly he yanks hard on the leash pulling me off balance knocking me to the ground.

 November 16, 2013

As I lay there collecting my senses, Alvin rushes back to me tail wagging and licks my face; I giggle, looking up completely stunned, I see myself.

November 17, 2013

Wow, is that really me I think to myself and then utter a soft “Hello”  as the other “me” smiles back at me…… 

November 18, 2013

“Please tell me where I am,”  I say to her, and as I utter the words, she tells me without speaking that I am wherever I want to be.

November 19, 2013

Okay, I think let me give this a try as my mind unleashes the imagination that has been locked up as of late and before I could say anything we are curled up on a oversized leather sofa in front of a fireplace looking out of an enormous window to a breathtaking view of the mountains which are covered with snow; my heart leaps with excitement.

November 20, 2013

I had this dream when I won the lottery, and our family spent Christmas in this huge log cabin celebrating and being together it was amazing … oh, I feel so good.

 November 21, 2013

Happiness, I feel an overwhelming sense of pure joy as I continue to take in my surroundings but then boom I come to my “senses” and wonder where is everyone?

November 22, 2013

Almost as quickly as that thought occurred  …. out of the corner of my eye I see my nephews James, Henry and Blake walking toward me, and there in front of me is my daughter; “Oh my god” I squeal with delight as I run to her, and squeeze her tight.

November 23, 2013

 “I have missed you, my darling” I whisper in my daughter’s ear and she says “Me, too Mom.” and as I stand back to take this all in – Alvin jumps up on his “sister.”

November 24, 2013

Alvin gives her a kiss as she leans over to him; “this seems real, isn’t it,”  I think to myself as I watch in silence.

November 25, 2013

As Alvin and I both relax and bask in these moments of such serenity and peace; I am so grateful for this time whether it is real or not, and I will find out where this place is….

November 26, 2013

My mind seems to go to the oddest of places but then again why wouldn’t it with all that has happened to us and when will it end?

November 27, 2013

I have no answers, and I seem to be feeling more and more confused as I try seemingly in vain to figure out how to get home, or am I home and just having a bad dream?

November 28, 2013

Just as I am thinking of dreams there appears in front of us a huge bed covered with the fluffiest white blanket and pillows; it is then that I realize for as long as this journey has taken us we have not slept and I am tired, so must Alvin be,  and we shall sleep.

 

 

 

Thought for the day….

Good Morning and Welcome to Tuesday the 15th day of October, 2013.

I hope this morning finds you feeling great.

Always remember that you have a choice.

A choice to have the best life you can imagine.

If you can think it …. you can have it.

Somedays I know it is hard to believe that it can happen.

But you must believe.

So ASK, BELIEVE AND YOU WILL RECEIVE.

I believe that having faith (believing) in yourself is the biggest obstacle to having the life you desire.

Even though I am a positive person I sometimes lack the faith in my ability to make my dreams come true.

I get stuck somewhere between desiring something or the asking, the believing in myself, and the receiving.

Even though I have read every book (or so it would seem) on the Law of Attraction somedays I feel that I fall short.

So I will continue to work on believing that I can have whatever I desire.

Please do not misunderstand what I am saying as I am most blessed with a wonderful family, an amazing friend in my dog Alvin, I have my own house for the first time in my life and am in great health.

I laugh everyday and am genuinely happy.

I am so grateful that you read my blog and share in my journey ….

There have been bumps but for the  most part it is truly amazing.

Have the most wonderful day.

Thank you

Special Hello to:  my family who without them, I would just be me but with them I am whole and I am CAROL ….

Always, Carol and Alvin

Thought for the day…

Good Morning and Welcome to Friday, the 12th day of July 2013.

As of late I have been reading about work and life philosophies.

Well actually, I have been doing this for several years now.

It seems to me that …..

The underlying theme for each one is much the same.

THE LAW OF ATTRACTION.

It basically boils down to this:

Stay positive and live the best you can in each moment.

Whatever you wish or dream for …. keep focused on  that …. not the journey …. just the final result.

Do whatever you can to realize the wish or dream …. take action.

So stay positive, dream lots and keep in your mind’s eye that goal or end result.

Doesn’t matter what you want …. nothing is too big or too small for this to work.

There is no time line.

Some things come to fruition sooner than later.

But keep the faith.

That’s your job …..

At the end of it all ….. FAITH is the key.

I don’t mean faith necessarily in a religious way but faith in yourself and in the Universe.

Trust perhaps is a better word here.

Trust your own intuition and “gut” feelings.

Well for now my means to an end if going to work.

One day I will realize my dreams.

I will be a published writer and be on the 4th hour of the  Today Show with Kathie Lee and Hoda.

Have a great day.

Special Hello to: all those dreams ….. keep on dreaming.

Always, Carol and Alvin