Last Half 2022 – October

Good Morning ALL! Welcome to Wednesday. Back to the office for today, tomorrow and Friday. Not my favourite place to go but I will make it work as there is no choice in the matter. We had a pretty good sleep last night. In bed by 9:30 and I read for a few minutes before lights out. Alvin woke up about 1:00 a.m. so we went downstairs. Surprisingly enough he did not want to go outside so we laid down on the sofa, next thing I knew the alarm was going off at 5:30 a.m. We were up shortly thereafter. I did lay back down waiting for Alvin to wake up first which he did. What a guy? Then it was preparing his breakfast before heading outside. The grass was wet as it has been for the last while but no heavy frost which is good. I was expecting it to be raining but perhaps that is supposed to happen during the day. The temperature is to be much cooler than it has been for the past week or more. I am so grateful for these beautiful fall days. Watching the leaves turn from green to gold and then falling from the trees has been delightful. The colours of fall warm my heart and make me feel warm inside. I do love this time of year. We have trees that are green still, some have turned gold and others variations of red and wine.

Alvin had a good appointment although he did fuss when his front nails were being trimmed. Poor boy. Since COVID, I have to wait in the exam room and they take the pets to the back area where they perform surgeries etc. So I can only listen to him “cry” and whine which breaks my heart. I stocked up on his toothpaste, glucosamine chews, small bag of treats and pain meds. You never know when things are not going to be in stock, so if I am able to, I pick them up before we actually need the items. It is sad that so many items in our everyday lives are becoming so difficult to secure. Between supply chain issues and staffing (which I do not understand) and soaring prices – it makes me sad and to wonder why?

I will have time to snuggle with the boy, make sure that he drinks more water and goes outside to pee again before I leave for work. With the price of coffee, I decided not to make coffee at home and take it to work, I will drink the coffee from work (it is free). Might as well take advantage of that as not much is free any more and who knows if that will change.

As I had taken yesterday afternoon off (vacation) for Alvin’s appointment because we cannot take time off in anything less than 1/2 days – I had time before the appointment to chop up more apples, which I did. Still have most of a large bowl left to do. That I will work on after work tonight.

I hope that you have a wonderful Wednesday.

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

Always, Carol & Alvin

Second Half of the NEW YEAR

Good Morning,

Da, Da ….. Welcome to the first day of FALL 2020.

Our skies are overcast with deep blue clouds …. I think there was some rain in our forecast.

The trees are beginning to turn the most glorious shades of yellow, orange and red.

The grass is amazingly still a rich green due to the rain we have been having all summer long.

There does not appear to be any sign of a breeze this morning.

FALL is here.

The rabbits will be starting to turn colour shortly.

The geese are beginning to fly in large flocks overhead.

Thanksgiving is around the corner.

My neighbours are getting married on October 3, 2020.

I am excited for another fall wedding.

My daughter and son-in-law got married in October of 2008.

Seems like an eternity ago.

I am so happy that my flowers on the deck and in the back garden are still doing okay.

Of course, not as colourful and green as they once were as after all it is almost the end of September.

But there is some colour.

My potted tomato plant has a mass of small little green tomatoes with one tomato a bit bigger.

Oh, I did forgot there are a few that are starting to turn red.

I may pull them and ripen them in the house.

This is the time of year where we play a waiting game with respect to the frost.

I do pay attention to the weather forecast.

Once we get a hard frost …. it is most difficult to clean out the flower pots.

Basically you have to cut down the plants and put the roots in the spring.

Now that is okay but I would prefer to prep the pots for spring now but either way works.

I did want to load up the front flower bed with some fresh top soil but with the way that time is passing not sure that is going to happen before spring either.

Perhaps I will leave that although I did want to plant my tulips now.

Decisions decisions, decisions.

 

Quick story before heading back downstairs to grab some coffee,  move Alvin’s bed from the living room to the kitchen.

So yesterday after work we went for a walk.

We had a nice visit with our friend Pauline, her granddaughter and her boyfriend in the yard before heading to complete the last half of our walk.

Her garden, Pauline’s flowers are still as beautiful as mid summer.

Gorgeous.

When we got around to Alvin’s friend Teddy’s house ….. I had to let him go in.

Usually I say when he walks toward the driveway, “not today buddy.”

Perhaps I add “Teddy is at the farm” …. because they have been at the farm lots this summer.

But last night I thought let’s go in for a visit.

So in we went.

Teddy and Kobi swarmed me ….. jumping up ….. so excited to see me, us.

Alvin, of course headed to see if there was some food out in Teddy’s dish.

What a guy.

I could also smell something good and Iris had just baked an apple/raisin pie.

Oh that smelled so good.

Reminded me of fall.

Reminded me of the apply/pumpkin candles from Bath & BodyWorks.

Iris said “come out to the back and we can sit on the deck.”

She had stained it over the weekend and it looked so great.

We had a great visit.

Teddy had jumped up and snuggled on my lap for most of our visit.

Kobi not far away.

Alvin checking every so often.

Enjoying the warm temperature of the late afternoon.

Then before we knew it …. time to go home.

Alvin managed to snag this treat called a “bully stick.”

You do not want to know where it comes from and I am not going to say.

Anyway Alvin had this treat hanging out of his mouth and would not give it up.

Iris said “that’s okay, he can have it.”

So on our way we went.

Alvin galloping ahead with the treat hanging out of this mouth, a man with a mission.

He did not turn his head or stop until we were almost home (by the park) where I was distracted for a second by something but then noticed

he had stopped in the middle of the sidewalk, pooped and then started to walk.

Treat still in his mouth.

I stopped of course, picked up the poop and then with some water from his water dish I poured over to clean up the remains.

OMG, I was mortified.

Not on the sidewalk but what can you do.

We were really close to home when we, I noticed some neighbours coming toward us with their dog.

As we approached each other, they both said hello, giggled and remarked about how Alvin looked like a guy on a mission.

That he did.

He did not stop other than that quick little poop and when I stopped.

He was truly a guy on a mission.

Alvin has not really chewed the treat but has carried it around the house even to bed last night.

It is sitting in the hallway waiting to be retrieved on our way downstairs.

Okay gotta go.

 

Have an awesome day.

Take care and be safe.

Living with Kindness and Respect.

 

I/We shall remain,

As Always, Carol & Alvin

Second Half of the NEW YEAR.

Good Morning and Welcome to Thursday, September 17, 2020.

Over half way through September and fast approaching the first day of fall.

Just googled to see what day that is …. the winner is:  Tuesday, September 22, 2020.

I love FALL.

We certainly are seeing the beginning of fall already here where I live.

The trees are beginning to change colour and drop their leaves.

Even though we have not had frost most of the flowers are beginning to say “goodbye.”

I have already trimmed my front flower bed as the plants / flowers really did not do well this year.

I am not quite sure why.

Most of my flowers in pots on the deck are still doing okay.

I will leave them as long as possible.

Usually I am chipping away at the plants as they are still looking good till the frost.

Time will tell.

The weather forecast is good for the next while.

The sky is clear this morning.

Life is good.

Mr. Alvin was sitting in the hallway “whining.”

For what reason, I am not sure.

So I will make this short.

 

We did enjoy a visit with our friend Pauline last night after work.

As we were walking by we noticed her working in the yard.

Her yard is our sanctuary and it is so relaxing and peaceful.

We love to see her and be in their yard surrounded by flowers.

 

I am most grateful for this day and every day.

I think and pray and feel for our neighbours to the south.

I wish the fires would just go out.

Keep them in our thoughts and prayers.

 

I wish you the most exquisite day.

May you enjoy some time outside in nature.

Go for a walk.

Take Care and Be Safe.

 

Living with Kindness and Respect for ALL,

I/We shall remain,

As Always, Carol & Alvin

 

P.S. have you ever clicked OK to some changes to agreement for something on the computer?  Yup, I did in my haste. Just on WORD.PRESS so hopefully all is well and I didn’t agree to pay them a million dollars or something crazy like that….. be careful.