Last Half 2022 – August

Good Morning ALL! Well we were up at 5:30 Alvin had his glucosamine chew, went outside and then had breakfast before we settled down on the sofa until 7:30. We have been up for awhile now. I am happy to report that we had a full walk. Alvin sniffed happily all round our walk. I had to watch him very carefully to ensure that he did not eat something that he should not. It is foggy and humid this morning but with a cool breeze making it comfortable to be outside. There were a few big rain drops during our way and also our large dog friend name Grizzly whom we met a few weeks ago, I believe. Grizzly is a playful big guy and he reached out with his large paw to pet Alvin and Alvin got scared. I guess I would be scared if a huge paw came down on my head. He is truly a gentle giant our Grizzly friend. I did not freak out so Alvin was okay. Just an initial bark and he was okay after that.

Last night before bed I applied for the Canada Pension Plan for which I have been paying into for over 40 years. I wished that I would have applied for OAS at the same time but I had this voice in my head saying it is automatically paid as I had been listening to a YouTube guy speaking about applying for these benefits. Anyway, I just went to apply for OAS and their Government of Canada website is down. So will have to try later. Just wishing I would have done it last night, woe is me, lol. I will keep trying over the course of the day and tomorrow. I did the hard work last night getting all of the signins worked out. Nothing is straightforward with the government or so it would seem. Anyway, it is what it is.

Yesterday we were happy to have Teddy, his little sis Kobi and Aunt Janine stop by for a visit yesterday afternoon. So nice to have company, we thoroughly enjoyed their visit. Alvin was over the moon. So excited to see his friends. It was a great day. Janine and I had coffee and I shared some of my birthday biscotti with her. By the way, Val if you are reading this post – Janine loved the biscotti.

Last night for dessert, I baked an apple crisp with the remaining apples before they spoiled. For the supper portion I made large chicken stir fry. Both were yummy and I will have leftovers for a few days.

There is such a refreshing breeze coming in through the office window. I appreciate it so much. Looking forward to having a cup of coffee earlier than yesterday.

I am so grateful that Alvin had a good weekend. Today is looking good as well. Tomorrow we take an urine sample. That should be interesting.

Oh, I had a lovely chat with one of my brothers, the older of the two who will be turning 60 in a few days. Two days after mine to be exact. I will be having a video chat with my sister today so I want to get everything done. At least I have leftovers for supper so we can always chat after an early supper.

Now I just need to reach out to my youngest brother and have a chat. Also wonderful to chat with my siblings. I miss seeing them. It has been a long over two years since we were together. I am hoping that next summer we are able to have a get together. Time flies and we need to see each other.

What a busy but yet relaxing weekend. There was plenty of time for snuggling with the Alvin and time for visiting with friends, chatting on the phone and doing a bit of work. The work part – well let’s be serious, my house does not really get dirty. I am always picking up and putting things away as I go. That is the secret to keeping things tidy. A bit of dust can easily be wiped. If you keep things clean as you go – less work in the long run. I have learned that in my almost 65 years on this planet.

Wow, today is August 1st and now only 8 days till my birthday on August 9th. Janine and I made plans to have our “Mexican Supper” on my actual birthday so that will be great. I did not have any plans for my actual birthday and now I do so that is great. She is putting together the meal and I am doing dessert. Not sure what yet but I will figure it out. Maybe it should be cake or cupcakes since it is my birthday. I can always run to the grocery store and pick up a couple of pieces of cake or cheesecake, that would be lovely.

I am enjoying the over a week long celebrations. Why not!

Well time to go and perhaps I will try again to apply for OAS which is Old Age Security here in Canada. It is nice that you can apply for and start these benefits and still be working.

Have a great Monday. I am enjoying this long weekend. So great to have the extra day. This Friday is my last day of work before I begin my vacation. I took one week and one day and will enjoy every moment.

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

Always, Carol & Alvin

PS: only 8 sleeps till I turn 65. I cannot wait.

The New YEAR 2022

Good Morning ALL! I hope that you have been enjoying this long weekend. Perhaps you live somewhere on the planet is not having a long weekend, in that case, I hope that you had a great weekend all the same. The sky is a brilliant powder blue with wisps of white slender clouds dispersed through. The sun is shining ever so brightly. There is a bit of a breeze.

I PLANTED some of my flowers early, meaning I planted some of them late yesterday afternoon – early early evening. After I had supper. I just could not wait. The pansies, violas, lavender, two other plants that I do not remember their names, three tomato plants and oregano. I found that my grass and lavender plants that had wintered in the garage covered with layers of sheets may have survived. The grass is partially green and alive so I pulled the dead spears and gave it a good drink of water. Time will tell. The lavender I wanted to change pots so I placed it in a smaller pot with fresh dirt and water. My Canna Lily seems to be the same as last year. A few long leaves from the same bulb. The same one that wintered in the basement. Maybe a smaller pot! I will just put it back out in the sun and see what happens. Today I will be planting the flowers out front. I have a flower bed that needs some colour. Those good old ferns are coming up. I thought they were all pulled but they are hardy creatures. I will leave them. If they survive and are coming up and green, they deserve a chance at life. YAY. I have impatiens that are pink and then some beautiful begonias. The begonias are a rich coral, yellow, white and pink. I cannot wait to plant them. I think that I will put the begonias in pots on the steps and the impatiens in the flower bed. My daughter gave me some seeds for borage plants. Time to get them into the ground. Also I am changing my geraniums that have been keeping residence in my kitchen since last summer and oh so pretty pink flowers and putting them into bigger pots on the deck. I hope that they do well. Yesterday I put them outside for a few hours. I cannot wait for everything to be planted and growing and the beautiful colours that will be outside my home in the front and back. One plant that I do not have this year is petunias. Perhaps I will be able to get a basket or two at some point and set them on the deck. Love petunias! Oh, almost forgot that I have to finish the back garden. Couple of small bushes need to be finished pulling out or cutting down and see if they come back. There are a few weeks and some dead leaves on some of the perennials which are slowly starting to turn green. It is a space that does not get too much direct sunlight but does get some. I need to change things up in there. In time.

I, we are enjoying the weekend. Last night after just a few hours short of 4 days I decided to abandon putting on the socks when Alvin goes into the back yard. I washed his paws and dried them before bed and put on the salve. We won’t go for a walk today and give him one more day. I checked his paws as good as he will allow and they appear to be healed or I don’t see anything red, which is a good sign. He really was pretty good about the sock thing. Yes, I have photos to share. I will get them uploaded? downloaded?

Time for coffee. Mr. Alvin got me up this morning. I guess with all of the up and downs, my body just wants to remain cozy and warm under the blanket on the sofa. Thankfully Mr. Alvin had other plans and forced me to get my fanny farkle off the sofa. Good thing!

I hope that you have a great Monday – whether you are at home – at work – wherever you might be!

Thank you for reading my post. I am so grateful for you and your time.

Happy Monday.

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

Always, Carol & Alvin

P.S. I am grateful to be alive, to have our beautiful home shortly to be surrounded by pretty flowers, for good health, for good friends and family, for employment, for sunshine and rainbows, for good food and you!

The New YEAR 2022

Good Morning! Happy Saturday. Welcome to our never ending SAGA. The house of almost no sleep. That is how I feel at this moment. I had planned to get up earlier but when you are up and up from 1:30 onward getting up and staying up at 7:00 does not look much like a plan. Poor Mr. Alvin is not having a good time of it all. We cannot walk until at least Monday. Whenever he is outside in the backyard he has to wear something on his feet. The only thing that I could come up with is, some of my socks. I found some that had good elastic in the top so that they would not slide off right away. Every time he goes outside I have to go with him no matter the time of day or night. Usually the socks slip down and I am walking behind him hiking them up. At first he was unhappy about the socks but now he is okay. We only started this yesterday morning after I call his Doctor. I spoke with one of the staff and was told he needs to wear something on his front paws to keep them clean so that they can heal. Makes sense to me. I had been between the time we came home on Thursday afternoon and until Friday morning washing and drying them off each time he went outside. This is a bit easier. Both Alvin and I are tired. I am grateful though that his paws will heal soon. So no hair cut or bath this long weekend. That will have to wait until next weekend. I will depending on the weather plant my flowers perhaps on Monday.

We were so happy to have our girl stop by on her way home for a visit. I made us coffee and we had a good visit. So much conversation and catching up. Seems like lots happening. I asked her to hold up Alvin so that I could more clearly see where to place the salve but it was difficult with Mr. Squirmy Pants. But I have a better idea. At the Vet they showed me but somehow I needed to see again at home. Everything is different at home, right?

So busy weekend. I want to wash down the deck, pull out all of my flower pots to plan what will go where, pull out the last bit of the two shrubs from the back flower bed, clean out said flower bed, put in a pile all those items to go to the ECO Station, clean out the office closet, go through Christmas stuff in the basement and the big cupboard with craft supplies etc. which is in the family room. We may have one of my daughter and son-in-law’s friends come to stay with us for a little while while she finds a place on this side of the city. So I need to get prepared. Even if she decides not to, I need to go through things and get ready for the June garage sale. Lots to do. Hopefully the weather will hold. There was frost on the ground this morning. I need to trim the grass in the backyard as it is long. Time to charge the battery pack for the grass trimmer. Sometimes I use it instead of my push lawn mower. Easy peasy.

So as per always plans change. But that is okay, my whole life has been a series of changes. I am sure that most people feel this way. I am accustomed to change but that doesn’t mean that I like things changing constantly. But that is life.

I am so grateful for the bright blue sky and the sun shining this morning.

I am so grateful for the visit with my daughter yesterday after work.

I am so grateful that I live, that we live in our own house.

I am grateful that Alvin will heal and be his old self once again.

I am grateful for summer days and summer nights.

I am grateful for each birthday.

I am grateful for each day on this earth.

Thank you for reading my posts. My life is not exactly exciting but there is always something happening.

Usually a work a round whether in my personal or work life.

I will be happy to see my flowers in pots and smiling at me on the deck and in the gardens.

The leaves are green and the lawns are getting there as well.

The bunnies are brown.

Time to go and have a refreshing shower and then put the coffee on before starting the laundry.

I need to make a list of things to sell, things that need to be done and the timelines.

Oddly enough, I do like making lists. So that will be fun.

Happy Saturday.

Continuing to live this life with kindness, respect, compassion, patience, love, laughter, understanding, gratitude, focus and possibilities. There are always possibilities. You just have to keep your eyes open.

Always, Carol & Alvin

P.S. I need to post some photos. You need to see Mr. Alvin sporting socks. Instant smiles.

The New YEAR 2022

Good Morning ALL! Happy Friday and I hope that you are doing great! The sun is shining here FINALLY and the sky is a beautiful BLUE, not grey. YAY. The long weekend is off to a great start. Oh, I am working but as far as I am concerned we are almost there. It has been one of those weeks, right! But we made it. The weather here in Edmonton is supposed to be quite nice so perhaps I will be able to plant my flowers, oregano and tomatoes that are taking up real estate on my kitchen table, window sills in the kitchen and with nestled in between my other plants.

Okay, so the vet visit yesterday. We were able to walk there are it had stopped raining. We had a nice walk there. While I was waiting in one of the exam rooms for Alvin, I could hear him crying. I wondered what was happening as he was just supposed to be getting his ears rechecked and checking his paws as I thought perhaps something else going on besides the arthritis and sure enough there was. I am not sure why I did not notice it but this is what Dr. Karen told me afterward. He had some matts in his front paws and they were in between his toes so creating some problems walking and otherwise for the poor boy. No wonder. Anyway it was tricky cutting them out and they started to bleed. The bleeding stopped. I have salve to put on every twelve hours for the next 7-10 days. I forgot to ask about walking. Then of course, he has an ear infection. I was truly mortified by how much gunk came out of his ears as I had cleaned them on Sunday. I guess I did not go deep enough. Cleaning his ears is not an easy job for one person. Anyway, he is on medicine for another yeast infection. I swear it must be a all time record for number of yeast infections in one’s life time. Poor guy. Now this sounds like I do not look after Mr. Alvin which could not be further from the truth. I started to cry when the vet was telling me about his paws. I cannot believe I had not noticed. Now his paws are dark and he does not like them being touched. Now he has no choice. I have to call back because I forgot to ask if we can go for walks during this time. The salve won’t likely help if he continually gets his paws dirty. I had to put his paws in a dish of lukewarm water after the vet visit and remove any dirt he got on them after we left the vet and then pat them dry. Well we had more water on the floor than in the bowl. I managed to clean them but wasn’t easy. Then I put on the salve which was hard to see if I was even getting on the right area. Anyway, the ear medicine prevents any cleaning for the next month so I guess that helps. So just have to concentrate on his paws. I will have to watch more carefully when I am giving him a haircut. I know that I usually have pulled hair out of his paws as he would step in some was I was cutting his hair even though I cleaned it up continually. It was raining when we were about to leave the vet so I called my friend and she came to pick us up. So grateful. Then he would not get all the extra grime on his paws from that back walkway. Which I cleaned up a couple of weeks ago and it is filled with garbage again, maybe not as much but still enough.

We did not have a great sleep but I am going to keep the faith. We have medicine.

The coffee is on and I can sort of smell it. I am very congested. The leaves on the trees.

We had a quiet evening after supper and cleanup. I am very grateful to Dr. Karen and staff for helping Alvin. We are adding to the list of his regular 5 week appointments having his paws checked for matts. How lovely!

Sorry.

I am happy that the sun is shining.

Life is good. Better for Alvin now, thank goodness.

My daughter is popping by after work to pick up something that was delivered for her. I cannot wait to see her.

Have an awesome Friday. Be well. Check your dog’s paws for matts.

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! How are you this morning? It is FRIDAY, yay. Well I am okay and so is Alvin. Another choppy sleep night but that is okay. I am up and ready and also ready to start drinking my coffee. The sky is lightening out my office window but I do not see the colourful rays of a sunrise. We had more snow overnight as we found out the first time that Alvin went outside around 3:00 a.m. But at least it is getting lighter even without the sunrise. I just found out yesterday that Monday is a holiday for us. No work. I am over the moon excited to have a day off. Just a nice break.

Did you all know that yesterday was “Random Act of Kindness Day?” Well I knew a few days before hand and then I totally forgot yesterday. I will say that I do try to “kind” everyday. Somedays I am better than others. How about you?

We had a great evening. Just quiet and watched some television. There are some good half hour comedies on. A couple that I am just starting to watch: “Children Ruin Everything” – a Canadian Comedy, “B Positive” which is chalked full of great actors and I love this one, Call Me Kat is so funny and a couple of others whose titles elude me at this moment. Always good to laugh before you go to bed. Call Me Kat, I have been watching for awhile along with Bob Hearts Abishola and Young Sheldon. Those are the ones that I was missing. Great shows one and all. Check them out.

More Flowers

My Flowers

My Flowers

When there is no colour in the morning sky you just need some photos of pretty colourful flowers. I hope that you enjoy them. I do love flowers.

On that note, time to take a swig of the caffeine. Coffee, yum.

Happy Friday. I hope that you have a beautiful sunrise wherever you may be.

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

Aways, Carol & Alvin

P.S. dreaming of brightly coloured flowers, green grass and dry sidewalks.

2021

Good Morning ALL! How are you this Thursday morning? I am doing okay. Been a rocky sleep last night but it is morning and I am up and dressed and now writing this post before starting my last work day for this week. I am looking forward to an extra long long weekend. I am off from tomorrow and go back to work next Wednesday. So two short weeks in a row. But that means lots to do on the days that I am working.

Looks like we had a light frost last night. We were outside several times during the night and early morning so I am feeling somewhat like I imagine a “zombie” to feel like …… a little sleep deprived. At one point the sky had cleared and the stars were shining brightly. That I so enjoyed. The sun is coming up as the sky begins to turn from night to morning. So beautiful. I always love the colour palette of sunrises and sunsets. So vibrant and gorgeous. A feast for the eyes. Most of the leaves have fallen from our tree in the front yard. There is something eerily stunning about a bare tree. Very cool.

I am afraid this will be short but I have a couple of things left to tell you. Yesterday it was smokey in the morning and at noon so we did not venture out for a walk. Our friend Pauline dropped by during my lunch break to drop off some apples. She offered to take Alvin for a walk as the smoke had dissipated somewhat and did not bother her so I put on his harness and leash and out they went. I forewarned her that he may not want to go. He is like that. If I am at home he does not want to leave me behind or go without me. I figured if he would go with anyone it would be Pauline. So out they went. After a few minutes there was a wee knock at the door. He would not go. I believe if I were not there – he would have gone. Kind of sweet in a way that he won’t leave me behind and that is how I tend to look at it instead of the other that he is so much a momma’s boy that he won’t go without me. My Alvin.

Near the end of the day our friend Iris, Teddy’s Mom had called but I was working so the call had gone to voicemail. I decided that we should just walk over as they were home from the farm. So after work off we went. We had a great visit with them all. I cannot believe how grown up Miss Kobi is becoming as she is not longer a wee pup. I love the word “wee.” Iris gave me some of her homemade mulled apple sauce like cranberries but made with apples. After a nice visit we were off home. Alvin had been trying to tell me something for the last bit of our visit and I found out what it was ….. he had to poop. I should know better. Really he seldom barks for no reason. I have to put on my listening cap and try not to be distracted. Anyway he had a poop on the way home and I of course picked it up in one of the bags that I always carry with me.

Once home it was, suppertime for both of us. Alvin first and then I had to wait for my supper to cook. We had a nice quiet evening.

Time to fly. Put on coffee and let the boy out again before I start work which is in just over 15 minutes. Time is zipping along.

Take Care and enjoy this October 7, 2021 day.

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

Always, Carol

2021

Good Morning All! Well it is Friday and the long weekend. Excited or what! When the sky cleared last night and the sun came out – it was amazing. The trees basking in the sunlight all nice and green. People out walking and some with their dogs. Even though we walked before I started work and at my lunch break, as the evening progressed I was thinking we should have gone again. Oh well. It was a quiet Thursday. Good to have before a busy long weekend.

I noticed that the geraniums that I plunked in with the remaining greenery from my birthday bouquets were a mix of pretty live blossoms and some that were wilted. Now normally we would pluck off the dead blooms and toss them but there was something beautiful and unique about the mix of living and dead. Perhaps this sounds a bit off the deep end and I don’t blame you one bit if you are giggling or even laughing aloud. You will see in the photos what I mean.

• 

  Unique Beauty

• 

• 

  Geraniums in background from outside

• 

• 

• 

The delicate balance between life and death is there in all things. The different shades of pink gorgeous. I definitely am infatuated with flowers snd plants. They bring me joy so why not?

Well time to go. Remember not to give up on something that has seen better days. Applies to all things!!

Have an awesome Friday.

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

Love

2021

Good Morning ALL! How are you this Friday morning? We are doing great. Had a good sleep and Alvin slept through until 4:35 a.m. which was wonderful. This is the last day of the work week for me and a long weekend to boot. Happy Victoria Day Long Weekend to us. The sky is clear and the sunrise was beautiful this morning. There was frost on the cars so I am glad that I covered my front flower bed with some old sheets and left the flower pots in the garage. Looks like will be covering again tonight and then tomorrow after early morning we should be good. Then the pots can come out of the garage and get some sun. I am so grateful that my flowers in the front flower bed appear to be okay. Hardy bunch of little ones. Appears to be no wind for a change and that is nice. It was calm overnight which was nice, no chance then of the sheets becoming airborne. Any plans for the long weekend? I am finishing the closet clean, spending time outside as the forecast is for warmer temperatures, going for walks, washing the remainder of my daughter’s baby things and then packing them away properly. I guess some cleaning and writing. I want to write more and I have been doing some here and there. I love to write poetry so will concentrate a bit more on that aspect of writing. So happy to look out the window and see blue sky and sun. Makes me want to get up and dance. I can do a chair dance now, I am bopping to the music in my head. Smiling as I do this little dance. Alvin is laying on the floor in the hallway. Oh, news! Yesterday afternoon our new neighbours moved in across the street – appears to be a family with three children. They have a trampoline and I could hear them screaming with delight, as they jumped up and down. I also had to run over after work and pick up another bag of food for Alvin, he seems to go through the hard food quickly. The bag is small so that will happen, lol.

I hope that you are enjoying this morning thus far. Perhaps you are sipping on that mug of hot coffee on your deck or maybe you are meditating or doing some yoga or exercising or maybe out for a walk with your pup. I love early morning walks with Alvin. We will be doing those soon as the weather warms up and is too hot to walk after work and even sometimes at noon.

• 

  Photo by cottonbro on Pexels.com

• 

  Photo by Rachel Claire on Pexels.com

• 

  Photo by Daria Obymaha on Pexels.com

• 

  Photo by Karolina Grabowska on Pexels.com

• 

  Photo by Ioana Motoc on Pexels.com

• 

  Photo by Ena Marinkovic on Pexels.com

Visions of a quiet Friday morning as you start your day. I guess I missed the walking/exercising/yoga stuff. I think that a mug of coffee, tea or hot chocolate is the perfect way to start the day. A little writing in your gratitude journal or perhaps even reading a chapter or two in your favorite book. Happy Friday.

Living this life with kindness, respect, compassion, patience and gratitude. Always with Gratitude.

Always, Love Carol & Alvin

2021

Good Morning All! How are you this Saturday morning? Alvin and I are okay. We watched or rather I watched, while he napped the movie: WW84. I was so excited to see Gal Gadot and Chris Pine in action once again. Unfortunately it did not live up to all the hype. It was worth the rental fee but I was sadly disappointed. Still not a bad way to spend over 2 hours. Well we went to bed before 10:00 last night, and were up at 4:15 a.m., which was great but Mr. Alvin woke up shaking his head like his ears or something was really bothering him. I gave him his glucosamine as I do every morning, gave him his breakfast and then he went outside. Still flapping his ears, I grabbed the flashlight and checked them to see if they were inflamed and they were a bit pink and not really dirty but I cleaned them anyway. Hoping that the cleanser (vet) would help out in some way. He continued flapping them until about 6:00 and then back outside. We then hit the sofa and he was up and down. I massaged his ears and gave him a back rub with hopes that he could settle down. I fell asleep at some point. Actually we both did. Next thing it was really bright out so up we got and it was almost 9:30 a.m. ……. yikes, cannot remember the last time it was that late when we got up. I will say that I was awake for awhile – just not wanting to disturb Alvin as he appeared to be resting. Anyway, up now and lots to do. Alvin appears to be okay. It could have also been his paws as well. The plan is once I am finished this post, to get dressed, make coffee and have breakfast and then gather my garbage picking equipment and hit the trail. It is pretty dry out there so I will go out and pick up the garbage that is lining the gutters, sidewalks and walkways. Once that is done, back home where I am going to cut my hair, have a shower, take Alvin for a walk, then give him a bath, let my customers know about an upcoming tea order that is going in, look for my 2020 journals, clean my master bathroom cabinet and the main upstairs bathroom cabinets. Like by that time it will be close to supper. I will call that a good day at that point. Yesterday between laundry, cleaning and walking I did get the entryway closet all cleaned out from top to bottom including washing the walls and the floor. YAY, me. Getting there. Always good to have a plan or most times anyway.

Just wanted to add some unique photos taken by various artists that I obtained from the free photos attached to wordpress …. such beauty and amazing colour.

• 

  Photo by Skylar Kang on Pexels.com

• 

  Photo by Anna Shvets on Pexels.com

• 

  Photo by Hernan Pauccara on Pexels.com

• 

  Photo by Karolina Grabowska on Pexels.com

• 

  Photo by julie aagaard on Pexels.com

• 

  Photo by Karolina Grabowska on Pexels.com

• 

  Photo by Steve Johnson on Pexels.com

• 

  Photo by Anni Roenkae on Pexels.com

Well I guess it is time to get this show on the road. I hope that you are enjoying this Easter weekend. I have noticed that lots of people are having company over this weekend, and “pray” that folks are being careful and paying heed to the instructions from the health care professionals, as we will never get through this pandemic without doing so.

Take care. Be safe. I know that people have lost their patience a long time ago but please remember it is not all about ourselves, this affects us all.

Continuing to live with kindness, respect to and for all, compassion and patience. Patience is the big one or so it would seem these days for most people.

Happy Easter Weekend

Always, Carol & Alvin

• 

  Me and my Alvin

Second Half of the NEW YEAR

Good Morning,

Wow did we ever sleep in this morning.

We went to bed in good time and I read for a bit but could not settle down.

Not too long after we hit the hay it did begin to rain.

I am not sure what time I finally drifted off to sleep but then Alvin was stirring and we were up.

That was almost 4:30 a.m.

So he ate his breakfast and had his glucosamine chew and went outside.

Then back into the house …… I know we woke up again at 8:00 but I just could not get my butt off the sofa…. next time it was 9:39 a.m.

WOW, latest that we have slept.

The sun was shining bright at 8:00 a.m. but the sky has now clouded over and the wind is getting up.

I also realized that although the food is very tasty with the Good Food package ….. there is a lot of “pan frying.”

Also I had not chosen the meats and am not used to eating much pork.  If I do eat meat it is chicken.

Mostly I eat a vegetarian diet with a bit of chicken.

So my tummy was just a bit upset at bedtime as well.

I have one more meal to cook tonight and I think it is pork meatballs which I am going to bake in the oven.

Will increase the cook time but I can do not another “pan fry” meal.

There was a rice dish and coleslaw with the pork chops last night and corn on the cob.

I definitely had learned a few different cooking methods.

I have found that I am a pretty plain cook.

Using spices for sure.

I guess long weekends are for sleeping in…..

We did accomplish several things from our TO DO LIST.

 

Outside I can hear the geese honking as they fly overhead.

Today.

Yesterday, we were so happy to have our girl here for a good chunk of the day.

We had pancakes for “brunch.”

Then we girls gave Mr. Alvin a haircut and I gave him a bath.

Following she asked if I would like to go to GOODWILL and check things out.

We have a fairly new one about a 10 or so minute drive away so I thought why not.

This was my fifth, yes 5th time out in public since March 19th, 2020.

So basically once per month if you spread them over the time since I have been at home.

But actually five times since August.

I will say that people were wearing masks but the social distancing and following arrows in the store.

Not so much.

Every few minutes an announcement would be made to please keep 2 metres apart and follow the arrows.

No one listened.

I am pretty sure that only my daughter and me were actually paying attention.

Sunday afternoons are not a good time to go checking out GOODWILL.

Not at all.

I was checking out some tealights from Partylite and commenting to my daughter on what a great deal for those who burn candles.

They were new ( I checked to make sure ) and a box of tealights was $5.50 and the price from Partylite would be over $15.00 now for sure.

Anyway this girl was right beside me …. as I was going through them.

She did not give me a chance to finish.

I was not happy.

If there is one thing that I cannot stand is people that do not listen to the rules especially in the middle of a pandemic.

I was thinking sure okay you have a mask on but you are not even six inches away from me ….

So I moved.

Rude people.

We kept away and followed the rules.

Some of the older children that were accompanying their parents had their masks slipped down not covering their faces.

I can only imagine what school will be like.

Unfortunately I have a bad feeling about this fall once all the children have been back in school for about a week or two.

Even though there was some difficult moments or lots of them in the store ….. I thoroughly enjoyed the time with my girl.

We found some great things and then had good choices on what to actually buy.

I bought one package of tealights …. cranberry to burn at Christmas.

I love the cranberry scent.

The other was found at the last minute and it was a Kitchenaid roasting pan with a rack in the bottom.

No lid but had good handles.

It was brand new or looked to be new.

Definitely not used.

I figured that I could use it from time to time.

I use my Princess House Lasagne pan to cook the turkey at Christmas so this would be better.

It was a good price so I decided it was a good find.

 

Well I guess I should get this show on the road.

Yesterday at this time we were out for a walk.

Thinking we will not be walking now ….. maybe later.

Oh, goodness my stomach is making horrible sounds.

I have to take it easy on what I put into it.

Definitely toast for breakfast.

Definitely I will be baking the meatballs tonight.

 

This afternoon I want to continue on my quest to delete emails and photos, more photos than emails at this point.

Also I am going to work on my book this afternoon.

But before we get to that point ….. get dressed, bring up the laundry that was air drying, make coffee and have breakfast.

I have a couple of loads of laundry left to do.

So will do them as well.

 

I hope that you had a great weekend thus far.

Perhaps you are as blessed as I am and are able have an extra day off.

 

Take Care.

Remember when you are out and about …..

Wear the mask…..

Keep your distance……

We are not given these instructions for no reason……

If we want to keep lessen the COVID19 cases …. this is what we have to do.

Also sanitize your hands when going into stores and coming out.

Wash your hands when you come home.

Wash your hands at home.

Wash your hands before you handle food.

Wash your hands before you eat.

Enjoy your life.

 

Well Mr. Alvin is giving me that look and I see it is already 10:15 a.m.

I need some coffee.

Perhaps I will make that first.

 

Take Care.

Be safe.

Living with Kindness and respect….

I/We shall remain,

As Always, Carol & Alvin