Living … One Day at a time.

Hello,

A beautiful morning.

Windows open to let in the cool fresh morning air.

To keep Mr. Alvin comfortable until I arrive home.

There are clouds forming on the southern horizon.

 

We had another hot muggy day yesterday.

Luckily we managed to get a walk in right after work.

I, as per usual took along a full bottle of water for Mr. Alvin.

He has the slickest water bottle / tray for him to have a drink.

There was a slightly cool breeze otherwise I would have waited until later.

We got our walk in and after supper the temperature dropped quickly followed by thunder/lightning/rain.

Not too much rain but lots of thunder and lightning.

Sure love the beauty of the sky when there are storms.

 

On this Tuesday I am thinking about how blessed I am.

I am surrounded by loving and supportive family and friends.

I have me “Alvin” alongside me everyday to keep me company and to keep me focused.

I am employed.

I have a beautiful home with a yard.

So many blessings.

The most important of all is good health.

I am most grateful to be my age and to be in good health.

Everyday I count my blessings / grateful that both Alvin and I are healthy.

Makes the world of difference.

 

Well for some reason we are less on time this morning.

Not sure why.

I have windows to close before my ride appears.

 

Wishing you all a wonderful day.

Filled with kindness and respect.

If we are fortunate to be surrounded and live with kindness and respect, life is good.

 

Maybe you are lucky to have an Alvin in your life.

Or a Humphrey or a Teddy or Miss Aspen or Baby Milo ….

These fur-babies ….. so much love and fun.

 

Happy Tuesday.

 

Always, Carol & Alvin

 

P.S.  going to the Mall tomorrow night to shop for shoes……I have not done that in a long while….. so excited.

 

 

 

 

COUNTDOWN: 60 Days to 60

Today is Friday, July 14, 2017 and it is the 27th day until my 60th Birthday.

So if you are a family member or friend reading these posts, please do not be offended if I missed something like your birth.

It was truly important to me but when you are almost sixty ….. sometimes you remember these things a bit later ….. like the day after..

Well let us see here ….. what year are we at …… this is not as easy as it may seem….

1978: Flew to U.S.A. with friends in a four seater airplane.  It was awesome.  Went to LA, baby ….. Saw JAWS at Universal Studios, saw Queen Elizabeth, and so much more.  Dipped toes in the ocean.

1979: BIG NEWS – expecting – was so excited.

1980: The birth of my daughter in March.  The constant that lights up my life as she did back then and continues to do now. BEST YEAR EVER.

1981:  Being a Mom was great …. once you get past the “no sleep stage.”  I even did some sewing and made us some matching outfits with help.

1982:  Living with my sister and my nephew and my daughter ….. we had fun ….

1983:  Survived major flood in Regina in July ….. we were living in a basement suite …. me and my girl……

1984: My first niece was born ……

1985: My daughter starts kindergarten….

1986: On my Fridays off from work I would walk to my daughter’s school and pick her up and we would walk to the nearby mall and have lunch.  So much fun treating her to lunch and spending that precious time together.

1987: Clearly she ruled in the memory department ….. she was my world and remains so to this day.  I do share that world with Me Alvin and my son-in-law and their fur babies but she was the first born and will always be extra special.

This is a good test of the old memory banks.

Always, Carol

Thought for the day ……

Good Morning and Welcome to Friday the 3rd day of February, 2017.

Another winter morning but it does warm up over the course of the day.

Another super quiet morning with Alvin away at his sister’s house.

He comes home tomorrow.

I spoke to my daughter last night and apparently Alvin is trying hard to play with Aspen.

She gets so excited when he signals play-time that she runs around and scares Mr. Alvin, poor old guy.

Perhaps soon they shall get on the same page and actually have fun and not give each other a bit of anxiety.

But they do love each other and that is the important thing.

The playing will come in time.

Practice makes perfect.

I had a great time at the mall last night.

Ran my errands and did a bit of shopping.

Pretty surprised by the amount of people in the mall.

By listening as people passed there were lots from out of town.

I had decided to treat myself to supper at “Freshi’s” in the food court closest to Bath & Body Works, my old haunt.

The gal in front of me placed her order and had turned to the side.

When I was placing my order she turned around when she heard my voice and low and behold it was one of the girls I worked with at Bath & Body Works.

We ended up having our supper together.  She goes to University and works part-time at one of the stores in the mall.

It was great to catch up.

What are the chances of meeting a friend in line for food.

I will take those chances …..

 

Well here we are almost time to hit the trail again.

Friday, though and that is good.

Have a wonderful day.

Special Hello:  Lots of Birthdays today ….. Happy Birthday Everyone.

Always, Carol and Alvin

Thought for the day …..

Good Morning and Welcome to FRIDAY the 17th day of June, 2016.

I capitalized Friday because it is the weekend and I am ready for it.

The sky is overcast with rain clouds.

It has been raining overnight as everything is wet.

Alvin was wet when he came in from his morning constitutional ….

Another cool day …

We appreciate the moisture but are ready for some more sunshine.

I believe that the forecast is for sunny skies this weekend.

One thing I will tell you is that I am so happy that at the last moment I decided to mow the front and back lawns.

It looks so happy now with a haircut and now a shower.

I also stopped at West Edmonton Mall on my way home from work last night.

I had not done that in months.

It was busy as usual and it reminded me that I do not like crowds so much.

Picked up the “poop bags” for Alvin although I do not think that he really appreciated that as a present from my shopping trip.

Who would think that the Dollarama store had the longest lines.

I also had to stop at the store that being Bath & Body Works …. Semi Annual Sale.

Picked up a few things …. not too much …..

Felted like I had had a special treat.

While there I also went to Old Navy – just to see.

One of the young people that used to work at the GAP across from Bath & Body Works now works at Old Navy and even remembered me.

I have not worked in the mall for over a year.

Nice young guy.

Anyway it was good to try on a few things and then just walk away.

So it was a busy evening.

Now almost the weekend and the grass is cut so one thing off the TO DO LIST, yay.

A head start.

Well almost time to get this show on the road once again.

Seems like I was just catching the bus to work.

Now it is again.

I hope that you have a great Friday and weekend.

Special Hello to: all those people who take a bit of time for themselves – well done.

Always, Carol and Alvin.

Thought for the day…..

Good Morning and Welcome to Sunday the 1st day of February, 2015.

Good-bye January it was a great month and February will be an even greater month, RIGHT !!

We are off to a good – good start as the sun is shining and the temperature feels pretty good.

I didn’t check to see what the exact number is but I usually go by what it feels like when I  go outside.

So February is a good month.

We have Valentine’s Day ……

We have Family Day here in Canada and in the U.S. there is President’s Day.

I wonder do other countries celebrate similar holidays?

Alvin is looking out the window from the vantage point of our bed.

Did I say “our?”

What a guy…… he’s my boy that is for sure.

Just getting ready here to go to work at the store ….. certainly the mall will be busy today.

People like to shop on Sundays almost as much as they like to shop on Saturdays.

I hope that you all have a wonderful Sunday.

Time for me to go and have another cup of coffee as mine is half full and half cold.

I am getting a ride to work.

Today our four-legged visitor for the past week …. Mr. Casey goes back home.

His family is now back from a trip to Mexico …

We shall all  miss Casey very much.

Such a cute little guy.

I will post some photos later of all of our pups.

Special Hello to:  You on this great Sunday morning.

Always, Carol and Alvin

Thought for the day…..

Good Morning and Welcome to Monday the 22nd day of December, 2014.

WOW, only two sleeps until Christmas Eve and three sleeps until Christmas Morning.

Where has the time gone?

Have you been busy this holiday season?

I guess most folks have been ….. I know that I have been off the charts busy.

But busy is good as long as it is tempered with some “me” time.

I did take a few moments here and there but likely should have been a few more.

During these last few days before Christmas we should all take a few minutes and think about what you are grateful for …..

I am so grateful this holiday season to my daughter and son-in-law for always taking good care of me Alvin and me.

I am so grateful to work with two groups of amazing, interesting, fun and loving people.

I am so grateful to have the best family and friends on the planet.

I am so grateful that I am able to work two jobs.

I am so grateful that I have my own house.

I am so grateful that I am in great health (this should be a the top of the list).

I am so grateful for this beautiful weather.

I am so grateful to live in such a great country, Canada.

Well I hear my ride getting close to being ready ( I am grateful for car rides to work, most especially in the winter).

I am grateful to all of you for taking your precious time to read my blog ….. it means the world to me.

I love to write.

Special Hello to: all my dear friends and family, to my co-workers and everyone that I meet each day while at work and walking down the street and in the mall.

Always, Carol and Alvin

Thought for the day…..

Good Morning and Welcome to Tuesday the 9th day of December, 2014.

Yes, one more day closer to Christmas.

My favourite time of the year.

I do love the decorations, the hustle and bustle, the baking, the Christmas Cards, the hooting and hall hauling, the music and the fuss.

I must admit I truly love this time of year.

I have another friend who loves this time of year as much as me.

She lives not quite a block away.

We had tea and homemade cinnamon buns last night at her house.

I love her decorations.

Every time we get together the hours seem like minutes, seconds even.

I absolutely love spending time with her ….

We talk …. we laugh ….. we talk ….. we laugh …..

Her husband usually chats at the start of our visit and at the end.

They are such a lovely couple ……

Looks like a trip to Costco this evening after work ……

Just we girls…..

I wonder how busy it will be.

I was surprised at how many shoppers were at the mall last Sunday.

Seems early but likely not.

We seem to forget from year to year.

Well today is another day.

Each second is new and precious.

Even though there are a few seconds here and there that I could do without for the most part I am over the moon grateful for my life.

I have learned so much by my errors or slips in judgement or from lack of information.

Life is all about learning.

I am a student of life.

I guess that is a good thing.

So take the time today to learn something …. even a new word.

Always worthwhile.

You never know when you could use that word or that action you learned to help yourself or others.

So off to the office I go.

Thank you for reading – it means the world to me.

Special Hello to: all those people who create and share their creations with the world.

Always, Carol and Alvin

 

 

Thought for the day……

Good Morning and Welcome to Tuesday the 28th day of October, 2014.

Just three sleeps until Halloween.

I love the fun of Halloween.

Dressing up …..

Handing out treats …..

Seeing the costumes of the little children being escorted by their parents.

I wonder what the theme of costumes will be this year.

FROZEN for the girls?

What for the boys?

I am so behind in what is popular with the little ones.

Alas, I just remembered that I am working at the store at West Ed Friday night.

Hopefully people will bring their children to the mall for treats.

Well time to leave for work.

We have frost but no snow that stayed.

I hope that you enjoy Halloween this year.

I will whatever I am doing.

Special Hello to: Halloween …..

Always, Carol and Alvin

Thought for the day…..

Good Morning and Welcome to Sunday the 21st day of September, 2014.

It is a bright sunny warm day here in Edmonton.

My neighbour is having a “front lawn” sale so my daughter and I checked it out.

Picked up a few things ….

Did not get carried away ….

Only items I knew that I would use ……

After giving and selling a ton of things this summer, the last thing that I want to do is get a house full of items that I do not need.

It is so easy to pick up things when on sale or at garage sales because of the pricing.

But really ……

ONLY GET WHAT YOU REALLY NEED.

That is my motto.

We, North Americans are notorious for accumulating material things.

I think we should start a trend and all downsize.

My neighbour also told me of a friend of hers that was doing a 21 day cleanse.

It was not the cleanse for your body but for your soul.

Starting on Day one you give away one item until you are up to 21 items per day.

What a great idea.

Wished that I would have thought of that…..

I think that for every item other than food that you bring into the house you must give away an item.

That way you never get overloaded with things.

Well almost time to leave for work ….. have to go to the mall early as we need to pick up a few things and I am on the hunt for a good pair of winter boots.

The kind that actually keep your feet and legs warm……

Something that has good grip on the ice and snow.

Wish me luck.

Happy Fall to You.

Special Hello to: all those people who are “cleansing your soul” …… you will feel better as you clean it ……

Always, Carol and Alvin

 

Thought for the day…..

Good Morning and Welcome to Friday the 11th day of July, 2014.

YAY ….. it is Friday and I get to work at the store tonight after the office job.

I always love going there.

We work hard but have so much fun.

Always meet interesting people.

Oh my “cuteness” is standing on the bed with his front paws resting on the window.

He does love checking out the neighbourhood.

This was a great move.

Changing bedrooms.

Only just over a week until the kids move their furniture in …… they are already moving in boxes.

We are having a garage sale tomorrow to sell a few things but mostly to give away so much.

We have a lot of things that we no longer need or want.

So why not have a garage sale and give things away.

Start a new trend.

Sell a few items but give away more.

I am so excited to have my daughter, son-in-law and grand-puppies living with me and Alvin.

We are going to have so much fun.

It will be so nice to have us all under the same roof.

Company for both me and Alvin.

So much easier to cook for three than one.

So much easier to be three than one.

Well I am looking forward to the next chapter in our lives.

It is always good to help one’s family and my kids have been so good to me.

So on this awesome Friday morning I hope that you are able to help someone.

Whether family, friend or a stranger.

Lend a helping hand.

You will feel great and so will someone else.

Isn’t that really what it is all about ….. helping each other.

Right Mr Alvin?

He is still looking out the window ….. kind of ignoring me, I think.

Oh well.

His alone days are numbered and I am very grateful for that ……

Have a great Friday.

ENJOY.

Happiness and Peace will overcome the world one day soon.

What a great thought.

Special Hello to: my sister …. miss you “bunny.”

Always, Carol and Alvin