2021

Good Morning ALL. How are you doing today?

Happy St. Patrick’s Day today. I have Irish roots and am proudly wearing my “green” today.

Happy Birthday to my great niece for whom I missed her special day. Happy 18th Birthday Selena. I cannot believe that you are about to graduate High School. You were only a little girl a few months ago or so it seems.

Happy Birthday to my friend Terry W. back in Regina. You are a bright light and always so much fun to be around. Wishing you a great day.

Happy Wednesday to everyone who celebrates the middle of the week.

Good Morning Sunrise …. the sky is beginning to turn the most delightful colours as the sun rises in the morning sky.

Thank you to Teddy and Kobi for visiting with us yesterday ….. definitely brightened our day.

Thank you for the warmer temperatures. We are so enjoying them. The snow on our deck is quickly melting as well as the snow bank on the grass area. The snow on our front lawn on the northside of our home well that is quite another story. As I have said before it is spring across the street from our house and winter on our side. Oh well with the next couple of weeks temperatures soaring into the double digit plus numbers we are sure to see a huge dent in the snow banks for sure.

I am so excited to start planting flowers and arranging my patio/deck furniture and all the outdoor stuff. This summer I am going to paint my fence. A big job for sure.

Just looked through my photos for some green and found this one. Won’t be long now and we will be surrounded by green trees and grass. Alvin is in the foreground or at least part of him, lol.

Have a wonderful day.

Living with kindness, respect, compassion and patience.

Always, Carol & Alvin

It is a NEW YEAR.

Monday morning.

Good Day.

How are you doing?

Did you have a good sleep?

The sky is overcast here in Edmonton this morning.

I had a fair good sleep for a Sunday night.

Noticed that most nights have been filled with strange dreams.

The coffee is perking away.

Always a great way to begin the day.

No wind this morning for a change.

But I will say that having some wind has definitely made short work of the snow banks that lined our side of the street.

The houses that face south have had no snow for quite some time now.

I have been gradually shovelling and moving the snow in the backyard and it is almost gone.

Leaving behind a mucky yucky mess.

Yup, yes a mucky yucky mess.

I am hoping that once the bit of snow melted back there and with warmer temperatures this week that it will dry so that I can give it a good raking.

Then Alvin will be able to start using it.

This morning he went to where the last remaining bit of snow was and then could not get turned around so he walked through some of the muck.

Luckily I was keeping an eye on him and grabbed him at the door wiping off his paws.

Usually I wipe them off when he comes in from outside as you never know what he could be tracking into the house.

This is a practice that I have always done.

Not just since COVID-19 made its’ appearance.

I do not see a beautiful sunrise anywhere as I gaze out of my office window.

Oh well, we will have sunshine at some point.

 

I am excited to have the full size computer monitor to work with today and for the remainder of my time working from home.

 

Yesterday was a great day.

I had a luxurious bath with one of our Steeped Tea bath bombs.

Strangely enough I had always bought them and given them away never even trying them.

I tried to keep one in the house so that I would try them out and then a birthday would come around and I would add one to the birthday gift.

Yesterday, I did and it was wonderful.

Unfortunately we no longer see them.

Boo hoo.

Sad about that.

I actually stayed in the tub for just over 30 minutes.

Feeling really relaxed and skin so soft afterwards.

It was great.

 

Then it was Alvin’s turn.

He did not quite have the same experience as I did but I think it was okay for him.

I made sure the temperature of the water was just perfect.

Not too hot and not too cold.

Just a nice temperature for the boy.

I massaged for quite some time the shampoo into his body and I could tell that he was loving it.

He does like to have his neck and back massaged most days.

So he did enjoy it.

Not so much the drying off.

But anyway we were both feeling pretty pampered.

 

After our baths we made some phone calls.

I called my youngest brother and my sister.

I had made arrangements to speak to my older of the two brothers after supper.

So nice to speak to my family.

Everyone is doing well.

Two of them are working from home and the other is not.

Yesterday was self care day.

Relaxing baths, chatted with siblings and followed by a walk.

I will say that our walk …. well Mr. Alvin is not quite as white as he was.

He is black and white …. the white fur is not as brilliant as it was after his bath.

Oh well.

 

Well I hope that you all have an awesome day.

It is almost time to get the other computer turned on and start this new work week.

My tea order arrives today.

Tomorrow the HELLO FRESH food order arrives.

I am excited for all of the packages to arrive.

Try some new teas and check out some new food dishes.

 

Have a glorious day.

Take some time to be in nature.

Even sit in your backyard and see if you can hear the birds.

Perhaps a Robin.

On the deck or on your living room floor (place something soft under your bum).

Close your eyes and just relax.

Self-care.

Remember to hydrate.

Very important.

Nap if you can.

Enjoy.

 

Time to go and get some COFFEE.

 

In life, with kindness and respect,

I/We remain,

As always, Carol & Alvin

 

It is a NEW YEAR.

Good Saturday morning – April 11, 2020.

The sky is a bright beautiful blue filled with amazing sunlight.

YAY.

The snow is slowly melting.

Across the street from our house most of the snow has already melted uncovering brown grass waiting to turn to green.

On our side of the street facing NORTH we still have a couple of feet of snow.

But it is melting.

 

Yesterday we enjoyed 1.5 hour walk visiting with friends as we went.

I was amazed at how many people that we knew as we walked about.

The air was a bit cool but sunny and wonderful.

Alvin’s best friend came for a visit.

He was so happy to see Teddy and Teddy, Alvin.

I wouldn’t say that they really played but they did enjoy each other’s company.

In the afternoon we three went for a walk and met up with Teddy’s Mom and little sister Kobi.

There were a pair of Canada Geese out by the big pond.

We kept the “social distance” as we walked along.

There are so many more people out and about these days.

Perhaps we will all be in better physical condition after all this is over.

At least the folks in my neighbourhood as they are walking in huge numbers.

I think that is good.

Fresh air and sunlight are good for us all.

I understand if you are sick staying at home but otherwise outside following the “rules” is good for us all.

 

Last night I just finished a book that my daughter had loaned me.

Something like Happy by EVA WOODS.

I really enjoyed this book and her style of writing.

If you have an opportunity to read this book, please do so.

High recommendation.

This is the perfect read for this point in time.

 

Well today, time to get some work done around the house.

Changed bedding and once finished here I will be popping into the shower.

I have a 11:00 a.m. ZOOM meeting with two of my friends.

This should be interesting.

Our CEO had a ZOOM meeting with staff but several of us were “locked out” so to speak.

Someone said that ZOOM had a 100 capacity and well we are over 100 staff.

That makes sense.

Anyway I understand that we can see each other so I better get prettied up.

Or at least look descent.

After that my daughter might pop by …..

It is hard not to see our families if they do not live with us.

But we have a visit following the rules.

There is laundry to do and taxes.

Walking to do.

Cleaning bathrooms again.

Seems like I just did them.

 

Well I should get this show on the road.

I hope that you are all doing well.

Perhaps that Easter Bunny will hop over to your house over the weekend filling it with lovely chocolate treats.

Maybe there will be a floral delivery?

Maybe a video chat with family and friends.

I hope this finds you and your family well.

 

With kindness and respect

I/We remain,

Always, Carol & Alvin

 

Lilies Just for YOU.

 

 

 

 

It is a NEW YEAR.

Good Morning All.

How are you today?

Alvin and I are well.

For some reason beyond my expertise, Mr. Alvin was up and down every couple of hours.

He does not appear to be ill or in pain.

Perhaps he just senses all the madness that is going on in the world around him.

I have tried to ensure that I do not bring the “worry” home with me.

Looks like I will be working from home starting tomorrow.

That will be different.

 

One of my neighbours braved a trip to COSTCO and was able to pick me up a bag of coffee beans.

The necessity …. cannot go without coffee.

I usually don’t make coffee during the week at home as our office supplies us with free daily coffee (we are so lucky).

So that will spending more on coffee.

 

I am grateful though that we can do most of our jobs at home.

Working on a laptop instead of a computer will be strange.

I am hopeful that it will all work out.

 

Alvin will be happy to have me at home ( I hope ).

Last night we had a nice walk.

We did not bump into many folks out walking.

 

At the end of the day we need to remain as close to normal or to the new norm as possible.

Start a new routine.

Make sure if you are working from home that you set up a comfortable work space.

Work your same hours.

Take your breaks and lunch.

Likely a good idea to be away from any family members.

So that you can concentrate.

Go for a walk after work.

If you have a daily exercise plan – like going to the gym.

There is always some form of exercise show on television.

Follow along.

Eat your meals on time.

Drink lots of water.

They say it is very important to remain hydrated.

If you have a neighbour that lives by themselves, check on them daily.

Being isolated on your own terms is one thing but when family and friends are not able to visit on a regular basis, isolation can be a threat to your well being.

So reach out.

Do not spend much time on SOCIAL MEDIA.

There is so much negativity out there and false reports.

No one needs to worry unnecessarily.

I think we should be concerned but not to let it keep you awake at night.

Wash your hands and stay away from crowds.

Stay home if possible.

All we can do at this time, is be good to each other.

Treat all around us with kindness and respect.

 

I am so grateful for the warming trend over the next week or so.

Perhaps SPRING is close.

Babies ….. buds on the trees …..

I love spring.

The smell of melting snow and our world returning to life.

 

One of the gals that I work with is giving me a ride to and from work today.

It is laptop day …… something new to learn.

Should be interesting.

 

Well time to fly.

Take Alvin downstairs and finish putting things together.

 

Have a wonderful day.

Be safe.

 

Always, Carol & Alvin