Last Half 2022 – October

Good Morning ALL! We had a good sleep. Lights out at 10:00, first time up was 3:00 a.m. (we both had to pee, lol). It was so nice out at that time, the sky was clear and you could see so many stars. Beautiful. We hit the sofa and the next time up was almost 7:30, then up to feed Mr. Alvin. At that time the sky was overcast and dark. We slowly started the “get up” process after that 7:30. I am finding it hard to get up when it is dark and when I do not have to worry about going anywhere, like work. I have a list of chores to do today but the most important thing is to get through to the bank regarding my mortgage renewal. Still hoping that I have the winning lotto ticket from last night. ONE MILLION DOLLARS would be perfect and I would be mortgage free and RETIRED. Oh, I can see it all in my head, in my mind. It would be great. Get up in the morning when we wanted to or at least not have to worry about going anywhere early in the day. I would be here for Mr. Alvin. We could walk whenever. I would have more time to write, to go through and organize my photos on the computer. Perhaps make some jewelry. Just more time for myself. Oh, that would be wonderful. Mortgage FREE, that is a dream of mine. It is probably a dream for most people. Especially these days with the ever increasing costs of utilities, food and mostly everything. Keep dreaming, we have to hold onto HOPE and DREAMS!

This morning when we were laying on the bed, Alvin was dozing and I was looking out of the window, actually not long ago. I watched as the few remaining small red leaves on my neighbours’ tree danced in the breeze. They were doing this little hula dance. Behind that tree and in between the dancing leaves, I could see a gold light as the sunrise lit up the leaves on some very tall trees. I was surprised by the amount of leaves still on those trees. So beautiful. Now there is daylight but the sky is overcast. I have to check to see what the temperature will be for today.

Yesterday, I used my brand new SHARK vacuum and it is amazing. Picked up the dust and hair, was light and easy to handle and most importantly easy to put together and to clean. I love my new vacuum. Best purchase award. Besides vacuuming the floor, I actually put on the attachment and cleaned the blinds or at least if there was dust on them. I still need to wash them but the day got away on me. We went for a walk mid afternoon and walked to our friend Pauline’s. At her back gate, Mr. Alvin started to bark before I could call out as I could see her kitchen window open. She happen to look out and to see us and invited us in for a visit. We had a great chat with a cup of tea. The conversation was at lightning speed as we covered all of our news, questions and the lot. Pauline’s husband was on his way home from a hunting trip up north and some of her family were also coming over for supper. So we did not have much time. We were home at 4:30. The walk was most enjoyable. I only had a sweater on over top of my tee shirt and jeans and was very comfortable. Once home I fed Mr. Alvin, turned on the dryer to finish the load and one last load of laundry. I decided to call the bank and see if I could get the mortgage process started but spent several minutes on hold. I tried a second time and still waited. So I decided that I would call them this morning. So have to get this day going. Already it is after 9:00 a.m. It would be so nice to be more of a morning person and able to get up easier. Oh well.

Fingers crossed when I check my lotto ticket – that I have a large windfall winning ticket. Oh, that would be wonderful. Can you imagine winning the lotto? I sure can.

I hope that you have a great Sunday. One more day remaining in October, where did the time go? I work from home tomorrow which is great with it being Halloween and all. I will be set up when the kids start coming around. I have leftovers for supper as well, so that will be great.

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

Always, Carol & Alvin

PS: I am so grateful that Alvin and I are in good health. I am grateful that we have a good life. I am grateful for our home, our amazing family and great friends, to have a source of income, to see, to hear, to taste and smell, to touch and to be me. Life is GREAT!

Last Half 2022 – September

Good Morning ALL! Thank goodness today is Saturday, I love the weekends. I get to putz around my home, perhaps see some friends and family and go for walks with Alvin. I am making a list of all the things that I need to do before you know what arrives, I cannot even bear to utter the words, so I will leave it up to your imagination. If you live in Western Canada or Canada, you will know exactly to which I am referring. Now I do very much love certain elements of that time. Fall arrives officially on September 22, 2022 which is not long off. I have plants to winterize in the house, the big tree out front to trim, the back flower bed to get ready, finish the front (which will be about a five minute job), clean the outside windows that I can reach and show be getting especially the gutter of the porch cleaned as it is full of crap. Anyway that does not include putting away the furniture from deck (which does not take long) and cleaning out the remaining flower pots. So lots of outside things to do. There is one item on my list that I must find someone to give me a hand and that is trimming the tree. The branches are too high for me and even with a ladder holding that long pole trimmer, I can imagine that would be way too much for me. The pole has a bit of weight to it and with the sharp blade tool on the end and having to pull the long string to work the blade, nope not for me. I do trim the lower branches every year by myself. Perhaps later today I will try and do some.

Inside the house the blinds need to be cleaned again, they sure seem to be getting dusty more quickly. I would love at some point to remove and replace them. They have been good to me and done what they needed to do but some of them are discoloured from the sunlight which happens over more than a decade. Another item on my list. Oh that dreaded list! Do you have a list? Oh, I am sorry, I neglected to ask how you were doing this day. How are you? Very well, I hope.

Perhaps with a long list of things to do, it will give me the energy and drive to actually do more than a bit of cleaning and laundry. With the heat over the last few weeks, Alvin’s health issues and the work stuff, I am exhausted. Not burned out, I don’t think. I just need to lay down for about three days and sleep, lol. Okay, perhaps a slight exaggeration!

The temperatures are going to be just perfect this weekend. 25-26 degrees celsius. Cooling off in the evening. My kids and grandpups are camping for one last time. I hope that they were warm and comfy last night and tonight and tomorrow night.

Tonight I am actually going out. Signe invited me and Gillian over for a paint night. She has the canvases and the picture that we are going to mimic. They are always fun. At first, I thought with Alvin and stuff, that I would stay at home with him but I realize that all I do is stay home with him except for the odd 45 minute trip to the grocery store and now the days going to work. Work does not count. That is not for fun. So I am going out. YAY, me. Signe’s folks are visiting from Eastern Canada. I love to see them, her Mom is so much fun. I know her the best from previous interactions. So I know that I will have a good time. Surrounded by friends is a good thing. If you have been just staying home – time to get out for a bit. Have some laughs and special time with family and friends. Yes. Alvin will be okay for a couple of hours or so.

Tomorrow I am having some neighbours over for a visit. That would be Cookie’s family. With the return to work on the near horizon, I am looking at all the possibilities for Mr. Alvin. It does take a village and I am accumulating one. Not much time so I am working on it.

Also I need to get busy and contact the bank regarding the mortgage renewal. Honestly, it would be so wonderful to own the house outright. Just me, myself and I. That is a huge dream of mine.

Well the coffee has perked and I need to get dressed and get this day going although it has been going for awhile. Whoops, time to pay bills as well. Better not forget that. I love to have my bills always paid on time. Also helps to look at it as though you are helping to pay someone else’s salary and not just give money to the owners or shareholders or whatever.

Have a wonderful day. Stay warm and safe. I hope that the fires are going out near Jasper and all around us. I feel for the wildlife that have been lost and injured and those left behind. Humans have a much better chance of getting out of a wildfire. They do not.

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

Fall / Autumn and the new fall t.v. lineup is right around the corner. My fav shows will be back.

Always, Carol & Alvin

P.S. Sometimes I think it would be nice to have someone to share all of this with in addition to Mr. Alvin. He is not too great at trimming trees or paying the bills. But he sure is darn cute.