The New YEAR 2022

Good Morning ALL! How are you this morning? I well, er slept in and am running late. So this will be a short post. I apologize. I was up in time but the sofa and the warm blanket sang out to me and I kept clicking on the “SNOOZE” button. Shame on me. On the upside, I am up and had a beautiful warm shower and am feeling comfy at the moment. I guess it was too early to turn the heat off. It is in the mid 60’s F in the house this morning. The sun is shining outside which is a good thing. There is a breeze. It is Wednesday. Half way through the work week.

Last night Mr. Alvin was not having much fun. He started to shake his head and lick his paws even more than as of late. I gave him his last pain pill with the hopes that he could settle down and get some rest which would trickle down and give me some as well. He slept okay. So today I need to make him a vet appointment. Double check his ears and get him some pain pills for the arthritis. I hope that I am able to get him in today.

We are supposed to get some moisture today. If it is raining I cannot walk him to the vet. I guess time will tell.

Well I had better get going. Sorry for the rush.

I hope that you have an awesome Wednesday. We will certainly try.

Better get to the affirmations right away. They certainly do help.

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

Always, Carol

The New YEAR 2022

Good Morning ALL! Happy Friday! Happy April Fools Day! How are you this morning? I am a bit sleepy as I could not get those 60,000 thoughts to stop cropping up in my mind. Anyway, with four “clicks on the snooze button” on my phone, I am up, showered and almost ready to work.

This post will be short but I wanted to share a cute story and some interesting information with you.

Cute Story

I heard on a morning talk show that I was listening to on my coffee break the following: a man from Florida had three pet bunnies. He loved his bunnies and wanted to let them outside in the backyard to enjoy the day. So he lets them out into the backyard. Not sure how much time elapsed before he went to check on them but when he went out they were gone. The three bunnies had escaped. He looked everywhere. No bunnies. Man was sad as he loves his cute pet bunnies. One day three months later he happened to look out the window into the backyard and what did he see: bunnies, bunnies and more bunnies, 80 to be exact. How could this happen you say? Well females can get pregnant the same day they give birth. The gestation period of a bunny is 28-35 days. Females can give birth at 10-12 weeks old. Yikes. Truly babies having babies. The part that was interesting to me was not really the number as everyone knows bunnies can multiply quickly (I did not know the exact stats) but the fact that the three bunnies brought their children, their children’s children and so on, back home. How did they know home? Food for thought. True Story.

Information

I was watching the Ellen show yesterday and Brene Brown was on. Such an interesting person. I have heard the name but did not know much about her. She has studied human behavior for over two decades.

There is neuroscience behind: Emotional pain lights up the same area of the brain as the physical pain. Isn’t that interesting. Heart break, loss, shame and so much more can feel as badly as a burn for example.

She said that we want so hard to believe that we are cognitive thinking beings that on occasion get inconvenienced by emotion.

But in truth: we are EMOTIONAL BEINGS who on occasion think.

We are emotional beings that have thoughts.

Food for thought. Explains so much. I felt so much better about being emotional. I guess we are hardwired that way.

Gotta go.

Have a great day. Be safe and don’t worry if you are emotional! You are not alone.

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

Always, Carol & Alvin

PS: My daughter comes for supper tonight, yay AND the sun was pretty, the sky is pretty much clear. It is a great day!

2021

Good Morning ALL! How are you this morning? It is Tuesday, July 6th, 2021 and it is RAINING here in Edmonton. The grass has changed a few shades of green already since the rain started.

Unfortunately this post will be short. On our noon walk yesterday, Mr. Alvin began to limp (his right hind leg). We stopped right away so that I could check and see if he had stepped on a stone or something. Nothing.

We got home and when I attempted to help him onto the sofa, he cried. He has cried about four times since noon yesterday. Limping along he has managed to take the short jump off the deck or else go up or down the three steps to the grass area to go to the bathroom. We had an okay sleep on the sofa but he really wanted to come upstairs and it took me quite some time to convince him to sleep on the sofa. But we did. He happily ate his breakfast this morning and even managed to get down to the grass to pee and back up. I helped him onto the sofa got him comfy and gave him instructions to stay while I ran upstairs to wash and quickly get dressed. All of a sudden I saw him, the little guy had managed to get all the way upstairs with a sore hind leg. I guess mind over matter.

Today was/is his regular appointment to get his nails trimmed, anal glands and ears checked. So timing for sure. I am going to call the vet this morning and see if he should come sooner or if they even can get him in sooner. He does not appear to be in constant pain (I am sure that he is) but dogs are good at masking their pain.

I always make sure that the boy is okay and well looked after.

Time to head back downstairs. He is becoming restless.

I will keep you posted.

Could be a sprained or pulled muscle, he had a neck one last summer. I know how easy it is for that to happen.

Have a great day.

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

Always, Carol & Alvin

Second Half of the NEW YEAR.

Good Morning and Welcome to Monday the 20th day of July 2020.

The sun is shining brightly here in Edmonton.

The sky is a bright blue (no rain clouds).

The morning air remains cool and refreshing and there is only the slightest hint of a breeze.

 

Well our household is not back to normal.

Perhaps it never will.

Mr. Alvin and I slept on the sofa last night.

I figured one less time he would have to go upstairs and I have been carrying him down.

So have to keep that to a minimum.

He never has liked me to be out of sight and now even less.

It took us awhile to get settled down.

He did jump off the sofa last night and cried as he made contact with the floor.

Walking over to his bed on the floor he laid down.

I then laid back down on the sofa but a bit later he came back to the sofa for the night.

It was warm in the house even with the window open a crack.

So I decided at one point to turn on the fan.

Once we settled down we both slept.

This morning we did all of our main floor routine before coming upstairs.

I figured that I would just come upstairs in time to brush my teeth and wash my face, get dressed, write this post and then go to work.

I can then slip downstairs to grab my coffee and he usually stays up here anyway so that should work.

By the time coffee break comes it will be about four hours since he went for a bathroom break so I will have to carry him downstairs.

Very carefully I might add.

 

Most of our day yesterday was good as we had lots of company.

Two of my friends came in the morning for coffee and then my daughter came for a visit as well.

I always enjoy spending time with the girls.

 

We did not go out for a walk but I am hoping to try again today.

I think they are forecasting about 25 degrees today so it will be a late afternoon early evening walk.

Likely just a short one …. I don’t want to push him.

I understand as well that he is getting older.

He turned 11 in January so that makes him 11.5 years old.

Now that was an approximate date but not out by much, I don’t think.

Last night I also texted with one of my friends from Regina.

I am not sure why we didn’t just call each other but texting is beginning to be a habit for us all.

Even though it takes longer to get a thought across and then there is spell check and don’t get me started on that “feature.”

 

So I guess as I recently read in a post by Maria Shriver …. take one day at a time, sometimes half a day or sometimes one hour at a time….

Not exact words but you get the idea.

I really enjoy reading posts and Maria Shriver’s Sunday Paper.

She just makes sense to me.

 

I need that coffee this morning.

This weekend was a revelation as well.

I had decided just at the end of last week to change my August vacation from two weeks to one.

Then with the recent events starting with the after hours calls on Thursday night and then Alvin and with help with my daughter; I realized that I do need to take two weeks vacation.

It has been a long haul and with recent events, I need a nice break.

Time to do my thing even if that thing is just relaxing with Alvin.

So I emailed my Manager to see if I can once again change my mind.

I hope that it is not a big deal.

Sometimes we don’t realize just how close we are to “that point” until someone tells us.

That point has arrived and if I want to stay healthy in body, mind and soul, I have to look after me.

I have to stop always putting everyone and everything in front of my needs.

Meaning that if I do not look after me first – then how can I look after anyone or anything else.

That sounds better.

Man, I need to run and grab that coffee.

 

We had another two big storms yesterday.

One about 5 p.m. and the other a short time later.

Lots of heavy rainfall, thunder and lightning.

I don’t think that the storms are helping Alvin much either.

Seems like everything just has come to a head this weekend.

 

I have learned so much this weekend.

I do hope and pray that Alvin recovers quickly and in full.

Thinking that his days of jumping up and down from the bed, sofa, chair and possibly stairs might be over.

Perhaps he will be able to do the stairs with some help.

Definitely not onto the hard floor even though I have strategically placed mats with padding in the places where he goes up and down.

These past few months have been full of change.

I have been trying to roll with it and find my way.

I guess we all have …..

 

Time to go and grab my coffee.

Wishing you a wonderful day.

Please keep Alvin in your thoughts and with positive energy.

I will monitor him for one more day and if no change back to the vet tomorrow …..

Big sigh from the boy as he lays on his bed not far away from me.

Living with kindness and respect.

I/We shall remain,

As Always, Carol & Alvin

 

Second Half of the NEW YEAR

Good Morning,

Slightly overcast.

This will be short as I am not sure what is wrong with Alvin.

I took him to the vet yesterday and his other ear now has an yeast infection.

So we got medicine.

I also picked up some pains meds for his legs/paws.

But last night he was fussy and this morning would not jump off the bed.

He would not walk downstairs.

He ate breakfast.

Wouldn’t jump onto his chair or off.

When I came upstairs, he was whining.

He did gingerly come upstairs.

Clearly something wrong.

So this will be short.

I have to go and tend to the boy.

 

With kindness and respect

I/We, shall remain

As Always, Carol & Alvin

Story Line by line – August 8th, 2013

FIRST LINE …..July 25, 2013

As we walk along the water’s edge the coolness leaves my skin with goose bumps and prickles, as if there is someone behind me.

July 26, 2013

Alvin pulls on his leash and brings me back, the fragrance of freshly cut grass fills my nostrils; my heart beat quickens, and I am unable to shake the feeling.

July 28, 2013

The sky is overcast with a hint of sunrise peeking through and the leaves of the trees rustle in the breeze, and I think how did I get here? 

July 29, 2013

What does that mean, and what is making me think these thoughts?

July 30, 2013

All of a sudden the leash tightens as Alvin pulls me forward.

July 31, 2013

My body lurches forward as I fight to keep my balance, what is going on …. “Alvin,” I cry as things appear to be happening in slow motion.

August 1, 2013

Alvin turns his head and with eyes as big as saucers; I suddenly realize what is going to happen.

August 2, 2013

I had no control, and could feel my breath slowly leaving my body as it was happening.

August 5, 2013

As the fog lifts from my brain and I come round; I realize that quite some time has passed as dusk has fallen, and then the horrifying thought comes to my mind where is my Alvin?

August 6, 2013

My thoughts turn immediately to the searing pain in my head as I try to stand the pain is impossible but I must ….. try to….

August 7, 2013

I do not understand what happened;  partially putting things together, realizing my thoughts turn to my beloved Alvin ….. as I try to call out his name…. I feel something warm against my body.

August 8, 2013

Suddenly I hear voices off in the distance calling my name.

Thought for the day….

Today is Monday, Easter Monday, April the 9th, 2012.

The sun is shining here in Edmonton and the sky is a pretty pale blue.

Our office was closed on Good Friday and also today.

I hope that you had a wonderful Easter weekend.

Today I am going to go out and work on collecting the information for the Census.

I hope to get lots of people still at home.

I guess I should share my experience from Friday.

On the very last home for the day ….. I took a tumble from the step.

Not sure what exactly happened.

All I know is one minute I was looking at my clipboard and putting the pages in order and the next I was lying on the cement.

I landed on my right hand.  My clothes were dirty, the knuckles on my left hand were cut and my pinkie finger on my right hand was cut.

At that point in time, it was more pride than anything that hurt.  So I got up, dusted myself off and continued home.

It wasn’t until much later in the evening that my right hand began to swell up and become very painful.

When I went to bed it was almost unbearable, my pain tolerance is quite high so I knew it was bad.

I did not have any “painkillers” of any sort in my home.

So I sucked it up and tried to get a bit of sleep.

In the morning, I found a sling and rested my arm in it.

By doing that …. it helped.  A bit later my daughter came over and brought me some ADVIL.

After taking a couple of them ….. things were better.

So by time I got up Sunday morning the swelling was gone and I felt so much better.

But I did not do anything on Saturday ….. just had my arm in a sling and laid on the sofa and watched t.v.

Yesterday it felt much better but I figured better not push things.

So today I am all ready to go and work on the Census.  I sure hope that people are home.

So it was a crazy, strange weekend for me.

I did get some rest but not quite in the way that I had imagined.

I think Alvin was happy that I was at home despite no walks.

So that was my Easter weekend.

Oh, I forgot my daughter bought me the most exquisite pink carnations, took me grocery shopping and bought me coffee and we even took a couple of moments to check out a couple of showhomes.

I hope that you had a great Easter weekend ….. no spills ….. just fun.

Time to have a shower and get the show on the road.

Have a great day whether you are at home or going to work.

Special Hello to:  Aunt Helen and cousin Teddy …..  you are in our thoughts and prayers.   We love you guys.

 

Always, Carol and Alvin