Last Half 2022 – September

Good Morning ALL! As the mornings begin to be progressing cooler and the daytime temperatures slowly start to return to normal (not for today, tomorrow, or Sunday) we breathe a collective sigh of relief. I am not saying that folks do not like warm temperatures but there are hot temps and then there are HOT temps. 30+ celsius is way too hot. Thankfully with the cooler mornings and having had the windows opened last night, it is quite cool in the house this morning and hopefully it will remain comfortable as the day progresses. I have noticed over the past few weeks how our daytime highs seem to be hitting so much later in the day. I wonder why that is? Note to self: google it.

This has been a transition year for so many people as some people are making their way back to their “offices” to their jobs at their place of employment. We have been working from home with the minimum attendance at the office. Our productivity has been off the charts and minimum use of sick days but at the end of the day our management team has decided that they “need” us back in the office. The reasons that we were given are “social” – better to have face to face with other teams and your own teams, training is easier and they want to see us. There has been much debate and many tears as we crumble to the decisions made by others. After coming up to three years of mainly working from home, we would we turn back? As one team member said “why fix something that is not broken.” If it is training that is an issue, staff could go to the office to be trained. I am so filled with emotion over this decision. At first we were told that effective immediately we go to the office “three days a week” and now didn’t that put everyone into a tailspin. How can people get child care and other arrangements in place over a long weekend? Not likely very easily. The decision after some discussion was changed a few times and the end result was one day at the office per week for September, two days per week in October and then transitioning to three days per week come November. I am not quite sure how I am going to be able to manage these changes with Mr. Alvin and his health issues. One day per week and possibly two, I may be able to get a friend to come and check on him at lunch time but that is quite a time commitment and I have not got my head wrapped around this. There are other options but I am not ready for them at this point in my life. They would mean major changes. I have had plenty of major changes over my lifetime. So anyway that is the story. We will be back into being crammed into an area that has very little natural light, packed in like sardines as I like to say (well maybe not quite that close but very close) and the noise level when everyone is back makes it difficult to talk on the phone. Anyway the decision was made and that is that as they say. I am grateful for the time that I have been able to work from home and yes, it would have been perfection to continue until I retire. I guess unfortunately for most of us this is not a perfect world. Not where close.

The back to the office also adds with it, additional costs. Parking/transportation/long commute. Poor Alvin, I worry about him. I worry for all those pets now being left alone once again. Did you know that they will not drink or very little if they cannot go outside to pee? Or there will be accidents. I wish in hindsight that I had known to train him to pee on pads, then some of the stress would have been relieved.

Well time to head outside for a walk. I am only working this morning as Mr. Alvin has another vet appointment, this one is to trim his nails etc. His regular appointment. It has been a stressful and financial straining week.

I look forward to a hopefully quiet and uneventful weekend.

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

Always, Carol & Alvin

The New YEAR 2022

Good Morning ALL! How are you doing this morning? We are in the homestretch of the two week stay of Miss Cookie. Her family arrives back in Edmonton this evening at 7:30 p.m. As much as it has been lovely having her with us, we are looking forward to the quiet of just me and Alvin. No more “pee pads” strewn all all over the house and no little dribbles to clean up along the way. She is a sweet little one.

We were not up to stay as early as I had originally planned but definitely earlier than the past week. At this moment there is snow coming down. A few minutes ago I was out shovelling a bit on the deck and it was not snowing but had been snowing during the night and early morning hours. Looks like we are going to get a bunch more snow. I hope that this does not delay Cookie’s family from arriving tonight as we are getting low on pee pads even with a friend dropping off a bunch this past Friday night. Time will tell.

The pups are chasing each other in the hallway as I write this post. She is growling as Alvin chases her around. She hides under the desk and he of course cannot fit under the desk with the chair rolled under. Then she comes out and they quietly walk to the hallway where Alvin lays on his belly and she goes beside him and does the same. I think that they like each other. They do get along quite well.

Well I see lots of shovelling in my future. I will need to shovel the driveway. Tomorrow is garbage pick up so will need to do the driveway later on and by then hopefully the snow has stopped. There is so much more snow than last year. The rooftops are showing quite the heavy blanket and that always worries me. There is no way that I can remove snow from my roof.

Tomorrow is back to work. Cannot believe that ten days or so has passed already. Time flies. Back to the routine, back to normal. Our new normal.

Well I should get these yahoos downstairs and get this day going. A cup of coffee always tastes great first thing in the morning. Oh, they are wrestling / running again. Alvin does not want to but she does.

I wish you a great Monday. Be safe and keep warm.

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

Always, Carol, Alvin and Cookie.

P.S. Well Miss Cookie it has been fun!

2021

Good Morning ALL! Well we made it through another night. One of us who shall remain nameless (ME) had to get up and go to the bathroom and then the young one was awake. She did pretty good and better when we went downstairs to the sofa. She seems to like the main floor better, not sure why. She spent most of the night on the cushioned bench at the end of our bed. OH, today we are at THREE SLEEPS until CHRISTMAS EVE. YAY. Almost there. I found out yesterday when my daughter dropped by at noon that her BF will be joining us on Christmas Eve. I cannot remember the last time we had someone join the three amigos on Christmas Eve. We are excited to say the least. Oh and just to add: Cookie peed last night but a bit missed the pee pad and ended up on my white rug (yes, the rug in my bedroom). She did better. So more cleaning done.

Well it has been an interesting couple of days or not quite that yet with little Cookie. Yesterday we peed on the mat at the foot of the stairs that was covering a yoga mat making Alvin’s landing when he comes downstairs easier and going up gives him courage. Anyway, it was a “pad” of sorts, so what can you do. So the mat got an extra wash. All good as new. She pooped on the pad at noon which was great. How is it that my life always seems to revolve around POOP? OMG, I guess it is an important function of most life forms on this planet. In some way, shape or form. LOL. Anyway, things are getting better. She seems more calm. This morning she ate a bit more of Alvin’s hard food. A bit later I will try some of her wet food and see what happens. She is drinking lots of water and everything is coming out the back end, lol. I love how she lays beside me on the sofa with Alvin on the other side. We are settling in.

She has disappeared somewhere so I had better cut this short. Alvin is in his regular spot right outside the office door.

I wish you a great December 21st, 2021. The big day is almost here. I cannot wait.

Continuing to live this life with kindness, respect, compassion, patience (definitely working on this one), love, laughter, understanding and gratitude.

Always, Carol, Alvin and Cookie.

P.S. Puppies always teach me to be patient as do older dogs. A good lesson to learn and practice.

It is a NEW YEAR.

Wow, so excited for another bright sunny morning.

There is not much of a breeze this morning so the temperature will feel warmer (fingers crossed).

Always makes me feel great when the sun is shining.

Mr. Alvin actually slept right through until 4:52 this morning.

Which was great.

 

This morning at 9:00 a.m., Alvin’s BF Teddy and his little sister Kobi are coming to spend the day.

First time Kobi has spent the day with us since the week at the end of January.

She has grown and hopefully a bit more calm but time will tell.

Kobi really is still a puppy so cannot expect her to sit in a corner with paws crossed not moving.

I tried to puppy proof the main floor and upstairs.

It was a difficult decision to make about blocking off the stairs so that Teddy and Kobi would remain on the main floor.

Alvin would not stay downstairs without me (especially if he knows I am upstairs).

Last time Kobi was here my attempts at keeping her downstairs failed miserably.

So this time I am going to live dangerously and leave the entrance to upstairs unbarricaded.

I have closed the doors to the bedrooms up here.

Placed the water dish in the bathroom.

A couple of pee pads just in case (hopefully if need them they get used).

Downstairs I moved things around just a bit.

A plant over there and also placed a couple of pee pads in stragetic spots.

So we are ready for the gang to arrive.

I made up another little bed in the office just in case someone wants to lay down.

I will take photos of the pups when I can.

We should manage okay as I pretty much have a break every couple of hours.

At that time everyone will go outside for a pee break and some sunshine.

 

We enjoyed 1.5 walks yesterday.

At noon we got our full walk in and under our belts.

After work we spotted our friend P in her yard working and amazingly enough she was just about to take a break.

She invited us in and we had a visit on our patio.

My friend P celebrates a birthday on Saturday.

I always love sitting in her yard admiring all of her beautiful flowers.

This year she put different flowers together in pots.

She also has a full on flower garden with shrubs and trees.

A bird bath where the little songsters come to hang out.

They love watching them from their windows or from the patio.

Great way to start the day my friend told me.

 

Well I can feel a sneeze coming on.

Achoo Achoo.

Kleenex …. yes, please.

Time of the year for allergies.

 

I hope that this finds you in good health.

Wishing you a Wednesday full of love and laughter.

If you are working from home I hope that you take some breaks.

I know it is hard sometimes ….. I am busy in my job.

If it was not for Alvin, I would like work a great many more hours than I already do.

Yup, I am guilty of putting in extra time.

I do it for my clients and for my well being.

As oddly as it sounds.

Perhaps my idea of well being is mixed up, I do not know.

Oh well.

I feel great and that is important.

 

Time to fly.

Just like a bird.

High in the sky.

Not this bird.

I will slide over.

Time to work.

 

Have an awesome day.

Filled with kindness and respect.

I/We, shall remain,

As Always, Carol & Alvin

 

 

 

Thought for the day …..

Good Morning and Welcome to Friday the 26th day of October 2018.

The house is extra quiet this morning without our little friend Teddy.

He brings joy to our house.

Alvin misses him, I know as he is following me extra close this morning.

Guess it is just you and me for now.

Me and You, You and Me, Mr. Alvin.

Oh my boy.

 

Last night after arriving home to two excited pups.

I tried to let them go outside but both them ran to find a chew treat to take with them.

Teddy grabbed a toy first and shook it about and then finally after a few minutes grabbed a chew treat and out he went.

I cannot imagine how it must feel to not pee for that many hours.

In my defence, if there is such a thing, I had left pee pads out.

One in the kitchen and one in the front entranceway.

After eating and changing and some time to say hello, we went for a walk.

We walked Teddy home.

It was light jacket weather and oh, so beautiful.

So enjoyed the past few walks as the weather has been perfect.

The boys walked along side by side like two brothers OR father and son.

They have the same colouring so often times before close inspection folks believe they are related.

They bring a joy to my heart and settle me right down after my day.

Thank you my furry bundles of joy.

Thank you.

 

When we arrived at Teddy’s home, his Momma and Papa invited us in for tea.

Well me for tea and well Alvin straight to Teddy’s food dish.

Made short work of that….. what a guy.

Followed by treats.

Not quite sure where he puts all that food.

We had tea and a wonderful visit.

 

Well thankfully it is Friday.

I love Fridays and the weekends.

Time to do things around the house and spend time with Alvin and sometimes family and friends.

I love putzing about the house and yard.

I am ever so grateful that I am able to live here in this home and have a yard.

My heart is full with family, friends, Alvin, this house, this life.

I have enough YING and YANG to keep me going for several decades.

The perfect balance between home and work life.

Although I would love to find a way to make a living by writing.

Just have to do it.

Sometimes we are our own worst roadblocks.

 

Well almost time to leave for work.

I hope that you have an awesome Friday.

Take some time for you – always take some time for you.

If you are not in a good place you are not able to be in good places with others.

 

Special Hello to: my youngest brother who is starting to awaken a new dream, you can do it.

Always, Carol & Alvin