The New YEAR 2022

Good Morning ALL! How are you this morning? The sun is shining this morning so we are off to a great start. Today is Wednesday. Another great thing about having a long weekend. Short work week. The sky is a glorious powder blue. I could see my breath outside earlier this morning which is not great for the plants. My geraniums are not doing great. I should have taken them in and out for a few days. But who knows, maybe they will make a come back. I hope so. I have had those plants for over two years now. They have brought me great joy with their beautiful green leaves and pretty pink flowers. Fingers crossed. Most of the other plants look to be doing okay. I hope that we are in for some nice low 20’s celsius temperatures from now on. Perfection.

Mr. Alvin. He always seems to have it the worse at night. I think he is tired now, too. He can doze on his bed but I have to work. Which is sooner than later. I slept in. The SNOOZE BUTTON is way too easy. Not a good thing either. But anyway, I am grateful that we are both breathing and are here for another day on this beautiful planet. We did get out for a walk yesterday. The whole route. I was a bit apprehensive because of his recent issue with his front paws. I cleaned them immediately upon our return home. I cannot see anything “pink or red” so hopefully all is well. If he licks his paws or is out of sorts today, I will call the vet right away. We should get a “family discount.”

Not much new in this house. I am happy it is Wednesday and that I have ground coffee beans to make myself a wonderful cup of perked coffee. The best coffee ever.

I hope that you have a wonderful day. Perhaps you planted your garden and flowers on the weekend or maybe you are waiting until the beginning of June. Our growing season is so short here in Western Canada that as soon as we can – we plant.

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

Always, Carol & Alvin

The New YEAR 2022

Good Morning ALL! The sky is filled with what appears to be rain clouds. There is a slight breeze. The temperature when we were outside earlier is actually quite nice. Not exactly sure the number as I did not google it yet this morning. Mr. Alvin did not have a great sleep last night. He was up and down. We ended up on the sofa at 12:32 AM, I am so grateful that the sofa is comfortable and that we have the red warm blanket to cuddle under. I checked his paws and I do not see any places where there is an open wound from the removal of the hair matts. Which still freaks me out and writing and sharing it with all of you. Well, I feel like a bad “Momma.” My poor Alvin.

He spent a bit of time outside with me yesterday while I was repotting my geraniums. They are looking a bit “not pleased” with the new situation. I remember two years ago when I repotted them and it took awhile for them to acclimatize to their new home. Perhaps I should have brought them in and out more than just two days. Well it has been done. Only time will tell, if I made the right call or not. My pansies and violas and tomatoes are doing well. The oregano seems to be growing as well. I planted the begonias in flower pots and placed them on the front porch. The colours are amazing. There are four of them. Begonias that is. The impatiens I planted some in a pot and put the remaining five in the front flower bed along with the borage seeds. I am excited to see if those plants grow from seeds. The ferns are coming up so I left them. Planting done for now. I would still like to get some petunias. The backyard does not have much colour at the moment. The violas and pansies are the holding up that end and are so pretty with purples, white and yellow mix.

Fingers crossed about Mr. Alvin.

I sold a outdoor glider that I had as I am downsizing things around here.

Well it is time to head downstairs and put on the coffee, I really really need it this morning.

I hope that you had a great long weekend. Ours was a mix but I am grateful that Alvin is on the mend. Positive thoughts.

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

Always, Carol & Alvin

P.S. I am grateful to be alive, to be in good health, to have Mr. Alvin in my life, for sunshine and rainbows, for my own house, for oranges in the fridge and peanut butter, for this post and all of you. Happy Tuesday.

PPS. Perhaps I will be able to get a couple of baskets with petunias.

The New YEAR 2022

Good Morning ALL! I hope that you have been enjoying this long weekend. Perhaps you live somewhere on the planet is not having a long weekend, in that case, I hope that you had a great weekend all the same. The sky is a brilliant powder blue with wisps of white slender clouds dispersed through. The sun is shining ever so brightly. There is a bit of a breeze.

I PLANTED some of my flowers early, meaning I planted some of them late yesterday afternoon – early early evening. After I had supper. I just could not wait. The pansies, violas, lavender, two other plants that I do not remember their names, three tomato plants and oregano. I found that my grass and lavender plants that had wintered in the garage covered with layers of sheets may have survived. The grass is partially green and alive so I pulled the dead spears and gave it a good drink of water. Time will tell. The lavender I wanted to change pots so I placed it in a smaller pot with fresh dirt and water. My Canna Lily seems to be the same as last year. A few long leaves from the same bulb. The same one that wintered in the basement. Maybe a smaller pot! I will just put it back out in the sun and see what happens. Today I will be planting the flowers out front. I have a flower bed that needs some colour. Those good old ferns are coming up. I thought they were all pulled but they are hardy creatures. I will leave them. If they survive and are coming up and green, they deserve a chance at life. YAY. I have impatiens that are pink and then some beautiful begonias. The begonias are a rich coral, yellow, white and pink. I cannot wait to plant them. I think that I will put the begonias in pots on the steps and the impatiens in the flower bed. My daughter gave me some seeds for borage plants. Time to get them into the ground. Also I am changing my geraniums that have been keeping residence in my kitchen since last summer and oh so pretty pink flowers and putting them into bigger pots on the deck. I hope that they do well. Yesterday I put them outside for a few hours. I cannot wait for everything to be planted and growing and the beautiful colours that will be outside my home in the front and back. One plant that I do not have this year is petunias. Perhaps I will be able to get a basket or two at some point and set them on the deck. Love petunias! Oh, almost forgot that I have to finish the back garden. Couple of small bushes need to be finished pulling out or cutting down and see if they come back. There are a few weeks and some dead leaves on some of the perennials which are slowly starting to turn green. It is a space that does not get too much direct sunlight but does get some. I need to change things up in there. In time.

I, we are enjoying the weekend. Last night after just a few hours short of 4 days I decided to abandon putting on the socks when Alvin goes into the back yard. I washed his paws and dried them before bed and put on the salve. We won’t go for a walk today and give him one more day. I checked his paws as good as he will allow and they appear to be healed or I don’t see anything red, which is a good sign. He really was pretty good about the sock thing. Yes, I have photos to share. I will get them uploaded? downloaded?

Time for coffee. Mr. Alvin got me up this morning. I guess with all of the up and downs, my body just wants to remain cozy and warm under the blanket on the sofa. Thankfully Mr. Alvin had other plans and forced me to get my fanny farkle off the sofa. Good thing!

I hope that you have a great Monday – whether you are at home – at work – wherever you might be!

Thank you for reading my post. I am so grateful for you and your time.

Happy Monday.

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

Always, Carol & Alvin

P.S. I am grateful to be alive, to have our beautiful home shortly to be surrounded by pretty flowers, for good health, for good friends and family, for employment, for sunshine and rainbows, for good food and you!

The New YEAR 2022

Good Morning! Happy Saturday. Welcome to our never ending SAGA. The house of almost no sleep. That is how I feel at this moment. I had planned to get up earlier but when you are up and up from 1:30 onward getting up and staying up at 7:00 does not look much like a plan. Poor Mr. Alvin is not having a good time of it all. We cannot walk until at least Monday. Whenever he is outside in the backyard he has to wear something on his feet. The only thing that I could come up with is, some of my socks. I found some that had good elastic in the top so that they would not slide off right away. Every time he goes outside I have to go with him no matter the time of day or night. Usually the socks slip down and I am walking behind him hiking them up. At first he was unhappy about the socks but now he is okay. We only started this yesterday morning after I call his Doctor. I spoke with one of the staff and was told he needs to wear something on his front paws to keep them clean so that they can heal. Makes sense to me. I had been between the time we came home on Thursday afternoon and until Friday morning washing and drying them off each time he went outside. This is a bit easier. Both Alvin and I are tired. I am grateful though that his paws will heal soon. So no hair cut or bath this long weekend. That will have to wait until next weekend. I will depending on the weather plant my flowers perhaps on Monday.

We were so happy to have our girl stop by on her way home for a visit. I made us coffee and we had a good visit. So much conversation and catching up. Seems like lots happening. I asked her to hold up Alvin so that I could more clearly see where to place the salve but it was difficult with Mr. Squirmy Pants. But I have a better idea. At the Vet they showed me but somehow I needed to see again at home. Everything is different at home, right?

So busy weekend. I want to wash down the deck, pull out all of my flower pots to plan what will go where, pull out the last bit of the two shrubs from the back flower bed, clean out said flower bed, put in a pile all those items to go to the ECO Station, clean out the office closet, go through Christmas stuff in the basement and the big cupboard with craft supplies etc. which is in the family room. We may have one of my daughter and son-in-law’s friends come to stay with us for a little while while she finds a place on this side of the city. So I need to get prepared. Even if she decides not to, I need to go through things and get ready for the June garage sale. Lots to do. Hopefully the weather will hold. There was frost on the ground this morning. I need to trim the grass in the backyard as it is long. Time to charge the battery pack for the grass trimmer. Sometimes I use it instead of my push lawn mower. Easy peasy.

So as per always plans change. But that is okay, my whole life has been a series of changes. I am sure that most people feel this way. I am accustomed to change but that doesn’t mean that I like things changing constantly. But that is life.

I am so grateful for the bright blue sky and the sun shining this morning.

I am so grateful for the visit with my daughter yesterday after work.

I am so grateful that I live, that we live in our own house.

I am grateful that Alvin will heal and be his old self once again.

I am grateful for summer days and summer nights.

I am grateful for each birthday.

I am grateful for each day on this earth.

Thank you for reading my posts. My life is not exactly exciting but there is always something happening.

Usually a work a round whether in my personal or work life.

I will be happy to see my flowers in pots and smiling at me on the deck and in the gardens.

The leaves are green and the lawns are getting there as well.

The bunnies are brown.

Time to go and have a refreshing shower and then put the coffee on before starting the laundry.

I need to make a list of things to sell, things that need to be done and the timelines.

Oddly enough, I do like making lists. So that will be fun.

Happy Saturday.

Continuing to live this life with kindness, respect, compassion, patience, love, laughter, understanding, gratitude, focus and possibilities. There are always possibilities. You just have to keep your eyes open.

Always, Carol & Alvin

P.S. I need to post some photos. You need to see Mr. Alvin sporting socks. Instant smiles.

The New YEAR 2022

Good Morning ALL! Thank goodness it is Friday! I hope this finds you well. We had an ugly sleep and by that I mean, Mr. Alvin was up at 11:24, 12:24, 1:24, 4:15, 5:00, and so on until I got up at 7:00. I have no idea what I am typing as I am soooooo tired. He does not appear to be in pain but I have no idea. Perhaps just an off night but unfortunately for me, I cannot sleep during the day as he can. I will be envious of him napping on his bed when I am working. Definitely will be an early to bed night, tonight. Oh well, life in the fast lane.

On the bright side, the sky is that glorious powder blue colour and the sun is shining so brightly. At this moment there does not appear to be a breeze or wind. YAY.

The weather is to be nice this weekend and even better this next week temperature wise.

Last night after work, I called my friend Pauline to check and see if we were still on for a walk. YAY, she was. We had a nice walk and even Alvin didn’t turn around early and head for home. It was so great to catch up with her. She had a long haul with her illness, not my place to say what it is but I am so very grateful that she is on the mend, well actually recovered. We even stopped on the way back at her home and took in her garden where the crocuses are up and oh, so beautiful. She invited us in to see the plants that she has started in her walkout space and we commented on her Canna Lilies and mine. They are so pretty and I cannot wait to get my flowers and plants outside. We talked about gardening and what to plant. So exciting. In the end, we went upstairs to say hello to her husband Al and have a visit. Then we were on our way back home for Alvin to have supper. He sure enjoyed sniffing about her main floor. I think he was looking for food, lol. Pauline did give him a couple of little treats. Lucky guy.

Back home, Alvin had supper and followed by me. I had leftover pasta which was good. Then after cleanup I spent the evening catching up on watching my shows. Just a nice quiet evening. I had no idea of what was to come. Oh well, thankfully it is Friday.

Well time to head back downstairs and have a large mug of coffee. I definitely need caffeine this morning.

Have an awesome day. Enjoy the weather and I do hope that wherever you are it is warm and sunny.

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

Always, Carol & Alvin

P.S. Pauline and Al celebrated 45 years married recently. How great is that! We also talked about birthdays as she will be 69 in June and I will be 65 in August. I am catching up!

The New YEAR 2022

Good Morning ALL! Welcome to Sunday, April 10, 2022. I hope that this finds you well. We were up early and then back to the sofa until later. Seems funny that we were up and about at 6:00 a.m. yesterday morning and much later up to stay up this morning. I am not feeling guilty that is for sure. Sometimes you just need to do what feels right in the moment. At those moments one was getting up early and the other was not. It is WINDY. I am not sure what makes it so WINDY in certain places over others. But now that it is almost dried up out front and in the backyard I would most certainly love it to be calm. Yesterday we didn’t go for a walk because it was so windy – you could not walk without eating dust and getting dirt in your eyes. Then thinking about poor Alvin who was even closer to the ground. Thankfully last week we walked twice each day. It was windy then but not as bad as yesterday. Unfortunately by the wind the wind subsided it was after 8:00 p.m. and starting to get dark and we will not walk then. It is bright and sunny this morning. Hopefully by mid afternoon and I get all of my chores done it will be good for a walk. Fingers crossed. Keeping that in mind, calm and enjoyable for a walk, calm and enjoyable for a walk, calm and enjoyable for a walk …..

We had a good day yesterday. I even repotted some plants. I had to say goodbye to my poinsettia plants. They were kind of spindly and not doing super great. I find it hard to throw out living things like plants. They were alive and I mourn their loss. But I needed to do that. I had some other plants that had outgrown their pots so they were repotted. Cleaned up my plants and they all look so good. Getting ready for spring. Once the temperatures are consistently warm and do not freeze overnight – I shall take out my geraniums and put them on the deck. I am still trying to get things sorted out with getting flowers and vegetables. It is too late to start anything from seed so I shall have to see what plants I can buy that have been started and that would mean getting to a nursery. Hopefully that will happen when the time is right. I would love to have a few vegetables and herbs on the deck. With my grandpups coming to stay for a week coming this Wednesday and now that the backyard is pretty much free from ice, I want to rake up the many leaves that have blown from elsewhere. I spent so much time raking last fall and only to have so many leaves from other neighbour’s yards that did not rake. This coming up week is not to be too warm, in fact, the temperatures appear to be just over the minus celsius mark. Not much fun but at least it is dry. I will be going for many walks with the three pups. I can only walk Aspen by herself and then take Alvin and Milo together. Another reason for taking vacation days. Plus I really need a break from the chaos, I call my job. I was also thinking that I may move my workstation back downstairs and perhaps I may do that today. Will see how things go. Lots to do.

I did get lots of things accomplished yesterday with the exception of cleaning so that is on the plate for today. Now it is late and I need to pop into the shower although likely would be better to wait until tomorrow. Will have to think about that …… or maybe before bed.

I need that hit of caffeine this morning for sure. Coffee is ready but not plugged in just yet as I wasn’t sure how long before I was ready to drink some and don’t like it to sit for too long. Always better to drink freshly brewed coffee.

You know the more I toss around moving the workstation back downstairs for tomorrow, the more I like it. Time will tell.

Okay, time to get going here. There be floors to clean and bathrooms and more.

Happy Sunday Everyone.

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

Always, Carol & Alvin

P.S. we had a change of venue for coffee as one of the girls woke up with a bad cold yesterday morning. My other friend then asked me over. It was nice to have a visit with at least one of the girls.

2021

Good Morning ALL! How are you doing this Thursday morning, May 6th, 2021? We are well. We enjoyed a couple of walks yesterday and on the second one we were able to have an outside visit with our friend. She was working in her garden and invited us in for a patio visit. I love sitting on her patio in her backyard. I cannot wait until her flowers are all out and blooming. She starts most of her plants and flowers inside the house and then in spring plants them in pots on her patio and some in her flower beds which surround the lawn area. She has one of the most beautiful garden ever. It is our sanctuary away from home, I always feel relaxed and calm in her yard.

As I am plum out of stories and things to say on this morning. I am going to post some photos of mine from previous years. Bad me, I still have not downloaded the photos that I have been taking recently. I will be proud to show you my handiwork on the front flower bed and cannot wait to fill it full of plants and flowers. It is now a blank canvas so I had better get planning it before it is too late. Soon it shall be time to pick up some plants/flowers and get them planted. I cannot wait. My favourite thing is picking out some plants/flowers, then planting and caring for them and watching them grow and flower.

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  My Flowers

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  A gift

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  Impatiens

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  My pansies

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  Perfection

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Wishing you joy and laughter on this Thursday. Continuing to live this life with kindness, respect, compassion and patience.

Always, Love Carol & Alvin

Love flowers ………

P.S. cannot wait to get the fence painted. Looking a bit worn, lol.

It is a NEW YEAR.

Good Morning,

As we now settle into the month of May, 2020.

Fast approaching the Victoria Day long weekend here in Canada.

The sun is shining here in Edmonton.

After a couple of overcast days with a bit of “snow” and “rain.”

Back to sunny days, fingers crossed.

 

Usually it is on the long weekend that most folks plant their gardens and flowers.

I have one plant at this time to transplant, the beautiful geranium.

It has wintered so well filling my bay window in the kitchen with gorgeous pink flowers.

I think I will wait a bit longer before putting it outside.

Still a good chance of frost and if I place it in my biggest pot, I cannot lift it into the garage every night, too heavy.

So perhaps end of May or start of June depending on the weather.

 

Most of the trees are beginning to bud and a great many are filled with baby leaves.

As I glance out of my office window I can see a tree to the south filled with a million little green leaves, baby leaves, I should say.

The promise of birth and renewal, is spring.

New babies being born across the many kingdoms of living beings that inhabit this planet.

Life.

 

Well I am running a tad behind this morning not sure how that happened but it did.

I can smell the warm, earthy aroma of my coffee perking.

The smell of the spring air as it filters through my office window.

Life is good.

Alvin is laying on his little bed between my workspaces.

Personal and Office.

I never in my wildest dreams ever think that I would be doing this job from the comfort of my home, in my office.

We are settling into this routine.

I love being home with my home and would welcome having the summer home with him.

Time will tell.

No one knows how things will go.

Just putting it out to the Universe that I LOVE WORKING FROM HOME.

 

Have an awesome Tuesday.

 

Remember in between the teaching of your children, working from home, standing in line at the grocery store, being alone with yourself, or whatever your situation

may be ….. that this life, this life that we have, is always going to be full of change.

We grow from change.

We learn from change.

We survive change.

Be well and take care and be safe.

 

With kindness and so much respect for all of you,

I/We, remain

Always, Carol & Alvin

 

 

 

Living … One day at a time!

Hello,

Another gorgeous day on the way.

A little bit too warm for me but I will accept it as those days are not in the majority here in Western Canada.

I have closed all of the blinds except for Alvin’s vantage points with hopes that the house will stay at a comfortable level for the boy.

I will also leave the main floor bathroom door open as it is cooler in there.

 

Last night my daughter gave me a ride home via COSTCO.

GUESS WHAT?

I got some florals …. some flowers.

So Happy.

I was truly doing a little happy dance while planting them last night.

Both Alvin and Humphrey were watching with “raised eyebrows.”

Oh, Humphrey joined us for the evening as his Momma was golfing.

The flowers in the pots are the ones that I picked up at COSTCO last night.

Could not believe that I filled 7 pots for $24.00.

I planted Marigolds, Snapdragons, Impatiens and Trailing Lobelia.

I still have some pots to be filled when my daughter and I go to our local nursery “CREEKSIDE.”

We have been going there for years.

Even though it is great to get plants at the big box stores for very reasonable prices; I do believe in supporting local businesses.

I look forward to our date in the near future.

The plants / flowers in the front flower bed are growing like crazy.

Every morning I wake up to the ferns being inches taller.

Is that even possible?

The lilies and other plants are growing quickly.

The back flower bed is doing fair well, too.

GREEN plants and pretty coloured flowers always make me happy.

Whoops where did the time go.

Gotta go.

P.S. decided to use my camera as I still have to get the photo storage figured out with the cell phone.

I will one day soon.

As soon as I get my voice mail activated.

ARGH.

So many things….

 

Have an awesome Wednesday.

Do what makes you happy.

Please.

 

Always, Carol & Alvin

 

Thought for the day …..

Good Morning and Welcome to Thursday the 17th day of May, 2018.

The sky is overcast with lovely rain clouds.

It has been raining off and on since last night.

We surely needed the rain so I do not mind.

The smell in the air is most glorious.

There appears to be no breeze as is evident by the stillness of the trees out my office window.

Mr. Alvin is laying on the blue blanket thinking about what, I do not know.

I wished that I could read his thoughts or perhaps not.

Well after today I am away from the office until Wednesday.

So excited for this extra long weekend.

It has been awhile.

Last night after work my daughter brought me home with a stop to pick up food, treats and toothpaste for Mr. Alvin.

I had supper all prepped from the night before so it took more time removing all of the containers from the fridge than the actual readiness of the food.

We had wraps with an assortment of veggies, cheese and YVES Mexican Meat.

So good.

After supper coffee before my neighbour arrived to cut our hair.

YUP, I did it ….. cut it all OFF.

I have not had it quite this short in many years.

Definitely takes a bit more to do in the morning OR at least until I figure out which way it wants to go and then work from there.

It feels cool and freeing.

Every one in awhile you have to make a big change.

Or at least I do.

With a fresh new hair cut it makes me feel differently.

Like a new person.

With the rain today ….. I feel renewed.

Just have to work on these allergies / cold thing and it would be perfect.

Plugged ear is not much fun.

Another thing ….my daughter and I are going flower shopping tomorrow.

I am so excited …. to get some flowers for my front flower bed, front step, deck and back garden.

Always fun planting.

I may grab a couple of tomato plants as well.

Well here it is almost time to leave for work.

Will have to grab the trusty umbrella this morning.

I hope that you all have an awesome Thursday …..

Royal Wedding come up ….

Will be a great weekend.

 

Special Hello to: my friends and family sprinkled all over the world.

Always, Carol & Alvin