A New YEAR 2023

Good Morning ALL! How are you this morning? I am okay despite being up six times during the night not including the time we actually got up for the day. NOTE: it is darn cold outside. I pray and hope every night and day that Alvin will be better that day. So fingers crossed today is the day that he makes the switch to good poop and that it continues from now on. I went to Save-On on my lunch break yesterday with one of my coworkers to pick up chicken breasts for Alvin and lottery tickets for me. At this point, the possibility of money out weighs my desire to buy groceries for myself (don’t worry my fridge, freezer and panties (whoops, meant pantries) have enough food to keep me going for awhile. As I was typing and notices that I typed “panties” instead of pantries, I thought well that is funny, just leave it. Sometimes an error needs to be left but not quite undone. Although considering I may have had four hours sleep during the past two days, I apparently still have sort of a sense of humour. Hopefully I keep that to myself today as we have a meeting with our AVP and Director followed by a lunch meeting with them and all of the site teams. I will take my coffee and sit as close to a wall out of the way as I can. Surely do not want to nod off or anything. Yesterday, I was bouncing off the walls and like a squirrel could not stay focused for very long at a time. This is not by any means, my normal self but is due to lack of sleep, stress and anxiety between Alvin and work. Oh well, I have so much to be grateful for …… that every morning I wake up in this beautiful house that I wait until I was 52 to have …… that even if we are waking up on the sofa, I have Mr. Alvin beside me ……. that I, we have lots of good food to eat …… that I can afford to order pizza every so often (which I did last night and believe you me, it is like buying a small car, these days) …… that I am in good health except for being tired …… that I am surrounded by so many good, caring, compassionate family and friends who love and support me who matter what …… that I live in this country where we can live our dreams so we should decide to ……. that I have beautiful plants that are flowering at this time and their colours bring me great joy ….. there is so much more but I am running out of time. Alvin needs to go outside before I leave for work and that is fast approaching.

One more day this week and then it is the weekend. I have five days next week to work and then I am on two weeks vacation. I was thinking that perhaps I should only take one week as I am using all of my earned vacation and then I thought …. no …. I need this break ……. so vacation time in February in Edmonton …… on my sofa and figuring out my life……

Wishing you a great day.

Yesterday was our friend Signe’s birthday. I did remember in the morning to send her a birthday text and we are celebrating her birthday at Gillian’s house on Saturday. I forgot to send her wishes from this blog. I try to remember people here but honestly when I write these posts early in the morning, sometimes I forget. Trying to remember! Looking forward to Saturday morning with my friends with a short break from the “madness” of my home. Not really but sounds good, not really……..lol.

I be needing those mugs of coffee this morning for sure. Perhaps I should take my big mug today.

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

Trying to keep remember “when nothing is sure anything is possible.” I love that thought.

Always, Carol & Alvin

A New YEAR 2023

Good Morning ALL! Another bright sunny blue sky morning out there. Cold. Very cold. We went to bed quite early last night and I guess we had a pretty good sleep as far as our sleeps usually go. I just did not want to get up and get going this morning at all. Laying on the sofa cuddling next to Alvin under our red cozy blanket was all I wanted to do. But it was Alvin that made me get up and get going this morning. Perhaps a shower after writing this post will get me going and my hair feels like it has not been washed in a month which is not true. But anyway!

We had a good day yesterday. I cleaned, did laundry, made some bagels, some soup and roasted some turkey breasts and made an apple crisp. Supper was soup, a bagel and some apple crisp. YUM. I used some of the Epicure packets that my friend Val gave me for the soup and the bagels and spice for the turkey breasts. Very good. I topped the soup with avocado which I will need to use tonight but I will have some turkey with supper as well. Nothing like hot soup on a cold winter’s day.

I realized this morning just how long Mr. Alvin’s nails are getting and that would be due to not many walks. Will have to check the calendar and see when he had them trimmed last. I know it was in January. Also I need to see when the 30 days is up for the treatment that he had for his right ear. Both ears will need to be cleaned. I could give him a hair cut and a bath but I think I will wait and hopefully by next weekend his poop will be normal with no blood. I was so happy to see that his first poop in a long time was actually firm. He pooped more than once and by the last bit there was blood. But I think things are going in the right direction. Tomorrow and Tuesday I work from home so I will need to call and give an updated report to his Vet. They called on Friday while I was on the way home from work and had my phone turned off so did not see the call in time to call back before they closed.

Oh, my did I ever dream last night and this morning. Some good and some well not so …..

Time to hit the shower and then go and make some coffee. We will have a quiet morning and then this afternoon put the laundry away that is drying in the basement. Perhaps I will be able to put away the Christmas decorations as well as they are sitting out in the basement family room. As I will be down there for awhile, I will need to take Alvin with me and just want to ensure that he will be okay for a bit so that I don’t have to carry him up and down and down and up much.

I hope that you are doing well. With all that is going on between Alvin and work, I have not kept in good contact with my family and some friends at a distance and even close by. Just not enough time in a time. But I am thinking of you all and please forgive me for not reaching out more often.

Oh, I transplanted some slips from a plant yesterday. They had such long roots. I am sure that they will be enjoying the dirt. This particular plant is so beautiful and has the prettiest little flowers. I just do not recall the name.

Have a wonderful Sunday. Keep warm and stay safe. You are in my thoughts!

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

Always, Carol & Alvin

From Christmas ……. me Alvin, Aspen at the window and Milo and Alvin watching her from the sofa.

Thought for the day ……

Good Morning and Welcome to Thursday the 20th day of August, 2015.

Wow, the 20th day of August ….. what a month it has been.

This morning the sky was overcast with big dark blue “rain clouds” but now as the sun comes up they appear to have tints of pink mixed in with the blue, so very pretty.

I am always in awe of the sky.

It can change so quickly and seem to be so many different colours and hold so many different shapes of clouds.

I truly am in awe.

I love the morning sky.

I love the night sky.

The daytime sky I do not see too much of …. but I think I love it, too.

I can see the trees swaying in the wind ….. so it is a bit breezy.

Oh those late summer days ….. I can hear the song from Grease in my head.

On of my all time favourite movies.

John Travolta …. mmmm dreamy

Olivia Newton-John ….. mmm pretty

That seemed like a trillion years ago.

Well on this fantastic Thursday, I am reminded by a dream that kindness and respectfulness are some of the best characteristics one could envelope.

Don’t you just love those words with two or three meanings.

Gotta love the English language.

Gotta ….. whoops another slang word.

On this Thursday “Gotta” with a capital G sounds better than “got to” ……

Well it is almost time to hop on downstairs and grab my lunch and stuff and head out for the bus.

I hope that you have a crazy great Thursday.

Remember to be kind and respectful and even more importantly do this with love in your heart.

Fill the room with laughter ….

Let us have a great day.

Special Hello to: my friend “M” who is so creative ….. your creations are so beautiful…. thank you for sharing.

Always, Carol and Alvin

Helpful Hint …..

Try doing this after a hectic day at the office:

Go outside and sit on the grass in your yard.  Get comfortable.  Close your eyes and take a couple of deep breaths.  Then open your eyes,  and drink in all the beauty that surrounds you.  If for some reason you do not have a nice grassy spot to plunk yourself down on ……. sit on the deck or anywhere outside (preferably somewhere quiet) and CLOSE YOUR EYES.  Imagine you are sitting by a lake watching a family of ducks swimming by.  Ah, the baby ducks are so cute. Maybe the sun is coming up or just going down …… see how pretty the sky is with all those shades of orange and pink. Use your imagination, and just SEE a wondrous place – maybe a waterfall or a mountaintop.  Stay in this position relaxing for as long as you can or wish.

Just remember to take a few minutes each day to be quiet.  If you are new to meditation it is good to start with just being quiet.  I know from experience it is difficult to just be, and not to think.  It does take time and practice to quieten your mind.

Meditation is good for the body, soul and mind.  Once you have mastered “not thinking” you can begin to reflect on life.  Keep your thoughts positive.  Always remember your mind is powerful, and truly what you think and how you think is every much as important as what you feed your body.  For some reason our minds tend to think random “negative” thoughts on a regular basis.  It takes time and patience to keep those thoughts at bay. Truly your thoughts do become things.

Enjoy life.  Have yourself a wonderful day.