It is a NEW YEAR.

Good Morning and here we are Monday morning.

We had a great weekend.

We were able to walk, Alvin had a haircut and bath, did some, no all of the laundry, some cleaning and worked on my photo project.

I have over 30,000 photos on my computer.

There are duplicates and triplicates and poor shots.

So I am attempting to reduce the overall number so that it is easier to manage.

I could not even tell you how many that I have deleted.

I must get better when I use my phone at deleting the multiple shots and less than perfect ones.

Hey, it is a project.

It will happen over time.

 

Appears that we had some freezing mini snowballs land on the deck last night.

They were not there when we went to bed.

Hard to tell out front as my neighbour put down some “pet friendly” salt.

I also left snow snow on my front walk to the street so that I have some traction when out and about.

 

Did you watch the OSCARS last night?

My favourite gown was REGINA KING’s.

It was absolutely fairytale princess.

Pink and so beautiful.

 

My favourite speech was Joaquin Phoenix when he won for BEST ACTOR for THE JOKER.

The most surprising wins were for PARASITE, the South Korean movie directed by Bong Joon Ho.

I am going to make a point to watch all of the nominated movies over the next while as they become available for rental.

 

Well here it is time to get going.

I hope that you all have an awesome Monday.

May you be surrounded by loving, supportive kind and respectful beings.

 

Always, Carol & Alvin

 

Living … One day at a time.

Hello and a good Friday morning to ALL.

Well it is the last day of the work week for me.

Excited as tomorrow my daughter is coming for a pancake breakfast and visit.

We are both excited.

Always wonderful to have her in the house.

 

Last night Alvin and I had a great walk.

We are enjoying these warm days.

Stopped in at Teddy’s house and had a visit with them.

I helped Teddy’s Mom with a project involving her bird feeders in the backyard.

I think that would be a great idea ….

To have a bird feeder out front.

Humphrey’s Mom has a bird feeder on her front tree.

I love watching the small birds.

I really don’t mind the magpies although they make it difficult for the smaller birds.

But they play an important role in the grand scheme of things as do we all.

 

What are your plans for the weekend?

Cleaning?

Relaxing?

Going to a movie?

Raking the lawn?

Baking?

Pancake breakfast?

Couch potato?

Walking?

 

So many things that one can and should and would do.

Can you guess which of the items are not in my plans for the weekend?

Did you guess?

Going to a movie?

Then you would be correct.

No plans for a movie.

But one never knows what can come up.

 

Well it is getting late.

We kind of hit the sofa for some extra zzz’s.

I hope that you have a wonderfully safe and good Friday.

Be in good health, surrounded by laughter and be in joy.

Happy Friday.

 

Treat each person and creature you meet the way that you would like to be treated.

With kindness and respect, of course.

 

 

Always, Carol & Alvin

 

 

Thought for the day ……

Good Morning and Welcome to Sunday the 31st day of December, 2017.

Happy New Year’s EVE Day.

The sky is a pale blue with hues of pale orange on the horizon.

Here we are again on the very last day of a year, this one being 2017.

Hopefully the last day of this deep freeze before heading into milder temperatures.

I have been reading over my blogs from previous years.

The blog from this day last year and from 2015.

It is funny how days can be so different from one year to the next.

Last year on December 31st Alvin went to his sisters for a sleepover and the year before we awoke to fire sirens (two doors down).

With my blog I try not to plan too  much ahead and just see where my thoughts and fingers guide me.

Today my mind is all over the place.

I am listening to the music that I put on my iPOD yesterday via the awesome setup that my kids gave me for Christmas.

I transferred “37” songs from iTUNES …. my favourites.

They range from Adele to Elvis, One Direction to Journey, Johnny Cash and Neil Diamond to PINK.

Pharrell to Tina, Elton to Ed and Lady Gaga to Steppenwolf and Blue Suede.

I love listening to music.

Note to self:  I think I will listen to more music in 2018 and DANCE more.

Last night after I transferred this tunes to the iPOD I spent a long time just singing and grooving (dancing) to the music with Alvin looking on.

He likely figured that I had lost my mind OR worse was going to pick him up and make him dance with me.

 

This was the second Christmas that we participated in all gifts home made or reused from things that we had around the house.

I made out like a bandit.

My daughter made me two huge bulletin boards, they gave me the iPOD player with great speakers (awesome sound) and an ADVENT calendar that reminds me of the one on NATIONAL LAMPOON’s  

CHRISTMAS VACATION and it even plays music.

The only ones that were not a part of this were the pups.

My grand-pups did not listen and got me a lovely WHISK (which their Grandma needed).

How can you be a cook or baker with no whisk.

Not sure how it happened.

I used to have a couple of them.

The family arrived on Christmas EVE night and stayed until Boxing Day.

It was a glorious couple of days.

We ate, played games and ate more.

Always wonderful to be surrounded by your loved ones.

 

As this year winds to an end, I am reminded by all of the great times that we saw in 2017.

January saw another new SPRING/SUMMER CATALOGUE for STEEPED TEA.

I remain a consultant although not quite as active as previous years.

I do enjoy the tea and the other products as do several of my co-workers and friends.

February saw us, me and Alvin become debt free.

No consumer debt.

I guess mortgages are not considered to be debt as I still have one of those.

Alvin and I continue to walk as much as possible although the latter part of this year did slow us down a bit.

I write as much as possible.

 

Likely the best part of this year was the time surrounding my 60th Birthday.

My friend “V” from back in Regina sent me a BIRTHDAY PARCEL to end all BIRTHDAY PARCELS ….

Everything from jewellery to a deep dish apple pie.

I am so lucky.

I was so blessed to have my sister come for a whole TEN DAY visit.

On my actual birthday my daughter, sister and I went to FORT EDMONTON PARK and partook in HIGH TEA.

We spent the day walking around taking in the sights.

We went on the rides …. the swings and the carousel.

My youngest brother came for FOUR DAYS and part of it was spent with our other brother at his home in rural Alberta.

While visiting our brother in the country we visited with another nephew and his family.

We also visited with our nephew “J” ….. who continues to heal.

I commissioned one of my co-workers to bake my 60th Birthday cake, a carrot cake with cream cheese icing.

I can still taste it.  OMG it was heavenly.

My eldest nephew and family also surprised us with a visit.

Friends that moved to Quebec came for a visit.

So many wonderful surprises.

I am so grateful for all of the gifts, birthday wishes and visits this year.

I still cannot believe that I am 60 years old.

 

The year just seemed to come and go.

We were lucky to be in good health and to be surrounded by great friends and family.

Both CANADA and I celebrated milestone birthdays.

Happy 150th Birthday to our beloved country.

 

One of our neighbours across the street and down a couple of houses had a fire.

That happened at the end of June and it is December and they are still not back in their home.

It was a duplex so affected two households.

Reminder to be careful and aware.

 

I wrote the next couple of paragraphs last New Year’s Eve and it seems to be fitting to be used once again.  I feel the same way.

The week after Christmas leading up to New Year’s Eve is filled with thinking back on the year, perhaps making resolutions for the year ahead, and making plans for bringing in the New Year.

My wish for 2018 is that you take a look over your life, and take note of what is really important.

Spending time with your family whether two-legged or four or both is so important.

If you are unable to physically see them the technology is there to video chat via SKYPE, and other formats.

Do things with your family and friends instead of buying their joy.

Go on that walk instead of watching television.

Put down that cell phone and spend TIME with them.

Have dinner together and be with your family.

Simplify your life.

Spend less on stuff.

Spend more on doing things.

Create memories that will last a lifetime.

Your children will not remember that video game in 50 years but they will remember those long walks you took together.

They will remember sledding.

They will remember roasting marshmallows around the bonfire.

They will remember the time you spent together.

Which is the best legacy you can give them.

 

Simplify your life.

 

Wishing you and your family the most wonderful New Year, 2018.

May you find joy in the little things.

May you find continued good health.

May your lives be filled with abundance.

May you continue to grow and to learn.

May you spread kindness to all creatures.

May you love and respect yourself, and all others.

Happy New Year.

 

PHOTOS from 2017

April 2017

 

EDMONTON ZOO (May) – our office went for a visit and barbecue.  My daughter was my date.

June 2017 – Alvin and Carol’s GREAT ADVENTURE.

 

 

JULY 2017 – Flowers and YARD

 

 

 

OCTOBER 2017 – garden project

HALLOWEEN 2017

FALL TREAT PARCEL from our Friend “V”

THE CAKE marking the BIG 60.

CHRISTMAS Decorations of 2017

Some of the baking …. the infamous SUGAR COOKIES

Aspen and Milo my beautiful grand pups.

Cutest photo of 2017.

Well it would seem like I could write and gather photos until the cows come home.

So I had better stop now.

If I missed mentioning you, please know this, you are in my heart and soul for all time.

I wish you and your family the most glorious 2018.

Remember to laugh and have fun.

 

Special Hello to: all those folks who participated in my 2017, I am most grateful to each and every one of you.

Always, Carol & Alvin

 

Thought for the day …..

Good Morning and Welcome to Wednesday the 5th day of April, 2017.

First week of April and the weather is beautiful.

Last night Alvin and I had a wonderful walk.

 

Today is the 7th Anniversary of my FIRST BLOG ever …..

I named my blog after the major change in my life which happened at 51.

It was not until a couple of years later that I chose  “My New Life at 51” as my blog name.

I had wanted to entertain and inspire anyone who took the time to read my words.

Writing is the one constant that has been in my life since I was a small child.

Whether writing poems for my Grandmother at Valentine’s Day or one for my Mom on her Birthday; I tried my hand.

A poem for my daughter’s class play.

I loved writing in school and did well.

My next project will be writing a book ….. it has been a dream of mine for a long time.

One that I can have published.

I just have to decide on a storyline and go.

I just keep changing my mind ….. is that not the beauty of writing ……. you can always change your mind.

Change the lines ….. change the story ….

 

 

Well here it is time to leave once again for work.

I hope that you have enjoyed this journey with me and will continue.

With gratitude and hopes that I can bring a smile to your face and perhaps be inspirational along the way.

 

Have an awesome day.

Special Hello to: all those folks who write and to those who read what we have written …. thank you.

Always, Carol and Alvin

Thought for the day ……

Good Morning and Welcome to Thursday the 28th day of May, 2015.

Overcast this morning.

Guess what?

We finally got a bit of rain last night.

Very much needed.

I hope that this dark blue sky filled with rain clouds brings us some more throughout the day.

It is windy outside.

Makes me want to go back to bed and curl up with Mr. Alvin.

I am working on showing my happiness this week.

So much of the time we walk around looking “mad.”

For some reason smiling does not seem to be a natural facial expression.

Or at least with me.

People often ask, “Are you okay?”

I reply “I am great.”

So now I have to make my outside match my inside.

It is a process……

I AM HAPPY ….. SMILING.

Thinking of something that makes me smile.

A puppy ….. Mr. Alvin.

A little baby ……

CHOCOLATE …..

FLOWERS …..

That is my project ……

I hope that you have an awesome Thursday.

Time to go to work.

Special Hello to: my fellow bloggers …. you rock.

Always, Carol and Alvin

Thought for the day….

Good Morning and Welcome to Monday the 23rd day of June, 2014.

I am on a vacation day to work on the jewellery for a wedding in August.

So lots to do.

Such a beautiful morning the sky is blue and there is a breeze.

I have the beads all out and ready to begin.

Now to access my imagination and let the creativity begin.

I am so grateful that I found my creative side.

I think being creative helps you unwind after a long day or week at work.

Always good to make things with your hands.

I do love working with beads …… different shapes and sizes and colours.

I can just let my mind and hands go crazy ….

So on this quiet Monday I am going to work on the jewellery.

I hope that you find your inner creativeness and explore it.

I believe that everyone has the ability if they take the time.

Happy Monday everyone ……

This was my last project …. necklace and bracelets.

So much fun.

Special Hello to: all my fellow jewellery makers/designers.

Always, Carol and Alvin