2021

Good Morning ALL! How are you this morning? I am well, we are well. Perhaps a slight bit sleep deprived but nothing new. Still dark outside and that is part of living in Western Canada. The sun will not rise for awhile but that is okay. We will be voting on the time change next week. “To be or not to be, that is the question.” Sound familiar. Someone has decided this morning to bark every 10 seconds or so while I am upstairs despite my calling down to reassure him. Perhaps he has to pee but not likely. He is joined to me at the hip and whenever I am in the house and not beside him …. it is a problem. Definitely is getting more anxious as he ages. When I am outside and he can see me, no problem. Thank goodness that I do not have to go back to work at the office very often. My next time is November 9th, 2021, I think but I will have to find someone to come and check on him or he will go spend the day with someone. There is no way he will survive a 10 or so hour day without going outside or having human contact. Life.

Yesterday morning Canadian born William Shatner became the oldest person to go to space. I listened to him as he spoke to Jeff B. upon his return to Earth. He was so genuinely excited about the trip and grateful that he was able to see Earth from space. As he said he will be changed forever and he wished that everyone could have that experience. I wish that as well. I am so happy that “Captain Kirk” got to actually go to space. How strangely wonderful is that. Pretty darn exciting.

Someone is finally quiet down there and I am not sure why. Grateful for the quiet.

Yesterday we enjoyed two walks, one at my lunch break and the other after work. Before the walk after work I raked the leaves from our front lawn including Humphrey & Bogart’s. The leaves were crunchy. So pretty. Love this time of year.

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  Sunflower in my back garden couple of years ago

I thought that perhaps we needed a bit of “yellow perfection” in our Thursday. I love Sunflowers. So perfectly beautiful. My gift to you for today.

Well time to go and get that coffee on to perk and see if Mr. Alvin does in fact have to go outside.

I wish you a great Thursday.

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

Always, Carol & Alvin

2021

Good Morning ALL! How are you this morning? Looks like Christmas outside or at least winter. Alvin and I are well. Yesterday morning when we got up the ground was bare and I raked the front lawn in the afternoon after our walk. This morning when we got up we have half a foot of snow covering the deck, the street, the lawn, rooftops and anywhere the snow could stick. Actually yesterday in the late afternoon when it was looking like a snowglobe outside and the wind was blowing …. Alvin had to go outside to pee …… when I opened the door, the snow blew into the house. The door was covered in wet sticky snow, the house was covered in snow, the lone broom that was standing against the back of the house was covered in wet sticky snow, my two wicker chairs that I had brought back out were completely covered in wet sticky snow, the trees were covered in wet sticky snow and even the doorknob was covered in wet sticky snow. I guess that I have painted a pretty thorough picture of how “sticky” the snow was as it clung to everything in sight. This morning the cars out front are covered in snow as well. Looks like there will be shovelling in my future and I just put away the shovels, argh. Oh well. It is spring in Western Canada and anything can happen with the weather. Just to give you an idea of the temperature on Friday it was plus 15 degrees celsius so a light jacket or sweater weather AND yesterday when we went for a walk in the early afternoon I wore a light jacket and was comfortable at 8 degrees celsius. I raked the front lawn about 3 p.m., I think it was, and I wore the same light jacket and it was windy and starting to cool down. My neighbor that share the front lawn with me … loves to feed the bunnies in the winter and the birds. So there was a massive amount of bird seed, bunny food and bunny poop covering most of her side (especially around her tree) and quite a lot on my side. I was careful and was wearing gloves when I scooped it all into a garbage bag along with the leaves that were covering the lawn. Every fall I rake and rake and rake until I can rake, no more. Usually I would say about 5-7 times. This past fall I raked several times and gave up because none of my neighbors were raking when the leaves fell off their tree(s) or not many of them. So throughout this spring as the snow melted there were leaves that freed themselves and blew around the hood in the wind. We have had a lot of wind this spring. Yesterday was windy as well. Guess what this afternoon is to be +4 degrees celsius so the snow will be melting. What an interesting last 24 hours. Poor Mr. Alvin was having quite the time last night. I told him to just pee in the snow. Poor guy.

Well yesterday I managed to get quite a lot of things knocked off my TO DO LIST. I got to try out my new Bissell Crosswave and it worked. I found that it used a lot of the cleaning liquid (water + cleanser). I filled to clean 350 square and only did the top of the stairs landings and the stairs and it was almost all gone. I cannot imagine that that space is 350 square feet in total. Anyway, the amount of hair that was in the water when I was done and cleaning out the machine was crazy. The water was dark so I know it was working. It was pretty easy to take apart and clean ….. now just putting it back together. I left the components out to dry on the counter as they have to be completely dry. The strangest thing just happened. Right in the middle of typing this post, the computer shut down as thought there was a power outage but the lights did not even flicker. Thankfully WordPress has autosave and I did not lose my whole post. WOW. I did lose some and I don’t remember what that was. So will just carry on. I think that I was about to mention that I decided to submit the tea order today, an executive decision. So I will do that this afternoon. I am also considering giving up selling the tea and Norwex. At this point in time, I would have to reactivate my NORWEX account and it is not worth it to me. I do not have any regular customers. The tea is another story. I love the tea so much but I have not had a “party” for a long time and was just selling to my regular customers and the odd new one. Sometimes I have had to place large orders myself just to keep active or maintain selling privileges. At the end of the day is it worth it? I am not sure. I would have to place an extra large order this time and I simply do not need that much product. So after six years this may be it. I guess time will tell. I do not have to make the decision at this moment. Life, right. Sometimes giving up things can be freeing as well.

Well after the seriousness of that last bit, it is time to sign off and go have a cleansing shower. I always feel differently after having a shower. Clears the cobwebs. Things have a way of working themselves out. I am giving these decision over to the Universe for guidance and will just go about my day. I want to bake a banana loaf this afternoon. Likely will be shovelling. Maybe if I remove some things off my plate it will clear the way for me to start writing more. Sometimes it is good to clean out your “closet” and if it does not “spark joy” as per Marie Kondo, then perhaps it is time to move it out of the closet. I think it may be time to do just that. I am feeling better already. Time to remove some old things and replace with new. Spring, time to grow!!

Wow, that was freeing and rejuvenating. Thank you for listening and helping this girl out.

I wish you a wonderful Sunday. Take care and I hope that you and your loved ones are in good health.

Perhaps this is the day that you “clear out your closets.”

I am feeling a lot lighter at this very moment, thank you.

Continuing to live with Kindness, RESPECT, Compassion and patience.

Always, Love Carol & Alvin

It is a NEW YEAR.

Well HELLO FRIDAY, April 24th, 2020.

 

I have long since forgot how many days exactly that I have been working from home.

To be honest 95% of the time it is wonderful.

I love the “short” well actually no commute to my work.

I love sharing more of my time with Alvin.

I love being able to walk for 1/2 hour at lunch and then right away after work.

I love arising a bit later (truth be told even Mr. Alvin is starting to wake up a bit later).

I love being able to stay up a bit later to enjoy the evening light.

100%, I absolutely adore having more time at home.

Who doesn’t like working in their sweats and a tee-shirt and no makeup.

Bad hair days …. who cares.

It does not matter …. whatever you are comfortable in.

Some days it is office attire with makeup and others it is not.

More time for walking.

More time to get housework, yard work and exercise done.

It is nice being able to have more free time on the weekends.

I am off work at 4:00 p.m. (not granted some days I leave 10-15 minutes later but that is okay).

I can have supper and dishes done well before 6:00 p.m.

When working at the office by 6:00 p.m. – Alvin would have his supper etc, we would have walked and I may have started supper.

Usually it would be 7:00 by the time supper and dishes were done and sometimes later.

So even though there are moments throughout my day that I could honestly pull my hair out by the roots, I do love being at home.

I know that there is no separation between home and work.

But I have come to terms with that fact.

Life is meant to live.

If we continue to wrap ourselves in the negative before too long it is over.

What a waste.

 

I am off today at 3:00 p.m. (took one hour off).

The plan is to go for a walk right away, then come home and start the laundry and then rake the front lawn.

I have been raking the back out of necessity for Alvin.

Luckily the mucky mess is drying up (in the back).

The front needs some TLC.

Tonight will be the second of the three meals from HELLO FRESH.

Excited for that.

Tomorrow Mr. Alvin needs a haircut and bath (yup again).

My daughter is dropping some items by and for a visit (miss her).

Whether Saturday or Sunday – we hope to visit with our friends in their backyard.

Tomorrow is supposed to be really nice so I want to take advantage of the warmer temperatures.

 

Well almost time to grab that cup of java and start work.

Technically I do not start until 8:00 a.m. but I like to get things started and I have a contest to enter (matching pets through work).

Have to submit my entry.

Wish me luck.

 

I hope this finds you and your family in excellent health, safe and having lots of giggles.

Happy Friday.

 

With Kindness and Respect,

I/We Remain,

Always, Carol & Alvin

 

Thought for the day ….

Good Morning and Welcome to Sunday the 22nd day of April, 2018.

The sun is shining but there are some clouds scattered throughout the sky.

There is a strong wind blowing.

Woke up with a headache this morning.

Had been invited to one of my friend’s homes for morning coffee and visit but decided to cancel this time.

Alvin needs a hair cut and bath.

That needs to be done.

No excuses there.

 

We have had a good weekend.

Laundry and some cleaning was accomplished.

We enjoyed our walks.

So nice to have most of the sidewalks dry now.

Finally.

 

Was happy that yesterday was not an all day rain fest.

In fact it did not start raining until well into the afternoon.

Alvin and I beat the rain and had a lovely walk.

We saw one of our neighbours who lives on the opposite side of the street.

He was raking his lawn.

We still have snow and ice on ours.

Funny how that is.

 

Well time to get going.

I can hear a big dog barking to the south of us.

Oh, how I wish that people would not leave their dogs outside for long periods of time.

 

Have an awesome Sunday.

 

 

Special Hello to: my friends and family.

Always, Carol & Alvin