The Next Chapter

Good Morning! I hope that this finds you well. Life is going on at a fast pace and I find myself caught somewhere in between. I will always miss my little buddy Alvin and that goes without saying. He played a very important role in my life and me in his. Oh, Alvin I sure wish that you were here laying on the carpet outside the office door as I write my morning posts.

Today is another day at the office and then Thursday at home and Friday at the office. Countdown to being at our new site on Monday. The renovations are not as yet completed so not sure if our time at the site will be short initially. When do renovations ever go according to plan? Anyway, it will happen soon enough.

It seems so dark outside at 6:33 a.m. but by 7:00 it is light already. Perhaps the sky is overcast. I think that our time changes this weekend, we go ahead one hour. Spring forward. I hope that spring is close.

The words usually fall onto the keyboard but not this morning, so this will be short. I am sorry. Life. I guess my brain is just plain tired. Too many things going on to keep me jumping all over the place. Life.

I hope that you have a good day. Take care and be safe, always.

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

Of all the above, I believe that forgiveness is the most difficult to do.

Always, Carol & Alvin (my forever Angel)

It is the NEW YEAR.

Well thankfully today is Saturday.

The temperatures are still brutally cold but on a positive note the temperatures will be minus 1 degree celsius on Monday.

Talk about a change.

Will be time to bring out the sandals, shorts and t-shirts.

Likely there will be folks wearing much lighter clothing then for sure.

 

Yesterday we packed up our workstations for the move back to our newly renovated office on Monday morning.

Employers have moved us back in smaller numbers.

Less stress on our systems guys.

As with any move there are always things that no one thought about or something goes wrong.

They have had both.

So I am most grateful that we are the last group to move back.

It will be weird after more than one year to be leaving our current office building.

I am excited to see what it is like once we have moved back into the newly renovated office building.

 

Grateful to my daughter for driving from her home to take Alvin and I to his appointment this morning.

Way too cold to walk and all of our friends in the neighbourhood are busy.

I am happy to spend time with my girl.

They will be coming over for Mr. Alvin’s birthday party tomorrow as well.

Well this will be short as I have laundry to start, poop to pick up, coffee to brew and a list one mile long.

 

Wishing you a calm, joyful day filled with laughter and love.

Happy Saturday.

 

Always, Carol & Alvin

From our walk beginning of January with our friends out in the River Valley.

It was a gorgeous day.

Living … One day at a time

Good Morning …. New Year’s Eve Day.

Woke up earlier to being congested with a headache.

Went back to bed twice.

Mr. Alvin really wants me to get up so I am up.

Still not feeling great but will just get on with it.

The sky is partially overcast with blue cloud cover and the sun peeking through in spots.

I have things that I had planned to do today but now off to a late start.

Oh well, nothing that cannot wait.

It is the last day of 2019.

Tomorrow is a NEW YEAR and a new DECADE.

How exciting.

 

Well I do apologize for this being a short post as Mr. Alvin would like to go downstairs.

Perhaps he has to go outside.

I should get dressed as still in pjs.

It is almost 11:00 a.m.

ARGH.

But what can you do.

REST is best.

Not too difficult to change bedding and throw some laundry in the washing machine.

Just little jobs.

Perhaps having a shower would decongest me.

 

Well 2019 as every other year has seen good and bad.

There will always be births and deaths, it is life.

Work has been work.

Temporarily in a new space but our old building is now renovated and we move back shortly.

Met new people in the neighbourhood.

Enjoyed company of family and new and old friends.

Was able to go on another great road trip in the summer with my daughter.

My sister drove to visit and joined us girls on our annual road trip.

Finally had my office painted after several years of discussing and loving it.

Hung up the bulletin boards that my daughter made for me two years ago for Christmas.

The office is now a happy space

Alvin’s best friend has a new little sister.

My sister adopted a new four legged friend named RAIN.

I remain selling STEEPED TEA and NORWEX.

Summer of 2019 was wet and cool.

Christmas of 2019 was mild.

All in all it has been a good year.

I look forward to this new one starting tomorrow.

Will rest today so that I can start the new one in a good place.

 

Well time to get this day going.

I think that Mr. Alvin has to go outside.

 

Happy New Year’s Eve.

I hope that you have a great day.

Whether you go out on the town or just stay at home.

Happy New Year’s Eve.

 

 

Always, Carol & Alvin

 

 

Living … One day at a time

Good Morning and we are nearing Christmas and the end of 2019.

Thursday today.

 

Yesterday we had our Christmas Brunch at work, it was good.

We also toured our newly renovated old office space.

There were mixed comments and feelings as per usual.

Not everyone is going to be happy.

Me, well although our workstations are just that a place to work.

Mine is located by a window which is great.

Most businesses are going to small non-personal work spaces.

Some folks are feeling like a hamster on a wheel with nowhere to go.

At this point it is difficult to say what it will be like without actually spending time on a daily basis in our regular routine.

Will there be changes, yes, definitely.

We are going paperless and I think that “they” believe we should work with no paper at all.

Unfortunately it does not quite work that way but it will iron itself out as it always does.

I look forward to the New Year and will adapt as I always have.

There is no point “crying” or “stressing” or “losing sleep” over a situation that is not within your control to change.

Although we have control, we really do not.

There is always someone or something pulling at those strings.

You can change things to be more suitable.

I am not trying to be negative as mostly I am positive.

We have to find a way to pay the bills doing something that we love.

Now that may be doing a job that pays the bills but affords you a home life that you love.

I think that is acceptable.

Now that job has to be something that you can live with, of course.

You cannot or should not spend hours, days, months or years at a toxic environment just because it pays the bills.

I am not saying that ….

There has to be a happy mix.

Anyway I am listening to a BLAKE SHELTON Christmas song as I am keying these words.

Alvin laying on his blue blanket and the world is good.

One of my friends called last night to invite me to go with her next Monday (I am off work) to see the movie CATS, her treat.

How wonderful!

 

Well here we are …. almost time for me, for us to head back downstairs.

I had a hard time going to sleep last night and then Alvin was awake at 1:13 and finally after trying to convince him to go back to bed …. we went downstairs.

I gave him his glucosamine chew and he went outside to pee, which he did.

Then we laid down on the sofa and slept until about 4:30 and then up for him to eat and go outside, again.

Then back to the sofa and then up at 5:15 a.m. …… argh.

Might be a long day but I am going to stay positive.

I, we are going to have an awesome day.

Quiet in the office (meaning few phone calls) and my appointments on time.

That would be nice.

 

Happy Thursday.

Thank you Blake Shelton …. love your voice.

 

Always, Carol & Alvin

Living … One day at a time.

Good Morning …. Wednesday finally …. December 18, 2019.

I am getting SO excited for my Christmas break.

Will be great to be home with Alvin and our little friends.

Arriving on Saturday afternoon for a sleepover and going home sometime on Sunday will be Teddy and his little sister Kobi.

On Sunday, Humphrey arrives for a week and will watch over Cinder as well.

Cannot forget about the gekko.

Aspen and Milo will be here Christmas Eve with Mom and Dad spending Christmas Day at Grandma’s house.

 

Today feels like a blast from the past:

One of my first posts from December of 2010.

What happened to 2010?

I am so pondering while writing up the letter to be enclosed with my Christmas card about where 2010 went?

It came in quietly, I barely was aware.

It snuggled down tightly and buried within …..

Suddenly March, then April and then June.

But where it did go?

As I watch from above …… July and then August …..

Summer came and summer went.

Autumn well it was spent.

Now it’s December and almost Christmas.

If you are wondering what happened to 2010

You are not alone, I share your sentiments along with another eight billion or so people.

If you noticed at the beginning of this “story” I was drafting my Christmas letter – just so that you know – it did get written and sent.

So from me and Alvin, WE WISH YOU A HAPPY HAPPY CHRISTMAS & ALL THE BEST IN 2011.

May you always be surrounded by a loving family and friends.

May you be in perfect health (focus on good thoughts, they keep the body healthy, too)

May you laugh every single day (even if it is at yourself, because if you cannot laugh at YOU, who can you laugh at?)

May you love and be passionate about all that you do..

May your life be abundant in every single way.

May your gift of smile brighten someone’s day.

May you remember to help those less fortunate.

May you always be the BEST that you can be.

Happy Holidays …..

Always, Carol and a very patient Alvin (sniffing around in the hallway, now he is in the office)…….

 

I always love to read things from a few years ago …. mostly they are more than relevant today.

Wishing you a Happy Wednesday.

Our office is having a “Christmas Brunch” for us.

Wonder what will be on the menu?

We also have an opportunity to go and check out the renovations for our newly renovated new “old” office.

We move back there in January 2020.

New space for a new YEAR.

Very cool.

 

 

Have an awesome day.

Remember even when a package takes a sharp left turn instead of angling to the right,  it will show up in time for Christmas.

We just have to laugh.

Oh, the Post Office.

 

Always, Carol & Alvin

 

Thought for the day …..

Good Morning and Welcome to Wednesday the 12th day of December, 2018.

The weather forecast is for plus temperatures for the next week.

Hopefully the ice will melt and dry up.

Hard to believe it is December.

But perhaps not.

Maybe this is our new norm.

If there is such a thing.

We have had a huge amount of snow followed by some cold weather interrupted by mild temperatures.

Well this morning I am running late.

I cut one finger on my right hand a couple of days ago while fixing supper.

Not serious enough for stitches but enough to keep bandaged while it heals.

Of course, I wash my hands a billion times each day and am going through the bandaids, like crazy.

Perhaps I should have thought to have picked up some “liquid bandaid.”

Now that would have been a great idea.

Also my fingertips are cracking.

Tis the season.

The air is somewhat dry.

So even though it is quite painful, it is more that they are tender making some of the easiest tasks, a pain.

I cannot wear bandaids on each finger or I would not be able to work.

I am on the computer all day plus handling lots of paper.

Anyway, I am slower this morning than usual.

So not great stories or words of wisdom for this Wednesday.

 

I hope that you are all well.

Keep your hands and feet moisturized.

I try.

Wishing you an awesome Wednesday.

It is a great day.

 

My day is always off to a GREAT start when Mr. Alvin lays his head beside mine when we snooze on the sofa.

Oh, I love the little guy.

Hopefully it will be good for walking tonight.

 

Wished that I had some pea sized gravel for the front sidewalks.

Just putting it out there.

 

Okay, time to go.

Special Hello to: all those folks who are a bit stressed between work and the holidays.  It has been crazy as our office is temporarily locating to an office down the street from our current location.

The office is being moved in stages.  We go next week.  In the meantime, it has been semi organized chaos.  We are busy on top of it all.  Our current building is being renovated.  That will be great.

Always, Carol & Alvin

Thought for the day ….

Good Morning and Welcome to Wednesday the 5th day of December, 2018.

WOW, this morning is zipping along.

HUGE winds last night.

Snow …. drifts …. more snow and drifts……argh….. looks pretty though.

I was thinking that my Christmas tree on the front porch would have tipped over but thankfully it is still standing this morning.

The wreath is still on the door as well.

Lots going on.

We went for a tour of our “new” temporary office digs yesterday afternoon.

Our current location is going to be completely renovated.

So many things that need to be corrected and fixed.

So that is a good thing.

I love my new spot in the office.

I am in a corner by a window.

So nice.

Very grateful for that ….

 

My daughter gave me a ride home last night from work.

So nice to have that time with her….. always enjoy our time together.

We stopped at the VET on the way to my house so that I could pick up Alvin’s food (not out but will be in a little bit) and his glucosamine.

Saves me having to carry the food home.

Especially now that we have snowbanks everywhere.

 

We are leaving early this morning as my friend is going to the Deputy Ministers Office to work for the next three days.

So I will be at work a bit more early but that is okay.

 

I shovelled some of the deck at 5:30 a.m. and if time will shovel the front before I leave or will have to do it tonight.

Have to finish the Christmas Cards that are to be mailed tomorrow.

Just have to put photos in and seal them.

Almost done.

Then there are all the cards that I hand deliver …. neighbours ….. work.

 

Well I should fly …. won’t be long until the carpool is here to pick me up.

I have time to shovel …. if I move it.

Nothing like some cardio before work…..

 

I hope that you have an awesome day.

To all my friends and family in Saskatchewan …. I hope that the power is completely restored.

Wonder what happened to have the power go out over such a large area???

Keep warm and safe.

 

Happy Wednesday.

Special Hello to:  my sister ….. thank you.

Always, Carol & Alvin

Thought for the day ……

Good Morning and Welcome to Thursday the 28th day of December, 2017.

The sun is up and shining brightly.

Still a cold day.

Thank you to our friend and neighbour for driving me and Alvin to his appointment yesterday.

This cold weather has put me in hibernation mode.

I just feel like sleeping.

I have decided that in order to get to things that I am going to take down the Christmas decorations.

Sometimes I leave everything up until well in January and other times I have taken things down before New Year’s Day.

This may be the earliest.

Oh well, that way I can clean as I put things away and will have the weekend to do some visiting.

The sky is beautiful although a ridge of deep blue purple coloured clouds just slipped over the bright sun.

I think that Alvin is growing restless ….. we cannot wait until the warmer weather arrives.

It is in the forecast for next week, thank goodness.

 

New Year’s Eve is fast approaching.

Three sleeps.

2017 out and 2018 in.

Have you thought about what you would like to do specially for 2018?

Are you planning to travel?

Are you planning to do some renovations?

Are you planning to read more?

Are you planning to cook more healthy food?

Are you planning to exercise more?

I believe at the end of it all, most of us would just like to be in good health, happy and be surrounded by good people.

 

While I am taking down the Christmas decorations I am going to ponder what to do, to be in 2018.

Sounds like a plan.

 

I hope that you all have a wonderful day and that you are warm, safe and happy.

 

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

Always, Carol & Alvin