Last Half 2022 – December

Good Morning ALL! How are you this morning? We, I am doing well. So used to saying “we”……. I will say that I thought that I would sleep better if not getting up at all hours of the night but that has not been the case. Likely will improve in a few days. Report from my daughter that Alvin is doing well and adjusting to the new surroundings. They do not have an upstairs which is great for him. Will give him a reprieve from climbing up and down the stairs. I do miss my partner in crime and all things called “life.”

I do not remember if I reported the countdown to Christmas yesterday or not but today is Monday, December 5th and that leaves “19” sleeps until Christmas Eve.

My hands are cracked from all of the hand washing done over the past couple of days when I was baking. Baking done. 10 dozen or 120 chocolate chip cookies, 155 pieces of fudge and 215 iced sugar cookies for a total of 490 pieces of baking. That should do it. I actually ended up with more than I originally thought. So grateful that it is all done and ready to be packaged and delivered to some families and then rest is for Christmas parties and home.

Last night after the sugar cookies were iced, the fudge was cut into pieces and I had cleaned up my mess, I hauled up the wrapping paper and bags and tissue paper from the basement, brought down from upstairs all of the gifts that I had bought. Including were all of the items from my gift drawers. The things that I purchase extra when on sale – just to ensure that I have something for all of the people on my list. So the table is filled with items awaiting to be reviewed and wrapped if needed. Once I am finished this post, I am going to have a shower, get dressed and head downstairs. I will make some coffee and then start wrapping. I am excited to see Mr. Alvin open his gifts. He does such an amazing job of opening presents and he loves it so much. I have enough time today to do all of my wrapping.

This afternoon at 2:00 p.m. I will be attending the online streaming of my neighbour’s son. Hopefully most of the wrapping will be completed before the funeral. I have a few other things on my TO DO LIST for the rest of the day. Tomorrow is back to work and I am working from home for Tuesday and Wednesday and then to the office for Thursday and Friday. Lots going on this week.

Well time to head to the shower, I need some coffee this morning. Hopefully tonight is a better sleep as I get into a routine without my boy. I miss him but I do believe that it is good for both of us. Amanda said that they are loving having him with them. That does help.

Happy Monday.

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

Always, Carol & Alvin (he is with me in spirit and I when I close my eyes I can see him lying on the carpet outside the office door)…..

Last Half 2022 – December

Good Morning ALL! It has been a strange almost 24 hours. Yesterday morning I awoke with Alvin next to me and my daughter sleeping in the spare bedroom. This morning I awake to myself. Just me. It has been years since I have been alone in the house. Feels odd, strange and lonely. Yesterday at the stroke of NOON, Alvin left with my daughter for three weeks or so and will be home on Christmas EVE. Yesterday it was hard to see him go and I did shed some tears for my boy and then I got busy. I have lots to do and that was part of the point to get some things done and to have some downtime. Packing him up to go was akin to packing up a child to go away. There was his favourite blanket, I sent a bed for the car and in case he wanted his although Amanda said they have more beds than pups at home. I packed his food for three weeks which seemed like a lot but not really, his meds, his dishes, his toothbrush, toothpaste, ear cleaner and toys. Oh, his sweater, harness and leash. Although he did wear his harness in the car and was strapped in safely in the back seat while sitting on his favourite blanket and his bed so he was comfy although I am not sure he thought so. I think that I forgot something, oh and the pumpkin. There was food and pumpkin that was open in dishes in the fridge that was packed and went. They made it to Alberta Beach and Amanda reported that he is doing great. He did pant on the drive out but did not drool which is a step up for him. For the guy that seldom sets a paw into the motor vehicle. I am both pleased and very relieved. I wonder how last night went. I went to bed at 9:30 and read for a few minutes before lights out but did not fall asleep for a long time. How long I do not know as I did not get up to check the time. I woke up a couple of times during the night to go to the bathroom. I was laying thing trying to convince myself that I should get up and when I checked the clock it was 6:30 so I stayed in bed until just after 7:30. Yes, I should have likely got my butt out of bed but just to lay there with no one wanting me to move and do anything was great. I have all day to get things done.

Just after Amanda and Alvin left yesterday, I went to put something in the hall closet likely my jacket and before I knew it, I was cleaning it out. It was done at the end of fall but needed it again. Reorganized and cleaned the floor and proudly displayed my new winter boots. Following that I sat down and did some things on my phone before starting to bake.

Yesterday I made four batches of fudge which I am not sure how many pieces that will make, I am going out on a limb and guess around 100 pieces and then I baked 10 dozen chocolate chip cookies. I had supper in between the 5 dozen cookies mark.

I think it was about 7:30 or so when I finished cleaning up. So I enjoyed some Christmas movies while snuggling under our favourite red blanket.

Today’s schedule or agenda is SUGAR COOKIES. I am thinking about four batches but will see how many individual cookies I make. Each cookie will need to be iced and then there is laundry. I have already changed bedding, towels, gathered laundry and reorganized my bedroom clothes closet. Just will finish this post and do some online banking before heading downstairs where I will make some coffee and make the first batch of sugar cookies so they can be chilling while I start laundry. Whew.

I am glad that I booked tomorrow off as a vacation day. Tomorrow afternoon is also the funeral of our neighbour’s son. The service will be streamed so I will be able to attend via online. I also have to run and pick up toothpaste and movoflex for Alvin as Amanda will stop by on Wednesday after work to pick up. Going to be a busy week.

Have a wonderful day.

I just received a text from Amanda. Mr. Alvin was up at 4:30 to pee and then back to sleep until a bit ago and has just finished breakfast (8:20 a.m.). WOW. All is well.

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

Always, Carol & Alvin (even though he is not here at the moment, he is always with me in my mind, heart and soul.)

Last Half 2022 – November

Good Morning ALL! How are you this morning? I am more relaxed this morning than yesterday and had a bit more sleep than the previous night. I reached out to one of my friends and to my daughter and both did not reach the same conclusions that I had about the piece of something that I found on my kitchen floor. So I am going with their conclusions and am resting a bit easy.

Another cold morning and it is snowing. I am going to the office today and our neighbour will come and check on Mr. Alvin. Would be nice when the temperatures were cold that we could just stay home. But not the case. Oh well. Snuggling with Alvin is much more appealing than going outside.

Two more days and I start the Christmas baking. Getting prepared and a schedule worked out in my mind. I will start on Friday night and have done early on Monday. The list of items contains Sugar Cookies, Fudge and Chocolate Chip Cookies. I also picked up ready made tart shells and a jar of mincemeat to make some tarts. Not really baking as the work is already done but I am making them for us for Christmas. I may make Raisin Cookies should time allow. But definitely the first three items will be done this weekend. There is also organizing of all my storage containers for the cookies as I will need to freeze them for a bit before handing them out to friends and neighbours. Some are required for different Christmas parties and for Christmas time. I am excited. Will be busy but fun.

Can you believe that tomorrow is December 1st, 2022! Where has the time gone. Soon we shall be in the countdown to Christmas Eve / Day and the New Year. 2023 that is just unbelievable.

Well I suppose I should head back downstairs. I need to go outside and pick up the poop from earlier. Finishing touches on things to take to work. Snuggles with Mr. Alvin. That is the most important thing that I need to do between now and when my ride arrives.

I hope that you have an awesome day. Keep warm and stay safe.

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

I am looking forward to coffee this morning. Thinking that I should make my own and take to work.

Always, Carol & Alvin

Last Half 2022 – November

Good Morning ALL! Welcome to Saturday. It is overcast here in Edmonton and it was snowing ever so lightly a little while ago. This morning is give Mr. Alvin a haircut and bath. I am sure that he is over the moon excited, not. Not something that he enjoys but it needs to be done and then he will be good until after Christmas (hopefully). We have laundry on the TO DO LIST and doing up Christmas 2022 lists to include Christmas cards and gifts and baking. I like to write everything on paper so that I can see with my own eyes and that way, I do not miss anyone or anything. Organized is how I always do the Holiday Season. Just makes sense to me. I think that this year I will only bake Sugar Cookies, Chocolate Chip Cookies and Fudge. That is the plan but it may change once I am in the kitchen. Lists also help when you are baking and cooking to ensure that you are not short one ingredient or more. I am pretty good at swapping but sometimes with certain things it makes a notable difference. How do you do Christmas? Lists or just by memory?

I am trying to set FONT size for my post and it was working for awhile and now every paragraph I have to reset it. OMG. One would think after using this platform for more than ten years that I would have it all figured out but I do not. Actually that is not completely true as WordPress has changed things over the years. Oh well, it works out in the end.

Time to wash the Christmas towels (I almost forgot). Usually it takes me a couple of weekends to make sure that everything Christmas is set out properly. My daughter picked up some new Christmas tree lights for me so next week or weekend, I will be redecorating the tree. Seems like a lot of work but in the olden days, some years ago, I used to sometimes redecorate the tree 5-6 times during the holiday season. Sometimes you just look at it and it needs some tweaking. Sometimes! This time I have a legitimate reason. The new lights. Anyway, now that I am hosting the office Christmas party, I certainly need everything to be picture perfect (or at least my version of picture perfect).

Well I think that I figured out how to change the font and it stay that way – oh no, how did I do it?

Alvin is giving me that look, perhaps he has to go outside. So will have to cut this short.

I hope that you all have a fantastic day.

Forgot to mention that we had a wonderful walk yesterday. Bumped into friends that we have not seen for a long time. Nice. We had an interesting conversation! COVID and politics not good topics of conversations but sometimes it just goes there. Oh well, that is life. We are all entitled to our feelings, thoughts and opinions. That is what makes us human. We are emotional beings and throughout the past almost three years that has been extremely evident.

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

Always, Carol & Alvin

PS: oh, coffee………..

2021

Good Morning ALL! Wishing you all a wonderful Monday, December 6, 2021. Today also happens to be the birthday of a cousin of mine, Happy Birthday Janice. Wishing you a wonderful day and may all your days ahead be happy and bright.

Yesterday was the SUGAR COOKIE baking day. I made 18 dozen of them. They turned out perfect. Now today as I took as a vacation day is ICING / Decorating them day. I think that I should have time to wrap them and also perhaps to wrap some Christmas presents. We shall see how the day evolves. I am actually hoping that the temperature is a bit warmer today so that we can get out for a walk – even if it is a short one – something is better than nothing.

The last FB Live for the FIFTH AVENUE Jewelry MEGAPARTY was yesterday. It was fun. Worked out perfectly that I was almost finished baking the cookies for batch #2 at the time. After the Live, we took a supper break and then after supper I whipped up the third batch of cookies. We even had a bit of time to snuggle on the sofa, me and Alvin that is, lol.

Well I am going to make this a short one this morning so that I can get this show on the road. Tomorrow is a work day and I don’t want to be up late tonight.

I hope that you are well and enjoying this Day thus far.

I cannot believe that it is December 6, 2021. Where does the time go?

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

Always, Carol & Alvin

P.S. Remember the time Janice that we tried to crawl out of my basement bedroom window when we were teenagers? What a time we had. Cannot help but to smile thinking of it …….

2021

Good Morning ALL! How are you this morning? Well it is pretty chilly out there. I haven’t dared check out the temperature but I could see my breath for sure. The sun is starting to rise slowly as it becomes light outside. Yesterday was a productive Saturday. I did several loads of laundry, chipped and cleaned all of the ice from the public sidewalk out front of our house, washed all of the containers for Christmas baking, made three batches of fudge, watched a Fifth Avenue Jewelry LIVE, had a nice chat with a friend on the phone, did some cleaning and feels like I am missing something as I was busy from the time that I got up until bedtime. Anyway, lots to do at this time of year. What were you doing yesterday?

I am going to pop into the shower to get refreshed after this post and then put on the coffee and pull out all of the baking supplies to make the SUGAR COOKIES. I have already put away all of the laundry that was drying in the basement and brought up the towels out of the dryer. I made the bed. Do you make your bed everyday? That always seems to be something that people differ on along with the toilet paper roll up or down. But if we agreed on everything it would be a pretty boring world. I plan to bake all of the sugar cookies today and then ice them tomorrow. Likely make 3 or 4 batches which translates to about 216 – 288 cookies. If time allows, I may make more. I have decided this year to make individual packages for the people on my baking distribution list. Oh, that sounds pretty formal. I mean the folks that I give Christmas baking to each year. I usually add people to the list. I have some of the food wrap you know the cello stuff, and ribbon so just have to figure out how large the square has to be. That will likely be the hardest part, lol. I will wrap as I give them away. Not sure if it is feasible to do them all at once. Will see how time allows.

The Fifth Avenue Jewelry LIVES on FB have been fun. Who would have thought two years ago that we would not be having home parties and that everything could be more easily done on the computer on FACEBOOK, of all places. You never know where life is going to take us!

Oh, we had some snow sometime between bed and 3:00 a.m. – just enough to give things a nice little blanket and help cover any ice that was left. Grateful for that bit of snow.

Well time to fly and get some things done. Sometimes I am very good at procrastinating. Very good at it. When it is cold outside – I like to snuggle with Mr. Alvin under our favourite red blanket on the sofa sipping on a mug of coffee and watching “our” favourite Christmas show or movie. Maybe tonight, if I get those cookies all baked in time. We have the last Fifth Avenue Jewelry Live this afternoon at 4 p.m. Mountain time or 5 p.m. for you my sister in Saskatchewan.

Continuing to live this life with kindness, respect, compassion, patience, love, laughter, understanding and gratitude. So much gratitude for this life and each and every day of it.

Always, Carol & Alvin

P.S. last night we were or rather I was waiting for the LIVE to begin when I heard a crash. I was temporarily frozen on the sofa. Finally after a few seconds, I got up to investigate. Guess what I found? The broom and dustpan had fallen over onto the floor from his spot in between the pantry and wall by the back door. OMG, scared the hair right off my head. It did. Even Alvin jumped.

Welcome to December 2020

Good Morning ALL. I am so happy that I booked today off as a day of vacation. Starting off lazy and just going slow as it was such a rushed busy but glorious weekend. We were up early but then back for extra zzz’s to the sofa. My ears are plugged this morning which happens to me so will take a shower in a few minutes to see if I can hear again. I can hear the rumbling of the fan and I can hear my voice if I speak …. just did not hear the timer on the microwave when it went off earlier. OH WELL! Yesterday was busy with baking SUGAR COOKIES and icing them, chatting with my youngest brother, attending the LIVE for my Fifth Avenue Jewelry party, walking with Alvin, laundry and cleaning. Today I have lots to do but no absolute schedule other than I have to be at the Vet before 4:00 p.m. I want to pick up food for Alvin, toothpaste, his “glucosamine chews,” and whatever else is on his list and drop off some Christmas treats for Dr. Karen and her staff. So around noon or a bit later I am going to take the baking out of the freezer and fridge and start making up some treat boxes. I have about several people in the neighbourhood that I want to deliver some Christmas Baking to and hopefully can catch everyone at home. It will be something that I have to do by myself as is hard to hold onto a bag full of boxes and Alvin ….. we shall see, I might. Also will be masking up. There is laundry that will be dried in the basement that I have to put away. Bathrooms to be cleaned (they did not get done on the weekend), garbage to put out later as pick up is tomorrow. There is always something to do and that is a good thing. Can you imagine if someone did everything for you and you had nothing to do but to eat and sleep and I guess personal grooming (shower etc). Sounds like being a teenager. LOL. I was one of those once but I had lots of things to do. Everything was not done for me. I am so glad that it was not. We did not have video games and all the technology of today. Different time. Each generation has it’s gains and losses for sure. Well.

The sky appears to be overcast to the south. I have not heard the forecast for today and am hoping another good day for my “deliveries.”

Perhaps I shall have time to figure out why I am not able to add photos to my computer. Time for some new photos. It has been forever since I posted some photos.

From the VAULT – December 21, 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,

************************

Well it is time to hit the shower and get this day back on track. I hope that you are well and enjoying Monday, December 7, 2020. I guess this means we are “17 sleeps” till Christmas EVE DAY.

Be well, continue to live your life with kindness, respect and compassion.

Always, Carol & Alvin

Welcome to December 2020

Good Morning ALL. Oh my goodness, cannot believe it is after 9:30 a.m.. I was up baking until almost midnight and then Mr. Alvin who had been sleeping most of the evening was up at 5:00 and then we had to hit the sofa for extra zzz’s, well I did for sure. Yikes surely puts a late start to the date. Yesterday was a great day but very busy. Of course, nothing are always subject to change and change things did. Yesterday it took longer to get things started baking wise, in fact I had wanted to start in the morning but it was closer to noon but I did get a double batch of fudge and unbaked macaroons done by noon, my daughter came, put away groceries, had a snack, visited, she left as another friend was stopped by to pick up her tea order which was at the same time as my Fifth Avenue Collection LIVE was starting (I just was attending), I watched and visited with her (COVID19 protocols in place), she left and I fed Alvin and decided what the hey – order pizza for supper, working on laundry in between and baking and then another Fifth Avenue Collection LIVE at 7:00 p.m. followed by more baking. WHEW …. no periods ….. just one long sentence, I know. Poor Alvin missed a walk so will have to get out today especially with this nice weather. My youngest brother is calling me at noon and the last Fifth Avenue Collection LIVE is today at 3:00 p.m. I can hear Mrs. Krank from CHRISTMAS WITH THE KRANKS speaking in my ear as she repeats the list of what she needs to do as her daughter unexpectedly comes home for Christmas EVE and expects their usual Christmas EVE party. On the upside I suppose I have an extra weekend and could some baking next weekend but really would love to be done so that I can wrap gifts and deliver baking only next weekend. Time will tell. Phone calls and company these days are more important. “18 sleeps till Christmas EVE.” Okay breathe Carol Yvonne breathe, there is lots of time. Remember I am working from home and and am off work at 4:00 – so could easily bake something in the evening, okay that is true. I guess I forget that when I was younger I would bake after work and supper on a Friday night while my daughter was sleeping and then get up and finish on the Saturday. Most extra things had to be done in the evenings. I am certain all you Moms out there can relate. I have walked myself down from the at peak of dread and am good now. Funny how small things can wind you up. I am a perfectionist and when I cannot for whatever reason get things done on the schedule ahead of me, which is usually set by my, I get a bit anxious, okay a lot anxious. But the sun is shining and I can imagine birds singing somewhere and life is good. I guess if not keeping my “baking schedule” is the only thing wrong in my life, well I should consider myself very blessed and do not get me wrong. I am MOST BLESSED. I have a great life. My friends and family are so amazing and wonderful. There is this beautiful house, I call home that I can spend each and every day and night in and then there is Mr. Alvin. My trusty companion. Who is laying on his little bed close to me and the computer at this moment. We are both in good health and I have a good job and am able to work from home. So really I should just be quiet. Out there I am sure that there are folks reading this who think OMG what is she going on about and then there are others who think, I hear you. I am not 20 but 63. I set my schedule as though I was 20 not 63. My mind has not slowed down but my body is thinking although in good condition is not 20 and it takes a bit longer to get things done. Not too much slower mind you but some. Anyway, I hope that you are having a giggle this morning about my silliness. Time to just get on with the day.

When I think of how great it was to see my girl and to have a visit with Maria from work. It was so wonderful. I have not had a chat with Maria for months. Very therapeutic. We both needed that. We plan to have a get together with another girl from work during Christmas holidays. Also I love spending time with my daughter. She brought me back a plush Santa that I had given her years ago and it was funny because I had been thinking of that Santa just the day before ….. funny how life works. I am still looking for a photo. I will find it. Next weekend.

Well it is almost 10:00 a.m. so I had better get hopping and have breakfast and get the cookie dough for the sugar cookies mixed up and get to chilling. At least get one batch on the go. I think the plan will be to get two batches of them done today. Chat with my brother, wash a load of towels, walk with Alvin and the LIVE with Fifth Avenue Jewelry at 3:00 p.m. …… that will be enough.

Well I hope that you are well. Happy Sunday Everyone. Remember living with kindness, respect and compassion starts with ourselves.

I will be kind, respect and compassion to myself and to all others.

Always, Carol & Alvin

Welcome to December 2020

Good Morning All. How are you doing today? Well we are in the countdown mode now. Can you believe “19” sleeps until Christmas EVE Day. WOW. I guess that means that I better get cracking with my Christmas Baking to ensure it is done and delivered before the big day. My list is bigger than I initially had decided upon. So I will be baking several batches of the following: Sugar Cookies with my special icing, Fudge, Chocolate Chip Cookies, Unbaked Chocolate Macaroons, and Raisin Cookies. So countless of dozens of delectable treats to be enjoyed by my kids, neighbours and friends and Alvin’s Dr. and her staff. I am so excited. I think that I am ahead of my usual curve than other years. Now that is a phrase we have heard this year but in reverse. Anyway, today, tomorrow and Monday are baking days. I even took Monday off as a vacation day so that I would have lots of time. In between the baking, I am hosting a online Fifth Avenue Collection jewelry party for which I only have to show up to the LIVES (whew), laundry, cleaning, my daughter is stopping by today with groceries and for a visit and a friend from work is stopping by to pick up her tea order. The baking and jewelry party is all weekend. My Jeweler Friend does lives at different times over the weekend. There was one last night, two today and one tomorrow. Looking out the office window the sunrise is beautiful once again. Last night after work Alvin and I joined my friend Pauline and her grandpup Georgie for a walk. The sun was setting already when we left the house at 4:30 and was gorgeous. Someone had even pulled their car over to the side of the road and was taking photos. It was very pretty. Alvin and I had two good walks yesterday one at noon which was about 25-30 and then a 45 minute one after work. So if we do not make it out today we will not be behind, thank goodness. The battle of the midsection has definitely been HUGE this year but in all honesty I think it has been a carryover from last year and the year before. I cannot blame it on COVID19. Okay, perhaps just a little.

What are your plans for the weekend? Do you bake goodies for your family and friends? One thing I am excited about is that this year I have nice boxes made just for cookies and other treats and I am so grateful to my friend for picking them up. You know my personal shopper friend, as I like to call her. She is amazing. Not just because of that – she is a kind, loving, generous person and we love her.

Okay, I guess I had better get this train back on the tracks. Throw on a Christmas movie, put on the coffee, go to the basement and put on a load of laundry and change the furnace filter (very important to keep that changed) and then have some toast and coffee and then START BAKING. I would like to have some things done before my daughter arrives. I am excited to have company. Only one at a time.

I wish you a wonderful Saturday. Remember to do something nice for someone other than yourself. It is easy to treat yourself but hey so much more rewarding to treat others. You won’t regret it. Be nice. Shovel a walk, bake a pie for your elderly neighbours, bake something and give it away. The vacuuming can wait. Maybe you have neighbours who cannot leave the house and have a dog …. take the dog for a walk? That would be nice.

Happy Saturday ALL.

See you tomorrow.

Living with kindness, respect and compassion for all.

Always, Carol & Alvin

Welcome December 2020

Good Morning ALL. Well it is Thursday morning December 3, 2020. Another gorgeous day on its’ way to us living here in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. This day is forecasted to be +5 degrees celsius. Our normal temperature is -4 for this time of year. We are to have about another week of these temperatures. I will say that when we were out for our noon day walk that Alvin and I wanted to keep on walking – well I did anyway. There were a couple of times that he wanted to turn around and head for home – not quite sure why but I was able to convince him to keep on trucking. The air was so warm and soothing as it touched my face. The sun was shining brightly in the perfect blue sky. I am so grateful for these days. So grateful.

What is on your “plate” for today. Well another workday for me. Tonight I will almost finish my Christmas project which is very exciting for me. Just about there. I also have to double check my recipes and ensure that I know what I am going to bake and that I have the right amount of ingredients. I know that I have more than enough flour and sugar and butter. More than enough. Somehow in the beginning it seemed like a good idea to buy 10 kgs of flour and I think it is the same in sugar and four pounds of butter. The butter might be more close but the flour and sugar will keep. If anyone needs a cup or five of them, I will have some for that. You never know. I did work on the Christmas project last night. I had to use this strong glue so opening the windows and then I placed the project under the fan for the stove (which had it sitting on top of the stove). Yikes. Not a nice smell and not good for one to breathe in – that is why I opened the windows and turned on the fan.

How are you doing these days? Are you okay? I know that this year or almost year has been so off the charts strange for everyone. Strange is putting it lightly of course. People are either working from home, laid off and receiving government relief benefits or out on the front lines working through this pandemic. For the majority of people having to remain at home and away from large groups of family and friends or even travelling has been difficult. Although I will say there are people travelling and that scares the “crap” out of me. What will they bring back with them? Travelling should be ban until this is over unless you are in the military or some health care professionals. Allowing folks to travelling especially out of the country is absolutely ludicrous at this time. How can you ban people from getting together with family at Christmas and allow families to travel outside of Canada. Does not make sense to me? I do agree that we have to buckle down and stop the crazy increase of this virus and if that means wearing a mask and social distancing until who knows when, well this girl is in. What will happen if we do not adhere to the new “rules.” I do not even want to go there.

I am sorry for the dark message so early in the morning but sometimes I just have to get things off my chest.

Okay how about Christmas? Do you have your tree up? I have heard that tree sales are up and that most people already have their trees up and decorated much earlier than normal. I have also heard that flour and sugar and other baking items are beginning to fly off the shelves. So I guess that I am not the only one that is baking. Isn’t it funny that no matter what I am talking about it all comes back to that darn virus. Anyway. I am excited to get some serious Christmas baking done this weekend. Sugar cookies, fudge, chocolate chip cookies, unbaked chocolate macaroons, raisin cookies and who knows what else. Will depend on time and energy and supplies. I even have some delightful boxes to place the baked goods in to deliver to friends and family. So excited. Thanks to my “personal shopper” and you know who you are. I am the most blessed person on the planet. I know this to be for certain.

Well time to head on downstairs. Put on the coffee and get to work.

If we all continue to live our lives with kindness, respect and compassion – what a wonderful world this will be.

Always, Carol & Alvin