The Next Chapter

Good Morning ALL! This is what happens to you use the airdrop function on your phone and somehow there is five million copies of each photo. Well Cookie is running amuck. Enjoy the photos and have a great day. Cookie goes home today but not until actually really early Sunday morning. Family arrives to Edmonton airport at 11:00 p.m. and may be home by 12:30. We will be waiting. They miss her and she misses them. I will stay up late tonight for them. She will be so excited to see them. Photos include under the red blanket on the sofa last night with me, Cookie becoming a blogger, my flowers from Savannah and Grayson, grand-pups Milo & Aspen at the window.

Time to fly before someone gets into something.

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

Always, Carol & Alvin (My Forever Angel) & our dear friend little Miss Cookie.

P.S. had a great day, the best day at the office thus far. Accomplished so much. Felt good at end of day. Came home to Steven, grand-pups and Cookie. I took Miss Aspen for a nice walk. Was a great day.

The Next Chapter

Good Morning. The sun is shining and it is early for a Sunday. Both Cookie and I woke up just before 7:00 this morning and up to start the day. I think the temperature is to be +14 or so today so we will spend some time out in the backyard.

Yesterday ended up being a busy day. Worked on the laundry. The grocery order arrived with a few minor glitches which ended up being my misunderstanding – if they say buy one get one free who knew you had to say two items and if you are ordering 2/$11.00 – order 2. Anyway I got that straightened out when I called the toll free store number. My friend that I was keeping her just found stolen car from the night before that was in my garage for safe keeping came to pick it up. My friend Pauline texted with some plant pots that she was giving away and wondering if I or Amanda would like them. I said yes and she came for a visit. We would have gone for a walk but I cannot take Cookie as her harness is too tight and it was cool without her sweater. We were having a good visit when the phone rang and it was the friend that had kept her car in my garage overnight and she was back to take me to Save-On to pick up the items that I did not receive from my on-line order. I decided that it would be nice to have the actual buy one get one free and the other 2/$… items (I now have lots of items to last me for awhile). So Pauline left and I got ready to leave for the store. Very quickly. Never fails when you are in a hurry, you cannot locate the cards you need in your wallet. I finally after an anxious couple of minutes my Save-On points card and you need it to get the deals. Pauline brought the flower / strawberry pots which are safely tucked in my garage. Amanda and I will have to draw straws to see who gets what, there are three of them. What a busy day! Especially the afternoon. Good busy for the most part.

I made a stir fry for supper last night and will have leftovers tonight.

I can hear Cookie downstairs as I type this post. Hopefully she is staying out of trouble. She likes to keep busy.

My coffee has been brewed and smells yummy from up here. She is whining so I had better fly.

In all of the excitement with Miss Cookie, I forgot to mention EARTH DAY which was yesterday. I kept the lights off and things to a minimum and went to bed early. I sure hope that we humans get this environment stuff all figured out quickly. We are definitely not great “keepers” of anything.

Happy Sunday everyone. I sure hope that the snow is melting in Saskatchewan.

Looking forwarding to summer! Flowers and sunshine.

They cleaned our streets – looks so good! I cleaned the garbage at the perfect time. YAY, me. Sometimes I have good timing.

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

Always, Carol, Alvin (My Forever Angel) & Miss Cookie

Last Half 2022 – August

Good Morning ALL! Well we are certainly coming to the end of August, quickly with no help from any of us. Alvin and I slept right through until 5:00 from bedtime at 10:00 p.m. last night. So great. Then we hit the sofa for a few hours so I feel like I have had some sleep. We are also so grateful for the reprieve from the hot temperatures which by the way are coming back starting Tuesday. This does not seem like normal. Usually August or at least in recent memory has been in the low twenties or late teens. Not this year. Thankfully the house is cool right now and with the breeze blowing makes it actually cool outside. Top temperature for today is 22-23 degrees celsius, Monday is forecasted to be 27, Tuesday 31, Wednesday 32, Thursday and Friday 28. That is the base temperature not including the humidity which seems to be high at the moment. So Tuesday could feel like 34. ARGH. We will be back to leaving the windows open overnight to cool the house and with the fans on throughout the day. Looks like the sky is clouding over. The sun was shining so brightly for the last few hours.

My friend G was coming for coffee this morning but has a migraine so is unable to pop over. Those things are a total bugger. I hope that she is feeling better soon.

Poor Alvin will be back to sporting the cool wet hand towel look for a few more days this week.

At least a person can vacuum the house without working up a sweat and actually do some things around the house without perishing from the heat. I have so many things in the fridge to eat that I have not had to cook all weekend (which is too bad because this would be the time to do some cooking). But there will be enough things to have for most of the week without cooking.

Weather plays such an important role in our lives. We “work” around the weather. Whether raining or sun shining!

Yesterday was great for us as it rained off and on for a good part of the day. The leaves on the trees, the grass and flowers and plants are all looking so much better for that wonderful moisture. I water my flowers but there is nothing like rain water.

Next weekend will likely be clean out more plant pots as they are starting to go. Also time to grab some pots for my geraniums which will need to be brought into the house and repotted along with the canna lily which will winter in the basement. The geraniums, oh I have so many. Might have to consider wintering some of them in the basement. Will google and read up on the process once again.

Lots of things to do coming up. I guess with a house and yard there is always many things to keep up.

Well I should go and pop outside for a walk with Mr. Alvin as it might end up raining, who knows. I love the smell of the morning air although the morning is fast evaporating. Walk or coffee. That is the question? Likely walking.

I hope that you have a great Sunday.

Take Care.

Continuing to live this life with kindness, respect, compassion, patience, love, laughter, understanding, gratitude, focus, possibilities and coffee. Perhaps should add walking to the list. LOL.

Always, Carol & Alvin

PS: I can hear geese honking in the distance otherwise it is quiet except for the bathroom fan and my fingertips clicking on the keyboard. I think that this heat is starting to show its’ effects on people’s health.

Last Half 2022 – August

Good Morning ALL! What a great morning. The sun is coming up (starting to be later each morning). There is a bit of a breeze as I just saw the tips of the trees to the south of us, swaying a bit. YAY.

We will be heading out for another morning walk before the heat sets in. I cannot wait until we can walk at noon and after work.

Today, being August 25th, is a special date. Today marks the birthdate of my Mother who would have been 84. Happy Birthday Mom. We miss you.

My brother-in-law Todd celebrates his 54th Birthday today. We wish him a very Happy Birthday. There was an early birthday celebration here one week ago tomorrow. It was great seeing them.

Other friends celebrate today and we wish them a wonderful day as well.

August is a busy month for birthdays.

Photo by George Dolgikh on Pexels.com

Photo by Markus Spiske on Pexels.com

Photo by Dan Prado on Pexels.com

Well as the days roll by the sun is up later and sets earlier. We are fast approaching my favorite time of year which is fall or autumn. I love the slight coolness to the air and the warm feeling that I have and the colour of the leaves.

I am grateful for my life. I am happy when I can connect with a longtime friend (Carolyn). I am happen to meet new friends Jennie and Robyn. I am happy when Alvin is in good health. I am happy that I am in good health. I am happy to be surrounded by loving family and friends. I am happy for electricity (fans in this heat). I am happy that I can walk and enjoy these beautiful mornings.

Today is all about gratitude. Be happy.

Have an awesome day.

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

Always, Carol & Alvin

Last Half 2022 – August

Good Morning ALL! How are you this morning. We are well. Up at 3:00 to go outside for a bathroom break – not me, you silly, Mr. Alvin. My funny for the moment. I could see the stars or at least a few along with some satellites. The air was cool which was refreshing. I was shocked to see the temperature on the main floor was “69” degrees fahrenheit. Upstairs not sure. We then hit the sofa for a few more hours and were up shortly after 6:00 (yes, I hit the snooze button, but only once). Then up and gave Mr. Alvin his breakfast. I am so happy that he loves his new wet food. He has always been a foodie and will pretty much eat anything you put in front of him so one has to be careful. At the end of the day, I am very grateful that he did not turn his nose up at the new food. Not sure what I would have done. Then the usual things readied the coffee pot, made our bed including putting the decorator pillows back on and our few special stuffies (previously were Amanda’s) and I had a shower. Now I don’t have a shower everyday. Really unless you have been outside rolling around in the dirt, or covered in bug spray or sweating from working outside then every second day or so, works fine. I usually use my hair as an indicator. Now I am here writing/typing/keying these words.

I can hear the loud hum of cars, trucks and other motor vehicles on the highway which surrounds the City of Edmonton. People going somewhere. The breeze wafting in through my open office window is delectable. Also I have learned over this heat wave and since the temperatures have dropped so much during the evening as of late, that if I leave the main floor windows open, the main floor cools off and then I leave all the windows upstairs open as well. We have not had rain in the forecast for a few days.

We are going to go for a walk this morning. Yesterday morning we were really late leaving the house but had time for a good walk, not the full one we have been doing but I figured if we are out and about breathing in that fresh morning air, then the length is immaterial. After all, it is Mr. Alvin sniffing every secret “fragrance” along the way that is truly what is important. As he ages, he has definitely slowed down and truly “smells the roses.” No longer does he rush ahead of me to see what is ahead, he stays close by and smells everything. He does love the rose bushes by the park. He makes me happy. What a guy!

We certainly can learn a thing or two from our four-legged buddies.

Well today after work someone is coming to pick up the scrapbooking and craft items that I sold to her. It is time to keep only what I am going to use and not everything that I am not. I am excited for someone to have them.

Over the summer, I have been selling and giving away items and even trading some items to just simplify my life. Less is more. Honestly western society, most especially North America has been smitten over the last many decades with materialism. The more stuff the better. Well it is that stuff that is clogging our lakes, rivers and filling the oceans. Time to stop. We do not need all these things. After all, you cannot take it with you. Food for thought.

I hope that you have an awesome day.

Time for a walk. Reflection and fresh air.

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

Always, Carol & Alvin

PS: thank you for your time and I appreciate you reading these posts.

Last Half 2022 – August

Good Morning ALL! We are doing well this morning. Up at 2:30 as Mr. Alvin had to pee. I was dreaming like all get out but we are up and at it. Alvin has had breakfast and I have had a shower. Writing my blog and then going for a walk before work. I can feel the beautiful breeze coming in through the open office window. A good start to this Monday.

I decided to change up my kitchen yesterday and put the IKEA shelves back under the window. I lay it on its’ side so that I can place my plants on top and then odds and ends underneath in the shelves. It is awesome. Same shelves that I had placed against the partial kitchen wall earlier this year (cannot remember when I moved them). Easier to get up to the table and more room to access the fridge. I like both ways (will post photos later). We went for a walk in the morning before it was too warm although it was not nearly as hot as it has been. Even today is not to be such a blast of heat.

In mid afternoon, I decided to go through the scrapbooking/craft items that I seem to have accumulated so much of. I had someone who had bought a knitting kit from me earlier in the summer and when she came to pick it up – we chatted and I founded out that she did scrapbooking etc. so I asked if she would be interested and she said yes. Well it took me this long to get through it. I only kept a few items and some paper and sent her photos for which she is looking at to come up with a price. There is a lot of things and to buy would be so much money but I am not looking to make a small fortune – just a bit of money would be nice.

Last night we had a quiet evening.

Our friend Kobi recently celebrated her third birthday. She has been a bright light in our lives.

Baby Kobi

Kobi and Milo

Well time to fly. We wish you a great day.

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

Always, Carol & Alvin

Last Half 2022

Good Morning ALL! How are you this morning? I am well, my little furry sidekick is also on the road to wellness. With any luck Monday’s trip will be the last unplanned vet visit for us for this year. Fingers crossed. Note to all you dog owners out there, it is important to pay attention to your dog when you are out walking. I do not carry my phone and I am always looking to the ground and watching where he is sniffing and this still happened. They are also very good at hiding things, they are dogs after all. I had no idea on Sunday morning when he turned around and headed for home that he was hiding a bone in his mouth, no idea. I was watching him sniffing and did not see him take the bone from its’ spot in the grass and tuck it into his mouth. That is why he headed so quickly for home. He wanted to enjoy his spoils. I noticed that he dropped something on the floor in the house and went over to investigate when I found the bone. I quickly picked it up and threw it in the garbage and then washed my hands never thinking that for the time that dirty old bone was in his mouth, it was spreading bacteria through his body. Because that is what dirty old things do if you ingest them. Even though he did not eat it, the bone did the damage. So here we are. Monday he threw up breakfast, a small snack and then without thinking I gave him more food which left his stomach, as well. The girls at the vet said that I was too hard on myself but I know better. Not my first rodeo. Just not thinking. Anyway, when he did not keep water down, I called the vet, wishing I had called in the morning. It was so hot outside and too hot for the boy to walk on the hot sidewalk so I called friends. Our friend Signe drove us to the vet and our friend Gillian picked us up when we were done.

Alvin had a Cerenia injection to stop him from vomiting. He also had subcutaneous fluids. Sent home with probiotics, antibiotics and more of the Cerenia in tablet form.

He is not quit himself but he is definitely on the road to be well again. Poor little guy. I noticed that he is more quiet than usual. Also yesterday he did not drink much so I played a trick on him and gave him water with his food. He ate it. Chicken, rice with water. The bland diet. Just enough to keep him hydrated.

Our weather continues to be warm but certainly not the temperatures in other parts of Canada and the world. To all those folks experiencing these incredibly hot temperatures, I wish it would cool down and rain. I hope that we are starting to do things that can help to heal our environment before these super high temperatures, record breaking temperatures are the norm. We all have to do our part.

Well time to head on downstairs. I really need coffee this morning. Alvin is patiently waiting outside the office door. There is a lovely breeze wafting in through the office window.

Have an awesome July 20th, 2022.

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

Always, Carol & Alvin

PS: well today is the 20th day/sleep till I turn 65 and it is the 20th day of July, how cool is that!

I moved my flowers and plants into the shelter of the house and garage yesterday late afternoon and the storm went around us. Whew!

The New YEAR 2022

Good Morning ALL and Welcome to Wednesday, June 22, 2022 the 2nd day of SUMMER. Yesterday was the longest day of the year. Earlier this morning close to 6, the sun was shining brightly and we should have gone for a walk. Now over one hour later the sky is beginning to cloud over. I believe that there is rain in the forecast. Oh well! I needed more sleep what can I say! Yesterday we had a nice little walk at lunch followed by a short one after work. It was cut short as it started to rain. When we were getting ready the sun was shining with rain clouds hovering in the distance and by the time we got to the front door there were large drops of rain coming down. I figured we would go as far as we could. We made it almost to the park and then the rain started (not pouring) and we turned around and headed for home. We came across neighbours heading home with their pup cutting short their walk. My neighbour cut our lawn yesterday and it looks the best it has looked in years. The green appears to be more rich. No watering needed for the plants and lawns with the rain. Which is great.

We are also in the countdown to the garage sale. I hope that we get a lot of people out. Maybe with maps provided by a Real Estate Agent in our area, she is actually “hosting” the event if you will. Yup, a Real Estate Agent not the Community Association. I actually thought it was another Community Association for which we seem to partially belong to. We are on the border. Anyway, all good. I just hope that there are people and they buy stuff. I want to clear things out. Feels so good. I have been selling and giving items away over the different Community boards on social media. So great.

Well here it is getting closer to work time. I have to plug in the coffee. Today was shower day. I have found as I get older and unless I am out working up a “sweat,” I certainly do not need to shower every day. Just dries out your skin and as you age, that is not a good thing. So I feel daisy fresh this morning, lol.

I hope that you have a great Wednesday. Reminder to self to go and pick up a case of Alvin’s wet food today either at lunch or after work. Will depend on the weather. If we can walk, we will walk at noon and I will go after work. I have leftovers for supper so don’t have to worry about cooking from scratch. We can also have a second walk after supper.

Continuing to live this life with kindness, respect, compassion, patience, love, laughter, understanding, gratitude, focus, possibilities and COFFEE. Cannot live my life without coffee.

Always, Carol & Alvin

PS: wow, we are 48 days until my 65th brrr birth-day …..

The New YEAR 2022

Good Morning ALL! How are you this Wednesday morning? I was pleasantly surprised to see the sun shining brightly and the sky mostly clear. There is a bit of a breeze. 62 days until my 65th birthday. 1957 was a busy year for babies. When I started school we had the largest grade one class in the history of my small rural town. I used to know the exact number and now I think it was 31 but I am afraid that the test of time and my memory has let me down and that number is off. But we had a large class. There were no teaching assistants in those days. The school was small and we shared each room with another grade. That is what makes me think that number is so wrong. Perhaps it was the combination of both classes with us having the larger amount of pupils. Anyway, it is okay. Does not much matter. After all these years and all of the moves that I have endured including three provinces, I still am in contact with my first best friend. We have been friends since before we started school. So 60 plus years. I am very blessed. My only wish is that I could visit her again. We live a province away from each other. But I just thought of something, online video chat! Why did I not think of that before? I am going to start connecting with family and friends via video chat. The next best thing to real life.

I have noticed a difference in Alvin the passed few days with him not having any human food. He has only had his food for three days now, I believe. No gas. He slept from bedtime about 10:00 until 4:00 a.m. and then back to the sofa until 6:00. Definite improvement. I feel so bad for him as he truly wants some of the things that I eat and that he used to eat. He even asks politely. That has been hard. I trained / showed him how to ask “nicely or say please” when he wants something and yikes, not easy to say no, instead I say all done and try not to make eye contact. Those big brown eyes. Well you know.

The last few years since the world has gone into hiding with the arrival of the pandemic, most of us have seen even less of our family and friends than we did prior to, it has been hard. I miss my sister, my brothers and family and all my friends. I have only seen the ones that live in my neighbourhood. I am so appreciative that I made friends in Edmonton and in my community. It would have been so hard. Hopefully as the world starts to return to a changed life, I will be able to see more of my truly missed family and friends.

I am not sure if my flowers will be as colourful as past years but I thought we could all use some colour and beauty in our lives this morning. Oh, I see some clouds coming in. Perhaps we should have got mobile earlier and gone for a walk.

I hope that you enjoy these beautiful flowers this morning. Have an awesome Wednesday.

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

Always, Carol & Alvin

P.S. I am grateful for all those souls that have graced my lifetime thus far. I am so utterly blessed to have known them.

The New YEAR 2022

Good Morning ALL! Thank goodness it is Friday! I hope this finds you well. We had an ugly sleep and by that I mean, Mr. Alvin was up at 11:24, 12:24, 1:24, 4:15, 5:00, and so on until I got up at 7:00. I have no idea what I am typing as I am soooooo tired. He does not appear to be in pain but I have no idea. Perhaps just an off night but unfortunately for me, I cannot sleep during the day as he can. I will be envious of him napping on his bed when I am working. Definitely will be an early to bed night, tonight. Oh well, life in the fast lane.

On the bright side, the sky is that glorious powder blue colour and the sun is shining so brightly. At this moment there does not appear to be a breeze or wind. YAY.

The weather is to be nice this weekend and even better this next week temperature wise.

Last night after work, I called my friend Pauline to check and see if we were still on for a walk. YAY, she was. We had a nice walk and even Alvin didn’t turn around early and head for home. It was so great to catch up with her. She had a long haul with her illness, not my place to say what it is but I am so very grateful that she is on the mend, well actually recovered. We even stopped on the way back at her home and took in her garden where the crocuses are up and oh, so beautiful. She invited us in to see the plants that she has started in her walkout space and we commented on her Canna Lilies and mine. They are so pretty and I cannot wait to get my flowers and plants outside. We talked about gardening and what to plant. So exciting. In the end, we went upstairs to say hello to her husband Al and have a visit. Then we were on our way back home for Alvin to have supper. He sure enjoyed sniffing about her main floor. I think he was looking for food, lol. Pauline did give him a couple of little treats. Lucky guy.

Back home, Alvin had supper and followed by me. I had leftover pasta which was good. Then after cleanup I spent the evening catching up on watching my shows. Just a nice quiet evening. I had no idea of what was to come. Oh well, thankfully it is Friday.

Well time to head back downstairs and have a large mug of coffee. I definitely need caffeine this morning.

Have an awesome day. Enjoy the weather and I do hope that wherever you are it is warm and sunny.

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

Always, Carol & Alvin

P.S. Pauline and Al celebrated 45 years married recently. How great is that! We also talked about birthdays as she will be 69 in June and I will be 65 in August. I am catching up!