Last Half 2022 – October

Good Morning ALL! We had a good sleep. Lights out at 10:00, first time up was 3:00 a.m. (we both had to pee, lol). It was so nice out at that time, the sky was clear and you could see so many stars. Beautiful. We hit the sofa and the next time up was almost 7:30, then up to feed Mr. Alvin. At that time the sky was overcast and dark. We slowly started the “get up” process after that 7:30. I am finding it hard to get up when it is dark and when I do not have to worry about going anywhere, like work. I have a list of chores to do today but the most important thing is to get through to the bank regarding my mortgage renewal. Still hoping that I have the winning lotto ticket from last night. ONE MILLION DOLLARS would be perfect and I would be mortgage free and RETIRED. Oh, I can see it all in my head, in my mind. It would be great. Get up in the morning when we wanted to or at least not have to worry about going anywhere early in the day. I would be here for Mr. Alvin. We could walk whenever. I would have more time to write, to go through and organize my photos on the computer. Perhaps make some jewelry. Just more time for myself. Oh, that would be wonderful. Mortgage FREE, that is a dream of mine. It is probably a dream for most people. Especially these days with the ever increasing costs of utilities, food and mostly everything. Keep dreaming, we have to hold onto HOPE and DREAMS!

This morning when we were laying on the bed, Alvin was dozing and I was looking out of the window, actually not long ago. I watched as the few remaining small red leaves on my neighbours’ tree danced in the breeze. They were doing this little hula dance. Behind that tree and in between the dancing leaves, I could see a gold light as the sunrise lit up the leaves on some very tall trees. I was surprised by the amount of leaves still on those trees. So beautiful. Now there is daylight but the sky is overcast. I have to check to see what the temperature will be for today.

Yesterday, I used my brand new SHARK vacuum and it is amazing. Picked up the dust and hair, was light and easy to handle and most importantly easy to put together and to clean. I love my new vacuum. Best purchase award. Besides vacuuming the floor, I actually put on the attachment and cleaned the blinds or at least if there was dust on them. I still need to wash them but the day got away on me. We went for a walk mid afternoon and walked to our friend Pauline’s. At her back gate, Mr. Alvin started to bark before I could call out as I could see her kitchen window open. She happen to look out and to see us and invited us in for a visit. We had a great chat with a cup of tea. The conversation was at lightning speed as we covered all of our news, questions and the lot. Pauline’s husband was on his way home from a hunting trip up north and some of her family were also coming over for supper. So we did not have much time. We were home at 4:30. The walk was most enjoyable. I only had a sweater on over top of my tee shirt and jeans and was very comfortable. Once home I fed Mr. Alvin, turned on the dryer to finish the load and one last load of laundry. I decided to call the bank and see if I could get the mortgage process started but spent several minutes on hold. I tried a second time and still waited. So I decided that I would call them this morning. So have to get this day going. Already it is after 9:00 a.m. It would be so nice to be more of a morning person and able to get up easier. Oh well.

Fingers crossed when I check my lotto ticket – that I have a large windfall winning ticket. Oh, that would be wonderful. Can you imagine winning the lotto? I sure can.

I hope that you have a great Sunday. One more day remaining in October, where did the time go? I work from home tomorrow which is great with it being Halloween and all. I will be set up when the kids start coming around. I have leftovers for supper as well, so that will be great.

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

Always, Carol & Alvin

PS: I am so grateful that Alvin and I are in good health. I am grateful that we have a good life. I am grateful for our home, our amazing family and great friends, to have a source of income, to see, to hear, to taste and smell, to touch and to be me. Life is GREAT!

Last Half 2022 – September

Good Morning ALL! The sun is up and shining brightly, I fogged up my glasses when we were outside just a few minutes ago. The air is crisp and definitely sweater weather at this moment. I am grateful for the reprieve from the hot temperatures. The sky is blue with wisps of white long clouds here and there. It has been since before ten p.m. last night that both Alvin and I had anything to eat or drink. I feel so badly for Mr. Alvin but he has been a real trouper and has not really fussed as yet. Even when I laid back down when typically we would be getting up for him to have his breakfast, he did not fuss and laid down beside me. I will not eat or drink around him. I usually do not eat until after 10:00 a.m., so my tummy is not rumbling. He is likely wondering what is going on. Also, I opted not to take him for a walk as he usually gets thirsty and drinks water and he is not allowed to eat or to drink before his ultrasound. Last night about 12:30 were up and outside. He had to poop. No surprise. Oh, the “Pooping Tales of Mr. Alvin.” So it was back to being very loose and lots of it. OMG. I managed to collect it all so that neither of us would step in it at a later time. It is difficult holding a phone and a poop bag at the same time, lol. Really not funny, but yet it is. Isn’t life wonderful?

Alvin has his ultrasound appointment today. He is to be at the vet clinic for 10:00 a.m. We will be walking over there and will leave the house at 9:40 a.m. Thankfully it won’t be too hot to walk. Our friend Gillian offered us a ride should the need arise but I think we should walk. Normally he would not drink water on the way to the vet and it is not hot out, so we should be good. I have been tossing around whether or not to take his blue blanket and I think that I will. Does not hurt to have something from home for the little guy. I always feel badly leaving him as he suffers from anxiety. He knows the Dr. and her staff very well as we are there a lot but still not home and not with his Momma. Afterwards I will come home and drown my sorrows in a mug of coffee. Then I have some housework to do while I wait for the phone call to come and pick him up. It will likely be later this morning or early afternoon. It all depends when the Ultrasound Technician arrives at the clinic and they do the procedure. He will want to come home as soon as he is able for sure. Other times when he was sedated as soon as he woke up, he was looking around for me and crying to come home. Typically they keep them for a few hours while the anesthesia wears off but not him. Depending on how sedated he is, I am ask Gillian for a ride home.

Well time to head into the shower. I wanted to stay in bed as long as possible to keep his mind from food and water. I guess me having a shower does not help but I need to have one. I am not sure if he would be thinking of that or not. What does a dog think about other than food? Squirrels, cats and birds! Sniffing grass! Alvin thinks about me. I am pretty sure about that.

I hope that you have a great Tuesday. Today and tomorrow and I am at the office for Thursday. I am grateful that Sonia, next door is home and can watch over the boy.

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

Always, Carol & Alvin

P.S. the trees are sparkling in the morning sunshine. Oh so pretty.

The New YEAR 2022

Good Morning ALL! How are you this Sunday morning? Alvin and I are doing great. We had a good sleep including an early start, but that is okay. The sky is that glorious hue of blue and the sun is casting its’ beams off any objects it touches. What a beautiful morning. Al and I have had a glorious weekend despite the rather late start to the day yesterday. I only had one load of laundry to do as I had done laundry on my last day of vacation. Bonus points. After coffee and breakfast and the laundry was washed and dried, Mr. Alvin and I headed out for a walk. I only needed a sweater as it was so beautiful and I took Alvin’s water bottle/dish as well. It was so nice. We saw friends Norbert and Irene out giving some TLC to their lawn and stopped to have a little visit. Alvin loves their yard. While we were visiting another person and her pup walked by, we said hello. Sunny, her pup immediately rolled about on the freshly mowed grass. He was covered in dry grass but looked so happy. His Mom just smiled. There was also a brief conversation with a couple of men, who were having a conversation out front of a house on our way to the park. Everyone was outside and everyone was happy to chat and say hello.

We took our time as we continued walking to the park and once inside, I just let Alvin take the lead and allowed him time to sniff to his heart’s content. I just breathed in the fresh air which actually spelled like spring. We continued on our walk until we spotted a friend out in her yard raking the grass. She noticed us and walked toward us remaining in her yard as we walked to her. We had a long conversation over the fence. I had not seen her for awhile. I always love speaking to Lucy. Alvin sat on the grass and watched other people and their dogs going by, he didn’t flinch, just sat like the good boy that he is. Lucy and I spoke about so many things. Work, her homeland China, the environment, pollution, weather, gardening, people, and more. We had been chatting for likely well over thirty minutes when I happened to turn my head to see another friend out for a walk. I was surprised to see her. It was time for us to keep walking so I said good-bye to Lucy and joined my friend Gillian on her walk. Alvin really had a long walk but I figured with the break in walking he should be okay. We had a good chat on our walk and Gillian walked us home and then was going to head out for another lap. When I got home I saw that we had been gone for almost two hours. WOW. I felt like a million dollars. Refreshed and energized. What a time we had! Once home, I did a few things which included sweeping the floor, moving the IKEA shelves to a different angle in the kitchen, watered plants, finished a necklace that I had been working on, almost finished it anyway. At supper instead of cooking a pasta dish I decided to just have pizza again with a bunch of raw veggies. In between it all I gave Mr. Alvin his supper. What a great day even though we had such a late start. I think being outside was just what the Doctor ordered. After supper I watched an interview on NETFLIX with Oprah and Viola Davis. I was surprised and enthralled by her story. There were several things that we have in common and not her Tony or Academy award wins. She has a beautiful smile and I was sad to hear that people had told her that she was ugly. She is not. It was a great interview. Perfect timing. Then I decided to rent a movie from TELUS ON DEMAND. I couldn’t decide which one and then saw a new movie with Liam Neeson. I love him and decided that from the preview it looked good, so I paid the $7.00 and continued. The movie was called “BLACKLIGHT” and it was really good. A good story. Aidan Quinn was also in the movie and I have also liked him. A good night.

Now for today. My friend Gillian will be here in about one hour for coffee and instructions for looking after Mr. Alvin as I have to go to the office on Tuesday. This afternoon my daughter is coming for a visit. So much company and visiting this weekend and clearly just what was needed. I will be making the pasta dish for supper tonight and setting up my workspace in the kitchen after supper cleanup.

I hope that you have a great Sunday. If you have the opportunity or perhaps make the time to GO OUTSIDE. Say hello to people. Enjoy the sunshine. I hope that the sun is shining wherever you are and that you are well.

I am grateful for the sunshine, warm temperatures and family and friends and for good health and for Mr. Alvin. Grateful for life and for spring. Renewal.

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

Always, Carol & Alvin

P.S. life is good!

Thought for the day …..

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

Another gorgeous day on the way.

So grateful for these warm beautiful sunny days.

What a great way to celebrate FALL.

The leaves on the trees are turning to yellows, oranges and reds.

Still lots of green ones waiting to turn.

The grass in most areas remains a bright green mainly due to the rain last week.

So it is a gradual process and that is the perfect way to bring in FALL.

I love this time of year.

There is something comforting about it all.

The smell of fall …… oh, the taste of FALL.

Who does not love pumpkin.

Me, I do, I do.

Every year more and more products add some with pumpkin to their fall line-ups.

Pumpkin lattes, pumpkin chocolate, pumpkin lip gloss ……

You name it and someone has made it.

Alvin and I have been enjoying our walks ….. the colours in our park are amazing.

Parts of the park are more visible now with some of the leaves having dropped from the trees.

So now you can see clearly across the lake to the other side of the park.

So pretty.

Some ducks and geese swimming about ….. just adds more pleasure to our view.

Happy FALL.

 

Well it looks like it may be almost time for me to grab my lunch and shoes and go.

Nice to be able to wear only a sweater again.

Also nice to be dry when I get to work.  LOL.

 

Have a great THURSDAY everyone.

Special Hello to: my sister, Hello.

Always, Carol & Alvin

Thought for the day …..

Good Morning and Welcome to Thursday the 20th day of April, 2017.

One day closer to summer breezes and flip flops and longer walks with me Alvin.

Yesterday was a total shock as I wore my winter coat and boots and on the way home, I really did not need them.

Last night we went for our walk and I did not even wear a jacket.

Bonus.

So happy for those evenings.

This weather had me wondering what was happening this time last year, and this is what I blogged:

It is overcast but not with rain clouds this morning.

We have wildfires burning to the north and west of our location.

We are in the “area” that could be affected should they not contain them.

Unfortunately with not much snow this winter and although we enjoyed not having to shovel everyday and plough through snow walking and driving …. we pay the price come spring.

It is so dry.

I have started watering my front flower bed that has perennials.

There are a few green leaves on them but I am not sure that they made the winter.

I transplanted them last fall.

I hope so but time will tell.

The lawns are a mixture of brown and green.

I am afraid that without spring showers and summer rains brown will be our reality as it will be too much water to keep them green.

Just a friendly reminder for everyone on the planet ….. please be careful.

Do not throw away that cigarette butt or set off fireworks just because they are pretty.

You might find yourself in the midst of a raging fire.

Let us be careful this spring / summer.

Do your part, please be a good citizen of your neighbourhood and of this planet.

Pick up the trash …… don’t be a misguided inhabitant.

Well it is time to leave for work.

Our office has been cool so it is sweater weather.

Somedays it is warmer outside than in the office.

But on the other hand ….. I would rather don a sweater than the alternative.

Cannot take off clothes.

Have a wonderful day everyone.

 

Special Hello to: my fellow bloggers …..

Always, Carol and Alvin