Good Morning ALL! The sun is shining and right beside me on my old computer is my daughter Amanda. She is helping me to move my 42,000 + photos from the old computer to the external hard drive. Technology is great if it is all current but when you have some old components, not so much. This process is going to take us a long time but hopefully not to long as the on-line service that I am paying for to back up my computer keeps asking why I have not backed up my computer in the last month. Well I got a new computer and have not removed the old one yet because of all of this. WHEW. Anyway that is what is going on in our household this morning. Mr. Alvin is patiently waiting for us to be done and I am trying to hurry as I have my friend Signe’s Happy Birthday party at 11:00 a.m. Thank goodness that Gillian, the host lives close by.
Yesterday I took Mr. Alvin for a walk at my lunch break as I ended up working from home. It was so nice out that I literally could have kept walking but Alvin decided when it was time to turn around and come home. It was our first walk together in some weeks. I am so grateful for this warmer weather which means we will be out walking.
I hear Mr. Alvin groaning in the hallway and I have to take him outside before I leave so will need to cut this short. To my sister if you should be reading this, I will be calling you tonight or tomorrow.
Continuing to live this life with kindness, respect, compassion, patience, love, laughter, understanding, gratitude, focus, possibilities and coffee.
Good Morning ALL! How are you this morning? The sky looks so beautiful this morning with all the layers of blues, almost purple, oranges and pinks. Absolutely gorgeous. Great way to start the day with a great sunrise. We had a good sleep, I was up more than Alvin. He definitely is on the mend. His poop is starting to look like poop and there does not appear to be any signs of blood (I was looking in the porch light as it was dark as I held the bag up). This morning I started to wean him off the bland diet by slowly introducting his regular food. It was easy to do, 1/4 cup of rice, chicken, his wet and dry food and then some pumpkin with the Metamucil. I was easily able to get him to take his medicine this morning which was a relief. Nothing like having to keep picking up pieces of a pill and rewrapping in chicken. Perhaps he was playing me! Anyway, things are looking up. I am so relieved. Hopefully by the end of this week we will be back to normal.
Yesterday my daughter stayed until about lunchtime. She helped me with some computer stuff. Still not able to find out why we cannot upload photos to WordPress but we found a work around, oh I know about work rounds. My work is all about that. Why is it with every update or new model that something that was working fine is no longer working? Anyway, that is for another day. Amanda was going to put all my photos on the external hard drive but there is a problem, a specific cord was not included. Of course, the hard drive is new and my old computer is not. She thought it was included but it was not. She has the same hard drive so can bring me one next time she comes over. See what I mean about technology. Let’s keep updating technology so that people have to keep buying all the adapters, cords etc. Makes me want to cry. Nothing is easy and they have us all over a barrel.
I tried once again to add some photos to this post. But no luck. I have company coming for coffee in a few minutes so need to go and put on the coffee. I will figure this out. We thought maybe because I had so many photos in my gallery here but that does not seem to be the issue. ARGH.
On that note, I am going to add some wonderful memories from 2022, my 65th Birthday…….. ah…..
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Have a great day.
Continuing to live this life with kindness, respect, compassion, patience, love, laughter, understanding, gratitude, focus, possibilities and coffee.
Good Morning ALL! Bed late and up late this Saturday morning. So excited that my daughter slept over last night. We had such a good night and as she is getting ready to go home to her family, a bit of sadness creeps into my heart. I love when she arrives and am sad when she leaves. I guess that is a Mother thing or parent thing. She is such a great human, person, woman and daughter. Just love my girl to the moon and beyond.
One thing that I want to figure out with my new computer is how to access my photos through Word Press. Somehow the new computer does things differently or perhaps it is the old me that just cannot see the trees for the forest. Oh, well, as I recently told my daughter, eventually I figure things out. Sometimes it takes me awhile.
Last night for supper we had black bean burgers enveloped by Val’s most delicious dill pickle cheese biscuits with a splatter of her raspberry jalapeño jelly. OMG, so delicious. We added cheddar cheese as you cannot have a burger without lots of cheese. My mouth is watering at the mere thought of that burger. I do not think that anything will ever top the most deliciousness of that burger with those biscuits on either side. My friend Val sure knows how to cook and bake. She is the bomb, so talented in the kitchen. I am eternally grateful for all the goodies that she sends to us. Alvin loves his homemade treats as well. We had later in the evening this incredible chocolate brownie. Hidden in the brownie/icing was pieces of a Kit Kat chocolate bar, one of my favourites. It was so rich and delectable. My tummy was so full and content by the goodness. This morning I gave my daughter one of the apple tarts for “breakfast” with her coffee, I will have my later (dessert for supper tonight). Thanks Val, you rock.
Thank you to my daughter for helping me with computer things this morning. She is on her way and I am about to “publish this post.” Photo of Alvin is from last night. What a cutie!
I hope that you are having a wonderful Saturday. Mine has been good thus far. Lots going on. I am also watching over Humphrey, Bogart and Cynder for a couple of days.
Continuing to live this life with kindness, respect, compassion, patience, understanding, gratitude, love, laughter, focus, possibilities and coffee. I need coffee ……
Good Morning ALL! What a Friday, June 3, 2022, we had from beginning until end. There was a slow start to the morning which was nice. My friend Pauline picked me up shortly before 12:30 p.m. and we started our afternoon adventure. We took a different route to our destination due to construction and what not. The conversation was great. Our first stop was the Clifford E. Lee Nature Sanctuary. So not just birds. We saw a bit of everything from a turquoise green billed duck to a bunch of rabbits who entertained us with one even laying down in the middle of the path with no immediate intentions of going anywhere. We saw a squirrel and a duck at different points just sitting on the boardwalk. I will say that walking on the boardwalk was a bit nerve wracking. The sun was warm as we walked along both the boardwalk through the marshlands and the path through the meadows. We were very happy when there was some shade. But no complaints. The time spent was well. I had the best time. We saw birds that we had never seen before and so much more. After taking in the Nature Sanctuary we drove just a short way down the highway to the University of Alberta Botanic Gardens. I have been there a handful of times before and loved it. First time that I have been there in late spring before the flowers are really blooming. We had really gone to see the grove of lilacs which we hoped to be in full bloom. We were a bit disappointed to see this was not the case. There were a few that were blooming as you will see in the photos that I will post. After we took in the Japanese Gardens we sat down for refreshments in the shade of the newly built area. We found there to be a few people wandering about the gardens but not as many as would be in the summer and on the weekends. We also saw two pairs of geese with little goslings barely a few weeks old and also a mallard duck with babies as well. They are way behind the ones in our neighbourhood who are almost starting to get their feather. A grand time we had. We sat down in the shade a few times just to chat and relax. We were not in a hurry. The afternoon was perfect and I was happy that I had taken water and wore comfy shoes for our adventure. I arrived home about 5:00 p.m. and Mr. Alvin was more than happy to see me. Pauline came in for a minute to explain where to put some plants that she had brought in when she picked me up. After supper last night I made sure to put them in the flower bed and in pots. Mr. Alvin did not have a great night. Bed at 10:00 and up at midnight until 2:00 a.m. or so along with me. We went downstairs at midnight and then were up and down for hours. We were up late when he finally settled down. I can smell some “gas” smells coming from him with a reminder no more human food. He virtually begged for some blueberries and strawberries yesterday morning and I caved in, that was the last time. Clearly he cannot take them. I do not want a repeat of last year for sure. Not for him or for me. Anyway, the sky is overcast this morning and I will post some photos.
Clear to the bottomBat Houseno rushturquoise bill duckBotanic GardensTulips
Well time to head back downstairs as it is almost noon and I have been working on this since before 10:00 a.m. I wanted to post all of my photos and tried to get them in order but technology is not always my best friend. So I have posted a few photos from my great afternoon adventure of June 3, 2022.
I hope that you have an awesome Saturday.
Continuing to live this life with kindness, respect, compassion, patience, love, laughter, understanding, gratitude, focus and possibilities.
Good Morning ALL! The sky is grey this morning. Not even clouds just grey. Perhaps the forecast is correct and I don’t even want to think or even say the word aloud or even type it. Today is November 14, 2021 and most of our trees have lost their leaves. There is a bit of green grass alongside the brown. So great to have a nice long fall.
Yesterday was a good day. Our friends came for coffee in the morning and we as always we discussed everything from A to Z stopping to laugh along the way. We planned our Christmas Get Together AKA PARTY for December 10, 2021 which is a Friday so that will be a great way to start the weekend. I have to make sure that I can have their gifts by then but it is looking good. As with other years I am supporting local artists and artisans and those friends that do direct sales. Helping others help me which is a win win. The other item for discussion was baking. One of the girls has had so much baking between what she does, her Mom and others that she was giving it away long after Christmas. So that poses the question – When is too much too much? Definitely then. So I am going to cut back as I have been chatting with other friends and some with health issues who although they love the baking – they cannot eat it without repercussions. I think that I am only going to make to give away sugar cookies and fudge. I will bake chocolate chip cookies for my son-in-law but only one batch. SUGAR is definitely not good for us all anyway so I am going to cut back. I had another good friend give me an excellent suggestion and that was to make some Christmas Tree Ornaments out of my sugar cookies. They would be a reminder of me. Perhaps next year. But it is a great idea. Could write names on the cookies and decorate with red and green paint instead of icing or something. Next Year, I think. Never thought of making them into ornaments. Also the cost to bake keeps skyrocketing and you never know what items may be priced out of one’s reach or unavailable. So keeping it simple. My friend G from the coffee party yesterday picked me up a 10 kg bag of flour and S gave me a ziploc bag of 10 cups of sugar which will make a couple of batches of sugar cookies. I will need to buy mini marshmallows and chocolate chips. So now I have most of the baking items. Just a few items to pick up. Looks like I will be baking on the first weekend of December alongside the Fifth Avenue Jewelry party that I am hosting – am pretty sure that this happened last year as well. Yikes. Anyway, when I was going through the list of people to buy for which by the way has decreased over the years – I am in a pretty good place. A few stocking stuffers for the kids and the pups. Gifts for the pups. I think that I am good. There will be a bit of wrapping to happen but that doesn’t happen to be for awhile. Also yesterday Alvin and I enjoyed a beautiful walk – it was so nice outside. Sunny and the air was warm and no gale force winds which was refreshing. I attended the second Fifth Avenue Jewelry Facebook Live for a friend who was hosting. Will say that I was so disappointed in will say technology as I had been patiently on the page of the party for several minutes before the start time and even after the official start time and somehow still missed the start of both LIVES. Actually last night I was mad. Not disappointed but mad. I love watching the start and even though I was right there – I missed it. Well last night I did have to go outside with Alvin but I had my phone with me and that was 7:09 and the party started at 7:00. Not such how that happens but it is frustrating. Not loving technology at times. I also watched an excellent Christmas movie last night based on a book by Debbie Macomber’s “Christmas with Mrs. Miracle” with Caroline Rhea in the lead role. It was a great Christmas movie. Then it was bedtime where I am continuing to read a book by Ruth Ware. She is another great author. I have read so many of her books.
Well I have a long list of things to do today and my daughter will be here at 6:00 p.m. for supper and to sleep over as we are going to our perspective offices tomorrow. I am a bit anxious about going to the office but it will be okay. Mainly because I don’t want to leave Alvin home alone. He will have our friend and neighbour checking in on him but it is not nearly the same. Thank goodness this does not happen very often. I am so grateful to be working from home now. Best thing ever. I love my new office! Then there is some laundry as I want to wash bedding and Christmas towels. If nice go for a walk. Vacuum upstairs. Calling my sister at 1:00 p.m. and the list is long. Oh, and there is another Fifth Avenue Live at 4:00 which was supposed to be at 3:00 but the Fifth Avenue Jeweler had to change the start time. Busy day. Busy day.
Going to hop in the shower quickly and then I won’t have to worry about that tomorrow morning. Have to make it easy peasy for tomorrow. Alvin is patiently waiting for me in the hallway. I have to get this show on the road. Have an awesome Sunday.
Continuing to live with kindness, respect, compassion, patience, understanding, love, laughter and gratitude.
Always, Carol & Alvin
P.S. The two hour special with ADELE is tonight. Starts at 9:00 so I cannot watch it all so will watch tomorrow night. I love ADELE.
Good Morning ALL! I hope that this finds you well and enjoying this Saturday, June 5, 2021. Alvin and I are up and at it. He has already had breakfast, I am washed up (still in pjs for the moment), bed made, laundry gathered and writing this post. I am hoping to get out shortly and get a walk in before it rains. Rain in the forecast for today. This seems like a great opportunity to work on my photos on the computer and on my phone. I was attempting to download my recent photos from my phone to the computer but alas it downloaded older photos which are already on my computer. Not quite sure about what is going on but I am going to delete and clean up both my phone and computer. Figure out what is already on my computer and delete them permanently from my phone. Why oh why is it so difficult to delete photos from your phone or anywhere really. Most times we have a billion of the same shot. Even the ones that are out of focus are sometimes hard to depart with. Do I have a problem? Or is this what some of you are experiencing as well? Can you let me know? I know that I have a problem, somewhat. Even back in the days of film and printing them (which by the way we don’t do much anymore, or is it just me?), I had a hard time throwing out the shots that were totally black. Anyway, I am working on this issue and luckily with technology those days are gone. We can take multiple shots in the moment and usually have at least one that is good for our collections. My collections. OH my goodness. I have over 39,000 on the computer which is down as I have been slowly going through them. I also pay a company to backup my photos so why do I keep them all? Not sure. I have almost 3,000, I believe on my phone. Which is another story. Most of those photos are on my computer which is backed up by yes, that company. I also paid extra for room on the cloud. Something about not being able to see although the company that backs them up, I can access and see them. I have to figure things out as clearly there is a pattern here, lol. Perhaps if I was more comfortable with technology and could trust in it, I would be able to let go. I have that song from FROZEN in my ….. Let it Go, Let it Go …… I say that often in my life. Oh well. My issues for the moment. Shortly I will be dressed and we will be walking out the door. I am looking forward to spending the day looking at photos. Not a bad way to spend a Saturday. Also doing laundry ….
I hope that you are doing well. Time to get this show on the road. We want to walk before the rain hits.
Have a splendid Saturday. Trying to use some new words as typically we use the same adjective and adverbs over and over and over again.
Continuing to live this life with kindness, respect, compassion, patience, love and gratitude each and every day.
Good Morning All. How are you on this 2nd day of January, 2021? I am doing well. Again, up a bit later than I would have liked but I have to stop feeling guilty as when the body and mind are in tune and want to do something that is when it gets done. What can you do? The morning sky is now bright and sunlit. Seems to go from darkness to light quickly as the days begin to lengthen. Alvin and I are enjoying our time at home on my “work break” and will enjoy our time at home when “works begins.” I am still in disbelief that I have now been working from home for nine months and come March 19th, it will be a whole year. WOW. I am so grateful that this is my new norm.
Everyday you wake up is an opportunity for change, to be better, to learn more, in essence to grow, to take chances, to dream, to live. Food for thought.
Something that I must learn and fair quickly as it has been a bit of time since the changes were made to WordPress is to learn all those changes. I realized that I should have written down how to find the photo gallery as yesterday I looked and could not find it. Sometimes I wonder when things change if it is for the better. Sometimes I think that people change things firstly because they can and for the sake of change. Trust me it is not always necessary to change things. Keeping things simple is always important especially when you have a broad range of technically savvy folks using your programs. Just saying. Putting it out there to the Universe. Am I alone in this? I am 63 and I know for a fact that I am not the most tech savvy person on the planet nor am I the least tech savvy person either. I have learned so many things this past year working from home thanks in large part to my daughter, to my friend Signe, and to our systems staff, most especially “M” at “work.” All have tremendous patience with me and that is what I need in order to learn. Once I know something – generally I am good. I like to take notes to refer to for those days when instant recall is not working. Besides our brains are overloaded with information and sometimes those tidbits cannot be located in amongst the massive amount of other tidbits lodged in there. My thought anyway. I also know that we only use a small amount of our brain power but is it in connection with memory? That I am not certain. Anyway, I will figure things out, I usually do. Sometimes it takes me longer as I get frustrated and give up. How did I get on this topic. I seldom plan what I can going to write about and just go with whatever comes to my mind. Sometimes it may seem frivolous and other times it may be worthy of writing about. It is what it is. I also like to make people laugh. So perhaps along the way you giggle at my “frivolity” of thoughts.
Well today is Saturday – good old laundry day in this household. I love doing laundry actually – it is the carrying up and down of said laundry two flights of stairs that I am not fond about. Every time I feel less than impressed about the up and down, I think back to the days when I was a child and did laundry for seven people using a wringer washing machine and then hung the clothing, sheets, towels (everything) on the clothesline outside. Later in my youth we did get a dryer but still used the wringer washing machine.
P.S. how many know used a wringer washing machine?
I managed to give Mr. Alvin a haircut and bath yesterday although looking at his front paws and the back of his front legs, I wonder. What a guy. I spent over two hours trying to calmly, gently and reassuringly give him a haircut. He does not like it and I guess it is not going to get any easier over time as he ages. Oh well, I did my best at the time. Over the next days I will grab the scissors and trim a piece here and there until it is better.
Well I suppose it is time to get dressed and go check on the first load of laundry. Yes, I put on the first load after I hauled my butt up off the sofa about an hour ago. Wow, it is now 9:42 a.m., time just seems to fly. I think because work is now only today and tomorrow away. But perhaps getting back to “norm” will be okay. What is normal anyway? Different for most people, I suppose.
Enjoy your Saturday. If you have an opportunity to go for a walk, go and enjoy nature. It is true to take the “time to stop and smell the roses.” Alvin does every time we are out – except he is not exactly smelling roses, lol. Although in the summer he does stop and smell them. Gotta love my boy.
Continuing to live with kindness, respect and compassion for all. We all deserve to be treated with kindness, respect and compassion, ALL creatures big and small.
Good Morning ALL. How are you this morning? Both Alvin and I are doing well. Earlier this morning the air was warm with promise of a beautiful day. Just a few minutes ago it started to rain as I noticed out my bedroom window and the wind began to strongly gust AND by the time I started this blog it has started to snow as I look out of my office window. The wind has blown down my shovel and I think my Christmas tree that is on the front porch. Once I go back downstairs I will have to check and see. I just heard a bang and assume it was one or both. So from rain to snow. Not nice and the wind is very strong. So this is not good for anyone having to drive and not good for walking. I only hope that as the day goes on that the sun comes out and the sidewalks are okay for walking. We have missed a few walks and we both need that exercise. Yesterday we managed to get out for a walk after work. I deliberately waited until then as the weather report was for the temperature to warm considerably over the course of the day. It was not frigid but it was cold. We walked just inside the park and then back home. Looking out the window the snowflakes are big and fluffy and swirling about in the wind reminding me when you shake a snowglobe. So here we are Saturday. We are “FIVE” sleeps until Christmas Eve Day. I cannot believe how quickly the time is passing. I am happy to say that I wrapped the last of the stocking stuffers for my daughter and son-in-law and baked another batch of Sugar Cookies last night after our walk. I made them bigger than the previous batch on purpose. I only need them now for Christmas and to give some extra ones to a friend who loves them so much and who is always helping me out by picking me up groceries and helping when I ask. What I don’t need is anymore baking lingering in this house. My friends have been so generous and my fridge is chalked full of baking of all kinds. I am not loving the way that my body is reacting to “all this sugar” and am I surprised, not really. Once you reach a certain age, it is more difficult to munch on everything and then more easily reduce those pounds. Oh, who am I kidding. You cannot blame it on just the Christmas goodies. I love to eat. LOL. Almost wished that I did not like my cooking. Anyway, I am grateful that I have all the goodies to try as I know that I am truly blessed in this life. Oh, the snow has almost stopped. Perhaps the weather will change and be nice after all. I hope so. We have a few gifts that Alvin and I have to deliver for his friends.
Tonight two of my girl friends and I are going to have our “Annual Christmas Party” via TEAMS. That should be interesting. Usually we go out for supper/dinner and then back to one of our homes to visit, have dessert, to have a drink and open the gifts that we exchange. With COVID19 that has put a stop to our usual plans as it has done for so many people. So we are going to party via technology. Video chatting. Video partying. Is that going to be a new thing. Coming to you from the comfort of your own home. Who would have ever thought that would be happening this Christmas? Not me. I am excited to see how this will work. Definitely not the same but at least we will see each other. I am excited to video chat with family this year. We have the technology so why not use it.
Well the morning is evaporating and I must have a shower. Oh, sky is clearing up now and I can see the sunrise. Blew in and out. That would be great. Wind gusting again. ARGH. I hope that you have an awesome Saturday. Be safe and have some fun. It is the weekend. If you are working as not all of us are lucky to have weekends off, I hope that you are safe and in good health.
Continuing to live this life with kindness, respect and compassion for all. More important now than ever.
Oh, I was going to mention something that I keep forgetting every time I post. I had big dreams of having a million followers on this blog when I started to write over ten years ago, and while I know that is near impossible, I am rounding the 1000 mark which is huge and I am so happy. So grateful to all those folks who take precious time out of their day to read my posts. Thank you so much. Thank you. This has been a dream of mine since I was a little girl to write and have people read what I write. Now I never dreamed that I would be writing in this format but writing is writing. Someday perhaps I will get that book written. But I am happy to share my thoughts, stories and adventures with my Alvin with all of you. Take care and be safe.
Good Morning ALL. How are you doing on this fine Thursday? I just had a refreshing, relaxing wonderful shower and am so ready for the day. Countdown to CHRISTMAS EVE DAY brings us to “15” days. WOW. I must have miscounted! Oh well, we got this. Right. Christmas and the Holiday Season will be a bit different, okay a lot different for most of us this year but different is so much better than the alternative. If we can open our eyes and take in that first breath of the new day, if we have food to eat, technology to reach out to family and friends and are in good health – no complaints. We have so much more than so many others. I recognize the fact that I am more than truly blessed at this point in my life. I have a beautiful home to live in and to call my own with a yard and deck and a tree. Mr. Alvin has been my trusty companion for almost 11 years now which I will say the longest period of time that I have lived with a “guy.” I am employed by a employer who was actually prepared for a situation that would call for us to work remotely. Yes, there have been a few hiccups but very, very few. I am so grateful that I am able to work from home with no commute to and from the office, and be with Mr. Alvin who is fast approaching 12 in January of this coming New Year. This gives us the opportunity to go for walks at noon and have more time together. I have more time to read and so much more. More time to sleep as well which has been wonderful. Yes, it is true that there has been much less contact with friends and family. But we have figured it out. There is Facetime, Skype, Zoom and texting and more. So we are good. Right, we are.
Tomorrow after work I am going to have my two year eye checkup and get new glasses. So stoked to get some new shades. I wished that I would be able to have my daughter with me to help me pick them out but that is okay, I got this. New glasses for the upcoming new year. Might have to really whack off my hair and be a really new me for the New Year. Time will tell. I was thinking that tomorrow night might be wrapping the gift night. This is the gifts for my daughter and her husband. I will be stopping at the Bone & Biscuit to pick up gifts for Mr. Alvin, Aspen and Milo after my eye appointment. My daughter has the gifts for the other pups on our list which I realized could have been much longer had I remembered them all. I have the gifts here for Humphrey and Bogart so will get them wrapped and over to them shortly. There may be more baking on the weekend, I have not decided.
Well Mr. Alvin is giving me that look – that look – get the heck off that thing and come downstairs. Okay, I need some coffee anyway.
I hope that you have an awesome Thursday. Remember we shall live our lives with kindness, respect and compassion for all. We will get through this, together!!
My New Life @ 51 