The New YEAR 2022

Good Morning ALL! Yes, we are up and it is not even 9:00 a.m. How are you on this Saturday at Easter time? We are doing well. The pups are great. Everyone is getting along and we are enjoying our daily walks. Yesterday I was invited to a friend’s house who happens to live a few doors away for supper. She had another friend from the neighbourhood and also a friend that I had not met as yet. We, ladies had a great time. Lots of laughter and even some tears as on the of the girls recently lost her beloved pup. I told you all about Jazmin. I think it was April 6th when she passed so not very long ago. We started with a glass of champagne before supper followed by dessert followed by a fruity alcoholic drink, Easter Chocolate and coffee. It was so great not having to cook for myself. One of the few hiccups of living on your own. We had a skift of snow sometime between 6:00 and 8:00 a.m. Aspen has one more pill to go and then she is done. What a good girl she is – just happily chewing on that big tablet. Milo has to be wherever I am and so does Mr. Alvin so they are upstairs with me as I type this post. Aspen, well she is in her new favourite spot which is the green armchair by the living room window. It really isn’t big enough for her but she manages to curl up. My brown armchair opposite the green chair is considerably but she has made the green one hers despite my attempts at coaxing her. Well later this morning I am going with one of the neighbours from last night to the grocery store to pick up a few items. Then home to take the pups for a walk and finish laundry. After this post down to the basement and get the laundry started.

I tried to post photos yesterday but they are “exceed size” whatever that means, I know what it means, but to fix them so I can post them, I have not figured that out yet. I also realized that I have too many photos in my “library” so I had to delete some of them which will free up space. I will keep trying to post some photos.

Meanwhile, life goes on. Me, Alvin, Aspen and Mi-Mi are doing great. The pups although I know they miss their Mom & Dad seem to be doing great. Not a lot of barking happening which is nice. Every once in awhile “the dog” goes by that sets Miss Aspen to let out a loud bark which startles me. She has a very deep voice. But oh how she listens. I appreciate that she listens and even Mi-Mi listens but as I joked last night not so much Mr. Alvin. I guess he is truly spoiled and at over 13 years old he is not going to change. He is not so bad. I am blessed to have the three of them here this week. Together.

I received word (text) from the kids and they are enjoying their trip. Get this Vegas is a balmy “+21” degrees celsius and her it is below 0 celsius. Jealous, not me, lol. It is supposed to be +12 here tomorrow or Monday. It is warming up.

Well time to head downstairs and get the laundry going. The coffee is perked.

Have a wonderful Saturday. It is Saturday right! Oh my goodness, yes, yesterday was Good Friday. Wow, the days seem to all be the same. Hopefully I remember which day it is so I start to work on time. Oh well, I’m sure I will figure it out.

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

Always, Carol & Alvin & Aspen and Milo (Mi-Mi)

Living … One day at a time.

Hello, well so happy today is Friday.

Wishing my nephew “J” a very Happy Birthday.

Also belated birthday to my Cousin-in-law “W.”

 

We just found out last night that Teddy is going to have a little sister.

Well actually he has one and her name is KOBI.

Last night we heard the great news.

Teddy’s parents are in VEGAS on vacation and adopted a sweet little girl while there.

She is the cutest pup and I am sure that once the initial surprise has wore off Teddy will be a great big brother.

Alvin will have a best friend that has a little sister.

How about that.

Now it will be Alvin, Teddy and Kobi and Humphrey and perhaps Aspen and Milo.

Grandma will have a full house at that rate.

I look forward to many visits from all of the pups and the week at the end of January when Teddy was to stay with us while his parents are in Mexico.

Guess it will be Alvin, Teddy and Miss Kobi.

WOW, cannot wait.

Another beautiful bundle of joy.

Walks might be exciting for a bit.

But on the up side of that at least two of the three I can easily carry.

 

Well I guess it is almost time to leave once again.

So much excitement.

This weekend friends and neighbours down the street are having a CHRISTMAS CRAFT SALE.

They hosted one a couple of years ago and it was great.

Check out the crafts, have some refreshments but most of all enjoy great company, they are a wonderful family.

Then next Tuesday it is the SNOWFLAKE COOKIE EVENT, the annual one hosted by the GIRL GUIDES.

The daughter of my friend is a girl guide and participates in the event.

Great time to shop for some cookies to have for Christmas ….

I think that I may have mentioned that I plan to only bake one kind of cookies this year.

SUGAR COOKIES.

They are the ones that everyone loves and they are the most work so why not.

I only ever make them at Christmas so makes sense.

 

Busy times ahead.

Well I had better hit the trail.

Happy Days.

Oh and last night we safely walked over to Teddy’s house to visit for a bit with Aunt J and Teddy as she goes back home on Sunday.

Teddy’s parents and new little sister arrive home this afternoon.

WOW, still cannot believe they are bringing a little one back from their vacation.

 

With kindness and respect, we will be joyful.

 

Always, Carol & Alvin

 

Thought for the day ….

Good Morning and Welcome to Monday the 4th day of March, 2019.

Well here we are – Monday morning.

Alvin and I had a great weekend.

We had company, did some housework and laundry and relaxed.

I had coffee with two of my girl friends yesterday morning.

Love these gals – we always have a great time – laughing and chatting.

A great mix of work and play.

 

We went for a walk yesterday afternoon as I felt it had warmed up.

Alvin started to lift his paws only a few houses away from home.

So we turned around and headed back home.

He enjoyed going in and out to the back yard.

There is a patch of the deck that is snow/ice free near the house that always gets the warm sun, so he likes to sit or lie there, and ponder life.

Or at least that is what I choose to believe that he is thinking.

Or perhaps he is thinking oh this is nice and quiet.

Or perhaps he is thinking where is my girlfriend OR I would like a treat.

He loves to dig in the snow.

Yesterday he was at the top section of the deck near the garage by the railing digging away.

Not sure what he was looking for but he was really getting into it.

Finally he pulled his head out of the snow and cautiously went down the steps from the top part of the deck.

When I say cautiously I mean super cautious.

He goes back and forth for a minute or more before he jumps down.

Sometimes he goes down each of the three steps or he just jumps to the bottom.

I worry about him as he is getting older.

Then he came to the steps on the side of the deck that lead down to the “green area” which is partially shovelled and the other part is a big snowbank.

He has made a path in the snow and very carefully he went up.

They know when it is safe or not.

I could tell.

He went so far and turned around and came back down.

Not reaching the area that was by the railing from this side.

Alvin has so many chew treats buried in the snow and just laying about on the deck in the back of our house.

I love watching him.

Oh, my Alvin, how you make me smile and warm my heart.

Cuteness by the 10th power and more.

 

The boy, Mr. Alvin is laying on his blue blanket waiting for me to finish.

He loves his routine and I try to keep it as close to the same as I am able.

I guess I am a pretty regular routine kind of gal, so we are a perfect match.

There was a reason he picked me on that COLD January night in 2010.

I am so grateful.

 

Well here we go again, time to leave for work.

Almost time.

I hear that spring is on it’s way and is getting close.

We are happy for that news.

WALKS and WALKS ahead of us.

 

Have the best Monday ever.

Smile to yourself and to everyone you meet.

Something as simple as a smile can bring joy and relief.

Happy Monday.

 

Special Hello to: my sister, back VEGAS.  Welcome Home and Happy Monday, sister.

Always, Carol & Alvin

 

Thought for the day …..

Good Morning and Welcome to Sunday the 30th day of April, 2017.

Well here we are just a few hours away from the end of the first quarter of 2017.

Three years away from 2020.

Does that not sound futuristic?

Yikes ….. perhaps in a few short years we will be more “space age.”

Who knows.

 

This morning the sun is shining.

We did receive some rain overnight but it has dried now.

YAY ……

 

This morning Mr. Alvin surprised me ….

Last night by the time I went to bed it was almost 11:00 p.m.

Once again Alvin was ready to rise at 4:00 a.m.

ARGH.

So as per usual, I sleepily get up and go downstairs.

He has his breakfast and goes outside.

This time …… GUESS WHAT.

We came upstairs to bed after his EARLY breakfast.

When I woke up it was almost 8:00 a.m.

Unless I did not hear him he did not wake up in between.

FIRST TIME EVER.

Cannot believe it.

Perhaps we should always come back upstairs.

Although it did not work yesterday.

I guess his hair cut and bath really caused anxiety and our back to normal walk really tired him out.

He looks really cute ….. my little black&white guy….

Anyway good news.

I at least got two chunks of sleep four hours each.

YAY …..

 

Well time to finish the laundry.

Get ready for tomorrow.

You know prepping the oatmeal for breakfast for the next three days.

Deciding on what to wear?

Lunch.

RELAX as we worked …. er, I mean I worked all day getting things done so that today could be a relatively quiet day today.

Might do some more yard work (might), as it is still a bit wet.

After supper we will SKYPE with my sister and hear all about her trip to PERU and VEGAS.

 

I hope that you all have a wonderful day.

Be KIND and have FUN.

 

Happy Happy Sunday.

Special Hello to: YOU, thank you.

Always, Carol & Alvin

 

 

 

Thought for the day…..

Good Morning and Welcome to Monday the 31st and final day of March, 2014.

Ah, the last day ever of March, 2014.

Here we are at the end of the third month of 2014.

How has this year been for you thus far?

Are you working on your bucket list?

Did you make resolutions for the New Year?

Are you dreaming big?

Did you make a TO DO List for the New Year?

Whatever you are doing …. at least you are moving forward.

Now isn’t that a great direction to be going?

My daughter gave me some life and business calendars for this New Year.

I partially completed them …..

I plan to pull them out this week and start writing.

You have to start somewhere.

I did do something that was on my recent TO DO List and that was to SKYPE with my sister.

Last night as soon as I got home from work (stopped by and picked up Alvin from his sister’s house and walked home, exercise for us both, YAY) I put supper in the oven and called my sister.

She filled me in on all the things that they did while vacationing in VEGAS recently and the temperatures.

So great to talk to her ….. get caught up with everything back “home.”

No matter what the size of something that you crossed off your list just remember this “it is still something.”

I hope that you keep making lists and dreaming and crossing items off the list.

Have a great last day of March, 2014.

YAHOO ….. now APRIL.

I hope that April will be filled with warmer temperatures and lots of sunshine.

Special Hello to: my family …. I miss you all.

Always, Carol and Alvin

 

Thought for the day….

Good Morning and Welcome to Friday the 28th day of March, 2014.

How are you this morning?

WE are wonderful.

Up at 5 a.m. with Mr. Alvin as he has this “clock” and then back to bed.

So great to sleep in and now it is time to write and get to work ’round the house.

After breakfast …… get the basement in order.

Put away the last of the Christmas stuff and reorganize all of the “rubbermaid containers.”

YAY.

THE SUN IS SHINING SO BRIGHTLY ….. that makes me so HAPPY.

Hopefully the temperatures continue to go in an upward motion.

So on this Friday me and me Alvin are just hanging out and doing housework until I have to get ready to go to the store.

He will spend the night with his sister so that makes him happy and me feel relaxed that he is not alone.

I hope that you are happy and smiling and that the “sun” is shining down on your part of the world.

Make your life be happy and rewarding and make you spread your happiness and rewards.

Special Hello to: my sister who is back from Vegas and I must chat with her ….. have to hear all the stories and the shopping??

Always, Carol and Alvin

 

Thought for the day……

Good Morning and Welcome to Monday the 24th day of March, 2014.

Temperatures warming up and I for the third day in a row I am wearing shoes outside.

I love it when you can just slip on your shoes and go.

No boots and carrying shoes.

Just slip on and go.

How wonderful.

It is amazing how much extra time and effort it takes to get dressed to leave the house in the winter time.

Anyway, I am one happy girl.

Even Mr. Alvin can go without a jacket or at least not a heavy one.

I can see the earth in most places.

Still a few banks and some ice but for the most part a few plus days and it should be gone.

Just think in a few weeks or so we should see buds on the trees and people will begin to plant some flowers.

All of the greenhouses will have their plants out ready for purchase.

I absolutely love going to the greenhouses whether it is the family owned one just outside of the city or the one at Canadian Tire …. I love to check out the flowers …. the colours …. the smells.

Oh what a fantastic time to be alive.

You can just feel the relief and the wonderment of this time of year.

Everyone big and small is ready.

Ready to go for nice long walks …

Ready for late sunsets.

Ready for dips in the lake.

Ready to go camping.

Ready to do some gardening.

Ready to clean up their yards.

Ready to get outside.

So on this first day of the week …

I hope that this finds you thinking and working on preparing for summer.

Always a good time to go through your closets and “storage containers.”

I hope that you are generous.

Do you really need five black skirts?

Have a great day.

Special Hello to: my sister who is arriving back home today from Vegas…… hope you had a great time.

Always, Carol and Alvin

 

Thought for the day…..

Good Morning and Welcome to Thursday the 20th day of March, 2014.

WELCOME TO THE FIRST DAY OF SPRING 2014.

The “Vernal Equinox” the time of the year for equal day and night.

How cool is that?

The Vernal Equinox ….. kind of “rolls” off one’s tongue.

It makes us happy …. increasing daylight with warming temperatures.

When we experience the rebirth of both “flora and fauna” ….. now I love the sound of that.

I am feeling so much better today and I hope that everyone surrounding me feels the same.

We can only feel better and more energized with the increased sunlight giving us all of that natural vitamin “D.”

Something that we have been missing over this long, overcast, snowy, cold winter.

So Happy Spring everyone!!

I hope that you are doing the Happy Spring Dance, as am I.

Most of our snow and ice has melted and finally the storm drain is open.

I had been able to keep it open all winter until this last bit when the ice just got away on me.

But with a bit of help from a kindly “man” down the street it is open.

I love the sound of the water running down the drain.

Most importantly melting and running away from our yards …..

Last night Alvin and I enjoyed a wonderful walk.

By the time we got home Mr. Alvin was muddy ….. oh, and I mean muddy.

We tried to walk around and miss it but alas it did not quite go according to plan.

His little belly and his legs which are mostly a soft beautiful “white” fur were “black” like his head.

So his Momma had to give him a makeshift bath when we got home …….

We did enjoy our walk…..

Bumped into some neighbours from across the lake.

Always nice to have a visit and see people.

So on this happy Thursday …. I say go outside and let out a big “whoop” for Happy First Day of Spring.

Walk around all day with a huge smile plastered across your face.

Maybe treat yourself to some chocolate or to your favourite flowers.

Spread the joy.

Have the best day.

Special Hello to: my travelling sister …. have a great trip in Vegas.  I love Vegas.

Always, Carol and Alvin

P.S. note to self, do not bring your shoes home early from work because now it is snowing and I have to wear my boots…….and take my shoes back…..I was so looking forward to just wearing my shoes.  Oh well, maybe tomorrow.