2021

Good Morning ALL! Welcome to a grey windy WET Saturday morning. Both Alvin and I are grateful for the moisture as it is so terribly dry out there. We hope that some of this rain is coming down in the areas affected by the wildfires and helping to extinguish them. I also hope that the winds there are calm. Definitely not as windy at this moment as it was yesterday and the night before as it felt as though we would blow away house and all.

Alvin and I were disappointed when Teddy and Kobi did not come over yesterday for the day. Their parents were going to paint the rental unit and with the rain they would not be able to keep the windows opened. My friend has asthma. So perhaps next Tuesday. Looks like the rain is settling in for this day at least. Tomorrow is supposed to be partial cloudy/sunny, I think. We did not go for a walk between the wind and start of the rain yesterday. Does not look like a walking day for us today either. As this is laundry day we will get in several hundred steps going up and down three flights of stairs. Up and down and down and up this day. LOL.

Last night I was watching a recorded favourite show of mine and it was running past our usual bedtime. Next thing I knew Mr. Alvin was standing at the bottom of the stairs and just glaring at me. I understood and as the show was in the final couple of minutes I watched it and then quickly turned off the television, grabbed my phone charger from the kitchen counter, my glass of water and phone and headed upstairs where now Alvin was waiting for me. What a guy. He is truly a “routine” kind of creature. I do understand that. He has also been sitting by the side of the sofa that faces the fireplace and staring into the glass doors looking at his reflection. Sometimes he growls, whines or barks. Odd, that he has only now in the past few weeks realized this in all the years that we have lived together. What a guy!

Well time to head on downstairs, we have had another one of our up and down early mornings. I don’t know why I even mention them anymore as this is my life/our life. Every night and every morning. Nothing new here.

Time to get the coffee perking and laundry going.

Tomorrow my family is coming for Mother’s Day. I am going to cook an early supper.

On the Menu:

Tomato, Caramelized Onions with Lentil Pasta

Homemade Black Bean Burgers used kind of as a Meatball

Green Peas

Corn

Garlic Chili Scone/Biscuits

Homemade Brownies for dessert

This is a Vegetarian almost Vegan meal.

I am using butter in the Biscuits/Scones otherwise would be Vegan.

Sounds yummy to me.

I cannot wait to serve this to my family.

I am going to make the black bean burgers today as a trial run. The pasta I made last weekend and it was so good.

Brownies is a new recipe.

Well time to go. Wishing you a wonderful Saturday. I am going to do laundry, wrap a gift for my daughter for Mother’s Day and do some writing. I was inspired last night as I prepared for bed.

Continuing to live this life with respect, kindness, compassion and patience for all.

Always, love Carol & Alvin

Thought for the day…..

Good Morning and Welcome to Wednesday the 28th day of August 2013.

It is a great day.  The southern sky from my office window is glowing in purples and pinks with a pale blue background as the reflection from the sunrise passes over.

I just want to say that it is positively and most definitely true that when you give something it comes back to you abundantly.

My brother gave me a crazy amount of things from his garden.  I had one of the crisper compartments in my fridge full of cucumbers.

As I don’t really eat a lot of pickles anymore I have been eating them daily and gave some to my daughter and husband.

But still I had a crisper full of cucumbers.

So one of my neighbour does the juicing and is also a vegetarian so I asked her and she accepted.

So tonight I took over a bag of them.

Then another one of my friends called to say that her sister had given her an abundance of vegetables from her garden and also some crabapples.

So I gratefully accepted them.

When she brought them over I had no idea how much it would be …

A huge bag full of potatoes, yellow beans, carrots, squash and crabapples.

Oh my goodness I hit the lottery …. how wonderful and thoughtful.

So I gave one modestly sized bag and received a huge bag in return.

Anyway, always good to give and then again it is always a pleasure to receive.

Special Hello to: all those gardeners out there …. thank you for the produce.

P.S. thank you to my brother for starting all this and for the absolutely yummy vegetables (potatoes, onions, cucumbers, squash, peas and dill).

By the way my brother’s peas were about four to five inches long.  They were huge.

Always, Carol and Alvin (Alvin was pretty excited about the vegetables, too)   🙂

Thought for the day

I just have to share this with you all.  If you have not as yet read the book “THE KIND DIET” by Alicia Silverstone, please do yourself a huge favour, and do so.  It is the best book and it will change your life.  Slowly over the past year I have been “flirting” with being a vegetarian.  After reading Alicia’s book I have given up meat and fish and most dairy.  I feel great.  There are so many wonderful plant based products on the market in addition to all of the vegetables and fruits and nuts that it has been easy.  I will say the one thing that I have craved is chocolate.  Once I have my pantry and fridge totally converted I will even bake with non dairy products.  I have found that most recipes can be converted.

If you cannot totally give up “meat” and “dairy” – try making a lentil casserole or perhaps a meatless chili.  I will post some of my new recipes.  Give it a try.  Better for you, better for the animals and our planet.

Another sidebar is your grocery bill will be much less.

Ask your local grocer to order any items that they do not carry.

Spend the summer cruising your local farmers markets.  Yummy.  Nothing better than fresh local grown produce.  Love fresh potatoes, peas and carrots.

I would also mention in this rather lengthy “thought for the day” – give your dog a carrot or try broccoli, cauliflower or even an apple.  Alvin, my dog loves carrots, broccoli, cauliflower and apples.  We share an apple at lunch time.

Now that I am back to writing on my blog.  I would appreciate your feedback so if you read my “stuff” please leave a note.

Have a great day.