Good Morning ALL! Thank goodness today is Saturday, I love the weekends. I get to putz around my home, perhaps see some friends and family and go for walks with Alvin. I am making a list of all the things that I need to do before you know what arrives, I cannot even bear to utter the words, so I will leave it up to your imagination. If you live in Western Canada or Canada, you will know exactly to which I am referring. Now I do very much love certain elements of that time. Fall arrives officially on September 22, 2022 which is not long off. I have plants to winterize in the house, the big tree out front to trim, the back flower bed to get ready, finish the front (which will be about a five minute job), clean the outside windows that I can reach and show be getting especially the gutter of the porch cleaned as it is full of crap. Anyway that does not include putting away the furniture from deck (which does not take long) and cleaning out the remaining flower pots. So lots of outside things to do. There is one item on my list that I must find someone to give me a hand and that is trimming the tree. The branches are too high for me and even with a ladder holding that long pole trimmer, I can imagine that would be way too much for me. The pole has a bit of weight to it and with the sharp blade tool on the end and having to pull the long string to work the blade, nope not for me. I do trim the lower branches every year by myself. Perhaps later today I will try and do some.
Inside the house the blinds need to be cleaned again, they sure seem to be getting dusty more quickly. I would love at some point to remove and replace them. They have been good to me and done what they needed to do but some of them are discoloured from the sunlight which happens over more than a decade. Another item on my list. Oh that dreaded list! Do you have a list? Oh, I am sorry, I neglected to ask how you were doing this day. How are you? Very well, I hope.
Perhaps with a long list of things to do, it will give me the energy and drive to actually do more than a bit of cleaning and laundry. With the heat over the last few weeks, Alvin’s health issues and the work stuff, I am exhausted. Not burned out, I don’t think. I just need to lay down for about three days and sleep, lol. Okay, perhaps a slight exaggeration!
The temperatures are going to be just perfect this weekend. 25-26 degrees celsius. Cooling off in the evening. My kids and grandpups are camping for one last time. I hope that they were warm and comfy last night and tonight and tomorrow night.
Tonight I am actually going out. Signe invited me and Gillian over for a paint night. She has the canvases and the picture that we are going to mimic. They are always fun. At first, I thought with Alvin and stuff, that I would stay at home with him but I realize that all I do is stay home with him except for the odd 45 minute trip to the grocery store and now the days going to work. Work does not count. That is not for fun. So I am going out. YAY, me. Signe’s folks are visiting from Eastern Canada. I love to see them, her Mom is so much fun. I know her the best from previous interactions. So I know that I will have a good time. Surrounded by friends is a good thing. If you have been just staying home – time to get out for a bit. Have some laughs and special time with family and friends. Yes. Alvin will be okay for a couple of hours or so.
Tomorrow I am having some neighbours over for a visit. That would be Cookie’s family. With the return to work on the near horizon, I am looking at all the possibilities for Mr. Alvin. It does take a village and I am accumulating one. Not much time so I am working on it.
Also I need to get busy and contact the bank regarding the mortgage renewal. Honestly, it would be so wonderful to own the house outright. Just me, myself and I. That is a huge dream of mine.
Well the coffee has perked and I need to get dressed and get this day going although it has been going for awhile. Whoops, time to pay bills as well. Better not forget that. I love to have my bills always paid on time. Also helps to look at it as though you are helping to pay someone else’s salary and not just give money to the owners or shareholders or whatever.
Have a wonderful day. Stay warm and safe. I hope that the fires are going out near Jasper and all around us. I feel for the wildlife that have been lost and injured and those left behind. Humans have a much better chance of getting out of a wildfire. They do not.
Continuing to live with kindness, respect, compassion, patience, love, laughter, understanding, gratitude, focus, possibilities and coffee.
Fall / Autumn and the new fall t.v. lineup is right around the corner. My fav shows will be back.
Always, Carol & Alvin
P.S. Sometimes I think it would be nice to have someone to share all of this with in addition to Mr. Alvin. He is not too great at trimming trees or paying the bills. But he sure is darn cute.