Last Half 2022 – November

Good Morning ALL! Happy Friday. Wow, today is November 25, 2022. Happy Birthday to my niece “D”, we wish you a wonderful day. Weather is good today. They are forecasting some rain sometime around the time we are starting work. Yes, we are going to the office today.

I was so happy that Alvin and I were able to get out after work last night for a walk. We had just turned onto the public sidewalk from our house when I thought that I heard my name. Of course, it is almost dark so I had to really look and there behind us catching up fast were our friends Alison & Bailey. B was pulling so hard when she saw us and then started her “squealing” excited sound. They are great friends. Bailey is such a cutie. She is two now, I think. Whenever she sees me she always jumps up and gives me a kiss. What a lovely little pup. We walked to the park and up the street beyond the park before turning around for home. I think that Alvin thought we were going to see Teddy and I did not wish to have him disappointed as they are not home. Alison is now a proud Aunt to two little ones. She caught me up on all of their stories. Emily is two and James was recently born. I love when we see friends on our walks and can have a little visit.

After we got home – I was only able to remove Alvin’s leash before he ran into the house. So I decided when he would not come to me to have his harness and sweater removed that I would just go and pick up the mail and I am so glad that I did. There was a parcel. It was the Christmas Card Photos that I had ordered – I know what I will be doing this weekend. Writing up cards and letters. YAY. So this weekend will be cards and wrapping and the usual laundry and I need to pick up things at the store. A few gifts and a gift card for the Secret Santa gift exchange at work. I know not exactly a brilliant gift but that is what she wants and the other items on the list I am not able to find within my neighbourhood shopping sources. I also have to go to the Bone & Biscuit to pick up gifts for Alvin, Aspen and Milo. The following weekend is baking, the following is our Girls Christmas party and the next is the office Christmas party at my house and then it is Christmas. No time to dilly dally now. Time to put the pedal to the medal as they say. I have things to do but I can get it done, don’t we always?

Hopefully we are able to get another walk in after work tonight. My daughter is picking me up after work to bring me home. We can have a visit before she heads to COSTCO. I want to stay away from there. Always look forward to catching up in person with my girl. I think that I am going to take her, them up on their offer for Alvin to go to Alberta Beach and spend some time with them. They have been asking.

I hope that you will have a great day. Few hours from now we will be chilling on a Friday night! YAY. We did it ….. okay, almost did it.

Shout out this morning to my siblings ….. my sister and brothers. Miss you all and I hope that in 2023 we are able to get together. I did see my youngest brother in 2022 which was great. Time for us all to get together for a siblings weekend.

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

Always, Carol & Alvin

PS: when I came into the house last night with the mail and the box, Alvin got so excited. He thought it was from Val with something for him. I am not sure how this Christmas is going to go. He seems to always be thinking anything in a box or wrapped is for him. Time will tell. Fingers crossed.

Welcome to December 2020

Good Morning ALL. I hope that you are doing extra well on this Sunday, December 13, 2020. Our temperatures took a nosedive last night and with the windchill it is hovering around the minus 30 degrees celsius mark. YIKES, what a change from a few days ago at minus 3-6. Winter in Western Canada. Changes faster than I can change socks or drink a glass of water. Are you feeling some humour in my remarks? I am trying. It remains dark outside at this time. No sunrise just yet. Not sure if it is cloudy or not as I have not checked. Are you counting down the days? We are now at “11 sleeps/days” until Christmas Eve Day. I am almost ready for the big day. I made another double batch of fudge and 5 dozen unbaked chocolate macaroons. The macaroons were perfection, just the way they should be which is unlike the last batch. I mean don’t get me wrong they were not not tasty but just not the way that I like them. The fudge was perfection last time and this time why I decided to add the last of the marshmallows without adding more chocolate chips is beyond me. Now again, taste is good but it is a much lighter unchocolate looking fudge. Disappointed to say the least. It kept me awake last night trying to decide if I should make more. Alas, I have decided that “no more” making fudge for this year. This batch of fudge is more marshmallow than chocolate which is not bad. I am going to bake another batch of sugar cookies, which will be around another 100 or so today. This week in the evenings I am going to bake double batches only of the chocolate chip and my newly arrived at recipe of “raisin gingerbread cookies.” Which were a big hit. It is always funny how each and every time you make something even after making it for say 40 years it can turn out just a bit different. But of course, if someone adds more marshmallows, what can you expect, lol. Oh well. I am most sad about this because I made up treat boxes for my friend “Amber” and she loves fudge. Okay enough woe is me about the fudge. So this morning Amber is dropping off my jewelry order from the mega party last weekend and I will give her some treats followed by my daughter coming by with a new television for me and Alvin, most of the groceries for Christmas and some of the pet gifts that she picked up for me. Okay back to the television as I know you are thinking “new television set.” Well it is not new as is new from the manufacturer but it is new to me. My kids got a new t.v. and are giving me their old one which is not really old and get this is “58 inches” which compared to my 42 or 45 inch (cannot remember exact size) television will nicely fill the wall. So excited. Bonus Christmas present as far as I am concerned. So now I have three televisions. Where to put it? I have one in the family room and then where to put this one. Maybe we can find someone who needs a television. We are planning to have a pancake breakfast later this morning. Busy, busy. Later on this afternoon I will be baking the Sugar Cookies followed by wrapping Christmas presents. Other than delivering gifts to some friends of both the two and four-legged persuasion we will be DONE. Yes, done. Completed. Finished.

Yesterday afternoon after the fudge and macaroon baking/making – Alvin’s best friend Teddy, his little sister and his Mom stopped by for a visit. We masked of course and social distanced. They brought us, well me actually a poinsettia plant so nice and red and some caramel popcorn twists. Their gift to Alvin is coming later. Much better for the pups to exchange gifts together. I am feeling very spoiled this year. Actually every year I am spoiled and am very blessed. So love when the pups come to visit. Both Teddy and Kobi run and jump up to give me some love whenever they come or I go to their house. So happy to have had that visit because the extra visits end today with the new COVID19 restrictions.

Time to go and have a shower. I definitely need COFFEE this morning. Oh, looks like the sun is starting to rise.

I wish you an awesome Sunday. Perhaps you will be relaxing and watching a Christmas Movie or three OR reading a book or maybe you are baking some cookies. Just remember fudge is not something to defer from the original recipe.

Be kind, respectful and show compassion, this is more important now than ever before. All creatures big and small are important to this planet of ours.

Always, Carol & Alvin

Living … One day at a time.

Good Monday Morning.

Despite my non-intentional attempts to throw a wrench into my weekend, the weekend turned out to be success.

Now mind you I was not able to give Mr. Alvin a haircut or a bath.

I was not able to wrap the few gifts that I am exchanging.

I WAS ABLE TO FINISH THE CHRISTMAS BAKING IN ONE WEEKEND.

The Mincemeat tarts (don’t really count them) will do closer to Christmas or really anytime.

Just open the tart shell box and the jar of mincemeat and bake.

Does not get much easier than that.

I could not make the mincemeat for the price of the jar from the store.

Well for some reason I was off my game this weekend and forgot to take photos of all the baking.

It would not have fit on the table.

The missing item was the CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES.

FUDGE = 76 bite size pieces

SUGAR COOKIES = 18 dozen – (5 of which were earmarked for the girls, the young friends) = 13 dozen for home and work.

CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES = 10 dozen

= TIRED and SO HAPPY it is done.

 

We managed to get some walks in over the weekend which was good.

I spent pretty much all of my waking hours this weekend on my feet.

Between baking, laundry, baking and walking.

No time to sit around.

But OMG so happy to have it done.

I believe that Mr. Alvin is happy as well.

He spent most of the weekend going in and out to the back yard.

He could feel that I was not going to have time for time.

I didn’t have time for me.

So grateful that I can do what I love.

I do love to baking.

Not always in these quantities but I love to bake.

 

Well, okay time to stop writing.

Time to go downstairs and finish getting ready.

Pick up the poop from earlier this morning in the backyard.

I like to keep it done.

No surprises in the spring when it melts.

That can be down right nasty.

 

I hole that you had a great weekend.

This weekend deliver a few cards to friends in the neighbour along with some treats.

Wrap presents.

Hopefully will be able to pick up the blade for Alvin’s clipper this weekend so that he can have his long overdue haircut on Saturday.

That will be enough.

Oh, tonight place a NORWEX order.

 

Happy Monday.

With kindness and respect I shall get through another year.

2019 has been quite the year.

 

Always, Carol & Alvin