Living …. One day at a time.

Hello,

Bright sunny morning …. no wind as trees are not swaying.

 

If you are in the moment and paying attention you will see things that you have not noticed previously.

Like the baby geese – goslings.

We have SEVEN goslings – yes, we counted.

Last night when my friend P joined Alvin and I for our nightly walk – we saw them.

Just little …. so not too old.

Carefully out of sight unless you are paying attention.

Mom and Dad proudly and efficiently taking care of their brood.

So cute those babies were/are.

Fluffy.

They are by our ponds at the park near our house.

My friend P is very good at being in the moment.

Nature has so many amazing, wonderful, beautiful creatures for us to behold.

Moments in time for us to just enjoy.

 

Day 4034.

That is today.

Equates to 11.06 years.

Not taking into account leap years.

Which would mean more calculations.

That is the number of days and years that I have been consistently writing in my journal/gratitude journal.

Every morning before breakfast, I write.

I started keeping a journal when I was 13 and even before but consistently since that age.

I have a large container full of notebooks filled with the words that I have written over the years.

One day, I shall start reading them.

 

Well looks like almost time to leave for work.

That time certainly comes quickly.

 

Have a wonderful day.

 

Always, Carol & Alvin

 

Thought for the day ….

Good Morning and Welcome to Monday the 1st day of April, 2019.

Hard to believe today is April 1st.

April Fool’s ….. no joking about today.

I am at home not feeling well.

Another new month…..

No specific reason for posting these photos other than they are pretty.

Sometimes that is all that it is …..

Taken a few years ago while on a walk with me Alvin in one of the nearby parks.

Heading back to lie down as sleep always makes me feel better.

Snuggling with Mr. Alvin does not hurt either.

Hoping that the sun shines ……

Happy Monday for you all

 

Special Hello to: April ….. a new month.

Always, Carol & Alvin

Thought for the day …..

Good Morning and Welcome to Thursday the 28th day of June, 2018.

A beautiful morning with blue sky and sunshine.

There is a breeze which is keeping the temperature cool.

Perfection.

 

My last work day for the week going into an extra long weekend for me.

So excited.

Tonight I am going with two of my girl friends to a PAINT NIGHT.

Can hardly wait to try out my “painting skills.”

Or rather I should say to see if I have any “painting skills.”

It is one thing doing something abstract.

Time will tell.

I will take a photo and share my work with you.

It is a reminder for me to pick up some paint and get this room, my office painted.

I want to rearrange and redo things in here.

 

We are coming into the CANADA DAY weekend.

People will be travelling to OTTAWA this weekend to be in the nation’s capital for the festivities.

There will be music and fireworks and more.

I have never been to Ottawa and have only watched it from the comfort of my living room.

 

I am excited to be at home with Alvin.

The plan is to clean up my email, save photos outside of my hard drive and purge.

Somehow I find it hard to delete anything.

So I do not require ten shots of the same person.

I do not need a photo that is not in focus.

Time to get serious and get things done.

The other night I had a call from a charity organization who will be in the neighbourhood next weekend needing clothing and household goods.

Another reason to go through things.

Lots to do with gardening in between and walks with Alvin.

 

Have you ever been asleep and woke up speaking?

This morning we were up at 4:30 a.m. and because I have this bit of a scratchy throat I decided that we would not walk this morning.

After Alvin had his breakfast and had been outside, we hit the sofa for some extra zzz’s.

Just as the timer when off I woke up and was talking.

The only things that I remember was my Mom and sister were there.

I think we may have been shopping.

Anyway we were going to sit down at a table and my sister had been telling me she wanted to sit “there.”

Wherever there was, I am not sure.

I was telling her “sure, go ahead.”

So there must have been some history ….. but I do not remember ever having a thing about sitting in a certain spot.

Anyway I woke up and the dream fell away.

I was happy that both my Mom and my sister were there.

I do not remember having a dream with them for many years.

It is also funny at how quickly one can fall asleep and start to dream.

This is the timeline.

We laid down on the sofa at 4:40 a.m. and I set the timer for 5:20.

I woke up at one point and looked at my watch and it was 5:00, so sometime in twenty minutes I fell asleep and started to dream.

WOW.

 

Well almost time to hit the road.

I hope that you have a wonderful Thursday.

 

Special Hello to: my sister, I was dreaming of you.  We may have been shopping???

Always, Carol & Alvin

 

Thought for the day ….

Good Morning and  Welcome to Wednesday the 25th day of April, 2018.

As April winds down and Spring has definitely sprung; we are happy for the months ahead.

Summer: no socks, sandals, capris, sometimes shorts (not short shorts for me), light sweater or somedays just a top.

Happy Days.

So nice not to spend 5 minutes or so donning your outer apparel.

I saw a Robin the other day as I was chatting to a friend when we were out for out walk.

That was the first Robin that I had seen thus far this spring.

We usually have Robins by our home.

I have a bird house in the back yard.

Usually there are some of the smaller birds debating over who gets the house this year.

Most times the Magpies and the Crows scare the little ones away.

A handful of times I have had a Hummingbird in my backyard.

Oh, how I love those little ones.

So gorgeous.

Another creature that I love is the Dragonfly.

We used to see huge ones around our house at the front and the back.

The past couple of years they have all but disappeared.

Not sure why.

Here are a couple of photos, they were big.

Soon it will be time for planting flowers.

One of my favourite times of year.

I love to get my hands dirty.

I love to watch the flowers grow and show off their beautiful blooms.

All things baby soon.

 

Well time to get this show on the road.

Cute story.

This morning while I was brushing my teeth, Alvin was in the bathroom with me.

Cause where else would he be?

He sat there and just starred at me brushing my teeth.

I was so hoping that perhaps he could understand better when I was brushing his and perhaps let me really brush them well.

Not so much.

I brushed his right after mine.

He was more than happy to jump up onto the bed and lick his tasty toothpaste while I “brushed his teeth.”

I do get them brushed, most specially the front ones but the back ones are another story.

Just keep trying every day and have done this for the past 8 years.

 

Happy Wednesday.

Happy Spring.

 

Special Hello to: my friend “V”

Always, Carol & Alvin

(Somehow this appears not to have been published on Wednesday, so better late than never, I guess).

 

Thought for the day …..

Good Morning and Welcome to Saturday the 6th day of January, 2018.

Happy Birthday to a dear dear friend “L.”

Wishing her a very Happy Birthday.

The sun is out and it is raining.

Yes, it is raining.

January 6th and raining.

WOW.

Slept in a bit later than I had planned but oh well.

I will get everything done ….. just a later start.

Most of my work is in the house anyway …. so the time I start does not matter.

Must go and get that coffee on for my neighbour.

I make the coffee and we share the costs, great deal.

 

Last night I received another Christmas Card.

This one was friends who were spending time in the U.S.A.

Christmas Cards are one of my favourite parts of the Christmas season.

I love writing them up for friends, family, neighbours and co-workers.

I love to hand deliver and to mail them.

I always send photos to as many folks as I can.

A short note in each and some years,  I write a separate letter on pretty holiday decorated paper.

It is a huge part of my preparing for Christmas.

I love receiving them from all over the world.

They come from Sweden, the U.S.A. and all parts of Canada.

It is alike to writing letters which is an art form that has all but passed.

Christmas cards are not as popular as they once were now with the arrival of e-cards and email.

But it is a tradition for me that I keep close to my heart and will continue for as long as I am able.

I do believe that folks love opening the mail box to find cards.

I do believe that folks love receiving a card with a gift.

I do believe that finding a card on your desk at work makes you smile.

Christmas Cards ….. they are for me.

 

Well time to get this show on the road.

Wishing you all a great Saturday.

Special Hello to: my friend “L” who is having a birthday today.  Wishing that I was there.

Always, Carol & Alvin

 

Thought for the day …..

Good Morning and Welcome to Tuesday the 2nd day of January, 2018.

There is a breeze this morning and it feels warm.

Could it be that the temperatures are warming up?

Well back to work today after a nice break.

I was wondering what my thoughts were on this date last year.

I think it still applies and of course brings us only two years from 2020 and even closer to 2025, which I think seems so futuristic.

 

January 2nd, 2017.

Did you wonder how 2018 was going to feel being one more year closer to 2020?

It feels so futuristic …. as though cars should be flying or at least driving without human invention.

I would have thought that we would have been further along the road to peace.

I would have thought that we would have cured every disease.

I would have thought that we would be treating other species with care, kindness and respect.

I would have thought that we would be the best planetary caretakers regarding the environment.

I would have thought that greed and power struggles would not be the underlying statement.

I would have thought that we would be further along than we are ….. disappointing, yes.

I hope that during 2018 we find it in our hearts and minds to work harder toward more safe technology and make things last longer so that the landfills and eco stations are not filled to capacity with no place to go.

I hope that during 2018 we find it in our hearts and minds to work together as a planetary collective and not as individual countries to solve all the ills of the world.

I hope that during 2018 we find it in our hearts and mind to bring peace at last to this beautiful emerald planet of ours.

I hope that during 2018 we realize that each and every living organism on this planet plays an important role in our future.

I hope that during 2018 brings stabilizing change for all of us.

I wish us all the best now and in the centuries to come.

 

Special Hello to: all those people who work hard every day for our future.

Always, Carol and Alvin

 

Thought for the day …..

Good Morning and Welcome to Wednesday the 17th day of May, 2017.

Can you believe it?

The 17th day of yet another month.

We are almost 6 months into another year.

2017.

Is that not crazy?

When I was a little girl – I dreamed of 2025.

I thought it sounded like the most magical date in time.

So now that I am fast approaching that year …. only 8 short ones away.

The longer we spend on this planet – the more quickly time passes.

Must be something in the air.

Just kidding.

Well the clear patch of morning sunrise seems to have been replaced by rain clouds.

Yup, more rain is on the way, I suspect.

Time to fly ….

 

Was there a year that you were looking forward to ….

What does / did it mean to you?

Happy Wednesday.

 

Just a footnote:  thank you to all my co-workers for being supportive late in the day yesterday when I was having a “moment.”

Sometimes you just have to let it out …….  feeling better today.  Thanks to: K, S, C, L and K.

Alvin was grateful.  🙂

 

Special Hello: All those folks who feel as though sometimes they are just spinning their wheels in time.

Always, Carol & Alvin

Thought for the day …..

Good Morning and Welcome to Wednesday the 3rd day of May, 2017.

The SUN is rising in the eastern sky and the view from my south facing window is gorgeous.

Blue sky with high lights of sun beams.

How lucky am I?

Very…….

 

Well today I wrote my “3286” entry in my Gratitude Journal.

That translates to approximately 9 years in a row of writing every morning.

I pretty much have been writing every morning for decades but this is all about GRATITUDE.

It is an awesome way to begin each day.

Also this is my 7th year of writing this blog.

Cannot believe how quickly the time is flying by.

This past January was 7 years since I adopted Mr. Alvin.

My daughter turned 37 years in March.

I will be 60 in August.

I have worked at my office job here for 5 years last November.

So many milestones.I am one lucky woman.

 

If you sometimes think that you have not accomplished anything or are just feeling lowly …. sit down and make a list.

I guarantee that you will be pleasantly surprised.

 

Well it is time for me to leave and Alvin needs to go outside.

Have a wonderful Wednesday.

Special Hello to: my friend “V” ……

Always, Carol & Alvin

Thought for the day …..

Good Morning and Welcome to Wednesday the 5th day of April, 2017.

First week of April and the weather is beautiful.

Last night Alvin and I had a wonderful walk.

 

Today is the 7th Anniversary of my FIRST BLOG ever …..

I named my blog after the major change in my life which happened at 51.

It was not until a couple of years later that I chose  “My New Life at 51” as my blog name.

I had wanted to entertain and inspire anyone who took the time to read my words.

Writing is the one constant that has been in my life since I was a small child.

Whether writing poems for my Grandmother at Valentine’s Day or one for my Mom on her Birthday; I tried my hand.

A poem for my daughter’s class play.

I loved writing in school and did well.

My next project will be writing a book ….. it has been a dream of mine for a long time.

One that I can have published.

I just have to decide on a storyline and go.

I just keep changing my mind ….. is that not the beauty of writing ……. you can always change your mind.

Change the lines ….. change the story ….

 

 

Well here it is time to leave once again for work.

I hope that you have enjoyed this journey with me and will continue.

With gratitude and hopes that I can bring a smile to your face and perhaps be inspirational along the way.

 

Have an awesome day.

Special Hello to: all those folks who write and to those who read what we have written …. thank you.

Always, Carol and Alvin

Thought for the day ……

Good Morning and Welcome to Thursday the 9th day of February, 2017.

Today is a very, very special day in our family and for me.

On this day  “40” years ago my sister gave birth to my first nephew.

I cannot believe that he is going to be 40 which means I am going to be 60.

We are twenty years apart.

 

He has a very special place in my heart.

We spent a good deal of time together over the years. and it has meant the world to me.

He was this eager, busy-energetic, inquisitive, highly intelligent, bold, adventurous,  kind, loving little boy with the blonde hair and strawberry lips who simply melted your heart.

He did have a bit of a mischievous streak running through him but mostly he was just super busy and full of energy.

Always asking questions – always wanting to know.

But “why Auntie.”

Or he would hear a word that was not something a small child would typically use in a sentence but he did, and used it correctly.

One time when he was about three, I was sitting at the kitchen table working on my budget, and crunching some numbers using the calculator.

He came up to me and said “Auntie, what is that?”

I replied “it is a calculator” and before I could say anything he said “Auntie, I would like to do some calculating.”

He was three.  I will say he was always good with numbers.

I watched him go from that cute little boy into a mature, eager, energetic, inquisitive, highly intelligent, bold, kind, loving husband and father to three little boys.

I am so proud of this boy now grown man.

Go figure that he would have three boys of his own.

 

With my move to Edmonton we have not seen as much of each other as we had over the years but he is always in my thoughts.

He will always be my cute blonde headed strawberry lipped little boy.

 

So on this Thursday the 9th day of February, 2017, I want to wish my first born nephew “T” …. a very Happy 40th Birthday.

Now he will not be likely reading this but I hope that he knows in his heart how much he means to me and always will.

He was the son that I never had ….. (don’t tell Alvin).

 

I also wanted to mention that yesterday was one of the best days of my life.

So many little things …. great moments ….. great day.

I never thought that I would be so happy not to have mail delivered to me (this was at work).

I am so grateful to be me.

 

 

Special Hello to: my nephew “T” …. Happy Happy 40th Birthday.

Always, Carol & Alvin