Last Half 2022 – November

Good Morning ALL! How are you this morning? We are doing great. I was outside with Mr. Alvin a little while ago to “clean up” from last night and it was so warm. The warm air kissed our faces. Just beautiful and now the sun is shining brightly. A slight breeze but so nice outside. I wish that this weather would stay all winter long. Hard to believe that today is November 20, 2022 already.

Yesterday was interesting. I was so far off my original plans it almost hurt, lol. We were up and at it early about 7:00 a.m. The first thing on the list was decorating the Christmas tree which was done and I will say with a bit of tweaking throughout the day and even this morning, I love it. Laundry was put on and I was upstairs putting things away when I decided to start replacing the “toilet handle.” I thought it may be a good idea to watch an YouTube Video about how to replace a toilet handle. I suppose that I should have been a bit wary when the inside of the toilet looked brand new. The videographer explained how it was to be done, showed the tools and it took him all of 3 minutes to do, actually might have been less. I figured – I got this. This smart 65 year old woman can do anything, I thought. Might have been a bit on the arrogant side but we will get to that in a minute. I took the tank cover off and gingerly set it on a floor mat out of the way. Then I unhooked the plunge chain (do not remember the real name) and with my pliers attempted to undo the bolt that held the toilet handle in place. Well needless to say that did not work so I went to the garage and looked for a different tool, some “open wrench” he called it. I thought that I had one but I did not but I brought in another wrench hoping it may work. Nope, it did not. I tried for over thirty minutes with no luck. Then I texted my daughter, then I texted my neighbours, then I texted their older son who got back to me right away. Lucky for me he was able to pop by with some tools and another thirty, forty or so minutes later it was done. Never, ever believe these YouTube Videos. The handle works were calcified and rusted a bit – after about 15 years. I have decided in the New Year that I am having the other two replaced as well as the towel bars and tissue holders. Time to update. I already hired my helper. Just so happens that he is working for a company that does renos so he knows how to do these things. I am so lucky. We had a great visit and some laughs. He even fixed the bedroom bathroom sink plunger thingy. YAY. After that, I had more COFFEE and then we went for a walk. Me and Alvin. Yesterday afternoon the weather was so nice. We are very blessed.

Basically between the Christmas tree and the bathroom toilet handle and some laundry – it was suppertime. Oh well, today I will get some cleaning done. Good thing that I do keep a clean house so the “cleaning” is not something that will take me hours. Oh, I also put up some garland that my friend Irene gave me with coloured lights and small coloured ornaments on the upstairs bannister. It looks so good, I am very proud. So I guess I did something else. To be honest, I was feeling just a tad unaccomplished.

My coffee is ready and I am ready to sit down for a mug before getting to work.

Have a wonderful Sunday.

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

Always, Carol & Alvin

2021

Good Morning ALL. How are you today? We are doing well and still adjusting to the time change. Spring forward takes a bit more getting used to, for sure. But we will adjust in time (before the next change in late fall, lol). Last night it was after 7:30 p.m. and still light outside which was great. I cannot wait until the sun is already up at this time of morning. It is always easier for me to get up when it is light outside. How about you?

Yesterday at lunch we met up with friends Ali and Bailey from down the street and adorned with sweaters on the pups as it was cool at noon, masks on we girls and our lighter winter apparel we headed out for a 40 minute or so walk. We would come across folks with dogs or the pups especially Bailey were sniffing lots so did take all of 40 minutes. It was so nice to have a walking companion and we chatted the whole walk. I will say that walking and talking with a mask on is not the most comfortable thing in the world but I certainly am not going to complain as some folks have had to wear masks and work 12 hour shifts for days on end. I am grateful my mask wearing is not often as I do not go anywhere or see anyone. I have several masks on hand for those times when I must wear a mask and I will always wear one as instructed by our Health Care Professionals. Back to Bailey I cannot believe how long and gangly she is ….. he has such long legs even though she will not get much bigger and eventually will fill in, I would think. Again, nice to have a friend to walk with …. another human being. It was great.

Teddy and Kobi will be coming over at noon for the rest of the day while their parents go out to the farm to tend to some business.

I was wondering about some things. I will be 64 this summer and how I view the world is likely much different than an 18 year old or even a 30 year old. Do you ask yourself questions all day long? What kind of questions? Maybe we all ask this question “When is this going to end?” OR “Is this virus going to ever go away?” I often ask myself or tell myself “Why did you say that?” I have lots of questions swirling through my mind at any given time. Sometimes it is quiet but not often. Most times I cannot even stop the noise when I go to bed. I used to meditate and perhaps that is something that I should get into once again. I wouldn’t say that I am particularly worried or concerned most days ….. just have a busy mind. They say we have 60,000 thoughts each day. That is a lot. I was wondering how everyone feels about all of the social media platforms? How many YouTube Videos are there? How many singers have become world famous during the pandemic bia YouTube? How many organizers and designers? How many cooks? How many makeup artists? The list goes on and on. Now there is Tic Tok (not sure of the spelling as I have not been on there). Instagram and FaceBook and so many more. Food for thought. Maybe it is time to do a video? What do you think? I wonder if the Internet will ever crash? Sometimes it goes down but they always get it going again.

Anyway that is it for this morning. I need some coffee.

Wishing you a wonderful day. In Edmonton for the rest of the week supposed to have temperatures of +9-13 degrees celsius which is a far cry from yesterday’s +2. YAY, perhaps spring is really here. Hope so. Not a long winter but I really want spring and then summer.

Living with kindness, respect, compassion and patience (always working on patience and yesterday was one of those days for sure).

Always, Carol & Al

P.S. last night gave Mr. Alvin some of his new food. We have to, I have to introduce it gradually over two weeks. Now there is measuring 1/2 wet and 1/2 dry but ratio of 3/4 old to 1/4 new for first few days, then half and half and then 3/4 new to 1/4 new. Sure wished that I was better at math, lol.

Sun coming up. Hip Hip Hooray.

Second Half of the NEW YEAR

Good Morning ALL, yay it is Friday.

Alvin and I enjoyed a full walk last night after work.

He didn’t stop or walk slowly.

I could tell that he was enjoying each and every step.

Sniffing and walking.

Walking and sniffing.

 

Just transferred the money to the gal that is baking my birthday treats.

Those treats are a delectable carrot cake with cream cheese icing and cupcakes.

The cupcakes are one dozen vanilla with key lime icing and the other twelve are chocolate with salted caramel icing.

I can hardly wait to bite into these sweet amazing treats.

My friend is one of the best bakers, I know.

I have met up with a few of them over the years.

My paternal Grandmother was one of those women who could bake the socks off anyone.

She made the best jelly rolls, angel food cakes, orange chiffon cakes, cookies and homemade bread.

I can taste them now.

All the gloriousness (I guess that is a word).

The jam in the jelly roll.

The thin layer of icing on the cakes.

The smell of the bread baking in the oven.

That was a long time ago and I can recall those smells.

It is funny how much food plays a role in our lives.

We have to eat to maintain health and energy and to live.

But food has become over the centuries so much more.

We eat when we are happy.

We eat when we are sad.

We eat to celebrate.

We eat when someone dies.

We eat, eat and eat.

Christmas cookies.

Thanksgiving pumpkin pie.

Easter bread.

The list goes on and on.

We have channels all about food.

The industry is crazy.

There are bake offs and cook offs and grilling championships.

The list is a mile long.

Every celebrity that can cooks has their own television show.

We blog about food.

We have YouTube videos about cooking and baking.

We put photos on Instagram.

FOOD, food, and more FOOD.

Sweet and Savoury.

 

Well with all that goodness now instilled in your brain, I have to go to work.

I baked a coffee cake …. second one with this new recipe that I found in one of my favourite recipe books.

The night before I baked a few dozen peanut butter chocolate chip cookies.

For an outing this evening.

I am still a bit nervous as this is my first larger than 3 people gathering.

But I am prepared.

I made separate packages of the cookies and will come up with something for the cake using cupcake holders.

 

With kindness and respect, we live our lives.

I/We, shall remain,

As Always, Carol & her Alvin

 

Living … One day at a time.

Good Morning and it is the first day of time change for Alberta.

We turned the clocks back by one hour this morning.

Nice too have it bright at an earlier hour for sure.

Happy November.

 

Well time to share yesterday.

As I realized Friday evening when my daughter I erected the Christmas tree and turned on the lights that they would have to be replaced.

Last year I had “YouTube” to see what suggestions others had regarding this subject.

There was really nothing that I had not thought of so I grabbed my trusty tin/metal snips in the morning and set to work.

In between was working on the laundry.

I had checked the weather to see what the day would bring and there was rain in the afternoon forecast so I set the timer for one hour and at noon,

we headed out for a walk.

It was actually quite nice.

Upon arriving back at home I checked on the laundry once again before setting back to snipping the lights from the tree.

I worked on the lights for a total of over 7 hours between morning and afternoon.

You never really appreciate how much “lights” there are on a prelit Christmas tree but there are a great many.

It was a painstaking process.

Snipping the little holders and in some cases the electrical cords.

Yes, they were unplugged.

My hands were cut and my arms scratched.

I wore a sweater but then got hot so off and on.

I had to stand on the ladder to do the top and found my ankles and feet sore after a time.

My back was throbbing at the end of it all.

I am most grateful that it is done.

Poor Alvin was whining throughout the time.

He was verbalizing how I felt.

Once done, I stopped to have supper and of course before I ate, Mr. Alvin had his supper.

After supper and cleaning up, I spent a couple of hours putting on a couple of strings of lights and the decorations.

Once sitting back and relaxing having a cup of tea, I realized something was missing from the tree.

My box of ANGELS and berries and such.

I was too pooped to go and find the container.

Located it this morning and will finish that later today.

In about one hour I am going to have coffee with the young ones.

My young friends.

So enjoy catching up with them.

Well that was my weekend.

It was a test of patience which I failed miserably.

As Mr. Alvin can attest to ….

Well failed miserably is likely a tad to strong as I did have time where I just settled into the work listening to Christmas movies.

Life.

I am happy that my tree is up and mostly decorated.

Looks pretty good.

 

Sometimes it is the little things that can test your patience.

Yup, the little things.

Time to get this show on the road.

I have laundry to put away.

Then time to get out of pj’s and go out for coffee.

Am looking forward to the break.

 

Have an awesome Sunday.

Sending you much kindness and respect for your day.

 

Always, Carol & Al

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