Wednesday January 20th ~

 Taking an image, freezing a moment,
 reveals how rich reality truly is...

I think pictures tell a story all by themselves.  Back in Florida, 
and there is always an opportunity to snag the right picture.

Pictures have a way of brightening up my days.  Some days

 I just look and remember, other days I capture new images,

 which later on I will just look back at and smile.  

Arvid and I went to Galleria Mall yesterday.  Truth 

be told the mall was fairly empty, but what was the most 

amazing sight was the sunset on our way back home.  

Looking forward to life going back to "normal" again. 

 This time of the year we usually have my parents in Florida.

  Also come February we usually have Victoria and Michael

 visiting. This year because of COVID everything is

 up in the air.  Can't wait for things to get better.

There is one thing the photograph must 

contain, the humanity of the moment

~Nadiya~

Tuesday January 19th ~

 Sometimes a break from your

 routine is the very thing you need...

One of the many things that has not
 changed is the passing of the boats.

Always something to see.  Something to keep us

 entertained.  Loving it and happy to be home.

Sniff is all into his routines.  Took him less than an hour

 after we arrived.  Arvid back to his as well.  Busy.  Busy.  

Don't know doing what, but he knows how to be busy. 

 The other day I asked him what he was doing,

 he said, "I'm so busy ripping shredding papers."  

He did that for quite some time.  But, he stays busy

 and that makes him happy.  In the meantime, I am

 trying to schedule doctors appointments, but it's not

 as easy as it used to be. Nothing is these days.

 I have already called over ten doctors offices, and all 

I get is their voicemail.  Waiting for a call back. 

 Patience is definitely not my strong point.

My heart swings back and forth between

 the need for routine and the urge to run...

~Nadiya~

Monday January 18th ~

 Things end.  People change. And 
you know what?  Life goes on...

Today is exactly six days since I last fed my feral kitties

 in Puerto Rico.  I really try not to think of them and not worry.

  After all they have survived before I showed up.  That's

 what I tell myself everyday.  It's not helping much. 

I really miss them and my morning walks in PR 😔

The week will be warming up nicely.  Exactly how it

 usually is in South Florida.  So warmer days ahead for us.

  Arvid happy of course.  He does not like the cold one bit.

Yesterday was hot chocolate day. Was very good.  

This week no hot chocolate because will be warmer 😍

Happy start of the new week all.  Yes, I am missing

Puerto Rico.  Felt much safer and happier there. 

but Florida is home and it sure is pretty.

Life is like a road, there are bumps, there are

 cracks, there are road blocks. But the only 

important thing is that it keeps going...

~Nadiya~

Cold Sunday In Fort Lauderdale ~

 Sometimes life gives us a cold and rainy day.
so wear cute boots and remember to play...

Waking up to chilly temperatures for Florida living.

Arvid was very happy to let me know he had four 
layers over him this morning.  We sleep with two covers, 

but for "safety" against the cold he always has another cover

 by him which he doubles for the two additional layers.

  He's happy or warm and Sniff snuggles in by him.

Back in Florida means even more careful than ever.  

In Puerto Rico we felt comfortable and safe eating outdoors.  

Here in Florida not so much as yet, but give it some time 

and maybe we will find a few places that practice

 a little more safety than most.  Will happen.

We went for our fist walk yesterday.  It was beautiful.

Sunday.  Back to Sunday routines of take-out until we feel

 safe to actually go to a restaurant here in Fort Lauderdale.

There is no such thing as bad weather,

 only different kinds of weather...

~Nadiya~

Saturday January 16th ~

 Happiness is a hot drink on a cold day...

Temperatures have been on the cooler side since 

we got back to Fort Lauderdale.  Of course I am loving it. 

 Arvid is another story.  Says he loves the constant

 warmth we had in Puerto Rico.  Life happens.

Arvid's biggest dilemma this morning is whether he should 

make us hot chocolate today or tomorrow.  After checking on 

the weather channel (me), he decided tomorrow morning

 will be colder.  Hence, hot chocolate will be tomorrow.

These two love their sleep.  I have already done my morning

 walk, came back home and they were still in bed.  Life is good

 and we are living it to the fullest, COVID or no COVID.

Good morning everyone.  Hope your day is also a good one.

The days are getting colder, have a warm heart...

~Nadiya~

January 15th ~ Florida

It's a new day and the grind continues...

I am already exhausted and missing the life we had in 

Puerto Rico.  Already missing my morning routines in PR.

  I used to walk my hilly trail every day. I have to get

 into the routine back here, but somehow I don't have any

 inspiration.  But I am working very hard to be inspired. 

Coming from Puerto Rico it was so warm, not that it's

hot here in Fort Lauderdale, but it is colder right now here.

  Seems like Arvid is getting a cold.  We also had hot chocolate

 already and seems like Saturday will be even chillier.

Not complaining, but somehow life in Puerto Rico is 

much simpler and happier.  Here it's stressful, and we can

 already feel it.  That being said, it's good to be home.

Life will change.  Growth is optional.  Choose wisely...

~Nadiya~

Tuesday January 14th 2019 ~ Forgot To Post. Exactly One Year Ago

Today, you could be standing next to someone 

who is doing all they can to not fall apart, so where

 ever this day takes you, keep a kind heart...

I wrote this post exactly one year ago, but I 

forgot to post it.  Just found it.  Mom and dad were in 

Florida a little over 2 months.  Now it seems so long

 ago.  Miss those day.  Hope they are back soon

Having coffee with my mom makes me happy. 

 Arvid does not drink coffee and my dad prefers to 

not go along.  Time with my mom is always special and

 I will always cherish every minute we spend together. 

 A favorite of ours is not far from where we live.

Sniff is happiest when we are home.  We are 

also happiest when home as well.  Going places 

is great, but nothing beats coming home.

Home is where love resides, memories are created

 friends and family belong and laughter never ends.  Home

 is where we are the happiest.  Home is the 3 of us.

What lies behind us and what lies before us are

 tiny matters compared to what lies within us...

~Nadiya~

Back In Florida ~Wednesday January 13th

Oh yeah.  We got back to reality real quick...

 We're back home, and someone sure is enjoying his view.

It's a hustle and bustle all over again, but we like it.

Back to reality after a brief, but pleasant dream...

~Nadiya~

Heading Back To Florida ~

You never really leave the place you love.   You take a

 part of it with you and you leave a part of you there...

Waiting at the airport for our flight that takes us
 back home to Florida.  It's a bittersweet moment.

 

I can already feel the busy pace of our lives.  

Long gone now are days of relaxation.  Already missing 

Puerto Rico.  Hope we are back soon.

You get a strange feeling when you're about to leave

 a place, like you'll not only miss the people you love, but you'll 

miss the person you are now at this time and this place,

 because you'll never be this way ever again...

~Nadiya~

It's The Final Goodbye ~

 The sweetest part of leaving home is knowing , beyond
 the shadow of a doubt, that you'll always carry it with you...

As we drive away from our apartment in Puerto Rico, one 

of my last sights is of the beautiful view we leave behind.  I already

look forward to the day we will be driving down this little hill

 again.  It will take us back home to this beautiful island.

I don't even want to think of what will become of "my"

 kitties. I have fed them for the last time for this trip.  I never

 thought it was going to be so hard on me to leave Puerto Rico. 

 Honestly, I want to stay, but we need to go home back to

 Florida.  We also have a home to take care of there.

The one I call Shy Boy waits for me every morning in 

his usual spot.  Just thinking of him waiting for his foodies is

 too much.  I am really stressing about him.  He survived before 

I showed up.  Just like the others, I hope they will be OK.

Then there are the twins.  They are both little crybabies,

 and I love them.  The have gotten very close up to me. 

 Now that I am leaving they are no longer that scared.  

One has an injured neck.  Somedays it looks like it's

healing and then it's back to being raw again.  They are

 bigger and stronger now, so I hope and pray they survive

 life in the wild.   I already miss them all. Until next time 

little ones.  Please be safe and survive until I come back.

I am very heartbroken right now.  I never expected to

 fall in love with all the little kitties along my morning walks,

 but I did.  I am grateful because they made me get up everyday

and walk.  Just because I knew they were waiting for me.

As we leave, I just hope they will survive.  Arvid says they

 will because that's what they are used to.  I will leave it at that 

because otherwise I will be tormented thinking about them.  

Happy I was able to feed them for almost 5 months.

Goodbye kitties. Shy Boy, Grey, Fluffy, Pooper, 

The Twins and Bully.  There are some more, but I call them

 the Newbies.  They are tiny and still scoot away as soon as I

 walk by.  I leave them food and they eat it when I leave.

I have loved every single moment spent in Puerto Rico.

I will miss this island more than I realized.  My sister,

 Kimsy, the kitties, and the peaceful times we have had. 

 I look forward very much to the day we come back.

Home is a place you grow up wanting to leave, 

and grow old wanting to get back to...

~Nadiya~