Oct 31, 2020

End Of Daylight Savings Time ~

 They always say time changes things, but you
 actually have to change them yourselves...


Daylight Saving Time in nearly all of the US ends in 
2020 at 2 a.m. on Sunday, Nov. 1, marking the time when clocks
 “fall back” and we gain an extra hour of sleep. Daylight Saving Time,
 often incorrectly referred to in the plural as Daylight Savings
 Time, started in 2020 on Sunday, March 8. When the
 clocks are turned back an hour on Nov 1st.


Hawaii and most of Arizona does not observe 
Daylight Saving Time. The time change is also not
observed in U.S. territories of Puerto Rico, Guam, 
American Samoa and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Puerto Rico currently observes Atlantic Standard Time.
(AST) all year round.  Lucky us Arvid says.  Daylight 
Standard Time (DST) is no longer in use on the
 island. Clocks do not change in Puerto Rico.


The previous DST change in Puerto Rico was 
on September 30, 1945.  Another reason to move
 here according to Arvid. He likes his sunlight.


Just a reminder to turn back your clocks tonight.
Unfortunately only one hour, not twenty years.


White lips, pale face, breathing in
 snowflakes.  Winter is on it's way...
~Nadiya~

Halloween In Puerto Rico ~

 It's as much fun to scare as to be scared. 
Halloween is opportunity to be really creative...


We make up horrors to help us cope with the real ones.
Hello Halloween.  What do you have in store for us today?
I would like, if I may, to take you on a strange journey.


In my heart Brutus is included in everything, Shadow was with 
us for such a short time, but he was also a part of our lives.


I'm not sure there will be big celebrations anywhere this year.
  COVID has changed everything, but that does not mean you 
can't get into the spirit.  I'm not one for Halloween, but does
 not mean I can't have a little fun like everyone else 🦇


Halloween is not only about putting on a costume, but it's 
about finding the imagination and costume within ourselves.
Happy Halloween to all.  Make it a safe and fun time.


If human beings had genuine courage,
 they'd wear their 
costumes every day of the year, not just on Halloween...

~Nadiya~

Oct 30, 2020

What Are You Grateful For Today ~

 What separates privilege from entitlement is
 gratitude.  Wear gratitude like a cloak, and 
it will feed every corner of your life...

When they say life is not fair some people sure know
 exactly what this means  Yesterday Arvid and I were 
out touring San Juan. We walked around some shops 
and checked out a few things. In one of the gift 
shops we met a woman from England.


 Of course I started talking to her and before
 you knew it we had a picture of what her life has
 been since hurricane Maria hit the island. 

She has now been living in PR for 13 years, and
was doing really well.  Good job good home, and a 
comfortable life.  Maria came.  Destroyed her home. 
She lost her job because there was no job to go


 She used all her savings while looking f
or a job.
 Savings are all gone, but she found a job in a gift shop. 
She said she was so grateful for this job and 
that suddenly life is looking up again.

She like so many lost everything yet she was pleasant,
 helpful, cheerful, and positive about her outlook in life. 
Today once again I am grateful and thankful even though
 sometimes I think that life has not been fair to me, 


Then I hear about the “other” side and I realize 
once again that I may not have everything I
 want, but I sure have everything I need.

Friday here again. This has been one very rainy week,
 and today does not seem to be any different, but on the
 other hand all of our Friday outings have had rain.


Every so often we should all take a reality check and
 be thankful and grateful for all the blessings we have
 in our lives, for what we do not realize is that what 
we take for granted someone else is praying for.


An attitude of gratitude. This is not only a great rhyme
 but a great way to live. You should always be grateful
 for the things you have. Thankful for everything big
 and small  that fill your life and make it special.

Don’t pray when it rains if you don’t 
pray when the sun shines. We can choose 
to be grateful no matter what...

~Nadiya~

Oct 29, 2020

Thursday October 29th ~

 No one can ever take your memories 
from you – each day is a new beginning, 
make good memories every day...

I was fortunate again today to have seen "my" kitties and
 to ensure that they were fed for the day.  My heart is happy.
  It reminds me of a kitty in Fort Lauderdale called Luna. 


 She is Vitoria and Michael's kitty when they are home away
 from home.  Like me they feed her and they are even luckier
 that they get to touch and cuddle with Luna.  The kitties here are
 feral, but at least they are not going to starve while I am here.

Evenings on the balcony is probably our favorite time 
of the day.  Breezy, peaceful and lots to see and hear.  
The most beautiful moon shows up right in front of us.  
The nights are star filled and we are lucky because ★ 
every night we see Mars shining bright above us.


Thursdays are always interesting in that Arvid 
looks at the map and does a lot of Google searches. 
 Makes me think that something new and 
exciting awaits us.  One can hope 😂. 


Wishing everyone a Happy Thursday.  Sniff says
 he can't wait for Halloween to be done with. 
 He's tired of being photographed 🐾 .


Darkness falls across the land, 
The Midnight Hour is close at hand...

~Nadiya~

Oct 28, 2020

Wednesday ~

Make my happiness, I will make yours...

 Every morning I make the biggest decision of my
 life: be happy today.  All I know is the here and now. 
 What happened yesterday, and what may happen 
tomorrow is gone or hasn't happened as yet.


Yesterday I talked to one of my previous tenants at 
Almost Home.  Our conversation made me very sad. She
 barley scrapes by.  I asked what do you eat after paying 
your rent.  Her answer "noodles and butter." And then
 she said, "don't worry Nadiya, I am used to it."


Of course I am worried.  I mean how can I eat knowing
 she has nothing.  Arvid says I can't help everyone.  I say
 "I can try."  At least I feel a little better knowing that
 soon she and her doggie will have some food 🥫.

Great opportunities to help others seldom come, 
but small ones surround us every day 😍


Happiness isn't about getting what what you
 want all the time.  It's about loving what 
you have and being grateful for it.

~Nadiya~

Oct 27, 2020

Rainy Tuesday In Puerto Rico ~ ☔

 You (Sniff) have no idea of the amount of
 happiness you brought into my life...

Sniff does not like being photographed, yet I manage to
sang a bunch of pictures of him everyday.  He is photogenic 
and adorable, it's as if I'm compelled to take his pictures.

As soon as I say "no more" he assumes another pose and there I go again.


Snapchat makes it so much more fun.  I can accessorize
 him to my hearts content.  And of course I do 😂.

Tuesday is not looking so good.  The other morning I 
found "my" alley kitty and was able to feed him.  Also
 a few more showed up in different spots again, I also
 left foodies for them.  Happy start of the day.

Rain and more rain this morning.  I started my walk, 
but boy did I get caught in the rain. Had to call it quits, 
but not before being soaked. Even though I did not see any 
of the kitties, I had food for them, but did not leave any 
because it will be washed away with this rain.


Was hoping we could go to the beach today, unfortunately 
looks like it's not happening, and here comes the rain
 again.  Happy Tuesday all, stay dry and be happy.


When life gives you a rainy day,  play in the puddles...

~Nadiya~

Oct 26, 2020

Monday October 26th ~

Don't let the sun go down without
 saying thank you to someone, and without 
admitting to yourself that absolutely
 no one gets this far alone...

 A new week is here again.  The days are going by so 
very fast, and that means that our time here in Puerto Rico is
 coming to an end.  Not right away, but it's happening.  We love
 it here, but we also have a beautiful home in Fort Lauderdale.


In life, there is always something to be thankful for. 
It’s easy to complain about how chaotic the world is and how
 people can be so evil towards one another, but complaining 
without action just doesn’t change anything. If we start to be 
thankful for everything we have, instead of what we do not
 have, we’ll start to appreciate our life on this earth more.

I try to always focus on the good in people.  I know
 in life that there is "bad" all around us, but I
 also know that there is more good as well.  


There are days when I feel like nothing is going right,
 I feel as if the burden of the world is on my shoulders,
 but then I think of  my mom.  A woman who has
 gone through more than most, yet has never in
 her life complained about anything. Never.

 If there is anyone who I can learn from, it is her. 
 My mom lives in CONSTANT pain, and I don't
 mean pain like what you and I have.  


She endures it without ever complaining.  She never
 has a day "off" from pain, yet she's always there to offer
 us advise, unconditional love and to listen to us.  My
 mom never judges, she listens even when sometimes
 she disagrees with us.  She listens.  My mom is
 the definition of kindness and compassion.

I feel a little sad today.  I would have loved to be there 
with my parents right now.  I am also feeling sad because,
 my thoughts are with Brutus, who died too soon.  Soon it will
 be five years without him.  I miss him so much right now, 
but life goes on, and in my heart there stirs a quiet pain.


We all have someone we miss.  I am not unique in that.  As we
 all know some days are more difficult that others, but most
 days are good days. Today is one of those not "good" days.

Sniff on the other hand is patiently counting down
 the days until Halloween.  Then he can rest again.


I miss you in ways that not
 even words can understand...

~Nadiya~

Oct 25, 2020

That Sunday Feeling ~

If there is a heaven for me, I'm sure it has a beach attached
 to it. Nothing soothes the soul like a walk on the beach...

Puerto Ricans love the beach.  For them to
 be on the water is the only way to live.


Growing up in Puerto Rico we lived the same way.
  Any chance we had we were at the beach.  All our weekends
 were spent on the beach with our parents and friends. 
 It was what one did when you live on an island.


Back then you took your hammock set it up and enjoyed 
the ocean.  As you can see, that has not changed.  People
 are still enjoying the beach with their hammocks.  


That being said, Arvid and I bought 2 hammocks last Friday. 
 I told Arvid that it would be really nice to have one on the 
balcony, before I knew it he was all into it times two.


Quiet day here.  relaxed and just enjoying the peacefulness of it all


Sniff is sound asleep.  Arvid has already watched one of his 
soccer games.  All is good here.  Wishing everyone the same.


It is not how much we have, but how
 much we enjoy, that makes happiness...

~Nadiya~

Oct 24, 2020

Saturday ~

Happy are those who take life day by day, complain   
 very little and are thankful for the little things in life...

Early mornings.  The temperature is cooler and the ocean
 breeze makes the walk so much better.  Not many people
 are out at this hour, and I like it.  When I go walking
 I usually just walk only within our complex.


It's just me, the birds, the mountains and some stray kitties.
  I have taken to feeding the kitties, but I have to do it in such a 
way no one sees me.  It's sort of not allowed to do so, but they look
 so hungry, I just can't bear to see them this way.  Every morning 
I carry dry foodies and a canned food.  I leave it in a designated 
spot, and as of now just one kitty goes and eats.  I'm happy.


Some days when I just want some additional quiet time
 I go to the pool area and read or just listen to music.  Very
 relaxing and also very quiet.  Unfortunately, the pools
 and the gym are still closed.  COVID! 😱😕


Sniff is counting down the days to Halloween.  He sure 
hopes it passes fast so that we can start to count down to
 Thanksgiving.  Living the life of a leisure kitty he is.


Saturday is already warm and sunny.  Not complaining
 because many have it cold already, and would be glad to have
 the warmth we are experiencing.  Always grateful.


  We should always remember to not always brood over
 our misfortunes, but be thankful for what we still have.


Life in Puerto Rico is never boring.  Always something 
interesting going on.  Even the chickens find the "scenery" to
 their liking.  Happy Saturday all, and may it be a great one.


When asked if my cup is half-full or half empty, 
my only response is that I am thankful I have a cup...

~Nadiya~

Oct 23, 2020

Friday Again 🍹~

 Sometimes the little things in life mean the most...

I wake up to a beautiful sunrise everyday, and everyday 
I feel the need to capture it.  There is always something amazing
 to see and to be grateful for.  My mornings are my alone time 
and for that I am happy.  Me and my thoughts, sometimes
 they also make me sad, but won't change a thing.


Yesterday we visited my sister and Kimsy, I'm happy.  
Some of my happiest times here is when we get to see them. 
 Because of that I am also grateful.  So many have not been 
able to see their loved ones during this pandemic times. 


On a side note, Arvid and I spent quite a while admiring 
Kimsy's car.  I don't go all batty over a car, but when I saw this 
little red hottie 506HP, I sure wanted one just like it quite badly.  
Just imagine the speed.  I was daydreaming for a while there.


Arvid has not seen his mother since summer of last year. 
 That's a long time and I hope that can be remedied soon. 
 She's old and she would love to see him, and he her 💙.


I have been fortunate to have seen my parents in May 
of this year, and even so, I miss them very much and would
 love to see them again.  Mom and dad usually come to 
Florida for a couple of months in the winter, but not
 this coming one.  Thank you COVID 😒  NOT!!


Friday here in Puerto Rico 😎.  Relaxed, happy times and
 doing much more than if we were back home in Florida. 
 We are once again enjoying life, while at the same time
 keeping our distance and being safe.  Life has changed 
 and we are all adapting to this change.  Like it or not.



The day is looking good.  The sun is out and we are busy. 
 Sniff is getting into the Halloween spirit, or at least
 I want to think he is 😂 Happy Friday all.

 
I’m thankful because all the hard work 
and sacrifices were worth it in the end...

~Nadiya~