Dec 31, 2021

Another Year Comes To An End ~

A new year is filled with possibilities, 
so dream big and believe in yourself this year! 

2021 began with lockdowns against a deadly virus. 
 It was/is a year no one will ever forget.  It brought too 
many deaths, at the same time it brought families together, 
due to the same lockdown.  People were "forced" to spend time
 together.  Eventually this being "forced" together became 
what so many loved so much about this pandemic.


Because of the pandemic Arvid and I moved to PR,
 I will say the same thing Kimsy told me, "this was the
best year ever"  It brought us closer, and both Arvid 
and I shared with my sister and Kimsy memories and 
experiences that no one can replace or take from us.


I won't say it was all good.  Families that
 lived far apart were separated for over a year.
   Loved ones died and because of the pandemic 
one was unable to be there for them.  


For many it was also one of the loneliest times of
 their lives.  If you were all by yourself the pandemic
 was hell.  No one to talk to and in lockdown all alone. 
 Not easy. Life as we knew it changed forever.


As we approach 2022, the pandemic still rages on. 
 To say that one is FED up is an understatement.  
The entire world is tired of this pandemic. 


One can always hope that the New Year will be better
 than the one we just had.  For Arvid, Sniff and I it has not 
been the worst of times.  Yes, I know for many it has, but for
 us it brought many changes all good, if they weren't we made it 
work for us.  There is always something good in each day, each
 decision, each circumstance in life.  You just have to look for it.  


Wishing everyone better times and may 2022 be 
unforgettable for all the good things coming our way.


New adventures are around the corner. Happy New Year!

~Nadiya~

Dec 30, 2021

One Of Those Days ~ December 30th

 It's what you do when no one's
 watching that sets you apart from others,
 and sets the trajectory for your future...

Today I have the blues.  Thoughts of Brutus, Shadow and 
yes, the kitties in Puerto Rico.  I know it will fade away,
 until it returns again 💜.  You don't get to choose how your 
heart feels.  You just go with it until next time it surfaces.


What the say is true, long after the mind forgets
 the details, the heart remembers the feelings.


No matter what I say and what I do  
there is not a single moment that I don't
 think of you.  I really miss you...

~Nadiya~

Dec 29, 2021

Wednesday December 29th ~

 Remember where you have been and know
 where you are going. Life is not a race, but a 
journey to be savored each step of the way...

I asked Arvid the other day if he misses Puerto Rico.  
He said, "not as yet."  Then he said to me, "I am really
 happy here.😍"  We are happy here in Branson, but
 let's see how it goes the next few days with him ☃  


Temperatures are DROPPING soon.  We have been so
 very fortunate since we got here.  It's been warm, warm. 
 Maybe a few days of really cold, but overall very nice and 
warm.  We have had to open the windows because it was so 
warm, and it's soon January 2022.  Hope it stays warm.


Sniff is perfectly happy here.  He has many places 
already that he feels safe in.  He has beds al over the 
place and he gets to do whatever he likes.  Arvid even 
"begs" him to sit close to him when he watches TV.  
Sniff loves to be close to us, and we love it.


It looks like soon we will be back to isolating ourselves. 
 COVID is still wrecking havoc everywhere, Here in Missouri
 precautions are much slacker than in Puerto Rico, so we
 have to start to stay away from people for a while. 


Wishing everyone a good day.  2021 is just about done.

Aim for the sky, but move slowly, enjoying
 every step along the way. It is all those little
 steps that make the journey complete...

~Nadiya~

Dec 28, 2021

Interesting Facts ~ December 28th

 Positive anything is better than negative nothing. 
You cannot have a positive life and a negative mind...

According to the 2020 census, Branson has a population
 of close to 12 thousand people, with an annual 9 million visitors a 
year.  Fort Lauderdale has an estimated 184 thousand people
 living there. Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport 
saw some 35.96 million passengers in 2018.  Not all made their
 way out of the airport either, connections had to be made 😂.


I just thought it was interesting, since we once again live 
in Branson.  Come December 31st tourism in Branson will 
"shut down"  In Fort Lauderdale, winter is prime season.  Nothing
 like good warm weather when everyone else is freezing away.


Looking at the numbers.  Do the math.  Who sees more
 visitors a year?  Branson's tourist season is from end of March 
to end of December.  Fort Lauderdale is always in season 🌴.
Fort Lauderdale's population is also 15+ times more 😂


This is going to be a mostly "warm" week.  Not 
warm as in Fort Lauderdale, but warm for winter. 
 I love it and am enjoying cooler temperatures.  


I miss Puerto Rico, my sister and all the little kitties there.
  I have not gotten into a routine here as to exercising 😂
 (cold) I hope to get into it eventually.  Why does starting 
seem to  always be the most difficult thing to do?

Hoping this week changes that a little since it's a "warm" 
week.  Good day to all and enjoy everyday to the fullest.


You don't have to be great to start,
 but you have to start to be great...

~Nadiya~

Dec 27, 2021

Life, A Continuous Journey ~ December 27th

 Home is often a place where we put on our most
 comfortable clothes, sit in our most comfortable
 spot, and completely let go and relax...

It feels like home already.  Even Arvid keeps telling me 
how "everything is falling into place."  On the other hand, 
I have heard this before, but yeah everything is definitely
 falling into place.  For now we are home again 😍


As the new week begins, my thoughts always find 
their way to Puerto Rico.  I try very much to not "go" there,
 but the pull is too strong.  One day it will get easier.

Today Nina and David left Florida.  Nina is super
 happy and excited.  David a little less.  They head back 
to the place Nina loves best, Pennsylvania.  That's 
where work takes David again. Max and Danielle
 are also making the journey with them. 


 Max will continue to live in Naples, Florida and,
 Danielle and Andrew live in Pittsburg, but they all came
 to their parents' home in Tampa for one last gathering.

Little by little all the family I have had living in 
Florida has left.  Mom and dad left, Rima and family left, 
Mala and her family are gone, Arvid and I have left many 
times, but we go back.  Finally Nina is leaving.


J is currently back in Miami, but he sure hopes to leave 
soon again if work allows him to work remotely.  He has 
been fortunate that since August he was able to work remotely.
And since then he has been living mostly in Colombia. 
 J loves Colombia, and hopes to go back soon 🙏.

Looking forward to a busy week here.  It's always
 good to have something to do, even if that means getting 
out in the cold.  I know not the best for Arvid, but one
 can't hibernate all winter either.  Sniff thinks he can. 


Happy new week to all.  Arvid is happy because
 yesterday he was able to see a few soccer matches that
 were not cancelled.  Life is good, and everyone is happy.


Everyday is a new day, a new opportunity 
to do be a better version of yourself...
 
~Nadiya~ 

Dec 26, 2021

December 26th ~

 Don't make things too complicated.  It is nice 
finding that place where you can just go and relax...

The day so many waited for came and went.  So fast.  Since we
 don't do much celebrating (Arvid and I), for us it was just a
 typical day, with the exception of many places closed. 


 Since the pandemic, most large retailers have chosen to be
 closed for Thanksgiving and Christmas.  It's not as if we wanted 
to go running around the stores, it's just the fact that they are 
closed makes you feel as if you need to get out even more.


All is good here.  It has gotten cooler, but still feels good. 
 Sniff has not wanted to use his heating pad the last few days
 because it has been way too warm.  Today he's all covered up,
 and most likely tonight he will be back on his warm bed.


To all a good day. Soccer has been mostly cancelled due
 to COVID, starting all over again.  Arvid not happy.  He 
was looking forward to seeing Liverpool today, but...

Your mind will answer most questions if 
you learn to relax and wait for the answer...

~Nadiya~

Dec 25, 2021

December 25th ~ Merry Christmas

 May you never be too grown up
 to search the skies on Christmas Eve.


🎄 Christmas reminds me of what a wonderful 
childhood I have had, and what a lucky girl I am.  
Though we didn't have much, our home was always 
filled with friends.  Everyone having jolly good time.


The smells of Christmas are the smells of childhood.
Making Christmas even more special, it's also my 
mom's birthday.  My dad would pamper her even
 more on this day.  We all did because she pampered 
us everyday, and continues to do so all the time.


It was and still remains the little things that
 makes life's special moments even more special.  
My parents could not always afford to buy us presents 
for Christmas, but one year they saved up and each 
of us had a doll.  Was the best Christmas ever.


Arvid and I have had Christmas in many a places. 
 Most have been warm and sunny, except for the time
 in Norway.  It was cold, but always a beautiful country.


Another cold but perfect December was Zurich, Switzerland.


2015 Playa del Carmen, Mexico.  At the time
 Arvid and I owned a condo there, but after a 
while we were no longer keen on it.  Sold.


We also spent Christmas in the Bahamas, 
where we also owned a house on the beach.  Our 
Lil' Red House.  It was beautiful while it lasted.


Of course most of our Christmases were spent 
in Florida.  Home after all.  A few also in North Carolina.  
Where my parents live, and where we all can be together.


My childhood memories of Christmas is of Puerto Rico.  
We were fortunate to spend last Christmas there.  The people 
are the happiest, and the festivities are one of a kind, and I 
was happy to share this experience with the one I love.


Because of COVID, we were limited as to what 
we could do, but at the time we had a regular "part"
 going on just by looking out from our balcony.


The best part was that we spent it with my 
sister
 and her kids.  Nothing like a quiet, peaceful time spent
 with the ones you love.  Unforgettable, and I will forever
 be grateful for the time we had in Puerto Rico.


Christmas would never be complete without
 a few pictures of our kitties.  Brutus and Shadow
 have died 😢, but Sniff is with us. and everyday
 he makes our lives better.  Sniff is just all love.


Because every picture tells a story. Some days 
the memory still knocks the wind out of me.


Christmas is doing a little 
something extra for someone...

~Nadiya~

Dec 24, 2021

The Day Before Christmas ~

 When I miss you I remember we are under
 the same sky looking at the same moon...

Kimsy texted me yesterday.  She said, "I miss
 you so much.  No one to hangout with anymore."  I 
told Arvid and he said, "we miss them too and we 
also don't have anyone to hangout with either."


We bonded so much during the pandemic. 
 And I 
miss them so very much.  Kimsy 💕 is caring, loving,
 and considerate and so much more.  She made every 
moment we spent together more memorable.  Both her
 and Nirvana, my sister.  And I miss them so so much.


As the days go by since leaving PR 😢 I still 
anxiously await any news from "my" kitties" It
 makes me happy to know that they are alive, and at 
least some of them are getting some foodies everyday. 
 I'm sure the others are, but I don't know it for a fact.


Tis the day before Christmas.  Arvid and Sniff are still
 asleep. I think of all the Christmases past, and I am thankful 
for all of them, and for having shared the last 21 of those 
with Arvid, and look forward to so many more together.


  I am never sure where our lives will take us.  One 
thing I am sure of is that together we can do anything we 
set our minds on. Our journey is a continuous one, and
 together with Sniff we are making memorable memories.


Wishing everyone a happy Christmas Eve.  
Enjoy with your loved ones.  Many today will be
 spending it all alone, so if you have the opportunity
 to brighten their day please do.  Kindness
 is a gift everyone can afford to give.


How do we change the world?
  One random act of kindness at a time

~Nadiya~

Dec 23, 2021

December 23rd ~

 I put so much thought into your gift that now 
it's too late to get it.  Merry Christmas anyway...


My sister sent us this the other day.  Now I'm
 thinking she meant me, since just about everything I text
 seems to be misspelt. In my defense there is this so annoying
 auto correct thing, and the fact that I do not see well. 
 Of course I could take some time and check what
 I wrote before sending it out, but I don't 😂.


Sniff has gotten a heating bed.  He loves it and now 
don't know it it was such a great idea because he wants to
 be on it all the time, and not spend time with us in bed. 


 I figured that I will only give it so many hours before
 it times out, then he has to come to the bed.  He did
 that this morning so it seems to be working.


Yesterday Arvid and I had lunch with two of his former
 tenants, now friends.  We had a good time, good food and
 conversation.  Always nice to catch up with what's going
 on in everyone's lives and to spend a little time together.


It's two more days before "the day" Christmas day. 
 Naughty or Nice wishing everyone a happy Christmas. 
 Enjoy everyday always.  Make everyday Christmas.


As long as we have wine the holidays will be fine...

~Nadiya~