Wednesday ~

Why is it that whenever you try to hold something

 dear and beautiful, it always slips away...

When I took over Almost Home November 2016 many 

of the tenants there were already there for a few years.  

Today I still have most of the "original" ones left. 

 They have been there now for some years and

 many do no plan to leave.  Sad as I sometimes

 find this, they are content and very happy.

As you may imagine, most of the "originals" have become my

 friends and I have grown very attached to them.  I also have 

had a few new tenants that came to the hotel within weeks

 of me being there.  Many also are still there, and then 

we have the ones that come for the season. 

One of the couples that came within a few weeks of me

 being there is now going through some extremely difficult 

times.  Both her and her husband are are my friends.  

Unfortunately, the husband is now in critical condition

 and will most likely not make it.  It's heartbreaking to watch

 how Liz tries to be strong.  I talk to her and she's a mess.

Her life is of stress, pain, heartache and despair right now.  

Knowing that feeling, makes me even more sensitive 

to what she is going through.  It's hell on earth.

Her husband is in the hospital about an hour 

away from Almost Home.  He's in Springfield.  Liz 

has no transportation to go back and forth to see him.  

Of course I have volunteered to be that transportation. 

 That being said, sometime today I will be going to Springfield.

  I will visit Phil and hopefully I will manage to take Liz out 

to have a bite to eat.  She's a wreck and is just on automatic 

pilot right now.  It's heartbreaking to watch.  Life is unfair.

I have been awake very early.  Laying in bed trying to think 

of what I can do to make her life a little easier.  The pain and the 

despair is something she will have to face all by herself.  

Yes, friends and family will be there, but at the end of the day

 no one knows what it is unless they live it.  No one can take 

away that heartache from her.   For now I will help with

 Jesse her kitty.  I am also helping with her rent by lowering 

it and trying to help getting it paid by her boss.

Life changes from minute to minute.  Second to second.  

Just a few weeks ago Phil was laughing.  Talking to me. The three

 of us were joking and I was making fun of him (in a nice way).  Now this.

  Remember everyone, what you take for granted, someone else is praying for.

Today her forest is black.  The trees are sad 

and all the butterflies have broken wings...

~Nadiya~

Happiest Time Of The Year...

Life was so different this time last year.  I am stronger 

because of my hard times.  Wiser because of my mistakes...

Every which way you turn it's Christmas.  People are smiling, laughing and 

enjoying life.  It's just the happiest time.  I love it and want to be caught up in it.

Every day we should remind ourselves of just how fortunate we are.  Fortunate to be 

able to wake up to another day and to be able to appreciate all the goodness

 that surrounds us.  I have many  many reasons to be grateful and I am the

 first one to remind me of them.  Life is for us to live no matter what.

One of my favorite reasons to smile these days.  He is just precious even when

 he tries to bite me.  Someone said that they were love bites.  Hard love bites. 

I love the spirit of the Holidays everywhere.  The sounds, the smells and the laughter 

reminds me of when I was a little girl and had no worries.  How sad it is that 

when we are little we want to be grown ups. and when we are grown we 

sometimes long for those days when we were young and carefree.  

Life sure takes us in many directions.  Like it or not.  

Wishing you all a happy Saturday and always happy times.  Sometimes we

 need to remind ourselves that not because we do not have everything we 

want means we can't be happy with the things we do have.  

I am the first to say that lately I sometimes do "forget" so much of what's good around 

me.  Remember everyone to always do one thing everyday that makes you happy.

Spend a day doing nothing: Let your mind wander; let nature entertain you;

 let stress go.  Saturday, let's crawl under a big blanket and watch movies...

~Nadiya~

Life's Simple Pleasures...

Finding joy in simple pleasures paves the way for a peaceful,
contented and easy life.  Simple pleasures are life's treasures...

I wake up every morning and I see Sniff.  Then I know it is going to be all right.  It's Tuesday 

morning and Sniff and I have already done a few of our "routines"  He's fed, brushed and 

sitting comfortably in one of his favorite spots by the window.  Now he can see everything.

Election day today.  The United States of America will be making history one 

way or the other..Again.  Waiting game now, but soon we together with the rest 

of the world will know the outcome.  No questions as to who my dad is voting for.

My dad was very active during the elections in his hometown in North Carolina.  

I love him so much.  Everything he does he does it with happiness and enthusiasm.  I 

know I took after him.  He is the most generous, kindest and honest person I know. He is 

after all my dad and all the values we his children have came from him and my mom.

The weekend was packed with boats going back and forth.  It was great to just sit out
on the balcony and watch as the boats paraded one after the other.  Relaxing.

Wishing you all a good day and may you always take time to enjoy life's
 simple pleasures.  Remember life brings simple pleasures to us everyday.  It
is up to us to make them wonderful memories that will last a lifetime.

Think big thoughts, but relish small pleasures...

~Nadiya~