Friday April 10th ~

First time in history we can save the human 

race by lying in front of the TV and doing

 nothing.  Let's not screw this up...

Since most of our mornings are spent on the balcony, 

I am always ready with my camera to take pictures.  Of 

anything and everything.  Both Arvid and I are getting a little 

tired of this situation.  Just like the rest of the world.  It's been 

long enough now.  Time to go back to "normal" again.

Our newest interest is a young couple and their tiny 

kitten.  The couple goes out and sits on the grass,play some

 games, take pictures of their kitty.  Kitty has a ball running

 around and tumbling all over the blanket.  Kitty is loved.

The days are getting longer.  We fill our time with TV, 

but even that is starting to take it's toll on me.  I read a lot,

 we listen to music and we go for long walks.  Weather is

 beautiful, but already getting very hot.  Yesterday hit the 90's.  

Too hot to walk in the afternoon so we did it in the morning.  

I am awake early again.  Sniff was brushed and is

 back in bed. The day will be long, but hopefully today 

not as long a yesterday. Looking so much to the day 

when life will once again take on it's "usual" path.

The above is me during my NYC EMS days.  Some 

of the best times in my life was spent on the streets

 of New York City.  I never lacked for excitement.

Friday is here.  What do you plan to do today?

What a year this week has been. Keep calm and carry on.

Nothing in life is to be feared, it is only to

 be understood.  Now is the time to understand 

more, so that we may fear less...

~Nadiya~

Happy Happy Days ~

It’s Better to See Something Once Than

 to Hear About It a Thousand Times....

Christmas on Las Olas.  Beautiful decorations everywhere.

Beautiful Lauderdale By The Sea.

Fort Lauderdale Beach

Lauderdale By The Sea:

It feels a lot like Christmas.

The days are still on the cooler side, but the

 sun is shining and everything looks beautiful  The

 palm trees are swaying and the birds are singing.

  It's that most wonderful time of the year.

Happy Thursday everyone.

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...

~Nadiya~

Lunch With Liliana ~

I think if I've learned anything about friendship,
 it's to hang in, stay connected, fight for them, and let
 them fight for you. Don't walk away, don't be distracted,
 don't be too busy or tired, don't take them for granted. 
Friends are part of the glue that holds life and faith together...

Friendships are born in a million different ways,

 and all good friends strive to achieve the same 

goal, to be a source of love and support.

 Finding a true friend is a unique gift even when

they are thousands of miles away. A best friend is

 there for you in the good and the bad. My best friend 

Anna lives in California and my 2nd best friend

 Liliana is in Fort Lauderdale. I am Grateful.

Liliana and I have been through some difficult times, 

but at the same time she is one of the people I trust the most.  

Liliana is from Argentina.  She and I met one day many 

years ago at the gym.  We had both just moved into

 a new building on Las Olas and neither of us 

at the time knew any of the other neighbors.

We bonded right away.  Like me she says what she 

means, and does not disguise it with fluff and fakeness.  

What you see is what you get, and that I believe is what 

makes us so good together.  She gets me and I her.

Life has not always been "fair" to her.  Just like for many,

 but Liliana is always optimistic and faces everything 

with an I can attitude.  She like all of us gets dragged

 down at times, but she never lets it take over.

  Many of us are like that, my friend Anna in California 

is one of those persons.  In the face of adversity she

 just keeps on going. Life has not been the kindest

 to Anna.  She is a fighter and always will be.

Today I look forward to another entertaining time 

with Liliana.  We still have a lot to catch up on.  For her 

the last few months have been very difficult, and I just

 hope that today as we chat, laugh, and tell stories I can

 help her in some way to feel better.  Guilt is a terrible 

thing to live with.  And it's dragging her down.

Wishing everyone a beautiful day filled with love
laughter, good friendships and all things good.

Choosing to be positive and having a 
grateful attitude is going to determine 
how you're going to live your life...

~Nadiya~

September 5th..

My mind seems to be overflowing with 

thoughts of all the memories you've given us.

The mind replays what the heart can't delete...

The 5th of every month is hard on me.  On the 

5th of November 2015, Brutus died. It is a difficult day.

I miss my Brutus everyday, but that's how it is.

Life changed for us.  As time goes by the grief is not so intense,

 but we miss him so very much.  For me he will always be my 

baby.  I don't know as yet if I can call Sniff my baby.  I call 

him my little boysie.  Brutus was called boysie as well.

Also on the 5th of March 2016 Shadow died.  

An agonizing death.  We don't talk about it much, 

because when we do it freaks the living daylights out of us. 

 He was just a baby. Little, but fearless.  Arvid said the other day, 

"I'm sure if he was with us he would have been a lot of fun."

I don't dwell on the date.  Sometimes the day 

before is when I freak out.  FaceBook is good, but 

when a memory pops up on your screen, it either makes 

you smile or it rips you apart.  I live with it.  I deal with it. 

 Some days are just a little more difficult than others.

It's called life and we deal with it.  Everyone has 

experienced grief in different forms.  No one

 can tell you how to deal with it.

For Arvid and I one of the hardest things that has 

ever been required of us was the day that we had 

to let go as the angels carried you up to heaven.

Mama misses her baby and little Shadow.

We have Sniff now in our lives.  You both would

 have loved him like we do.  Sniff Sniff is a good boy.

It's both a blessing and a curse to feel everything so deeply.

A part of me will always be waiting for you....

~Nadiya~

Feels Like Summer ~

Animals are reliable, many full of love, true in their

 affections, predictable in their actions, grateful and loyal. 

Difficult standards for people to live up to...

Rio came home yesterday.  It's hard to say who was happier, 

Rio or his papa. That being said everyone in our family slept 

better last night, and Mala is once again breathing. 

 Rio being taken in for emergency surgery had them on the brink of 

a nervous breakdown.  Rio is their baby now, and after what happened to 

Jax this was heartbreak all over again.  Thankfully, Rio is home healing.

It's so good being home again.  Going back to work.  Talking to the tenants.

  I love it and missed it so very much.  I'm not one to buy presents/trinkets/souvenirs,

 but this time in Mexico I came back home with a little handmade purse for my tenants.

  I was so happy to do it and I was even happier when i saw their faces lite up.

The last few days have been extremely cold.  Thankfully a warm up

 started late yesterday and will continue on for the rest of the week.  On Sunday 

we had snow flurries and today the temperature will be in the 80's (F) .

Predicting the weather in Missouri is not easy.  One day you freeze

 and the next day you are running around in shorts sweating.  Arvid as you 

can imagine is happy as is everyone here.  This has been a long and cold winter 

here in Missouri, and in almost places.  It's time for a warm up now.

As Tuesday begins I can see the week already taking off.  Strange thing

 was that when we were in Mexico time did not seem to move at all.  

It was one of the longest 2 weeks I have experienced.  

Arvid says he thinks Branson has spoilt us, in that here we 

got so used to being on the go 24/7 that when it came time 

to relax we just did not know how to do it anymore. 

Respect yourself enough to walk away from anything that no longer 

serves you, grows you, or makes you happy.  The real things haven't 

changed. It is still best to be honest and truthful; to make the 

most of what we have; to be happy with simple pleasures;

 and have courage when things go wrong...

~Nadiya~

The Branson Ferris Wheel ~

Life is like a Ferris wheel.  You have to get past your fear to enjoy the view...

Branson celebrates one year with the wheel.  Today marks one year since 

the $4 million Branson Ferris Wheel, formerly known as Chicago's Navy Pier

 Ferris Wheel opened at its new home here in Branson.  I guess that 

is why I am always fascinated by the wheel,  It reminds me of 

walks by Navy Pier in Chicago.  A city we miss very much.

The park that houses the wheel is celebrating that milestone by offering 

rides for just $8 from 7 to 10:30pm.  Aside from the deal on the rides there 

are also a few more perks to the first 100 people who buy tickets.

The Branson Ferris Wheel was originally erected on Chicago's Navy Pier

 in 1995.    In its 20 years there it has seen over 17 million people riding it.  

It was taken down September 25th, 2015 to make way for a new,

 larger wheel.  Last year in Chicago we saw the new whee

l in Chicago.  One word, IMPRESSIVE!!!!

The Branson Ferris Wheel is 150-feet tall, holds 240 passengers

 dispersed throughout  40 gondolas, and lights up the night

 with 16,000 LED lights.  Amazing sight day or night!

The wheel has been a major success in Branson.  So far just like in Chicago,

 there has been weddings, graduation, photo shoot sessions anything 

and everything you can think of happening at the wheel.  

As for me I pass it just about everyday and I just can't stop taking pictures.

 Each time it's different.  When we are out in the evenings, pictures

 are taken as well.  I love it and it makes me smile just seeing it.

It's already Friday.  Branson is pretty busy right now. Lots of traffic

 and people all over the place.  At nights the city is amazingly 

different than it is in the day.  I'm sure it's the same everywhere. 

 Something about the lights twinkling at nights to make life sparkle.

All good at home with us.  Sniff is loving his life in Branson.

  Kept busy all day by the birds, squirrels and anything that moves

 in his vision.  Arvid and I are always busy, but at the same time we 

are having a good time and enjoying this experience here in Branson. 

Hello Friday.  Be good to us all and let the weekend begin.

Life is like a Ferris wheel.  On minute you're on top, 

the next you're at the bottom.  Just stay in your seat, enjoy the ride, 

and hang on until you reach the top again...

~Nadiya~

Already Thursday...

Happiness will never fail to come to those who fail to appreciate
 what they already have.  Remember, gratitude affects attitude...

I have a weakness for everything I probably should stay away from, but I was never

 one to listen to "reason."  I am more one to do as I wish, say what I want and move on.

Too bad the extra pounds don't move on as well.  Oh well no regrets.  Yesterday was 

just the perfect day to indulge.  Was wet and cold outside.  Warm and cozy indoors.

Still not used to this weather.  Just Monday it was warm.  Tuesday was cold as hell 

and rain all the time.  Every time I think winter is over it comes back with a vengeance.

 Definitely not my favorite time of the year, and this is only the first winter

 I have had in over 20 years.  Helped with a good meal as well.

Now I think I am really coming down with the flu.  Sore throat and body aches.
Yesterday I was very exhausted.  Guess that's what happens when you're not feeling
so great.  Sniff is never far from me.  At nights he sleeps so close to me that
 even if I wanted to get up I don't.  You see I don't want to disrupt his sleep.

The last few days I have been missing Florida a little.  I miss my mornings
 on the balcony.  I miss the sunrises.  I miss the swaying of the palm trees and
the sight of boats passing by.  I miss the place that was home to
Brutus and us for so many years.  Today I'm doing better.

Good morning everyone.
Rise and shine for a beautiful day awaits us all.

And my thoughts drift to home and you.
Think positive and positive things will happen...

~Nadiya~

Beautiful Time Of The Year...

Good times come and go, but memories last forever.  Blessed is

 the season which engages the whole world in a conspiracy of love...

The picture below is courtesy of Starbucks.  Sets the tone for the Holidays.

Thanksgiving is the next Holiday and then Christmas.  Used to be my favorite

 time of the year.  Now it has lost some of its magic for me, but the "child" in me

is still amazed at the wonder of it all. The magic of the holidays has begun.

Christmas scenes from our favorite city.  Chicago.

Home in Florida it is always a beautiful time as well.  Last year Shadow
spent his first and last Christmas with us.  He was a happy little boy.

This year will be Sniff's first Thanksgiving and Christmas with us.  We look forward
 to many many more with him.  Wishing everyone a good day and may you all
 enjoy this beautiful season that is here.  Nothing like home for the Holidays.

Whatever you decide to do make sure it makes you happy.
One small positive thought in the morning can change your whole day...

~Nadiya~