Busy Days ~

Staying busy is the best escape from everything

 and everyone.  I am thankful for another day...

 We have had busy busy days.  By the end of the day I am

 worn out.  Both Arvid and I seem to be going to sleep a little

 earlier than usual.  Still getting used to the heat I guess.

Yesterday I started walking early in the mornings. 

 So nice and so cool.  I am gone walking before Arvid is

 up and back before he's up.  Yup, he likes his sleep.  I get 

up, brush Sniff, give him his foodies, have my cafe and

 out the door I go. Hope to keep this rhythm going.

Over the weekend Arvid and I checked out another

 restaurant.  Close to us.  Where we live, most of

 the restaurants cater to seafood.  I'm happy.  

I always order the fish, Arvid not too happy about seafood,

 so he had the filet mignon.  "The best steak I have ever

 had"  those were his words, said more than one time.

After Indian food, Puerto Rican food is my favorite.

  They are actually close to being both my favorite food.

  There is flavor and there is flavor.  I am super happy

because every time we go somewhere, I am always 

smiling after my meal.  Food makes me happy 🦞.

Today's walk is over.  Now to see what the day holds.

I know we will be busy, because we like it and

it makes us happy.  Always something to do.

Sniff is better and better everyday, even so he still

 refuses to sleep in the bedroom with us, and that I am 

not happy about.  Hopefully with time he will. 

Believe it or not yesterday Arvid went to the barber.  

Something he has refused for months while we were in Florida. 

 My mom said, "looks like Clint again."  As in Clint Eastwood.

To all a very good day.  Arvid is awake, means my 

peace and quiet is now over.  Time to get busy 😃

Always gotta keep busy or the voices

 keep telling me to do wild things...

~Nadiya~

Puerto Rico Times ~ 😃

Life becomes more meaningful when you realize you the 

simple fact that you'll never get the same moment twice...

The last couple of days has not been so extremely hot.
 Happy for that.  Was able to sleep with just a fan and no
AC running.  Sniff is still scared of the noise the AC makes,
 so when it's on he does not come into our bedroom 😭

He always awake early with me and just wanders around
 the place waiting for Arvid to get up.  Some days he eats,
but not the way he did back home in florida.

Sniff misses his Florida surroundings and his beds.
 Here he has discovered a safe place and that's
 up on the top of the kitchen cabinets.

We continue to enjoy our surroundings, but
so far we still enjoy the balcony the most.  Peaceful.
 We love our balcony back home in Florida, but lately
 there has been way too much noise.

 Here all we her are the  coquís at night and people
passing by with LOUD music in their cars.  Entertaining.

I continue to adjust to the place that was my childhood
 home.  Arvid is already at home here it seems.  He knows
 how to get around.  he knows all the roads already, where as I,
well still not there as yet.  Soon I am sure it will happen.

We have already driven around the area and all the
tiny roads.  Just like we do wherever it is we go.  When
 we first started to live in the Bahamas, in the island of Eleuthera
we did the same.  Arvid made maps of every road.  So far he
has not done that here, but it's still early in the game.

When all's said and done, all roads lead to
 the same end.  So it's not so much which road 
you take, as to how you take it 😍😍...

~Nadiya~

Sunday September 21st ~

The sun does not shine for a few trees and flowers,

 but the wide world's joy. May sunshine surround you 

each new day.  And may smiles and love never be far away.  

Live in the sunshine, swim the sea, drink the wild air...

The other day as we were returning from San Juan, we 

witnessed our first road accident here in Puerto Rico.  Two

 huge trucks crashed.  One was split in two.  From the picture you 

can see some of it.  Traffic was held up for quite a long while.

We have also discovered our new Friday hangout.  

From our balcony we can see it and from the location of course 

we see our complex.  And suddenly Friday's are starting to 

look better and better.  Coronavirus?  What virus? 

When I was younger we lived in Puerto Rico.  

More in the San Juan area, but at the time we had a 

friend who lived in Fajardo.  He actually lived in the 

building right across from us.  Strange how life is.

Those are the two buildings right across from us. 

 As a teenager growing up in Puerto Rico we were frequent 

visitors there.  Little did I expect to live right across

 from it in my adult life.  Life has many turns.

Arvid and I have been busy organizing.  Finally it's 

starting to all take shape.  The curtains are hung, except 

for the living and breakfast area.  been a little difficult

 to find the correct length.  That's the same in Florida.

My post will not be complete if there is not a picture of our 

Sniff Sniff.  He makes me happy and he makes Puerto Rico feel

 like home.  Just Sniff's being with us is all I need to be happy here.  

Life in Puerto Rico is going well.  We are liking it very much. 

 Will enjoy it all until the day we go back home to Florida. 

 Buenos dias a todos, que tengan un feliz Domingo.

Good morning.  Sundays are also looking better and

better here in Puerto Rico.  We can once again go out and

 have a nice meal.  Always something good happening.

The best way to pay for a lovely moment is to enjoy it...

~Nadiya~

Your're Always With Me ~

I've seen better days, but I have also seen worse. I don't

have everything that I want, but I do have all that I need.

I woke up with some aches and pains, but I woke up....

The only picture I insisted on bringing to Puerto Rico.

Brutus is always in my heart, and always by by side.

Today he also has a spot in Puerto Rico.  Home is not home 

without my kitties.  Sniff is right next to me, Brutus and 

Shadow in my memories and in my heart.  Forever.

It goes without saying that there is not a day when 

I do not think of Brutus.  I cannot imagine life without our 

Sniff, but my Brutus stole my heart.  His little "hands" 

stole my heart.  His little feet ran away with it.

Good morning everyone.  And so 

begins another day on island time 😍

Life is not always perfect. Like a road, it has 

many bends, ups and down, but that’s its beauty...

~Nadiya~

Friday Vibes In Puerto Rico ~

If a fellow isn't thankful for what he's got, he isn't

 likely to be thankful for what he's going to get...

  Our day is already starting to look good. Sniff has been fed, 

brushed and played with.  Now he is just relaxing in the morning 

sunshine.  Getting one of those famous cat-naps. He is one of 

those happy boys.  he's getting more used to his new home.

Yesterday Arvid and I ventured out again to the beach area.

  We have decided that we will be checking out all the little 

restaurants in the area.  Not fancy at all.  Many look like 

a shack, but the food is something else.  In each of these

 so called "shacks" you can find all your favorite 🍹

frozen drinks.  Made as you wait.  We love, love it.

Today we go to San Juan.  Happy about that because

 every time we go is another chance to meet up with my

 sister and Kimsy.  I love the fact that I am close to my sister. 

 Fajardo, where we live has all we need, but if you want

 nightlife, shopping and a few extras, San Juan is where you want

 to be.  We like it here because it's quiet and almost no traffic.

Good morning all.  The weekend is soon upon us,

and here in Puerto Rico we can enjoy life a little more.

  We have enjoyed eating out again and we love the 

blue turquoise Caribbean waters that surround us 💙.

Things turn out best for people who make the best 

of the way things turn out.  In life, one has a choice

 to take one of two paths: to wait for some special

 day--or to celebrate each special day...

~Nadiya~

Life During COVID Times~

This summer, everything is "BYOS" — bring your own sanitizer....

Going to the beach sure has changed.  This is us at the 

beach in Puerto Rico. Masks are a must unless you are 

in the water.  Same applies back home in Fort Lauderdale.

  Not easy today. COVID has sure changed the way we live.

What does not change is the beauty of the beaches.

  Always relaxing and a place that gives me inner peace.  

We didn't swim in the water as yet, but we sure had a good

 time.  Still looking for a little private spot just for us.

 Lots of little kiosks around and you can get just about any 

kind of drink you like.  Also the best "frituras" you can find. 

 Puerto Rico is known for good food. If you like Puerto Rican food, 

this is food heaven.  Just have to make sure we do not overdo it.

  Unfortunately, gaining weight has never been a problem for me 😭

Here at home Sniff is back to living the "high" life,
perched on his condo.  Makes him feel more relaxed and,
 finally he has found a spot to call his own.  He loves it,
 and we have put it right next to the breakfast take.
 he's close to us and he has a view. Happy boy.

Everything is falling into place.  What's most amazing
 is that neither Arvid nor I miss Florida.  As Arvid said to me
 last night, "I have not thought about it at all."  We are getting
used to island life (mostly), and we are really liking it.

And to all a beautiful day.  Adventure is 
important in life. Making memories matters.

And so with the sunshine and the great bursts
 of leaves growing on the trees, just as things grow in
 fast movies, I had that familiar conviction that life
 was beginning over again with the summer...

~Nadiya~

Coffee Time ~

Happiness can be as simple as a
 cup of coffee and the right attitude...

Mornings are always relaxing times for me.
No matter where we are, but having Sniff with
us makes it even better. Sniff makes me happy.

Cafe island style. Happiness in a cup.  Good morning all.

Happy because now I have more than one teacup to
 choose from.  Suddenly cafe in the mornings have taken
 a new turn.  Choices... hmm, and to think I was happy
 with the one tea cup I had for so many days.

You can't buy happiness, but you
 can buy coffee and that's pretty close.

~Nadiya~

Tuesday In Puerto Rico ~

The most beautiful things are not associated with
 money; they are memories and moments. If you 
don't celebrate those, they can pass you by...

Getting used to being on island time and trying to not get 

impatient as often as I do.  Difficult, but it's a learning process.  

Taking me much longer than Arvid.  When I want something 

done, I want it done right away.  Not happening.  As yet 😲.

The complex we live in is big.  Very steep climb so makes 

for a good walk.  Yesterday we went walking closer to  6pm. 

 What a huge difference between walking here in Puerto Rico compared

 to walking back home in Fort Lauderdale, at the same hour.

Our walk was made even better by the ocean breeze. 

 I love the breeze here in the island.  No matter how hot 

it gets, there is always a breeze to cool you down.

There are many kitties here.  Of course I took food 

on our walk with hopes of seeing one.  We sure did and 

I slept better knowing she/he was full last night.

Good morning all.  Busy day today.  Things to do, places to go.

You shouldn’t wait for other people to make special 
things happen. You have to create your own memories...

~Nadiya~

Spectacular Sunday ~

Time is not measured by clocks but by moments..

I do not recall the last time I spent a birthday with

 my sister Nirvana.  Way too many years.  This year 

we have been fortunate to be able to celebrate with 

her, J and Kimsy.  We had an amazing time.

Last year we celebrated Victoria's birthday in Chicago.  

Another memorable time.  Grateful for these moments.

We had good food, good drinks, great views but

 the best was the company.  It will forever be 

one of those special moments in life.

J brought his drone and we all enjoyed playing with it.

  Of course Arvid had J check out the local "abandoned" 

properties around us looking for a good deal as he puts it.

As the new week begins, we are still waiting for our palette

 to arrive.  It's been shipped out weeks ago.  Hopefully today 

something will happen because the governor of Puerto Rico

 has now reinstated all public employees back to work.

Soon it would have been one month since we shipped

 this palette.  Hoping this is our lucky week.

Sniff is good.  Loves company, he actually is indifferent

 to company.  Not scared, not over excited.  he stares at everyone 

and continues to sleep wherever he happens to be. Happy boy.

It's a new week and we still have quite a few

 things to take care of.  Always good to be busy.

Life’s most precious moments are not all loud or

 uproarious. Silence and stillness has its own virtues...

~Nadiya~

Living The Island Life ~🌴

The ocean stirs the heart, inspires the

 imagination and brings eternal joy to the soul...

The Caribbean Sea is one of the world's largest

 at roughly 1,063,000 square miles in size. The Caribbean Sea 

is home to the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef - the second largest

 barrier reef in the world. It is what we look out to every day 

from our balcony.  All paths lead to the Caribbean Sea.

For now the backdrop of the beautiful island is where we call home.  For now.

Puerto Rico is full of tiny and not so tiny islands. 

 From our balcony we see quite a few of these islands.  

Looking forward to discovering them one day. 

 As soon as we are done organizing our place.

Arvid loves the white sand beaches so do I, but

 I also find beauty in a beach with character.  A few 

pebbles, shells and what not.  Here you find all 

of that at times in the same strip of beach.

When it comes to a beach, you find whatever it is 

you desire, as long as you know where to look.  Even the

 most beat up of paths lead to beautiful destinations.

One thing though that is still difficult to process, 

its seeing people on the beach in bathing suits wearing a

 mask.  As of today it is still the mandate here in Puerto Rico.  

Restrictions are slowly being lifted, but the mask might 

still be mandated for quite some time to come.

Sunday.  Very peaceful, and no matter where we are 

some routines are meant to stay😍  Soon it's time for

 Arvid to call his family and give them the news.  If they

 are like mine, they won't be surprised. Arvid loves 

his surprises 😏.  Not I.  I like to know always.

Happy Sunday all.  As someone said, "life is short, 

live it where the water meets the sand."

Life takes you down many paths, but my favorite ones lead to 

the beach.  Paradise is anywhere you can write in the sand... 

~Nadiya~