Christmas Wishes ~

 Christmas is a tonic for our souls. It moves us

 to think of others rather than of ourselves.

 It directs our thoughts to giving....

From our home to yours.  Wishing you all a very

 Merry Christmas and a 2021 to be remembered, 

 because it will be so very great for all of us.

From our family to yours.  Love, peace, joy and good

 will is our wish for you. May you experience a Christmas 

filled with good memories to hold dear in your heart.

Christmas is a time to slow the pace, appreciate

 the love of family and friends, and express our 🎄

gratefulness for every blessing bestowed upon us.

 May your Christmas be filled with goodwill.

Our hearts grow tender with childhood memories and

 love of kindred, and we are better throughout the year for 

having, in spirit, become a child again at Christmas-time...

~Nadiya~

Zoom Time ~

Technology like art is a soaring 

exercise of the human imagination...

What better Christmas present than to "see" all

 your family in one spot.  Technology is am amazing thing.

  Yes, at times it is also dangerous, but today it is exactly 

what I am grateful for.  Today in just a short time

 we will see all my family.  Thank you Zoom

Nina and family set it up, and we couldn't be happier.

  I'm so excited I just don't know what to do until 

"the time"  We had a test run, and it works!!!

Merry Christmas all, and I hope everyone gets the 

opportunity to connect and see family during these 

holidays.  If it's not in person, then there are many 

options.  All we have to do is go for it.  Thank

 you Nina and David from now for doing this.

Technology is best when it brings people together...

~Nadiya~

Christmas Kitties ~

Memories are like bullets.  Some whiz by and spook you.
  Others tear you open and leave you in pieces... 😿

When it comes to Brutus I am biased.  Pretty 

sure I always will be.  After all he is my baby.

 Shadow just had one Christmas with us. Lately
 I have been thinking a lot about him, and I get very 

angry.  Moving on sometimes is easier said than done.

Sniff is our little rascal.  He like all the other

kitties is very pampered.  He has us wrapped around

 his little paw.  Just like Brutus and Shadow did, 

 and we love it.  We love him.  My little Sniff. 

No one can ever take your memories from you, each day

 is a new beginning, make good memories every day.

You may not think you have a good memory,

but you remember what's important to you.

Memories may fade as the years go by but they won't 

age a day. When tomorrow comes this day will be gone 

forever, but I shall hold something which I have traded

 for it. It may be no more than a memory, but if 

it is a worthy one I shall not regret the price...

~Nadiya~

That Time Of The Year ~

 During this season of giving, let us take

 time to slow down and enjoy the simple things...

The holidays are not always the best time of the 

year for all.  I understand that at the same time, I

 have always loved Christmas and no matter what we

 are living right now, it is nice to look forward to 

something and to have joy and excitement.

Even lockdown and Covid cannot stop the spirit 

of the people in the island.  They may not all have too much,

 but they never lack heart and joy.  My kind of people.

I was so looking forward to showing Arvid the

 places we frequented at Christmas when growing up in 

Puerto Rico.  Unfortunately because of Covid it is not set up.  

The lights were amazing.  At least as a child I thought so.

When you can wrap all the time

 together, remember it is Christmas...

~Nadiya~

A Yearly Tradition ~

The happiest time of the year is upon us...

Every December around the 22nd or 23rd in Norway Victoria 

and Michael go to her grandfathers's grave (Arvid's dad)

 and that of her grandmother (mom's mother.)  There they 

light a candle and she always includes me in wishing 

him a Merry Christmas.  Thank you Victoria.

This year they may be going there today.  At the

 same time they visit Arvid's mom, her grandma and 

her sister Michelle and family.  Every year I look forward 

to a little token of that visit to her grandfather's grave.

This is 2020 so nothing is the way it should be.

My heart is full because though I do not have children,

 there are two girls in Norway whom I would do anything for. 

 For they are Arvid's daughters, they accepted me, and we are

 friends.  For that I am truly grateful and always blessed.

The traditions we create now will be the memories we

 shall cherish forever.  Holiday traditions are

 meant to build bonds.  Thank you always...

~Nadiya~

Tuesday December 22nd ~

 We make a living by what we get.
We make a life by what we give...

On our walk the other day I was finally able to take

 a picture of some of the new kids on the block.  There are

 close to five babies that I have been seeing running around.  

Very tiny and extremely scared of everyone and everything.  

I call them the newbies and I will do as much as I can before 

we leave for Florida.  Hopefully they will get strong and be able 

to survive on their own.  It breaks my heart that there is such a

 vast amount of homeless kitties and dogs in the island.

Morning walks are great, but we have also been 

going out in the evenings.  Arvid is not a morning person.

  I don't mind.  I enjoy being out on my own.  For that hour

 it's just me, the fresh air, the sunrise, the kitties and

 my thoughts.  Perfect start of my day.

Evening walks some days take us along the beach and the sunsets.

When the sunsets on the water the colors are just amazing. The picture

 below has not be altered in anyway.  That was the color of the sunset.

It's Tuesday.  Just a few more days before it's Christmas

 and my moms birthday.  Wherever you are in the world, 

have a Merry Christmas and Happy Holiday Season.

The beauty of Christmas lies not just 

in the date, but in the feeling it gives...

~Nadiya

Life Happens ~

Life becomes easier when you open your mind,

and accept that you can't always get what you want...

Today like everyday, I start the day with a 

grateful heart.  Sometimes we all forget all the things

 we should be grateful for.  It happens, but then we get 

a reminder and we realize that what we all take

 for granted someone else is praying for.

It's called life.  Take me for example, every 

so often I have a moment of so much grief.  

I think of Brutus and yes Shadow.  

I often think of how I want to have my 

Brutus back right here next to me.  Then I 

look at my side and there is our Sniff.  

Sniff who I love like crazy, and I realize 

how grateful and thankful I am to have

 the privilege to have this little fur baby. 

 Who loves us and whom we love.

Also in Norway we have two granddaughters. 

 Growing up too fast, We love and miss them.

That is them in 2015.  Today they are so big.

In life we have to realize that we can't

 always get what we want.  But if we are 

lucky we can get what we need.

Happy day to all and it's just 

a few days until Christmas.

Life’s true gift lies in your freedom to design it

 beautifully. With each rise of the sun, you get to chase 

the opportunity to fill your days with meaning—

to live your life the way you choose...

~Nadiya~

Monday December 21st ~

Today's a new day.  It's your day.  You shape it.
Don't let it be shaped by someone's else's ignorance or fear...

Hello winter solstice.  The shortest day and the 

longest night of the year.  I found some pictures of when

we were in Branson.  So very cold.  Arvid could not

 wait to get back to the warmth and sunshine.

We are now in sunny and warm Puerto Rico.  No snow

 for us, although I did really like it.  I really enjoyed

 Branson, and there are days I miss it very much.

Hopefully next summer we will be able to visit.

As for now, a new week begins.  Life in Puerto Rico is still

 better right now than it would be in Florida.  At least for

 us it is.  We have a little more wiggle room here.

Christmas is just a few days away.  My thoughts

 have been in so many places, but they always 

come back to the same place "person 💛"

Sniff is so attached to Arvid that even Arvid is worried 

about what he, Sniff would do when he, Arvid goes to Florida. 

 Arvid to me, "you have to tell me what he does"  Yes,

 Arvid just like me is also very attached to Sniff.

Happy Monday all. Make this day a day to remember.

Every morning starts a new page in your story.

Make it a great one today and everyday...

~Nadiya~

Christmas In Puerto Rico ~

Traditions touch us, they connect us, and they expand us...

 The other night Arvid and I drove around town

 and checked out some of the Christmas lights.

 Such a wonderful time of the year. Loved it.

We are really enjoying living in this "sleepy" town.

Quiet, not much traffic and very easy to move around.

Many Puerto Ricans will attend a midnight ☄🎇

 mass known as Misa de Gallo, where they welcome

 Christmas as a commemoration of the birth of Jesus.

Puerto Rico takes pride in having the longest holiday 

season in the world. On the island, la Navidad lasts around 45 days,

 starting right after Thanksgiving Day in November, extending 

through mid-January, and culminating with the Fiestas de 

la Calle San Sebastian, also known as la SanSe.

A parranda or trulla is the boricua version of a 

Christmas Carol. Friends and families gather in front of a

 house  usually after 10:00 p.m. – with instruments like

 panderos, maracas, güiros, cuatros, and guitars to

 sing aguinaldos (traditional Christmas songs)

The idea is to surprise the household, so the 

parranderos round up as quietly as possible and then 

break into song with the intention of waking people up 

with joyful and jubilant music. It is a tradition for

 the household to offer refreshments and then join 

the group to bring the party to the next house. 

Sometimes, parrandas can last until sunrise😍

We grew up with these traditions.  Some of the most 

beautiful memories were right here in Puerto Rico. 

Puerto Ricans usually put up their Christmas

 trees and decorations by Thanksgiving and don’t take

 them down until mid-January, so the island feels 

especially magical during the holiday season. 

With town squares and houses lit up with Santa 

Clauses and snowflakes as well as local designs 

like jibaritos, Puerto Rico turns into a tropical winter 

wonderland where every corner is a photo opportunity.

We enjoyed the evening, and we even made new furry friends.
  Fortunately, I always carry food with me so we made 

a couple of kitties happy.  Also made me happy.

I know that everything essential and great 

originated from the fact that the human being

 had a homeland and was rooted in tradition..

~Nadiya~

Christmas In Puerto Rico ~

 I find that it’s the simple things that 
remind you of family around the holidays...

The main tree at Plaza Las Americas.  Plaza", as it is known

 to many Puerto Ricans, was the first indoor shopping mall 

built in Puerto Rico. It is the largest shopping mall in the 

Caribbean and the second largest in Latin America.

Plaza Las Americas features a centrally located water

 fountain, which was featured twice on teen pop rock 

group Menudo videos during the early 80s. 

As of 2018, a new fad among Puerto Ricans 

was to jump into this water fountain to get wet and 

record it, and post videos of the act on the internet.

Plaza's Macy's was the first one to open in the Caribbean.

Plaza's Chili's is the highest grossing in the world. It has 

the world's largest Romano's Macaroni Grill restaurant.

It houses the first Cheesecake Factory restaurant in 

the Caribbean, officially opened on August 28, 2013. 

Every two hours there is falling of snow.

Sports Authority became the sixth largest anchor store, 

first opened up in mid-2014, followed by an expansion of parking 

spaces. It closed in 2016 after the company declared bankruptcy 

and was replaced by a Marshalls in February 2018.

It's the happiest time of the year,  Covid or no Covid.

This year pile my gifts under a palm tree...

From home to home, and heart to heart, from

 one place to another. The warmth and joy of

 Christmas, brings us closer to each other...

~Nadiya~