August 10th~ Norway Bound

The only impossible journey 

is the one you never begin...

 Once again I am on my way to catch a plane.  

Today my journey takes me to Norway. I have about 24

 hours on the go before getting to my destination. Now you

 can maybe understand why I dislike flying so much. 

My flight originates in Fort Myers.  Takes me to Newark,

 New Jersey.  From there I go to Frankfurt, Germany,

 and finally I make a connection that takes me to Oslo,

 Norway. Just seeing this all in writing is making me

 exhausted already.  My reward is seeing everyone.

I had a very good day yesterday.  Fed the kitties 

and birds  Cleaned like crazy, but then I had some 

time for me.  I did go for Indian cuisine and a little

 somewhere else. As always it was delicious.

I am already missing my Sniff.  He is my heart.

To all a good day.  A very long day awaits me.

Twenty years from now you will be 

more disappointed by the things that you 

didn't do than by the ones you did do...

~Nadiya~

Sunday August 9th~

Spread good vibes and enjoy

 the quiet moments today...

 Yesterday was another day I spent cleaning and 

getting everything ready for Sniff. I left him 3 litter 

pans all with fresh litter. They have a date as to 

when to remove the lid.  If the litter is older 

than 10 days Sniff hardly uses it. 

As soon as he gets fresh litter he’s a happy

 boy. I am so tired. This time I’m thinking that

 this long flight will do me good. I can just sit 

and not do any work.  I really can use the rest.

Yesterday mom and dad took me to lunch 

at The Boathouse in Fort Myers. We all like it 

there. For a few hours I sat and just relaxed.

I’m a little stressed leaving Sniff for so long.  I 

can’t help it.  He’s my baby and I do not like to leave

 him for this long.  On the other hand, as mentioned 

before, I’m looking forward to seeing Arvid and

 the rest of the family.  Can't wait to see the girls.

This morning after feeding the kitties I decided

 to check out a place called Hibiscus Latin Cafe.

 I had the cafe con leche. Just delicious.  Why it

 took me so long to check it out I don’t know. 

It’s just about al five minute walk from us.

Today I do not feel like cooking and I’m thinking 

either Indian cuisine of Spanish. I love them both.

To all a good day.  Do what makes your soul happy.

Wishing you a peaceful and relaxing Sunday. 

May your day be as beautiful as your smile...

~Nadiya~

Saturday August 8th~

Make a difference; Touch a heart: Encourage 

a mind; Inspire a soul; Enjoy the day....

 Yesterday I spent a few hours cleaning the 

apartment. With a kitty there is always something

 that needs cleaning, vacuumed or washed. I did it 

all again. Yup, more of the same today.  We got up 

very early this morning. I had cafe and Sniff had 

some foodies.  After that, we went back to sleep.

 I had lunch at home but then decided to go 

once again to this restaurant not far from is. It’s good

 because I drive and do not have to walk. Thank goodness

 because like clockwork, by 5pm the skies got dark

 and the thunderstorms were on their way. 

  Funny thing is I was telling Arvid yesterday that

 when I’m on the move it feels less painful than when

 I’m sitting.  He said I need to have good knees to run 

through the airport. Strange enough, at the airport I am 

speedy and move fast.  Don’t feel the pain, or at least

 I tell myself I don’t, but somehow I am fast in my

Guess I do not wish to lose my connections.

I went out for a drink. Actually had two.  Sat 

outdoors and from where I was I was able to see

 our condo. Though it was hot, there was a nice breeze

 coming through. Was comfortable being outdoors. 

 I missed Arvid because it’s one of our hangouts, 

but even so I had a good time. He said he was 

going to listen to music with his brother.  

We both had a good time. BTW, he told me he

 didn’t sleep well the other night. I think he really

 misses me.I told him that once I’m there, there’s 

going to be lots of noise, movement, and talking. 

I can really talk. Sometimes he says too much. 

Cute thing is he said he missed the noise 😍

I think Sniff already suspects something going on. 

He’s quieter and keeps watching me all the time 

these last few days. I’m already stressing to leave

 him alone.  I know he will be fine. I also know 

that Legacy and the gang will be ok. I have 

bought them a ton of food and Abe will be

 gonna it to them.  I feel good about that.

Went back to sleep.  Was up again at 5am.  

Did some cleaning and getting food stuff ready

 to go feed  the outdoor kitties.  Sniff has been

 brushed and I am already wanting to go to sleep

 again, but morning is once again here and you 

know I love mornings.  A good day to all.

Good morning.  Life is full of surprises

 so embrace them with open arms...

~Nadiya~

Friday August 7th~

Cats, as you know, are quite impervious to threats...

 Sniff heard me preparing the foodies for the Legacy

 and the other kitties.  As I was filling the jar with dry food

 a few niblets fell to the floor.  Sniff right away zoomed in on 

it, and gobbled it up.  Of course I gave him a little to try.

  This is what he did.  The food became enemy # one.

He stared at it for quite some time before walking away.  

Giving me the stinky eye.  As if I wronged him.  How I 

love my Sniff.  If anyone has perfected the stinky eye

 with attitude, it has to be Sniff. He's that good at it.

Cats, they act like they own the house, 

treat humans like staff, and live with total, 

unapologetic independence. That's my Sniff.

Yesterday was a painful day for me. My knee

 hurt just about all day long. I’ve learnt to live with

 pain but some days are tougher than others.

Saw my doctor and she gave me good news. 

Everything seems to be within normal limits. 

Still have to monitor the thyroid tissue growth, 

but for now she was happy with the results.

Arvid was very worried and I called him to reassure

 him that all was good. The catch in his voice told me 

more than words.  He said he was really tired. That he

 worked all day long and can’t wait for me to come so we 

can do stuff together, but he gets good food as pay😂

 Arvid likes to work and he’s been helping 

Michael a lot, it keeps him busy and prevents him 

from getting bored.  Sometimes I think Arvid thinks

 he’s 20 years old and does  so much just to prove it.  

Well, yesterday he was exhausted. Good thing

 about that is that he slept soundly I am sure.

After my doctor's appointment I stopped by 

my favorite Cuban bakery. Was close to where I 

was. I took a moment to reflect and to be grateful

 for life.  I believe I am a very fortunate person.

A good day to all. Gratitude turns what we

 have into enough. It shifts our focus from what 

is lacking to the blessings we already possess.

When I started counting my blessings,

 my whole life turned around...

~Nadiya~

Thursday August 6th~

Tired minds don't plan well. 

Sleep first, then plan later...

 I’m sorta panicked right now. The days are 

going by so fast.  I’m looking forward to seeing 

everyone, at the same time I am NOT looking forward 

to leaving Sniff all alone.  I mean he will be cared

 for by Gail. It’s not as if he’s all alone.  I have all 

his foodies ready, extra, extra of everything.  

I took a little outing downtown. Just to get

 out for a bit. Made lunch at home, but then got 

bored and headed out.  Although I move around 

quite a bit, my knee really hurts. I think it 

hurts even more when I just sit still.

Today I go see my endocrinologist again. 

Hopefully good news  would be a bummer to be

 told that my thyroid cancer has returned, but not

 to anticipate anything  will wait for her to explain 

to me what’s going on.  Most likely it’s nothing.

Sniff slept quite a lot yesterday. Wish I could

 have napped with him, but I had a busy day once

again. A lot to do today also.  Fed the kitties in the 

morning already. Whitepaw is the bravest.  He's 

always peeking at me while the others hide. Will 

feed them later as well.  To all a very good day.

The best cure for the body is a quiet mind...

~Nadiya~

Wednesday August 5th~

 Rules for happiness: something to do, 
someone to love, something to hope for...

I feel as if I could use some rest. Like a lotta 

rest. I’m so tired. I have not slowed down since

 Arvid left and it is for sure catching up with me,  

As always, I feed the kitties early in the morning

 and around 5 in the afternoons. The only reason I do 

it twice is because there are now so many babies and 

the thought of the you hungry is unbearable.  I am 

not always able to get their pictures, but I see

 them. They are so fast they just run like hell.

After doing a few chores I bought lunch 

and took it over to mom and dads. We all

 had lunch and a good time together.

Sniff and I are up early again.  Every morning

 as I open the window shades Sniff get up

 and checks out the start of the morning.

Not having the best situation, but seeing the 

best in your situation is the key to happiness...

~Nadiya~

Tuesday August 4th~

The present moment is

 filled with joy and happiness...

 Right now I am just happy to be home. 

As I always say, no matter where I go, home

 is always the place I want to return to. 

Sniff and I spent a lot of the day just being

 close to each other.   Where I went he followed. 

 Even thought I was tired I still had a lot to do, 

but knowing I was home made it better. 

I didn’t get to sleep until around 2am on the

 day I arrived. Even so, I got up early to go feed 

the little kitties.  They were not starving. They 

had food all around them, but I cleaned up their 

bowls, gave them fresh water and felt better. I

 was happy to see that Newbie was still there.

I fed Legacy on her spot by the marina.  I 

walked across the road to feed the other babies.

 I got there. There was a baby Legacy and another

 adult kitty looked exactly like Legacy.  Had I not fed

 Legacy on the other side, I would have never known.  

They are just identical, except baby is smaller.

To all a very good day. A few things to do 
today so I am soon on the move again😒

To find happiness, look halfway

 between too little and too much...

~Nadiya~

Monday August 3rd~

Man starts over again everyday, in spite

 of all he knows, against all he knows...

 A new week is again upon us.  I got home very

 late last night from Massachusetts, and even though

 I had a very good time with Nina, David and our

 cousin Maya, home is always where I want to be.

 There is nothing like coming home to Sniff. 

Flying is a nightmare. This flight took all day 

long when you count the several delays involved. 

Pretty soon I will be flying again not looking forward

 to that flight, but looking forward to getting there.  

This trip took me through several airports.

Our weekend getaway was filled with a lot of 

good food, and margaritas galore.  In Vancouver

 I discovered a taste for wine.  In Massachusetts I 

renewed my taste for margaritas.  I also introduced

 them to vodka and coke.  Arvid introduced me to it.

My cousin lives on an enormous property of

 some 32 acres with several properties on it  At one 

time she used a few of them for Airbnb, but she 

told us that it got to be too crazy and she was 

taking a break from doing Airbnb.

I had initially thought we were staying in 

one of the Airbnbs, but it’s actually her private

 property.  Enormous and we definitely needed 

a “road map” to find my way around.

For this short visit she bought the entire

 grocery store. It seemed that way. I like food but 

even I could not eat so much. On top of that Nina 

and David brought delicious desserts and appetizers 

and of course the margaritas.  My cousin by the way also 

has a stocked bar in several parts of the house so alcohol 

was never an issue.  Pity we don’t drink that much.

One of the highlights of this property is my cousins

 garden.  She has taken a lot of time to create her 

zen place.  Even though they just had a terrible storm

 a few days before we got her, so many of the flowers

 were still intact.  The colors and the smell of the 

flowers just just an extra treat to our weekend.

Back home now and a busy week ahead. Arvid

 called me while I was running to catch one of my

 connections  once again he sounded so sad again.

 He said, “it’s so boring and lonely here without you.” 

I am sure he’s having a good time with family.  

My little getaway trips are now done for the summer.  

 I want to be home with Sniff and just take it easy. I

 have sure enjoyed the summer so far.   I now look

 forward to seeing everyone in Norway soon, and 

to being held by my blue eyed Viking 😎

A good week to all.  Always best being home.

The best journey takes you home...

~Nadiya~

Sunday August 2nd~

Life is not a problem to be solved, 

but a reality to be experienced...

 So far it has been a really good time.  Boy have

 we laughed a lot.  We got caught up with each others

 lives and some. I think this cousin bonding thing is a 

very good idea.  I want to do it more often.  I have more 

cousins than I know, and they are all over the world.

  Some I have not even met.  Hope one day I will.

My little weekend getaway is coming to an end, 

but I have enjoyed every moment of it.  I still have

 all day to continue having a good time, but also

 I am sure looking forward to seeing my Sniff.

Keep some room in your 

heart for the unimaginable...

~Nadiya~

August 1st~ Hello New Month

August days are long and bright,

 allowing dreams to soar high and far...

 And just like that July is gone.  Hello August.  

August is famously known as the "Sunday of

 summer". It is a bittersweet, golden time when 

the heat lingers but the days begin to shorten.

Many good things happening in August.

 Soon I will also get to see, hold and hug our 

grandkids.  Arvid has been doing it for the last

 month, now I will join him. Looking forward so 

much to that. Just hope they dont forget me.

 Looking forward to that very much, on the 

other hand, I am not looking forward to leaving 

Sniff home alone for so long.  Yes, he will have Gail

 coming in each day to take care of him, but I always

 worry when I am not with him.  For now, I am

 enjoying time with my sister, her husband 

and our cousin.  I love the life I live.

Just like a new day gives new hopes, a new

 month gives us new opportunities.  Welcome 

August.  Be good to us all.  May your new month

 be start of many wonderful things to come our way.

To all a very good day and may the

 new month be even better than the last.

 I am enjoying my time in Massachusetts 

Life is what you make of it,

 a new month gives you the perfect chance

 to create magic.  Welcome August...

~Nadiya~

Friday July 31st~

You have to conquer every obstacle before

 you can reach the top of the mountain...

 Once again I am on the move.  This time heading 

to visit a cousin in Massachusetts.  My sister Nina and

 her husband David will also be there. So excited. This

 is my eldest cousin on my dad’s side. When my sisters

 and I lived in New York she was always there for us.

My goal is to try and get to know my dad’s side 

of the family better.  They are extremely kind, and 

always welcoming. My cousin owns an Airbnb and

 for our visit she has “reserved”’the entire place.  All

 five bedrooms five baths.  Looking forward to this.

My day began very early. Was awake since 

1AM. Of course so was Sniff. Hopefully I can

 sleep a little on the flight. I left home too early

 so did not feed the kitties, but did give them a little 

extra food yesterday afternoon.  Hopefully Abe

 will feed them while I’m gone.  He always does, 

as does Cindy.  She would feed Legacy.

Sniff is home alone, but Gail comes in once a

 day to check on him and take care of him.  He's in 

good hands, but I never like leaving him alone.

Knowing you have the next day off is actually

 more relieving than the actual day off...

~Nadiya~