Friday September 4th~

Get up early. I dare you to do it for a few weeks. 

Your life is too precious a thing to waste...

 Sniff and I are awake early again.  He loves to

 do a little wrestling in the mornings with me.  I

 do end up with a few scratches, but I also like 

to play rough with him.  Sniff loves it.

Yesterday we went to mom and dad's 

for a while.  Arvid was back on the job as the

 maintenance man. Working outdoors in this heat

 and humidity is no joke.  Wears you out.

Our first Friday back home in Fort Myers

 since coming from Norway.  Downtown is calling, 

also the rain comes exactly at 5 pm every day. 

 Just have to wait and see how it goes, but it 

would be nice to go downtown for a little.

Yesterday mom and dad took us out to lunch

at Pinchers, as always we had a very good time.  

My favorite is the 2 for one sangrias.  Mom

 also likes the sangrias so we can each have

 one.  I usually can't drink them both.

Wishing everyone a good day, and happy long 

Labor Day weekend.  I will say it again, there is no

 place like home and we are so happy to be home. 

Good vibes are calling. Ain't 

no weekend like a long weekend...

~Nadiya~

Thursday September 3rd~

You want to own your day, 

not let your day own you...

 Yesterday we started out early for Fort 

Lauderdale.  The traffic as usual was bad, but

 we made it to our destination with plenty 

of time to spare.  We left very early.

Before we left I did feed the kitties. So far

 I have not seen Legacy.  I hope she/he is ok.

 Three kitties showed up in the morning.

In Fort Lauderdale I of course went to the 

Swap Shop for my fruit and my coconuts. Seems 

like business is slower these days. One of the guys

 told me that the Swap Shop now is only open 5

 days a week instead of 7 like it used to be.

Traffic in Fort Lauderdale was horrendous at 

least in the area we were. Everyone is out to "kill"

 the other, gotta say I really got into it and at some 

point when I was driving I was out for the kill too.

 It’s either kill or be killed. Don’t miss it;

 the traffic that is, but was fun to maneuver

 around crazy drivers. Tension release.

Afterwards I joined Arvid in his Wednesday 

trade meeting. Always good to see Jim.  Jim is

 like the godfather of the meeting and one of our 

very good friends.After the meeting we went to 

see our CPA.  These taxes are going to kill is, but 

what you gonna do when the come for you?

Afterwards we went to lunch  Arvid wanted to 

go to Flannigans  for baby back ribs. I don’t eat baby

 back ribs so of course I had what I eat just about

 everyday.  Yup, chicken and it was good.

Our day so far is hectic.  More than we wanted.

Life moves pretty fast. If you 

don't stop and look around once in
 a while, you could miss it...

~Nadiya~

Wednesday September 2nd~

Happiness is coming home to

 the place where you feel safest, most 

relaxed, and completely yourself...

 September is in full swing and Arvid and I 

are sure loving being home.  It seems we can't 

stop saying it.  Mainly Arvid.  He is really happy

 to be home.  Thought it was just me, but boy am

 I wrong.  Sniff is loving having us around.  He 

does not want to leave our sides for long.

Arvid and I have another fairly busy day today. 

 Today we go to Fort Lauderdale.  Mainly business, 

but hopefully I will have some time to go and get 

me my tropical fruit at the Swap Shop.  Truth is, 

neither of us are really wanting to do this trip 

today.  We are still tired, but it's necessary.

We have a busy morning, but since I am

 always awake early, kitties have been fed and I

 got to the sunrise.  Now time to get rolling.

We have a lot of catching up to do with 

Sniff.  I sure missed these evenings.

If everyday at work feels like

 a Friday, then you are doing exactly 

what you were meant to do...

~Nadiya~

Tuesday September 1st~

Life starts all over again

 when it gets crisp in the fall...

September feels like the last burst of summer. 

Though not yet crisp, the air hints at the cooler 

weather.  That is everywhere except Florida right 

now.  The last two weeks in Norway felt like fall 

was already there.  It was definitely the end of 

summer.  In Florida the heatwave rages on.

 Yesterday was not an easy day for me.

 I was in extreme pain.  Both knees hurt like

 crazy. It did not stop me from going to feed the 

kitties in the morning or afternoon. Did not 

stop me from going to two different grocery 

stores and doing everything else. 

 Arvid was busy, but everything he had to

 do was sitting down and from a laptop.  I was 

on my feet all morning.  I really hurt and

 I was not in the best of moods.  

Thank goodness for Sniff; he is always by

 my side as if he knows what’s going on.  Most

 times Arvid is clueless as to the pain I have. 

A new month begins and it seems as if 

instead of getting some relief from this pain it gets

 worse.It’s a busy month. We will be heading back

 soon to Branson.  Looking forward to that, but at 

the same time I always worry about the kitties 

even though I know they are being cared for.

To all a very good September. Let's 

strive to be better in September.

September days have the warmth of summer

 in their briefer hours, but in their lengthening 

evenings a prophetic breath of autumn...

~Nadiya~

Monday August 31st~

The end of a month offers a natural pause 

to celebrate small wins, release regret, and 

set fresh intentions for the coming chapter...

 And just like that, another month has come

 and gone. Arvid and I are back home with Sniff. 

Neither of us can stop saying how happy we are

 to be gome.  Summer in Norway was great, but 

home is always best.  Home is where we belong.

As always, once back from a long time away

 from home there is a lot of "catching" up to do. 

 Lots of mail to sort, food shopping, visiting 

mom and dad.  Yeah, lots to do and we are so 

happy for that. We are back to our routines.

Just my thought, if you can help it NEVER go

 through Frankfurt. Our experience was not

 a good one.  Neither going nor coming. 

Yesterday we visited mom and dad.  After 

that Arvid and I went to The Boat House for lunch. 

 Mom and dad did not wish to go, so instead I made 

them a little lunch and we took it over.  Was 

good to see them.  I have missed them.

Once we got to the Boat House we knew we

 were home.  Music, palm trees, water views,

 tropical drinks Florida at its best.  Neither Arvid 

nor I could not stop saying, "we are home"  This 

is where we belong. Feels so good to be home.

 Of course we had the usual afternoon showers

 aka thunderstorms, but we used it to our advantage.  

Arvid had a few more cold ones and I enjoyed

 dessert.  Worked out great for both of us.

Yesterday afternoon I saw and fed many of the 

kitties.  I did not see Legacy.  The one that looks 

like Legacy is probably pregnant again😭

Busy day awaits us.  Lots to catch up on

 and a few things in the condo that need taking 

care of.  Loving the life we live.  Always 

grateful.  A happy new week to all.

The most effective way to do it is to do it.

The future depends on what you do today...

~Nadiya~

Sunday August 30th~

No one realizes how beautiful

 it is to travel until he comes

 home and rests his head on 

his old, familiar pillow...

 It's a new day, it a new day and 

we are home.  Grateful for the summer

 we had with everyone in Norway, 

but happiest to be home.  I have 

missed my Sniff so much.

There is no feeling better than 

knowing you are home.  It does 

not matter what we do or don't

 do.  Home is always best.

I live in my own little world.

 But its ok, they know me here...

~Nadiya~

August 29th~ We're Going Home

The best journey takes you home...

 Is it terrible to want to go home

 so very badly?  If it is then I must

 be a really terrible person, because

 today I am extremely happy. 

 Today we are going home. We 

are both super happy to finally 

be going back home to the USA.  

That being said, the summer in

 Norway has been very good.

  Arvid has had two months 

with everyone.  He has spent lots 

of time with all the families.  In my

 almost 3 weeks I have also had many

 memorable moments with everyone. 

 Memories that will last a lifetime.

No matter where we go, who

 we visit the happiest part of every 

journey is when we are heading back

 home.  My excitement is palpable.

  I can hardly wait to open the front

 door of our condo and to be greeted

 my Sniff. He makes me happy.

One small cat changes

 coming home to an empty 

house to coming home..

~Nadiya~

August 28th~ One Step Closer To Home

The ache for home lives in all

 of us, the safe place where we can go

 as we are and not be questioned...

Today is our last day in Horten,

 Norway for this summer.  I will

 not lie, I am really looking forward

 to going home.  I miss my Sniff 

too much.  It's been too long.

  At the same time, it will be very

 sad to say goodbye to everyone.

  I have had a great time with our

 granddaughters, Michelle, Emil,

 Victoria and Michael.  I will miss

 them, but home is calling.

Back home in Florida a little kitty

 is patiently waiting for us to return.  

Both Arvid and I are looking so forward

 to going home.  Thank you to everyone

 that made this another memorable

 Norwegian summer #2026

Summer 2026 in Norway will always

 remain of of the best times I have had.  

I was able for the first time to actually 

speak with our granddaughters.

Home is any four walls that

 enclose the right person...

~Nadiya~

Kristiandstand August 27th~

People forget the good that 

zoos do. If it weren't for zoos, 

we would have so many species 

that would be extinct today...

 By now everyone probably knows

 that I love zoos. Kristianstand has

 a zoo I have always wanted to go to. 

I finally made it to the zoo.  It is 

Norway's most frequently visited

 attraction, covering an area of

 60 hectares or 148,263 acres.

The zoo has a famous chimpanzee 

I learned about just recently. Julius

 is a famous chimpanzee, often referred

 to as a monkey by the general public

 born on December 26, 1979, at the 

Kristiansand Zoo and Amusement

 Park (Dyreparken) in southern

 Norway. I had to see Julius.

Rejected by his mother as an infant,

 he was raised by the zoo director's 

family and human handlers, becoming

 a massive national pop-culture icon

 with his own TV shows and hit song.

Today Arvid has a surprise in 

store for me.  He's excited about it, 

and would not give me a clue as to

 what to expect.  I don't like surprises.

  I always want to know. But....

The best part of the journey is the

 surprise and wonder along the way...

~Nadiya~

Road Trip to Kristiandsand ~ August 26th

Norway: where nature whispers

 its most beautiful secrets...

Another beautiful day begins. I'm

 awake, the sun is shining and we are

 soon off to discover a new "adventure"

  Best I can soon see myself home.

 Kristiansand is the sunny capital

 of southern Norway and the sixth

largest municipality in the country,

 with a population of about 118,000.

 Founded in 1641 by King 

Christian IV, the coastal port city

 is famous for its warm summer

 climate, white wooden houses,

 and vibrant maritime culture.

Today Arvid and I take a trip 

to Kristiandsand.  In the twenty

 something years that I have been 

coming to Norway, I have never

 once been there before.

One year we got close, but 

then the rain came and why I

 do not know, Arvid turned around. 

I think it was because we were 

going to the zoo with Michelle.  

Then she was just a little girl,

 and both she and I really 

wanted to go to the zoo.

Visit Norway-Kristiandsand

Looking forward to our little trip. 

 Something new for me to see.  Happy 

and very excited.  Also it's getting

much closer to seeing my Sniff.

In the land of fjords, 

mountains, and northern lights,

 find your true north...

~Nadiya~

Summer In Norway Coming to an End ~ August 25th

To say it was a beautiful summer

 would not begin to explain it. It was that

 day when the end of summer intersects

 perfectly with the start of fall...

 Summer in Norway has come is

 soon over of us.  I will not lie, I am

 so happy to be going back home to

 Sniff and back to the USA.  At the same

 time, I will definitely miss everyone. 

 Especially our 3 granddaughters.

Tonight we all gather at Michelle's

 and Emil's.  Always a good time. We

 are looking forward to that. They

 make one good looking family.

I arrived to Norway and was greeted 

at the airport by Arvid and Vanessa, 

our second granddaughter, holding

 up a big sign with a huge smile on

 her face.  I will never forget that

 moment.  It was the best welcome.

We have spent a lot of time with 

family.  The whole point of summer

 in Norway, at the same time it was 

very nice when we had a few moments

 on our own.  Just the two of us. 

The time spent with family has

 been more than what I could have

 hoped for.  I loved every moment.

Last night we enjoyed dinner at Vidar

 (brother) and Siv's home. It was delicious,

 but always the bet times are those when

 we just sit and chat.  Share stories.

Arvid's brother and Siv live in the 

condo that was once their mothers. 

The best location in Horten.

If you want to see one of

 the most scenic places in the

 world, Norway is a must.

I met Arvid in 2000.  When we

 met his routine was to go to Norway

 in May and in the summer.  That year

 he asked me to go with him, but I

 said no.  Too soon. But from 2001,

 I have been coming to Norway 

with him  I have been fortunate

 in so many ways.  Grateful.

Morning is here.  A good day 

awaits us with everyone together. 

Time spent with family is good.

Another summer has come 

and gone, leaving behind 

some sweet memories...

~Nadiya~