Aug 31, 2022

Wednesday August 31st ~

 I love doing life with you.  There is no one else I 
would rather build a future with.  You give me hope...

Still glowing a little from out trip to the Ozarks. 
 Sure was a good vibe and a feeling of being close to home.  
Nothing like the island vibe to cheer one up, even if it happens 
to be in the middle of the country.  The feeling is the same.


We even had a ride on the golf cart to check out the
 surroundings.  It was amazing how huge this place is.  Hope
 to get there again.  If not this summer then the next.

Here in Branson all is good.  A few "new" birds have 
been coming around.  They are tiny and bright yellow. 
 I have my very own piece of paradise right here.


On another note, we have all heard the saying that friends come 
into our lives for a reason, a season or a lifetime? Some friendships
 last, while others run their course.  I hope this setback is temporary and
 that sooner rather than later the bond we had will be there again ๐Ÿ’š.


And just like that August comes to an end.  Sure did go by fast. 
 Looking forward to the day and to see what it holds.


When you come out of the storm you won't be the same 
person who walked in.  That's what the storm is all about...

~Nadiya~

Aug 30, 2022

Day Off Post ~

 Almost everything will work again if you 
unplug it for a few minutes... Including you...

From now on I will be taking a day off from my blog post.
  Maybe 2 days who knows on a regular basis.  After all there is only 
so much that happens on a daily basis that is really "new"


This now becomes my standard day off post. 
 You will be seeing the same post regularly, depending
 on how I feel that day ๐Ÿ˜‚  All is well, but a day off 
recharges the brain, the mind and the body.


To all a good day and "see" you tomorrow.

Sometimes I need to go off on my own.  I'm not sad. 
 I'm not angry.  I'm recharging my batteries...

~Nadiya~

Aug 29, 2022

Monday August 29th ~

 Never let the fear of striking out keep you from playing the game...

Seems like we are at Almost Home quite often.  Not bad at 
all especially when it's just for "social" visits or just to help 
out with something.  The other day I was there.  I just took a few
 things for one of the tenants, and did a little socializing with
 the new office manager.  No stress, just enjoyable.


Some days I miss not going in and being all the time at AH, but 
then I remember how exhausting those three and a half months were. 
 I don't think we ever had enough hours in the day to do all that
 we had to.  Today with partners/new owners it's a breeze.


I look back and I have to say that the best thing that could
 have happened was Tiffany and Chris taking off in the middle 
of the night from AH without telling anyone, and surrendering
 back the hotel to us.  Today it's better and with the new
 Chris running it, will be even better than before.


Our week is looking good.  Few trips to AH.  Things to 
do around the house which keeps Arvid happy and busy.
  As he says, "there is always something to do."  It's a 
good thing Home depot is not that far from us.


Sniff as always is slacking off.  Catching up on
 his 16 hour a day sleep.  I have a new book I'm reading
 so happy about that.  Looking like a good day.


Good morning everyone.  May this be a productive and 
happy week for us all.  May we all accomplish many if
 not all the things we set out to do.  Happy Monday.

Excited because I finally have a dental appointment
 on September 28th.  This took some time 
๐Ÿ˜  I miss my regular cleanings.


Life imposes things on you that you can’t control,
 but you still have the choice of how you’re 
going to live through this...

~Nadiya~

Aug 28, 2022

Sunday August 28th~

Time changes everything faster than we can keep track of...

Our niece Lilly Vade just started high school last week.  
Looking back I can't believe she's already a teenager ๐Ÿ’—
 I keep saying to myself, "where did the years go by?"  I 
keep thinking of her as that little baby pictured below.


Below is Lilly Vade on her first day of kindergarten
 and on her first day of high school.  I don't see them that often.
  I just hope to make enough memories with them so that
 they can remember how much I love them all.


Yesterday was filled with soccer.  This time Arvid's 
team did really good.  So he was happy all day long.  
Truth is he's always happy.  But even more yesterday.

Today we relax, again.  More soccer.  I catch up on some 
housework, again.  Hope to also catch up on my reading and 
enjoy quiet times with Sniff and my wildlife gang.  There is a 
third Gerald aka groundhog that's been showing up for food.


Sniff has been having some busy days with the birds. 
The black birds keep coming and coming.  There is
even more of them than ever before.  It's getting more 
difficult to chase them away, but I keep trying๐Ÿ˜ฎ.


.  In the meantime, my Daisys and Fatboys ๐Ÿฆtogether with 
many more of the "good ones" also show up.  Overall it is always
 a good day here with so much to see.  Not bored at all ๐Ÿ˜‚


Wishing everyone a good day.  Just remember,
 be happy for this moment in your life.

Happiness is when what you think, what you
 say, and what you do are in harmony...

~Nadiya~

Aug 27, 2022

Saturday August 27th ~

 Courage doesn't always roar.. Sometimes it's the quiet voice at
 the end of the day whispering, "I will try again tomorrow."

I seem to be saying this way to often, but where did August go? 
 How did it go by so fast?  The last few days are on us, and just
 like that, we have already been in Branson for nine months.


My calendar for September is already filling up with things to do.
  Among those things is to have a haircut.  This time I scheduled in
 advance because the last time everyone was booked.  same as 
with doctors and the dentist.  I have no clue what is going on.


Today I plan to go for a little visit to AH. We have been busy 
so I have not been there last week.  Arvid seems to go
 more often these days than I do.  Strange but true.


Not much planned.  The day is filled with soccer for Arvid. 
 I have no idea if he even has a so called break from soccer today.  
Good time to get out a little and do something on my own.


To all a good day.  Whatever you do make it your masterpiece.


People are like books: some deceive you with
 their cover and others surprise you with their content....

~Nadiya~

Aug 26, 2022

Friday August 26th ~

Be fearless in the pursuit of what sets your soul on fire...

Our outing to Lake of the Ozarks did not disappoint.  It was 
beautiful, one thing it did clear up for Arvid.  We cannot have
 a lake house there.  After the first day, there won't be much for 
us to do, that is unless we drank all day and sat in the sun.


From the minute we walked into our room we were smiling.  
It was beautiful and we had the exact view stated on the internet.  
What we didn't expect was for the place to be so ENORMOUS.


We saw three beautiful places.  All in the same day.  All of them 
on the lake and at each place Arvid was all excited about renting
 a cabin on the water and going back for another weekend. 


The first place we checked out was called paradise.  
Forever water/lake views.  The colors of the buildings reminded 
us of the Bahamas.  Beautiful pastel colors everywhere.  just beautiful.  
For a moment you forget you're in the mid west.  Feels as if
 you're transported to a Caribbean destination.


Water mesmerizes Arvid.  He's happiest when he can be close to it.


The second place we visited is called Coconuts.  Even 
more beautiful setting than Paradise.  During the pandemic
 thousands of people gathered here, and now I can see why.


Both pools belong to Coconuts.  This one below has a 
second floor with a DJ.  It is definitely a place one would 
go to party hard.  Lots of drinks, sunshine and water.


Coconuts is an absolute must next time.  Just the scenery is entertaining.


Arvid and I chose to stay at Margaritaville Lake Resort.  
For us this is the place of our choice.  Should we go back for a
 night or two most likely this is where we will end up again.


We've been to several Margaritaville's, this one definitely tops
them all.  It is HUMONGOUS.  Glad we didn't know beforehand
 because then Arvid may have not wanted to stay there.


Like most "hot spots," once the sun goes down the vibe/party picks up.
  Before you know it the place was packed.  The location is just excellent ๐Ÿน
  Surrounded by the lake and 2 beautiful pools. Everyone was having fun.


We had a very enjoyable day, and we were even happier 
as we were heading home.  Strange, but no matter how much
 we like a place, we look forward to coming home.


Home is where Sniff is and where we feel happiest always.


Good day to all and happy start of the weekend.  Enjoy.


Not all those who wander are lost...

~Nadiya~

Aug 25, 2022

Thursday August 25th ~

 Maรฑana, maรฑana, maรฑana... ¿te has dado cuenta 
de que hay muchos «maรฑanas», pero sin embargo 
solamente hay un «HOY»? Piensa en ello...

Arvid's way of telling me that today there is "no work"  
time to put away all gadgets and just enjoy life and the views.


Tomorrow there will be time enough to catch up 
and to give my impression of this mini trip. 
 For now it's hasta maรฑana everyone.


Si maรฑana fuera tu dรญa de partida, quรฉ harรญas hoy...

~Nadiya~

Aug 24, 2022

Wednesday August 24th ~

 The biggest adventure you can ever
 take is to live the life of your dreams...

Arvid and I continue on our exploration of nearby places.
  Next stop will take us to Osage Beach which gained international
 notoriety during the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic when on Memorial Day 
(May 25, 2020) a large crowd congregated at Lake of the Ozarks.


I have been looking forward to going to The Lake of the Ozarks 
for a very long time now.  Finally we will make it.  One thing more off
 the bucket list.  Both Arvid and I love the lakes in Missouri.  To the point 
where Arvid is debating if we should buy a house on the lake or not.


We have driven around quite a bit looking, and will do a little more 
of the same in the next couple of days.  Truth is, it is beautiful but it 
is also too far from Branson.  If we ever did go for a lake house 
it would be in Branson.  After all, it is where our hotel is.

Today we will be on a mini vacation.  Heading to Margaritaville on Lake 
of the Ozarks.  I am super excited to check it out and to see if it lives up to
 our expectations.  It sure looks beautiful in pictures.  Everything does ๐Ÿ˜‚


The room we have should have a spectacular lake view. 
 That is what we were told and this is what the picture of 
"our" room should look like.  A room with a view.


Hopefully Arvid will not want to sit and contemplate 
the view all night long.  I want to explore and sample a
 little of The Ozarks.  Sniff is home alone today ๐Ÿ’š


It is never too early to begin a bucket list, don't
 wait for that someday that may never come,,,

~Nadiya~

Aug 23, 2022

Thinking of Mom and Dad~ August 23rd

You’ll never want to look back and wish you had
 said something when you had the chance... 

Thinking of my mom right now.  She is the glue that 
keeps our family together.  Every morning without fail we get
 a message, ok on group text.  She's the first one to "appear" there 
most days with her good morning and wishing us a happy day. 


 Never fails and the day we don't see that text from her all 
five of us, her five daughters panic.  Sounds silly but we do. 
 My mom is consistent, so not saying her good mornings is reason 
to panic.  We think so ๐Ÿ’™๐Ÿ’— She brings us all tog๐Ÿ’šether.

Summertime mom and dad are happiest when taking 
care of their garden.  After we all chat a little on group text my
 mom would say, "bye now going to check out my plants."


My parents are getting older, we all are and time is going by so fast. 
 I really wish I could see them a little more often that we do, and yes
 I am fortunate because I still have my parents whereas many don't.  
For that reason alone, I never take a day with them for granted.


Good morning everyone, just take a moment to say thank you for 
all the blessings you have in your life.  You may not realize it,
 but the fact that you woke up is good enough reason.


Sometimes you can never get back what you took for granted....

~Nadiya~

Aug 22, 2022

Monday August 22nd ~

It doesn't matter what your present circumstances look like, 
today is a brand-new day. Each new day brings new hope... 

This looks says it all.  Do not disturb.  I need a little
 more time to catch up on some sleep.  The birds have been 
keeping me way too busy, and that's not gonna cut it.


Good morning everyone.  As the new week begins 
we all have many goals we set unto ourselves.  Maybe-most 
likely we don't/won't always achieve all of them, but what
 we can do is  give it our best shot; that is what matters. 


 It may not happen today. but that does not mean
 we give up.  We keep on until we accomplish what
 we set out to do.  This can take some time.


Today is a new day. Even if you were 
wrong yesterday, you can get it right today...

~Nadiya~