Monday December 12th~ New Week

We may easily feel frustrated and lose our passion for

 life when we encounter setbacks. But nothing valuable 

ever comes easy. Painful challenges are the best

 gifts life sends to us to keep us growing... 

Everyone is fighting a battle. And a very tough one most 

of the time.  But we only live ONCE. It’s important to remind

 ourselves that no matter how hard life is, we should never lose

 our love for life as it gives us the energy to keep moving on.

Sometimes the greatest thing to come out of all your

 hard work isn’t what you get for it, but what you become for it.  

Day 6 of radiation and I am feeling good.  Looking forward to

 chatting with my new friends and to hear about their weekend.

Occasionally I do feel burning, tenderness and irritation 

but if I don't focus too much on it I can "make" it go away,

 most of the times.  Other times I just have to wait it out.

Sniff is still chasing an invisible fly, so he's happy and 

I'm happy because he's getting some exercise.  Running

 everywhere, even the usual chasing his tail in a frenzy

 at times.  Life is good and he's such a happy boy.

A good day to all and a great week ahead.  Remember it's

 not always about winning, but about doing our best in every

 situation.  Never give up just pick yourselves up and carry on.  

Our day begins once again a little on the foggy side 🌎

Sometimes the bad things that happen

 in our lives put us directly on the path to the

 best things that will ever happen to us....

~Nadiya~

Tuesday January 11th ~ Cold Morning in Branson

 I alone cannot change the world, 

but I can cast a stone across the 

water to create many ripples...

Early morning in Branson.  Very cold and frost everywhere.

Where are my palm trees?  My sunshine?  Maybe this is a hint
 as to where we should be?  Stranger things have happened.

What's so very strange is that when I think of home the

 image that comes to me is Puerto Rico.  I know it's the last

 place we have lived, and all that went on there makes it a place

 I will always think of as home.  It is where I grew up after all.

That being said, at the end of the day, Florida is where

 I call home, and it's where one day we will return to.

The above are the pelicans always to be found on the pier at

 Lauderdale by the Sea.  Somedays I am not sure where home is.

Good morning all.  Hopefully you are having a warmer

 day than we are.  Sniff is smart to know that if he stays by

 the vent of the floor the heat will warm him up.

You may be disappointed if you fail,

 but you are doomed if you don't try...

~Nadiya~

Hello 2022! 🍸

Let the rain wash away the pain of yesterday.
  Let the sun shine on today's happiness...

Here in Branson, Missouri we begin the New Year with 
some rain.  I view this as good.  It's as if the rain is washing

 away all the leftovers from 2021.  Also washing away 

our sorrows and pains.  Always OK to think positive,

 unlike so many who only see the negative in life.

Happy New Year to all.  Last year we said 2021 was 

going to be the best year ever, for many it may have been a 

good one.  For others the most terrible of times.  Let's hope for 

2022 to bring us all better times. 2022, let's try this again.

The best way to predict the future is to create it...

~Nadiya~

Tuesday December 14th~

 Never measure your progress
 by using someone else's ruler...

My thoughts seem to stray at times to places far 

away, and I welcome very much the change of scenery.  

Some days are like that.  I just can't stop the thoughts 

that go through my mind no matter how much I try.

Eleven days to go.  It's time to fall in love with 

Christmas all over again.  It's the most wonderful time

 of the year.  Shadow had just one Christmas 🎅with us

 before he died.  We try not to think of how Shadow died.

Yesterday we were in Arkansas.  We took care of some

 "business" and made it a day by visiting the Little Rock Zoo.  

The few animals we saw were impressive, but overall it was 

not the best zoo experience I have had.  Could have been 

the cold, because many of the animals were hidden.

Many of the displays were also empty, but for me it was

 all good because I love going to the zoo.  Not sure if Arvid

 "loves" it, but he's always game because he knows I enjoy it.

We drove three hours both ways.  The drive was good,

 no traffic, but the scenery was a little bleak and at times

 depressing.  Not much to see, on the other hand it's the same

 in most places.  Of course some places like Puerto Rico

 the scenery is mostly spectacular because your view is 

always the blue waters of the Caribbean Sea.

Even so, we had a pretty good day, but not sure we 

will be going back to this zoo.  Once was enough.

My friend in Puerto Rico has seen so far: Marbles, Macgyver, 

Shygirl, Rascal and Milo.  So happy for that.  Hoping she will see Rocco, 

Baby, Mama and Senior.  Worried she has not seen Rocco and Baby 

because they were always together with marbles and Macgyver.  

Senior is difficult to see because he's always behind the fence

 in the "bushes"  Mama should have been next to Rascal.

Wherever life takes you, walk proud...

 ~Nadiya~

Tuesday July 6th ~

 Family is not about blood.  It's who's willing to
 hold your hand when you need it the most...

The other day as I was chatting with a friend, 

I brought into the conversation Aleah and Vanessa. 

 OUR granddaughters.  Thing is because I am not a blood

 relative to them many people when talking about them say 

"Arvid must be happy to see HIS grand children." 

 Sometimes even my own family would say something

 like this.  This bothers me because those little ones 💚

are as much MY granddaughters as they are Arvid's. 

 The fact that I am not related to them because of our 

bloodline has ABSOLUTELY NOTHING to do with it.

  I love them.  Simply as that, and when they are referred 

to as Arvid's grandkids it makes my blood boil.  

I have started correcting people.  They are OUR 

granddaughters, and anyone who thinks differently

 has no idea what it is to love someone so much.

For them I would do anything.  We may live far apart. 

 There is the language barrier, but what none of that

 matters because I just love them.  And I know they 💚

💚 love me.  I feel it when they hug me, and now I am 

missing them like a lot and i really want to hug them.

I hope they won't forget about me because I did not 

go this year.  Another thing we have to be "grateful" 

to COVID. I hope they remember me 💚💛.

Now my thoughts are in Norway.  Picturing the

 little ones laughing and laughing.  I am missing out 

on their hugs and kisses. Next year it will be.

Another thing that I always look forward to when in 

Norway is going to Victoria's and Michaels.  I always

 have a great time there.  Then there is no language barrier

 and conversation flows easily.  Victoria always puts

 out a feast fit for kings and queens💚💚. 

 Just thinking about it makes me hungry.  She and 

Michael set out a seafood banquet.  Better than any 

restaurant I have been to.  The girl has style.

Our last night has been at Michelle's and Emil's for some

 years now.  Also missing out on that and to spending time

 all of them.  Michelle makes a favorite of her dad's.

Spending time with family 💚💚 makes the heart and soul happy.

Family isn’t always blood. It’s the people in your 

life who want you in theirs, the ones who accept you

 for who you are. The ones who would do anything to

 see you smile and who love you no matter what. 

💚💚 So be thankful for what you have...

~Nadiya~

Thursday May 20th ~

 The greatest distance in the world is just 14 inches from 

the mind to the heart...  It's most difficult to decide

 whether to go with the heart or the mind...

Thursday is looking pretty sunny and no sight of

 rain in the forecast.  Like it.  Suddenly my morning 

walks are getting to be a little more difficult.  I 

 now spend a lot of time making sure some 

of the kitties eat and are not bullied. 

 Marbles is super skinny and she gets a little

 extra of everything, yet she does not eat much.  

She prefers to follow me around. 

 When I first "met" Marbles she was not my 

favorite. Today I would adopt her so fast if only I

 could.  She's the friendliest and super loving.

Arvid and I did our beach walk as usual.  Beach walks

 are in the afternoons after the soccer games are over.  A good

 time because then it's not as hot.  Also I do an extra little

 walk before our beach walk to give food to the kitties a

 second time.  I feel good so I'm happy.

Yesterday we saw this boat sinking.  Two days before 

it was out sailing with happy people on board.  Surrounding 

the boat is seaweed.  There has been a lot of seaweed.  Going on

 for months now.  Makes for not always a beautiful sight.

Thursday is looking pretty good right now. 

 Sniff is doing great 😻, and so is Arvid and I.  

Life is what it is, and for that I'm thankful.

My mind replays what the heart can't delete...

~Nadiya~