Life...It's Good

The art of being happy lies in the power of extracting happiness from common things...

It is absolutely peaceful and relaxing to be here. Arvid cannot stop saying how much he loves

 being here and how good it is to not have the phones ringing and to be able to relax from 

emails and work.  We do have a laptop here, but we do mostly fun stuff.  I do my blog 

and pictures and Arvid has time to do things he does not really do when at home.

Breakfast is relaxing as we watch the people prepare the boats for their daily excursions. As I 

have once mentioned Arvid has given all the usuals names.  He said he is now like my dad. 

 You see from since we were little girls, my dad has always given all the neighbors a name. 

 A funny name that is.  To this day we know the neighbors by the name my dad 

gave to them.  His favorite is a guy he has named Bullet.  Bullet takes the

 trash out when the boats come back  from their daily tours. 

 It's exciting for Arvid to watch what goes on.

  Bullet not only takes trash, but he also grabs everything that fits in his pockets for himself 

and while doing that he also together with the other workers, drink what alcohol

 is left from the days trip.  Let me tell you quite a lot is still there.  As you can

 imagine the boat is PACKED with everything you can want to drink. 

 It takes more than the customers can drink.  Let's just say we see

 them loading it and it is a LOT!

GETTING READY FOR THE TRIP

In the mornings we like to go for a walk before the sun gets too hot.  Another thing we love

 about being here.  The walks are always interesting and you never know what can happen. 

Yesterday I tried to get a picture close to a Pelican, sadly the Pelican tried to bite me.

  Worst part was it was so fast Arvid missed the picture.  More days to 

try and get bitten and get a good picture.

Yesterday was soccer.  As Arvid watched I walked around some.  Had a Pina Colada

 by the beach and  enjoyed a few hours of just watching the Dolphins, the new 

addition of baby seals and all the other interesting sites around.  

I love my walks and my trips to the beach.

Food here is good and everything is just so very relaxing.  We have gotten to know the 

routines of many of the people so make for interesting times.  Right now watching the

 boats as they prepare for their daily tours.  Some of the guests show up very early

 and are already intoxicated and quite happy way before the trip begins.

  Interesting to see what goes on.  Not a dull moment.

To all a very good day.  Bacon and eggs for breakfast.  Maybe Chinese food today, because 

as Arvid says, "I could really fancy some rice right now."  Yep, he says that since 

being with me rice is now a favorite of his.  Well here life is relaxed and slow 

paced for a change.  We are loving it.  Just missing our Brutus, 

but we do get pictures of him everyday from Liliana.

We are happy.

I'm happy, and I think being happy keeps you looking young...

~Nadiya~

Good Morning Friends...

It is nice finding that place where you can just go and relax....

 From our side of the world, wishing you a good relaxing day.

 Feels good to just sit and do as J said, watch the water, relax and feel the calmness in the air.

Wishing you all a very good day.  Meeting new friends everyday and not all are humans

I like to be lazy. I do like to be busy and really active, but when that's done, 

you can be sure I will be a lazy girl.  I like to take time and relax and enjoy life...

~Nadiya~

Greetings From Mexico...

Wherever you go becomes a part of you somehow....

Whenever we come to Mexico we hardly ever make a phone call to anyone back home.

 Exception is my mom.  No matter what part of the world we go to, I always call my mom.  

What we do do instead is I text everyone or we email, but Arvid's mom does not do 

email  nor does she receive my texts all the time.  Therefore; today's blog is for her. 

 Letting her know that we got in OK and we are fine.  That way everyone knows.

Molly Arvid and I got in fine.  It is very warm here and for a change we will be relaxing 

quite a lot.  No running around for us, at least not like we do at home nor in Norway.

Here it is all about sitting and taking in the views.  Arvid loves to watch people 

here more than anywhere in the world it seems.  He has given them names.

Our days are relaxing and we always go for walks in the afternoons/evenings.

We go out to lunch at one of our favorite restaurants where they all know us.

They know Arvid immediately because he watches soccer almost everyday at the Pub.

This is for him very relaxing.  Just sitting, having a few beers, a good game and some good food. 

 I who can't sit still for too long always walk around. There is always something happening. 

 My favorite is to always watch the dolphins  as they entertain everyone.  Yes, there are

 dolphin shows all day long in several different locations.  From the guest bedroom 

in our condo you can also see the dolphins.  Pretty amazing sight it is.

Today is our first full day.  Everyday I will give you a little "tour" so that you can also see

 the Mexico we love.  It is our little piece of Paradise where relaxation comes naturally. 

 Both Arvid and I are happy here. The only one missing is Brutus, 

unfortunately we won't bring him.  Too much stress on him.

Time to go and enjoy some this piece of paradise.  I feel like Pina Coladas
 on the beach.  Until next time and wishing you all a good day...

If you like Pina Coladas, and getting caught in the rain.  If you're not into yoga,
if you have half-a-brain.  If you like making love at midnight, in the dunes of the cape.
I'm the lady you've looked for, write to me, and escape...

~Nadiya~

To Mexico Again..

Taking time to do nothing
often brings everything into perspective...

Heading back to a place we call almost paradise.  For the next few days we 

will be waking  up to the sound of the ocean, to birds singing and boats taking 

off all the time.  Having coffee in the mornings on the balcony is something we 

look forward to and also to seeing the crowds passing by and listen 

to the music coming from the party boats.  Life is good!

I can picture myself already comfy in the balcony.

Yes, in a few short hours we should be here.

For the next few days, we are going to do absolutely nothing, but relax.
Wishing you all the same and may you also live in
interesting times.

Today is a good day for dreaming.
My energy is low and that's always
 a good time to relax, dream and re-energize.
Just relax, everyone around you is working too hard....

~Nadiya~

Monday Morning....Feeling Grateful

I have always been delighted at the prospect of a new day, a fresh try,

 one more start, with perhaps a bit of magic waiting somewhere behind the morning...

Yesterday ended like this.  Most of the day was rainy and windy.

Arvid who hates getting wet, did make it to the auction.  I took that time and did a few
personal errands and ended up going to a Cuban place for lunch.  Let's just say I ate
 more than I should.  That's how good the food was.  Let's say I suffered for it
with the cough, but such good food was definitely worth it.  Cafe
con leche and dessert added a good end to a fantastic meal.

After Arvid came home from the auction, the first thing he did was take Brutus
to eat foodies and turn on the TV. Soccer was on and he and Brutus were ready.

The evening was quiet and relaxing.  Arvid claimed he wanted something good to eat
since he only had a burger at the auction.  Papa John's Pizza it was.

It's Monday already.  Start of another productive week I hope for all of us.
Both Arvid and I have quite a lot to do today, so for now wishing you all a good day
and hope that so far your 2015 is going great, and that the best is yet to come.  For all of us.

Today we take Brutus to the vet.  Just a check up and hoping for continued good news.  So far
 he has been off medicines since December 15.  No swelling and no open sores,  Fingers crossed

Life is precious and time is a key element. Let's make every moment 

count and help those who have a greater need than our own...

~Nadiya~

Hello Sunday...Funday

If you ask me what I came into this life to do, I will tell you:

 I came to live out loud...

For us here it is a weekend of cars and more cars.  This is the weekend of the yearly car

auction in Fort Lauderdale.  Usually many of our Norwegian friends come and buy

 up quite a bit.  This year though the US$$ is quite high so will see how it goes.

Arvid loves cars, but he is nowhere as fanatical as many of our friends.  Arvid goes 

to the auction, but just for a few hours.  Our friends are there from open to close. 

 Though one friend in particular said he was not buying he has already started 

accumulating cars even though he owns more than he needs.

Our usual Sunday took place yesterday.  That is since Arvid is busy with the car auction

 today we did our quality, relaxing outing yesterday. Very good time it was.

Today is a little breezy, but warm.  Arvid will be at the auction which means I get to do

 whatever I want and that can also be fun.   Last night we went to see Taken 3 

sadly all times were sold out.  Such a bummer!  Another time it will be.

To all a very good day, and start living your life fearlessly.

Do anything, but let it produce joy!...

~Nadiya~

Being an American...

Being an American is about having the right to be who you are. 
Sometimes that doesn't happen for many..

Travelers love coming to America, a land many of them have seen via exports from Hollywood. 

They rave about the landscapes, the recreational opportunities, the vibrant cities and the culture.

But like international travelers anywhere, foreigners visiting the United States from other countries 

can be flummoxed by some of what they encounter. Fortunately, their fellow travelers have plenty

 of advice. The picture they paint portrays Americans as relentlessly cheerful yet sensitive folks 

who just might raid your fridge.What outsiders say about the U.S. will strike an American as

 very true, very strange, or both. Here  are some

 travel advice gems from around the world.

From Latin America:

It’s probably best not to drink the water. There are strict laws regarding Hygiene eating 

places that must be met, so that restaurants and even street stalls are safe. In some areas you 

can take the tap water. Bottled water is available everywhere and is most recommended.

From Germany
Americans’ social boundaries are very inconsistent. Things like 

“We should get together sometime” doesn't really mean anything, unless the same 
people keep mentioning it to you. "“During a party at your house, don’t be surprised if 

Americans will just walk up to your fridge and help themselves."  Haha.. We Americans
like to make themselves at home, but I must say I would never do something like this

From Switzerland
Forget public nudity, intoxication or urination. "The legal system 
can be very different from one state to another and is often inspired by moral principles 
stiffer than in Switzerland. For example it is forbidden to bathe topless or without shirt (kids), 
urinate on public roads or photograph partially unclothed children (even at home).
 It is forbidden for people under 21 to drink alcohol. Similarly, people who drink 
alcohol in public or carry alcoholic beverages without concealing from the
 eyes are guilty of an offense.

From France
Do take a road trip across the West, but don’t be
 weird about American Indians or cops. “Do not miss and be certain to visit driving in
 a country that venerates it, but scrupulously respect the speed limits, the constabulary 
of the United States not kidding ... Remember that Indian reserves in the western
 United States are economic and human realities, not museums.

From Italy:
Tipping is fraught with misunderstanding. Q. Is it true that I have to "force" to tip at all? 
A. It is not mandatory to tip, however, it is strongly recommended, because in many cases
 it is the only entry of workers. Generally in a restaurant, in the cab, and in many places 
where there is a service gratuity is 15%. Since the bill that will take you specify the city
 tax of 8.875%, is sufficient to double that sum, without bothering to do the calculations. 
In the hotel you leave two dollars per day per person cleaning.  Obviously you do not leave 
tips in places like McDonald's or Starbucks.

From Australia:
You will probably get sucked into a political discussion. 
“Americans are REALLY opinionated. And they want to know what you 
think about the government, about politics, about current issues. 
A typical conversation  might go like this: ‘Hi I’m Matt. Nice to meet you.’
 ‘The name’s Bob. Where you from Matt?’ ‘Sydney, Australia.’
 ‘Oh I see. You’ve come a long way. So what’s your take on Obama care?"
I guess I fall into this category of being opinionated.  When I meet someone I ask as many
questions as I can get in.  Not to be nosy, but just because I enjoy chatting with others and 
knowing how others think.  Great way to get to know someone in my book!

The highest possible form of treason is to say that 
Americans aren’t loved wherever they go, whatever they do...

~Nadiya~

Feeling Good....

I feel good today.

Thank you all for taking the time to make me smile...

Had my procedure done yesterday.  Sadly the longest part was the waiting.  Once I actually 

got to the "room" I was given anesthesia, which burned like hell.  Tried to pull it off,

but got yelled by the doctor.  I yelled right back, but within seconds I must have

drifted off to sleepy land because the next thing I know I was trying to 

jump out of the bed.  The nurse freaked and said how come I woke 

up so early. I said, "I want to go home now."

I asked her how come all the other people in the recovery room were snoring so hard.

Made me suspicious that I was not given enough anesthesia, but all's good that ends

well.  The procedure took place, I felt nothing, had my apple juice and was

driven home by Arvid.  All I knew was I had a bad taste in my mouth.

In simple words, the doctor put a camera inside of me.  Went trough my mouth, to my

 stomach looking for abnormalities.  As of now they said none were grossly visible. Some 

 was sent out for a biopsy to rule out cancer.  Now to wait, but I'm cool with it.

The day before my little procedure I went to breakfast with Liliana.  As you can imagine,

we had a very entertaining time.  She met me at our place and we then walked to the beach. 

 She made me laugh the entire time.  Was a beautiful day and we had a blast.

That same evening we had dinner with some very good friends.  Made for a close to perfect

day.  Now today not sure what's happening, but for sure it will be entertaining. To all

of you, have a good day.  Remember that in live we cannot control everything.

Feeling good, do not even feel like I had tissue scraped from me cause I feel no pain.
 I appreciate all the kindness and thoughtfulness from all of you.  Thank you.
I'm good and back to "normal"  Now to wait for the results of the biopsy.

Happy Friday everyone and CHEERS to a good weekend!

 Again, thank you.  The greatest gift of life is friendship, and I have received it.

I enjoy life when things are happening. 
I don't care if it's good things or bad things. That means you're alive...

~Nadiya~

Something To Think About....

Someone once said that death is not the greatest loss in life.

The greatest loss is what dies inside of us while we are still alive...

To those who have lost their pets.  This in no way makes up for the loss.

As far as I am concerned nothing ever will and I know because I have also lost 5 fur babies. 

A very good friend of mine shared this with me.  Like me, and like the millions out 

there, she has also lost a fur baby.  Reading this made me sad.  Made me think of what life 

would be without Brutus and just the thought of it was enough to have me bawling like a baby.

They are supposed to be words of comfort in some ways, but right now all I feel is a huge 

emptiness and it brings back in full swing the losses I have had and not only of pets, 

but of people in my life I have loved and cared for.  Today I spent time wondering 

about what life would or could have been under different circumstances. 

 I would not change what Arvid, Brutus and I have for anything but still...

sometimes the mind wanders and the heart skips a beat.

Loss or no loss life continues.  We want to or not we are still alive and from experience I will

 tell you that you have choices that are entirely up to you.  You either give up, give in, or give it

 all you've got.  Never a quitter I fight back always, giving it my best shot.  Always.  No excuses.

You may lose the people you love, you may lose the things you have.

No matter what happens, NEVER LOSE YOURSELF....

~Nadiya~

This And That....

In the end we only regret the chances we did not take...

From little Brutus was fascinated by dental floss.
 To this day I cannot floss without him

trying to grab the floss from me.  Still makes me smile when I see this picture.

Good morning everyone.  Here in South Florida we are fortunate to be enjoying warm

 weather.  Sadly many are having terrible snow right now.  I am very concerned because 

my sisters have little kids who take the school bus and 

the roads are very slippery and dangerous.

The kids are loving the snow as are the doggies.  Even my sister does not seem to mind it too 

much.  Two of my sisters have lived in Florida and my parents also.  Every so often we 

ask them if they would choose to return and live here.  Sadly I always get the same 

answer, "NEVER."   The winter eventually gets to them, but still they 

would rather be where they are than come back to Florida.

I really wish they would, as Arvid says "it would be nice to have at least one of them here."
But all things considered, we are all happy where we are.  Another thing Arvid
and I agree on is that it's nice to have family around, but it is even better
when they do not live very close by.  Have seen what being too close
can do to some families and to good friendships.

Another busy day awaits us.  Arvid, well he is constantly on the move so nothing new
there.  Today I hope to go out again with Liliana.  Maybe another juicy topic
in store for us :) Hope so.   Maybe dinner out with good friends?

Well everyone here it is the start of a warm day.  Please stay warm everyone. Very
concerned for all of those today who are facing temperatures in the minus 2 digits.

Today's weather forecast, heavy showers with blessings.  Strong winds to blow
 your worries away, followed by warm hugs and kisses to put a smile on your face....

~Nadiya~

Have Seen Better Days....

You may have seen better days, but you have also seen worse. You might not have all 

your wants, but you do have all your needs. You woke up with a few aches and pains,

 but you woke up. Your life may not be perfect, but it is good. And more good

 things are coming down the road as long as you keep moving forward....

I'm not one to let much get me down especially when it comes to my health and well being.  Most times I let everything take its course and try not to stress over things I cannot control. When I found out I had thyroid cancer, initially I was stunned, but that wore off fast and all I wanted was to move on and to do whatever came next.  After that I knew that whatever happened I was going to deal with it.  That worked fine.  The cancer was eradicated and like I always said, I'm one of the lucky ones.

Other than the cancer, I have had a horrible cough going on now for over a year.  Doctors said I had allergies.  I was given different medicines.  Worked for a little, but the cough came back.  Said I have acid reflux.  Am taking medicine, but the cough is still there.  On a daily basis I cope and deal with it.  Some days the cough is so violent my entire body is just worn out.  Exhausted..

Not sure what happened yesterday. Nothing different.  Coughed on and off most of the day.  Nothing different than most of my days for the last year plus, but while I was having lunch I felt this horrendous pain right in the middle of my chest.  It was one of the most horrible pains I have ever experienced.  Arvid was ready to take me to the hospital, but I knew what it was.  Bad case of acid reflux.  Just felt like I was having a heart attack, but I knew I wasn't.  The pain lasted a good 3 hours intensely.  By 10 pm I was still experiencing some of the pain but noting like it was.

Don't know how it happened but all of a sudden I just felt like crying.  Yes for a moment I felt sorry for myself.  Here I was, never sick in my entire life and all of a sudden in a span of 1 year many things have changed.  The cough is the worst thing.  It never stops and it wrecks havoc on my entire body.   Sometimes a little self pity is OK as long as it does not go on forever.  A little crying is also good because it cleanses out the body and relieves stress.  Yesterday it helped me and now today I am back feeling optimistic.  Still coughing, but come Thursday I will be going for additional testing to figure out more about what's going on.

I don't have it as bad as many, and I know I should not complain.  Most times I don't but somehow yesterday was just a little more than I was able to handle.  Brutus somehow knew something was wrong because he never left my side and he who usually sleeps on Arvid's lap found his way on mine.  Freaked me out because they say that animals sense when something is wrong.

To all a good day.  They say that worrying does not empty tomorrow
of its troubles. It empties today of its strength.

You can't start the next chapter in your life 
if you keep re reading the last one...

~Nadiya~

Getting Older

Grow old with me, the best is yet to come...

That quote best describes my parents.  Seeing them together with all of us in NC made me 
realize even more than ever that not only are they getting older, but so are we.  Their
children and grandchildren as well are getting older.  Scary thought,
 but a reality we all deal with.

I have heard of many a great love stories, but I have seen and lived through the one of my
 parents.  Life was not easy when they were young, and with 5 daughters you bet it did not 
get any easier.  There were times we barely had enough to eat, but even then, we 
were  happy.  Happy  because our parents were always there to
 reassure us that everything was going to be all right.

Being together this Christmas was the best Christmas present ever.  It made me appreciate 
them even more if that were possible.  Never does a day go by that I am not grateful to them
 and for having them as parents.  As they get older so do we.  Everyday I count as a
privilege to be able to wake up and to to be able to pick up the phone and 
hear my parents' voice.  Mostly mom's since our dad is not one to talk 
much on the phone.  Even so at least twice a week I hear his voice.

As we grow older so do our parents.  A little mere kindness, a little more patience.
They don't ask for much these days.  It just makes them happy to see their children 
and grand-children.  I know this goes for all parents in the world.

Seeing my parents I realized that you can't help getting older, but you sure 
don't have to get old.  We love you both more than you know.

Don't regret getting older.
It's a privilege denied to many...

~Nadiya~

Sunday...

I never really make solid resolutions. I think if there's something one needs to 

change with oneself, it doesn't have to happen in the New Year...

2015. A fresh start. A new chapter in life waiting to be written. New questions to be asked,
 embraced, and loved. Answers to be discovered and then lived in this transformative
 year of delight and self-discovery. Today carve out a quiet interlude for 
yourself in which to dream, pen in hand. Only dreams give birth to change.

Wishing you all a very good day and that your 2015 so far has been memorable. We all have 
our resolutions.  Yesterday as I was talking to my girl friend I asked what was hers. She 
said she really wished for the same as most.  Peace, health and better world, but then 
she said,"Nadiya you know those are always the same things every year.

This year though something different happened,  Of course I asked what, she looks at me with
 this big smile and said, "my ex said I was a fat lazy cow."  Well I was not sure what to
 say and what exactly she meant so I just waited her out.  Finally I asked what she
 meant.  She said that this was the best thing he could have said because now
 she was going to prove how wrong he is.  Yes, her new New Year's resolution
 is to prove him wrong.  Whatever works for someone is all that matters.

  I would have thought she would have been upset, but she was all smiles.  Made me smile
 also, and of course we had some laughs talking about her ex and about other stuff. 
 Like I always said "the girl is a riot and just knows knows to make one laugh,"

Happy Sunday everyone.

Don’t make empty resolutions about this or that external little thing – make one huge 
resolution to give yourself to yourself. Then everything else will quite effortlessly fall into place...

~Nadiya~

Here Is To 2015...

2015, this year should be better...

So far 2015 is going good.  We have had quite a lot of rain of January 1st.  Arvid said, "what
 a terrible start of the year."  I said if you look at it the other way you might think that all of 

the "not so good" of 20114 was being washed away to give us afresh start.  Many 

ways to interpret things.  I choose to see it in a good light. Rain or
no rain we still had fun and we managed to do many things.

Usually on New Year's Eve Arvid and I never really go out.  We choose to stay home with
Brutus and make sure he does not get really scare with the sounds of all the fireworks
going off.  This year of course we made plans to go see the ball drop, but the
rain washed away that thought.  Yes it started raining on New Year's Eve.

Arvid and I did our first shopping on New Years day, and it was at his insistence.  He wanted
 to go to Sawgrass Mills and and check out the sales.  Truth is we found what we
 were looking for right away. I have taught him well and he know what he
should by and that's exactly where we went and what we did.

After being worn out by shopping both him and I we just relaxed in The Rainforest Cafe.
Always nice to have a little nibble and something to drink.  Then we did what we
liked best, we people watched.  Lots to see when one is sitting.  Lots of fun!

Hope your 2015 also started out on a good note and that from this day on it
only gets better.  Another year and as they say 365 days to get it right.
Well 2 of those is already done so hope it's been good so far.

2014 has ended.  A new year now begins, bringing with it new hope,
 aspirations, resolutions and excitement.  Bring it on!!!!

May the New Year bring you courage to break your resolutions early!
 My own plan is to swear off every kind of virtue, so that I triumph even when I fall...

~Nadiya~