Days Like This...

You can't let one bad moment spoil a bunch of 

good ones....

These last few days I have not really been at my best.  There have been days

that even I would say that I have been difficult and almost impossible

to talk to.  If I were Arvid, I would probably not have spoken to me.

Being Arvid he just let me have those days and tried to always do something to make 

me laugh.  He even went to the bakery and bought me a few chocolate 

truffles just so I could smile and be happy.  

He knows I love chocolate.

All good now.  I guess I have been worried about Brutus and also

about my sisters doggie in addition to this being our last

summer in Chicago.  Many things going on all at the 

same time.  There are days I want to leave right away

an then I want to wait it out.  Arvid looks at me and says,

"You are my cat from hell" and I love him.  

Sometimes even I forget that some days are just going to be a struggle,

 deal with it and move on forward.

Last night as the fireworks were going on he came to bed 

with Brutus and just stayed there talking to him until it 

was over. I look at him and I fall in love again.

Sunday as usual we go out for lunch.  Hopefully the day will be 

beautiful and we can go to one of our favorite outdoors places.

A few calls to family, Arvid making his
hot chocolate breakfast special, and it's a start of a good day.

To all have a good day and remember,

if you wait for the perfect conditions,  you will never get anything done.

A good life is a collection of happy moments...

~Nadiya~

The Blackhawks Parade...

Winners are not people who never fail,

but people who never quit...

What a day!   Most of the week was sort of dreary, but yesterday it seems 

like everything was working in favor for the Blackhawks and their big day.

The skies were blue and the streets were buzzing with people.  

Every person had on some kind of Blackhawk gear on them.

Arvid of course did not go.  He said, "I don't think I want to stand in the street just to 

see a bus pass with a bunch of people"  Well I went on my own and I sure had a great

time.  The crowd was ALIVE!!  All you saw was red!

People in Chicago really seem to like their Blackhawks. 

No official crowd estimates have come in just yet,

 but judging by the scene downtown in Chicago this Friday, 

it's safe to say at least a few million people turned out

 for the 2013 Stanley Cup parade honoring the 'Hawks.  

This accordingto a news report.  It has been reported that close to two million

showed up in 2010 to celebrate their Stanley Cup win!  Me I was just having a blast.

After the parade I decide to go to Macy's.  Always time for a new bathing suit.

It was difficult to choose one so, it made more sense to get all three :)

After that is was a little stop at Starbucks while I waited for Arvid.

Did not have to wait long.  Both he and I are extremely punctual.

Once Arvid arrived we went to one of our favorite spots.  Buddy Guy's Legend's.  Together with

other Blackhawks fans the celebration began.  Good food, good music

and just a good time....

Wishing you all good times always.

Let the good times roll..

~Nadiya~

Friday...

Three simple rules.

If you do not go after what you want you will never have it.

If you do not ask, the answer will always be no.

If you do not step forward, you will always be in the same place.

Finally the weekend begins!
Let's now go find us a beautiful place to get lost in :)

For some it may have already begun.  The day is looking good.

The Blackhawks will make their way downtown and we hope to catch some of the parade.

The last time they won the Stanley Cup (2010) the crowd was

expected to be approximately in the few hundred of thousands. 

 Turns out it was closer to two million people.

Already I can hear the wheels spinning in Arvid's head.

He is not one for crowds and there is already precautions taken by
the city so that what happened in Boston does not happen again.

As far as Arvid goes, his precaution would be that we
watch the parade from our balcony.  Safe, but I want an
upfront and personal feeling to this event.  Will see.

Well whatever the day holds, I know we are going to have a 

good time.  We have already started, so why stop now?
Come on let's do it!!!

Wishing you all a good day as well...

Make today ridiculously amazing...

~Nadiya~

One Of Those days...

Today I'm having one of those days where I really am not up to much.

To start with I did not want to get out of bed.

Were it not for Brutus begging for one of us to wake 

up with him I most likely would have slept in.

I sure can't resist this little face.  Morning routines taken care of, 

but I still don't feel like doing much right now. I 

guess we all have days like this.

Not the end of the world and as the day progresses and the sun 

begins to shine I believe that my mood will also begin to perk up...

Silence says a lot more than you think...

~Nadiya~

Useful Summertime Tips...

The tans will fade, but the memories will last forever. 

 Summertime...

As summer makes it way, we can all use a little extra protection for our skin against the sometimes very sharp and blistering sun.  I know that I am one who really needs to add a little extra protection to my skin, living in the Sunshine State though always warm and beautiful can also be premature aging for the skin. 

I just read an article that tells about a few different products with the best SPF for your skin and thought that this might be the right time to share with all of you as well.

As we know, gone are the days of carefree sun exposure where one would just lay and bask in the sun for hours on end.  Have to say I have never been one to do so, not in my youth not now.  Arvid used to lay out for hours in the sun, now he even is much more careful and most times it is only in the shade.

According to the author of this article,
Jill Seiman as summer approaches, it's crucial to put together a sun safety plan 
regardless of your age, gender, ethnicity or skin type. 
The American Cancer Society recently revealed that the number
 of diagnosed skin cancer cases have been increasing significantl
y in recent years-more than 3.5 million skin cancers are diagnosed annually. 



The Dermablend glides on easily and evenly to camouflage imperfections
 for long-lasting, flawless results. Ideal for use on uneven skin tone, scarring, 
freckles, bruises, burn scars, spots, birthmarks, age spots, and more.
 It is suitable for all skin tones and types.  

Mineral Concealer SPF 25
 and blush adds coverage to those areas where you need
 a little more help covering up imperfections and dark circles. 
Its light and gentle formula is enriched with vitamins and minerals
 that nurture your skin and make it safe for sensitive and delicate skin.

Wherever you go, whatever you do,

no matter what

always bring your own sunshine...

  

~Nadiya~

Blackhawks WIN!!

If you plan to win as I do.

the game never ends.

Chicago ain't no sissy town...

Yes we are Florida Panthers fans, but when in Chicago I am all for the Blackhawks and
if you saw the game last night you will also say..
GO HAWKS!!

 Can't wait for the weekend and hopefully catch some of the festivities going on.

We have been very fortunate to be in Chicago for two of their winnings, 2010 and now 2013!

Being our last year in Chicago, could not ask for anything better than
enjoying with the city the Blackhawks win!

Once you win the Cup once, you feel like it's yours. You don't want to give it up

~Nadiya~ 

Tuesday...

The secret is keeping busy, and loving what you do.
 In life, all good things come hard, but wisdom is the hardest to come by...

Wishing everyone a good day and hope that is is better than yesterday.

Quiet day yesterday here in Chicago.  Still iffy weather,

but we made the most of it and we keep busy.  Giving Brutus his medicine

was a bit easier as I was able to do it alone and without much fighting

from him.  Of course we had to do a little hot tubbing to make the day better.

Now that we have soon sold our apartment here in Chicago, I am already

looking forward to going back home to Florida.  Don't get me wrong,

I love this city, but right now we need to be close to a vet and close to a doctor 

for Arvid. Does not help either that so far we have not had any decent weather.

Even so, Arvid and I sure are making the most of our days here.  The weekend 

was great, we revisited a few of our favorite spots and look forward to doing 

more of the same before our time here is up.   As a special treat Arvid
was filmed at the Blues Festival.  Here is the link
"Arvid The International Blues Fan"

 One of the things I learned the hard way was that it doesn't pay to get discouraged.

Keeping busy and making optimism a way of life can restore your faith in yourself...

~Nadiya~                    

Medicine Time...

I only worry so much because I care for you.

Difficult does not mean impossible, it simply means you have to work hard...

For the next three months Brutus has to be give medication orally.
  For those of you who have a cat or a difficult pet,
you will know that this is close to being impossible.

We started his treatment on Saturday.  This is Brutus all wrapped tightly in a towel.

Arvid holding him down and then I am the one who dispenses two syringes

 with medicines into him.  Yeah, did I mention he has to take two different 

antibiotics?  Not a happy moment, not for him not for us.  Yesterday Arvid ended 

up getting one of his fingers scraped.  Looked a little worse than
it actually was.  Lots of blood.

A few hours after we gave Brutus his medicines Arvid says to me, 

"you know I don't want Brutus to be mad at me.  

We have a really good bond and I do not want him to view

me as the enemy".  Conclusion: I will give Brutus his 

medicines alone.  This is actually OK with me because I think
I can manage better.  Use my body weight to hold him down then
squirt the medication in.  Let's hope it works good!

Arvid will prepare the dosage so in this way

as Arvid puts it, at least Brutus will not hate both of us.

Makes sense.  I think this got Arvid very concerned that Brutus will
no longer like him and as Arvid says, "Brutus may no longer want me as his Guardian".

What can I say the man has a big heart and Brutus and I are
the recipient of it.  Yes, we LOVE you also!

Wishing you all a good start of the work week!

Everyone needs someone to make them feel that tomorrow is not just another day...

~Nadiiya~

YES!

Yes, I know I can't sing. Yes, I'm going to keep singing anyway.

You don't have to be great to start, but you have to start to be great...

We all know people who will always try to tell us we can't do this or we can't do that.

We have the choice of either agreeing with them and take the easy way out or we can look the straight in the eyes and say, "watch me"

I would like to think of myself as one of those who does not listen to what the

crowd has to say.  I follow no one but myself.  Many times I have been wrong, but

in the process I have learnt that I am strong and that no matter what,

I will survive.  Maybe I could have listened along the way, but stubbornness is something 

I have in excess.  Not saying it's always good, but it has also 

showed me the way through many a difficult times.

Being with Arvid is the perfect fit because together we always prove that no 

matter what we can do it, and if we can't we will always give it our 

best shot.  So next time someone tells you you can't,

just prove them wrong...

Yes I can, and yes I will.  Watch me.

Never throw in the towel.  Use it to wipe off the sweat.

Then keep on going....

~Nadiya~

Fun Days...

Some of the best times is travelling around the world

with the one you love...

Here in Chicago the last thing one needs is a car in the city.  We of course do not own one here, but every so often it is nice to rent one and just go places.  Today is one of those days and exploring we will go, so much to see in this city.  Maybe the zoo would be nice :)
Last year as shown we checked cars.  This year maybe more of the other areas can be fun.

Both Arvid and I get so excited just by the thought of driving.  That is something after a few weeks we miss.  Just jumping in the car and going wherever we like.  So far the urge is not that great, but Arvid saw a few things that caught his attention so now we must go and look.  At the same time we also take the opportunity to stock up on some of the heavier items we may need. 

 Litter for Brutus being one of those.

The weather here has been very iffy.  One day it's sunny, next day it is thunder, dark skies, fog.  Strange.  Yesterday was a stormy day.  Just the right kind of day to relax and enjoy the hot tub.

Earlier in the day I was at Macy's, my favorite store in Chicago.  It is after all 12 floors, so  

I only managed to visit one level.  On my way home there were several Mobile Blackhawks Stores.

Yeah, a van selling Blackhawk gear.  I have been looking for 

the right tee-shirt and what do yo know, I found it right there!

  There was also the mobile van offering Spa's for pets.  Maybe it's time

for Brutus to have a pet spa day soon.  Not sure how he would handle that one.

Well time to start our day on the road.  Today Brutus also begins his treatment.  Hopefully in three to four months he will be better.  Another good reason to rent a car.  We can now go pick up his medication.

Wishing you all a good Saturday...

When you stop doing things for fun you might as well be dead...

~Nadiya~

Selling, Selling, Sold...

It's time to move on...

I am OK with it, but then I am not.  Selling our apartment in Chicago that is.

We talked about it, we decided on it and we did it.  It is the 

right decision, but does not mean I don't feel a little sad. 

Arvid and I have made moving part of our lives.

We have lived in so many places, I have lost count.

Moving from Las Olas was easy, though a beautiful apartment

I was not really attached to it.  I felt for Brutus mainly.  He loved his view there.

We had (still have) as second home in the Bahamas.  We were going there almost every month.

It was the perfect getaway until it became a little

too much for Brutus to handle.  As far as I am concerned

once Brutus is unhappy it's time to move.  We still love 

the island and still visit on a yearly basis.

Through the years we have learned that it sure is great to have a second home, at the same 

time we came to realize that it becomes expensive to maintain, difficult to use

it as much as we want and what was one day a pleasure was soon becoming a responsibility.

Chicago

Chicago is one of the most beautiful cites I have lived in.

Already planning when to leave and what to take.

The good thing is we have at least until August

to enjoy Chicago.  You will be seeing many posts

regarding this topic, for you see both Arvid and I

love this city, but we also know we made the right decision.

Arvid realizes that this is a little sad for me.
He asked me if I would like to take a trip
to Mexico, where we also have another place, but I said not
this time.  So instead we will take a trip to my parents'
where my sister and kids will also be...

Moving on, it's soon to be a chapter in the past,

but don't close the door

just turn the page....

~Nadiya~

Being Arvid...

Apparently we love our own cell phones but we hate everyone else's...

Earlier in the week I went to AT&T and the Apple Store to get a few accessories for my phone and other gadgets.  I love gadgets and for me it is always a fun time.  I love to check out the new products and to see what kind of upgrades I am entitled to.  Fun! 

This day was no exception.  I got what I needed and some stuff I did not.  As I was waiting around another salesperson came and asked me if I needed anything.  I looked at him and said, "what can you give me for free"?  I mean almost every time I go to the store there is some sort of promotion and I always end up with a free something.  Unfortunately, not this time.

Not wanting to leave I continue to browse around.  Now I am asking about upgrades for Arvid.  Anyone who knows him knows he has one of the oldest models of a phone.  Truth is, he is very happy with it and anytime the subject of changing his comes along he just says, "why?  I like my phone and unlike your phone, I can actually make a call on mine".  Arvid claims my IPhone is good not nothing.

I got some pretty good deals on phones for Arvid, unfortunately he specifically told me NOT TO BUY him any!!  said he did not want nor need a new phone that his worked just fine.  Left the store, but in the back of my head I was already wondering how to get Arvid to upgrade.  I knew it would not be a Smart Phone.  He refuses to even think about it.

Once home I showed him my purchases. Was not really that interested anyway.  I brought up the subject of a new phone.  Nope!  Not for him he said.  Yesterday, I brought it up again and told him that he could actually have his same phone, but a newer version.  His "old" phone is 6 years old.

He said that as long as he does not have text, email or any of that "nonsense" he would consider it. 

After a lot of convincing we went to the store.  One would think he was being forced into something very unpleasant by the way he was reacting to having a new phone.

Long story short, we got the "new" phone but as we left he continued grumbling saying he does not know why he did it because his phone worked just well.

See Arvid hardly turns on his cell phone.  Arvid hates when he receives a text.

He never reads it, deletes it and get annoyed at whomever sent it.

He says all he needs a phone for it to make calls and nothing else.
Arvid is Arvid.  Definitely does not embrace change.
As I said to him many a times rmember
life is trying things, new things
and seeing if they work..

Change is never easy

you fight to hold on

you fight to let go...

~Nadiya~

Always About The Weather...

You know what they say about Chicago. 

If you don't like the weather, wait fifteen minutes....

One thing about Chicago, you can never predict what the weather will be from minute to minute.

For instance, yesterday we had beautiful sunny 84 degrees.  was the perfect summer to be here.

When I woke up yesterday morning you could hardly see anything outside.

The fog was so thick that everything was just white, also it was 

pretty chilly at barely 56 degrees.  At 2:34 it has not really warmed up that

much but the skies are now blue as can be and it looks beautiful again.

Unfortunately, it is going to get cold again tonight.

According to the forecast for the rest of the week, 

the weather sure is going to be fluctuating quite a bit.  

As both Arvid and I commented, when we live in Florida we never 

pay attention to what the weather will be.  We know it will always be sunny 

and hot.  Here in Chicago, you never know what to expect.

Have a good day all and as Arvid just said,
"it's going to be a beautiful day"
The warm up is coming (hopefully)!!

I think that’s how Chicago got started. 

A bunch of people in New York said, 

‘Gee, I’m enjoying the crime and the poverty,

 but it just isn’t cold enough. Let’s go west...

~Nadiya~