Thursday April 24th~

 The beauty of a journey lies not in reaching 

the destination, but in the wisdom gained

 from every twist and turn along the way...

Sniff and Arvid both had a good day.  So did I.  

Sniff enjoyed a little extra me time 🎉and even

 more loving.  Sniff makes me so very happy.

Arvid and I went to Fort Myers Beach.  

I told him he could have anything he wanted😂

I took Arvid to a place called Junkanoo Below Deck. 

 He chose the place. The menu had a wide range 

of options.  Something for everyone's palate.

Though there were many things to choose from the 

menu, both Arvid and I opted for some peel and eat 

shrimp, the Junkanoo garlic bread, which was absolutely 

delicious, and for the main course pizza.  By the time 

we finished the appetizers, we had no room for pizza.

It was another beautiful day.  Arvid and I sat out in the 

shade enjoying each others company, good food, drinks 

and best of all we just relaxed for several hours.  Yesterday

we didn't rush anything.  We took our time, and as Arvid 

said, "Junkanoo is now a favorite spot."  We have so many.

 

I love going to Fort Myers Beach.  Everytime we 

go there is something new popping up, being rebuilt. 

Hurricane Ian destroyed it, but it's coming back.  

After we were done at the beach Arvid was in the

 mood to continue his birthday celebration.  Of course

 we ended up going downtown.  We love it there.

To all a very good day.  Still enjoying the glow of yesterday.

One's destination is never a place but

 rather a new way of looking at things...

~Nadiya~

April 23rd~ Birthday Boys

Our journey isn't perfect but it's ours.

I'll stick with you till the end.  The best part of

 life's journey is who you get to share it with...

 Today we celebrate Arvid's and Sniff's birthday.

  Sniff turns 10 years today.  We have had him for

 nine of those and we look forward to so many

 more.  Arvid turns a few more than that.

Life with Arvid and Sniff is everything I can hope for.  

Together the three of us have found our little happy place, 

and home is whichever place the three of us are.

Today I would like to take Arvid out to Fort Myers Beach 

for lunch.  He actually found the place, and we're both 

looking forward to trying something new.  Initially 

the plan was to go back to St. Pete and spend the day 

there, but then he found this place on the beach.  

Wishing everyone a happy day.  Most of all, 

enjoy every moment of the journey, and appreciate

 where you are at this moment instead of always 

focusing on how far you have to go 💚

Love is a journey that never ends...

~Nadiya~

Tuesday April 22nd~

Life happens wherever you are whether you make it or not...

 Florida will never get you bored.  There is always 

something that keeps you smiling or shaking your head, 

depending on how you view things.  I see everything 

on a lighter side and hardly take offense on much.

Yesterday was a long day for me. I was worn

 out and hurt quite a bit.  Not happy about that.

 Not like I did that much. I did drive to a doctors 

appointment, and then some grocery shopping.  

Arvid drove me to the grocery store, but I guess 

walking around was a bit too much.  Then standing and 

cooking didn’t help.  But today should be a better day. 

Arvid was out on the balcony in the late afternoon

 and he saw two more dolphins.  I didn’t see them.  

Taking it easy today, while Arvid runs around. 

 I need my knee to get better 🙏  To all a very good day. 

Life happens, and I write about it wherever I am...

~Nadiya~

Monday April 21st~

Rise up, start fresh, and see the

 bright opportunity in each new day...

 As the new week begins, I continue to take it 

easy on the knee doing only so much.  I'm already 

getting restless, but I promised myself to be

 patient because I want to be better again.

Sniff does not need anyone telling him to take it

 easy.  It comes naturally, and of course he's making

 the most of it. There's no rushing him for anything.

Even though I can't walk far distances 

for now, we did have our Sunday outing.

  Arvid drove me to and from the door. 

We had a great outing.  Great food and drinks, 

but best of all is that we saw a dolphin swim 

right up by us.  Made the day even better.

Being born under the British rule, we celebrated Easter 

Monday.  It was a holiday.  As a child growing up in Guyana,

 South America life was different.  Life was simple.  That 

being said, I would NEVER change being an American 

citizen and living in the USA.  Living my best life.

Wishing all a great week ahead.  For many happy

 Easter Monday and continue enjoying Holy Week.

Every morning brings new potential, but it's what

 we do with it that makes a difference. Good morning...

~Nadiya~

Easter Sunday April 20th~

The great gift of Easter is hope...

Growing up as kids in Puerto Rico we did not

 really go to church, but that didn't stop my dad and 

mom from teaching us about the meaning of holy

 week among other religious celebrations. 

 We would all gather around the TV and watch our 

favorite Easter movie, The Ten Commandments. 

 To this day one of my favorite movies.  

Just yesterday my mom said she and my dad 

spent the day watching The Passion of Christ and the 

Ten Commandments among others.  Of course now

 I have to watch the Ten Commandments again.  

May you find a little extra peace and hope 

during this time. You do not have to go to church

 to be a good human being.  Happy Easter to all.

Just when the caterpillar thought the 

world was over it became a butterfly...

~Nadiya~

Saturday April 19th~

It takes half your life before you 

discover life is a do-it-yourself project...

 Not much happened yesterday. Arvid drove me to 

collect my eyeglasses and then he washed the car.  I made 

lunch and we both did some of the dishes.  That's the norm. 

 Arvid had a soccer game so he was very happy.

The highlight of our day was seeing 4-5 dolphins

 swimming right below us in the river.  We have seen

 them before, but never more than two at a time.  We 

both loved seeing them.  They are too fast and getting

 a picture was not possible.  I did get the bubbles in the 

water from three of them.  The best I managed to do.

Yesterday someone posted this huge iguana in someone's

 backyard.  Ahh living in Florida never a dull moment.

Everyday I am becoming the best version of myself...

~Nadiya~

Friday April 18th~

Life is a matter of choices, and 

every choice you make makes you...

 Yesterday Arvid drove me to the orthopedic office 

for my physical therapy. Really it was mostly talking 

and showing me different exercises to do at home. 

 I told the therapist I would not come for more sessions.  He 

said he didn’t think that was a good idea, but it was my choice.

  We practiced a few exercises in his office and I was told that I 

should not do long walks for about 6 weeks. I can walk 10 

minutes 3 times a day but if I hurt I should slow down.  

Same with all the exercises he gave me on a printout.

I think I overdid it yesterday. I cooked. I did laundry. 

I folded laundry and then I got very tired.  I rested 

a bit and was good as new.  Whatever that means.

Now Arvid wants to drive me everywhere I need to go.  I 

don’t know how that will pan out. I told him I can drive myself

 but the truth is it’s painful getting in the car imagine using 

the right leg for the brakes and accelerator  all the time.

I am super independent. Sometimes to a fault and I 

find it very hard to ask for help or for anything for that 

matter. Not going to be easy, but I can do this 🤣

Friday begins beautifully.   There is a little coolness

 in the morning air, but the temperature will be 

soaring the next few days.  Hot! Hot! Hot!

To all a very good day.  It's Friday again.  No downtown for us today.

You may not control all the events that happen to you, 

but you can decide not to be reduced by them...

~Nadiya~

Thursday April 17th~

I am happy because I’m grateful. I choose to 

be grateful. That gratitude allows me to be happy...

 For some reason I thought yesterday was Thursday. 

 I guess I was a little confused 😕  Anyway yesterday I had

 knee surgery to repair a torn meniscus.  My only question 

is, "what will my next surgery be, and which body part will 

be involved?"  Interesting minds, as in mine wanna know.

I had to be at the surgery center by 6:15 am.

  As Arvid said, "this is in the middle of the night." 

 He's NOT a morning person.  But he said that he 

will come right back and jump into bed. 

 Yes, he took me and would have just dropped me

 off at the door an leave, but unfortunately for him, we go

t there a little too early so he waited with me for at least

 minutes until someone came out for me.  I didn't even

 get to the door, and he had already disappeared.

 Back home I still made lunch for us.  Made spaghetti 

and meat sauce for Arvid with a salad.  I was told to have

 soup/bland food, so I made something comparable.  Sweet 

potato fries in the air fryer and had some leftover chicken 

I had made the day before.  Then I rested some more.

All of us with pets know they dislike strange smells,

 for sure hospital smells.  Sniff of course is no exception. 

 I gave him food.  I put gloves on so the smell would not 

affect him.  He refused to eat.  I gave him new food after

 washing my hands even more.  Wore new gloves.  He refused

 to eat.  I brought the food on the bed for him.  No luck. 

I then told Arvid to do his magic.  Arvid went and sat 

with Sniff, talked to him and got him to eat.  Arvid had to

 run his hands around the rim of Sniff's bowl.  Same thing this

 morning he won't eat the food I gave him.  Had to dump it.  

Will have to wait until Arvid get up to give him fresh foodies.

Not doing much today other than elevating, icing the

 knee and being bored.  Though it's Thursday I told Arvid to 

go and have something to eat on his own.  I don't feel like it. 

 Plus I already made me something for my lunch.  

Not soup as I was told to do for two days.  I made chicken 

curry in a coconut sauce. No one ever said to me that I

 can't eat what I like.  I remember having a root canal 

and in 5 hours on that same day eating fried chicken.

  I was also told to eat bland food.  I survived.

A good day to all.  I have physical therapy today.  I was told 

I had to do five sessions.  I will tell them I will only do one.  Today

only, and no more.  A good day to all, and I am always grateful.

Joy is the simplest form of gratitude,connecting

 happiness with acknowledging blessings...

 

~Nadiya~

Remember, It's Going To Be A Good Day ~Wednesday April 16~

You can't start the next chapter, 

if you keep re-reading the last one...

Sometimes for whatever reason, we just feel like quitting
and giving up. You are not alone in feeling this way.  It happens
to all of us. I was just talking to my girlfriend and for a moment
while I listened to her, I realize again that what I thought
was a bad time is actually just something in passing.

Someone said, it is during our darkest 
moments that we must focus to see the light. 

Something for all of us to think about.  

It is very easy to give advise when you are not

the one walking in that person's footsteps.  The best thing is 

to let them know you care and that you are always here for them.

Sometimes you just have to find a place inside where there's joy, 

and the joy will burn out the pain.  At least you hope it will.

Our Brutus was a little fighter.  He fought until 

his little body could not take it anymore.  How I miss 

this little kitty of mine.  Sniff does make me happy.

The minute you think of giving up

think of the reason why you held on so long...

~Nadiya~

Tuesday April 15th~

May your day be filled with moments that make you smile...

 Yesterday was a fairly quiet day spent at home.
 I did have a few chores too, but after that I just 

took it easy.  For a change, Arvid was also “still” no

 running around and no complaining of being bored. 

Strangely he did not climb the twelve set of stairs,

 it is what he does when we don't go walking.

Since the weather has been a bit cooler, Arvid has 

been out on the balcony several times during the day.  He 

also had a soccer game so overall he was kept busy.  

The heat is coming back with a vengeance.

I am really tired of hurting and I hope one day 

I will be able to walk like I did before.  Freely

 and without pain.  Sniff of course slept a lot. 

Yesterday did a lot of laundry and of course I

 spread out the warm sheets so that he could lay

 on them. He never got up. Not even for lunch,

 and he hates to miss lunch. Sniff is still on the 

clean laundry.  They are mostly his after all.

I’m still coughing. So much so that my throat 

is raw and painful.  Hoping that soon that will be

 better as well.  Been spitting up a bit blood but 

as of this minute, I have not coughed that much.

Not much planned today. A trip to Trader Joe’s 

to get bread for Arvid and maybe a stop at the mall

 since it’s on the way.  Going to check out their

 sunglasses. I love sunglasses. I don’t need any, 

but I do have huge weakness for them 🕶

Another beautiful and cooler start of the day. To

all a very good one and remember, big smile

 and laugh often.  Makes the day/life better.

Happiness is when what you think, what 

you say, and what you do are in harmony...

~Nadiya~

Monday April 14th~

Success is to wake up each morning and consciously 

decide that today will be the best day of your life...

 Monday here again.  Neither Sniff nor I are ready for it.

  My knee has been really painful this last week.  Even 

more so than normal. I limp all the time now.

I feel tired, but Arvid does not "allow" for anyone to be 

less than 100%, at least that's how I feel at times.  I think 

he views it as a weakness.  On the other hand, let him get 

the flu.  I just feel as if I always have to be at 100% good at

 all times.  It's exhausting to act as if I don't hurt at times.

Last week I went to see my orthopedic surgeon. Hopefully soon 

I may have some relief.  Looking forward so much to that.  We take 

for granted so many things.  I always took for granted that I would

 always be able to walk.  Boy was I wrong.  I can walk, but it sure

 hurts right now.  Who knew a torn meniscus could be this painful?

As the new week begins, I plan to take it easy the 

next couple of days. Hope it's a good week for all and

 that you accomplish many of the goals you have set.

Yesterday we had a good outing with a great view.

When the week begins, think of how you will end it...

~Nadiya~