Wednesday May 27th~

Find magic in the little things, and the big 

things you always expected will start to show up...

 Yesterday as we were having breakfast Charley

 was roaming around.  I went to the deck, called

 her and she ran towards me.  Of course I had to stop

 eating, find her some foodies and off I went.  Arvid

 of course is always saying, "you have to stop this 

nonsense."  I of course ignore him.  Happy life.

Yesterday we also facetimed with our granddaughters

 and Michelle in Norway.  As always it was a very good

 time.  Did not get to see the two big girls, but Amelia

 always makes up for it with her smiles and laughter.

  I will never cease to get emotional when I hear 

them call me grandma.  I makes my heart full.

Yesterday it rained on and off.  Seems as if the

 birds love the rain because it didn’t stop them from 

showing up.  I love seeing them. All day long. There is

 also a baby squirrel that comes to eat just about all day

 long as well. I give him extra peanuts he's very tiny.

I treated myself to a mani-pedi yesterday. I had 

a good time getting pampered.  We both did.

Sniff and I are awake very early.  Soon the

 birdies will show up and our morning will just

 get better.  Arvid still has a few hours of sleep

 to catch up with. To all a very good day.  As

 they say, "joy comes in sips, not gulps."

It's the little things in life that matter most,

 and the memories they create are the best part...

~Nadiya~

Tuesday May 26~

In life, all good things come hard, but

 wisdom is the hardest to come by...

Both Arvid and I were very tired yesterday.

 I guess we’re not used to bar hopping like we

 did before. Getting older is kicking our butts, 

but today we are back on track.  I feel rested and

 ready for whatever the day throws at us.the day.

As I mentioned before that we had a very good

 time in St Louis.  That evening we went to see 

Marquise Knox.  A very good blues musician. 

 Arvid and I have seen him a few times before. 

The first time was also in St Louis at BB Kings 

club. Marquise was not of legal age to drink at 

the time. He was barely 19, but still good.

  We chatted with him and he tried to get

 Arvid to buy him alcohol.  It was an interesting 

evening.  We also saw him at a Blues festival in 

New York many years ago.  He mainly plays

 in St.Louis when not touring Europe. 

 He had just finished a European tour.

The venue in St. Louis is called The Oyster Bar. 

A little hole in the wall as many would describe it.  

It packed and from what everyone told us it is

 the place for music.  They did not lie. Like us, 

people of all ages were enjoying the music.

 We had a great time. I even enjoyed crawfish.

 Seems like it was crawfish season. We were seated 

next to two girls. One of them was as entertaining

 as Marquise Knox  I laughed so much that night. 

I do hope we go back to St Louis one more time

 before our summer in Branson is over. 

Back home in Florida farmers really need your support; 

as I'm sure so does many in other states.  Due to all the 

freezing weather we have had in Florida the agricultural 

sector has faced a terribly devastating financial crisis.

Here at home all is good.  Feels so good to be home. 

 Snidd is watching the birds and squirrels.  Arvid still

 sleeping.  It's a beautiful morning here in Branson, MO

Never let success go to your head, 

never let failure get to your heart...

~Nadiya~

Monday May 25th~

In the End, we will remember not the words

 of our enemies, but the silence of our friends...

 Memorial day weekend continues.  Hope everyone 

so far is having a safe one and a good one.  While we 

enjoy time with family, BBQ's and friends, may we 

not forget the men and women who made this possible. 

They who have sacrificed themselves for our freedom

 This nation will remain the land of the free only 

so long as it is the home of the brave.

The week begins with all my little friends

 showing up.  Was so happy to be able to feed

 Charly.  Yes she has a home, but still.  I see Daisy

 and Fatboy everyday, the male and female cardinals,

 but they are super alert and disappear before I can 

get a picture.  Just happy everyone is coming around. 

 They keep Sniff, Arvid and I very entertained.

Yesterday turned out to be a pretty good day.  We

 had our usual outing and since we had good weather

 we chose to go to The Landing.  Outdoor dining 

with a view. The best. Food was also very good.

After that we we came home for a little 

then decided to go and listen to some music. 

 I found a venue that was playing Reggae.  

Of course it was where we headed.  The place 

is called Lake Vibez, originally known as Area 71. 

 It is your destination gas station for good food, 

good drinks, and great Branson entertainment.

The evening was still young so we came home.  

Parked the car and walked over to Star Bar.  We sure

made the right decision. They also had live music, but 

when we got there is was almost done.  That was 

all right because it was a bit on the quieter side 

which allowed us to chat with everyone.

  A few of our friends were there.  The owners

 were also there.  Jeff, the owner kept piling us

 with snacks and food.  It was all delicious but it 

was also almost midnight so eating at that hour

 was not the best.  It did not stop us.  Arvid loved the

 pork rinds.  They were freshly made.  We also had 

way too many chicken wings. They were delicious.

Did I forget to mention that the drinks are 

always amazing.  Matt the bartender made

 me what's called a flaming Mai Tai.  Boy was

 it delicious.  I have to admit, they all were.

While we were there many more showed up. 

 Four young men came in at once and since there was 

so many wings left, it was offered to them.  As Arvid said,

 "when you're young you can eat."  They ate and enjoyed 

the wings and drinks.  Was a very good evening.

The new week begins quietly, but there are 

a few things in the works.  I know it will soon 

get busy.  Wishing everyone a good day.  Many

 have the day off.  Be safe and let us not forget 

the men and women who gave their lives for us.

Americans play to win all of the time. I wouldn't give

 a hoot in hell for a man who lost and laughed. That's

 why Americans have never lost nor will ever lose a war;

 for the very idea of losing is hateful to an American...

~Nadiya~

Sunday May 24th~

Sunday clears away the rust of the whole week...

 Arvid and I made it back home safely to Sniff. 

We were both tired but as always very happy 

to be home.  As I opened the door, Sniff was 

there waiting for us; meowing non-stop.  I 

sure missed him.  He is after all my baby.

We had a very good road trip.  Our first night

 we arrived at a place called Anderson in Indiana. 

We’ve never been there before and hopefully never 

going back. Driving that first day was eight hours. 

We took turns driving. I usually start the drive.

By the time we got to Anderson we were

 tired.  A shower. Something to eat and  a little TV, 

and a good night sleep to get ready for day two.

The next morning after a good breakfast we

 started off pretty early to Elwood, Indiana. After all

 we did come to check out a building. The building itself

 was impressive looking, but it’s not something we

 want to get involved with. Too much work here. 

We took over a hundred pictures, did our due 

diligence and then headed out of town. We were

On our way to St. Louis. I really like St Louis.

St. Louis such a great vibe and the music 

scene it is everything you can ask for. The places 

are not glamorous, but maybe that’s what made

 the outings so much fun and so interesting.

Our first stop in St Louis was to Trader Joe’s. 

Stocking up on bread for Arvid. After that we went to 

The Cheesecake Factory for lunch. The food was good. 

Arvid always has the orange chicken, and I love

 their Thai chicken salad. Both of us happy 

and content. We had a ton of leftovers.

Back at the hotel we had to go and check out the

hotel bar.  After all, we were staying right across from 

Ballpark Village. Buzzing, sports-themed district by

 Busch Stadium with restaurants, bars and nightlife venues

It's a very good location.  The Arch was at our doorstep.

For today this is is.  More on our evening in St. Louis 

another day.  Today I’m a bit tired.  Just looking forward

 right now to enjoying time with Sniff the birdies and 

keeping an eye out for Charley.  I have been lucky 

that she remembers me and keeps looking for me.

To all a good day  not sure what we will do today,

 but it’s Sunday so the day is still up in the air.

The happiness of your life depends 

upon the quality of your thoughts...

~Nadiya~

Saturday May 23rd~

Branson, Missouri is the leftover meatloaf

 of the tourism industry. It doesn’t matter

 what year it is, it stays fresh like 1991...

 Summertime Branson is buzzing with tourists.

Branson continues to be a major tourist hub in 2025,

 hosting millions of visitors annually—typically over 9 

million—with a high influx of travelers drawn to new 

attractions like the Truth Traveler VR experience and the 

reimagined Fire in the Hole coaster. The 2025 season

 features a strong focus on immersive entertainment,

 new dinner shows, and year-round festivals. 

There are so many activities centered around kids 

and families.  One of those is The Butterfly Palace.  I

 am not into butterflies, so have not had any desire to go 

there.  I like to see the pretty butterflies, but from far. The

 butterfly room is 80 degrees year-round!  If in Branson, 

and butterflies are your thing, then you know where to go.

The last time we were in St. Louis was last fall. 

 As always we had a great time. We stayed in a very cool

 hotel and they served the most amazing drinks.

Today Arvid and I head back home to Sniff.  

Our most favorite place.  I know Sniff is waiting

 patiently for us, and we look forward to seeing him and 

settling down back to our routines.  To all a good day. 

 We are soon homeward bound.  It is a good day.

Every traveller returns home.  Hotels 

are for leaving, home is for returning...

~Nadiya~

Friday May 22nd~

From the roaring games at Busch Stadium 

to tranquil moments by the Mississippi, 

St. Louis, you have my heart...

 Today our journey takes us to St. Louis Missouri. 

St. Louis, Missouri, known as the "Gateway to the West," 

is a major independent city situated along the Mississippi River.

 Famous for its iconic 630-foot Gateway Arch, the city boasts 

a rich industrial history, a renowned craft beer culture, 

passionate sports fans, and many free family-friendly 

attraction.  We always have a great time there, and

 one of the best things is their music scene.

Many years ago Arvid and I took the elevator 

all the way to the top. The elevator is a set of round 

capsules in which passengers are seated. As the capsules

 go up, they also adjust for the curvature of the Arch's

 legs, and right themselves in small increments

 to keep the passengers on an even level.

Riding the elevator. MUST SEE

Arvid and I always make the most of each little getaway. 

 These are some our favorite times.  Our best times are 

those at home.  Just the three of us, but like everyone

 else, we also just  like to hit the road every so often.

A good day to all.  A little business in the morning, 

hopefully a trip to Trader Joe's in St. Louis, and the an evening  

of music and entertainment.  I am grateful for this life.

Life is all about arching towards new adventures.  

~Nadiya~

Thursday May 21st~

 Nothing behind me, everything

 ahead of me, as is ever so on the road...

Once again we are on the road.  Today our road

 trip takes us to Indiana.  Arvid and I are going to check

 out the former Elwood City Hall building. I am still 

undecided if this is something we want to take on.

  What we see will decide if we would like to 

become partners in this venture. 

It's a long drive, but with the music blasting it makes

 for a good time.  I have already made a mix of music

 for Arvid and I.  Arvid always enjoys mainly the blues, 

but I like some Latin music in there.  Together with some 

Bob Marley and CCR, we are all set for the road trip. 

Sniff is going to be home alone.  I feel safer this 

way because I always worry that the door may be

 left open and he would run out.  Sniff is my life, 

and my first priority.  Knowing he is safe, makes 

me more relaxed, and able to have a good time.

Stop worrying about the potholes 

in the road and enjoy the journey....

~Nadiya~

Wednesday May 20th~

Is it just me, or is a rainy day the 

best excuse to relax and chill?

 Yesterday morning it rained quite a lot,

 accompanied by loud thunder.  Of course Sniff 

was scared.  He hid by me and just stayed quiet.  

This went on for hours, more like all day long.

The rain did not stop the birds nor the 

squirrels from making an appearance, nor did it

 stop Dave from walking Jaxson several times 

during the day, while Charley just watched.

Even though we are in Branson, I still keep

 up with my Florida news and Florida humor. 

Another interesting to do in Branson, is the Branson 

Duck Tour.  The tour gives guests the opportunity to 

explore the Ozarks in an interesting way. The first section 

of the tour includes the land sightseeing tour. Once you 

board the bus, you will be taken on a journey through

 the streets of Branson, MO. Along the way, see some 

historic landmarks and everything that makes Branson

 so special, from its theaters to its natural wonders.

Without getting up out of your seat or changing

 boats, you will witness an incredible feat! Roll onward 

to the shores of Lake Taneycomo and get ready for an 

exciting time as the vehicle heads out on water, showcasing

 its cool amphibious abilities. Travel along the sparkling

 surface of Lake Taneycomo and see the beautiful trees, 

wildlife, and sights. Lake Taneycomo is gorgeous and

 affords some great views of downtown Branson as 

well as the historic Taneycomo Bridge which was 

created in 1931. You will have ample opportunity to

 snap pics and enjoy all of the gorgeous sightseeing. 

Looking forward to a better day today, meaning

 no rain.  Sniff was restless all day yesterday. 

 Hopefully today he finds some peace.  He's already 

enjoying bird-squirrel watching.  A good day to 

all.  So far a beautiful rainless morning here.

Let it pour all day. I've got

 everything I need right here...

~Nadiya~