Thursday August 13th~

Anything that can go wrong, will go wrong...

 Nothing went according to schedule as 

far as my flight was concerned the first

 leg from flight Fort Myers was delayed

 because Newark, New Jersey was too

overcrowded and could not receive us. 

 First delay was an hour and a half.  

 I barely made my connection in  Newark. 

 From Newark next leg was Frankfurt. The

 crew was German and not friendly. That was

 the start.  If i never step foot in Frankfurt 

again, I would not be sad.  Sadly on our 

return back home we go thru Frankfurt.

We sat in the plane for almost 2

 hours and only once did the German

 captain tell us why.  There were 

no more updates whatsoever.

 We got to Frankfurt and I was happy

 because I had two hours to spare.

  Well Lufthansa dropped us off in the

 middle of the tarmac some 10 miles

 away from the connecting gates.

 We had to take a bus and 

rode around for half hour.  

My first time in Germany and I never 

wish to see another of their airports.

  No one was friendly.  We then had to

 go through passport control. There is

 about 700 people in the line if not 

more and only 5 counters with agents. 

 From there it went from bad to worse.

  It took me 2 hours to clear that line 

when I got to my gate they just said,

 “ sorry the flight left’ You need to be 

rebooked.”  I was directed to customer

 service. Another 5 mile walk and

 no helpful people around. 

The line at customer service went

 on and on.  Everyone missed their

 flight so everyone was on this line.

Another two hour on that line for 

the agent to hand me a ticket with a

 number and say you need to wait in this

 room for them to call you.  Of course

 everyone else was also in “this room”

Let's just say I was lucky to not be

 escorted out of the airport by security.

  I was not happy and of course I voiced

 my opinion. Not abusively but accurately.

It's another day and it's good to be

 here in Norway. Arvid can't stop saying 

how happy he is that I am finally

 here.  Yes, I missed him too. I'm also

 missing my Sniff he is my baby.

If there is a wrong way to do

 something, then someone will do it...

~Nadiya~

Greetings from Horten, Norway ~

 I’d rather regret the things I’ve done 

than regret the things I haven’t done...

I'm back in Norway for the summer and it sure 

it good to be seeing everyone again.  Looking forward 

to having a wonderful summer with all the family. 

 Time spent with family is always a good time.

When I arrived at the airport the cutest little surprise 

was waiting for me together with Arvid. One of the

 happiest moments was seeing Vanessa there and having

 her run towards me and hugging me so tightly.  I sure

 must have done something good in this life.

It's been a long journey. I am tired but it will be good

 to see everyone as well.  Wishing everyone a good day.

  Our Sniff is probably still asleep right now in Florida.

Take only memories, leave only footprints...

~Nadiya~

August 11th~ Greetings From Norway

Happiness is not about making it to the 

peak of the mountain nor is it about climbing 

aimlessly around the mountain; happiness is 

the experience of climbing toward the peak...

 I made it to Norway, from the pictures below you 

can tell.  These are from a previous trip of a few

 years ago.  We now have an almost 3 hour long drive

 to get to the apartment in Horten.  The worst part 

of the journey is over.  I am tired, but glad to be 

on firm ground again, best of all to hug Arvid.

Usually when Arvid and I arrive together, he runs

 to the hotdog stand for his first taste of Norway.  

I can do without the hot dog.  I like real food.

I'm here and I am tired.  Looking forward to a 

good shower and to some good food.  To all a very

 good day, and yes I already miss my Sniff.

Goes without saying that our lives

 are intricate and multifaceted...

~Nadiya~

August 10th~ Norway Bound

The only impossible journey 

is the one you never begin...

 Once again I am on my way to catch a plane.  

Today my journey takes me to Norway. I have about 24

 hours on the go before getting to my destination. Now you

 can maybe understand why I dislike flying so much. 

My flight originates in Fort Myers.  Takes me to Newark,

 New Jersey.  From there I go to Frankfurt, Germany,

 and finally I make a connection that takes me to Oslo,

 Norway. Just seeing this all in writing is making me

 exhausted already.  My reward is seeing everyone.

I had a very good day yesterday.  Fed the kitties 

and birds  Cleaned like crazy, but then I had some 

time for me.  I did go for Indian cuisine and a little

 somewhere else. As always it was delicious.

I am already missing my Sniff.  He is my heart.

To all a good day.  A very long day awaits me.

Twenty years from now you will be 

more disappointed by the things that you 

didn't do than by the ones you did do...

~Nadiya~

Sunday August 9th~

Spread good vibes and enjoy

 the quiet moments today...

 Yesterday was another day I spent cleaning and 

getting everything ready for Sniff. I left him 3 litter 

pans all with fresh litter. They have a date as to 

when to remove the lid.  If the litter is older 

than 10 days Sniff hardly uses it. 

As soon as he gets fresh litter he’s a happy

 boy. I am so tired. This time I’m thinking that

 this long flight will do me good. I can just sit 

and not do any work.  I really can use the rest.

Yesterday mom and dad took me to lunch 

at The Boathouse in Fort Myers. We all like it 

there. For a few hours I sat and just relaxed.

I’m a little stressed leaving Sniff for so long.  I 

can’t help it.  He’s my baby and I do not like to leave

 him for this long.  On the other hand, as mentioned 

before, I’m looking forward to seeing Arvid and

 the rest of the family.  Can't wait to see the girls.

This morning after feeding the kitties I decided

 to check out a place called Hibiscus Latin Cafe.

 I had the cafe con leche. Just delicious.  Why it

 took me so long to check it out I don’t know. 

It’s just about al five minute walk from us.

Today I do not feel like cooking and I’m thinking 

either Indian cuisine of Spanish. I love them both.

To all a good day.  Do what makes your soul happy.

Wishing you a peaceful and relaxing Sunday. 

May your day be as beautiful as your smile...

~Nadiya~

Saturday August 8th~

Make a difference; Touch a heart: Encourage 

a mind; Inspire a soul; Enjoy the day....

 Yesterday I spent a few hours cleaning the 

apartment. With a kitty there is always something

 that needs cleaning, vacuumed or washed. I did it 

all again. Yup, more of the same today.  We got up 

very early this morning. I had cafe and Sniff had 

some foodies.  After that, we went back to sleep.

 I had lunch at home but then decided to go 

once again to this restaurant not far from is. It’s good

 because I drive and do not have to walk. Thank goodness

 because like clockwork, by 5pm the skies got dark

 and the thunderstorms were on their way. 

  Funny thing is I was telling Arvid yesterday that

 when I’m on the move it feels less painful than when

 I’m sitting.  He said I need to have good knees to run 

through the airport. Strange enough, at the airport I am 

speedy and move fast.  Don’t feel the pain, or at least

 I tell myself I don’t, but somehow I am fast in my

Guess I do not wish to lose my connections.

I went out for a drink. Actually had two.  Sat 

outdoors and from where I was I was able to see

 our condo. Though it was hot, there was a nice breeze

 coming through. Was comfortable being outdoors. 

 I missed Arvid because it’s one of our hangouts, 

but even so I had a good time. He said he was 

going to listen to music with his brother.  

We both had a good time. BTW, he told me he

 didn’t sleep well the other night. I think he really

 misses me.I told him that once I’m there, there’s 

going to be lots of noise, movement, and talking. 

I can really talk. Sometimes he says too much. 

Cute thing is he said he missed the noise 😍

I think Sniff already suspects something going on. 

He’s quieter and keeps watching me all the time 

these last few days. I’m already stressing to leave

 him alone.  I know he will be fine. I also know 

that Legacy and the gang will be ok. I have 

bought them a ton of food and Abe will be

 gonna it to them.  I feel good about that.

Went back to sleep.  Was up again at 5am.  

Did some cleaning and getting food stuff ready

 to go feed  the outdoor kitties.  Sniff has been

 brushed and I am already wanting to go to sleep

 again, but morning is once again here and you 

know I love mornings.  A good day to all.

Good morning.  Life is full of surprises

 so embrace them with open arms...

~Nadiya~

Friday August 7th~

Cats, as you know, are quite impervious to threats...

 Sniff heard me preparing the foodies for the Legacy

 and the other kitties.  As I was filling the jar with dry food

 a few niblets fell to the floor.  Sniff right away zoomed in on 

it, and gobbled it up.  Of course I gave him a little to try.

  This is what he did.  The food became enemy # one.

He stared at it for quite some time before walking away.  

Giving me the stinky eye.  As if I wronged him.  How I 

love my Sniff.  If anyone has perfected the stinky eye

 with attitude, it has to be Sniff. He's that good at it.

Cats, they act like they own the house, 

treat humans like staff, and live with total, 

unapologetic independence. That's my Sniff.

Yesterday was a painful day for me. My knee

 hurt just about all day long. I’ve learnt to live with

 pain but some days are tougher than others.

Saw my doctor and she gave me good news. 

Everything seems to be within normal limits. 

Still have to monitor the thyroid tissue growth, 

but for now she was happy with the results.

Arvid was very worried and I called him to reassure

 him that all was good. The catch in his voice told me 

more than words.  He said he was really tired. That he

 worked all day long and can’t wait for me to come so we 

can do stuff together, but he gets good food as pay😂

 Arvid likes to work and he’s been helping 

Michael a lot, it keeps him busy and prevents him 

from getting bored.  Sometimes I think Arvid thinks

 he’s 20 years old and does  so much just to prove it.  

Well, yesterday he was exhausted. Good thing

 about that is that he slept soundly I am sure.

After my doctor's appointment I stopped by 

my favorite Cuban bakery. Was close to where I 

was. I took a moment to reflect and to be grateful

 for life.  I believe I am a very fortunate person.

A good day to all. Gratitude turns what we

 have into enough. It shifts our focus from what 

is lacking to the blessings we already possess.

When I started counting my blessings,

 my whole life turned around...

~Nadiya~

Thursday August 6th~

Tired minds don't plan well. 

Sleep first, then plan later...

 I’m sorta panicked right now. The days are 

going by so fast.  I’m looking forward to seeing 

everyone, at the same time I am NOT looking forward 

to leaving Sniff all alone.  I mean he will be cared

 for by Gail. It’s not as if he’s all alone.  I have all 

his foodies ready, extra, extra of everything.  

I took a little outing downtown. Just to get

 out for a bit. Made lunch at home, but then got 

bored and headed out.  Although I move around 

quite a bit, my knee really hurts. I think it 

hurts even more when I just sit still.

Today I go see my endocrinologist again. 

Hopefully good news  would be a bummer to be

 told that my thyroid cancer has returned, but not

 to anticipate anything  will wait for her to explain 

to me what’s going on.  Most likely it’s nothing.

Sniff slept quite a lot yesterday. Wish I could

 have napped with him, but I had a busy day once

again. A lot to do today also.  Fed the kitties in the 

morning already. Whitepaw is the bravest.  He's 

always peeking at me while the others hide. Will 

feed them later as well.  To all a very good day.

The best cure for the body is a quiet mind...

~Nadiya~

Wednesday August 5th~

 Rules for happiness: something to do, 
someone to love, something to hope for...

I feel as if I could use some rest. Like a lotta 

rest. I’m so tired. I have not slowed down since

 Arvid left and it is for sure catching up with me,  

As always, I feed the kitties early in the morning

 and around 5 in the afternoons. The only reason I do 

it twice is because there are now so many babies and 

the thought of the you hungry is unbearable.  I am 

not always able to get their pictures, but I see

 them. They are so fast they just run like hell.

After doing a few chores I bought lunch 

and took it over to mom and dads. We all

 had lunch and a good time together.

Sniff and I are up early again.  Every morning

 as I open the window shades Sniff get up

 and checks out the start of the morning.

Not having the best situation, but seeing the 

best in your situation is the key to happiness...

~Nadiya~

Tuesday August 4th~

The present moment is

 filled with joy and happiness...

 Right now I am just happy to be home. 

As I always say, no matter where I go, home

 is always the place I want to return to. 

Sniff and I spent a lot of the day just being

 close to each other.   Where I went he followed. 

 Even thought I was tired I still had a lot to do, 

but knowing I was home made it better. 

I didn’t get to sleep until around 2am on the

 day I arrived. Even so, I got up early to go feed 

the little kitties.  They were not starving. They 

had food all around them, but I cleaned up their 

bowls, gave them fresh water and felt better. I

 was happy to see that Newbie was still there.

I fed Legacy on her spot by the marina.  I 

walked across the road to feed the other babies.

 I got there. There was a baby Legacy and another

 adult kitty looked exactly like Legacy.  Had I not fed

 Legacy on the other side, I would have never known.  

They are just identical, except baby is smaller.

To all a very good day. A few things to do 
today so I am soon on the move again😒

To find happiness, look halfway

 between too little and too much...

~Nadiya~

Monday August 3rd~

Man starts over again everyday, in spite

 of all he knows, against all he knows...

 A new week is again upon us.  I got home very

 late last night from Massachusetts, and even though

 I had a very good time with Nina, David and our

 cousin Maya, home is always where I want to be.

 There is nothing like coming home to Sniff. 

Flying is a nightmare. This flight took all day 

long when you count the several delays involved. 

Pretty soon I will be flying again not looking forward

 to that flight, but looking forward to getting there.  

This trip took me through several airports.

Our weekend getaway was filled with a lot of 

good food, and margaritas galore.  In Vancouver

 I discovered a taste for wine.  In Massachusetts I 

renewed my taste for margaritas.  I also introduced

 them to vodka and coke.  Arvid introduced me to it.

My cousin lives on an enormous property of

 some 32 acres with several properties on it  At one 

time she used a few of them for Airbnb, but she 

told us that it got to be too crazy and she was 

taking a break from doing Airbnb.

I had initially thought we were staying in 

one of the Airbnbs, but it’s actually her private

 property.  Enormous and we definitely needed 

a “road map” to find my way around.

For this short visit she bought the entire

 grocery store. It seemed that way. I like food but 

even I could not eat so much. On top of that Nina 

and David brought delicious desserts and appetizers 

and of course the margaritas.  My cousin by the way also 

has a stocked bar in several parts of the house so alcohol 

was never an issue.  Pity we don’t drink that much.

One of the highlights of this property is my cousins

 garden.  She has taken a lot of time to create her 

zen place.  Even though they just had a terrible storm

 a few days before we got her, so many of the flowers

 were still intact.  The colors and the smell of the 

flowers just just an extra treat to our weekend.

Back home now and a busy week ahead. Arvid

 called me while I was running to catch one of my

 connections  once again he sounded so sad again.

 He said, “it’s so boring and lonely here without you.” 

I am sure he’s having a good time with family.  

My little getaway trips are now done for the summer.  

 I want to be home with Sniff and just take it easy. I

 have sure enjoyed the summer so far.   I now look

 forward to seeing everyone in Norway soon, and 

to being held by my blue eyed Viking 😎

A good week to all.  Always best being home.

The best journey takes you home...

~Nadiya~