Monday July 20th~

Canada, capturing the nation's diverse 

landscapes, welcoming spirit, and cultural identity. 

 Live a life full of humility, gratitude, intellectual 

curiosity, and never stop learning...

 As the new week begins I am still very tired.

  Usually after a trip I am tired a bit, but this time I am 

more than just a little tired. In many ways it is good

 Arvid is not around right now because yesterday 

I slept most of the day.  Had he been here, 

that would not have been possible.

My trip began in Fort Myers to Houston to 

Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.  The return

 took me to Denver, Colorado then back home to

 Fort Myers.  Delays were a given.  One of my

 girlfriends did not make it out of Canada until 

the day after.  Nightmare.  This is when you hate 

travelling all over again.  Until the next trip.

Our Canada trip has come to an end.  As always

 when my girlfriends and I take a little getaway

 trip we try to see just about everything possible 

even if it kills us. This trip was no exception.

On day one we all arrived at different times.  

We waited for the last person to arrive at the

 Fairmont Hotel at Vancouver airport. We had 

something g to eat and of course yummy drinks. 

It was so good to catch up with everyone. 

Always when we get together it seems like time 

stands still. Such a good time. I love this time we share

 and I really hope we can do it more often.  There is 

another meetup planned for October and this time 

everyone will be meeting in Florida.  Depending 

on where we are I would love to also make it.

Aside from our common ground, NYC EMS, 

we have also discovered so much more. All our lives 

are so different, yet somehow we all for those few 

days just relax and enjoy each others  company.

Our days were so full  it always began early 

in the mornings.  Packed with fun filled activities,

 restaurants and a a pub in between.  No rest.

Afternoon coffee at the waterfront, more 

exploring, and once exhausted we would go back 

to the Airbnb and have wine until the wee hours 

of the morning  needless to say we were always

 exhausted.  The good thing is I developed a 

taste for one of the many wines that

 was bought.  Was really good.

Before we began our daily adventures I would 

get up very early and find a nice little cafe for 

coffee and breakfast. Yes I could have it in

 the Airbnb, but what’s the fun that? Lorraine 

and I always like to get out in the mornings.

Being on my own gives me more leeway loved 

every moment.  Arvid never wants to go out for coffee

 nor breakfast.  The other girls did not want always to 

do that, but I was ok with that because I had my 

own time to just enjoy an hour or so before the

 day got busy.  I really enjoyed this trip.

Vancouver is a beautiful city  lucky for us we 

stayed in an almost perfect location  we had water

 views from all corners of the apartment it was 

stunning.  What a view we had for those days.

I remember opening the door to our Airbnb.  It took

 our breaths away.  What a great vacation we had.

The morning views  the night views  all of 

it was breathtaking.  We were close to so many 

gorgeous places one being Vancouver Lookout,

 Canada Place and so many more  it was a great 

time, but it was also good to get back home.  

All four of us have fur babies, and some have 

children, but the ones that were missed were 

our fur babies.  No one talked much about their 

kids but we all talked about our pets and shared 

our pictures.  I love talking about my Sniff.

So much we did, but I think the whale watching will

 go down as a favorite  especially since we saw so many

 Orcas  it was not easy to get the pictures, even though

 I tried  they were too fast  the tour guides did take 

professional pictures of our tour and shared them 

with us.  More about Vancouver another day.

My flight back to Fort Myers from Vancouver had

 a stopover in Denver, Colorado.  I sure made the most

 of that stop, but my favorite stop was/is the one that 

brings me home to Sniff.  I missed him so much.  

The unthankful heart discovers no

 mercies; but the thankful heart will find, in 

every hour, some heavenly blessings...

~Nadiya~

Saturday July 18th~

Beauty does not reserve itself for

 special elite moments or instances; it does

 not wait for perfection but is present

 already secretly in everything...

 Everywhere I go, I find beauty and something 

good to always carry with me.  I love to travel, but 

only on short trips.  My most favorite times.  Unless 

of course there at times when one stays a little 

 longer in a certain place because that place 

is where the ones you love are.

That being said after all the journeys, all the 

destinations my most favorite place of all is being

 home with Sniff and Arvid.  I have been away for 

some days now from Sniff.  I sure miss that little 

rascal and can't wait to see him.  Don't want to think 

of having to leave him for weeks soon.  For now I 

am happy that soon I will see my Sniff Sniff.

I had been told that the training 

procedure with cats was difficult. It’s not. 

Mine had me trained in two days...

~Nadiya~

Friday July 17th~

People come into your lives who you

 have a good time with, and time goes by 

and you still have a good time with them...

 Today we have an open day, even though we do

 have a few ideas as to what we want to do. No time to

 make a long blog post because we are busy having fun.  

Stay tune for more Vancouver adventures once I return

 home and am able to sit peacefully by my laptop and

 go over all the pictures.  For now it's just four girls

 having a great time without a care in the world.

While we enjoy discovering Vancouver 

during the day, we also enjoy the nightlife. 

 To all a very good day. Make it amazing.

If you're not having fun, 

you're doing something wrong...

~Nadiya~

Thursday July 16th~

 Every encounter will leave you

 in awe of the ocean's beauty...

With the new day comes a new adventure we 

have not done before.  Neither one of us four girls 

have ever gone whale watching.  Today we do.

Once whale watching was in the picture it was 

a fast yes from all four of us.  Hopefully today we

 see Orca.  Hopefully we don't get eaten by Orca.

I can't wait to see what the day hold and

 fingers crossed we get to see a few whales.

Whale watching in Vancouver runs primarily 

from April through October, with peak season 

spanning June to September when orcas, humpback

 whales, and minke whales actively feed in the Salish 

Sea. Tours usually last 3 to 5 hours and depart from 

Downtown Vancouver.Let the good times roll.

We share this planet with magnificent beings 

and  the greatest minds on earth live in the seas...

~Nadiya~

Wednesday July 15th~

 The world is filled with adventure.
  All you have to do is find it...

We all made it to Vancouver, British Columbia.  What 

a diverse group we are.  Jennifer is part Irish, Nancy is part 

German, Lorraine is part Italian and I amd of course Indian

 and part Chinese.  You would think we won't get along

 great, but we do.  Something that connects us all is our time 

working with New York City EMS.  That in itself was the 

best adventure of my time in New York.  Loved every 

minute and the friends I made remain close to my heart.

From our trio to San Francisco we realized

 that when we do the Hop on Hop Off on the first

 day we get a better idea of where we want to go back 

and explore some more.  Today we begin with

 the hop on hop off and see where it goes.

I love these trip with just the girls.  Don't understand

 why it took me so long to realize how much fun it

 is.  To all a very good day.  Can't wait to see what 

the day hold for us.  Whatever it is, I'm ready.

May your adventures bring you closer together,

 even as they take you far from home...

~Nadiya~

Vancouver, British Columbia July 14th~

Life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all...

 What an adventure awaits us.  Not only do

 we get to see a new place, at least for me and I 

believe the same for my girlfriends.  Best part we 

get to spend almost five days together doing what 

we want.  How does it get any better than this?

Two of my girlfriends depart today as well 

from New York City, the third one just moved to 

Florida so she goes back and forth.  Nancy and I 

leave from Florida, different airports.  Our group 

chat has been crazy.  So many things we want to 

see and do.  Just have to wait and see. How lucky 

we are to soon  experience  A Little of Vancouver

Vancouver, a bustling west coast seaport in 

British Columbia, is among Canada’s densest, 

most ethnically diverse cities. A popular filming 

location, it’s surrounded by mountains, and also

 has thriving art, theatre and music scenes. 

 Stanley Park where we will be staying, is a 

world-renowned 1,000-acre green oasis bordering 

downtown Vancouver. Visitors highly rate the destination 

for its spectacular 8.8-km Stanley Park Seawall perfect for 

biking and walking, majestic old-growth trees, indigenous 

Totem Poles, and panoramic mountain and city views.

  Just so you know, I don't see me hiking.  Not like 

we did in San Francisco.  I LOve San Francisco.

I love short trips.  My Sniff is not home alone for

 too long.  Once gets to see and do more is a short trip 

sometimes when compared to an extended trip.  I'm

 loving it.  Can't wait for our adventure to begin

Vancouver, where the mountains 

are high and the clouds are low....

~Nadiya~

Monday July 13th~

 Each new day is a blank page in the diary of

 your life. The secret of success is in turning that 

diary into the best story you possibly can...

Yesterday I took my parents out to dinner.  After all

 it was Sunday and I still enjoy my Sunday outings.

  We went to a Cuban restaurant.  One of their favorites. 

 I gotta tell you the drinks are amazing.  It takes me 

back to when Arvid and I lived in Puerto Rico.

I have a busy week ahead.  A very good 

busy.Lots to do today to prepare for the week 

ahead.  The food at Gandules Grill is so very

good.  We each always get the same thing.

My days are quiet and calm.  I do enjoy it,

 but at times I miss Arvid's laughter, his voice 

and his unique sense of humor.  When I talked 

to him yesterday he again sounded so lonely. 

 Said he really misses me.  Made me sad.

Sniff  and I are doing good.  I am enjoying

doing a few things on my own, and that makes 

me happy as well.  Obviously I do enjoy it 

much more when Arvid and I are together, 

but for now I am grateful for this time.

Wishing everyone a great week ahead.

  Make it count and always remember to do 

something that makes your soul happy.

The joy of life comes from our encounters with

 new experiences, and hence there is no greater 

joy than to have an endlessly changing horizon,

 for each day to have a new and different sun...

~Nadiya~

Sunday July 12th ~

You have to show up in the World Cup,

and in the World Cup anything can happen...

 The highlight of yesterday was watching the 

game between Norway and England. As you may know,

 my team was team USA. They were eliminated and team 

Norway, because of Arvid became the one I backed.

Norway may have lost the game last night, but in 

the eyes to so many, Norway is the true champions in

 this FIFA World Cup. They have earned RESPECT

 and the world knows the name Erling Haaland.

While Arvid and the fan watched the game in Norway I went

 to a pub downtown Fort Myers.  Last night I went to Ford's Garage. 

From the conversation, Norway was the team being cheered for.

 Of course I spoke to whoever was sitting next to me. First guy,

 I asked him who he was backing and he said Norway. Said he

 came for work from Michigan but has already seen four

 World Cup games. Two being Norway.  Toasted to that.

I then started conversation with the guy on my other side; 

I was sitting at the bar.   Wish I had know before I began this 

conversation that this guy was a bore.  All he talked to me

 about was how much money he has.  If you know me well 

you would know that one thing I really detest is someone

 bragging about what they have and who they know.

After a while of this I decided this was too much for 

me, I was annoyed and bored with this conversation, so 

I went to another pub to watch the remainder of the 

game. I can imagine the disappointment of Arvid and 

everyone who was at that pub in Norway watching 

the game, needless to say all Norwegians. 

 At the same time I can imagine how proud they have to 

be of Team Norway and Erling Haaland.  He’s young and 

he has just begun to show the world what he is capable of. 

There is no stopping Haaland. This is just the beginning.

Argentina had another win last night.  No Norway I am now

 backing Argentina to win the FIFA World Cup. Four good teams 

remain with France being the one to beat as far as I can see.

It's Sunday and I have not yet decided what to do.  For

 now I go feed the little kitties and go from there.  To all 

a good day.  Hopefully for many a little more relaxing.

Once again my Sniff is feeling lazy and refuses to eat.

Winning is an attitude, it's about 

giving your best in every moment...

~Nadiya~

Saturday July 11th~

There are only two ways to live your life. One 

is as though nothing is a miracle. The other 

is as though everything is a miracle...

 Yesterday morning I had a few things to do 

very early.  Of course I stopped by Legacy just 

to make sure she had clean water and food. 

 She was not in her usual spot, so I looked 

across the street and there she was. 

 I went to give hersome foodies and to my

 surprise there was a tiny little black and 

white baby there also. So many homeless

 kitties.  Just broke my heart.  Yes, I fed 

them both and gave them fresh water.

Yesterday I had a little Friday outing.  I was

 very surprised that the temperature had dropped 

about 25 degrees. The day was super hot and now

 suddenly I was carrying a sweater.  Go figure.

Today Norway faces off with England.

  See you later England.  You did good, but make 

room for the Norwegians. Erling Haaland, Norway's

 secret weapon. As soon as he touches that ball, it's 

a guaranteed goal.  Game over.  Lights out.

I think Arvid was a little upset with me when

 he called last night. He again said, “you should be

 here with me now.” Again I explained why I could

not stay as long as he does.  Then he said, "yeah

 Sniff is more important to you than I am.”  

There was nothing I could say to that.

It’s Saturday and the day holds a lot of 

potential. Hopefully my knee will agree with 

that as well, and live up to that potential.

A calm mind in the morning is more

 powerful than motivation. Wake up with

 gratitude and go after your dreams...

~Nadiya~

Friday July 10th~

I believe that it is a mandatory Law

 of the Universe that on Fridays, you 

have to do something a little fun...

 It was another extremely hot day yesterday. 

 Going out it not that fun anymore, just being in the

 heat for a few minutes leaves you tired, exhausted

 and dehydrated.  Life does not always allow us

 to do it our way, so out I went, into the heat.

Early in the morning I had a few chores to take care of. 

 Those took me not far from Whole Foods Market, so you know

 I had to go there.  Got a few things for me and some for my

 mom.  I really enjoy shopping at Whole Foods Market

Being Thursday, I did not cook yesterday.  Instead 

I invited Max and Kelsey out to lunch.  Unfortunately Kelsey 

had to work.  Max and I enjoyed a very good time.  It will be 

the last time for a long time before I see Max again.  He is on

 his way to Brown University Medical School. Yes, Brown 

University is an official member of the Ivy League.

 

Founded in 1764, the private research university

 located in Providence, Rhode Island.  Home of 

my first husband Paul Riley.  Yes, I have a very

special "love/connection" to Rhode Island.

We ate, we chatted for a long time.  Just when

it looked like the restaurant was slowing down

 we realized we needed dessert.  We each had the

 molten lava chocolate cake.  I know just the name 

makes you want it.  It was absolutely delicious!

Because of the heat I went an hour later to feed 

Legacy.  She does not come out when too hot.  It was 

still HOT, but she was there just waiting and chilling.  

Sniff is living his best life.  JUst like he should

 and I an happy when he is happy.  To all a very

 good day.  Another busy morning is here.

Every Friday, I like to high five myself for

 getting through another week on little more than 

caffeine, will power, and inappropriate humor...

~Nadiya~