Saturday November 30th~

 I live by two words: tenacity and gratitude...

Thankfully it did not rain yesterday so we did go 

Downtown for the tree lighting.  There was a huge crowd 

waiting to see it as well.  Was fun and was festive.  There 

was even snowflakes dropping from the sky. Made 

for a good time.   I was happy with the outing🎄

Before the tree lighting we went to our Friday hangout. 

 Hideaway Bar and Grill.  Never disappoints.

I love that there are people everywhere.  Having a good

 time and enjoying simple things like the lighting of the tree. 

 A simple act, but enjoyed by so many.  Myself included.

No evening downtown is complete without a slice

 of pizza.  For me it's always the white cheese pizza 

and for Arvid it's always pepperoni.  Both happy.  We 

met a couple and chatted with them for a while 

until we both took off on our merry way.

A good day to all.  We are looking at another

 "cold" front here in Florida for most of the Sunshine State.

  Most of the state will be feeling temperatures anywhere 

from 30F (-1C) to 40F (4C), with some places like 

the Florida Panhandle dropping to 20F (6C) 

It's a funny thing about life, once you begin to 

take note of the things you are grateful for, you 

begin to lose sight of the things that you lack...

~Nadiya~

Friday November 29th~

 In the blink of the eye, it could all 

be taken away.  Be grateful always.  A 

 grateful heart is the best kind to have...

We had a very good time at mom and dad's yesterday. 

 Max and Kelsey were also there, this made for an even better 

time.  Max is a very funny guy, but he does not realize it.

Today Arvid and I spend a quiet day at home while most 

people deal with Black Friday deals.  Mom and dad said 

they will go to the outlets, jut to get out.  I told them it was 

a bad idea, but the only way to learn is to do it yourself.

Everywhere will be jam-packed today.  Not for us. 

I'm sure the deals are good, but they have been going 

on now for weeks, both online and in stores. 

 

This past week there has been a lot of soccer games. 

 Both Sniff and Arvid enjoyed themselves.  Sniff got some 

much needed sleep time and Arvid got some of his aggressions

 out.  I was just a bystander watching these two do their thing.

  Thanksgiving Day was beautiful.  Blue skies

 and warm 82F (28C) weather.  The drive to mom and

 dad's is with the many lakes and palm trees.  Also

 the sunsets from their home is unbeatable. 

Max and Kelsey made it even better.  Max is funny. 

 We had a lot of good foodies made by all of us.  Kelsey 

made an amazing apple pie.  Arvid does not do dessert so 

he missed out.  My mom did make him his favorite foods 

and she made him a flan.  That he will eat here at home.

What I would like to do today is take a walk this

 evening downtown.  Tonight is the lighting of the Christmas 

tree downtown Fort Myers.  I love Christmas so would 

like to go and see that.  Then of course I would like to have

 a slice of pizza.  Arvid is good with this plan as well. This 

all sounds good except now the forecast calls for rain.

I am grateful for what I am and have. 

 My Thanksgiving is perpetual...

~Nadiya~

Thursday November 28th ~ Thanksgiving Day

 Showing gratitude is one of the simplest yet most
 powerful things humans can do for each other...

What I love about Thanksgiving is that it’s purely 

about getting together with friends or family and

 enjoying food. It’s really for everybody, and

 it really doesn’t matter where you’re from.

I may not have everything I want, but I sure have everything

 I need.  Happy Thanksgiving to all.  Always keep in mind 

that there is always, always something to be thankful for.

This year Thanksgiving will be spent by mom and dad's

 in Florida.  Max and Kelsey will also be there. It's been a 

long time since we had Thanksgiving dinner with family.  

Usually it's just Arvid and I, but hopefully this will change.

Mom's already set up a little bit of Christmas for us.

Reflect upon your present blessings, of 

which every man has plenty; not on your past

 misfortunes, of which all men have some...

~Nadiya~

Wednesday November 27th~

We are so often caught up in our destination 

that we forget to appreciate the journey, especially 

the goodness of the people we meet on the way... 

 It's the day before Thanksgiving and all is quiet in 

the house at least right now.  Sniff is being "good" and

 has allowed me to take some pictures of him.  He 

does not like the camera.  Can you believe that?

This year we will be spending Thanksgiving with mom and 

dad here in Florida.  It's been many years since we have done that.  

When we were growing up in Puerto Rico mom and dad always 

entertained a lot.  We always had company at home, and 

my mom always made huge meals for everyone.

This year it will just be Arvid, myself and hopefully

 Max and Kelsey. Kelsey is a pharmacist, and has 

to work, but she promised to try and come.

Long time ago mom and dad called Puerto Rico home. 

 In a way it will always be home for us.  They then moved to 

Florida and for a while we lived close to each other.  After a few 

years they decided to leave Florida and moved to North Carolina. 

 Hopefully one day soon Florida will be home for them again🌴

I am one of those who never knows the direction 

of my journey until I have almost arrived...

~Nadiya~

Tuesday November 26th~

 To get through the hardest journey we need take only 

one step at a time, but we must keep on stepping...

The other day I had another of my many follow ups with my 

oncologist.  Soon I will be done with my 2024 follow ups.  

Happy about that.  Missing just two more and then it 

begins all over again in 2025, starting in February. 

  When I first started this treatment, I did not know too 

much the Southwest Florida Eagles.  We had just moved to

 Fort Myers.  There was always many framed pictures of these 

beautiful Eagles.  Of course now I know that they are the same 

Eagles that live right here in Fort Myers, and the same ones 

people from all over the globe including myself follow. 

I seem to always notice these Cybertrucks all over

 the place.  Even though they are ugly, I am always drawn 

to them.  Wondering what it is that people see in them.  The 

other day as we were out walking there was this one.  Of

 course Arvid could not resist checking it out.  Again 

No matter where we go, what we do, my most favorite 

place is home with Sniff.  He makes me very happy and 

relieves my stresses.  Sniff is always my Happy Place.

Yesterday we went to visit mom and dad again at the house.  

We got there before sunset which was beautiful, but left after dark. 

 Like everywhere, the neighborhood is "dressing up" for Christmas, 

but this Santa by mom and dad's made us laugh.  As Rima said, 

"they probably have him doing workouts."  Skinny Santa.

A good day to all.  Sniff is my happy place, my sanctuary.

I found my happy place the minute I saw you...

~Nadiya~

Monday November 25th~

Either you run the day, or the day runs you...

 A new week begins again.  Seems like time is just flying by.  

Our time in Branson went by so fast, but while we were there

 we did quite a few things, and went to many favorite places. 

 Always good to go, always good to be back home.

As the new week begins I look forward to seeing

 mom and dad some more.  Last year they stayed within 

walking distance from us.  Was so easy to go, but now 

they are in the house and that is a bit far to go everyday.  

Yesterday we took them out to lunch not far from us.

Branson did not disappoint.  I wanted to see and 

get that Christmas feeling, and I did.  I'm happy but

 not sure we will be going back when it's this cold.  

I sometimes wish Arvid would enjoy Christmas as much as

 I do.  I remember when we lived in Puerto Rico he did get into 

the festive mood of the Puerto Ricans.  It's hard not to because 

they are so happy always and then at Christmas even more.

Another beautiful day/week awaits us.  The mornings 

start off a bit chilly which makes for a better sleep, but then 

the day is bright and sunny.  Blue skies everywhere.  One of 

my favorite vies is from our bedroom window.  Below is a

 picture taken at night and one during yesterday's sunset.

A good day to all.  For the yesterday's and today’s, 

and the tomorrows I can hardly wait for – Thank you.

 If you aren’t going all the way, why go at all?...

~Nadiya~

Sunday November 24th~

If the only prayer you ever say in your 

entire life is thank you, it will be enough...

Today we have another cold start of the day.  

For all you know we could be in Branson with these 

temperatures.  Good thing though is that is warms up

 little by little, making today another beautiful day.

 Yesterday I went to see mom and dad.  Arvid said 

he wanted to go with me, but I would have had to wait

 for his soccer games to be done before he could leave.  

I told him that I was ready to go now and not later, 

and I took off before he changed his mind a😂

Arvid watched soccer most of the day.  I did 

a ton of laundry, changed out the bed linens 

and changed out the linens on Sniff's four beds.  

All of this before I went to see my parents. 

I spent a few hours with them.  My mom always 

makes the most delicious foods, and I am always lucky

 because I get to bring home food everytime we visit.  So 

at least yesterday I did not have to cook for me.  Just had 

to cook for Arvid.  Every day I make us 2 different 

meals.  That is except Thursdays and Sundays.

Wishing everyone a good day.  Looking forward 

to spending time with mom and dad again.  From a few

 hours to now, Fort Myers is warming up nicely.

A beautiful day begins with a beautiful mindset...

~Nadiya~

Saturday November 23rd~

It’s no use going back to yesterday, 

because I was a different person then...

 Our time in Branson went by so fast, but we are

 also very happy to be back home with Sniff and in the

 Sunshine State.  We left the cold and we are actually coming 

to the cold here in Florida.  It's going to be a cold weekend 

for us, but for sure nothing like it was in Missouri.

I will be turning on Sniffs heating bed.  Can't better 

 my lil baby being cold.  Most likely Arvid and I will 

be turning on the heat as well.  The good thing about 

a Florida "freeze" is that it only lasts for a day or two

 and always gets much warmer during the days.

Sniff is so happy we are home.  I am so happy to be

 home with him.  I really miss him a lot when we travel. 

 I am too attached, but I do not know how to not be.

When we left Missouri yesterday morning Arvid made a very

 interesting comment.  He said, we will have breakfast in Missouri,

 lunch in Texas and dinner in Florida, and that's how it was.

On our way back home to Florida we had to stop over in Dallas.  

We had a few hours so we walked around a bit and of course 

had lunch there.  Of the many shops we passed I saw a Spa. 

 I know Arvid hates when I mention the word Spa, so of 

course I did.  Of course he said, "I hate that word."  Hate is a 

strong word, but Arvid just gets very annoyed whenever I mention

  the word Spa.  He said he heard more than enough about Spas.  Well I 

never thought that I talked so much about Spa's.  It's  not my thing, 

but then Arvid is Arvid. I asked him to stand under the sign,

 at first he said no, but he always gives in smiling.

We're home and it feels so good.  No place like home.

There's no place like home.  It's not how big 

the house is, it's how happy the home is...

~Nadiya~

Friday November 22nd~

To fully enjoy life, all of us must find our

 own breathing space and peace of mind...

So far, I have had a great time enjoying all the beautiful 

Christmas decorations, hearing the music being played,

 and just seeing happy people all around us.  Arvid is not

 that much of a Christmas person so when he gets "bored" 

he goes to his favorite hangout (Landshark Bar and Grill),

 and I continue enjoying my happy time on my own.

I have not seen a single Thanksgiving decoration

 aside from a few restaurants promoting their Thanksgiving Day

 lunch/dinner meal.  For a while I forgot all about Thanksgiving and 

am just caught up with Christmas 🎄and I feel good about it.

We have really been busy catching up with what's 

going on in Branson, familiarizing ourselves with new 

businesses that have opened up in the area, after all this is all

 good for the hotels and for revenues not on Branson, but 

also for the hotels of which we are still part owners.

There was a time I would say I missed Almost Home 

and the running of the hotel.  That time has passed.  

When we ran the hotels I loved every moment of it, 

but now I cannot see us doing this again.  Number

 one we are older, and then there is this thing called 

wanting to enjoy life and not be tied down.

Of all places we have lived there is something about 

Branson that draws us back.  Though neither of us want

 to run the hotels again we both agree that Branson is a place 

we would not mind visiting.  Of all places Arvid has lived, 

he says that Branson is where he has had the most to do.  Here 

he can stay busy as much as he likes.  Branson has been good 

to us and that is something we will always be grateful for.

On this trip we enjoyed the food, the sights and I loved 

the colors of fall.  Just because of that I won't mind coming

 back and visit during the fall, but on the other side it has been

 very cold.  There was a time I thought I loved the cold, not 

sure anymore.  I like cool weather.  Not artic cold weather.

No matter where we go, the best moment is 

when we leave and I know that Sniff is waiting for us.  

Seeing his little face sure makes me happy.  The best

 part of any trip is that trip back home.

It's another very chilly/COLD day.  So happy we 

live in Florida. We like Branson very much, but not

 in the winters.  We had enough of that when we ran 

the hotels.  Good morning and a good day to all.

Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace 

for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow...

~Nadiya~