It takes a lot of courage to release the familiar and seemingly secure, to embrace the new.
But there is no real security in what is no longer meaningful.
There is more security in the adventurous and exciting, for in movement there is life, and in change there is power.
Alan Cohen
"Outside of a dog, a book is a man's best friend.
Inside of a dog, it's too dark to read."
Groucho Marx
The doors we open and close each day decide the lives we live.

Monday, August 29, 2016

The H Word

Well, it has been said ... the "H" word ... Hurricane.

It is gorgeous out .. blue skies, bright sunshine, a wee bit of wispy clouds here and there.
But apparently a storm is on its way and they named the damned thing.

I refuse to listen to the weather and will not care what the storms name is ... I just want to see sunshine and blue skies and not one tree falling, not one roof tile flying by or a girl with a little dog in her arms ..

I have no basement.
I have no storm cellar or shelter.
I do have many large windows and glass doors.
I will get in the car with the cats in their crate and sit in the car , in the garage and talk to the cats and make plans on where we want to live next.

You know, in all the years we lived in Buenos Aires, there was no hurricane. Not one tornado.
It snowed for a few minutes the first winter we were there and it was magical ...
Imagine, a public holiday, the parks full of happy people, cold and raw and grey ... then a snowflake fell. I told my husband and he laughed at me. Then he saw one. Then other people saw them. Then everyone saw them .. laughing, catching snowflakes on tongues, showing babies the snow .. it was the best ...

I can live without seeing snow in Florida.
I can live with heat and humidity.
I left the land of year- long   winters with snow storm after snow storm.
But I cannot live with tornadoes... and I do not want to hear about hurricanes either.

Minette, go get your suitcase, bring Merlins too.



Sunday, August 28, 2016

I like it

You would have thought that I would have had some time adjusting to being here in Florida.
The weather first of all ... it has been gorgeous, not too hot and no rain. I know the hot and the rain are on the way but I see it as a change of scenery, not a punishment or ordeal to get through .. as I remember the way we felt when we lived here years ago.
I like it.

I love the nights with the stars bright in a very dark sky, with no city lights to interfere, no smog or dirty air to fuzz things up ... it is clear and blue in the day and clear and dark at night.
Yet I know I am not all alone on a country road, there are people living all around me.
 I like it.

The condo is lovely. It is perfect for someone who has come from large homes. Adjusting to living in an apartment can be a chore .. but this place seems as large as my NY house !
There is an upstairs and downstairs and attached garage and a very large/as large as the living room, lanai.
I walk out there, through glass doors in a glass wall that overlooks green green grass and a forest.
Pine trees and birds and a squirrel now and then and a surprise visit by a small armadillo.
I like it.

The cats are very happy here.
They have the sun to lie in , in their little kitty- cat comas of heat and contentment.
They have a large bed with Mama,  with a/c at night / and little cat beds all over the place.
There are a few bathrooms here and they all have litter boxes.
What more can a cat ask for ? They like it.

I can shower or soak in a tub in a choice of bathrooms.
I have a laundry room upstairs ( you know the one where the pipe broke and I had a flood downstairs - shuddering at the memory)
The garage is attached, the neighbors are so quiet I sometimes believe there really is no one else living here.. but then the empty headed man with the hysterical Toy Collie walks by and I know I am not completely alone on the planet.

My daughter is getting ready to move into her own new home.
Which is just about a walk from where I live ! It was not planned, it just happened.
I love where she is moving to and love that it resembles the way my condo is laid out too ..
While looking at her new home, I noticed the condos next door to hers ... they are very appealing to me. I have to get inside and see what the story is there .. they have that outdoor look of a cabin in the mountains .. dark wood .. porches with railings .. streetlights, trees .. part Disney and part Woodsy.
I like it.

I thought we were going to have bad weather courtesy of a fizzled out hurricane but the sky is bright blue with no clouds.
I guess I will make the beds and go to the market and then browse the shops .. I am in the mood to shop. It will get my mind off of my stiff back.

I guess the only adjustment I have had trouble with, is finding my way.
I get lost.
Most of the time.
I drove here alone from NY but I get lost finding the supermarket a few miles away.
Oh well. They deliver :) And I like that !

Today the cats will have their naps in peace and quiet, my back is too stiff to do anything but lay on the sofa and read a book.  I like that.









Friday, August 26, 2016

Tibet

TIBET

You might want to reconsider what you have heard and thought of when you hear the word Tibet.

Sunday, August 21, 2016

Sunday ..... Catday ....











I have come to the conclusion that I am indeed, a Cat Lady.
Hopefully not a Crazy Cat Lady but I will admit that I am more fond of my cats than I am of most humans  and they bring me more enjoyment than most humans.

They are also loyal and are not known to be back stabbers or liars.
And they never use excuses for not visiting, writing or calling.
They never need them, they are there, 24/7 .. and usually purring.
And they are honest.
Although I have seen the little drama kitten Minette go into the Starving Kitty routine enough to know that while she is honest, she is not above a good exaggeration when she smells Fishy Cat Food cans being opened.

Moving them to Florida was a good thing. Forget about what it means for me, the cats are in Kitty Nirvana .. imagine if your main goals in life were Warm Spots for Naps ... lots of Naps ... food at regular times and if it stinks to high heaven of canned fish, Even Better.

Then there is the  Human to pet you, brush you, cut the tangles out and to trim your nails so you don't get hung up on those gorgeous linen drapes .... someone who never complains to you about your joy in flinging litter as far as possible ... just for the hell of it.
A human that whispers loving things to you, using    words that you don't know  but you definitely know the touch and sound .. a sound that can only be replied to with the sound of purring.

So yes, I am the Cat Lady ... and glad of it.




Wednesday, August 17, 2016

What It Could Have Been



It had all the makings of a bad day.
People had to come here to do things, be on time, hopefully, no mess etc.
I lost my car keys. With the house keys.
I could not leave the house .. even on foot.
It was a bright and sunny day, no clouds, hot.
The iPhone went missing. ( I do not have a house phone )

The man that owns the apartment came by  he wanted to   fix something and see about the a/c.
My daughter emailed  and wanted to know if I wanted to go out to dinner ..

The man arrived, with assurances that all would be well.
My daughter arrived and whisked me away for a fish camp dinner .. all the hushpuppies you can eat with fresh fried flounder ... I felt so Back Home !

My daughter and I talked and giggled and enjoyed being out together ..
The conversation was mostly about real estate .. we are both looking ..

She brought me home, with the headlights on she gave me an idea of where to look for the iPhone ..
There it was.
I found the house keys right before we left ... I was able to get back in the house, with the phone..
All is well.
Cats are slightly annoyed, apparently I didn't mention to them that I would be out for a while.
Miffed kitties  ...

I will now go watch something they like on TV and grovel a little and kiss and snuggle a lot and have a good night .. with everything back where it belongs and fixed and working and locked.

In case someone dear to me sees this ... when out celebrating her anniversary .. on a ship  ... in Europe !!
Happy Anniversary !!! These flowers are for you !!!

Tuesday, August 16, 2016

The Little Black Snake

I walk to the mailboxes each day and back, with the heat and humidity today I was glad it was not a long walk.
The gardeners are here today .. mowing, trimming, sculpting .. very nice and very polite and cheerful all the time.

I always say hello to them , instead of pretending they are not there like I have seen some people do .. so now they say hello Signora when they see me.
Today they were standing by some shrubs that were being trimmed and just staring at the shrub.
I had to walk past them anyway, so I said What ? is something wrong ?
And one of the men just pointed at the shrub .... and there it was .. it's little "neck" sticking out, its little bitty head looking .. staring .. is it safe to come out ? What are these humans doing to my hiding place ?? My Gosh they are ugly, those humans !

He was quite small and not scary looking , kind of cute if you really want to know.

A little Black Snake.

So that is one black snake, one armadillo , one long garden snake and a lot of fireflies that I have seen so far, living here.
Thankfully, no alligators. oy.

Now I am safe inside .. with the craziest of creatures ...  cats...2 young,  1 old .. watch out for them !

Saturday, August 13, 2016

Florida Cats

Minette likes Florida so far ... Merlin likes the nap weather , although he is conked out on my bed with the a/c making him comfy right now.
Minette is a sweet little girl who likes to hang out on the lanai with Honey and they watch birds and chat about little girl cat things and nap ... they all nap a lot.
I have to be careful, I was lying on the sofa watching the Olympics with Honey nearby , napping and next thing I knew, my eyelids were getting heavy .. cat hypnosis.

We have had a boring day but that is ok .. boring is better than some dramas I have experienced so I will read and talk to cats and think of the easiest dinner possible .. last night was too easy ..
Warmed up old pasta ... put it on your list of foods you won't want to eat , good for diet meals.

My daughter is in the midst of exciting happy things and she is busy and I find myself feeling a bit lonesome but thank goodness for Kindle and cats.
They go together quite well.
The    sky got pitch black, the air was very still and I thought, tornadoes are not what I need at this time ... ever .... then we had a brief squall go by and now the sky is baby blue with no clouds.
How bout dat ?!

So I am off to loll around with cats on the lanai and figure out what will I do on Sunday.
Hope your weekend is going along well ....


Friday, August 12, 2016

In the South ..

Now it is all coming back to me.
Why Southerners are considered to be "slower" than Northerners..
In the North it can be cold ... who wants to walk along, dawdle and window shop and take your time going down the street when the wind is blowing and your nose feels like it has fallen off from being frozen too long ?
Who is going to stop and chat with someone on the street about where they got their haircut or where did they find those shoes ?! You would freeze in place Up North !

In the South, it is warm .. slows you down, why rush around and get warmer ? take your time, honey.
You see something in a shop window, someone else sees it too, you have a nice conversation with a perfect stranger who calls you honey when you say goodbye.

In the North, you dread winter, you know from all those winters before ... it will be so cold, you won't want to leave the house for weeks at a time.
You will get these weird dreams of beaches and dream about the scent of suntan lotion ... and wake up huddled under all the blankets and fighting the cats for one last comforter.

In the South, you eat better, it is Summer all the time, produce and fruit are fresh .. not fresh frozen ..
You can eat watermelon, and grilled salmon and salads to your hearts content.. or lay on the sofa watching tv with a few cats... enjoying some chocolate ices.
In the winter. In the South.
Where the waitress called me honey. . would you like some more iced tea, honey ?
She was so nice, I had more tea, I am sloshing from all the iced tea I have been drinking ..sweet iced tea ~

So far, I am happy with my decision to move South.
So are the cats ... and wouldn't you know, my Mom's cat that I inherited, is named ... Honey.


Friday, August 5, 2016

Today I Donated

Poor Pup

If I had the wherewithal, I would adopt the poor baby. More donations are welcome, I am sure.

Wednesday, August 3, 2016

If You Feel Stressed

Pretend you are lying on the grass, looking up ... the only sound you hear is birds and the faraway sound of people talking and children playing. Pretend you are in a Park in Buenos Aires.

Tuesday, August 2, 2016

Poor Baby

When Breeders should be controlled ... how will this kitten ever be able to jump up on things, leap like a Cat ???
God bless the little thing ... The Frankenstein of Cat Breeding has run amok.

Monday, August 1, 2016

Sunset

Everyone talks about the sun in Florida, the skies and the sea and how warm it can be.
But at this moment in time, all I can say is that the sunsets here are breathtaking, every day.
This photo was taken from my bedroom window .. I am so glad that I had just glanced over and noticed the golden glow on the curtains ...

If a person were to think about Things in a way of "messages" and love from faraway, very far away .... well, you can think what you wish ~
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sunset in Buenos Aires

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