Death End?

"Time is the best teacher, unfortunately it kills all its students".

I think I might never get used to death, but I'm not talking about my own death, but the death of a family member, a friend or even an acquaintance.

Yesterday I found out that somebody that I knew passed away, and although I haven't seen him in years I can't help but feel sadden by the news and specially to imagine what his family is going through in this difficult time. Because that is the part I dread the most, thinking when the time of loosing somebody close to me is going to come.

But, don't get me wrong I am not scared of death or myself dying, is more about spending life without the people I love so much, but I guess part of that love is to rejoice when they are finally passing to a better life close to God. It is still hard to accept it.

So, I wonder, what will happen to my blog when I am gone? If it stays here for years after I am gone, I wonder what people will think about my life, about what I liked, if they will have things in common with me?  Sometimes when I browse around blogs that have not being updated in months, perhaps years, I wonder where the person is and if they are still alive, maybe if I leave a comment, it will never reach the author cause it's long gone...

So, what about my email account? My passwords? Should I write them down and keep them in a safe box with access only with a lawyer after I am gone? But what for? so people can see the remaining balance on my paypal account, which is probably less than a $100 us? Or so they can see all my past Amazon orders and what my wish list contained? Where do all these stuff ends up?

photo taken by me at a cemetery near Buffalo, NY

Anybody out there has any idea about any of this?

My grandfather always used to say, "The end of world is when you die", well, I am not sure, cause he died when I was 10 and the world is still around...

Anyway, just some food for thought... Have a wonderful alive Wednesday!!!

family or staff?

Ever heard the phrase: "Dogs have family, cats have staff"???

Well, it's probably a pretty accurate statement (most of the time), but lately I've feel like our dogs act more like felines in this aspect.

To me at times, it feels like we are here to pet them, love them, feed them and walk them on their own terms and schedule... I wonder if while we are at work, they have some sort of contact with a cat that has been given them tips on how to handle us?

And I wonder if this is the cat they have been hanging out with...

I hope not, cause he looks kinda' serious, uh?

So even though Ditto looks very innocent, I think deep down when he stares at us, he is secretly trying to mind control us...

see what I mean???

And Sheba acts all girlie and innocent as well, but deep inside we know she is just playing us with her charms so we do what she wants, when she wants it...

who can resist her???

As you can imagine it's hard to see that very thin line between family and staff, but at the end of the day it's all worth the walks, the food, the petting, the taking them to the vet because they also give us so much love and happiness that pays up like nothing else.

So, if you have a furry companion of any sort and you sometimes feel like I do, well, think of it as a blessing or just play dumb! LOL

Have a wonderful Tuesday!

Ocean symphony

It was a good weekend. Saturday was a very hot day, in the afternoon our outdoor thermometer measured about 110F at 4pm, so imagine how hot it was at noon. We stayed in most of the day and only went out to get some groceries and new snorkel gear.

When we came back from our vacation in Mexico almost 2 weeks ago, one of our bags never made it back, it contained our snorkel gear, some coffee, my husbands underwater camera with lots of pictures and a pair of flip flops. At this point we are trying to process full payment with American Airlines for all of our stuff and starting to look for new gear. Because we are such avid divers/snorkelers, both me and my husband, have gear for both, Saturday we went to Divers Supply, which is were we usually get our stuff, but they were very low on stock, so we decided to wait until the get more product in.

So yesterday when we went to the beach, I used a "backup" mask and snorkel (but no fins) to do some snorkeling, it was pretty hard work because the water was kind of choppy and it took a lot of me to actually manage to get down and stay down to try and take picture, so here's the best shot from all the ones I took.

Then my husband went out snorkeling for a longer time and find this beautiful treasure

Isn't it pretty? It's one of those conch shells that if you get close enough, you can hear the ocean... for real, just click below and you'll see (well, more like, you'll hear!).

See, it's just a matter of believing and it happens, for those who are far from the ocean I hope you enjoyed the little symphony and those who are close to it, remember to never take it for granted, as the ocean song is a very soothing and relaxing one.

Have a wonderful week!!! 

today's idea

So, my idea is to enjoy the weekend, get some rest, charge batteries and maybe if the weather permits it go for a dive or spend some time at the beach... What are your ideas for the weekend?

Whatever you do be happy and....

ENJOY YOUR WEEKEND!

life in technicolor

A friend of mine shared the following chart on Facebook and when I saw it couldn't help but laugh for every time I've told my husband something like;

"Could you please go to the closet and get me a teal top that is hanging there? Of course he can't find it or comes back asking me, do you mean the blue one???"

Well, if you have ever encounter any problem in the past communicating to the opposite sex about colors, just refer to the chart featured below*... LOL!

You never know, it might come in handy* for when you are looking for your Maraschino lipstick, LOL!!!

*Disclaimer: Might not come in handy if person you are experimenting problem communicating with, is color blind, contact an eye doctor for further details.

Have a colorful day!!!

Nimbe

While in Mexico this past July I had the chance to spend some time with my friend Claudia's new puppy; Nimbe, her name means Moon Light in Nahuatl which is the language of the Aztecs.

I forgot how great is to have a puppy around, their smell, their energy, how much they move, how playful they are and how amazing it is that everything around them is a new experience, a new discovery.

It was so great to hold her, feel her breathing and feel her energy all over her entire body, it filled me up with love!

She has so much energy and a wonderful attitude, she loves to play and already was showing signs of a very strong personality.

I hope both my friend Claudia and her find a happy life together, full of love and friendship.. miss them both so much, can't wait to see them again!!!

Rainbow Dinner

Last night we had a "rainbow dinner" with as many colors as possible... well there's always room for improvement but I think we did pretty good this time.

RED

image from healthtipswebsite.com

GREEN

image from gourmentsleuth.com

YELLOW

image from thestrokefoundation.com

Orange

image from saltyspoon.com

 WHITE

image from soonwei.com

All the ingredients together (plus in our case last night some sirloin to mesh it all) in a delicious rice bowl stir fry.

I am not a vegetarian but I love veggies, so I consider myself a omnivore as I enjoy both, a good plate of greens as well as some red meat at times. Besides, to me a vegetarian is not the exact opposite of a carnivore as many people that eat meat also like and eat plenty of vegetables. I think that the key is to have a good balance and eat what your body absorbs and enjoys without over indulging, right?
 
So, in our case last night, our dinner was a healthy and beautiful way to fill up our bodies with vitamins, minerals and colors, yummy!

Happy Tuesday!

Happiness is...

dipping your feet in the sand...

a beach umbrella

finding the smallest of treasures

and sharing it all with the one you love!

I had a wonderful weekend and now it's time to get back to work and make the best out of the day, have a great Monday and find happiness in all that you do today!

Gentle Giants

Ever had an encounter with a real giant? I have, and here's the video to prove it.

Swimming with Whale Sharks was one of the highlights of our trip to Mexico, we visited Holbox Island and took the tour, although we didn't see as many as I saw 7 yrs ago when I first visited the island, this second time saw lots of dolphins and jumping mantas, so it was worth the day.

If you are ever in the Yucatan Peninsula and it's between June to Sept. go and look for this wonderful gentle giants, it's an encounter like no other.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Guest Blogging

Today I am not here, but here.

I've been invited to be a guest blogger on the OneTravel blog and it's such an honor to be part of somebody else's space and being able to contribute to a different audience.

image from http://onetravel.wordpress.com/

So, are you still here? What are you waiting for? Just click here and head that way...

I hope you enjoy my article as well as many other wonderful ones that you'll find on the OneTravel blog... see ya'!

Happy Thursday!

Moving on

The great thing in the world is not so much where we stand, as in what direction we are moving.
Oliver Wendell Holmes

After 2 weeks of "fun in the sun", relaxing and not worrying about anything I was back to work on Monday but started feeling this horrible spasms on my lower back. The day went by and it just got worse to the point that I ended at the ER around 11pm, saw the doctor, did some test and just sent me home to rest for two days.

Yesterday and today I've been home trying to get rid of the pain, resting and hoping to go back to work soon...

Then yesterday we got some pretty bad news that the government of the Islands after more than 13 years of service from my husband, has decided not to renew his contract, so now it's off to look for a new opportunity which we need and soon.

So with this pain and the fact that I know my husband is going through a very difficult time I am having a hard time. I am praying to God that once again he shows us that he is in charge, He has always giving me so much that not once I have felt abandoned, I know this times are not the exception, so please if you are reading this add us to your daily prayers because every little bit helps.

 Happy Wednesday!

Valladolid

Like I mentioned on yesterday's post we visit the colonial city of Valladolid, here are some of the pictures of the lovely town.

the window to my dreams

vintage is the new old

old door, new lock?

city in technicolor

laundry by Daniela

sun faded

This was probably my 3rd of 4th time in this lovely town, but I forgotten how beautiful the color houses are, I am glad I spent at least a day there.

Happy Tuesday!!!

Sitting in the park

When was the last time you sat at a park and just watched the world go by?

During our 2 weeks in Mexico we spent 1 day/1 night in the beautiful colonial town of Valladolid in Yucatan. In the afternoon of the day we got there (and after we visited some cenotes in the area), we sat in the park to just enjoy the afternoon and watch the town come alive.

It was a pretty busy afternoon there (and probably a very typical one), some people were on a hurry, either coming or going but definitely with their own agenda.

There were lots of people selling things and specially food, but others like us, just enjoying the afternoon while sitting place under the shade of some wonderful trees.

While I was there I couldn't help but thinking about how wonderful it is that there's still places in this world where people have time to just sit at the park, enjoy the beautiful afternoon and see the world go by.

Meanwhile there's people in this world that are constantly and always on the run without taking time to sit and just see the world go by... Maybe there's even people out there that have never ever sat at a park at all...

Well I am happy to think that I did it*, ( at least while on vacation), just sat on the park and watched the world go by without a single worry on my mind, but now it's back to work for me.

I am full of energy and hoping to dive right into what I do, sell lots of art and enjoy every minute of my day.

Have a wonderful week!

*Do try this at least once on your life, I highly recommend it

Tulum

Well, I am finally decompressing from 2 whole weeks of traveling and exploring around the beautiful Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico, unfortunately while I was there I got a major cold that I am still not 100% over.

It's been 6 years since I left Tulum in 2004, after been living there for almost 3 years. During my time there, I can probably say those were some of the best years of my life; worked at a very nice hotel, spent lots of time at the beach, did quite a bit of diving in some cenotes, visited many archeological sites but mostly I made some very special lifelong friendships.

Being back after all this years was simply wonderful. On my way there I can probably say I had a mix of emotions; excitement, wonder, hope, happiness, expectancy, but those feelings were rewarded in all good ways as Tulum is still the magical place that I once was part of, and my friends are as special and unique as the day I saw them last.

So I am very happy that after all this years Tulum is still the same place I left, of course it's grown quite a bit and "progress" has taking its course, but in a way it's still the same rustic place full of color, full of Mayan flavor and with very friendly people everywhere.

Here are some pictures of the beach areas in Tulum....

funky beach house

perfect spot

lonely beach hammocks

boat

 

 

See what I'm talking about? It's a wonderful place... I heart you Tulum!!!

Back-cation

We are back home in Grand Cayman after 2 wonderful weeks in Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula, had a fabulous time, managed to really disconnect from work and daily life.

Spent time at some wonderful beaches, visit amazing cenotes, archeological sites but I specially loved sharing this dear place with my husband and catching up with my friends.

I took tons of pictures and videos and I think I have over 500 to go through, so I am not sure how long is going to take me, but I will be sharing as much as I can, as soon as I can.

One thing that I am sure of is that it feels good to be back home and realize that my life is still so wonderful, I am a very blessed person, I have a amazing husband who I love, love my house, my dogs, the place where I live and even my job.

I am not back to work until Monday so I will try to catch up on my blogging this weekend.
Have a wonderful weekend!

Mexico Photo Diary 1

Not much time to post, so at least while I am here I'll be sharing some of my pictures

palapa roof

catching up with my best friends

relaxing time

one of many Mexican folk art

Llegamos!

We are finally in Mexico and it feels like a dream come true. It's been 6 since I was last here and I am simply delighted to see my friends again and to visit such a magical place that is Tulum.

So far, it looks like taking the weather with me has worked, we've had a couple of fast showers but nothing very major, cloudy most of the time but with a few rays of sun to keep us hoping for more.

Just today we hang out by the beach in the morning, had 2 breakfasts and visited one of the many beautiful lagoons of the area. Tomorrow we are moving to a friend's hotel and the probably visit some cenotes.

Sunday will be the ruins, World Cup Final and most important event of that day is my husband's birthday. There is Wi-Fi (and free) at most hotels, so I might be able to share more adventures soon!

'till then...

taking the weather...

On our way to Mexico today...

Here in Grand Cayman it's not raining and although it was a little overcast yesterday, I am expecting to do like the Crowded House song and "Take the weather with me"... So please, join me in this little prayer so we can get some good, sunny weather during our vacation.

"Dear father, thank you for the rain that gives so much nurture to the soil and the plants. Thank you for the sun that gives warmth and energy to all living things. Send us some of that precious sunshine to keep us company during our holiday, but mostly thank you for everything everything you gives us everyday. Amen."

Until we meet again in the cyber world, I will be around here...

See ya'...

travel ready

Remember the time with people actually used to dress up to travel? I don't think I ever did, I always go for comfort over glamour and now with even more reason, since going through security is something like this:

Stylish girl getting to the gate... 

The she reaches security and...

Like I said this is never me, I am barely stylish in my daily life, so you won't see me traveling like that, although I can totally relate to the two colors socks, LOL!


So, "All my bags are packed, I'm ready to go..." 

It's so exciting to finally go away on a long vacation, I really cannot remember the last time I went away for a whole two weeks of just vacation while visiting other than family.

Back in 2007 we went to visit my husbands family in Maryland and Ohio, and that was fun but it was 100% family time, which is cool, but nothing like an actual vacation, just the two of us, with a few friends around to visit, but still, us together, at a hotel with our own itinerary and time management, lovely!

Well, tomorrow is the day, and I am so grateful to God for giving us this opportunity, I am going to make the best out of it and enjoy myself to the fullest.

I dunno what the internet accesses situation will be and whenever I can squeeze in a post I will totally do it, I will have my notebook with me but, no promises. I do promise lots and lots of pictures and stories for when I come back... so stay tuned and I'll keep you posted!!!

Blessings to all!!!

Sunny Tuesday

Well, I guess my sun salutation post from yesterday was enough to encourage a day of sun on the island, now time to go out and thaw from the past rainy days, oh no wait a minute, I have to work today and tomorrow, but then is off to Mexico... yey!

We went to visit my brother and sister in law yesterday afternoon, their house is very nice and such a big improvement from a 1 bedroom apartment they used to rent before... Had a great time; good company, delicious food, good wine, and a nice place... can't get better than that! Oh, yes they even had a chocolate cake for my husband for his coming birthday that we are going to celebrate while in Mexico.

Mau & Gaylene's new Cayman Cottage

But I guess besides the sun reading my blog the following Kitty decided to put the Sun Salutation to the test... isn't he adorable?

Today is also my older brother's birthday, so a BIG shout out to him (even though he doesn't read my blog), hope he is having a fab day and that God blesses him for more years to come... Love you bro!

(mark, me, The birthday bro Gian, his wife Tracie)

So, lots to do today and then is off to Mexico. can't wait I am so excited, have a nice day!

here comes the sun

The entire weekend was raining, on a off and with very strong (at least 30 miles p/h gusts) winds. There seems to be a disturbance located southwest of us and unfortunately heading towards the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico for the next two days, hopefully it would be passed that point by Thursday as we are heading that way on vacation.

So on today's post I figure it might be better to put some sunshine somewhere, how about a Yoga Sun Salutation to send good vibes to us as well as our next vacation destiny?

If you have never tried this series of movements I highly recommend them, they are great for your heart, your coordination as well as your balance. Better to practice them very early in the morning, but don't worry if you feel awkward or you think you are not flexible enough, the more you do them, the better you get, and the benefits are fantastic.

You don't even have to kill yourself and do a lot of them, with at least 3 sets once a day or every other day, I'm sure you'll see a difference and feel more energetic.

Today is a holiday here on the island (Constitution Day) and I am working from 9am to 3pm, then we are going to go see my brother and his wife as they just moved to a new place, hopefully it won't be raining too hard!

Happy Weekend and stay dry!