Noury's Creative World…

I am feeling so happy right now…just thinking about the real meaning of Christmas…being with my loved ones and feeling oh, so grateful, for my family and friends.

The above photo is from my local library and it evoked in me a feeling of being grateful for being part of an international community where we celebrate each and all of us.

Frankly, sometimes I equate Christmas with spending money and stress, but if I put that thought aside, and think about enjoying my coffee, my breakfast, my moments with my friends and family, then the paradigm changes instantly.

It feels great to be alive, to be looking forward to visiting with my family, and to just being…happy.

Your Happy Contessa

Yes, indeed, yesterday, Thanksgiving Day in the United States, we ate as if almost there is not going to be any more food for the rest of the year.  And, yes, I ate it all.  No dessert, though.  My gracious hostess offered some pie, but I said no.  Where was my brain when I said no.  Later I regretted that, because once the damage/pleasure of eating that delicious meal, what gives.  A few thousand calories more or less is not going to hurt anyone.  So dessert will have to wait for after Christmas dinner.  Not too many days to go.

I spent Thanksgiving Day with my lovely family, and boy, did they have a full spread.  The very traditional Thanksgiving Day meal.  Everything and anything.  Lovely time.  I even discussed some hair spray issues with my grandchildren and one of their cousins.  Who knew!  They recommended to me which ones to avoid and which ones to use if I wanted extra hold.  I should have asked them for shampoo issues.  Next time.

No, I did not go shopping at Midnight.  No way!  I waited until after my morning walk, got my car keys and there I went.  I looked as if I had just rolled out of bed and went out.  I could tell by the looks I was getting.  No makeup, a baseball cap to cover that I had not yet combed my hair, and my sunglasses.  Who cares!  Some stores were 50% off, the whole store!  What’s going on?  Either “they” are sticking it to us for the rest of the year, or things are questionable.  I was not in a mood to ask them.

Got a nice little coat and some apples.  No, apples were at their regular price.  But I needed fiber in my daily diet.  No…I am a very regular girl.  Thank you very much.

Well…there you have it…another Thanksgiving Day down the pipes…now looking forward to shopping for…Christmas.  Do you think I may find some stores at 75% off, or maybe, if I am lucky, they’ll give it to me for free.  This is America, anything goes.

Your Happy Contessa

“Love is a wonderful thing.”  Moi and some other people.

There is always something in my life to be grateful for.  I am grateful for all of you from all over the world that stop and take precious time out of your day to read what is going on in my life and in my mind at any particular moment.

I am grateful that I have my good health, my mind, my heart, and that all of me is functioning properly as I type.  What happens tomorrow, stays with tomorrow.  Right now I am all feeling grateful for a gazillion number of things.

I realized some time ago, that most of the “stuff” that surrounds me is just that, stuff.  The most important things in my life that bring me moments of awe are things I cannot buy or that belong to me.  A beautiful sunset, the purity and innocence of a baby, breathtaking nature and mostly important, my friends that accept me and understand me as I am.  Probably our spirits are in constant communication with each other.  Spirits are an extension of the goodness of God in each one of us.

I am grateful that I live in this country, the United States of America, and that there is a day that we celebrate our gratitude to the Almighty.

My best wishes for a very peaceful, safe and Happy Thanksgiving Day.

My love always to all of you,

Your Happy Contessa

Breathtaking…isn’t it?  Life is all good, we are going back to being nice to each other and still…God is in control.

Let’s shake all of that stuff off that made some of us obnoxious, and let’s go back to being our “normal” self.  After all, friends are supposed to be unconditional.  Friend is not a title I give to just anyone.  That title has to be earned, proven worthy and tested throughout the seasons of life.

“That’s very well said, and may all be true,” said Candide, “but let’s cultivate our garden.”  From Voltaire’s Candide.

Your Happy Contessa

For my compatriots, all of you are already aware we are having a Presidential Election next Tuesday, November 6th.

Today,  I decided to take the opportunity to go and vote early.  I waited for 40 minutes in line under magnificent blue skies and a very nice cool weather.  It is not too often you have an opportunity to wear a coat in Florida.  I had decided that even if it took me all day, I was going to have my voice heard.

As most of you know, I was born and raised under a dictatorship in the Dominican Republic.  I do not take the privilege of voting lightly.  Most of the people in the United States do not know  what it is to live without any kind of freedom.  I do know, that’s why I was so excited to get my sticker to wear on my lapel stating that “I voted.”  I always do, it is like a badge of honor that reminds me that I do matter in the bigger scheme of things.

People that preceded me went to war, died, lost families, properties and so many other things, so I could today have the power to have my say in this important event in our country.

God bless the United States of America!

Please do remember those that have been affected by Hurricane Sandy.  American Red Cross and others have always been available to lend a hand.  Please do support these institutions today.

Your Happy Contessa

“The future of this republic is in the hands of the American voter.”  Dwight D. Eisenhower, 34th American President, from 1953 until 1961.  14 October, 1890 – 28 March, 1969.

Life is such a wonderful thing!  I am breathing, can walk, can type, can take pictures and can a lot of other things.  Yesterday was my 64th Anniversary of being on Planet Earth, the most beautiful planet in the whole Universe.

Am I on a good vibe cycle or what!  Lovely, lovely, lovely…that is my life and everything about it.

Enough of the self-love fest.  What about that number 6 on my “birthday cake,” a/k/a  an orange-cranberry scone.  What was I thinking when I decided for the scone versus the cupcake?  I don’t know, the cupcakes looked so-frosted-maxed-out that the better option was the feel-like-a-bomb-scone that went into my stomach and exploded there.  It will take me maybe a couple of weeks to recover from such an act of no thinking much.

Now, the number 6 issue.  I thought about buying candles with numbers to put on top of my scone.  After looking at the “boutique price” of these candles, I decided once more, remember not too much thinking was going on in my brain, I decided to just buy the first number and forget about the number 4.  Cheap, cheap, cheap!  What the heck, it was going to be only me singing the “Happy Birthday to Me” serenade, so who cares.  Besides, I can now recycle this #6 candle for the rest of my sixties.  See, a lot of thinking went after the act of being so cheap.  Rationalize, rationalize, until it feels justified.

That’s the way I have managed to achieve this milestone.  Who am I kidding anyway?  Not me!

Oh yes, for dinner, it was “Puerco al Mojo.”  Translation, Pork-a-la-Mojo, plus Basmati rice and sweet potatoes with honey.  Tell you, I went out all the way.  Sixty-four is a good number to start living dangerously.

So…it was yesterday…my sixth decades plus four…it was a good day!

Your Happy Contessa

“You know you’re getting old when you get that one candle on the cake.  It’s like, see if you can blow this out.”  Jerry Seinfeld, American comedian, actor, writer, etc.  29 April, 1954-.

Do you think one can get ill or sick out of trying to eat too healthy?  Sometimes I ponder on that one.  Maybe my aging stomach resents all this good-for-me stuff.

I know one thing…I am getting tired of cooking, peeling, eating and then washing the dish and pan.  I know, I know…we been through this already.  Just pretend this is new stuff for you.  I am trying to change the posting and put something fresh.  Even I get tired of looking at the same thing all the time.

On another subject matter, fascinating people from eighteen countries (18) got curious enough to stop by and read my thoughts.  I am more international than national.  Not really, it is about even.  Just the perfect amount of people to keep happy.

Oh…yes…the picture…I am on a Quinoa-state-of-mind right now.  Love that stuff.  Prepare like Tabbouleh, and put tomatoes, cilantro, olive oil, extra virgin of course!, juice from a lime, red pepper, cucumber and anything that I have in the fridge that may go with it.  Heavenly!   Keep the cilantro fresh by placing it in the fridge in a container with water, just like you would do with flowers.  Lasts more than a week.

Well…now I feel fresher and updated…so it is another day in my Quinoa side of this world.

What’s next, I will keep it surprise, for you and for…me!

Your Happy and Healthy Contessa

“One should eat to live, not live to eat.”  Benjamin Franklin, one of the Founding Fathers of the United States, politician, musician, author, postmaster, and so much more.  17 January, 1706 – 17 April, 1790.

That’s the spirit!  First it was the sonic boom that took half of the electric power out in my condo, then the people next door decided this was the perfect timing to start moving out,   talking loud, a-la-movers-style, and you know the rest.

Here I am trying to get my portion of peace for the day, after saying my thank you to the Creator, I decided it was time to get it on with my meditation.  Yeah, right!

Half of my mind was trying to be peaceful and graceful, while the other half was being really mind-nasty to those movers.  So…I decided to write and get it out of my system, I mean, my mind.

Why the sunglasses in the picture?  You did not believe even for a second I was going to let you see the bags under my eyes?  Imagine a three-pound bag of potatoes on each side of my eyes.  Now you know what I mean.  Oh, oh, now they are singing…, the movers, I mean, not the bags.

So now my timer is calling me to have my oatmeal.  Sorry, international tribe, a girl got to eat, you know, her oatmeal.  When you get older you will know what I mean.

Ta ta….Hummmm….Peace and Quiet!!!!

Your Happy Contessa

“You have the right to remain quiet!”  The meditation police.