• Since this is likely to be the last chance I’ll get for some proper time to sit on my own to reflect on the past year and goal set for the next, I am using this week to get a little ahead. Besides, I never was/am one to stick to the “normal” patterns of life nor a procrastinator to try to get it in at the last minute so that I appear “normal”.…

  • So, remember when I said I was building up to 108 Sun Salutation As? Well, I did it. I actually finished a few days early because my ankle, back, and legs were starting to get a bit whacked out of shape from the repetitive practice. Still, the goal was achieved and I actually felt really good overall from it. Although not necessarily noticeable to others, my arms started to look more tone and…

  • I don’t know when I became a rugby fan. Perhaps, it was when most of my friends were from Australia and New Zealand. Perhaps, it was the first time I saw the haka performed. Perhaps, it was just a natural progression from growing up with sports on TV quite a lot to enjoying internationally celebrated ones once outside of the U.S. In any case, I’m now a major rugby fan! 🏉 The last…

  • The thing about being an expat is that there are cycles of culture shock that are forgotten about when living abroad for so long. We start to take think that just because we are experienced at the way of life we are exempt from the ups and downs of culture shock. Well, a rude awakening has come with a rather unexpected dip lately.  Not having a grasp of the language, and therefore, the…

  • Well, I promised an update from earlier in the week and so here it is. 😁 The time both flew by and also felt just right in providing me the space/break needed to get myself resettled into a routine/rhythm. As I had hoped, I got ahead of schedule on things and two of three manuscripts are now out of my hands for the time-being. One more to go before the next wave begins.…

  • It’s an interesting phenomenon that one inflicts a sense of urgency and demand on oneself even when not in an office environment or surroundings where it is easy to pinpoint the source. While my work from home fluctuates from trickles to tidal waves, I do not have what one would call “stressful” jobs as a freelance contract worker. On top of that, I have a very cushy home and personal life as there…

  • Summer used to be my favorite season. That was until anything hotter than about 85F turned me into a fiery devil! 👿 Last summer, we had determined that we didn’t want to be in Italy for the August hell 🥵 temperatures since we spent about two weeks living in one room of the house during the day as we couldn’t justify having the A/C on all day. This summer, we had planned to…

  • So, today I finished 70 sun salutations for Day 16 of my 28-day challenge to build up to 108 in one go. I wrote when I was starting it two weeks ago. When I woke up this morning, I was feeling keen. I thought to myself that it’s only another 38 rounds to the full amount and so I could surely get them done and I’d have fulfilled my challenge. Well, by the…

  • Life is very good. People who do not know us or our history have told us that they can never imagine being able to live as we do. People who do not know us or our history think that what we have now was easy to obtain–for us. People who do not know us or our history think that I am a “princess” and M is a “saint”. Let me emphasize, these are…

  • As someone who is a lover of planning and a general stickler for organizing, I amaze myself when I can be fluid – if I may toot my own horn. 😝 While we were gone, Peanut had to get a surgical procedure done to release a growing abscess. Our sitters were stars in helping out with her and doing her follow-up care. So, when we arrived back home, we had thought the pups…

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