Two cats hanging out in a Jeep!

My cats are pretty adventurous so this evening I couldn't resist putting them in my brothers Jeep which is full of furniture. I thought they'd only hang out in my brothers jeep for a few moments but no such thing. It's four hours later and they're still in the Jeep having some lazy time.

My brother captured this cute moment with his I-Phone. Should the cats stay here at home or take a long journey with 

my brother back to his place in his Jeep? Only time will tell what the cats want to do. For now they're enjoying lots of precious moments.

WE DO NOT REMEMBER DAYS, WE REMEMBER MOMENTS.

The other evening I went ballroom dancing and on one of the walls was a poem written by Cesare Pavese that said:
         
    

        
I stood and gazed at those few words for several moments because I felt as if the universe was trying to persuade me to keep writing my blog on "Everyday Moments." Moments pass us by continuously and there's so much to remember about those moments as we reflect on our past.

As I danced away on the hard wood floor doing the waltz, swing, tango, and salsa I couldn't help but think about those moments when I first learned to ballroom dance and how it brought me much happiness. One particular happiness occurred several  summers ago in Stowe, Vermont when I was teaching my friend to waltz during a Mozart concert performed at the Trapp Family Lodge by the Vermont Symphony Orchestra. Those moments dancing with him were one of the happiest moments of my life and I'll remember those moments until I die.

How wonderful it is to know that our minds our equipped to "remember moments."

Who was Cesare Pavese?

Mr. Cesare Pavese was an Italian poet, critic, novelist, and translator (educated in Turin, Italy). Most of his works were short stories and novellas. He certainly had a way with words.

Cesare Pavese
Born: 1908
Died: 1950

Adrianna (Travel World)

The Squirrel

                                                                      
                                                                                    
         My friend; the squirrel                                                       

Just as I was pulling into the driveway, my friend dashed in front of my car awaiting her treats. I quickly went to grab some peanuts and the sweet creature stood on her hind legs cracking and eating her peanuts.

She gazed at me with her beautiful eyes and I could almost hear her trying to say; "Thanks for being kind and feeding me." I enjoyed watching her eat gracefully and quietly.

Those moments with my friend, the squirrel will remain unforgettable.

A Day Trip

On Wednesday I boarded the Amtrak train at 6:51 am for a day trip to a college town called Ann Arbor. It was one of the most fun-filled days I've had all year because so many interesting people and things came my way.

I can't believe how much I packed into my 8 hour day; food tastings at Zingerman's Deli, research at the U of M law school library, a visit to two museums, an Indian lunch buffet meal, mingling with shop-keepers, trying on vintage clothing, finding the perfect pair of shoes at a unique shoe shop, brisk walking around the university campus, a cup of tea at a tea shop, attending a lecture, and a half hour of bliss in a  serene book shop. The best part came when I was seeking an answer to a question that was pondering in my mind the entire day. I got my answer at the book shop when I looked through some angel cards and randomly trusted the universe to help me choose the two cards that would give me the answer. What was the answer? Be Bold and Be Strong

Just what I needed to hear because I've been so shy and timid these past few months and I long for a new beginning of adventure. My day in Ann Arbor of interaction with unique people and situations opened my eyes to a bright new world that taught me a lesson: Be Bold, Be Strong, and Take Chances.

The world is full of amazing people that can inspire us to be the best we can at any moment. So my moments of despair are now turing into moments of hope for a bright new future thanks to an inspiring day in Ann Arbor.

A simple "Hello"

Yesterday I took a rather long bike ride to get my heart pumping. While biking through a residential neighborhood a young girl who was biking alone gave me a big smiley "Hello." I was caught off guard but I found it to be so heart-warming and gave her a big smiley "Hello" back. Moments later I saw another young girl who was riding her bicycle with her father walking alongside her.  I gave her a quick gaze as I paddled along the street and she gave me a loud cheerful "H E L L O."

I really wasn't expecting any "hello's" that evening and yet two different young girls who were complete strangers didn't find it strange to give a woman riding a bicycle a sweet "Hello." That's what I call a precious moment.


                H  E  L  L  O

                                 

A stray cat called BC

BC first started coming to our backyard during the cold winter month of December. He was big so we named him "Big Cat." For several weeks BC came by every evening at about the same time to get fed. The poor guy was very hungry and we knew he was a stray. No matter how hard we tried to get close to him he just wouldn't warm up to us. He would eat his bowl of food and disappear until his next meal.

As time went out we slowly began to bond with the "Big Cat." BC would spend longer periods of time in the backyard & driveway keeping warm on the cozy rug we provided for him. BC allowed us to get closer and closer as time went on.

My moment of happiness occurred last night during a rainstorm. In the middle of the night I could hear loud meowing. Suddenly BC appeared at my bedroom window asking to come inside the house. I opened the window and let the guy inside. Although he didn't stay long it was the beginning of trust between a stray cat and a human. I'm waiting for the day when BC curls up next to me on my bed and purrs. I have a feeling that someday that will happen because "all things are possible" in this world.

                                                B.C.  The Stray Cat I Love

20 minutes of bliss at "The Boston Tea Room"

Although I try to minimize my multi-tasking habits it's not always easy. This was the case yesterday when a flood of responsibilities fell upon me one after another. I just needed a little break and my 20 minutes of bliss came to me when I walked through the doors of "The Boston Tea Room."

"The Boston Tea Room" is not a place for afternoon tea and scones, it's a new age shop where you can purchase items such as aromatherapy candles, books, hand lotions, and tarot cards. They offer tarot card readings, meditation, Reiki energy healing, various workshops, yoga classes. Visitors can sit and relax at one of the tables and sip on a cup of complimentary tea.

My intention of walking into "The Boston Tea Room" was to leave my yoga teaching certificate with one of the staff members in hopes of being contacted to teach yoga there. The young woman at the counter was so helpful and kind. She had me jot down some information for the yoga teaching position and then told me I could have some tea and hang out a bit if I liked and that's exactly what I did. I helped myself to a soothing cup of peach green tea and sat in a quiet corner drinking my tea. On the table was an interesting question and answer board game called MYSTIC EYE. You ask a question and move the pendulum and get the answer to all kinds of questions you might be seeking. I was thrilled with the answers I got from the "MYSTIC EYE" game.

Moments later a woman was standing near my table and we began chatting. I had always wanted to get certified to do REIKI healing energy and this woman happened to be a REIKI master. She told me where I could take classes for very little money. Hooray! this was great!

Amazing how in life we go into a place by chance or intuition and it rewards us with some very positive things. In those 20 minutes at "The Boston Tea Room" all my stress disappeared, I felt relaxed and I got some answers to the questions I was seeking, not that's what I call "bliss divine."

I'd like to share a few phrases to ponder on for a few moments; courtesy of The Boston Tea Room.

"Worry is a misuse of imagination"

"You don't have to do more to be more"

"Forget all the reasons why it won't work and believe the one reason why it will"

                                                               


                                                                                                           

Fish, Frogs, Turtles, and LEE

It was a gloomy early afternoon when I left the fitness club where I teach yoga, nevertheless I was eager to take a brisk walk along the busy commercial street and check out some prospective places to look for a part time job. It began to rain and I got a bit wet so I decided to walk into a tropical fish shop.

The whole place made me feel like I was on a Hawaiian tropical island, hundreds of exotic fish inside tanks in all kinds of shapes and sizes. Suddenly the owner of the shop appeared in his wheelchair. The poor man had no feet but he had a big smile on his face. He had such enthusiasm for his reptiles and pointed out to me where a lot of them came from; Africa, Australia, Mexico, Brazil.....and so on. His name was Lee and although he had a handicap it didn't stop him from having a zest for life. I was so inspired by Lee that I intent to write a little story about him and his shop.

In that short time I spent in the tropical fish shop I got to meet some sweet turtles with adorable faces, and a whole colony of bright green colored candy frogs. I observed those tiny creatures and could tell that they were seeking companionship and friendship with each other just like humans do. Some of them were even paired together and cuddling together. It was such a beautiful sight to behold.

Amazing how a short visit to a tropical fish shop opened my eyes to a marine world run by a man named Lee who despite not being able to walk is able to touch the lives of those who walk into his shop.


                           

Talking to Homeless Henry

                                                           

I was looking at a shelf of free books displayed outside a book shop when suddenly a homeless man appeared and started to talk to me. His pants were torn and he was carrying an old tote bag. His name was Henry and he was reaching out to someone who would just stop and listen to him. I wanted to listen to Henry so I chatted with him for several minutes. Poor Henry had a flood of problems; he was out of a job, he couldn't afford his rent anymore, his Mother had recently died and he was sick with cancer.

He cried as he shared his life burdens with me and was so thankful that someone cared enough to even listen to him. I had no cash on me that afternoon but I did have a bag of ready made food treats that I had purchased earlier in the day. I handed them to Henry and said "I wish I could give you more than this." Henry's face lit up with the big smile as he reached for the bag. "Thank you and God Bless You" said Henry as he gave me a quick hug.

Henry walked away and I never saw him again but I do know that someday soon poor Henry's life will glow with sunshine again because he deserves to see some light at the end of the dark tunnel.

Free Cookies

I walked into a store and stared at the cookie display of my favorite cookies. Back in the old days when I had a steady paycheck I often rewarded myself with gourmet style cookies never worrying about the price.

Today was different and I knew I couldn’t really afford these cookies. None the less I went to the check out counter to purchase the cookies. For some reason the customer was taking forever so I  moved to another lane to make my purchase.

The cashier scanned the cookie package but no price appeared. She looked at me and asked me if I remember how much the cookies cost. I told her and instead of charging me the amount she just put the cookies in a paper bag and said "I'm going to give you these cookies for free. Enjoy them!"

A simple act of kindness by a cashier in just a few moments time really made my day. I was short on money, really couldn’t afford the cookies but somehow a way was made for me to get my favorite cookies for free. This was truly a moment of bliss and I thank that kind cashier for being so sweet and giving me a package of cookies for free.

Everyday Moments with Adrianna

My inspiration for starting this blog manifested when a health crisis slowed me down. After years of moving at fast forward and multi-tasking I came to a stand still and finally took time to notice things around me like the mother feeding her baby at the cafe, the butterfly resting on the flower, the homeless person yearning to find someone to chat with them....the list goes on.

I decided to keep a journal of all the people, places, and things that touched my life and made me appreciate those everyday moments. I'd like to share those everyday moments with you on my blog called "Everyday Moments."

Here's to those beautiful everyday moments!!