Hi Everyone,
Today I have a photo post for you to view. I took these pictures yesterday afternoon--the weather was gorgeous, and the sky was a deep blue. The sky here, in New Mexico, is vast and usually a very deep turquoise blue. I'm fascinated with the sky--and have been from a young age. When I'm back in New Mexico the sky has my attention as we don't always see much blue sky in Prague during the winter.
Another of my favorites during Winter is snow. I love snow--call me crazy--I just love it. Have you ever noticed the long, blue shadows cast on the snow in the late afternoon? And the dazzling "diamonds" of newly fallen snowflakes? Snow is beautiful--and there's plenty in these pictures!
That's all for now--you all have a great day!
God bless,
Sher :0)
Photos are property of S. A. Vacik
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(c) 2009 by czechoffthebeatenpath
Hi Everyone,
My trip back to the US to be with my family for the holidays was very smooth this time. I stopped over in Minneapolis and spent the night with my grandma, and then Sunday morning we caught a flight to New Mexico--thankfully it was another very smooth flight. We had a wonderful helper at the Minneapolis airport who helped my grandma and I all the way from check-in through security. He was so patient and good with my grandma. We had to have a wheelchair as Grandma has a very hard time walking now (she's 95). This young guy was very good with Grandma in all ways. His assistance got us very smoothly through the security check and then on to the gate where our plane was waiting. When we reached New Mexico, my Dad and Beka (eldest daughter) were waiting for us. It was so great to see them and receive their hugs and give ours in return! We met the rest of the family when we got to our house. Great to be back!
I must say that each time I've come back home has been a little bit easier. The first trip back was pretty hard as I hadn't fully dealt psychologically with the idea of living overseas at that early point. Not having come to terms with living overseas, when combined with the language and culture differences, made things very difficult for me. But now, with a little more experience going back and forth, it seems I'm adapting much faster to the changes between our home in Prague and our home here in the States. This is a good feeling--a bit like an accomplishment for me. I now love living in Prague, and am able to cope with the culture/language changes more smoothly. I can "flip the switch" much faster and smoother now--this is a great relief on all levels.
Beyond the "flipping the switch" factor, it is sure great to be home and spending time with my family. I'm enjoying nature here--which I really miss living in Prague. We have deer visiting every day in the front yard. They are so pretty and fun to watch! The mountains are beautiful and covered with a thick blanket of snow. Even as I type, the sun's just making the first glimpses over the mountains into our valley. The sky is shot with clouds and golden orange rays from the sun. So beautiful! I went outside and took the pictures you see above. Just a glorious start to the day!
That's all for now...you all have a great day!
God bless,
Sher :0)
Pictures property of S. A. Vacik
Czech Off the Beaten Path Website
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Sher's Stuff
(c) 2009 by czechoffthebeatenpath
Hi Everyone,
Today is the third anniversary of moving to Prague--so hard to believe three years have gone already. Where has the time gone? Well, it has and here I sit typing--still feeling very much like a "newbie" (in some respects) in this expat adventure. This year has been a very active and busy one. The very first of the year started with three weeks of quarantine at home--ordered by my doctor, we had some fun trips to Rome and Paris, and I went back to the US for a visit in late summer, upon returning home to Prague Jiri ended up in the hospital for a week! This third expat year has seen some very stressful times and some very fun times. There have been some lessons learned, too--some of which deal with Jiri and I.
Along with being my third anniversary of moving to Prague to be with Jiri, today is also our 5th wedding anniversary! Our relationship has been anything but normal--it started out from a blurb on a genealogy page, then continued growing through an email friendship that led us to falling in love. We had a very lengthy courtship before deciding to marry. I was a divorced mother with two kids, and Jiri had his work in the Czech Republic, plus had to look after his elderly mother. Somehow, with the workings of time, we managed to finally come together in one time zone, in one place--Prague. What an adventure it has been--and continues to be--for Jiri and I. We continue to work on our relationship and our cultural differences. We continue to adapt to those differences and to one another. I'm very blessed to have found a wonderful husband who is very loving, supportive, understanding and protective. Happy anniversary, Dear.
That's all for today! My next posts will be written from the US. I'm flying off in the next few days to be with my family for the holidays. It will be great to be home with them, though I will miss Jiri very much. In order to take care of our families, Jiri and I have opted to spend the holidays every other year with our Czech and American families. This year, though, Jiri is not able to come with me, but said I must definitely go back and see my family. This is how it works being an expat at times--but I've adapted to it and it's OK. Jiri and I will stay in touch via the wonderful Internet!
Have a great day in your part of the world!
God bless,
Sher :0)
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(c) 2009 by czechoffthebeatenpath
Lazy Bridgie by Beka
Hi Everybody,
Last night my daughter had to put her 18 year-old cat, Bridgit, to sleep. Bridgit has had numerous health troubles for the past couple of years--and really, it is a miracle Bridgie lasted as long as she did. Bridgie had recently had so much stomach trouble and just the other day had a seizure. During the vet's exam, and via subsequent tests, they found that Bridgie had bone cancer--with a huge tumor on one of her hind knees. The vet told my daughter, Beka, that there were options: 1. amputate that leg and do chemo, 2. just leave Bridgie on pain meds--she could probably live a bit longer, and 3. put her to sleep. When looking at the big picture, Beka decided that the only viable option was to let Bridgie go. To amputate the leg of a cat who is 18 can be very traumatic--and when she has other health problems, too...quality of life might go down very quickly. Beka, and some friends from Texas (whom I'm very thankful for) took Bridgie to the vet yesterday. Beka told me Bridgie went off very peacefully. This was a very hard decision for Beka to make--we've had Bridgie since Beka was 5 years old. They've been together through thick and thin--and were very dependent on one another. Now my daughter's feeling the loss of this precious friend and I'm trying to help her from here, in Prague, via the Internet.
Suffering loss while living overseas is a very difficult experience. It is something you hope will not happen while you're living away from home, but inevitably loss will catch up with each one of us. Suffering the loss of a beloved pet is not new for me. Being one who loves animals I've had many pets. Saying good-bye is one of the hardest rites of being a pet owner. Even so, I will always have animals as companions. The loss of a pet can be quite devastating. And being overseas at a time like this is a new experience for me, and I'm not exactly sure how to deal with it. Lessons learned from Life help to sustain during times like this. One of the most important lessons I've learned is to keep moving--putting one foot in front of the other day by day. Another of Life's lessons is not to isolate yourself--but reach out to those around you for help and support. I'll share these things with Beka. Also, staying in touch with the loved ones back home in whatever way possible can be very helpful. Thank heavens for the Internet. I'll be able to console and counsel my daughter online till we can meet back in the US in a week or so. The Internet can be a wonderful tie to family and friends at such a time.
This has been such a hard loss for me, personally. Bridgie was my cat before she was Beka's. Bridgie was about 2 months old when we first got her. The very first night in our home, Bridgit slept on my hair on my bed pillow--and she was putting her small paws on my (with claws!) and kneading and nuzzling my neck as she would have her mother during feeding time. Such a funny memory of that little ball of fuzz that was baby Bridgie. Bridgie was a very helpful ball of comfort during a very trying time of divorce and loss for both Beka and I. At the age of around 12 or 13, Beka became Bridgit's "official" owner--in charge of feeding, keeping the litter box clean, etc. Beka and Bridgie were naturally made for one another. Bridgie even accompanied Beka to university after Beka got her own apartment. They were literally inseparable, till yesterday.
Thank you, Bridgie, for being a wonderful companion and friend for Beka and I. You helped us both through some very trying and difficult times. You were always there with your "meh" and saucy ways--you were always there to cheer us up or comfort us. We love you, Bridgie, and I'm looking forward to seeing you on the other side one day.
God bless,
Sher
Photo credit: Bridgie by Beka
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