How are you? We are still waiting for your news...

Can happen any day now :-) Soon we'll be posting Angelina's pictures as well. How is you life? What are you up to these days?

Looking good!! Best wishes for a smooth and speedy delivery!! :)))

красиво, милая... очень. ей понравится. Когда позвонишь уже?

Боюсь тебя разочаровать, но кроватка нам не пригодилась по назначению вообще :) И коляску мы начали использовать только после года :) То же самое относится и к стульчику для кормления :) А так дааа, выглядит замечательно :)

I await the day! And the photos!!

Thank you, Fred. We are expecting our daughter Angelina in less than 5 weeks. Very happy and blessed :-)

I wondered what you had been up to!! lol Now I know!! Congratulations!! :)))

дольче вита!

You impress me very much! You have accomplished much! I think you value your family and freedom much more than most Americans!! I am moved!!

Well, Depesha!!! Thank you and welcome to my world :-)

sexy! i'm lovin it

Very nice! I enjoyed your photos very much!! Keep them coming!! :))))

Thank you, Fred. I will put the pics up within a week. There are many :-)

Wow! Busy! BUSY!!! :))) Happy for you!

Natasha_Malishka, I am on vacation this week. So I have time to sit on the computer all morning. lol When I am working I am only here in the late afternoon and evening. I know it seems a waste of time, but my friends are here now.

I did not like the movie of T.F.L'sW. But his style in the novel was good at the time. He breaks out of the story and gives his personal views, as I recall.

Enjoy your time with your sister!

I have not seen the movie yet and I did not read his book "French Lieutenant's Woman" but I intend to read it in the future. I have found a lot of metaphysical books that my father gave me. They are all in Russia and they are all feel good remedy for the soul. When I come across something in English I will let you know. I actually find Joel Osteen pretty interesting, he is an inspirational speaker. I watch him in the mornings sometimes.
As for my sister we always have the best time. I will be with her in just two weeks :-)

A friend of mine sent me his thoughts via e-mail this morning. He also joined in the "recipe for happiness" debate. I loved reading his mind and so you may enjoy it too with his permission. Thank you, my friend. He made me laugh too :-)
Here is what he had to say...

Hi Natasha,
Thank you for sharing the inspiration with me this morning -I am very stressed and not happy. So you are helping to reset my heart. I am fighting many things, externally and internally. I feel much anxiety. I want to escape, I want to run away. I am not sleeping well, and I have body pains from injury.
It is not all bad. I also have a good social life with several excellent friends, such as you. I wish you were here. I have enough money. I eat well every day. I have a big LCD screen and no debt. I have more than one car. And I am not too old or too shabby looking.
I don't feel it this morning, but I know that your secret of happiness is true - to be helpful to others, especially a loved one who appreciates it. I was married to someone who did not respect me or appreciate me, and said that we had a 'business relationship'. This is hell-on-earth. But I have experienced the opposite, also, and both can exist for anyone.
Heaven must exist from the inside. Part of it is deciding to be happy. External circumstances help, but are not the critical factors. To grow up in a state of deprivation can be good, but we do not want this state of existence for our children. The fact for me is that the very states of deprivation which I have endured have been the most important elements of happiness, later. The knife carves out the bowl, which then becomes the container of joys, of food, of drink, etc. Many of the states of deprivation are internal, which can be programmed early in life by parents, or peers, or teachers. It can be very complicated.
So how do we get to happiness? I once heard that 'there is no such thing as happiness - we have to be happy without it'. There is truth here. It is a result of something else, a byproduct, elusive like the butterfly, which when chased, is too quick to catch. But if you sit quietly, she will come and gently land on your shoulder to share the sunshine with you.
Caring for someone, or varios persons is essential. Entirely selfish purposes are not natural for happiness, which exists in a higher state of existence. Even dogs are happier when they share a run together on the beach, or explore the fields with each other as companions. Do you agree?
So anxiety is bad, negative. Striving and working constructively is also work, but it is positive. Working together on a relationship is productive when we are not trying to change the other person or assign blame for something. When you find a pile of horse-poop, you must practice choosing your reaction: either "Oh no, what a mess I must clean!" or " I know there is a pony around here somewhere!". By choosing, and practicing, one's perspective will eventually change.
Point:
Perspective Is Everything

Natasha_Malishka, Thank you very much for the compliment.

I saw the movie of The Magus - oh in 1969-70??? The movie was great, I remember, but at that age I did not get the full meaning. I think I had the book or might still have it somewhere, but never read it. I think it was reading The French Lieutenant's Woman that I really love his writing. So long ago now.

I enjoyed your family being here as well! Your sister is very cute and as you said so much like you. Keep up your good work!!

I have never heard about either of these two authors but will definitely check them out. Have you ever read "The Magus" by John Fowles. When I read it I did not quite get it, now it's coming back to me. I've been on my island, met my temptress and have come back to reality and saved my marriage. If you ever get a chance, read it, this is a phenomenal book now that I fully realized its meaning. We do take each other for granted and fall asleep and get numb and not so sensitive and not so caring any more. I needed a major blow up to come back to my senses and it happened.
By the way I always loved your photography. It has soul and I saw it. It made me feel good to look at your pictures of flowers. Cameras are a big blessing as they let us capture moment of beauty and moment of happiness so that we can always revive them in our mind. It funny but pictures being back the time and trigger the emotions we felt back them. This is why I started my diary. When I feel bad and lonely and start complaining I look at the pictures and realize how blessed I am. I have had so many happy moments that took my breath away. This has been a year of transformations and I got it all captured. Makes me smile to see my sister and dad with me here this year!!!

Thanks! That is excellent!

I was told to read Jeffery Deaver. I read one of his lesser books and was not impressed. Perhaps there are better ones. I fall asleep now when I try to read... lol I have read over 30 Ruth Rendell novels though!

Yes, i have read Haruki Murakami and I was recently mentioning it to a friend of mine. I loved his novel "Wind up bird chronicle", I read it and only now 2 years later I get the meaning of this book on a much deeper level. First my psychologist was amazed to hear that I used the world surrender in a negative connotation. I am such a control freak and love to conquer and be in charge that is difficult for me to let go and just let things happen naturally. I usually push and break my way in or through. It is not always the best way to go about getting where you want to be and it is painful too. So anyways she told me to reflect on the subject of surrender!!! Little did I know that a couple of weeks later I met somebody online in a chat room who literally and physically put me on my knees. I have never done this before not even in a church on a catholic Christmas sermon. This is when I remembered how the main hero of "Wind up bird chronicle" would climb in the well, sit there and think and he did it until he found his way out of it. He was lost, confused and in pain until he figured himself out, lived his biggest fear and conquered it. We are all slaves up to a point when we let it go and break free. Freedom is within and we just need to unleash it. We put ourselves in cages and on the leashes. Kids are free but grown ups put them on leashes and program to abide and conform. We turn into slaves as we grow up. Very few brake free and find true inner freedom and beauty. I have recently discovered it and found my way out of the well and grew a new set of wings. This is when i published my personal evolution statement and let it all out. I have no more fears but I still deal with pain. I was dealing with a lot of pressure and stress that I created around my personal identity subject. I freed myself. Now I feel better than ever. I was deep under for almost 2 years, breeding the darkness and trying to find the light. I found it and now I am beaming and glowing. People around me notice it too. I' ve had a friend tell me that I am glowing yesterday and I was from inside out. Now I love to discover and see the light in people around me. I would love to go to school and get a counseling license some day. It is such an amazing job to help people.
I have also read Haruki Murakami novel about the sheep, enjoyed it but not as much as some other books. What else do you like to read?

Natasha_Malishka, Well, as you see, I take great pleasure in finding good composition in photography. It is really one thing I enjoy.

And the novels of Haruki Murakami. Have you had time to read him?

Thank you!!! It is mutual!!! Lets come up with new recipes for happiness. Would love to know more of yours? The delivery room was a great one :-) Truly appreciate it.

You delight my soul! :))))

Well I used to be in the closet and be afraid of what other people may think about me... Now I do not give a damn, the ones that love me will l always be by my side, the ones that can not understand and want to judge can leave the room :-) It is a great feeling to be free. I feel like I am flying and I wish for this feeling to last!!!

It is good! Love love, and share your joy! Your spirit inspires! :)))

Not sure I will go public... lol But I do like one on one communication. Making a close contact is very important for me, my joy.