Monday, December 31, 2012

Goodbye 2012

2012 has been one of the most fun, amazing years that I have had in…. I couldn't even tell you when. And I can’t explain what made it so great, but it just was.

I am so excited about 2013 it’s ridiculous, because I don’t really have a reason. I just had a very good year and when tomorrow comes, I hope to keep the goodness going for the next 365 days. I’m happy and thankful and extremely blessed!

What I wrote in Goodbye 2011 was so on point and is still relevant in my life so I can’t top it, but here is a bit of what I am thankful for this year:

After A LOT of work and determination, I FINALLY got my driver’s license! I have only driven once since I got it, though. I don’t have access to a car and Zipcar wouldn't allow me to rent from them until I've had my license for a year (which is smart on their part, I guess).  I’ll be coming up on my ‘one year’ in a few weeks, so I’ll be seeing them then!  I’m still happy that the lessons are over and that if I needed to take a wheel (anyone’s wheel) in an emergency, I could do the job! (I can see all of you experienced drivers rolling your eyes at me, but you were all once where I am right now. So shut it!).

Relationships are what I live for and what make my life complete.

I am thankful for my mom who has become a great friend to me. Our relationship has definitely changed and I am extremely happy about that; and also that I've learned to see her not as my mom, but as another human being. When you humanize your parent you learn to let things go.

I am thankful that my little furry angel Baibe is still with me. This year she underwent surgery to have a tumor removed. Although Baibe is my cat, she is a part of my family. The recovery was worse than the surgery because I had to watch her be in pain and there was nothing I could do about it. I really think I suffered more than she did. That experience made me realize just how much she means to me.  I’m so happy that she is healthy and back to being her crazy, lazy self again.

I am thankful that I am employed and that I have good relationships with the people I work with and for. I’m not the best when it comes to meeting new people and my job forces me to break out of my reserved shell and interact with others. I've even made a few good friends in the process. The phrase, ‘Interacting with others’ sounds funny, but I really do have an ‘anti-social’ problem and I’m working on it.   
I am in love with my friends and I am thankful that my newer friendships are becoming deeper; and I am also thankful for my old friendships which are growing as our families expand making us one big unit of friend made families.

And last but certainly not least, I am thankful for the love in my life. I’m thankful that I've got one of the good ones. And even though sometimes he makes me want to shake him (very hard), Edward is one of the kindest, most good hearted, generous and compassionate people I know. Next to Gigi, he’s my bestest friend and one of the best people I've met in my life. I love him and I love you all for spending this year with me.

Thank you for reading!

Wishing you all the best in 2013!

Lots of love, 
~Louise C. 

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Wednesday, December 19, 2012

Fall 2012 – Grenada

(Technically, it was fall when I visited Trinidad, but I got confused because everything still felt like summer to me. Whoops.)

My stay in Grenada wasn't as eventful as my few hours in Trinidad only because I didn't participate in any of the tours that were taking place; and my reason for this was because I couldn't possibly part with the beach.

We stayed at the Grenada Grand Beach Resort, which is only 10 minutes away from the airport, and for the next two days, I did absolutely nothing. Actually I did do one thing; I pretended. I pretended that I was a rich person and that the Grenada Grand Beach Resort was my home and that this was my regular everyday life.


Every morning, I woke up to an amazing view of the beach. 




I rolled out of bed, barely got dressed (You don’t need much clothing because it’s so hot! I love it!) and stumbled sleepily downstairs where I was served breakfast.


When breakfast was finished, I went back upstairs to change into my beachwear in preparation for a really hard, exhausting day of relaxation.


As you can see, the beach is beautiful, the ocean water was nice and warm and the best part was that besides myself and a few others, the beach was practically empty. Well, except for the ‘beach salesmen’. I’ll get to that later.

When my stomach was ready for food again, I took a walk on the beach to Ali Baba for some really good Mediterranean food. I know, Mediterranean food in Grenada. I should have been trying to find the best of the local Grenadian dishes, but Ali Baba was a convenient walk from the resort and everything I consumed at this place was so freaking delicious! They served the best hummus I have ever had and because Grenada is known for its spices (particularly nutmeg) my tropical rum drinks were topped off with nutmeg sprinkles.

After returning back to the resort, I picked up where I left off by continuing my beach laziness.


The only bad thing about the beach was the locals trying to make money off us tourists with sales of trinkets and reflexology massages. I understand that this is probably the only way that these people make their money, but it was a little annoying to be sitting on the beach and literally (LITERALLY!) every 5-10 minutes someone would be trying to talk you into buying something from them. And they won’t take no for an answer. I definitely didn't want a strange man rubbing me anywhere while I was in my bikini, Shooo… So after an overwhelming amount of offers for massages, we fled to one of the pools on the hotel grounds, where Patrick or Charley (Yes, we knew their names…) could not reach us. And we stayed there until it was time for dinner.


And then the next day, I repeated this day until it was time for me to leave and I had to stop pretending that this was my life. Sigh…

I wish I could say more about my trip to Grenada, but I really didn’t do much else besides sit on the beach and eat. And I have to say I loved and enjoyed each and every second of it.

~Louise C.

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Thursday, December 13, 2012

It’s the Little Things…

I am very (VERY) easy to please so when my friend Beverly sends me candy filled cards, like this...


...the kid in me gets really delighted and the adult in me gets warm in the heart.

The history on Beverly:

Beverly is the mother of my ex-boyfriend’s best friend (you got that??).

In my twenties, while my mother and I weren't doing so well with each other, without knowing it, this woman stepped in and became my mother.

She welcomed me into her home, fed me often, gave me her ear when I needed to unload and lent me her couch to sit on when I just needed to escape and be quiet. The day my relationship ended, I fled to her couch where I sat quietly for hours until I could get my shit together and go home.

Beverly offered me warmth, comfort and a safe haven at times when I needed it most. She gave me a family to spend the holidays with and included me in all important family events even though she had a family of her own to focus on.  

Beverly gave me something to be a part of when there wasn't a place for me to be.We don’t see each other or talk as much as we used to, but she will always be an extra mom to me. (You can never have too many moms.)

I feel so blessed to have people like Beverly, who were once strangers become family to me over the years. They fill the empty pockets in my life, by making me a part of theirs.


~ Love Louise C.

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