tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7385285973919124831.post1407099771426039209..comments2024-03-12T01:33:14.862-04:00Comments on Laughing from my sickbed...: The mystery of why can't the bookworm read?irene speakshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15306297235592610766noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7385285973919124831.post-27386269916352330632012-05-21T17:34:18.436-04:002012-05-21T17:34:18.436-04:00Hi Maria! I was so happy to see your comment. I ...Hi Maria! I was so happy to see your comment. I meant to say that on my FB page, the large timeline picture is of me in Amsterdam, your "second" home. The cobbkestones made it hard for a wheelchair, both for the person in the wheelchair and the one pushing it. But my husband and I had a wonderful time, Amsterdam, too, filled with so much history. And I loved the almond pastry/cookies and have never been able to find a recipe like the ones I kept eating and gaining weight from! Yum!<br /><br />Thank you for your kind offer to show me your country if I ever make it there. You just never know! :) Portugal would indeed be fascinating to visit, especially the Algarve. It has already been added to my bucket list...your kind invitation moves it higher up on that list. I absolutely love to travel when I'm able to, though the price paid after is enormous! <br /><br />Thanks so much Maria!<br />Irene xxirene speakshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15306297235592610766noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7385285973919124831.post-5251674363034924812012-05-21T14:41:39.420-04:002012-05-21T14:41:39.420-04:00Hi Irene,
I hope the week has started well for you...Hi Irene,<br />I hope the week has started well for you.<br />How nice that you were able to see some pictures and to read a bit about the history of the country. If you feel well enough to travel and ever decide to come to these parts, I'll be glad to show you the most interesting places.<br />For now, see you at Ruth's. Though I don't always comment, I do read the posts and the comments regularly. xMariaBenthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13158127213582193324noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7385285973919124831.post-15287545472094302252012-05-17T23:49:40.790-04:002012-05-17T23:49:40.790-04:00Hi Marie!
I'm certainly enjoying the geogra...Hi Marie! <br /><br />I'm certainly enjoying the geography lessons I'm getting from this blog. I looked up Algarve on google as you suggested and it is indeed beautiful. I also enjoyed reading a bit about the history. Thank you so much for opening this part of the world to me. I'd been to the south of Spain (meaning that is the closest I've been to Algarve) and to Amsterdam, but your native land is a new world to me, that is the Algarve area, which I'm sure I'll run into often now that you've put it on my radar, so to speak. I'm also in awe of your linguistic abilities!<br /> <br />I know exactly how you feel about England - I felt the same the first time I went there and fell in love with it more each time after. I really miss not having been there in so long.<br /><br />No, you have most certainly not bored me at all...it fascinates me to meet people from all over - add in another lover of England, books and beauty? Well, what an incredible combination! I do so hope to see you here as well as on Ruth's page! Thanks so much for writing (and reading)!<br /><br />Irene xxirene speakshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15306297235592610766noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7385285973919124831.post-41638425164685507532012-05-17T15:28:05.226-04:002012-05-17T15:28:05.226-04:00Dear Irene,
I live in the Algarve which is located...Dear Irene,<br />I live in the Algarve which is located in the south of Portugal. The name applies to a strip of land, in rectangular shape, with an area of 2090 sq miles. If you type - Algarve - in the Google Images you can see some nice pictures. <br />It’s THE place where most Portuguese spend their holidays and due to its good weather, nice beaches and peacefulness (the crime rate is very low) there are many British, German, Dutch, Danish, etc. permanent residents, mostly retired people, but also younger couples who started a business here. <br />I was born and grew up in Portugal (not in the Algarve, in the capital, Lisbon). After marrying a Dutchman (actually my name is "van der Bent") I moved to Amsterdam where I lived for several years, then I came back to Portugal, went away to Holland again and finally settled in Portugal with my husband and son. As you can see our life has sort of oscillated – I don’t know if this is the right word in English – between the North and the South of Europe. <br />As for England, when I went there for the first time, I had a feeling of belonging, as if I’d gone home, which is weird for a foreigner, but that’s what I felt. This happened again on my next visits and if I hadn’t married a Dutchman, I would have done my best to try to get a job there. <br /><br />Hope I haven’t bored you too much with all this talk. It’s Thursday evening here, so have a nice Friday. XMariaBenthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13158127213582193324noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7385285973919124831.post-20209645707173077982012-05-16T20:33:39.539-04:002012-05-16T20:33:39.539-04:00Hi Maria,
From your comments on AMR I knew you lo...Hi Maria, <br />From your comments on AMR I knew you loved literature, but to hear that we have some books in common as favorites is indeed special! <br />Thank you for your beautiful wishes - they truly mean much to me. And I do hope you'll stop by here as time permits!<br />"Meet" you at Ruth's at any rate, I'm sure! ;)<br />Irene (aka Ира) <br />BTW, where do you live in Europe, if you don't mind me asking!irene speakshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15306297235592610766noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7385285973919124831.post-51850963922176100352012-05-16T19:10:37.635-04:002012-05-16T19:10:37.635-04:00Hi Irene,
I got here via Ruth's blog. As you m...Hi Irene,<br />I got here via Ruth's blog. As you might have understood from some of my comments I live in the south of Europe and I love England. <br />I wish you strength and that your health problems might, if they don't get completely solved, at least become less acute, specially what reading is concerned. Curiously some of the books mentioned in your profile are also my favorite books. <br />All the best. xMariaBenthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13158127213582193324noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7385285973919124831.post-30143194312305325222012-05-16T15:01:05.108-04:002012-05-16T15:01:05.108-04:00Labyorkie, you DID sign up! Thanks!Labyorkie, you DID sign up! Thanks!irene speakshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15306297235592610766noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7385285973919124831.post-15891091864988319182012-05-16T14:21:40.755-04:002012-05-16T14:21:40.755-04:00Huge P.S. And who doesn't love Ruth? I'...Huge P.S. And who doesn't love Ruth? I'm totally addicted to her.....so much fun and a way to be taken away from our various problems for a bit. Sound sensitivity? With Ruth's lovely voice and calm manner, fibro's can, indeed, handle her and more - enjoy her! Go Ruth!irene speakshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15306297235592610766noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7385285973919124831.post-40982423705751191312012-05-16T14:13:34.452-04:002012-05-16T14:13:34.452-04:00Hi Labyorkie! Thanks so much for stopping by and ...Hi Labyorkie! Thanks so much for stopping by and reading and I REALLY do hope you become a part of this blog. (sign up?)<br /><br />It always, always saddens me to hear about yet another person in pain, robbed of the pleasures they'd enjoyed in life. And from your comment I can see that you really do understand the boat I'm in...I see you jumping in there with me! ;) I'm so sorry to hear that you, too, have been deprived of so many things that gave you pleasure, feeling of worth, a sense of adventure. Annoying, frustrating, and maddening, isn't it?<br /><br />I've addressed some of the concerns (ha! be real, Irene!) PROBLEMS you're going through. The posts dealing with skin problems may help you...at the very least in knowing you're not alone. And I really hope that my blog site becomes a safe haven, so to speak, where you always know that you can "hang out" for a bit and be accepted....<br /><br />Yep. Know the anti-seizure meds scenerio. Luckily for me, the two I'm taking have been helping me a great deal - not magic, but added to dealing with symptoms a bit more easily. At times I've tried to cut back on them for numerous reasons, mostly, perhaps, because they tend to make me gain a bit of weight, but always mess up my system in doing do, and go back to them. <br /><br />As I said in an earlier post. We are "patients" and doctors have "practices." Because everyone is so different, I think that, in and of itself, says that medicine HAS to be an art. ("Medicine Is An Art, Not A Code Number.) <br /><br />Good luck, Labyorkie. I look forward to more comments from you. In the meantime, I sent you positive thoughts that you may soon have a bit of a break from all this pain, etc., "nonsense," for a week perhaps, or a bit more. The up's and down's alone can drive one mad, I know! <br /><br />Пока, aka, Poka, meaning, "until next time," with a hint of "take care"!<br />Upairene speakshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15306297235592610766noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7385285973919124831.post-40445289997143123382012-05-16T10:04:21.752-04:002012-05-16T10:04:21.752-04:00I found your blog via A Model Recommends on YouTub...I found your blog via A Model Recommends on YouTube. I can feel your pain - literally and figuratively. I was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia in 2005, a year and a half after the symptoms began. <br /><br />I dearly miss reading books and gardening. I can't concentrate long enough to get through a book (let alone a magazine article) and gardening is physically exhausting. I'm also prone to skin allergies, as I discovered the last time I attempted to weed.<br /><br />I saw a new specialist earlier this month; he put me on a new anti-seizure med to control my migraines. I take another anti-seizure drug to control my Fibro and nerve damage pain. Anyway, the new med does NOT agree with my system and I have to call the doctor to let him know. I am hopeful that he will administer Botox injections when I see him in June.<br /><br />I look forward to your future blog posts and hope you have more good days than bad days. Of course, 'good' is relative with Fibro but, something for which to be thankful. <br /><br />Melissalabyorkiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05129616548243589131noreply@blogger.com