Thursday Confidence Quote

An AI-generated image, edited with Pixlr, shows a magical, open book with gold-rimmed pages. Bright, glowing purple and gold light bursts from the center of the book, forming elaborate botanical scrolls, radiating lines, and firework-like sparkles against a dark purple background with a textured pattern. The word "Quote" is written in a decorative, blue-to-pink gradient font across the bottom of the open pages. The image has a textured, aged border.
QuoteConfidence-DalaiLama
Alt text beneath read more bit…

“Once you develop confidence in your own ability, you’ll be able to make a real contribution to creating a better world. Self-confidence is very important. Not in the sense of blind pride, but as a realistic awareness of what you can do. As human beings we can transform ourselves by our good qualities and reducing our faults. Our intelligence enables us to judge what is good from what is harmful.”
~

Dalai Lama
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Nano Banana Pro 🍌

A four-panel collage of AI-edited paintings by Cynni, framed by a sparkly border. The top left panel shows a chocolate Labrador in profile looking left over a grassy hill with a house in the background. The top right panel is a colorful, whimsical painting of a church with a golden dome, a heart, a cross, and a small banana icon. The bottom left panel is a landscape painting of a rocky cliff with trees and a wide view of distant blue mountains. The bottom right panel shows a large wooden sculpture of a cow with a bell, standing on a dirt path in a forest. Across the center in stylized green and blue text is "Nano Banana Pro".

Making “paintings” of my pix with AI…

If you are against all uses of AI, please just scroll by without bullying me about it. I know it can be bad. I know it uses energy and water. And still, I use it to make some images and create alt texts and, occasionally, help me to make a readable text from several bits that I found and saved.

I shared a post a while ago, where I had been playing with “watercolor paintings”. All the images that I used, were original pictures, made by me (links are added). I didn’t change anything to anyone else’s work. Just used the pictures that I took while I was visiting some places… If you are interested, please do click the “read more” bit…

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Journal – Week 6, February 2026

A vibrant digital illustration of a journal cover, based on the original image, shows a mountain lake sunset scene within an ornate filigree frame. The word "Journal" is at the top. In the foreground, a parchment scroll with a quill, inkwell, and wax seal is displayed. The text "Pixy" has been added in purple cursive script to the lower part of the scroll. To the left is a wax stamp, sealing wax, and flowers. The style is whimsical with a rich palette of teal, pink, and gold.

A very busy and long Monday, followed by another busy and long Tuesday… I knew this was going to be a long, and very busy, week, and I hoped that I could keep it up, and that I could relax during the weekend… As next week will also be a very busy one… I did manage to get some chores done, helped my parents best I could, and I even took little Bas to the woods on Sunday.

Weather forecast for two weeks for the town of Herpen. The red numbers show the highest expected temps, the blue ones show the lowest. Below is a bar, going from gray to bright yellow, showing the expected sun. There can be raindrops and/or lightning bolts in it, depending on the forecast.
It’s defnitely still winter, and I guess we’re getting all sorts of weather, according to this forecast of Monday night…

Quick links to the days of the week: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday & Sunday.

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Shame…

A cinematic still shows a striking contrast on a narrow, sunlit cobblestone street lined with historic stone buildings. In the center, a person in a glossy purple tracksuit, bright blue sunglasses, and a rainbow-patterned beanie walks confidently while wearing headphones. Beside them, a person in a simple, off-white tunic with an ornate collar rings a large bell and shouts toward the crowd. Onlookers in summer attire line the path, some clapping and others holding up smartphones to capture the moment. The image is framed by a soft, rounded black border, and tiny star-shaped light glints are scattered throughout the scene, adding a stylized feel to the moment.

…and embassasment…

There are many things I struggle with. Some things, yeah, I am not too bothered with them. But there are a few things over which I struggle more/harder, especially as they bring up feelings of shame and embarrasment within me. And, while I know that things aren’t really that bad, I still feel so much shame about those things. I guess all those years of bullying and gaslighting are still affecting me in so many ways. 😞And, with this post, I will try to push myself past the shame, past the stigma that surrounds it all, and try to be open and honest about it.

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Slowly starting prepartions… 🐾

A heartwarming cartoon illustration shows a cute brown Labrador puppy sitting happily in a lush forest meadow filled with colorful wildflowers under a sunny sky with clouds. The puppy has a joyful expression with its tongue out. Green text with paw prints reads: "Slowly starting preparations..." The image is framed with a vintage photo border. This loving artwork was created with Nano Banana Pro, edited in Pixlr, and text was added using the AddText app.

1½ weeks ago, when this post goes live, I got the message saying Gentle was/is pregnant, and that, if all goes well, the puppies are expected to be born around February 25th. And, based on that, if all goes well, the puppies are expected to be leaving the nest around April 18th. Which means, things are getting closer now… 😊

Of course, I had already started to save money for the pup. Sold some old gold, as a puppy is expensive, and I didn’t need the material reminders of broken up relationships… I’d rather have a new furry friend… 💜 But, it’s not just money, there is more that needs to be prepared…

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Like watercolours in the rain 🌧️

A watercolor illustration of a pine forest with sunlight filtering through tall trees. A vibrant, glowing rainbow arches through the center, accompanied by shimmering sparkles. Overlaid in dark blue script with a cyan glow is the text, "Like watercolours in the rain." A small emoji-style rain cloud with drops sits near a wooden picnic table in the clearing. The sky is a blend of soft blue and pale yellow, and the trees feature reddish-brown trunks and textured needles, creating a dreamy, ethereal atmosphere.

Going through the motions
Ending up
Nowhere at all
Can’t see the sun on my wall
Going through emotions
Ending up
On a frozen morning
With a heart not even broken

Seems I’ve been running
All my life
All my life
Seems I’ve been running
All my life
All my life
All my life

Like watercolours in the rain

© Per Gessle & Marie Fredriksson (Roxette)

This title is based on a beautiful song by Roxette, so of course I wanted to share the song with you as well (video beneath the “read more” bit). But, this post is one where I am sharing some pictures of mine, made into watercolor paintings by Nano Banana Pro (Gemini AI). I know not everyone can appreciate things that AI can do. I enjoy using it for editing my pictures (and sometimes making new ones based on my ideas). If you’re interested, then do click the read more link. I have linked all the AI images to the original pictures, taken by me, on my Flickr account.

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#FitIn2026 – January edition

A cute, pastel-colored cartoon sheep stands proudly in the center, lifting a shiny barbell that’s almost as wide as she is. Her fluffy white wool looks like soft clouds, with a yellow flower tucked near one ear for extra charm. She has big, sparkling eyes and a sweet, confident smile—clearly taking her workout very seriously. The dreamy background blends purple, pink, and teal tones, filled with twinkling stars and glittery sparkles. Across the lower part of the image, bold blue text reads “#FitIn2026,” turning this adorable weightlifting session into a motivational (and delightfully woolly) fitness moment.

A new year, full with new goals and resolutions! 🎆Well, for me, a new year with just the same goals as I had for this year. But maybe, this year, I will be able to manage to achieve some of them… As there, hopefully, won’t be two surgeries, painful setbacks, big losses… Hopefully, 2026 will be a better year, for me, for all of you as well! 💜I am still trying to Toot every now and then on my Fitness Mastodon account, and I changed the hashtag to be “useful” for this year. 😉

The new year started with a load of frigging snow! A lot of snow, well, for our country at least… It disrupted the normal lives of many, myself included. I didn’t want to risk hurting Skoosh (my little Yaris), so I tried my best to do as many exercises at home as I could. I managed to do several of them every day: the bike, the rower, and the treadmill. Halfway through the month, I needed to stay at home as well (ow, how I miss the gym!), because mum was getting her surgery (finally!), and I didn’t want her to worry over Bas. But, Bas is a little BIG barker when he’s home alone. So, not a good idea to visit the gym then, during nightly times… January was challenging for sure, and I struggled, but… I didn’t give up! 💪🏻

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Journal – Week 5, January/February 2026

A vibrant digital illustration of a journal cover, based on the original image, shows a mountain lake sunset scene within an ornate filigree frame. The word "Journal" is at the top. In the foreground, a parchment scroll with a quill, inkwell, and wax seal is displayed. The text "Pixy" has been added in purple cursive script to the lower part of the scroll. To the left is a wax stamp, sealing wax, and flowers. The style is whimsical with a rich palette of teal, pink, and gold.

Monday started out OK. I got some writing for my blog done, took mum grocery shopping, went to the hardware store with dad, and my wool got sheared, so my scalp feels good again… 😊 Tuesday, I had my physio appointment. And SmartThings told me that Bas had been a loud boy while I was out. On Wednesday, Bas and I went to the Herperduin with a good friend and her dog, where we enjoyed a nice, good walk. Thursday, there was damned snow! But, I got mum and myself to Germany for groceries, and back again, safe and sound, and then, fortunately, the snow slowly started to sod off again. Friday, physio again, and Bas being a loud boy again… On Saturday, Bas and I visited the Herperduin again with our friend and her dog, so he got another nice SniffiVerse™ walk. On Sunday, we took it easy. Just a few little chores, and the rest was spent working on my blog, reading, and watching telly, snuggled up with Bas on the couch.

Weather forecast for two weeks for the town of Herpen. The red numbers show the highest expected temps, the blue ones show the lowest. Below is a bar, going from gray to bright yellow, showing the expected sun. There can be raindrops and/or lightning bolts in it, depending on the forecast.
Gray days, some rain, some cold… Although, after I got this forecast, it changed again with some different temperatures, and showing some snow instead of rain… Ow, please, let it be rain and not snow…

Quick links to the days of the week: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday & Sunday.

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