dachshund

Divine Timing and Dachshund Calendar Giveaway!

Posted by Barbara Techel
Divine Timing and Dachshund Calendar Giveaway!
Frankie sends me a beautiful message

Just this morning I found out I was chosen to be a mentor for Oracle School this fall! I’m so thrilled!

Committed to my own personal growth and those of others this is an honor as this is the school where I recently finished a twelve month intensive of Personal Mastery, The Invision Process and Shared Wisdom, studying with Colette Baron-Reid, earning my new hat and service as an Oracle Guide.

About an hour later the mail arrived with a special package. I didn’t recognize the return label and wondered who it could possibly be from. Even more, what was inside?!

When I opened it there was a note from Brook who said she thought I might enjoy the two enclosed 2019 dachshund tabletop calendars. She said, “Make sure to check out July 22nd!!”

Now in full out curious mode, I quickly flipped the pages and found my dear, sweet Frankie, the star of July 22nd. I was overcome with tears. It was a photo Brook took of Frankie oh-so-many moons ago during a shoot for publicity photos for my first upcoming children’s book I’d be releasing in 2008, Frankie the Walk ‘N Roll Dog.

I knew the emotions I felt were from Spirit as a message that this was no coincidence. Having just learned of being chosen as a mentor for Oracle School, something not even on my radar over a year ago, but then felt called to want to volunteer when the opportunity arose. I trusted if it was meant to be it would happen as not everyone is chosen.

But more than that, as I continue to share here via my blog and newsletters, it’s been about my expanding into helping other women, not always sure of how that would look – a vision I had of myself when I began my work and mission with Frankie over eleven years ago.

It’s been about my struggle to let go of an identity I held onto so tightly that at times I suffered because of it. It wasn’t an easy journey, but then again, that is what life is about – these moments when you feel the rewards so deeply in your heart you know you’d do it all over again.

And such is today, in that golden hour of learning of my added role of being a volunteer mentor to be of service to help others grow into who they are meant to be…and the calendar with Frankie’s photo…a message she sent, through Brook, to let me know I’m exactly where I’m meant to be. I love you sweet girl!

Now it’s time to pay it forward! 

While I’m keeping one of the calendars (of course!), I’m giving away the other to one lucky person! All you have to do is leave a comment below. That’s it. Nothing complicated. Whatever you wish to say. This will enter you in for a chance to win the calendar.

Please do so by 5:00pm cst Thursday, September 6th. Open to US residents only due to shipping costs.

I’ll choose a winner and announce early next week (I’m heading out of town so hence the reason for not announcing until next week).

So stay tuned and make sure I have a way in which I can contact you if you are the winner!

XO,

Barbara

Gidget Follows Trend

Posted by Barbara Techel

Gidget Follows Trend

It’s been an exciting few weeks around the Techel (Teckel – German for dachshund) homestead of late with new living room furniture delivered two weeks ago, plus updating new decor and bringing some of the other decor to a consignment shop. From dark furniture for almost 25 years of maroon, dark greens and a splash of light blue, to Santa Rosa Linen, soft blues and greens, a bit of gray and a splash of purple, it almost feels like our house just may lift off its foundation and fly! It’s amazing how switching to these new shades has the space feeling more open and lighter in energy.

Today we are on our way shortly to order an Amish kitchen table John and I fell in love with over two months ago…yup, when looking for living room furniture. Isn’t that the way it always goes? We just couldn’t get that table out of our heads. We feel blessed to have been gifted some money to make this all possible.

So where does Gidget fit into all this? Well, I did share with her that she is blessed too in that she is the only doxie to get new furniture as she enjoys snuggling with me on the new sofa each night. But then there’s her new updated space she now has in the kitchen also.

For eight months she has been residing in what could be called a mansion, which was Kylie’s kennel. We felt it was of comfort to her when we had to say goodbye to Kylie last November. Talking around the chiminea last night, John said, “I think Gidget would be okay with a smaller kennel, don’t you think?” 

I wasn’t sure at first and wanted to honor what is right for her. But the more I thought about it, I said, “You know, she really is such a different, and calm dog now. Perhaps she would be okay.” 

Gidget really is a new dog the last few months as I think I’ve mentioned before here on my blog. It was a tough first half of the year as I went through some deep soul work, which Gidget was pivotal in guiding me through. And a quick update: I continue to write about this in a new book I’m working on.

So I thought it was worth a shot to see if she’d be okay with downsizing into a tiny home for her space in the kitchen. With one condition: If she didn’t like it and seemed upset by it, we’d put the other kennel back. It was agreed.

This morning she watched as I took the big kennel down. I talked to her the whole time sharing with her how exciting this was for her. I said, “You are such a big girl now, Gidget. I’m so proud of you. This new space will be just for you and will be so cozy.”

I took the foam bedding from the large kennel and cut it down to fit the smaller kennel, so she’d still have some familiar smells. I placed a rug under the kennel and her blanket inside and John took the door off the front so she would have easy access.

Within moments she hopped right in and snuggled under her blanket. Snug as a bug on the rug, in her new happy space. I thought of Mikey from the Cheerio’s commercial years ago, “He likes it! He likes it!”

So Gidget gets in the trend with downsizing and de-cluttering, inviting in lots of new energy we are all relishing in these days!

XO,

Barbara

Mornings Are Different Now

Posted by Barbara Techel

Mornings Are Different Now

It used to be that every morning I’d tuck Gidget under my right arm, holding her like a football, and head out to my writing cottage, where I move through my ritual of centering myself for the day by meditating,  practicing yoga, and journaling.

These days all is the same, but one thing is different and it has been for quite awhile now. Gidget more often than not stays behind to sleep either in her bed in the living room or in the kitchen.

It occurred to me some time ago that perhaps I wasn’t honoring what she truly wanted. From my first dachshund, Frankie, to Joie, who was only with me a short time, it was what I did since 2009 when my writing cottage was first built – a dachshund tucked under my arm as I sauntered out to my special space.

As I reflect on this need to have a dog beside me, in many ways a security blanket, like Linus in the Peanuts cartoon who always had to have his blanket.

When Gidget came to live with John and me, I wanted a companion dog in the sense I wouldn’t be sharing her with others like I did with Frankie as a therapy dog team and visiting schools, and as I had tried to with Joie also. I was ready to let go of that phase in my life.

With each dog, I’ve grown in ways I couldn’t have predicted. Gidget being just my companion dog and what I wanted, I also sensed in her a streak of independence when I first met her. But for the first few years, struggling with my own identity, I didn’t always honor her to be who she needed to be. It wasn’t something I did consciously. 

But I see it more clearly now. While at first it made me sad that Gidget wasn’t with me during this time in the morning I consider so sacred, I now find myself with a new understanding of her, as well as myself.

Perhaps in a way, Gidget’s choice to stay behind as I make my way out to my writing cottage is her way of honoring my needs – sensing something I couldn’t first see. That time truly alone in my own space as important for me and my growth. And time for her to be alone as important to her well-being too.

The sadness I first felt has since been replaced with feeling good about honoring Gidget’s needs in this way. I also feel gratitude overtake my heart for her teaching of helping me to become even stronger in who I am, guiding me to let go of an old story, and relish in the parts of me that are emerging that welcome my own independence.

She truly is such a remarkable animal guide for me and I see that more and more everyday. I can’t help but think that when I return into the house today, I will bring my hands together in front of my heart, and say to her “Namaste – “The divine in me honors the divine in you.” 

And with that, Namaste to each of you too…and thank you for being a part of my community.

XO,

Barbara