I Want to Be the Female Version of Jon Katz

Posted by Barbara Techel

Kylie on the path behind our house

As many of you know who follow me here on my blog, my all time favorite blog and author is Jon Katz– no kidding, right?

Sometimes I wish I were him. But in a way I guess I am.  We both like to write. We both like dogs and animals.  We both enjoy trying to just enjoy the simple moments and joys of life. He is (well) known as Bedlam Farm.  I am (not as well) known as Joyful Paws.

So let’s see.  He lives on a farm in NY. I live in a little cottage style home in WI. He has three dogs. I currently have one. He has three donkeys, many chickens, a few barn cats, and sheep.  I’m really short in all those departments I’m afraid to say.  But I do have wild birds and hummingbirds.  Lots of bunnies.  Some squirrels and the occasional woodchuck.  Even had a Sand hill Crane family in my backyard last summer.

Everyday he walks his three dogs on a path on his property. Though that will soon change and a new path will be forged at his new farm house. I walk Kylie on the path behind our house when it is not too hot– which hot it has been most of the summer so far– so not much path walking has gotten done.  And to this day she still is not the most enthusiastic walker- never was, and I suspect she never will be.  I’ve accepted that about her.

I may not have all the animals and life that Jon Katz has, but I know enough to find happiness in what I do have. It is all a matter of choice, afterall. It is where I am in this moment at this time and I’m pretty happy and content.  When I need a donkey or farm fix, I get lost in Jon’s blog.  But for the most part I really do give thanks for the simple, sweet life I’ve carved out here with my supportive and loving husband, John. I feel a wee bit short in the dog department right now, too, but that will hopefully change as I continue to move forward.  Though as promised to John, not until after our fall trip to Vermont.  Hey, maybe I’ll run into Jon Katz and his wife, Maria there as I know they like to escape there, too.  Now wouldn’t that be something?

So I’ve decided, yes, Jon is great and I love learning from him about his writing and his life. I take it and sift it and adapt to what is right for me. So I guess this then means I would just rather stay me. Yup- I like me and I like my life.  It has been something I’ve worked hard on the past ten years and wouldn’t trade where I’ve come to the place of mostly peace and acceptance about who I am and what I do have. Life is good.

 

Frankie in Pastel Chalk

Posted by Barbara Techel

Update 7/10/2012:  Many of you loved the pastel chalk drawing my friend’s Mom did for me of Frankie. I’m sharing the artists name and email as she is available to do a pastel chalk of your pet, too if you’d like.  It is easy to do with a photo you send her through email.  Her name is Marilyn Dumar and her email is mdumar (at) wi (dot) rr (dot) com.

Today I created a little altar in memory of Frankie on an old desk in my writing cottage. Just as I was done, I got a call from my friend, Missy who said she had a surprise for me.  I met her at the salon where she works. She gifted me with this lovely drawing of Frankie that her mom, Marilyn did. It is done in pastel chalks.  Marilyn took a photo from my website to base this drawing off of and it is one of the last photos I took of Frankie outside. I couldn’t have been more touched. I keep looking at it and can’t believe how the eyes just draw me in.

Missy told me that her mom has never taken any art classes. Wow. She really is quite talented, don’t you think? I love how she captured all the white on Frankie’s face, too. I think having an altar with photos and a candle, and whatever else it is that makes you feel connected with your beloved pet is such a wonderful thing.  I still have an area downstairs that is dedicated to my chocolate Lab, Cassie Jo who passed away almost seven years ago (7-11-2005).  It is therapeutic for me to sit in my big wicker chair and look at the photos and think of all the warm, wonderful memories of Frankie… which have been flooding my mind quite a bit this past week. Every night before I nod off to sleep I tell Frankie I love her and I miss her. I’m pretty sure she hears me… I can feel it in my heart.

Why I Will Continue To Advocate for IVDD and Wheelchair Dogs

Posted by Barbara Techel

I’ve gotten so many emails since Frankie’s passing two weeks ago– all very touching– and the ones I find my heart ooze over with complete joy are the ones of people who I’ve heard from that Frankie and I have been able to help when their dog was diagnosed with IVDD– the ones we gave hope and they saw too, that they could care for their dog with IVDD– that it was not a death sentence.  It is why I will continue to advocate for IVDD and wheelchair dogs and it brings me complete happiness to help others through this.

Here is an email I got today from a woman named Staci sharing with me her story.  I’m so happy we could help give her hope.

Although I do not know exactly what to say in times like these, I felt that I should write you because your stories helped me feel so much better. 2 weeks ago, my Dachshund Clyde ruptured a disk in his spine. His back legs were paralyzed and he could not control his bladder.  I also thought, “Why is this happening to me?” Clyde is 6 years old and I had a feeling it was going to happen at some point in his life, but I just never thought it would be so sudden. It brings me to tears to even think about it.

As they told us about all the possibilities that could happen, the 2 main things I kept thinking about was, 1.) If he was in a wheel chair and could not control his bladder, he would be put to sleep or 2.)  He could be in a wheel chair for the rest of his life and I could not come to grips with that. I felt like my life would never be the same if that happened. When I started to read all of your stories I started to feel very selfish because even though Clyde might have ended up in a wheel chair, I would still have him in my life and that meant more to me than anything. I felt that I should write you as you are going through this rough time to tell you that ya’lls stories and encouraging words helped me understand that just because he might have ended up in a wheel chair, I would still have him and he would still love us no matter what happened. Clearly, this was the case with Frankie as well. Although she has passed, she will live on forever. I just wanted to thank you, with your stories you helped me overcome something very difficult.

I’ll continue to help who I can through those reaching out to me via email or phone with their dogs diagonosed with IVDD.  And I’ll continue to share with them Dodgerslist, a caring and dedicated organization who help educate others about this disease, as well as, share Eddie’s Wheels as one of the best dog wheelchair companies out there.