Time Out. Stop and Smell the Flowers.

Posted by Barbara Techel

It’s been a crazy week with challenges with my new computer and many trips to Best Buy.  The issue will hopefully be resolved with my new computer that I have to pick up on Saturday.  It is a week where I didn’t get much done in my office.  I can’t always sit with that feeling to well.

I started to get wrapped up in thinking that I’m now a week behind on things.  But then caught myself and stopped.  Maybe this was exactly how this week was to play out, I thought.  That’s okay.  Then as I was walking back out to my writing cottage I stopped and took a moment to admire the blooming flowers outside my door and the new little fun birdhouse I bought this past Saturday at the Farmer’s Market.  I love supporting small businesses and people doing creative things that they love to do.

So if you follow me regularly on this blog, you know that one of my favorite colors is periwinkle and then pair that with lime green and my eyes go into a magical, crazy dance of no return.  I just HAD to have this birdhouse!  So as I stopped to admire it once again, I felt myself relax that this was just the way this week was to play out.  I reminded myself that everything will all work out. It always does.

Tomorrow I will be spending all morning in a photo shoot with Lisa Lehmann for new author photos for my new book coming early next year.  I think it will be great fun!  One step closer to putting this book together and that feels good.  But in the mean time I’ll admire this special little spot outside my cottage and give thanks for the sweet little reminders of what life is all about.

Techonlogy Frustrations. Remembering What Matters Most.

Posted by Barbara Techel

I love technology when it works.  But when it does not it can be a real headache. I recently bought a  new computer and for whatever reason the separate keyboard I have won’t work with the new computer.  I tried four different keyboards with many back and forth trips to Wal-mart.  Then after three trips to Best Buy with an exchange of the first computer and second computer doing the same thing, I finally have a new computer (new model) on order to hopefully take care of this challenge I have had. Even the Geek Squad was stumped at this dilemma.

I was frustrated, but not like I used to get.  I decided when this all started to really become an issue that I had a choice.  I could be really, really upset and moan and groan, or I could simply walk through the steps it was going to take to get this resolved.  I thought about all the times my little girl Frankie has taught me patience.  It was time I had to put it into practice once again.  It certainly didn’t make the issue go away, but I felt better not getting all worked up about it.

I also remembered this past Sunday and time out on the deck with my dear Johnnie and sweet Kylie.  We roasted weenie’s in the chiminea and had a wonderful, relaxing time.  This is what matters most.  The computer issue will get resolved one way or another. And focusing on what brings me joy helps when times like this are not how I define joy.

My Writing Cottage. Life is a Series of Choices.

Posted by Barbara Techel

My writing cottage is so much more than where I do my writing, though it is one of my favorite places to write.  The walls hold all my joys, fears and dreams.  At times, it  feels very sacred to me– even more so now that Frankie is gone.  Her spirit is so alive in this space.

I feared the day when she was no longer here that I may not be able to come out to my cottage and write.  When I am in my cottage, she was always here beside me.  I couldn’t imagine how I’d feel being here without her.  But this is where I feel her spirit the most. I thought after Frankie died I also would never want to write again.  I’m so grateful that is not the case.  Being in my cottage and writing is what has helped me tremendously the last six weeks since she has passed.

The walls are filled with many photos of Frankie, as well as the altar I’ve created in her memory.  I got to thinking the other day how the next little wiener dog is going to have some mighty big paws to fill.  I mentioned this to my mom when she was here on Saturday.  Her solution was that I build another cottage on the opposite corner of the deck for the new “someday” dog and me.  But, oh, then how would I choose which cottage to go to each day, I wondered?

As with anything, change occurs as it should and when the time is right new sounds of tiny clicking nails will sound on my hardwood cottage floor, and time will continue to move forward as it always has.

My cottage is where I come when I feel the need to cry, or rejoice, or just sit and renew my faith that everything that is happening is all part of my divine plan.

I used to say life is about sacrifices, but now I’d rather say that life is about choices, and that is how this cottage came to be.  After sharing a photo of it awhile back and saying that everyone should have a space of their own, I heard from one woman who was a wee bit upset with me.  She very angrily said in a comment on Facebook, “Must be nice, but not everyone can afford a space like yours.” It was not what I meant and had covered in my post about a space of one’s own, that it can be as simple as a small corner in your home.  And it can also be as simple as a corner in your mind.

It also brought me back to thinking about the choices we make.  I sold what at the time, was a prized possession of mine, my little red sports car.  It was not that valuable, but I did sell it for a little chunk of money to help pay for some of the materials for my cottage.  The rest was a complete labor of love that my husband lovingly built for me and also helped pay for the rest of the materials.

While I don’t know that woman’s choices in life, this was a choice I made.  It means I let something go that I loved in order to have this cottage.  There are many other “things” I don’t have because of the life that I have chose.  I think it’s easy to think, “Oh must be nice.” While I love the life I have chosen, it may not be for everyone, and that is okay. The point is this is my choice, my life, my cottage.  And I write about it and other things to hopefully inspire others that whatever their dreams or choices are that they too, can maybe find a way in which to reach those dreams.

My cottage helps to keep me in balance when I question if I am making the right choices and I feel fear rise up in me worrying about the future or the what if’s.  It brings me back to the core of what matters to me. My cottage is my sacred space. It is the hug that reassures me. It is me.