A New Game

Posted April 11, 2018 by Barbara Techel

A New Game

Yesterday I discovered a new game to play with Gidget. The game itself isn’t new as it’s been around a long time, but new to her and new to me in that I’d not thought of playing this with her until now. We played hide ‘n seek.

Gidget has never liked playing with toys. But a game we’ve played over the years is one in which I get on the floor, rest my butt on my heels and bury my face in my hands. Then I’ll say, “Where’s Gidget?” Within seconds her snout will find its way into the opening between my arms and my face to “find” me. Funny I call it “Where’s Gidget” as she is the one who is finding me.

As we played “Where’s Gidget” yesterday I remembered seeing a video of people hiding behind doors and calling for their dog to find them. So I thought I’d give it a try. I started out with easy “finds” like going behind the chair in the living room, and then into the laundry room. Then I hid behind the closet door in my bedroom and called for her.

Four times in row she came into the closet, but just to the edge of the door, then back out she’d go again. By this time I’m trying not to laugh. So I called again. When she got to the edge of the door, I called her name again. This time past the door she went, looking straight ahead, but not behind her. Then back out she went again.

Again I called her and into the closet past the door she went, but still didn’t know where I was. Then I called her name again, and as she turned to “discover” me behind the door I shouted, “You “found” me!”

We will try playing this game again later today as I want to see if she remembers and it takes less tries for her to find me behind the door. Though I think the real trick would be for her to hide and then I’d have to seek!

Photo above is after play and her infamous “stink eye.” Clearly it was time for rest and I needed to heed the message.

XO,

Barbara

A Sense of Belonging

Posted April 9, 2018 by Barbara Techel

When fragmented, fearful, and at any time, feel the Earth and sense her spirit. Harmonize with her until you feel a deep sense of belonging. – Llyn Cedar Roberts, M.A.

For the third time in three days I’ve heard something about this sense of belonging.

First in this interview with Sarah-Jane Farrell hosted by Dr. Cara Gubbins where she says, “Sarah-Jane helped us all see ourselves more clearly and connect more deeply with ourselves and every aspect of our lives.”

Then last night watching a short documentary with Ram Dass, called Going Home, which is available on Netflix. Then this morning I opened my email to see the above quote from Llyn Cedar Roberts.

Okay, Universe, I said. I’m paying attention.

How often I’ve thought about a sense of belonging as finding the right tribe to be around. Where you feel like you have a sense of place in this world and other’s understand you. I still believe this to be true and that it’s important. But it’s also something deeper. It’s something I’ve been doing much inner work around lately. It’s no mistake the universe, always speaking to us in symbols and messages, has been sending these my way of late. Or perhaps what I really believe is that this is just another level of awakening I’m going through.

While I’m not ready to share the details around this conscious time of inner reflection I’ve been immersed in, I will say that this sense of belonging to oneself, as the utmost first importance, is starting to make much more sense to me. As someone who teaches workshops and guides women one-on-one, wanting for them to really understand that it’s okay to put themselves first, and vital to living a fulfilling life, it’s something I still have my moments of grappling with.

Such is the place I’m in right now, which I’ll admit, has had me experiencing some very painful moments. While it’s important to me to be a positive face in the world and something I’ve made a conscious effort to do, I’m recognizing that feeling all my emotions, whether I share them or not, is vital to my own well-being. How important it is for me to feel and acknowledge certain things of which I’m quite critical in judgement of myself. But seeing them for what they are, being okay with what is, and integrating it all into my being.

This isn’t always easy, and while I’ve made great strides the last thirteen years in living a self-examined life, there is still much work to be done. While this feels painful when in the eye of the storm with my emotions whirling like a tornado, I know now from past experience that this is necessary. I also know it’s only temporary – though I don’t always remember this in the moment of feeling lost and just want out.

But this sense of belonging is about embracing it all and still loving myself. It’s about coming home to myself.

I share with you one more quote today. This one which I’ve had on my website now for over ten years. But I’m experiencing another layer of it I’d not seen before with this belonging to oneself. Because the work in walking this journey back to where we came from is really about walking back home to ourselves.

And the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom. -Anais Nin

XO,

Barbara

Have Van Will Travel: What Living in a Van Taught Me

Posted April 8, 2018 by Barbara Techel

Have Van Will Travel: What Living in a Van Taught Me

Over two years ago we began converting one of John’s Chevy Cargo work vans into a camper. Though we still need to install the kitchen, it was good to go that we felt it would serve our needs. We lovingly refer to her as our “vamper” and also named her Second Chance.

After the 2008 recession we had to make some tough financial decisions, like I know many others did, too. We thought traveling wouldn’t be part of our future…until we discovered a whole world of others converting vans to campers, whether to live in full time, or like us, to travel and explore on a budget!

Recently, we took Second Chance out on her first big excursion! Our plan was to visit South Carolina for six days, then head home through Virginia with a day or two stop in Charlotte, North Carolina. But as our weather here with the unusual snowstorm and cold, in the Carolina’s we encountered everything from flurries, sleet, a severe thunderstorm (which made for one muddy campsite!), followed by the low 80’s for one day to plunging to 34 degrees and crazy wind the following day.

The one day in low 80’s in Columbia, SC

I share with you a few things I learned while living in 84 sqt. ft. with my hubby, John and our ten pound dachshund, Gidget.

Gidget hanging out inside the vamper watching as I get ready in the morning. Always the inspector!

I’m going to start with the most important lesson and not leave you in suspense…my most important takeaway was to be open to adapt. Adapting meaning that when circumstances are less than favorable I had a choice to be frustrated, or go with the flow. Hmmm, how interesting that coincides with understanding when one is going through a transitional period in ones life – something part of my mission is about – and one I swear I’m tested on more times than I wish, and especially on our last stop before we headed home. Our last night in Indianapolis, we came to find out they had a record of ten inches of snow the day before, with about four inches still on the ground when we arrived at the campsite.

Making the best of it. Wine helped!

Being in a “hotel” that is on wheels meant being able to adapt quite nicely and travel to a warmer climate, which we did when we had chilly weather in the Carolina’s, even though it meant we had to backtrack and to a different state to visit was not planned. But we had set the intention that this was going to be an adventure – and that it was!

In Madison, GA outside historic home, Rose Cottage. Hugging Crape Myrtle tree over 150 years old!

The blessing of not so favorable weather in the Carolina’s landed us in Georgia. Here we fell in love with the quaint historic towns of Greensboro and Madison. Not to mention the KOA campground we stayed in on Lake Oconee. It was gorgeous! While I’m not a big shopper, we discovered some eclectic, artsy and unique shops. I came home with some lovely treasures that make me smile when I look at them because of the memories I now have from our trip.

And this…made the backtracking so worth it. Sunset on Lake Oconee.

I realized even more what a wonderful man I’m married to. I swear John’s patience has gotten better over the years, while mine lacks more than I care to admit at times (I blame it on hormones!). But I soon came to realize how thoughtful John was about my morning routine. Without saying a word, he just adjusted to allow me space in our teeny tiny temporary home. I had more than one heart swoon for his tenderness of attention during our time away.

My Prince Charming having fun by a waterfall in Madison, GA (and he was okay with me snapping and sharing this shot!)

I overcame my fear of tinkling outside! Being in my mid-50s, my bladder not what it used to be, plus one campsite where the bathroom was far, far away, I learned quickly the value of having a porta-potty along. My once shy kidney was more than relieved (no pun intended!) to have this option even if it meant tinkling out behind the vamper. Well…as long as it was very, very dark. In other cases, John lovingly placed one said commode inside the vamper, closed the doors, and allowed me my privacy (worthy of another heart swoon!).

Lastly, but most special, we were able to pay tribute to our dear, sweet Kylie, who as you may remember, we laid to rest the day after Thanksgiving 2017. We planned to scatter part of her ashes in Tennessee as that is where we brought her home from over twelve years ago. Traveling by van meant we could follow our intuition and find just the right place that called to us to scatter her ashes. And that we did. The backdrop to where we released her? The Great Smoky Mountains.