Kindness Found Me Today

Posted January 22, 2016 by Barbara Techel

The first thing I saw on Facebook this morning was a post from my sister sharing Tim McGraw’s new music video Humble and Kind. If you’ve not seen it, take a few moments and watch it now. I promise it will uplift you!

I listened to it three times. So simple, really, to be humble and kind. So easy to say please and thank you. To smile at a stranger on the street. To do little acts of kindness.

Today, being my day I set aside for errands and any appointments, I ran out to start my car so it would be warm when it was time for me to leave.

Imagine my surprise when I found a large lime green package sitting on the seat of the drivers side.

I couldn’t imagine who had left it there — or even more so, what it was!

I hurried back inside, already starting to tear at the paper as I couldn’t wait to see what it was (I never was good at waiting to open gifts!).

My eyes instantly filled with tears when I saw it was a painting my friend Shannon did – a sign for the entrance to my Joyful Pause Studio where I held my first SoulCollage® workshop last Saturday.

And here’s the thing. It was over two years ago when I had lunch with Shannon sharing with her that I was thinking about offering workshops for women out of my home- but I wasn’t quite sure what they would be.

That was until I discovered SoulCollage®. Last Saturday felt like a new beginning, while at the same time it felt like a full circle moment. What I had been giving thought to for so long had finally manifested.

I had made a temporary ‘Joyful Pause Studio’ sign figuring I’d make, or find something, that I’d replace it with eventually.

And the Universe was listening – just as it has been all along. Shannon attended my first workshop in the studio and told me she felt called to make this artistic and beautiful painting for me.

And out into the world I went today so light in spirit because kindness found me today.

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Gidget’s Workout (video) Showing Promise

Posted January 21, 2016 by Barbara Techel

Gidget's Workout (video) is Showing Promise — Gidget resting after her workout

As I mentioned last week on my blog a side effect to a drug Gidget is taking to help control her seizures, she developed ataxia (weakening of the hind legs).

We adjusted her med which has helped greatly with diminishing the other side effects she was experiencing. But walking on her hind legs isn’t coming around as easily.

So I got out Frankie’s wheelchair and have been doing mini walking sessions with her. It has been cold out, so we have taken to doing laps around downstairs where she has plenty of room to get around.

Today, without her wheels on, she has taken a few steps throughout the day on her own. YAY! I noticed this morning, for the first time in about a month, that she stood (though swaying a bit side-to-side) while she ate her breakfast. That was a welcome sign to see!

At night I do some physical therapy for her which I learned how to do when Frankie went down in 2006.

Between her wheelchair workouts and the PT she is showing promise.

A few times I’d thought about donating Frankie’s wheelchair, but so glad I kept it.

Thought you might enjoy seeing her progress so here’s a little video of her workout (and it’s so fun seeing her little personality again!) :

You Know Your Husband Knows You When… (and photos from our field trip day!)

Posted January 20, 2016 by Barbara Techel

I mentioned on my blog Monday that John and I were going on what I dubbed, “a field trip date” on Tuesday. We had so much fun and hope to do this quarterly. There is so much to see in our area that really only requires a hour or two drive.

And after having such a fantastic day, I’m wondering why kids should only have field trips—adults surely need this even more!

We visited the Milwaukee Domes and with the temperature only reaching 15 degrees yesterday it was a smart choice…and a welcome one to be in the overly large greenhouses of tropical, desert, and floral themes where it was warm and lush with greenery and vibrant colors.

I share photos below, so you can take a five minute visual field trip. But before I do, I just had to chuckle after shopping in the gift shop and what John said to me afterwards.

We browsed around the garden themed gift shop for a few moments before John meandered out into the hallway to wait for me. I was having somewhat of a hard time deciding what I wanted to purchase.

My heart jumped a bit in my chest when I spotted this book by Marta McDowell, Beatrix Potter’s Gardening Life. But I had to make sure I wasn’t “missing” out on anything else and looked around for a bit longer.

beatrix potter book

I should have known better, because within moments I was back starring at this book. I ran my hand over the cover. I knew this was the treasure I had to take home with me. I could hardly even stand the wait to open it and start reading it!

I met John out in the hallway. He said, “So what did you get?”

I slowly slid the book out of the brown paper bag, as if holding a piece of gold. I smiled.

He said, “I knew you were going to get that book.”

I was surprised he said this. “How did you know?”

With a grin on his face as big as the Cheshire cat he said, “Because it has an old lady on the front.”

This is when I knew he does pay attention to me now and then. I played along to make sure my assumption was correct. “And I bought this book because Beatrix Potter reminds me of….”

“Tasha Tudor, of course!” He said.

As you may know, if you follow me here on my blog, I’m a bit enamored with Tasha Tudor – which I go in streaks about – and have been on a kick with her again lately. I now have all her hardcover books about her life that I bought second hand. I’ll never, ever tire of them. I’m sure of it.

Tasha had a huge, beautiful garden also and was a writer/illustrator. And someone, like Beatrix Potter, who absolutely lived her life on her own terms. Something I continually strive to do and likely why I’m so attracted to fellow creatives such as Tasha and Beatrix.

It certainly isn’t that I’m a good gardener, as I’m far from that. But there is something about how they weaved this into their creative lives that fascinates me, too.

But I digress. Back to John’s comments… it was in that moment, I felt so loved and so understood. It was really the highlight of my field trip date with him.

A memory I now hold as something quite special in my heart. Now onto the photos – enjoy!

john

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