dachshund

It Happened Again.

Posted by Barbara Techel

Gidget girl eYou’d think I’d know better by now. That I’d be prepared for what always seem to happen when you get a new dog.

This time I thought maybe it would be different. She came with the name Gidget. I love the name. It fits her perfectly. She is a Gidget all the way. No doubt, what-so-ever.

But then it happened again.

The nicknames that seem to just fall out of my mouth without thought. The name Gidget rarely now spoken in our home.

It started with Lil’ G.

Then came snuggle butts.

And then there is Scootle-dee-doodle-dee. This one gets turned into a song that I feel compelled to sing to the little dog that has taken over my heart, and who I would hold all day long and sing to her if I could.

Next came Miss G.

Then as if too much to say, I shorten to just “G.”

Let’s not forget she is also my Buddha dog. And Buddha she becomes when she sits in her quiet, contemplative stance while sitting on my lap when we sit in the kitchen gazing out the front door. I love those moments of just being still with her. It grounds me. It makes me feel safe. It makes me so happy.

Short stuff, Sweet one, Gidg, and Gidg-miester, round out the nicknames this 9 lb bundle of joy has so far received in eight months since she has been here.

I’m sure I’ve only just begun.

Then…and Now.

Posted by Barbara Techel

frankie and cole 20 months eCole was just 20 months old when he began visiting Frankie the Walk ‘N Roll Dogs statue at Bookworm Gardens.

It has now become a tradition that he visits there every year and has his picture taken with Frankie.

Now five years old, this is his picture with Frankie taken recently.

frankie and cole e

What a gift it is to me to know that Frankie continues to inspire even though she is no longer physically here. For all the days I cried for the loss of her, I now rejoice in the joy that she left behind and the many generations she will continue to have a positive impact on.

I’m so grateful when someone shares a photo of a little one with Frankie’s likeness, like Cole’s mom, Ann did on my Facebook page. It is a reminder of all the blessings Frankie was, and will always be.

If you are new to my blog, you can learn more about Frankie through the books I’ve written about her.

Joie, My Late Dachshund with IVDD, Forever Beautiful in Stained Glass

Posted by Barbara Techel

joie stained glassI received many lovely gifts for my birthday, but truly, none more touching than this stained glass of my Joie given to me by my mama. She commissioned an artist friend to do this for me.

It will be one year August 22 since Joie moved into spirit world. You may recall that I adopted her from Oregon Dachshund Rescue knowing she had IVDD and needed a wheelchair. John worked his magic and took Frankie’s wheelchair and adjusted it to fit Joie.

Joie was only with us for ten short months. But she left many gifts behind. Her biggest lessons to me were to pause, sit in stillness, and to understand that I no longer needed to prove my worthiness. I can rest securely in who I am.

As I did a bit of research for this post, I went to the Facebook page for the movie Joie took part in last August, The Surface Movie. I was wondering if there was any notice of a date of when the movie will be out in our area.

As I scrolled down the page I saw a post noting the movie is now complete. The post was on July 14th. Four days before my birthday and three days after my mom gifted me with this special gift.

Tears immediately sprang to my eyes. Joie’s spirit is strong and well. My heart smiles.

It will be bittersweet to see her in the movie (I’ll keep you posted once it is out in theater’s- projected to come out later this year). But I’m ready to see her sweet face roll across the big screen in her wheelchair. It is going to be a proud, proud moment.

The stained glass piece of her is a shining, loving reminder of how lucky I was to have her in my life, even if for just a short time. She blessed me in ways I would have not otherwise been blessed.