A Year After Detoxing

A year ago I was drowning in a sea of medications for mental health, sleep and pain. PTSD had swallowed my mind like a crunchy snack for over three years. My wake up call came after we returned from our honeymoon--it was time to work through my mental dis-ease on my own. The medications had taken a toll on my body, and my mind. I needed to see if I could ever get in a car, or quench my anxiety, fears, unrest or sleep without popping a pill. The desire to face a day, even in pain without a pharmaceutical aid, or a glass of wine, became bigger than my need to mask whatever lurked beneath my fragmented, river of unruly thoughts.

I had to hole up, literally, alone for days at a time. Go inside the pain. Swim, and do belly flops in the deep waters I feared would suck me down, down, down till I had no more air left in my withered lungs. The body aches, and agitation festered, and grew like yeast in warm water inside my belly. I literally writhed in agony, and sleep was illusive. Superman braved the storm of my anger, unleashed and often venomous--his beloved Wonder Woman had become quite unlovely to be around. I was ugly with a capital U. Yet even at my worst, he continued to toss me an anchor of love to hang onto. I honestly don't know how he did it, but somewhere, deep below the troubled waters, he saw I was also becoming BRAVE--with the cap lock on. Letting go of my chemical buoy has been one of the bravest things I've ever done. Ever...

During the last year I have also undergone an intense spiritual awakening. It's been a journey of letting go of all things that held me captive. Old spiritual belief systems I wore around my ankles like a ball and chain fell off as I open my eyes to truth as it was revealed to me. Guilt about what people would think about me, especially loved ones whom I used to walk with in a certain religious faith, dissipated in my new found freedom. I'd always resisted the idea of separation of mankind, as in the ideas taught in many religions of "our way is the only way", "our God is the only God", "heaven and hell", "our book and teachings are the only way to enlightenment", etc, etc, etc... This is also one of the bravest things I've ever done. Seeking, and finding, truth about who I am spiritually has held me up while treading the waters of rediscovery. I know without a doubt I am a part of journey designed by the Universe that only wants the utmost good for me, and all of mankind. I am eternally evolving. We all are.

My body still hurts, a lot, on a daily basis. I'm chronically tired. I fight the grip of isolation, and on most days would rather never leave my house or talk to loved ones on the phone. But on a whole, especially looking back in hindsight, I am indeed a whole new person I've grown to love and respect. I'm healing and my bouts with PTSD are lessening. My fears feel more manageable when I can laugh at them instead of believe them as truths. I sleep like a baby most nights. I rest when I need to. I've found unlimited tranqulity being in nature; my new church, my new swimming hole. I don't beat myself up for gaining weight due to the lack of physical agility I had before the auto accident. Fat floats--right? I share any toxic messages forming in my brain to my higher power or Superman instead of allowing them to explode inside me. My inner water wings are holding me up, and my Superman, is still faithfully floating beside me.

I am not advocating anyone stop taking medications without consulting with their doctors. I am only discussing what was right for me. I had to see what it was like to experience my world, my thoughts and my personal swimming lessons un-medicated. This post is merely a reflection on the laps I've swam in the last year.

My hope is that I can continue to be brave.
For another day, another week, another month.
Another year.
With all my toes in the waters of life.

What's the bravest thing you've ever done?

W.U.W. Flippin' Fear Off

Japan's emperor spoke about HOPE today in a public announcement about the situation his country is dealing with. His short video message about having hope left a lump in my throat. "Never Give Up Hope." There's a lot of energy buzzing in the air worldwide and it can feel like a bevy of bees in your stomach especially if you already are dealing with PTSD. I lived in southern CA most of my life and have been through some pretty horrific earthquakes. One time I was stuck in an elevator all by myself at a large hotel in Anaheim when a terrifying earthquake hit. I had no idea what was going on until the car stopped midway between floors, then when the doors opened, I looked up to see the huge hotel chandeliers swaying like palm trees in a hurricane. Holy crap! I turned into Wonder Woman as I leaped up out of there in 2 seconds flat!

Mother Earth is in the process of changing like I mentioned on last week's W.U.W. [Wake Up Wednesdays] Her poles are trying to shift and balance. Time is moving faster. The air frequencies have a charge to them now. I'm sure you all feel it. I was beginning to feel fear put a choke hold on me then I read a powerful story that helped me shift out of fear. It's a story about Hope. It's about bravery. It's about living one's dreams. It's about finding your sassy pants and flippin' fear off. It's how I want to face fear when it roars at me.

Anna and her daughter, Ava, scampering about.

The morning of Tokyo's 9.0 earthquake, Anna Kunnecke's young daughter wasn't feeling well, and stayed home from school. For a few brief moments Anna was faced with the challenge of rearranging her work day, which is hard to do at the last moment with a busy career, but she adjusted, and went on about her day. Anna is a successful voice over artist, and life coach trained by Dr. Martha Beck, author of Expecting Adam and monthly columnist at O, the Oprah Magazine. She's lived and worked most of her life in Tokyo. In one split second she watched, and felt, her entire world turn upside down. I'll let her tell you about it. Friends, meet Anna Kunnecke, her story, her words below.

All photos courtesy of Anna

Unsettled

March 13, 2011

As I write this, I am in Tokyo. It’s been 48 hours since the biggest earthquake that's ever been recorded in Japan. Ever since the sheer terror of those five minutes in which our building shook and swayed and groaned, and I didn’t know if my daughter and I would make it out alive, I have been glued to the public lens—tv, facebook, text messages, photos—with a surreal combination of horror and paralysis. The devastation north of us is shocking. The normalcy of Tokyo is shocking, too, except that water, rice, and batteries are disappearing from the supermarkets. And looming over everything is the very real chance that a nuclear reactor will melt down and release unfathomably toxic substances into the air, water, and land.

I have been afraid—terrified, really—for 48 hours.

People, I am here to say, that is long enough.

Here is where my fear got me: my head aches. My shoulders ache. My jaw aches, from clenching it. My breath is short and shallow. My heart aches at every sad photograph, and my nervous system is at the mercy of every authoritarian voice broadcasting worry.

In that condition, I am no more useful to the world, my family, or myself than a very anxious marmoset.

So here is how I am changing my frequency. If this stuff is working for me today, it will work for you too—whether you are afraid about your finances, your future, your failing left tail light, or your embarrassing flail in yesterday’s meeting.

1. I turned off the news. I can receive up-to-the-minute information via text, and my heart is already with those who are suffering. When I read information, it goes to my brain and not straight to my primal fight-or-flight response. The music and images of TV news are geared to trigger panic and an empathic flood; I’ve decided not to let myself get triggered.

2. I cleaned my house. This grounded me, calmed me, and got me back into my body, which is a much more reliable navigation system than my shrieking reptile survival brain, what Martha Beck calls my ‘lizard.’ My lizard tells me that we are DOOOOMED. My body tells me that we need to stretch, to sing, to self-soothe with quiet rhythms. (Folding laundry works nicely.)

3. I faced the worst-case scenario. My partner and I came up with a plan for what we would do if the reactor begins to spew, or if there is a serious food crisis in Tokyo, or any of the other frightening scenarios that have been haunting me. Now that I know what I will actually do if any of those events come to pass, I can dismiss them when they clamor for my attention. And the last line of every plan is: “And if none of that works, we wing it as well as we can.” This is actually a pretty good plan.

4. I questioned my scary thoughts. My underlying thought, the one that was making my heart palpitate and my fists clench, was: “We are in danger right this very second!” I asked, “Is this true?” And the answer is, Who the heck knows? We could be, for sure. But then any of us could be in danger at any minute of any day. But what I know right now is that I am sitting in my apartment with running water, electricity, heat, and very fast internet. My loved ones are safe. We are getting the best information we know how to get. So I choose to live in the blissful sense of safety that most of us inhabit when we’re not acutely aware that the sky could fall at any moment. Believing that I am safe is no more arbitrary, at this particular moment in time, than believing that I am in danger, but it feels a lot better and it makes me more insightful, more courageous, and more wise. It lets me think more creatively and compassionately. And all those things, paradoxically, will work to keep me and the ones I love safe. If I am in real physical danger, my system will flood with adrenaline and I will be able to act on the terror I’ve been feeling and suppressing these last two days. I will run, or fight, or negotiate, or do whatever I need to do. Until then, I choose to keep breathing deep, calming breaths (Thanks, Terry DeMeo) and asking myself, “Is that scary thought even true?”

5. I took constructive action. I made up a backpack full of emergency items and our important paperwork. Maybe your constructive action is making a phone call or getting something checked out. Maybe it’s opening the scary envelope or looking at your online balance. You’ll feel better if you just do it, I promise.

6. I let my body release. Because I was with my daughter during the most frightening part of the quake (lying on the floor of our 16th-floor apartment as it pitched and creaked like a ship in a storm), I spent significant energy holding it together for her. We talked a bit about how scared we both were, and she seemed okay, but later she had a major sobbing meltdown about something inconsequential. Then she was perky again. Little kids are very wise that way. I waited until I was alone in bed that night to sob and shudder. With each heave of my shoulders and shuddering quaking tremble, I let some of my fear and tension release. Animals tremble and shudder to shake off trauma; we need to do it too, even when the trauma is only visible to us.

7. I consciously flooded myself with beauty. I listened to music that makes me want to move my body and heal the world. For me this means Christine Kane, The Dixie Chicks, and other things too embarrassing to write here. I also bought flowers today, a big gorgeous bouquet of them, in a flagrant act of flipping the bird at fate. I am buoyed and nourished by their blooming faces as I make my way through my home.

8. I grounded back into my purpose. I had a brief panic about a class I’m teaching in a few weeks, The Queen Sweep. http://www.annakunnecke.com/the-queen-sweep.html I wondered if clearing clutter would seem frivolous in light of global tragedy. I questioned its ultimate value in the world and the worth of the work I do. In other words, I freaked out. Many people are layering their immediate fear with scary thoughts like this about their future worth and their careers. Screw that. In a crisis like this, I’m more glad than ever that I know exactly where to find my passport; that my papers are in order and I’ve declared a guardian for my daughter; that we all have clean underwear and clean sheets to sleep on; and that my home is an oasis of calm and beauty. Whatever the crisis, the world needs people who are sharp, who know their stuff, and know what they can contribute. Be ready to bring what you can to the table.

9. I gazed at my daughter. She is so beautiful. She is so alive through her fear, her joy, her rage, her desire—she doesn’t shut any of it down. It’s all right there, messy and inconvenient at times, but gloriously awake.

10. Most importantly, I remembered that I am the boss of my own energy. I kept waiting for someone to make me feel better, to reassure me, to tell me what to do. Guess what? No one can declare dominion over my life besides me. I have to be the leader that I was waiting for. Chin up, deep breath, flowers on table. Here we go.

Anna Kunnecke

http://www.annakunnecke.com/

Flying Dream: Part Two

Here's the rest of my flying dream... (read part one to see where we left off) There we are, my son and I, hanging out in a bathroom at a Mexican restaurant in downtown Ojai, CA with mousey brown hair dye on our heads.

For those of you who don't know my son, he's been a lead singer & guitar player in rock bands since he was 15, and has probably dyed his hair more often than I have---and that's a LOT! Gotta love creative expression.

Jake becomes concerned about time, and needs to meet Ashley, his wife, so he rinses his hair and bolts out the door. I watch which direction he heads then take my turn in the small sink rinsing the hair dye off my hair. I rinse my head quickly, and run out the door to follow Jake. (I'm a helicopter Mom sometimes... OK most of the time...) I realize he has a pretty good head start so I decide to take a short cut down a side street. I zoom out, and up, to an aerial street map like you see on Google maps and pick my course.

Walking does not seem fast enough so I begin running. My pace picks up, and my legs become gazelle like--stretching out gracefully before me with strides that appear like a super heroine. People start to notice, and make comments, "Wow! Look at that girl running. Her feet are off the ground!" (Yes, I consider myself a girl in a woman's body) I'm elated to see my feet are actually off the ground, and make a decision to fly instead of run since I'm practically flying anyway.

To gain altitude I start making swimming motions with my arms cutting through the air as if it's water. Up, up, up I go... above the buildings, the cars and the people walking on the sidewalks or standing in their yards. Everyone is watching me sail above them. No one has seen someone fly before and this is my 15 minutes of fame. I'm feeling exhilarated, and special, and free. I no longer need to flap my arms, my body is gliding effortlessly as if I weighed the same as a feather.

I'm flying above the main intersection in downtown Ojai where the clock tower is in the center of town. The sky is a vivid, surreal blue. People are crossing the street hurrying to make it before the traffic light changes. In the crosswalk below me are a group of conservative women with shopping bags dangling from their arms. They're clustered tightly together like a quilt made out of polyester squares afraid to touch cotton.

Suddenly a women that resembles the church lady from SNL pulls back from the pack, and points a bony finger up at me as I flit overhead. Her mouth looks like a sea gull's beak, gaping open begging for bread crumbs. I pause in mid flight to discern the words coming from her gullet. They break the perfect, blissful moment my flight has given me as she screams.

"You can't fly! That's not Godly! God doesn't like it when you fly!"

Everyone on the sidewalks and crosswalk stop dead in their tracks. They stare at me barely breathing to see what my reaction will be to her loud accusation. My soul, my heart, my core knows this is not true. Without hesitation my voice resonates through the dead air like a skilled stage actor with perfect diction knowing everyone in the back row of the theater can hear my booming, poised voice.

"F_ _ K, you! God loves it when I fly. He's the One who taught me how to fly in the first place!"

Then off I fly into the sunset as free as a bird. I am free. Finally, I am free.

End of dream....

My son has such a healthy attitude about being different than other people. One time he had a 5 inch hawk (Mohawk) with bleached roots, a 3 inch band of lime green, and black tips. We went out to eat, and the little kids at the table next to us were staring at him. Their parents apologized and said, "Sorry our kids are staring at you but they love the Disney movie "Land Before Time" and they think you are a dinosaur." Everyone in the restaurant laughed, especially my son.

Jake with his leopard look. Ashley created this clever look for him.

Now I really, really, REALLY want to type the "F" word in the sentence above, and not sugar coat it. Ya'll know I never use "that" word here on my blog. (I said on NOT my blog... it's been known to soothe my ruffled feather's on occasion when no other word is bold enough) I prefer to use Frap but it's really the same word.... It's just a matter of switching out a few letters. But I am afraid. Afraid of what you'll think about me if I do.

I know it's just a word. I also know this word is offensive to some people. And let me set the record straight. I love conservative people, freaks, polyester (well I'm kinda lying about that one... OK I am lying right out loud about that one... I truly hate polyester) This is not a post about bashing anyone or anything--except my own fears. Plus, you all know I worry sometimes about what people think about me for having PTSD or panic attacks since May 4, 2008. I "shouldn't" still be afraid to get in a car. I shouldn't be afraid to type the Eff word.

I know some of you would cheer me on to type "it" because you've followed my blog for a long time. Frap is safer to type and this just more Fear being afraid to type a silly word, and that sucks. I loved my dream, and I want to be flipping freer. My spirit knows how to fly. Fudge... I freaking can't stay stuck forever. It's just a frigging word.... Four little letters. I want to let it rip because that's what the dream was all about. Not being afraid. Not allowing people to make me question myself or doubt myself. Not being afraid of what other people think about me even if I do get scared sometimes.... or if I fly too high.... or if I say....

fuck

There I said it.

Frap... that was hard.

And yes, I'm cringing a wee bit....
OK a LOT...

Do ya'll still love me?????

Snowflakes

All morning I've been watching the snow fall. Flurries, and dense patches of frosty stars falling, or floating, depending on how you look at it. Swirling, and dancing. Silent, intricate universes as individual as we are. It's hypnotic--watching snowflakes fall. It feels like I'm inside a snow globe except the snow is on the outside, and I'm on the inside looking out. I'm pondering the snowflakes, and my navel, with a new year on the horizon.

In watching the snow fall, I realized, all that really matters is this moment, and finding the joy in life no matter how much or how little "snow" falls on my world. So for the rest of the day, or at least for a moment, ( I cannot even begin to tackle the "hugeness" of the entire next year) I'd like to live as free as a snowflake inside my heart. Yesterday is something I cannot change, and tomorrow (should I be blessed enough to have one) is not yet here. I have this one shot at making my life as joyful as a dancing snowflake or as turbulent as a blizzard.

This snow globe perspective isn't a once a year kind of thinking for me. I probably over think most things on most days, and waste way too much time in the "what-ifs" or "I shoulda's". But there's something about hanging up a new calendar that shifts my core, and allows me to begin thinking about new beginnings.

Is it any wonder mankind sees snow a sign of purity? Or a new year as turning over a new leaf? Or white as a symbol of cleanliness? Is it a fluke that a new year falls in winter just as a snowflake does? If snowflakes could sing, would my life song be singing in harmony with them? If my life were a snow globe would others look in on my world and want to be a part of it?

Maybe I should keep my snow globe out all year long to shake up a fresh, snowfall of JOY whenever I need a fresh perspective, or a clean slate to start over if I get muddied-up. Or if I just need a reminder of the JOY that all children see inside a snowflake. Yes... I rather like that New Year's resolution.

2010
I welcome you with joy.

Smoke Free One Year Anniversary

I did it! It's been a full year. No cigarettes. No coughing when I laugh. No smelly clothes, breath, hair, car, house, fingers, furniture, drapes.... I can hold my grandson knowing he will not have any 3rd hand smoke from my clothes touching his sweet face. I can kiss Superman without going through the de-stink ritual. I don't have to stand out in the frigid winter air outside a restaurant to puff. I don't have to run out at 11:00 pm to get a pack just in case the 3 cigarettes I have left may not get me through the night.

I have saved a ton of money. Average pack is $5.oo. I was smoking 1.5-2 packs a day. That's roughly $275-350 a month.

My reward [besides better health] will be getting my teeth whitened.

Yeah, baby! I totally deserve it!

Bed Head Babblings

I have bed head, my grandson has some, too, and I'm showing it off to the world. I'm also showing why you shouldn't be allowed to babble on your puter cam & post it to you tube.

Hey just sayin....

It's too late.... I'm already hooked. This is the beginning of something well.... how should I say it? Monkey pants meets you tube. Yeah, that says it best.

Bed Head Babbling click here

Thaw T Full Things

Dear Friends, and Family,

I'm genuinely thankful for each one of you. I started my blog a little over 7 months ago, and I'm amazed at how much has happened in such a small measure of time. I've learned blogging is way more fun and educational than TV. Far more dramatic than soap operas, and far funnier than sitcoms. I had no idea such a wonderful world existed until I met all of you. Thank you for opening my eyes to such a wonderful world at my fingertips. I'm thankful, and grateful, for each one of you.

• Be safe.
  
• Hug your family and your friends.
  
• Feed your faces, and watch some football.
  
• Tell someone you are thankful to have them in your life.
• Wear some comfy cloths on Thursday.
• If the pie crust gets too burnt... it's not the end of the world.
• Take a moment to remember how fortunate you are to be alive.
• Pull out the Christmas lights, and trim the tree.
• Be respectful others who do not celebrate the same holidays in the same way you do.
• If you've lost your gusto for the holidays, try to see it through the eyes of a child. Borrow one if you don't have one, and make some precious memories together.
• Take a nap if you want to on Thursday. Or take two.
  
• Don't feel guilty if you are not up to fighting the masses on Black Friday unless you really enjoy it.
  
• Be thankful you can shop without ever leaving the comforts of your home.
• Make something homemade to give this season.
  
• Say yes to whipped cream. YES, yes, Yes!
  
• Say thank you when the left turn lane is long, and moving slow. It could be a blessing disguised as a delay.
• Send all your unwanted fruitcakes to me. I actually love them.
• Take your unused coats to a homeless shelter or church.
  
• This is one way the pilgrims used pumpkins. BIG YUM
  
• Be thankful you were not the person who received the call at the Butterball Turkey Hotline from a woman wondering if it was OK to bathe her kids at the same time in the tub with the turkey thawing... true story.

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone

New Winds ~ New Nest

There's a new wind blowing my hair,
and my creativity,
in a different direction.

Letting go of what was is hard sometimes but beginning fresh has a whole new invigorating rush. My entire life has been built on using what I have. What I need will be brought to me when the time is right. Isn't it grand when a new wind brushes your skin with hope, with joy, with unlimited possibilities brewing, and your imagination finds a brand new playground to scamper in?

How many girls can say Superman sent them flowers????

See my poppy paintings on the wall in the kitchen? And the Dream Board I made with Dylan hanging below them? This is a taste of what is to come, and a playful side of me I'm eager to give birth to.

Sweet Sassy Molassy!

Smoke on the Water...

I've been wading through a lot of anger this past month. I would not be moving if it weren't for the new people who moved in below me. Last night I was woken from a deep sleep [again...] with the smell of cigarette smoke filling my bedroom. Despite 5-6 times of him being told not to smoke in the building, he still does. I feel a bit childish now but last night I did a bit of stomping on the floors, or rather walking heavily. VERY heavily. The woman doesn't smoke and I believe he must sneak a smoke inside after she's fallen asleep. Too lazy to get up and go outside on the deck to puff. I wanted to make sure I woke her up with my foot tromping. Next time I'll put some bad ass boots on. I actually typed that.... Yikes.

I understand addictions. I especially understand nicotine addiction. I have had the same demons wake me up at night to sneak a cigarette. Nicotine has caused me to get out of my hospital bed with an IV pole attached, in the dead of winter (wind chill well below 20) to smoke outside wearing only my hospital gown, hospital issued non-slip socks and a blanket thrown over my shoulders. I stood there freezing, puffing, and avoiding the glares people gave me driving or walking by. I was close to getting frostbite on my fingers and face just to have a cigarette.

So, yes, I understand the power and hold a white filtered kiss of death can have on you. You know it's slowly robbing you of life, and yet it feels like gold between your fingers in the middle of the night when you cannot sleep. A cigarette is so small, and yet so huge. It was during one of these freezing treks outside the hospital last December that gave me the will, the courage and the wisdom to quit.

No one knows [unless you've quit, too] how hard it was to return home to the tree house and work through all the triggers here that constantly reminded me I should be lighting up a smoke. The triggers were everywhere, and constant at times. I wore a nicotine patch, and ate Ativan like candy on some days. But I did it. I'm celebrating 9 months of being smoke free.

So when my world was invaded by a smoker I got mad. And I became afraid. The fear of being seduced in a time of weakness by the smells of tobacco is a genuine concern. And the constant stress this has caused is also a concern. I have literally cried every day for weeks now in sadness at my peaceful, slice of tranquility being blown up in a cloud of smoke. But my sanity, health, and well-being has more value than than living on a lake. [at least that's what I'm telling myself LOL]

In order for me to find some peace about moving I've chosen to call on my greatest resource to help me make it through the night, and the next 3 weeks--my sense of humor. Here's a few more reasons the season for lake living is withering away. Hopefully this will be even funnier one Day.... [I hope...]

• I went out on my deck last week and much to my dismay saw a rope nailed from one tree to another. On this rope was a bevy of underwear, blowing in the breeze. Mind you we live right next to a major boat ramp so every boat going by saw the flags of bras and granny panties hanging like a party from the trees. [Ahem... doesn't this woman know I'm the only one allowed to hang my undies out for every one to see??? Oh wait that's on my blog... not for a make-shift clothes line....] Cup of coffee, cool breeze, and Grandma's undies tainting the pristine views.... I have pictures. Dare I post them??? Go ahead beg me... [insert wicked smile]
  
• Superman & I came back to the Tree House one evening after dinner with plans to lie out on the grass on the point of the island to watch the meteorite showers. When we arrived we found that they had strung lights from every possible tree on the island, the flag pole, and their deck railing--all jury-rigged together with orange extension cords. It looked like the Midway at a carnival. Hello people we live on a lake! Bug City if you use mammoth sized light bulbs near the water in mid-summer. I can no longer see the lake at night because the island is lit up like a frigging used car lot. Hence the carnival music I had playing on my tunes for a few days. remember the Chevy Chase movie about Christmas, and all the lights? This is what their deck looks like. I kid you not... The island could now pass for an airport landing strip. This could be trouble because the Tree House is in the flight pattern for a fairly large airport 10 miles south of here. Yikes!
  
• They have three vehicles, and are only given 2 assigned parking spots. Last weekend he had a fourth car parked here all weekend he was doing repairs on. Told ya... a car lot. Or the graveyard for Cash for Clunkers.
  
• They are having a big party this weekend, At least I've been fore-warned. Gulpity-gulp...
  
• I want to rent a huge industrial strength fan to blow the smoke back down on them from my deck. Monsoon wind-like conditions suddenly kicked up on the lake. Craziest thing.....

OK I'm done now. Simply put it's time to go. I would rather believe I am on the horizon of something wonderful waiting to show itself to me in my future than being kicked out of my nest by force. I'll work to keep my sense of humor intact, and my boots ready to slip on. Hee Hee Just kidding.... I'll make Opie put on roller skates & practice leaping over barrels. [I have wood floors] My bad...

...UPCOMING NEWS...

I'll be filming the tree house, and will post the video for everyone to take a tour soon. Opie is practicing his opening welcome. He always greets our guests with a warmth, and sweetness that is akin to a red carpet being rolled out. Purely adorable.

Next up, when I get a few pictures of my new place, I'll hold a contest to name it. It will be open to you, my friends, and followers to name. I will award the winner with a piece of my art work. I will add pics as soon as I can. It's a white cottage like bungalow that sits on top of a hill. Get your creative thinking caps on...

I need your help & encouragement to make this move away from the Tree House a fun-filled adventure. All anyone really desires is a simple life, and I'm going to get me one of those! It's already on my Dream Board.

Thank you everyone! Comments are encouraged!!!