Crepe Kindness

One of the good things about living in the Washington DC area is that there are several bus companies that drive the DC/NYC route, so you can easily score a cheap ride to New York.  When we have a weekend off, we like to do just that, and it’s even better when we have an “excuse” to go.  Recently we were invited to an anniversary party in NYC, so we jumped on a bus.

But not before hunting online for fun things to do while we were there and making a list!  This time the list included Chocolate By The Bald Man - Max Brenner – which looked amazing in online reviews!  Especially since my sweetheart is a huge chocolate fan!

We popped into the restaurant on a Saturday afternoon and were told we would have quite a long wait.  But then we spied 2 seats at the counter, which was 1^st come 1^st served.  And BEST SERVED, it turned out!

Our seats were directly in front of the CREPE MAKER.  This woman’s job was to make crepe after crepe after crepe.  She did not stop!  She had 2 crepe machines, and as soon as she would pour and circle the batter on machine 1, she would do the same on machine 2.  Then flip (repeat on machine 2).  Then take off (repeat on machine 2).  Then start again.  Crepe after crepe after crepe.  And they were all perfect!  I guess she has a lot of practice…  We felt like we had won the seat lottery since we got to watch her work.

The menu had loads of chocolatey goodness to choose from, but of COURSE we picked a crepe!!  We ordered a hazelnut, banana, chocolate crepe, then sat back and waited for it to be OUR TURN with the crepe maker!! 

She knew we were watching her – we exchanged several smiles.  And she knew when she got to OUR CREPE.  For that one she seemed to take EXTRA CARE – specially drying the plate it would be displayed on, drizzling the sauce…  We laughed and pointed and gave her lots of “thumbs up” on the production.  When she was finished, she tried to reach around the counter and hand it to us personally, but was intercepted by the man in charge of organizing all of the food before it went out.  Her eyes seemed to say to him, “But it is THEIRS – it is for my FRIENDS who have been cheering me on!  I want to personally deliver it please…” but he was having none of it.  In fact, as he took it away from us, he said it was for someone else.  I think the crepe lady felt bad, she had put extra care and love into that one, and it turned out it wasn’t even ours!

But wait – the boss man was wrong!!!  IT WAS OURS, and he had to eat a bit of crow as he handed it back to us.  We exchanged big smiles with our crepe friend and dug in.

Our amazing crepe, and in the background, our new friend the crepe maker!!!  

It was delicious!!!  All of the flavors blended perfectly and one crepe (and an amazing hot cocoa) was more than enough for us to share.  We were very happy! 

I wanted to tip the crepe lady.  It was HER who had done all the work, so carefully making crepe after delicate crepe.  She had treated us like special guests, and I wanted to treat her special in return.  So, we took a $10 bill and slipped it through a line in the glass that separated her from us.  I gave her a big smile, pointed to the tip, and pointed to HER, making sure she knew it was for her and her alone.   She gestured back, “ME????” and we nodded YES!!! 

She.  Was.  Thrilled.  It was obvious she was not used to being tipped – she didn’t know what to do!!!  The bill was suspended in the glass between us and her, and she kept eyeballing it and grinning from ear to ear as she cranked out more crepes.  Finally, she turned to the woman who was probably her supervisor and explained (in Spanish) that the tip was there.  The supervisor looked at it, then looked back and said, “FOR YOU????” and our friend giggled and said “Siiii!!”.  The supervisor smile at us, retrieved the money, and gave it to the crepe maker.

A steaming hot "hug mug" of Italian hot cocoa - ahhhhhhhhh.

This tiny gesture of kindness went such a long way.  The smile on the woman’s face would not go away, it was the sweetest thing.  And one by one she pulled co-workers aside, explained in Spanish what had just happened, and showed them the $10 bill in her pocket.   They all looked like they were very happy for her luck.

Sometimes small gestures yield BIG RESULTS.  We couldn’t give money to every homeless person we saw in NYC.  We couldn’t buy meals for everyone there going hungry.  But we could make one dedicated crepe maker feel as special as she is.  We could remind her that her work is appreciated.  And we could make her smile. 

Bonus NYC photo - the Statue of Liberty as seen from Battery Park on a warm(ish) Spring day!

Floating Kindness

I am not one for “woo woo” stuff.  I don’t normally get into things like crystals, healing lotions and potions, or Reiki.  Heck, I don’t even do yoga or meditate.

Let’s face it – I basically have 2 gears – HIGH and OFF.  It is either full-on-hell-bent-gettin’-shit-done-and-having-fun, or watching-tv-drinking-wine-then-going-to-bed.

So, when my friend Beth asked if she could get me a gift certificate for a FLOAT, I will admit that I was nervous.  A FLOAT??  What sounds more hippy dippy than floating around in a tank of salt water for an hour??  But Beth had done it and loved it, and I trust her opinion, plus it was something new and a gift, so YEAH, LET’S DO IT!

After I had received the gift but before I had DONE the float, I had lunch with another friend who had floated.  She.  Hated.  It.  Her story was hilarious – feeling trapped inside the “pod” floating in the water, feeling trapped, the sense that time was creeping as slowly as possible and the hour might never be over…  I was afraid my experience might be more like HERS than Beth’s. 

But still, in for a penny, in for a pound, right?  The gift certificate was given out of love and Beth knows everything I have gone through over the last year.  She really hoped it would help me feel better.  Plus, I say again, it was something NEW, so why not give it a go??

Here is my float tank

My appointment at Synergy (even the name sounds woo woo!) was today at noon.  The place is hidden away in a basement of a building in Alexandria, VA.  There is a buddha statue outside (of course) (but honestly, I liked him).  Inside there was a shelf of potions (CBD oil anyone??).  A sweet lady checked me in and showed me to my float tank.  BUT IT WASN’T A POD…  It looked like a HOT TUB.  I am sure the disappointment registered on my face.  I had imagined a space age POD!!!  Stars on the ceiling!  Being cocooned in a Jetson-like sculpture for an hour.  But instead, you were giving me, A HOT TUB???  What a rip!

When I expressed my disappointment, the lady told me the pod was booked already, but if I didn’t like this tank I could rebook for the pod another day, or I could wait until 3:30 and use it.  I had already Ubered over ($9 – we are a one car family right now and my partner used the car for work today).  I had other stuff to do this afternoon so I couldn’t sit around in their hippy lounge until 3:30.  Plus, I trekked over to Synergy wearing NO LOTION, no make-up, and NO DEODERANT (as the website had instructed me).  Did I really want to do that again another day, or should I just make the best of it and take the “hot tub” looking tank.  “This is fine, I will just do this one,” I said, probably a bit bleakly. 

Wait, it's like, a HOT TUB??

The woman explained how it would work – close and lock my private room, rinse off in the shower if I was wearing any lotion or deodorant (nope – I followed the rules!), put in the provided ear plugs, get in the tank, and after I stopped moving the motion detector lights would go off after 30 seconds.  There would be a small light in the tank and if I wanted to turn it off I could just push the big button.  And there was a spray bottle of fresh water just in case any of the super salty water got in my eye.

Piece of cake!!!  She left, I snapped a photo or two, then stripped down and went to get in.

Wheee - let's FLOAT!

WAIT – before I tell you about the experience floating, I should confess my biggest fears about it:

1.       I was MOST afraid that I would be COLD, and that would make me miserable for an hour.  I am often cold, and I had been told that the water was “body temperature” not WARM or HOT.  That was the scariest part for me – the idea of floating miserably for an hour shivering.

2.      I was also scared of MY EMOTIONS.  Like I said, I don’t meditate.  And I have been through some awful stuff this last 8 months.  What if, when I finally let my mind RELAX and stop spinning, I just FELL APART?  What if I cried and sobbed and snorted the whole hour??  Would I be able to handle that??

But even though I was hesitant, I went for it. 

My first reaction (when foot number one went in) was, “Hey!  It does not feel cold!  Not HOT, but not cold.  The temperature might work!”.  Then, as foot number one touched the bottom, I thought, “THIS THING IS SLIMY AS ALL GET-OUT!”.  Not dirty slimy, but the mix of salt and water must make it slippery.  So I was very careful getting in.

And then I laid back.  I was in about 11” of water, which doesn’t seem like much, does it?  But I totally floated.  I lie still, and sure enough the room lights went out.  That make it darker, but not DARK.  So I floated myself down to the button to turn off the “hot tub” light with my toe, and CLICK – PITCH.  BLACK.

I mean – DARK.  COMPLETE DARKNESS.

And I floated.*

The water was the same temperature as my body.  I played around a bit – would it be better with my arms HERE or HERE?  Was the tank big enough for me to stretch out both legs and arms?? 

And after a while, I relaxed.  I opened my eyes, I closed them, but it didn’t matter, the blackness remained.**

As I floated, I felt my body and could easily notice the points of tension.  When your body is weightless, the areas you are contracting stick out.  I focused on those spots and trying to release – trying to FLOAT with no tension.

I breathed. 

After a while, I could SEE THINGS.  Lights moving.  Patterns dancing.  I feared my eyes might get used to the darkness and start to be able to focus, but was glad they did not.  The darkness held much more interesting imaginary art than the light does.  One time, I thought I was nearing the top edge of the tank.  I could “see” a pattern that I “knew” was the edge.  I kept my eyes open, watching myself float closer and closer to the “edge”, until I had floated THROUGH it…  It was not a literal edge, it was a pattern my eyes (or my mind’s eye?) had projected. 

I do not do drugs, but I imagined that this feeling must be what a good trip feels like.  Nothingness, and everything, all together.  Floating and safe.

I know I slept some.  In fact, at one point I think a snore (my own) woke me up.  But most of the time I felt alert, relaxed, pleasant, and safe.  It was a comforting experience. 

Before I began the float the woman working there had explained at the end of 60 minutes some quiet chimes would go off and the light inside the tank would turn on.  If I did not notice that, some jets would start moving the water around.  I couldn’t believe it when I heard the chimes!  At first I thought they must be in another room (which is impossible because it felt very soundproof).  Then “ding”, I heard it again.  And the light went on inside the tank.  I sat up, but couldn’t believe I had been floating an hour, so stubbornly turned the light OFF again to keep floating in the dark 😊.  But sure enough, the jets turned on and my time was up.

There was a shower in the room so I washed up and got dressed.  As I showered I thought, “Oh, maybe this was a half hour float!  That’s why it went so quickly”.  But NOPE, the lady confirmed I had been in there for 60 minutes. 

The photo is blurry, but honestly I sorta felt blurry when I got out, a GOOD kind of blurry

I sat in the lounge and had some tea (of course, what else would hippies drink, right?).  It was a nice space and the hot tea tasted good.  I read, re-starting a David Sedaris book I began years ago and didn’t finish.  My mind felt more FOCUSED.  More calm.  And my body felt so relaxed. 

David picked me up and on our ride home I kept SIGHING out loud.  Just contented, peaceful (loud) SIGHS.

So yeah, I guess I like some woo woo things.  Cuz I could totally get into floating.

Since my friend gifted ME this float, I would like to gift someone else a float.  If you live in a city where there is a float center and would like to try it (first timers only please) – EMAIL ME at kindnessactivist@gmail.com .  Tell me your name and why you want to try floating.  I will read all emails and at 10:00 pm EST March 3rd I will choose someone to gift a float to.  (March 3^rd just happens to be Beth’s birthday, the friend who gave me my gift certificate!)

Happy floating, friends.

Footnotes:

* It was like floating in the Dead Sea in Israel, only no other people in there with me :) 

**I have only ever experienced the kind of pitch blackness I had today twice in my life:  once at a restaurant in Paris called “Dans Le Noir” which is run by blind people.  It was totally dark and blind waiters served us, I loved it!  then once more in Sweden at a museum about blindness (which, sadly, might be closed now).

Butterfly Kindness

I haven’t written here for quite a long time, and I am sorry.  There has been much sadness in my world over the last 8 months, and that sadness has consumed my time, my energy, and my creativity.  I am not going to write about that today, but I promise to do so at some point.

For now, I want to tell you a little bit about my friend Carol.  The story about her is also a sad one, but I am on a plane and was looking through old photos and found one of her that made me smile, so I wanted to share the story with you.

My friend Carol

Carol was our next-door neighbor in Ormond Beach, Florida.  She and I were quite different people; she was a country girl (Kentucky), I fancy myself a city girl (DC).  She never went down to the beach (a block and a half from our homes), I live for walks on the sand.  Politically, we were polar opposites.  We were different ages.  And yet – we CLICKED.  We had fun together and every time we went to Florida I looked forward to seeing her and laughing together.   

Carol had been sick for years – she was on oxygen (though she didn’t really keep it on as much as she was supposed to…) for bad lungs.  She had other ailments, too, like shingles and pneumonia.  But it was her lungs that failed.  They were already compromised from COPD, then cancer hit.  She and the doctors did all they could, but it wasn’t too long before she and everyone around knew her days were numbered. 

Carol's flowers after a Florida rain

I was worried that I would not get to see her and say goodbye, but we arrived in Florida before she died.  Her family had moved her into a hospital bed in the “Florida room” of the house (a Florida room is a room that used to be a porch but has been closed in).  By the time we got there she was pretty much confined to the bed.  She talked to us.  We laughed.  I read her greeting cards that people sent.  I asked a rock painting group if they would make her some rocks and they did – painted beautiful, elaborate rocks for a complete stranger!  She and I liked to look at those. 

As she got worse, I would just sit by her bed and hold her hand.  I would read to her from her Bible.  And I would sing hymns to her that I could remember from my childhood.  She was very religious, and at times when she was more alert she would join in with me on the songs.  I loved those moments when she joined in with her weak, tired voice.  I can’t say the 2 of us were the prettiest sounding duet ever heard, but we “got the job done”, as Carol might have said.

Sweet friend

She fought, and she fought hard.  Hospice nurses were amazed at her tenacity and will to live.  They kept warning that she would pass “any time”, but Carol kept defying their orders and lying in that bed, raising her leg, kicking off her covers, and every once in a while giving her family and friends a slight little smile.

Before she was really sick Carol told me that she had decided she was a BUTTERLY LADY.  She explained that meant that after she died, she would come back to visit all of us as a BUTTERFLY.  She told me to know that anytime a butterfly fluttered around me, it was her popping in to say hello. 

One day I had an idea.  I would make Carol’s room a BUTTERFLY room – make what would be her death bed a place of peace and comfort.  So, I bought a bunch of little butterflies at the craft store and put them on small magnets.  The ceiling over Carol’s hospital bed was made of metal, so I stuck those butterflies allllll above her.  If she opened her weary eyes, I wanted her to know that they were there for her – Carol the Butterfly Lady.

The ceiling above Carol's bed

Carol died the next evening.  Her husband was with her, and right after she passed he came to get us.  We sat with him and cried, saying goodbye to our sweet friend.

Nothing I did for my friend was extravagant.  I simply gave her the gift of time together, of holding hands, of reading aloud, singing, and BUTTERFLIES.  I like to believe that those simple kind acts made her last days easier to bear.  I like to think she knew those butterflies were up there above her.  And I believe what she told me – that she is now a BUTTERFLY LADY. 

Sweetly, almost every day we are in Florida, at least one butterfly flutters through our yard.  And every time I see them, I smile, and say, “Hi Carol!”.

 

Hi Carol

Kindness in Chaos

I can only describe the last five months of my life as SHITTY.  Sorry if that word offends you, but anything less that “shitty” would be sugar coating things.

First, my sweetheart broke his collar bone on our very first dip in the ocean of our first day of vacation.  Ouch.  

Taken a half hour or so before he broke his collar bone while body surfing...

At the Urgent Care - frozen peas on the injury while awaiting x-ray results...

We thought that was bad, until….

Just a week or so later, my sister was diagnosed with glioblastoma (brain cancer).

Celebrating my birthday in Florida with my sisters - 6 days before Annette was diagnosed with brain cancer
 (she is the one in the middle - we had no idea she was sick)

Kayaking in Florida - we paddled the wrong direction and had to work hard to get back UP CURRENT
and in a huge storm that blew in.  Sherry and I did it while healthy, Annette did it with a brain tumor!

A couple of days after major brain surgery - still smiling

After her brain surgery, but while she was still in the hospital in rehab to recuperate, my dad’s blood pressure went off the charts low and he ended up hospitalized, too.  Luckily, both family members were in the same HOSPITAL but on different floors, so I basically spent all day and all night going from one floor to the other visiting and talking with doctors and nurses.

Patient #2 (Dad) visiting Patient #1 (Annette)

My dad’s mystery illness was never really pinpointed (well, they figured out that his heart was in “a-flutter” and gave him some new meds to control that, and his blood pressure went up with fluids, but why it all started was a mystery). 

All of this time, I was living in Omaha to be close to my family, only seeing my partner when he could fly in from DC every few weeks for a couple of days.  But one night he texted me very late saying that someone had DRIVEN INTO OUR FRONT PORCH.  Literally.  Crashed into our house.  Took out the front gate, the front steps, part of a stone column, a flower planter…  Totaled 2 cars – the one that ran the red light and slammed into car number 2, pushing it into our home.  Luckily no one was injured, but a couple of months later and we still do not have a gate or steps…

Oh my...

This is the view from the porch when David came out the front door...

Pretty lousy parking job if you ask me...

 

I popped into town for 3 days to sleep in my own bed and see the destruction...

Fast forward through the late summer/fall – my sweetheart’s collar bone healed.  My sister graduated from rehab and started radiation and chemo.  My dad, though very stressed about my sister and his wife with Alzheimer’s, was doing ok.

My DAD surrounded by his 3 daughters

Then he had a heart attack (the sort that the doctors bluntly told us is called a “widow maker” and most people do not make it to the hospital after having…).  Then the attempt to put in a stent or stents to open up the 90% blockage was deemed a “no go” and a double by-pass was done.

And juuuuust when he was doing better – walking a bit at the hospital, sitting up in the chair, making us laugh again – a nurse called in the middle of the night to say they were “coding him”.

So yeah – he died November 17^th.

Like I said, it’s been a shitty summer and fall.

But in the middle of it all, a mysterious kindness activist appeared…

One Sunday morning, David sent me a video and photos, saying that magically a teeny tiny work crew had appeared in the rubble of our front steps!!!!  There were bulldozers, tractors, a very diverse crew of little workers…  All set up by some lovely, unknown neighbor!!!!!

A WHOLE CREW of workers and equipment magically appeared!!!!

David added the adorable sign

To say that the kind act made me smile is an understatement.  I had a grin from ear to ear.  WHO had done such a magical thing???  These little secrets are things that I myself love to do, but who reversed the magic and presented it to US??? 

Have no fear - the workers are here!

The scene is swarming with workers (and rubble, and bits of car and flower planter...)

After basically being gone from July – November, I got home last night at midnight.  We cannot use the front door (because, hello, no STAIRS) so went in the back door.  (Well, technically, my honey went in the front door after climbing over the side of our porch, then when through and unlocked the other door for me, don’t ask…)  Anyway, I did not see the recent addition to our porch disaster until this afternoon, so I do not know if the mystery kindness activist added it TODAY or earlier. 

But look – THEY DECORATED THE RUBBLE FOR CHRISTMAS!

A SNOWMAN!

Who CHANGES COLORS!

This little light up snowman was found on the corner of our porch!  He runs off a battery and even changes colors!

And they put up actual CHRISTMAS LIGHTS right over the stair rubble, that run off a solar panel!  Hahahahaha!  The lights are not working – we need to check them tomorrow in the daylight.  It might be because we live on a busy corner (hence the car crashing into the house…) and so it is not dark enough with street lights for them to turn on?  But they are there – magical little fairy lights strewn across what once was stairs, a rail, a flower pot, etc.  I love it!!

So, I just wanted to say THANK YOU to whoever the mysterious Kindness Activist is.  You have made a very, very difficult time in my life a wee bit lighter with your whimsy.  You brought me smiles, and made me believe that things are not always going to be this, well, this shitty. 

KINDNESS COMES IN ALL FORMS.  Sometimes it takes the shape of a tiny plastic construction man or a little glowing snowman.  If we just open our eyes, and our hearts, we can see it.

Thank you. 

Peggy Day Kindness

I am going to let you in on a little secret: sometimes, on days when I feel overwhelmed and cranky – I find it difficult to see the kindness in the world. 

That sentence could also read – I am going to let you in on a little secret: I am human.

Because really, all of us, each and every one, have days when all we can see is anger.  Or hatred.  Or sadness.

But here is my real secret:  on days like that, when I am a bit more clever and not wallowing in self-pity, I make it a point to OPEN MY EYES AND BE ON THE LOOK-OUT FOR KINDNESS.  Like, actually pay attention and notice it.  Because it is there, it is always there.  And when I take time to breathe, to look, to listen – I see it.  And I am inspired.  And suddenly, the day that felt dark and dreary lightens up, and my perspective changes.  And I smile. 

And at times when I really need a wake-up call, I sit myself down and write about kindness.  It’s a bit selfish really.  It is as much for me as it is for you reading this.  But at least I am honest about that!  So here we go – let’s open our eyes and our hearts and talk about a KINDNESS ACTIVIST.

Meet Peggy.

Peggy - the newest KINDNESS ACTIVIST!

Peggy has been a friend of my sister Annette for a long, long time.  They met in junior high school (and, without giving away their ages, let me just say, that was a while back…).  I don’t know their history – how often they kept in touch, hung out, etc.  But I do know their PRESENT.

Annette has glioblastoma (brain cancer).  She was diagnosed in July and it has been a confusing whirlwind of a few months for her and our family.  We have met surgeons, oncologists, nurses, social workers, rehab staff…  Dealing with brain cancer is a maze of scary tests, terms, and medicines.

But through all of the sadness, scariness, and confusion – PEGGY has been a constant source of KINDNESS.

Peggy visited at the hospital.  Came to rehab.  Had long, deep conversations with Annette.

And here is the thing that has made me so happy, PEGGY TOTALLY STEPPED UP AND HELPED OUT.  She set up PEGGY DAY – one day a week where she picks up Annette, takes her to doctor or rehab appointments, goes out to eat, gets a pedicure, anything and everything. 

At the cancer center on Peggy Day

Peggy Day has been amazing.  It is a day that Annette always enjoys – she gets to laugh and hang out with her friend.  And it is a day that the rest of the family knows means it is our time to relax, recharge, get our non-medical things taken care of.  All while knowing that Annette is in great hands.  It is awesome.

I must mention that I know Peggy Day cannot always be easy for Peggy.  She has a very busy life of her own!  Her mom is not well, her own sister died of cancer, she herself has had cancer, she has a daughter with a disability that she cares for, etc.  It is not like Peggy is just sitting around waiting for things to do, mind you!  Even though she enjoys hanging out with Annette, it means taking time out of her schedule to do it.  It means arranging child care, driving Annette around, and giving of herself. 

Peggy and her sweet daughter

Peggy and her daughter spending time with her mom

PEGGY IS WONDERFUL. 

And she is kind.

Which is why she is being named a Kindness Activist. 

Thank you, Peggy.  You are amazing.  You have been a source of support for our family more than you can know.  And you are an inspiration.  Someday I hope to be able to grace a friend with Susan Day – where I will carry on your tradition of love, support, and kindness.

Peggy - a KINDNESS ACTIVIST extraordinaire!

P.S.- Among the countless other KIND THINGS Peggy does, she is also on the planning committee for the fundraising gala Annette’s friends are throwing her this month!  And she also sends me encouraging messages and funny stuff late at night to make me smile.  See, her kindness never ends!

Puppy Kindness

Tate playing in the grass

This is the 2^nd in a series of Kindness Activists that have stepped forward and shone during my sister Annette’s illness.  There are many, many people who have being remarkably kind and helpful during this difficult time, but one in particular stands out and is very deserving of being dubbed a KINDNESS ACTIVIST.

World, meet KRISTI!!

Kristi is my sister’s friend.  They have gone through good times together, and bad times – Kristi is a breast cancer survivor and Annette helped her through her illness. 

Annette and Kristi all decked out

When Annette suddenly had to go to the Emergency room on July 26^th, one of the immediate issues that needed to be dealt with was:  TATE.  Annette had just gotten a new puppy, Tate Dakota, in June (born April 16^{th *}).  He is a Cavalier King Charles and pretty much the cutest little dog you have ever seen!  But he couldn’t go to the hospital with her, the little fella wasn’t even potty trained!  And the whole family was going to be at the hospital at all hours, so Tate needed someone to stay with.

Tate Dakota - all sorts of cute!!

Kristi didn’t even hesitate to offer to puppy-sit.  Why, she and Annette had driven to South Dakota together to pick him up just a month earlier, so I guess technically they had each known that tiny dog the same amount of time.  And Kristi had just finished puppy-sitting Tate so that Annette could come to Florida for what we call “Sister Week”, so Tate was used to Kristi’s home and even had adopted “sisters” there!

Tate and her adopted sister Haley

So, when Annette checked into the hospital on July 26^th, Tate checked into Kristi’s home, and he has been there ever since.  She has even been training him!  He couldn’t manage steps when he went there, now he can.  He wasn’t potty trained very much when he went there, he now even knows how to lift his tiny leg.  Go Tater Tot go!!

Also, Kristi doesn’t just take care of Tate, she makes sure to keep his mamma well informed and entertained with news of the puppy!  She sends photos, videos, and little messages from Tate so that Annette can feel the love.

And get this:  she brought up to the hospital for visits!  Even SNUCK HIM INTO THE REHAB unit one time!!  He was the hit of the party, of course.  Everyone loves the little guy.

Tate snuggling his mamma outside the hospital in Omaha

Puppies are good medicine!  See that long tongue? 
It gave Annette LOTS of kisses!

Kristi has bought Tate bones, treats, even a special collar so that the spoiled little puppy could be in our recent family photo shoot and match everyone else!

Annette and her cutie Tate (and a shoe, which Tate likes to chew on...)
Photo by the amazing Brenda Lee Dolinski 

Annette is now out of the hospital and doing well.  She is still in physical therapy, and now has started radiation and chemo.  So, she is not quite strong enough to take care of Tate (who is an active little fella…) yet.  Kristi is graciously still watching the little guy.

Kristi – you are a KINDNESS ACTIVIST indeed.  Thank you for giving Tate a great home so that Annette can focus on healing.  We appreciate you!

The beautiful and KIND Kristi

* - TATE AND KRISTI SHARE THE SAME BIRTH DATE!  Isn't that awesome??