“Community is much more than belonging to something; it’s about doing something together that makes belonging matter.” Brian Solis
***This is a long one so please click “View entire message” at the end to read everything.***
My time in Kansas City and the US has come to a close. It’s time to go globetrotting again. I can’t believe five months have flown by already.
Goodbyes are never easy, especially saying adios to my dad. He is my rock and always provides a safe landing space for me when I want to come back for a visit.
We may be smiling in this goodbye photo at the airport drop-off zone but I was definitely sad on the inside…and teared up a little after he drove away.
I’m not good at sitting still so in addition to the pottery classes I took, below are a few other experiences I had along the way that I’d love to share with you.
I checked off a big bucket list item. I FINALLY learned how to play Mahjong thanks to my new playing pals Rosalie, Nancy, Betty, and Christy who invited me into their group and coached me until I could play on my own. It was like the mama bird teaching the baby bird how to fly and then kicking her out of the nest. You’re on your own kid.
The gals, who are a bit like the Golden Girls, have been meeting for years every Wednesday from 1 pm to 3 pm at the public library to play. And they are good.
I’m not even going to try to explain the rules of this game, because I can’t, but there are at least two versions Mahjong (Asian) vs. Mah Jongg (American). The American version is a little easier because it is played with Jokers (wild card tiles).
If you want to get started, there are groups popping up everywhere and if you’re in the US, check out the National Mah Jongg League to purchase a card.
Learning this game has been on my bucket list since I saw an interview with Julia Roberts and I’m so grateful to have such wonderful mentors.
Betty, or The Mafia Boss, as I liked to call her because she has these amazing glasses that look like they came straight out of the movie Casino. She will clear the table and pat you on the head as she walks away with all your money…hypothetically, since we don’t play for moola.
Well, she had a table cloth with the rules of the game – cause she’s The Boss. This little touch was a huge help as I learned.
Of course, I had to document my first win! A consecutive run. 💪
I was so excited about this win that I marked the occasion in my (perpetual) calendar. It only took 13 weeks to finally beats these ladies (sharks) at their own game.
I only won a few times but I have to showcase the win below. It was an happy accident. I literally had no matching tiles to begin with but I had several tiles that Betty needed so I was playing serious defense and trying to ruin her game (which The Boss did not appreciate) and by random luck I drew all the tiles I needed to win a closed hand in the singles and pairs category – second line from the top of the section. It was a Hail Mary of a hand.
My competitors were in awe, they shared that none of them had ever won a hand from that section. Yay for meeeee!
Baking with Booze: My gal pal Rita from my swimming class invited me over on St. Patrick’s Day to teach me how to make Irish Soda Bread. I had never been to her house and when I arrived she had everything measured out, and a set for each of us. It was beyond sweet. I felt like I was taking a professional baking class, plus, getting a lesson about Irish whiskey. They go hand in hand, right?
The recipe did not call for Jameson Whiskey but we felt it was only appropriate to soak the raisins in it for a bit – that’s the Irish spirit! Ya know, add a little high-kick for the festivities. Rita put me in charge of that task. She probably regretted that decision later.
Yes, I know, I know, all the alcohol cooks out of it.
My blob of bread. Looks ain’t everything, doll.
Rita’s beauty is on the right. She was taking hers to a party so presentation was important. My cow pie was for us to eat behind the scenes. And it was delicious!
We had just enough left in the bottle to a raise a glass and make a toast for a year of good luck! 🍀
Speaking of games and good times, Rita and her granddaughter Vera taught me how to play Rummikub and I think they let me win on my first game. This turned into a weekly event at Rita’s house. When I wasn’t losing at Mahjong at the library, I was getting my pants kicked by Rita at her kitchen table. You gotta watch these older ladies, they are stealthy.
I had quite a bit of downtime during my stay in KC and I got a little bored, so I decided to pick up a part-time job while I was in town and luckily someone actually hired me. Can you believe it?
I considered walking dogs at a shelter, but I thought, “Oh no, that won’t work, I’ll want to adopt all of them.” Then I considered a bakery job because Rita inspired me and I really want to learn how to bake tasty breads and my favorite pastry of all, a chocolate croissant (I would love to have a bakery like Meryl Streep’s character in It’s Complicated) but the early mornings wouldn’t allow me to swim in my Aqua Fit class. So I landed on working two to three days a week at a garden center. I have a dream of owning a farm one day (more plants, less animals – and in Tuscany if possible – any real estate agents out there?) so I wanted to take a gig that would teach me a thing or two for when my dream becomes a reality. And boy did I learn a ton!
I might have too many dreams…a farm, a bakery, a dog sanctuary, a holistic center…yada, yada, yada…
I applied with Suburban Lawn & Garden and ended up helping “on the patio” in the annuals and perennials section. Here is a sneak peek.
If you want to feel good, get outside, dig in the dirt and surround yourself with beautiful things – and kind people.
One thing I noticed in my first or second week was how beautiful the plants were even when they were dying and discarded in the recycling bins. I started a little art series on my personal instagram page. Below are some of my findings.
To be honest, I probably spent just as much time talking to, photographing, and loving on the plants as much as I did selling them to a new home. Don’t tell my bosses.
Another perk about this job is that they allow customers to bring their dogs into the store so we get to play with them! So even though I chose not to walk dogs at a shelter, I still got my fix.
I promise, I did actually work. It wasn’t all play.
But the thing that made this job so much fun and enjoyable was the people.
My boss Megan is an absolute rock star. She is a horticultural major from Kansas State University (my Alma Mater as well) and has worked for Suburban for eleven years. She knows everything about plants – the common name, the botanical name, the maintenance and repair of all the plants, the blooming seasons, etc. – you ask, and she will know the answer. She is amazing! I was so lucky to be assigned to her department. She not only was a fabulous mentor but has become a dear friend.
Next up is Cathy. Cathy is a wonderful human and she saved my bacon the first couple of months on the job…okay, I was only there four months, so yeah, she saved my bacon all four months. If Megan was busy and I didn’t know the answer to a customer’s question, Cathy would answer my desperate calls on the walkie talkies for help. SOS, Cathy!
She has been with the company in several different capacities over 20 years. She’s almost part of the furniture and they are lucky to have her – even in her “retirement” years! She will never retire – she loves the plants and the people too much. ❤️
Everyone on the staff was so delightful and I would love to mention every single one of them by name and how they impacted my experience but I’d be writing until next July.
A few more honorable mentions – not because of work but because what these folks are doing outside of work.
Andy from the nursery (tress and shrubs, not babies) worked for Hallmark for 30+ years and on my last day of work he presented me with a gift of his personal book he wrote and produced with his friend. It’s called Art of the Wish (click the link to purchase the book). It is so beautiful. A must read if you want to gain a perspective on life that you can’t get unless you’ve lived it.
In summary from a KC Studio article, “If you had a last wish, what would it be? In 2017 two Hallmark friends and co-workers, Marn Jensen and Andy Newcom, received a sabbatical grant from the famed greeting card company and spent six months traveling the country, talking to dozens of 80 to 100-plus-year-olds, asking that very question. Their goal was to create artworks embodying each individual wish.”
Andy and his friend have also created an exhibit that features art from the book that will be traveling around the country. Check the tour dates here to see if it will be in your city…if not, plan a trip!
Aaron from tropicals is an amazing artist and jewelry designer (usually from repurposed materials) and has art shows around the KC Metro. Keep an eye out for Paper Monkey Art Studio!
Alesha is learning to play the harmonica and has promised to send me a recording once she gets her sound mastered.
Esperanza…oh Esperanza! She would practice Spanish words with me throughout my shift and usually give me a hug when I walked in the door and when it was time to leave. She is absolutely lovely. She also made delicious tamales weekly for my dad…and anyone else who asked her to.
William, (Darbs to most) if I don’t mention William by name, I’ll never hear the end of it.
The list goes on and on with these folks. They are interesting, creative, talented, and most of all kind. They were a fun crew to work with. I don’t think I had one “bad” day while I was there. I’m a believer that people who spend time outside “touching grass” are the happiest people on the planet.
A few people teased me about this “little job at a garden center,” which was frustrating and annoying. I don’t think people realize just how hard these folks work and how knowledgeable they are. This isn’t “just a little job”’these folks are experts in their fields. It’s an honest days work and should be respected. I was proud to get to work with each and everyone of them.
On my last day, Megan asked me to pick a perennial and said she would plant it on the side of the building and provide regular updates including photos. I choose “Moody Blues” Dark Blue Veronica. I loved watering, trimming, and caring for the Veronica plants because they are a pollinator and were always covered in bees! Sometimes the bees would buzz by my ears if I accidentally sprayed them with water, or they would land on my arm from time to time. We formed a little bond.
I only worked at Suburban for four months, a couple of days a week, but just like this Moody Blues perennial, I’ll keep coming back to visit (hopefully every year).
If you happen to stop by the Suburban store on Roe in Overland Park, be sure to say hello to the Moody Blues Veronica planted on the Southside of the building for me…and my coworkers.
Good Things List
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Learning new things!
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Brain Games with Friends
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Baking with Booze
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Beautiful Plants & People
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The bees! 🐝
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Dogs. Dogs. And more dogs.
Much love & gratitude. Namaste 🙏
Don’t forget to like and share this post, please. Thank you.
To see more photos and videos from my adventures, follow me on social media. Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, and Threads or connect with me on LinkedIn. New to BlueSky so check it out!
I would be remiss if I didn’t mention my beloved community center, where I spend time almost every day of the week – The J KC. I’m there in the mornings either taking Aqua Fit with my swimming buddies or Pilates, taught by the amazing and talented Marilyn. This is where I also took twelve weeks of pottery classes that I wrote about previously.
I love to support my local community so I spent several evenings attending live shows. I saw two shows at White’s Theater at The J – The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time and West Side Story – both were fabulous! I got to see my friend Patrick Lewallen star in the musical Carousel. My friend Linda invited me to see Jersey Boys, and my dad, sister, and I attending a comedy show featuring Fortune Feimster. I love a good live event…with an early bedtime!
I spent almost every Sunday hanging out with my sister and her dog, Ellie. I would take her (Ellie, not my sister) to get pup cups and the dog park. Or just hang out with them at my dad’s place. It seems insignificant but it was the highlight of my week! For a nomad who is used to new experiences every day/week, to have a routine is quite a big deal.
And last but not least, thanks to a friend’s invitation, my dad and I attended Big Slick, a charity benefiting Children’s Mercy Hospital. It’s quite a big deal in KC as celebrities from all over the country fly in for the weekend to participate in a softball tournament at Kauffman Stadium and a variety/comedy show at T-Mobile Center, all to help the kids. They raised over $4.5 million in one weekend from the generous citizens of Kansas City. ❤️
