They Never Come Back!

This morning, thanks to our alarm clock—I was up by 6:30! It was still dark outside, as I fed Lucky and our dogs. I then did my two mile brisk walk, showered and fixed breakfast—all before 8:00!

At ten o'clock, I went over to the Lodge, to visit with Kinky. We had a fun visit, and then Buttermilk and I returned to the rescue ranch, so I could catch up on some more paperwork.

At 2:00, Buttermilk took Tony and me to Kerrville, so I could buy some groceries for tomorrow night's dinner party with Carol and John! I would tell y'all what I plan to cook, but I want it to be a surprise for Carol and John. Actually, I am pretty sure that it will be a surprise—no matter what I cook, because I am not a very good cook and I have proof! Every time that I cook for guests—they never come back for another meal! It's not because they died from eating my cuisine—it's because they ate my lousy cuisine—and left with a bad taste in their mouths.

Fortunately, it doesn't hurt my feelings that my friends and family avoid my dinner table like the plague, because I totally understand where they are coming from. My cooking simply stinks—just ask my dogs! They run and hide in our bedroom, if I offer them some leftovers! And trust me—there is always a lot of leftovers! Tony tries to hide his disdain for my cooking, by saying things like, "I'm really sorry Nance," as he is quickly scraping off his half-filled plate, into our kitchen compost pile, because he couldn't get our dogs to eat it, "I'm still full from yesterday's meal. It was really good."

And, when I fix my pot of beans, that I am so proud of—which unfortunately, do cause him to be quite the gassy guy, he'll say something like, "You're beans are to die for, Nance. I love them, but why don't you let me take you out to lunch today?" And, I'm thinking—Liar, Liar—pants on fire!

So, tomorrow evening should be quite interesting! Compared to me—Carol is a gourmet cook, and she and John are in for an evening of surprise! I wish that I could video tape them eating my carefully planned out meal, and am looking forward to their excuses, for never coming back over here to eat dinner! I bet you that she says, "Let's forget doing the dinners, and just get together for 'Happy Hour?'"

This afternoon, when we arrived back at the rescue ranch, we had just carried in 'our mystery grocery sacks,' when the dogs cranked up barking—outside! Tony and I went outside, and saw an unfamiliar pickup driving up to our trailer! "I'm Bobby Ray, a volunteer firefighter. We received a call that their was a brush fire on Echo Hill Ranch."

"What?" Tone and I asked, in two part harmony.

"Someone called in and reported a fire at Echo Hill Ranch. The fire truck is on the way." We all looked up into the sky—searching for smoke, even though we didn't smell any smoke!

"We just got back from Kerrville," Tony said. "We don't know anything about it." Then the three of us said, "Look, there's smoke!"

"OMG!" I said. "It looks like it is coming from Kinky's Lodge?"

"Bobby Ray, you can ride with me in Kermit! Let's go check it out!" They jumped into Kermit and took off, with Trigger and me—right behind them! After we went over the river and through the wood, Kermit's party of two went left, and I went right to the Lodge!

Kinky met us at the gate, when Trigger and I pulled up. "What's going on, Nance?"

"Someone reported a brush fire at Echo Hill Ranch, and the fire department is on the way! Tony and Bobby Ray, Jr., a volunteer fireman, are going up to the South Flat to search for the fire! Thank goodness you're okay! It looked like the Lodge was on fire from over at the rescue ranch!"

Ten minutes later, as Kinky and I stood by the Friedman Family Bone Orchard, we heard Kermit heading back from the South Flat! Kink and I went down to the parking ring, so we could find out what was going on!

"We couldn't find any fire," Tony stated, and then he introduced Bobby Ray to Kinky. Kinky knew Bobby Ray, Jr. and his parents. He had known them for over thirty years. The four of us discussed the burn ban, and the fire that they had just put out over in Tarpley.

"I've radioed in, that there is no fire here," Bobby Ray said. "False alarm—I guess."

"Thank goodness!" I said, then Kermit whisked Tony and Bobby Ray—away! I stayed over at the Lodge for a few minutes, visiting with Kinky—then Trigger took me home. Tone and I visited with our good neighbor for over an hour, before he went back home. Thank goodness there was no fire! Y'all have a great evening!

P.S. I hope that you watched the touching video—I loved it!