Happy Birthday, John Kemmerly! We Love You & Miss You!

First off, I want to wish our good friend, John Kemmerly, the best birthday that he has ever had! We love you, John and miss you! Enjoy it, because it only gets worse!

The reason that I didn't write a blog last night, was because I was exhausted—thanks to Mercury and the Full Moon. As you know, Friday was a weird day for me. Friday night, before going to bed, I asked Tony to please wake me up very early, because I needed to clean the trailer, and get my six miles in, before Christy showed up, for a visit and a tour.

Christy, from Cedar Creek, had called me on Thursday to make an appointment to see us on Saturday, because she wanted to make sure that we would be here. I have never met Christy, but I know her, because she reads my blog. Before our phone conversation ended, she told me that she was bringing 'a blast from the past' to me, and I had no idea what it could be.

Saturday morning, Tony woke me up at six-thirty. While he fed our fur friends, I made some coffee for us. Around seven o'clock, Tone took off for Medina. After getting a load of clothes washing in Queen Bee, I put on my sweats and began walking the walk with Leslie.

After walking three miles, Mercury and the Full Moon decided to mess with me. As I was huffing and puffing and sweating, in the big room, Mama and Abbie, out in the backyard, started barking up a storm! I knew something was wrong. I stopped Leslie just as she was about to tell us to take a water break. I went to the front door and looked out. Tasha, a new, giant, Husky mix, that we rescued on Thursday, was running around the Space Ship! She had escaped from her pen!

I ran down the stairs and skipped briefly to the yard gate, and then I let myself out of the yard. "Come here, Tasha," I begged, as she took off running towards the barn. I jumped into Buttermilk and followed her. When we reached the barn, I went to the refrigerator to get some hot dogs, so I could catch her. Unfortunately, the only hot dogs that we had, were frozen in the freezer. So, I grabbed a box of dog treats and a leash. Just as I stepped out of the barn, Tasha flew past me, heading towards the Space Ship, again! 'Great,' I thought, then I grumbled a couple of four-letter words, before jumping into Buttermilk.

When we reached the trailer. I jumped out, and tried to coax Tasha to come to me. Guess what? It didn't work. She looked me in the eye, like she was saying goodbye, and then she ran down the cliff to the creek below. Once again, I jumped into Buttermilk and left the rescue ranch to go find her, and that's when it started raining.

I had the windows down, so I could call for Tasha, as I drove around the ranch in the pouring rain. The first thing I did, was go over to the Lodge, to lock The Friedmans inside the Lodge, so they wouldn't get into a fight with Tasha. Then I went to the Pro Shop, to wake up Will. I knocked twice, then I opened the door, "Will, I'm sorry to wake you. Tasha, the giant Husky mix, is lose and running around the ranch. I've locked The Friedmans inside the Lodge, and I will call you when we catch her."

Will stretched his arms, and then he rubbed his eyes, "Okay."

As I circled the ranch, hollering for Tasha, I thought about the saying, ' When it rains it pours.' How true. My morning had started out just fine and now it was about as south as it could go! I was frustrated about only getting to walk three miles, Tony not being home to help me, and running out of time to clean the trailer, etc., but, I was more worried about Tasha getting lost in the rain, and not being able to find her way back to the rescue ranch.

Thirty minutes later, I returned to the rescue ranch without Tasha. I came inside the trailer and thought about calling Kinky in Amsterdam, but I eighty-sixed that thought, because I realized that there was nothing that Kinky could do from over there, except worry. I then thought about calling the adjoining ranches to alert them that, Tasha, a giant Husky mix, had escaped, but I eighty-sixed that, too, because I didn't want to alarm them, so I picked up the phone and was about to call the Old Timer, when Tone walked inside the trailer!

After telling T. everything that had happened, we grabbed our walkie talkies, and left the trailer. Tony and Trigger went south, and Buttermilk and me went north. Thirty minutes later, while we were having a downpour, Tony called me on the walkie talkie, "Nance, let's head back to the rescue ranch. I bet that she will come back on her own, when she hears me feeding the dogs."

As soon as we got back to the ranch, Tony put on his raincoat, and then he went outside to feed the dogs. Knowing that I had run out of time to clean the trailer, I jumped into the shower, and then dressed, and then went to find Tony. I found him smiling, inside Tasha's pen with Tasha! I was so relieved! "How'd you catch her?" I asked.

"She must have heard me feeding, because five minutes ago, the dogs started barking at her. She was standing behind Layla's pen. When I called her, she came to me, and I walked her into her pen."

"Thank goodness, she came back."

"I know, but we've got a real problem," Tony said. "Either you or me has got to stay in the pen with her, because I am afraid that she'll jump out, again." Tony and I discussed the problem and what we should do about it. We decided to put Tasha into a large crate, for only fifteen minutes or so, so Tone could finish feeding the dogs, while I go over to the Lodge to ask Will to help us put up a new hot wire.

When I arrived at the Lodge, I went inside to let The Friedmans go outside, then I went and asked Will if he could help us. Will was anxious to help us. By noon, Tony and Will had rewired Tasha's pen! The only thing that I did was to make sure that Tasha wouldn't jump out, and that was easy, because all I did was give her treats and talk to her.

Around two-thirty, after eating lunch with Tone and Will, Christy showed up with her 'blast from the past!' It was Georgia, an old, dear friend of mine from Austin, who I haven't seen for over fifteen years! And, we had a blast talking about the past!

I felt like I had known Christy all of my life, and catching up with Georgia was so much fun! We gave them a grand tour of the rescue ranch, which included going into the Space Ship, then going into Outer Space, the trailer and my writing cabin.

Around five-thirty, while we were in the cabin visiting, Kurt, and his wife, Megan, showed up with Hudson! Tone and I have been in contact with them for over two months about their dog, Hudson, a stray that they had rescued over two years ago, but could no longer keep. Tony left the cabin to go meet them, and to put Hudson into Layla's pen, so they could be buddies. After Tony had put Hudson into Layla's pen, he brought Megan and Kurt to the cabin, so they could give me Hudson's paperwork.

After thanking us over and over again, for doing what we do, and for taking Hudson, they left to go back to San Antone. As soon as they were gone, Christy, Georgia, Tony and I went to meet Hudson, and to hand out treats. When we reached Layla and Hudson's pen their tails were wagging wildly! They were glad to see us, and loved getting treats from us.

I hate to admit it, but I am in love with Hudson! He is approximately four or five years old, and he has the best manners! He is not hyper, he loves people of all sizes and ages, and I wish that I could adopt him. He is one adorable dog. Here is a picture that I took of him a few hours ago!

Christy and Georgia stayed until six-fifteen, and I hated to see them leave.

After they left, T. teased me about our fun hen party. "I really liked Christy and Georgia a lot, but I never got to get a word in edgewise, because y'all were talking so much!"

Last night, Tony and I went to bed really early, because we had had such an exciting day. Today has been great because Mercury and the Full Moon left me alone, and I have some exciting news! This afternoon, Tony and I went out to visit the dogs and give out treats. When we reached Hudson's and Layla's pen they couldn't wait for us to come inside their pen. As I kept Hudson occupied eating treats, Layla let Tony pet her for the first time! Layla is going to be fine, and we are so excited about her progress!



Y'all have a great evening!