The F Key!

Today has been great. This morning after doing my chores, drinking my breakfast smoothie, I walked six miles—then I called Kinky to ask if I could come over to the Lodge, so I could read the just published September / October 2010 magazine article about him in Texas Animal Imprints: The Celebration of Animals & Nature that our great friend, Connie Strong wrote. I also had something I wanted him to read by Connie Strong.

The first thing I did when I arrived at the Lodge was to read Connie's story that was sitting on his kitchen table, because Kinky was talking on the phone in his office. I had just finished reading Connie's great article about Kinky and the one she wrote on Texas' cartoonist Ace Reid, when Kinky walked into the kitchen to greet me, "Morning, Nance. Did you read the article?"

"Yes. I love it—it's great and so is the article about Ace Reid. Connie is a really talented writer don't you agree?" Kinky nodded his head, yes. "Connie e-mailed me this yesterday. It is an advance copy of the article that she wrote about me and the rescue ranch for the Texas Animal Imprints November / December issue," I said, as I handed him the three pages that I had printed out. "Kinky, with the exception of the beautiful Foreword that you wrote for me for my first book—Connie wrote the sweetest and most flattering article about me and Utopia. I'm serious. When I read what she wrote about me, it made me cry just like your Foreword did when I first read it. Please read it." Connie's kind article about our rescue ranch didn't make Kinky tear up like it did me, but he said after reading it, "It's good, Nance. She's a great writer."

Late this afternoon I went back over to the Lodge to give Kinky some mail that had been mixed with ours and to get him to sign his album cover for "Lasso From El Paso" for our friend Greg. While I was sitting at the kitchen table Kinky left the table and went back into his office. When he reappeared he was carrying his old electric typewriter. "I will be right back, Nance. I've got to throw this out."

Before he opened the door I said, "No, Kinky. Can I have it?"

"Why?"

"So I can try to sell it on eBay and give 50% of the profit to the rescue ranch! Seriously, I think your fans would love to have one of your used electric typewriters—it's a collectible and worth some money." Kinky laughed as he sat it down on the kitchen table. "Will you sign it? It will make it more valuable." Kinky left the kitchen, again and returned with a black Sharpie pen and signed and dated it.

As he carried it out of the Lodge, to put in Buttermilk's backseat I asked him, "Does it still work?"

"Yes, but the F key doesn't work. I guess it could still be used somehow." I burst out laughing about the F key not working. Then I made an off-colored remark which was pretty funny, but not suitable for my blog and it made Kinky laugh.

When I came home I quickly cleaned it up and then I took this picture of it and then I put it up for auction on eBay with 50% of the profit going directly to our rescue ranch.

If you want to bid on Kinky's used (dinosaur) electric typewriter the auction number is: 130430483965
and my seller name is texauthor and it will post tonight at seven o'clock PST. The auction will run for seven days and I have my fingers crossed that it will sell at a high price, so I can help our rescue ranch, T.'s and my retirement fund and so I can brag to Kinky that I was right about it being worth a lot of money. Wish me luck.

P.S. I want to do a big shout-out tonight to Connie who made my day—"Connie Strong Rocks and So Does Her Writing!" And I cannot wait for y'all to read her awesome article when it comes out in November.

P.S.S Joachim, Kinky asked me tell you hello and congratulations on your December baby! And Tony's and my friend Susan Burke in Bandera wrote that she loves your cat, Kinky and she had a cat that looked just like yours. Please give your Kinky a hug from Susan and Me.

Y'all have a great evening!