Heartstrings!

Today has been fantastic! Last night I stayed up late reading the book that my new, nice friend Cheryl Ratliff gave to me: Canyon of Remembering because I could not put it down, but I went to bed disappointed because I still had thirty-two pages to go—to finish one of the best books that I have ever read.

This morning I got up early and did my chores and then at seven forty-five I picked up the phone and called Harley Belew at the Rose 99.9 FM radio station to do the Utopia segment of his show and I really enjoyed it. We talked about our upcoming 1st Annual Adoption and Dog Training Seminar event on November 6th at the rescue ranch and Harley's Pet of the Week was Honey, a beautiful yellow Lab mix about four years old that I wish one of y'all would consider adopting, because she is one great dog!

Because this book has touched my heartstrings, I decided not to walk with Leslie this morning, so I could finish reading the book and I have no regrets with my decision, except that I must now walk some "eight-milers" to catch up with my New Year's walking resolution of walking 1,825 miles.

After the breakfast dishes were washed and the kitchen was cleaned up I sat down at the kitchen table with my favorite ceramic, turtle coffee mug and sipped coffee while I finished reading the book, which made me tear up, then laugh out loud and finally rejoice.

Fourteen minutes later, Kinky arrived at the rescue ranch. Right after I had poured him some coffee in my second favorite coffee mug, the one that my best friend Cindy, in Northern New Mexico, had given to me, the navy blue one with the message: "the universe knows" on one side of it and the words, "shift your awareness" on the other side—Alan Warren, the great outdoors man who has the most popular sportsman TV show "Alan Warren Outdoors" showed up with his camera crew to videotape and shoot Kinky, our dogs, Tony and me, so they took off for the Lodge to set things up and the rest is history and it was a lot of fun.

This afternoon Buttermilk took T. and me to Kerrville to run some errands. First, we stopped at Wolfmueller's Books to visit with Jon and Sandy and their bookstore was "buzzing" with book-buying customers and Kathleen Keen was there, too, so we had a quick visit with the three of them.

Before leaving the most popular bookstore in the Texas Hill Country our good friend Donna Schloss walked inside the store with a couple of her friends, so we chatted with her and then Tony and I took off for Hoegemeyers to pick up some medicine and then we went to H-E-B to buy our rescued dogs some hot dogs. Then Buttermilk took us home.

Tomorrow morning I have to get up real early at five-thirty, so I can do my chores and then drive to the television station KVHC in Kerrville to be on Kim's popular morning TV show from 8:30 to 9:00 with our good friends Ellen Jackson and her "wonder dog" Jermaine Jackson that she adopted from us, and Sharon Griswold, the amazing dog trainer, to talk about our upcoming event on November 6th. And, I just found out that our friends June Hartley and Eileen and her dog," the smartest dog on the planet," Callie Dean Gotke will be at the TV station too, standing behind the cameras to cheer us on!

Then we are going over to the Kerrville Daily Times building to be interviewed by Tim Sampson about our fun, upcoming event. Then I am heading home, so I can take care of rescue ranch business. Here is our official Press Release for the November 6th event and I hope that all of you can come to it!

Utopia Animal Rescue Ranch presents their 1st Annual Dog Adoption and Dog Training Seminar on Saturday, November 6th at the Utopia Animal Rescue Ranch! Located at 966 Echo Hill Road, Medina, Texas— just two miles west of the Medina Children's Home, off Highway 16 South.

Open to the public. Especially for those who are thinking of adopting a dog, first timers or those who would like tips on training and caring for their dogs. Presentation by Cousin Nancy (Parker-Simons), co-founder and executive director of the Utopia Animal Rescue Ranch with training demonstrations by Sharon Griswold, professional dog obedience instructor and trainer of seeing-eye dogs for over thirty-five years. Just bring your lawn chair and have fun, but please no pets, because they upset our rescued dogs. No fees or registration required. Call Utopia Animal Rescue Ranch: 830-589-7544, if inclement weather. For driving directions go their website: utopiarescue.com.

Y'all have a great evening!