Remember!

Today has been great. This afternoon, after we ate Tuna fish sandwiches for lunch, we took off for Kerrville to run a few errands.

Our first stop was at Wolfmueller's Books, so we could give Sandy and Jon a little gift that I had especially made for them, a few days ago.

It really wasn't much of a present though, because all I did was use an old, empty salsa jar, spray painted the lid and then added some sand and seashells, that Tony and I had collected off of the Port Aransas privately owned island, where Rick is, "The Friendly Lighthouse Keeper."

Then I wrapped a pink ribbon around the neck of the jar, added Rick's business card, with Leisa's name handwritten on it, Jon & Sandy's business card, Tony's business card and my business card, as a keepsake for them, so they could remember our super fun trip down there.

When we walked inside their bookstore, Sandy and Jon greeted us and then they pretended to be real excited with my goofy-gift for them. After they had admired my latest craft project, they invited us to sit down, at the table with them, for a visit.

As we sat there laughing about each other's latest news I noticed that the jar filled with sand and basically broken seashells was fogging up inside, so I laughed, unscrewed the lid and said, "I guess the sand is still wet. Y'all might want to keep the lid off for a while. I've kept the sand in a Baggie all this time and I didn't know how to dry it up. I thought about using a hair dryer..."

After an hilarious, fun time with Sandy and Jon, we adios-ed them and then we went to Hoegemeyer Animal Clinic, to pick up Miranda Lambert, to take her back to the rescue ranch. And talk about one great Border Collie, Miranda rode beautifully, sitting on the back seat, instead of inside a crate. She is about ten-years-old and she is really smart.

When we got back to the ranch we took Miranda to meet Lulu, because Lulu is going to be roommates with her and fortunately, they liked each other, so we took Miranda into the pen, so they could have a sniff-a-thon.

As they sniffed and sniffed, we tried to take a good picture of Miranda, but she was so busy checking out her new digs—it took us nearly an hour before Tone finally got a good picture of her.

Tomorrow is going to be a busy day for me, but it will also be super fun, because my brother Ronnie and my sister Cindy and their spouses are coming down to visit us, for the entire weekend! So, I might not be blogging a lot, because I will be enjoying their company, playing music with them and going kayaking with them and I can't wait to see them.

Who knows? Maybe I will collect some small river rocks and sand, from the river, while they're not looking and then make them "Remember" presents too. I already have an old mayonnaise jar and a Mt. Olive pickle jar that I could use, but now that I think about it—forget using the sand—because I don't want them to have to keep the painted lids off of them, like Sandy and Jon are doing right now.

Y'all have a great evening and weekend!

All Good News!

Today has been another great day. Tony, Aaron and I spent most of the day outside, mowing and weed eating, so I am a little pooped tonight. But the great news for today is Les called and he left a message on Carlton, to update us on how Cosmo Topper was working out and it was all good news.

Their beloved old dog, Angus, a cancer survivor, really likes Cosmo and he loves to play with him and the cats like him so much, they chase Cosmo all around the house!

Earlier this evening Tone and I went into The Okay Corral to just sit and enjoy the great outdoors and while we talked, literally, about the birds and the bees, that our flowers and birdseed are bringing in, I decided to take a few pictures of Tony's green tomatoes, our beautiful flowerbed and wildflowers that T. planted and some peppers that he had picked for us to eat tomorrow. And that is about it for tonight.

Y'all have a great evening!

Leader Of The Pack!

Today has been great. This afternoon we met our friends Denise & Les and Debbie & Craig, at Billy Gene's restaurant, for lunch and Tony and I had a blast, because all of them have a great sense of humor and they made us laugh a lot.

The topics of our conversation ranged from wardrobe mistakes, trail riding on gaseous horses, tricked-out car conversions made on an old Cadillac and VWs, Miles of Chocolate, vacuuming up Lady Bugs and relocating them outside of the house, H-E-B's "That Green Sauce," wild feral hogs, Miles of Chocolate, cows, bulls and kayaking, etc., but the most interesting subject was about this new Lobo Beer, brewed at the Pedernales Brewing Company, in Fredericksburg, Texas, that Debbie and Craig are involved in.

"You've got to make a beer float using the Lobo Negro and vanilla ice cream!" Denise said. "It is so delicious and to me it tastes like coffee."

"I think it tastes more like chocolate," Debbie chimed in, "and The Cowboy Steak House is serving the beer and the floats." And by the time everyone had convinced us to try it, as soon as possible, lunch was over and we were standing outside next to Les & Denise's car, with the back hatch up, accepting two complimentary six-packs of Lobo Beer and Lobo Negro Beer.

After all of us had hugged and adios-ed Debbie & Craig and they had taken off to go vote early, they told us that they wanted to adopt our Cosmo Topper, because he had truly stolen Denise's heart, last Saturday when they were out here! "For the past two nights I haven't been able to sleep, because I can't quit thinking about him," Denise said. So, then we made plans for them to come out around 3:30 today, so we could run a few errands, like stopping by H-E-B to pick up some of Blue Bell's Homemade Vanilla ice cream, before returning to the ranch.

When Les & Denise arrived at the rescue ranch, we quickly hugged each other and then we drove down to Cosmo's and Lulu's pen, because Denise couldn't wait to see her precious Cosmo Topper. And when we arrived at his and Lulu's pen, Cosmo lit up like a Christmas tree the second he saw it was Denise. "I think he already knows what's going on," I said, as Mr. Topper happily ran to the fence trying to get to Denise. And here is a picture I took of Cosmo with his new fantastic, forever family that he is so lucky to have.

After thanking them for adopting Cosmo from us, we hugged and adios-ed each other and then they drove away with one extremely happy dog. Then Kermit took us up to The Cabin, so we could make the Lobo Negro float using Blue Bell's Homemade Vanilla ice cream. 

Since it was a little too early for happy hour we decided to just split one Lobo Negro beer for our floats. And guess what? It was delicious and we couldn't believe it. 

Lobo Beer is new to the market, but you can buy it at The Main Liquor stores, in Kerrville and at The Grape Juice on Water Street and the Cowboy Steak House. And get this—the motto for the Lobo Beer is, "Leader of the Pack!" And they certainly got that right.

Y'all have a great evening!

Spirit 3.3!

Today has been fantastic. After lunch we went to Kerrville to stock up on some groceries at H-E-B and among the groceries, we bought a jar of H-E-B's "That Green Sauce" that Denise, Debbie, Les and Craig had highly recommended we try.

When we got home, after we had put up our groceries, we opened the "That Green Sauce" jar to taste it and it was absolutely delicious, so we plan to use it on our eggs, in tacos and fajitas etc. If you want to try some, you can find it on the sauce isle, next to the BBQ sauces. But please note that the warning label on the jar warns, "Can Be Addictive."

After I had returned a couple of necessary phone calls, Tony and I drove down to the barn to load up my new, used Spirit 3.3 kayak, so I could take it down to the creek for my first maiden voyage, which I was a little bit nervous about. 

"Now, Tony. I am really going to need your help getting on and off this kayak," I said, as he carried my kayak down to the water. "I hope I don't sink..." And with Tony helping me keep my balance I got on my kayak, without falling or getting wet. Then he handed the paddle to me and launched (shoved) me offshore and that's when I instantly fell in love with kayaking.

After I had paddled upstream and downstream several times I returned to the shore, and as Tone helped me get off of the kayak, I invited him to try mine out, so he jumped on it, without needing me to help him and then he took off downstream and paddled around for awhile. 

When he returned to shore, he told me that he really liked my Dimensions Spirit 3.3 a lot, but he still liked his more.

When we returned to The Cabin I called Kinky, "Kink, I want you to know that I just went kayaking, down at the swimming hole and I love kayaking and I didn't get wet, drown or fall!" My news made him chuckle. Then we talked about him leaving tomorrow for New York City, for the book tour. And that is about it for today.

Y'all have a great evening!

Let's Make A Deal! or That Green Sauce!

Today has been great, but first I must tell you about last night when Rick called me at 8:01.

Ever since Fourth, Tony and I got back from our Port Aransas trip there has been a running joke going on between Rick and me about what the fair price Tony should pay him for the big, blue kayak, that months ago had drifted up to the shore, of the privately owned island—that nobody ever claimed, even though Rick ran ads in the newspapers and tried to track down the owners.

Tone and I have spent our spare time this past week surfing on the Internet, checking out prices of new and used "Whitewater: The Ride" kayaks and we didn't know what to offer Rick for the blue vessel, because the prices ranged anywhere from $1,000.00 to $100.00 we were confused.

T. and I already knew that it was seaworthy, that it could withstand the force of high winds, created from Fourth's fast driving and that it needed a few replacement straps, etc.—but we didn't know how old it was. So, Rick and I have been back and fourth on the phones trying to get the other to name a price.

Last night when Rick called he said, "Cousin Nancy, I've figured it out. Let's make a deal!"

"Okay. I'm ready."

"Tony can have the kayak for three bricks of Miles of Chocolate and $13.26! What do you think?" I was shocked by his incredibly low price.

"It sounds like a great deal, but are you sure, Rick?" I asked. "We can certainly do that, but why a check for $13.26?" Rick started laughing.

"That's what the ads cost me..."

After I had told Rick about buying him a Snark, all instrument turner and that it had just been delivered to me earlier in the day, we adios-ed each other and disconnected. Then I half-hollered, down the hallway, "Tony, you're not going to believe what Rick wants for the kayak!..." Needless to say, "T. was grinning ear-to-ear with the good news about his kayak." Thank you, Rick!

This morning when Tony and I went outside to do our morning chores, I could not wait to see how Chad and Jeremy and Guinevere were doing and I am proud to announce that they all seemed happy and doing fine.

Early this afternoon, our good friends Denise and Les, from Kerrville, came out to see us and they brought along their good friends, Debbie and Craig, who are the nice people that had originally rescued Chad & Jeremy and as soon as we met them we knew we liked them, because like Les and Denise, and us—they are also big time animal lovers.

After howdies, hugs and handshakes we gave them a tour, which was filled with laughter, so they could meet all of our dogs and then visit with Chad & Jeremy. We started the tour in the Okay Corral, then we went inside my pretty, pink writing cabin and they loved what they saw.

When we got to talking about our chickens and their delicious, colorful eggs, we went into the pigpen, so they could meet The Golden Girls and see The Egg Palace, because Debbie and Craig were interested in how we had built ours, because they were thinking of getting some chickens.

By the time we walked out of the pigpen Debbie was excited, because they had decided they were  definitely going to buy some chickens, after meeting The Golden Girls, as soon as Craig builds their chicken coop.

After the tour, we came up to The Cabin to show them our home improvements inside and then we went out into Outer Space and had a fun visit and trust me—it was filled with a lot of laughter.

A little after 2:00, after we had given each couple three fresh farm eggs, to take home with them, they told us about H-E-B's delicious green sauce called, That Green Sauce and how delicious it was on eggs and had suggested we buy some, we all hugged each other and then we adios-ed each other and then our great, four friends drove away, to go eat lunch, in Medina.

An hour later, while I was doing some paperwork, Tony invited me to go to Medina, to check out the town's annual Medina Garage Sale, "This morning there were four kayaks for sale and they were really cheap." So, I grabbed my purse and we jumped into Trigger and took off for Medina, because I want a kayak.

When we pulled up to the place where T. had seen the kayaks for sale—there was only one left and it was a pretty turquoise color, so we went to check it out. After Gilbert introduced himself to us and had told us that he too was good friends with our good friends, Carol and Calvin, at Cal-Bob's Smoke Shack on Hwy. 16, close to I-10, I was hoping that Gilbert would sell me the kayak for three bricks of Miles of Chocolate and $13.26 too, but he didn't, but his price was pretty close to it, so I wrote him a check for it and then we loaded my kayak into the back of Trigger, tied it down, and came home with another kayak, which made our dogs bark when they saw it sticking out of the back of the Trigger.

Even though it is not near as big or as fancy as Tony's cheaper kayak, I am thrilled to have it and tomorrow afternoon, T. is going to help me get into it and then launch me on my first maiden voyage, so please wish me luck and say a prayer that I won't turn it over or sink to the bottom and have to bail out.

Early this evening when Kinky called me, from the road, to tell me that he will be back at the ranch around 8:00 tonight, he laughed when I told him about me buying a kayak today, because we have a private joke between us about kayaks. And that's about it for tonight. Ship Ahoy!

Y'all have a great evening!

Chad & Jeremy!

Today has been great. This morning, while I was over at the Lodge talking to Kinky about his and Billy Bob Thornton's upcoming book tour, Aaron and Tony did the morning chores.

When I returned to the rescue ranch, we decided to burn some more brush, in our horse corral, for a few hours, since we have gotten so much rain this past week and we almost have it all done. Then I came inside and cooked lunch for the three of us.

Around 2:00, Tony and Aaron took off in Trigger to go pick up Guinevere and Chad & Jeremy at Hoegemeyer Animal Clinic, so I went outside and burned a little more brush, to help me pass the time, because I could not wait to meet Chad & Jeremy and see Guinevere.

A little over an hour later I heard Trigger cross over the cattle guard, so I jumped into Kermit, so I could do a meet and greet with Chad & Jeremy. Here's Jeremy Clyde getting out of his crate with Guinevere watching.

After Aaron had put Jeremy in his new pen, next to Gonzo and Daisy's, Tony unloaded Chad Stuart and I about fainted when I saw him, because he looked so much like Kinky's Mr. Magoo, when Gooie was a young dog, who sadly passed away on December 7, 2009. And Tony thinks he looks like Gooie too. Here's Mr. Magoo's look-a-like—Chad.

These are awesome dogs. They are about one-year-old and weigh about forty pounds each or eighty pounds together. They are smart, friendly, not hyper, fun to play with and are highly adoptable. Here's one more picture of Jeremy, who I think is part Boston Terrier.

When we returned sweet Guinevere to her and Underdog's pen they were so glad to see each other and they started playing immediately and totally forgot about us being there.

I'm fixin' to call Kinky to tell him about Mr. Magoo's look-a-like and then I plan to do some writing tonight.

Y'all have a great evening!

A Cave Full Of Ghosts!

Today has been great. Right now it is raining hard outside and since last Saturday night, we've now gotten over four and a half inches of precious rain! I am writing this early this evening, because of tonight's predicted heavy thunderstorms, in the Texas Hill Country. "Come on RAIN!"

This morning, while Tony was outside doing our chores, all by himself, because he didn't want me to get myself all wet, from the heavy down pour, I decided to take a bubble bath, to help soothe my aching joints, because yesterday Tony and I did a lot of mowing.

While I was soaking and relaxing in my beautiful plastic garden tub, which now has to be at least thirty-years old or half of my age, I was thinking about how lucky and grateful I was to have so many wonderful friends, my job that I love doing, for Tony and our fabulous fur-family, and all of the other great things in my life—a gigantic, black spider suddenly jumped from a flower pot onto the tub faucet, so I screamed, "Tony!"

The dogs came running into the bathroom, but Tone didn't, because he was still outside, getting soaking wet, because he was doing our chores.

As I quickly pulled the drain plug in the tub and jumped out to put on my bi-focals so I could get a better look at him/her, I was praying that this scary-looking creature, who was probably on the verge of committing spider suicide—wouldn't off himself in my presence, because I was standing naked—drying myself off, with all of our dogs curiously watching me.

While I quickly dressed into my clothes my eyes never strayed from spider man/woman.

Once I was dressed I decided to remain in the bathroom, in hopes that I could show it to T. So, to help pass the time away, I talked to spider man/woman and begged the confused spider "not-to-do-it."

A few minutes later, I heard the front door open and close, because it needs for me to put some more WD-40 on it, to oil its squeaking hinges. "Tony! There's a spider in here!" I half-hollered.

Then I heard Tony walking, not rushing, to come check out our intruder. "It's just a water spider. They're harmless," Tony said. "It's won't hurt you."

Before I finish writing this, I have some exciting news to tell about me getting to read an advanced copy of Billy Bob Thornton's & Kinky's soon to be released book, The Billy Bob Tapes: A Cave Full of Ghosts, with the introduction by Angelina Jolie!

It is a must read and I loved reading it. "It is a narrative based on late-night conversations with Kinky Friedman and other friends who gathered 'round to hear Billy mine a cave of ghosts."

P.S. We're now up to five and a half inches of rain!

 Y'all have a great evening!