Happy Birthday, John!

At 7:45 this morning I called Harley Belew at The Rose 104.9, like I do every Thursday morning, to talk about the rescue ranch. This morning’s show went really well and we did a lot of laughing. It started out with me asking, “Harley, would it be okay for me to say Happy Birthday to John Kemmerly?”

Right on cue, Harley said, “No.”

“Okay,” I said, and then we started laughing and couldn't quit.

“Who's John Kemmerly?” Harley asked.

“John has been working out here for nearly a year—and we love him and so do our dogs! And he's a Libra, too!”

“Oh, okay,” Harley said. “Hey, what’s going on with Kinky? I called him the other day and he hasn’t called back.”

“That’s because he is in New York City,” I answered. “He’s coming to the ranch tomorrow so he can do his book signing at Wolfmueller’s on Saturday. You’re coming aren’t you?”

“Yes,” Harley said, “Of course I’ll be there...”

The show went great and I was glad that it had been so funny. I couldn’t wait to ask John if he heard it!

Tony and I ate breakfast and I saved one biscuit, so I could put a candle in it for John. Well, as usual I couldn’t find my candles so instead I stuck a stick of incense into the middle of the biscuit and lit it.

Then Maribeth Couch showed up at the ranch at 9:25—and John arrived promptly at 9:30. Tony went and found John and told him I needed to talk to him. When John walked inside the trailer we sang Happy Birthday to him and we gave him a card. And he liked my substitute biscuit wannabe cake.

“John did you listen to the radio show this morning?” I asked with excitement.

“No, sorry Nance. I couldn’t pick it up, but I tried everything to tune it in. In fact, at one point, I had the radio sitting on top of a roll of toilet paper to try to tune in the station.”

“Well, I ended up broadcasting Happy Birthday to you 3 times during the show. It was great and I wish you could have heard it.”

After drinking a cup of coffee, Tony and John went outside to work. Maribeth and I were catching up on things and right when I said Jon Wolfmueller’s name the telephone rang and it was Jon calling! “Hello, Nancy, Spike’s Naked 2008 calendars have just arrived and they are absolutely fantastic!” Jon stated with excitement.“I am so glad we ordered them! Kinky is July and he is only wearing his hat, vest and boots and he looks great!”

“Jon, this is too exciting!” I said. “Please hold back two for me. Maribeth and I are on our way! See you in thirty minutes.”

On our way out of the ranch I caught John and told him a lie on purpose. “John, Jon and Sandy just called and they asked me to ask you to swing by because they want to talk to you about something.” Little did John know that my lie was to get him over to Wolfmueller’s so they could surprise him with our birthday present—the 2008 Naked Calendar!

Maribeth and I made it to Wolfmueller’s Books safely, even though I drove like a bat out of hell. I bought two calendars, one for Tony and me, and one for Jon and Sandy to give to John for his birthday present. After a short visit with Jon and Sandy, Maribeth and I returned to the rescue ranch.

For information about this calendar go to www.spikegillespie.com and buy one because all of the proceeds go directly to the non-profit Austin Children of Musicians, Artists and Writers Fund which provides emergency, stopgap funds for artistic Austin families in crisis.