Shoot!

I have some great news! Sunday morning, Catherine and David Berry drove down from Buchanan Dam, Texas and temporarily adopted seven of our dogs that we had recently rescued from the Kerrville pound. The reason their adoptions are temporary is because they plan to adopt our dogs out at their newly established rescue shelter—Happy Dog Adoptions!

For months we have been talking back and forth to Catherine on how to do and what not to do and they did it! They arrived at 10:30 and they were excited and couldn’t wait to meet the seven lucky dogs! After meeting Catherine Zeta Jones, Kawliga, Antonio Banderas, Angelina Jolie, George Strait, Little Richard, and Ms. Toto—they fell in love with them!

Kinky was anxious and could not wait to meet Catherine and David, so following the canine introductions we went over to Kinky’s Lodge. Kinky greeted us at the gate, offered to make some coffee, then he made the coffee and then Kinky gave David and Catherine the “Grand Tour” of the Lodge. I could tell that he was greatly impressed with them as we were, because he gave David five or six of his new cigars from his new line of Kinky Friedman Cigars and he nearly talked Catherine’s head off.

Following the meet and greet, Kinky challenged David to a game of pool. Now that was funny. After he had explained to them that we call him “The Hummingbird Man,” he asked me to please hum everytime that it was his turn and so I did. After a lot of humming—David sank the eight ball, the game was over—Kinky had lost. I told David, “Around here we say, ‘”Beat Kinky once—Never play Kinky, again.” It brought a laugh and then they put up their sticks and we returned to the rescue ranch.

We invited them in for some coffee, which we forgot to drink at Kinky’s, and then Catherine signed the seven adoption forms. When it was time for them to leave, we went outside and loaded up seven happy dogs! As Catherine and David drove away I said to Tony, “This is so perfect! They are good people and Kinky likes them.”

Later in the day, Edward, an extremely polite photographer from England who was putting together a documentary, came out and shot me several times and then when Kinky arrived at the rescue ranch—he shot him, too! When the shooting was over Kinky’s friend, Jerome, Kinky and the shootist left the rescue ranch, but Kinky’s sister Marcie, and our friend Copper Love stayed so they could take a tour and visit with the dogs.

A couple of hours later, Marcie called and then Kinky called while I was in the process of taking a nap with my dogs. When I called Kinky, he told me that Copper wanted to adopt our giant Great Pyrenees / Catahoula mix—Macy! They were coming over now!

Tony and I went outside and climbed into “Kermit” our little green four-wheeler and drove down to Macy’s and Bob Dylan’s pen so Tony could put a new blue collar on Macy, along with her dog tags.

A few minutes later, our friend Dylan Ferrero arrived in his red pickup explaining that he had offered to deliver Macy to Copper’s house because Macy wouldn’t fit in “Ruby Tuesday”—Copper’s car. Then Kinky and Marcie arrived in “The Navigator”—Kinky’s car. Then Copper arrived in her little red Miata convertible! Adoption Time!

Without reading the form, Copper quickly signed it and then handed it to me so she could take Macy’s leash. I said, “Congratulations Copper! You just signed over your house and “Ruby Tuesday” to the rescue ranch!”

Following the handshaking ceremony, Copper loaded up Macy into the front seat of Dylan’s Truck and then Dylan and Macy left with Copper following right behind in hot pursuit!

Tony and I visited with Kinky and Marcie for a few minutes and there was a lot of laughing about getting a guest book and then they left for the Lodge.

Catherine called later that evening to report that all had gone well and the dogs were doing great!

And, as I finish writing Sunday’s story, on this Monday, Ben just called from Austin and left this message on the answering machine, “I’m sorry folks, but I am not going to be driving down to the ranch this evening as planned. I'm not feeling to good because I just got my ass whipped!”