The Ronderosa!

This morning, Kinky called at seven o’clock to talk to me about our calendar signing event today. He told me that he was leaving around eight, and I told him that I was hoping to be on the road by nine-thirty or ten. Then I started cooking breakfast for T. and me.

After breakfast, while I was packing for my trip, up to Austin, Tony was outside working. When I had finished packing, Tony walked inside the trailer—wearing a big grin. “I just cleaned all of Buttermilk’s windows, so you can see better.”

“Thank you, Tony. I am just about ready to leave, but I can’t decide which mukluks to wear at the calendar signing. Which ones do you like best?”

“I like the white ones on you.”

“Okay, I will wear the white ones! Does my shawl look okay? It’s going to get cold.”

“It looks great—you're my hippie chick,” Tony teased.

“Chicken, is more like it,” I said, as I put on my white mukluks. “My chick days are long gone Tony—just ask Aaron. I had better get going. Wait! I have to call Ronnie.” I then picked up the phone, and reached out—and touched him. I told him that I should be there by noon. Tony then picked up my duffle bag, and carried it to Buttermilk and put it inside. I then climbed inside and hooked up my iPod and set it to play my ‘Driving Music’ playlist. Then I got out of Buttermilk to give Tony a big hug and a kiss. “I am sick that you can’t go with me, Tony. I am gonna miss you.”

“I wish I could go, but I need to stay here. I’ve got lots to do, before that front blows in. Be careful now, and have fun and tell everyone hello. Please call me as soon as you get to Ron and Nita’s, so I won’t worry. I love you.”

“I love you,” I said. “I’ll see you tomorrow morning. Bye.” I cranked up my iPod, then Buttermilk slowly backed out, and we headed to Dripping Springs! Before I reached the gate, I was wishing Tony was going with me, and I felt a little stressed out about going by myself.

We made it to Kerrville with little traffic. When we crossed under I-10, I was dreading the next twenty-two miles to Fredericksburg, because of the too many narrow single lanes, and the people driving really fast, and tailgating Buttermilk—it scares me.

Fortunately we made it fine to Fredericksburg, with only one big tailgating truck, that should have planned ahead, and left a little earlier—so not to be in such a hurry. Anyway, we turned by the hospital, and when we came to the signal light—we went right. I was now only a little over an hour away from ‘The Ronderosa!’ (Ronnie named their ranch.)

As Buttermilk and I got a little further down the road, I was shocked at all of the new construction. In fact—I couldn’t believe it! Several giant churches had popped up, and new businesses had sprung up. When I looked at the clock, forty-five minutes had passed and we still weren’t to Johnson City! Then I truly got scared! I realized that I hadn’t passed Wild Seeds Farm, and nothing looked familiar to me at all! We were lost and that’s when I started to cry!

I knew that eventually I would see a highway sign or gallop into a small town, but all I saw was signs welcoming me to their church—and that was disappointing. Fifteen minutes later, when we climbed a hill—I saw I-10! Good grief, where in the heck was I? I soon found out!

The sign read, ‘Kerrville 16 Miles’ telling us to turn right! We did the ‘right thing’ and sixteen miles later we were back in Kerrville. And, I do believe, that was first time that I have ever been so happy to be in Kerrville, Texas!

When we reached the light at the intersection of I-10 and Highway 16, We turned right to go to Fredericksburg, again. We went about four miles, and then we pulled off of the road! I was exhausted, Buttermilk had been rode hard, and I did not want to drive those eighteen scary miles, again. I first phoned Nita, to tell her that I had gotten lost, and could not make myself do the Kerrville to Fredericksburg miles, again. I apologized for canceling, and I told her that I was really upset. Then I phoned the rescue ranch, and left the same message on our machine. Then Buttermilk and I broke the law! We made a u-turn—without getting caught! We were going home! My cell phone, which had fallen on the floor of the passenger side, started ringing non-stop, and I couldn’t reach it, so I just let it ring.

When I saw the big ‘Cowboy Steak House’s—Welcome to Kerrville, Texas’ sign, I calmed down, because I knew where I was headed.

I stopped and parked Buttermilk, in Albertson’s parking lot, and phoned Tony, again. He picked up on the first ring! I told him about getting scared and crying, and he told me to get home as fast as I could! I had really scared him.

I was the happiest girl, in the whole U.S.A., when I arrived at the rescue ranch! Tony was outside the trailer, talking to our friend and volunteer, Paul—when we pulled up! The three of us talked about me getting lost, and then we found maps, and tried to figure out how I gotten lost. Tony asked me to tell him once again, about driving into Fredericksburg.

“Tony, I turned at the light by the hospital, and then took a right at the light. Like I always do.”

“I know what you did wrong,” Tony said. “Nance, there are two lights on Highway Road. You turned at the first one—Highway 87. The second light is Highway 290. You went south, near Boerne and Comfort. You need to go inside and call Cindy and Ronnie—they have been calling non-stop—they are really worried about you. And, I am getting you a GPS for Christmas.”

I called Cindy first, and she was so relieved to know that I was okay, and she reminded me that all of our family has no sense of direction, and we are always getting lost. By the end of our conversation we were laughing about me getting lost, and her last words to me were, “Nance, please buy a GPS.”

Then I called Ronnie, and we basically had the same conversation, and like Cindy, his last words were, “Nance, please buy a ‘GPS.”

It was now one-thirty—I phoned Kinky, and left a message about what all had happened, and not being able to make the calendar signing event.

At ten minutes to two, Kinky called! After telling him about my trip, and feeling horrible about not making the signing—he told me everything was fine, and for me not to worry. Then he put Caren C. on the phone. I apologized to her and she was so nice, and said she fully understood. She also told me not to feel bad or to worry. She then told me that she absolutely loved our calendar and everyone who has looked at it thinks the pictures were awesome, too! Caren C. at Barnes and Noble Arboretum—Rocks!

At two-thirty, Tony announced to me, that our central heat had quit working. He then phoned our service man , but got his machine. We had planned to go to HEB to get groceries, but because he hadn’t called back, we decided it was best for me to go to Kerrville, and Tone would stay here, in case he called.

At three o’clock, I told Tony that I was fixing to go to Kerrville. I grabbed my purse, my three, large, cloth grocery tote bags, and I went out the door. As I was opening Buttermilk’s door, Tone ran out to the porch and said, “Nance wait! Let me draw you a map!” I laughed all the way to Kerrville.”

It is now after eight-thirty, and we still don’t have heat. We’ve gotten out all of our blankets, and turned on two space heaters. Good Night Y’all!

P.S. See y’all at Barnes and Noble, San Pedro, in San Antone tomorrow! Tony is driving me!