Yesterday morning, after feeding our dogs and Lucky, I decided to take a day off from my walking routine. Then when Tony came home from Medina, he was somewhat surprised that our breakfast smoothies weren't ready. "Are you going to fix our smoothies? I'm starving, Babe," were his exact words.
"Nope," I said. "Earlier this morning, I decided that I am going to take a day off from my daily routine. Let's go to Kerrville. I will treat you to breakfast at Randy and Lisa's Save Inn! Aaron can handle feeding the dogs, and cleaning the pens."
Thirty minutes later, Tony and I were at the Save Inn, giving our order to one of their friendly waitresses. I laughed out loud, after Tone told the waitress what he wanted, because it was exactly what I had ordered—their Sinker Omelet, with a side of biscuits and gravy.
As we waited for our breakfast, the place began to fill up quickly. "It's a good thing that we got here, when we did," I said to Tone, as our waitress served us our breakfast. As we ate, I couldn't help eavesdropping on the table next to ours. Two couples, probably about my age, were talking loudly about what kind of fertilizer they preferred. One couple loved Miracle Grow, and their friends, swore that Scott's was the best rated by some consumer magazine.
As T. and I continued to eat our delicious breakfast, our temporary next door neighbors, changed the subject to solar energy, after Scott's had won out. The Miracle Grow people were opposed to it and thought it was silly, while Scott's people bragged on and on about their new outdoor solar lights. I was starting to like the Scott's couple. Then Lisa saw us, and she came over to our table to greet us!
Tony and I love Lisa. She is one of the nicest and friendliest people in Kerrville, just ask any Kerrvert. After she walked away from our table, our waitress served the neighbors their breakfast, and their conversation ended abruptly.
After paying for our breakfast, Tone and I swung by H.E.B. and grabbed dog food and a few groceries, then Trigger brought us home.
The reason I didn't blog yesterday, was because I worked on my book for over nine hours straight, and I was pretty exhausted, but happy with the end results. There is still much to do before I publish it, but I am now starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel!
This morning I overslept, but by eight o'clock I was back into my regular routine. Leslie and I walked six miles together, and then I spent the rest of the morning returning phone calls, e-mails and catching up on my paperwork.
The rest of today has been pretty quiet and nothing much happened. Tony and I are fixin' to watch The Curious Case of Benjamin Button.
Y'all have a great evening!
Monday, August 31, 2009
Saturday, August 29, 2009
We Said Yes!
Today has been a great day, and I can't believe what all I did, and I am still not tired! Here's how my day went.
I had the dogs and Lucky fed before six o'clock this morning. I washed and dried a load of clothes, while I walked my six fast miles with Leslie Sansone and her bunch. Then I had our breakfast smoothies ready, when Tony returned from the Old Timer, in Medina!
Around eight-fifteen, Hazel came out of the closet, and did her thing inside the trailer. When the floors were bare of hair, I took her outside to clean up the cobwebs on the walls and ceiling of the front porch. Then Hazel went into Outer Space and cleaned it up real nice, too! Then she went back into the closet to rest.
At ten-thirty, while I was returning phone calls, our good friend and dog walking volunteer, Todd Bauer, came out to walk our dogs! When I had returned the last phone call, my ear was starting to ache from talking too much, because I don't like to talk on the phone anymore, especially since my hearing has gone south. I didn't used to be that way, but with the job I have, I get anywhere from twenty to forty phone calls a day—seven days a week, that I must return.
After my last phone call, I put Carlton in charge, because I was done talking on the phone for a while. I needed a break, then the phone rang—it was Kinky. "Good morning, Nance," Kinky said. Can you come over to the Lodge? I want to talk to you about something."
Four minutes later, I was at the Lodge, talking to Kinky about something, in the kitchen. After a short business meeting, Trigger brought me back to the rescue ranch, so I could make lunch for Tony and me. We ate leftovers—my Moo Goo Gai Pan. Even though it was leftovers, it was good.
When the kitchen was clean, I checked my e-mails. Thirty minutes later, I had all of my e-mail answered. Then I felt pooped, so the dogs, and Lucky and me took a thirty-seven minute nap. They slept—I didn't, but I enjoyed just being with them.
Kinky called me, about two-thirty. He asked me to come over to the Lodge, for a visit.
When I arrived at the Lodge, Kinky and Will were sitting at the kitchen table. I pulled up a chair, and we started talking. In less than a minute we were all laughing. I told Will about Fay's comment about him being cute, on the blog. He asked me how old she was, and was she good looking. "Yes, Will," I said. "She is both, and happily married." We laughed, and then we talked about the new sign, and a few other choice subjects. Then Kinky asked us if we wanted to go for a walk with him and The Friedmans. We said yes!
Twenty minutes later, we were back at the Lodge, sitting in the kitchen, again. Then the phone rang, and Kinky went to his office to take the call. Will and I started talking about my book. At one point, Will said, "Nance, you ought to make a commercial for your book!"
I started laughing. "Will, I can't afford to make a commercial, even if it was free."
"No," Will said. "I mean, you should make a video commercial for your blog! It could be real funny, too. You could get Kinky to be in it with you, and y'all could ham it up!" Will and I were laughing, when Kinky returned to the kitchen. We told him about the idea of making a funny commercial for my book, on my blog. Kinky liked the idea!
A few minutes later, Will took off to go hit some golf balls, and Trigger took me home. By the time I had parked Trigger, I had decided to convert part of my writing cabin, into a guest house. And that's when T. walked up, just as I was getting out of the cab. "Tony, I know what I want for my birthday!" Tony sorta tensed up. He seems to do that a lot around me.
"What?"
"I want you to make me a bed for my cabin! Like the one you made for us when we got married, but it needs to be smaller."
Tony smiled. "I can do that," he said. Then I smiled. We then went into my cabin, and I showed him where I was going to put it, and we took measurements! Then I told him about Kinky and me making a blog video clip, commercial, for my book." Here's a picture of the bed that Tony made for us, over ten years ago. I love that bed!
Early this evening, around six o'clock, Kinky called, and he asked me to come over to the Lodge, so we could go on another walk.
During our thirty minute walk, I told Kinky about T. making a bed for me, for my birthday, for my writing, and soon to be guest cabin. Kinky thought it sounded great!
Y'all have a great evening!
P.S. Todd, thank you for coming out to walk our dogs! I'm sorry that I didn't get to visit with you.
I had the dogs and Lucky fed before six o'clock this morning. I washed and dried a load of clothes, while I walked my six fast miles with Leslie Sansone and her bunch. Then I had our breakfast smoothies ready, when Tony returned from the Old Timer, in Medina!
Around eight-fifteen, Hazel came out of the closet, and did her thing inside the trailer. When the floors were bare of hair, I took her outside to clean up the cobwebs on the walls and ceiling of the front porch. Then Hazel went into Outer Space and cleaned it up real nice, too! Then she went back into the closet to rest.
At ten-thirty, while I was returning phone calls, our good friend and dog walking volunteer, Todd Bauer, came out to walk our dogs! When I had returned the last phone call, my ear was starting to ache from talking too much, because I don't like to talk on the phone anymore, especially since my hearing has gone south. I didn't used to be that way, but with the job I have, I get anywhere from twenty to forty phone calls a day—seven days a week, that I must return.
After my last phone call, I put Carlton in charge, because I was done talking on the phone for a while. I needed a break, then the phone rang—it was Kinky. "Good morning, Nance," Kinky said. Can you come over to the Lodge? I want to talk to you about something."
Four minutes later, I was at the Lodge, talking to Kinky about something, in the kitchen. After a short business meeting, Trigger brought me back to the rescue ranch, so I could make lunch for Tony and me. We ate leftovers—my Moo Goo Gai Pan. Even though it was leftovers, it was good.
When the kitchen was clean, I checked my e-mails. Thirty minutes later, I had all of my e-mail answered. Then I felt pooped, so the dogs, and Lucky and me took a thirty-seven minute nap. They slept—I didn't, but I enjoyed just being with them.
Kinky called me, about two-thirty. He asked me to come over to the Lodge, for a visit.
When I arrived at the Lodge, Kinky and Will were sitting at the kitchen table. I pulled up a chair, and we started talking. In less than a minute we were all laughing. I told Will about Fay's comment about him being cute, on the blog. He asked me how old she was, and was she good looking. "Yes, Will," I said. "She is both, and happily married." We laughed, and then we talked about the new sign, and a few other choice subjects. Then Kinky asked us if we wanted to go for a walk with him and The Friedmans. We said yes!
Twenty minutes later, we were back at the Lodge, sitting in the kitchen, again. Then the phone rang, and Kinky went to his office to take the call. Will and I started talking about my book. At one point, Will said, "Nance, you ought to make a commercial for your book!"
I started laughing. "Will, I can't afford to make a commercial, even if it was free."
"No," Will said. "I mean, you should make a video commercial for your blog! It could be real funny, too. You could get Kinky to be in it with you, and y'all could ham it up!" Will and I were laughing, when Kinky returned to the kitchen. We told him about the idea of making a funny commercial for my book, on my blog. Kinky liked the idea!
A few minutes later, Will took off to go hit some golf balls, and Trigger took me home. By the time I had parked Trigger, I had decided to convert part of my writing cabin, into a guest house. And that's when T. walked up, just as I was getting out of the cab. "Tony, I know what I want for my birthday!" Tony sorta tensed up. He seems to do that a lot around me.
"What?"
"I want you to make me a bed for my cabin! Like the one you made for us when we got married, but it needs to be smaller."
Tony smiled. "I can do that," he said. Then I smiled. We then went into my cabin, and I showed him where I was going to put it, and we took measurements! Then I told him about Kinky and me making a blog video clip, commercial, for my book." Here's a picture of the bed that Tony made for us, over ten years ago. I love that bed!
Early this evening, around six o'clock, Kinky called, and he asked me to come over to the Lodge, so we could go on another walk.
During our thirty minute walk, I told Kinky about T. making a bed for me, for my birthday, for my writing, and soon to be guest cabin. Kinky thought it sounded great!
Y'all have a great evening!
P.S. Todd, thank you for coming out to walk our dogs! I'm sorry that I didn't get to visit with you.
Friday, August 28, 2009
Here's Your Sign!
Today has been fun. This morning I walked six fast miles, and then spent the rest of the morning doing paperwork and returning phone calls. When I was finally caught up, I took a break from my book and the rescue ranch and made that sign that Kinky wanted to make for the Annex.
The signs were fairly simple to make, and it only took me an hour. After they were made, I sprayed a clear varnish on them, to help protect them from the weather. When they were dry, Tony drilled the holes for the two hooks on the bigger part of the sign, and then he screwed in the hooks. Then T. drilled two holes into the second sign near the top part of the sign, so it would hang from the big sign.
On the big sign I painted, 'The Pro Shop,' because Will is a golfer, and that is where he stays when he is here to baby sit The Friedmans. On the bottom sign, I painted on both sides, so Kinky, Tony and I would know if Will was at the ranch, or not at the ranch. Since Will's pool nickname is Will, the Cock, Wallace, one side reads, The Cock Is In. The other side reads: The Cock Is Out.
When the sign was finished, I called Kinky to tell him that the sign was finally finished. Three minutes later, Tony and I were at the Annex putting up the sign. Here's a picture of Tone hanging the new sign.
When the sign was hung, Tone and I went inside the Lodge to tell Kinky and Will that the sign was hung! They rushed outside to admire it.
They liked the sign! Then Tony hung up the bottom sign. Here's a picture of Will next to the sign.
Then one of them suggested that I take a short video clip of Will using his sign for the very first time. Check it out, it is pretty funny! Will! Here's Your Sign!
Y'all have a great evening!
The signs were fairly simple to make, and it only took me an hour. After they were made, I sprayed a clear varnish on them, to help protect them from the weather. When they were dry, Tony drilled the holes for the two hooks on the bigger part of the sign, and then he screwed in the hooks. Then T. drilled two holes into the second sign near the top part of the sign, so it would hang from the big sign.
On the big sign I painted, 'The Pro Shop,' because Will is a golfer, and that is where he stays when he is here to baby sit The Friedmans. On the bottom sign, I painted on both sides, so Kinky, Tony and I would know if Will was at the ranch, or not at the ranch. Since Will's pool nickname is Will, the Cock, Wallace, one side reads, The Cock Is In. The other side reads: The Cock Is Out.
When the sign was finished, I called Kinky to tell him that the sign was finally finished. Three minutes later, Tony and I were at the Annex putting up the sign. Here's a picture of Tone hanging the new sign.
When the sign was hung, Tone and I went inside the Lodge to tell Kinky and Will that the sign was hung! They rushed outside to admire it.
They liked the sign! Then Tony hung up the bottom sign. Here's a picture of Will next to the sign.
Then one of them suggested that I take a short video clip of Will using his sign for the very first time. Check it out, it is pretty funny! Will! Here's Your Sign!
Y'all have a great evening!
Happy 65th Birthday—Maribeth Couch! We Love & Miss You!
Today is our dear friend, Maribeth Couch's 65th Birthday! Happy Birthday to you! Happy Birthday to you! Happy Birthday to you, Maribeth! Happy Birthday to you! We love you and miss you!
Thursday, August 27, 2009
Wish Me Luck!
This morning, after walking six fast miles, I cleaned up, and then I made two phone calls. I called Kinky first. Then I called my dear friend, Cindy Pickard. "Hi, Cindy, I just wanted to let you know that Tone and I are fixin' to head your way."
"That's great!" Cindy said. "I'm exhausted and ..."
Twenty-five minutes later, Trigger, Tony and I were in Vanderpool, Texas, at Cindy's ranch. Cindy was outside, loading up her Toyota FJ with boxes. "Greetings!" Cindy said to us. "Thank you so much for coming over."
I got out of the truck. "Hi, Cindy," I said, as Tony slowly backed Trigger up to her, older than our trailer. Cindy's dogs started barking at Tony. We were there to pick up some stuff, that Cindy wanted to keep, but didn't have the room to take with her, to her new ranch in New Mexico.
"Tony, that bunch of boxes are the ones I need for you to store for me," Cindy said. Tone, Cindy and I then started putting the boxes into the back of the truck. Within twenty minutes, we had all of her boxes loaded. Then Cindy invited us to come inside her trailer, to show us what little was left inside to pack up.
When I walked inside her nearly vacated trailer, that she was leaving behind for the new land owners, I teared up for a second, but was able to shake it off, before she or Tony noticed. I guess that's when it finally hit me, that Cindy was really leaving, and it brought back so many memories: some sad, some happy. "Wow, Cindy," I said. "I feel like we've gone full cirle here. It's hard for me to explain. It's like a closing of a chapter in my life."
"I know," Cindy said.
"Seeing your trailer empty like this, is exactly how I first saw it, over sixteen years ago, when Jim and I helped you and Andy move you from Austin to here. Remember, that cold front that had just blown through, and it was colder than cold? That was one long cold night. In fact, Jim and I didn't get back to Austin until after two in the morning, because the roads had iced up."
Cindy remembered. We visited a little while longer, then Tony told us, that it was time for us to leave, because we needed to get back to the rescue ranch.
On our way back to the truck, Cindy picked up a large beautiful, hand painted, ceramic turtle. She told me that she wanted me to have it. I took it, and then fought back the tears that were trying to fill my eyes. "I'm sure going to miss you, Cindy," I said.
"Me, too," Cindy said. "Y'all need to come see me as soon as you can. And, I have to come back here in the next few weeks, to finish up the documentary with Andy, so I'll definitely come see y'all then." Then we said goodbye to each other. As Tony and I drove away, down her dusty caliche dirt road, I teared up, but I couldn't stop the tears.
"It's all going to be okay, Nance," Tony said. "We will go see Cindy soon, and she will be coming back and forth to work with Andy, too. And, I think that you and Cindy need to learn how to Skype."
Cindy called me this evening, for the very last time from Vanderpool, Texas. "I'm finally all packed! And I'm leaving the first thing in the morning. Thank y'all for helping me. Wish me luck. I'll see you in a few weeks! Bye."
It's starting to rain with thunder and lightning off in the distance! I hope we get some rain.
Y'all have a great evening!
"That's great!" Cindy said. "I'm exhausted and ..."
Twenty-five minutes later, Trigger, Tony and I were in Vanderpool, Texas, at Cindy's ranch. Cindy was outside, loading up her Toyota FJ with boxes. "Greetings!" Cindy said to us. "Thank you so much for coming over."
I got out of the truck. "Hi, Cindy," I said, as Tony slowly backed Trigger up to her, older than our trailer. Cindy's dogs started barking at Tony. We were there to pick up some stuff, that Cindy wanted to keep, but didn't have the room to take with her, to her new ranch in New Mexico.
"Tony, that bunch of boxes are the ones I need for you to store for me," Cindy said. Tone, Cindy and I then started putting the boxes into the back of the truck. Within twenty minutes, we had all of her boxes loaded. Then Cindy invited us to come inside her trailer, to show us what little was left inside to pack up.
When I walked inside her nearly vacated trailer, that she was leaving behind for the new land owners, I teared up for a second, but was able to shake it off, before she or Tony noticed. I guess that's when it finally hit me, that Cindy was really leaving, and it brought back so many memories: some sad, some happy. "Wow, Cindy," I said. "I feel like we've gone full cirle here. It's hard for me to explain. It's like a closing of a chapter in my life."
"I know," Cindy said.
"Seeing your trailer empty like this, is exactly how I first saw it, over sixteen years ago, when Jim and I helped you and Andy move you from Austin to here. Remember, that cold front that had just blown through, and it was colder than cold? That was one long cold night. In fact, Jim and I didn't get back to Austin until after two in the morning, because the roads had iced up."
Cindy remembered. We visited a little while longer, then Tony told us, that it was time for us to leave, because we needed to get back to the rescue ranch.
On our way back to the truck, Cindy picked up a large beautiful, hand painted, ceramic turtle. She told me that she wanted me to have it. I took it, and then fought back the tears that were trying to fill my eyes. "I'm sure going to miss you, Cindy," I said.
"Me, too," Cindy said. "Y'all need to come see me as soon as you can. And, I have to come back here in the next few weeks, to finish up the documentary with Andy, so I'll definitely come see y'all then." Then we said goodbye to each other. As Tony and I drove away, down her dusty caliche dirt road, I teared up, but I couldn't stop the tears.
"It's all going to be okay, Nance," Tony said. "We will go see Cindy soon, and she will be coming back and forth to work with Andy, too. And, I think that you and Cindy need to learn how to Skype."
Cindy called me this evening, for the very last time from Vanderpool, Texas. "I'm finally all packed! And I'm leaving the first thing in the morning. Thank y'all for helping me. Wish me luck. I'll see you in a few weeks! Bye."
It's starting to rain with thunder and lightning off in the distance! I hope we get some rain.
Y'all have a great evening!
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Fee Fi Foe Fum!
Today has been fun! This morning, I went over to the Lodge, after Kinky had done the Imus show. Kinky and I talked about the show and how funny it was. "I think that you should invite Don to the Three Dog Night show at Casbeers, in San Antone." Kinky liked my idea. We visited a little while longer, then I returned to the rescue ranch, and walked six fast miles with Leslie Sansone.
I made Moo Goo Gai Pan for our lunch. Unfortunately, I ran out of teriyaki sauce, so it was okay, but not great. Following lunch, while I cleaned up the kitchen, Tony took some over to the Lodge for Kinky and Will to have. When Tone returned home, the kitchen was clean, and we decided to go to Kerrville to run a few errands.
I needed some groceries, but I was really going, so I could get the ingredients needed to make Baklava. I found a great recipe for it at All Recipes, on the internet. It has great recipes for just about everything.
Trigger took us to Gibson's first. Tony needed to buy some new Wrangler jeans, and I needed to pick up some hooks, for a sign that I am making for the Annex, that Kinky has been bugging me about to get it done.
After Gibson's, we drove across the street to Copies Plus, to see Trisha. As soon as we walked into the print shop, Trish greeted us with a howdy and a big smile. We had a fun visit with her, as her employee, Marcia finished cutting Tony's postcards! Trish was covered up with printing jobs, so when the postcards were done—we were done, and we left her shop.
Our last stop was at H.E.B. to get gas for Trigger, then groceries. Before going into the store, I dropped off some mail outside of the store. I had a thank you letter for Patty, in Ft. Lauderdale, and two birthday cards, one for Maribeth and one for Drew. Then I grabbed a shopping cart and we walked inside the store to speed shop.
Within fifteen minutes, we had everything on my shopping list inside our cart, except for one thing—phyllo dough for the Baklava. Tony and I spent over five minutes looking for the dough, but we couldn't find it, so I asked this nice H.E.B. young man, "Do you know where the phyllo dough is?" (Please note: I pronounced it like fi, as in five followed by low—fi-low. Then I showed him the written word on my list.
He shook his head no. "I am sorry ma'am, I don't know." Then he saw one of the store managers, over by the eggs, and he half-hollered, "Do we have 'fi-low' dough?'" Before the manager could answer him, this snooty woman, probably a little younger than me, looks over at me and the kid, and yells, "It's fee-low," and then she shakes her head at us, like we were two dummies. Several people saw and heard her, and then they looked over at us. I could tell that it really embarrassed the young man, because he was turning red in the face.
"It's over where the frozen pies are," the smiling store manager hollered to us. Tony and I followed the young man to the frozen pie section, and the three of us started looking for it. "Well, all I can say is, you can sure tell that woman ain't from Texas," I said. Then I laughed trying to make the young man smile. He smiled and then laughed!
"Here it is!" He said, with excitement. He opened up the freezer door, and proudly handed me the box of dough.
After we thanked him for his help, and he had walked away, Tony whispers to me, "That woman was a real...!" I agreed with him, and then we checked out our groceries and then came home.
As soon as we had put up our groceries, I made Baklava, and then put it into the oven to bake. Please note: the way I pronouce baklava is like: back-lava. As in get back, the lava is startin' to head our way!
An hour and a half later, Tony and I tried my first Baklava, and it was delicious! So I called Kinky and asked him if I could come over to the Lodge, because I had baked something, that I wanted him and Will and Jerome to try out.
Three minutes later I walked inside Kinky's kitchen. "Hi Kink! Here it is!" I said, setting the plate down on kitchen table.
"Hi Nance," Kinky said. "It looks delicious! What is it?"
"Back-lava," I replied. "It's my first attempt at making it! Here try some. It's pretty good."
Kinky smiled, picked up a piece, and put it into his mouth. "It's delicious, Nance, but I think it's pronounced bach-la-va." Then Will walks into the kitchen.
"Hi Will," I said. "I just made this back-lava for y'all..."
"Bach-la-va," Will says. "It is pronounced bach-la-va." I started laughing!
"Good grief, y'all!" I said. "Okay, fine, bach-la-va. Tell me, how do y'all pronounce the word P, H, Y, L, L, O, it's a bread?"
"Fee-low," Will answered.
"I don't know," Kinky said.
"Did you say fee-low or fee-la?" I asked Will.
"Fee-low," Will said, with Baklava in his mouth. I started laughing, and I laughed all of the way back to the rescue ranch!
At eight-thirty tonight the phone rang—it was Kinky. "Nance, I called to tell you that Jerome just tried your Baklava and he knows what Baklava is supposed to taste like. He told me to tell you that your Baklava is the best Baklava that he has ever eaten! Kinky and I both started laughing!
Y'all have a great evening!
I made Moo Goo Gai Pan for our lunch. Unfortunately, I ran out of teriyaki sauce, so it was okay, but not great. Following lunch, while I cleaned up the kitchen, Tony took some over to the Lodge for Kinky and Will to have. When Tone returned home, the kitchen was clean, and we decided to go to Kerrville to run a few errands.
I needed some groceries, but I was really going, so I could get the ingredients needed to make Baklava. I found a great recipe for it at All Recipes, on the internet. It has great recipes for just about everything.
Trigger took us to Gibson's first. Tony needed to buy some new Wrangler jeans, and I needed to pick up some hooks, for a sign that I am making for the Annex, that Kinky has been bugging me about to get it done.
After Gibson's, we drove across the street to Copies Plus, to see Trisha. As soon as we walked into the print shop, Trish greeted us with a howdy and a big smile. We had a fun visit with her, as her employee, Marcia finished cutting Tony's postcards! Trish was covered up with printing jobs, so when the postcards were done—we were done, and we left her shop.
Our last stop was at H.E.B. to get gas for Trigger, then groceries. Before going into the store, I dropped off some mail outside of the store. I had a thank you letter for Patty, in Ft. Lauderdale, and two birthday cards, one for Maribeth and one for Drew. Then I grabbed a shopping cart and we walked inside the store to speed shop.
Within fifteen minutes, we had everything on my shopping list inside our cart, except for one thing—phyllo dough for the Baklava. Tony and I spent over five minutes looking for the dough, but we couldn't find it, so I asked this nice H.E.B. young man, "Do you know where the phyllo dough is?" (Please note: I pronounced it like fi, as in five followed by low—fi-low. Then I showed him the written word on my list.
He shook his head no. "I am sorry ma'am, I don't know." Then he saw one of the store managers, over by the eggs, and he half-hollered, "Do we have 'fi-low' dough?'" Before the manager could answer him, this snooty woman, probably a little younger than me, looks over at me and the kid, and yells, "It's fee-low," and then she shakes her head at us, like we were two dummies. Several people saw and heard her, and then they looked over at us. I could tell that it really embarrassed the young man, because he was turning red in the face.
"It's over where the frozen pies are," the smiling store manager hollered to us. Tony and I followed the young man to the frozen pie section, and the three of us started looking for it. "Well, all I can say is, you can sure tell that woman ain't from Texas," I said. Then I laughed trying to make the young man smile. He smiled and then laughed!
"Here it is!" He said, with excitement. He opened up the freezer door, and proudly handed me the box of dough.
After we thanked him for his help, and he had walked away, Tony whispers to me, "That woman was a real...!" I agreed with him, and then we checked out our groceries and then came home.
As soon as we had put up our groceries, I made Baklava, and then put it into the oven to bake. Please note: the way I pronouce baklava is like: back-lava. As in get back, the lava is startin' to head our way!
An hour and a half later, Tony and I tried my first Baklava, and it was delicious! So I called Kinky and asked him if I could come over to the Lodge, because I had baked something, that I wanted him and Will and Jerome to try out.
Three minutes later I walked inside Kinky's kitchen. "Hi Kink! Here it is!" I said, setting the plate down on kitchen table.
"Hi Nance," Kinky said. "It looks delicious! What is it?"
"Back-lava," I replied. "It's my first attempt at making it! Here try some. It's pretty good."
Kinky smiled, picked up a piece, and put it into his mouth. "It's delicious, Nance, but I think it's pronounced bach-la-va." Then Will walks into the kitchen.
"Hi Will," I said. "I just made this back-lava for y'all..."
"Bach-la-va," Will says. "It is pronounced bach-la-va." I started laughing!
"Good grief, y'all!" I said. "Okay, fine, bach-la-va. Tell me, how do y'all pronounce the word P, H, Y, L, L, O, it's a bread?"
"Fee-low," Will answered.
"I don't know," Kinky said.
"Did you say fee-low or fee-la?" I asked Will.
"Fee-low," Will said, with Baklava in his mouth. I started laughing, and I laughed all of the way back to the rescue ranch!
At eight-thirty tonight the phone rang—it was Kinky. "Nance, I called to tell you that Jerome just tried your Baklava and he knows what Baklava is supposed to taste like. He told me to tell you that your Baklava is the best Baklava that he has ever eaten! Kinky and I both started laughing!
Y'all have a great evening!
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Kinky On Imus—Tomorrow At 7:30 CST!
This morning, after Tony and I drank our breakfast smoothies, I only walked four miles, because I had decided to try to work on my book all day.
Around eight-thirty this morning, Kinky called. He asked me to come over to the Lodge for a visit. When I arrived, we visited in the kitchen and then we went outside to the Friedman Family Bone Orchard to look for a tennis ball for Mr. Magoo. We found none, so we went back into the Lodge into Kinky's office.
While Kinky was showing me some pictures of The Friedmans that Brian Kanof had taken, I fell in love with this one of Kinky and Toto having a picnic, in front of my writing cabin, but Kinky wasn't sure if Brian had taken it. Kinky let me borrow it and here it is!
Will then came into the Lodge and we went to the kitchen to visit with him. While Kinky was busy making a new pot of coffee, he said, "Nance, I love it that you have renamed the Annex, The Pro Shop, when Will is here babysitting the The Friedmans. Someone needs to make a sign for it and hang it, when Will is here."
"I can make the sign, Kinky," I said. "But give me a few days, because I am trying to finish putting my book together."
"That's great, Nance," Kinky said. Then he looked over at Mr. Magoo, who is now over fourteen years old, and who has now become somewhat portly—to put it nicely. "Gooie, you're not fat," Kinky said, as he handed him another dog biscuit.
"No he isn't fat," I said. "He's just twice the dog that he used to be." Kinky and Will laughed and Gooie wagged his tail.
Then Kinky and I started singing the song that Ben Welch had sang, last week, about Mr. Magoo's weight gain. "Roly Poly. Daddie's little fattie..." Then we all started laughing, and then Kinky apologized to the Goo-Man. He told Mr. Magoo that he was not fat.
"Kink," I said. "We're not laughing at Gooie. The song is just funny, and that's what we are laughing at. Not Gooie."
Last week, Ben had told me that he thought it would be fun for us to make a video for my blog, with Kinky and Mr. Magoo taking off for a walk, with Ben singing "Roly Poly" in the background.
"I don't know what to eat for breakfast," Kinky said.
"I do," I said. "I'll be right back. Give me ten minutes." Then I left the Lodge and Trigger took me home.
Fifteen minutes later, I was back at the Lodge. "Here Kinky and Will. I made y'all a banana, apple, strawberry and orange juice smoothies. And, Kinky you and Will need to try this new oatmeal. It's delicious!"
Kinky poured him and Will a smoothie. "Thanks, Nance. I'll try the oatmeal later. Can you and Tone wake me up tomorrow morning? I am doing the Imus show at seven-thirty."
"Sure," I said. "What time do you want us to wake you up?"
"Six o'clock," Kinky said. "I would really appreciate a wake up call, to make sure I don't oversleep."
"You got it." I left the Lodge a few minutes later.
I am proud to say, that today, I got a lot of work done on my book! And, I am pretty excited about it, even though I am a little bit weary eyed.
Y'all have a great evening!
Around eight-thirty this morning, Kinky called. He asked me to come over to the Lodge for a visit. When I arrived, we visited in the kitchen and then we went outside to the Friedman Family Bone Orchard to look for a tennis ball for Mr. Magoo. We found none, so we went back into the Lodge into Kinky's office.
While Kinky was showing me some pictures of The Friedmans that Brian Kanof had taken, I fell in love with this one of Kinky and Toto having a picnic, in front of my writing cabin, but Kinky wasn't sure if Brian had taken it. Kinky let me borrow it and here it is!
Will then came into the Lodge and we went to the kitchen to visit with him. While Kinky was busy making a new pot of coffee, he said, "Nance, I love it that you have renamed the Annex, The Pro Shop, when Will is here babysitting the The Friedmans. Someone needs to make a sign for it and hang it, when Will is here."
"I can make the sign, Kinky," I said. "But give me a few days, because I am trying to finish putting my book together."
"That's great, Nance," Kinky said. Then he looked over at Mr. Magoo, who is now over fourteen years old, and who has now become somewhat portly—to put it nicely. "Gooie, you're not fat," Kinky said, as he handed him another dog biscuit.
"No he isn't fat," I said. "He's just twice the dog that he used to be." Kinky and Will laughed and Gooie wagged his tail.
Then Kinky and I started singing the song that Ben Welch had sang, last week, about Mr. Magoo's weight gain. "Roly Poly. Daddie's little fattie..." Then we all started laughing, and then Kinky apologized to the Goo-Man. He told Mr. Magoo that he was not fat.
"Kink," I said. "We're not laughing at Gooie. The song is just funny, and that's what we are laughing at. Not Gooie."
Last week, Ben had told me that he thought it would be fun for us to make a video for my blog, with Kinky and Mr. Magoo taking off for a walk, with Ben singing "Roly Poly" in the background.
"I don't know what to eat for breakfast," Kinky said.
"I do," I said. "I'll be right back. Give me ten minutes." Then I left the Lodge and Trigger took me home.
Fifteen minutes later, I was back at the Lodge. "Here Kinky and Will. I made y'all a banana, apple, strawberry and orange juice smoothies. And, Kinky you and Will need to try this new oatmeal. It's delicious!"
Kinky poured him and Will a smoothie. "Thanks, Nance. I'll try the oatmeal later. Can you and Tone wake me up tomorrow morning? I am doing the Imus show at seven-thirty."
"Sure," I said. "What time do you want us to wake you up?"
"Six o'clock," Kinky said. "I would really appreciate a wake up call, to make sure I don't oversleep."
"You got it." I left the Lodge a few minutes later.
I am proud to say, that today, I got a lot of work done on my book! And, I am pretty excited about it, even though I am a little bit weary eyed.
Y'all have a great evening!
Monday, August 24, 2009
Heads Up—Fort Worth! Help Save The Burros!
Last week, my friend Curt Swafford, from Terlingua, called me to talk about the sad situation that the burros are facing, in Big Bend. I love burros and his news really upset me. I think as human beings, animal lovers and as Texans, we should demand that the Texas Parks and Wildlife stop the needless killing of these beautiful animals. Here is a copy of the note that Curt sent to me.
'Hi Nancy--Here is the information I would like you to put on your Blog. The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department's annual Commission Meeting will be held in Fort Worth on Aug. 26 at 2:00 P.M. Persons wishing to speak at the meeting must be there to register by 1:00 P.M. The meeting will be in the Will Rogers Center at the Amon G. Carter Jr. Exhibit Hall, 3400 Burnett-Tandy Dr. I spoke with Adrianna at Rep. Pete Gallego's office today, and she said a TPW employee named Harold Stone said TPW will resume shooting the burros this fall. I have also talked to both of the shooters, Mike Hall and Dan Scholly, and neither would say that they will not shoot any more burros. If you or Kinky know anyone in Fort Worth who would be willing to speak at this meeting, please contact them. The only way we can stop TPW is pressure from the tax payers.
Thanks--Curt Swafford'
If anyone in the Fort Worth area can go to this meeting—please go, and tell Texas Parks and Wildlife to stop this insane cruelty! It is totally disgusting.
'Hi Nancy--Here is the information I would like you to put on your Blog. The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department's annual Commission Meeting will be held in Fort Worth on Aug. 26 at 2:00 P.M. Persons wishing to speak at the meeting must be there to register by 1:00 P.M. The meeting will be in the Will Rogers Center at the Amon G. Carter Jr. Exhibit Hall, 3400 Burnett-Tandy Dr. I spoke with Adrianna at Rep. Pete Gallego's office today, and she said a TPW employee named Harold Stone said TPW will resume shooting the burros this fall. I have also talked to both of the shooters, Mike Hall and Dan Scholly, and neither would say that they will not shoot any more burros. If you or Kinky know anyone in Fort Worth who would be willing to speak at this meeting, please contact them. The only way we can stop TPW is pressure from the tax payers.
Thanks--Curt Swafford'
If anyone in the Fort Worth area can go to this meeting—please go, and tell Texas Parks and Wildlife to stop this insane cruelty! It is totally disgusting.
Sunday, August 23, 2009
Get Me Out Of Here, Now!
Yesterday, Carol Vail came over with her friend, Lorri, from Dallas, for a visit! We visited inside the trailer, because it was too hot in Outer Space. After a fun visit, Kermit took Carol, Lorri and me, over to the Lodge, for a visit with Kinky. Kinky seemed to really enjoy our visit and there was much laughter! Before leaving, we went outside, so I could shoot Lorri, Carol and Kinky, over by the Friedman Family Bone Orchard. When the three of them gathered to pose for me, I said, "Okay. I'm gonna count to three and then shoot y'all, and then I am going to count to three, again and shoot you one more time." Then I removed the lens cover from my camera, pushed the 'on' button, and nothing happened—my camera's battery was dead and needed recharging! Everyone laughed about it. I could tell that Lorri and Carol were a little disappointed, so I promised to shoot them the next time they came out to the rescue ranch. Then Kermit returned us to the rescue ranch.
When we arrived, Steve Samet was here, ready to adopt Jack Nicholson, a sweet Fox Terrier, and then Shelley showed up with her boyfriend, to adopt our friendly, lovable yellow Lab, Henry! Carol and Lorri were thrilled about the dogs getting forever homes, but they left, so I could take care of the adoption process. Jack went nuts when Steve picked him up, and he started happily yapping! He knew what was going on, and he could not wait to get into Steve's car! I think if we had had a dog interpreter here, he would have told us that Jack was saying to Steve, "Get me out of here, now! I've done my time! Hurry!"
After they drove away, Shelley introduced Henry to her boyfriend's forever friend, Bear, an adorable female, Sharpei mix, and they hit it off immediately! When it was time for them to take Henry home, they opened up the back door of their SUV. It was a big SUV, and I wasn't sure that Henry could jump up that high to get inside, but I was wrong. As soon as Henry felt the cool air conditioned air—he leaped up into their car with his tail wildly wagging! "Well, it looks like Henry can't wait to get out of here, too," I said. Tony and I said our goodbyes to Henry. Before leaving, we thanked Shelley for adopting him. "Please tell Pat thanks for telling you about our Henry." Then they drove away to take Henry to his forever home!
Today, at noon, some good friends of ours, Alison and Blake came out to visit us! They live in Austin, and they had come to Kerrville for a mini-vacation. After hugs and more hugs, we went into my writing cabin for a fun visit! Then Will, their friend and ours, showed up to visit with them! We had so much fun! My little cabin was literally shaking, because of all the laughter! I had so much fun catching up with their news and seeing Blake's dog, Katie Bea, formerly Rosanna Dana, that he adopted from us years ago! Tone and I really enjoyed seeing them and before leaving, we asked them to please come see us anytime that they were in the area.
After they left, Tone and I had to go see a friends new dog, but before leaving, I wrote this e-mail and sent it off to our good friends over at the Trails End Guest House.
"Hi Desiree and David! I hope that all is going great! Today, Blake and Alison and their dog, that they adopted from us four years ago, Katie Bea, came out to see us after checking out at your B &B. Since Tony had recommended your place to them, we couldn't wait to ask them how it was. OMG! They loved it! They loved y'all, they loved their 'Some Like It Hot' cabin, they loved Beckham, they loved the swimming pool, and they really loved your cooking! I mean they could not quit talking about it! They told us that they are definitely coming back, and they are going to tell all of their friends to stay at your B & B, too! And they brought us some of your Baklava, that you served them for breakfast! It was delicious and we have eaten all of it! Anyway, I just wanted to let you know what they said. Hopefully, when the heat goes away, Tony and I will definitely be coming out there for dinner with Sandy and Jon Wolfmueller, Carol Vail, Ben Welch and Kinky. I can't wait!
Love y'all, Cousin Nancy
P.S. Carol came out on Saturday to see us, with her friend Lorri, from Dallas, and Carol told me that last week she ran into y'all at H.E.B.! We started telling Lorri about y'all's bed and breakfast, and Lorri wants to come with us, too! Y'all's Trails End Guest House Rocks! And I love it! Hugs to you and Beckham!
P.S.S. I almost forgot! I want to let you know, that sometime in October or early November, there is going to be a 'Slumber Party' at your place. We've already talked to our friends about it, and everyone is excited about it! We want to book 'the Big House,' aka The Retreat. And y'all are invited to be our guests, at your guest house! Jon and Sandy, Carol, Ben, Rick and Leisa, from Port Aransas, and hopefully John from Port A will be at the slumber party, including Tone and me. As soon as we set the date, I'll e y'all and make a reservation. I hope that y'all can come to it—it will be a blast! And, Rick, Ben and I are bringing our guitars and mandolins! And, I promise not to sing!"
Y'all have a great evening!
P.S. I want to thank our good friend, Pat Symchych, who is the incredibly talented web master for our website: utopiarescue.com, for helping us find Henry his forever home! You Rock, Pat!
When we arrived, Steve Samet was here, ready to adopt Jack Nicholson, a sweet Fox Terrier, and then Shelley showed up with her boyfriend, to adopt our friendly, lovable yellow Lab, Henry! Carol and Lorri were thrilled about the dogs getting forever homes, but they left, so I could take care of the adoption process. Jack went nuts when Steve picked him up, and he started happily yapping! He knew what was going on, and he could not wait to get into Steve's car! I think if we had had a dog interpreter here, he would have told us that Jack was saying to Steve, "Get me out of here, now! I've done my time! Hurry!"
After they drove away, Shelley introduced Henry to her boyfriend's forever friend, Bear, an adorable female, Sharpei mix, and they hit it off immediately! When it was time for them to take Henry home, they opened up the back door of their SUV. It was a big SUV, and I wasn't sure that Henry could jump up that high to get inside, but I was wrong. As soon as Henry felt the cool air conditioned air—he leaped up into their car with his tail wildly wagging! "Well, it looks like Henry can't wait to get out of here, too," I said. Tony and I said our goodbyes to Henry. Before leaving, we thanked Shelley for adopting him. "Please tell Pat thanks for telling you about our Henry." Then they drove away to take Henry to his forever home!
Today, at noon, some good friends of ours, Alison and Blake came out to visit us! They live in Austin, and they had come to Kerrville for a mini-vacation. After hugs and more hugs, we went into my writing cabin for a fun visit! Then Will, their friend and ours, showed up to visit with them! We had so much fun! My little cabin was literally shaking, because of all the laughter! I had so much fun catching up with their news and seeing Blake's dog, Katie Bea, formerly Rosanna Dana, that he adopted from us years ago! Tone and I really enjoyed seeing them and before leaving, we asked them to please come see us anytime that they were in the area.
After they left, Tone and I had to go see a friends new dog, but before leaving, I wrote this e-mail and sent it off to our good friends over at the Trails End Guest House.
"Hi Desiree and David! I hope that all is going great! Today, Blake and Alison and their dog, that they adopted from us four years ago, Katie Bea, came out to see us after checking out at your B &B. Since Tony had recommended your place to them, we couldn't wait to ask them how it was. OMG! They loved it! They loved y'all, they loved their 'Some Like It Hot' cabin, they loved Beckham, they loved the swimming pool, and they really loved your cooking! I mean they could not quit talking about it! They told us that they are definitely coming back, and they are going to tell all of their friends to stay at your B & B, too! And they brought us some of your Baklava, that you served them for breakfast! It was delicious and we have eaten all of it! Anyway, I just wanted to let you know what they said. Hopefully, when the heat goes away, Tony and I will definitely be coming out there for dinner with Sandy and Jon Wolfmueller, Carol Vail, Ben Welch and Kinky. I can't wait!
Love y'all, Cousin Nancy
P.S. Carol came out on Saturday to see us, with her friend Lorri, from Dallas, and Carol told me that last week she ran into y'all at H.E.B.! We started telling Lorri about y'all's bed and breakfast, and Lorri wants to come with us, too! Y'all's Trails End Guest House Rocks! And I love it! Hugs to you and Beckham!
P.S.S. I almost forgot! I want to let you know, that sometime in October or early November, there is going to be a 'Slumber Party' at your place. We've already talked to our friends about it, and everyone is excited about it! We want to book 'the Big House,' aka The Retreat. And y'all are invited to be our guests, at your guest house! Jon and Sandy, Carol, Ben, Rick and Leisa, from Port Aransas, and hopefully John from Port A will be at the slumber party, including Tone and me. As soon as we set the date, I'll e y'all and make a reservation. I hope that y'all can come to it—it will be a blast! And, Rick, Ben and I are bringing our guitars and mandolins! And, I promise not to sing!"
Y'all have a great evening!
P.S. I want to thank our good friend, Pat Symchych, who is the incredibly talented web master for our website: utopiarescue.com, for helping us find Henry his forever home! You Rock, Pat!
Saturday, August 22, 2009
Kinky's Humor Tickles Wendy!
This morning, after walking six fast miles, inside the trailer, I looked at some more video clips that Tony had taken yesterday, of Kinky and our guest, Wendy Diamond, and her sweet, little rescued dog, Lucky Diamond, visiting our rescue ranch. I love this video clip! And, I wish that I had been a little mouse inside Kinky's pocket, because I would love to know what he said, that got her so tickled! I have posted it here, and on the sidebar.
Kinky's Humor Tickles Wendy!
I've got to go—we're fixin' to have an adoption!
Kinky's Humor Tickles Wendy!
I've got to go—we're fixin' to have an adoption!
Friday, August 21, 2009
Where's Tony?
This morning, I did not have time to walk, because I needed to clean the trailer, because Wendy Diamond, the founder and editor of her magazine, 'Animal Fair,' along with her camera crew, were coming out to the rescue ranch this afternoon, for an interview and photo shoot with Kinky and me.
Around ten-thirty, the phone rang—it was Kinky. He asked me to come over to the Lodge, because he had something that he wanted to talk to me about. Ten minutes later, I was sitting in the kitchen, with Mr. Magoo, while Kinky talked on his phone in his office. Five minutes later, he and I were outside discussing our upcoming books, then Deborah Hanson called. She needed for Kinky to get her a jpeg picture of the book jacket, so she could post it on Kinky's website. I offered to do it, because it was no big deal. Kinky and I visited for about an hour, then I came home, scanned the book jacket cover and this is what I e-mailed to Debora! I love the jacket and can't wait for it to come out! It's a great book!
After e-mailing Debora, I realized that Tone was gone. I figured that he had gone to Medina for some feed, so I called Kinky and asked if he and Will, Kinky's official dog babysitter, wanted to eat lunch with us. I was fixin' Cousin Nancy's Moo Goo Gai Pan. Kinky asked Will, and they both said yes! Then I went outside and invited Ben to join us, too. He said yes, too!
While I was preparing our lunch, the phone rang—it was Tone. "Nance, pick up the phone. It's me..." I picked up the receiver. Tony told me that he was in Kerrville.
"Why are you in Kerrville?" I asked.
"I bought you a present," Tone replied. "I love my new camera case that you got for me, so I decided to get you a gift. I hope that you will like it. I'll be home in less than twenty minutes. I love you, bye." Then Ben walked inside the trailer.
"Where's Tony?" Ben asked. As I continued to prepare and cook our lunch, I told him about my surprise present that T. had bought for me.
Fifteen minutes later, Tony walked inside the trailer carrying a big pink sack, filled with pink tissue wrapping paper! "I hope you like it, Babe," Tone said, as he handed me the pretty pastel pink sack. I looked inside the bag and pulled out a card. Tony wrote: "Thank you so much for the gift. You can't be an author without these. Love you, Tony."
I then reached inside the pretty sack, and pulled out an expensive pair of Cross writing pens! I love Cross pens! They are the best! I once owned a set of Cross pens, but I lost them over the years, and I haven't been able to afford to replace them. "Tony I love them! I am not going to use them, until I start signing my new book!"
Kinky, Ben, Will and Tony loved my lunch and so did I—I ate too much!
Around three o'clock, Wendy and her camera crew showed up at the rescue ranch! Kinky did his interview with them in Outer Space. I shot this picture of him, holding Wendy's little rescued dog, Lucky Diamond, through the screened door.
The interview was great, and Kinky had a lot to say, and he was very funny. When it was over, Kinky took Wendy and Lucky for a tour of our rescue ranch, followed closely by her camera crew taping them, and Tony tagged along, so he could take some videos for me to possibly use for my blog.
When the tour was done, we all went over to the Lodge, so they could video tape Kinky in the Lodge with The Friedmans. It ended up that Ben's dogs, Penny and Valerie, were the only ones who cooperated with the cameras. Brownie, Chumley and Goo-Man kept running into Kinky's office, and then they would run right back out. It was pretty funny!
While that was going on, I went outside and did an interview with one of the cameramen and it went okay.
This evening, I downloaded my pictures and the short video clips that Tony had taken for me. I first deleted about thirty pictures that weren't great, then I checked out T.'s video clips and about fell out of my chair when I saw this one. It made me smile and tear up at the same time. I've posted it on the sidebar and am also posting it here. I hope you like it. It really touched my heart. Here it is: Kinky's Kind Words About Me
Y'all have a great evening!
Around ten-thirty, the phone rang—it was Kinky. He asked me to come over to the Lodge, because he had something that he wanted to talk to me about. Ten minutes later, I was sitting in the kitchen, with Mr. Magoo, while Kinky talked on his phone in his office. Five minutes later, he and I were outside discussing our upcoming books, then Deborah Hanson called. She needed for Kinky to get her a jpeg picture of the book jacket, so she could post it on Kinky's website. I offered to do it, because it was no big deal. Kinky and I visited for about an hour, then I came home, scanned the book jacket cover and this is what I e-mailed to Debora! I love the jacket and can't wait for it to come out! It's a great book!
After e-mailing Debora, I realized that Tone was gone. I figured that he had gone to Medina for some feed, so I called Kinky and asked if he and Will, Kinky's official dog babysitter, wanted to eat lunch with us. I was fixin' Cousin Nancy's Moo Goo Gai Pan. Kinky asked Will, and they both said yes! Then I went outside and invited Ben to join us, too. He said yes, too!
While I was preparing our lunch, the phone rang—it was Tone. "Nance, pick up the phone. It's me..." I picked up the receiver. Tony told me that he was in Kerrville.
"Why are you in Kerrville?" I asked.
"I bought you a present," Tone replied. "I love my new camera case that you got for me, so I decided to get you a gift. I hope that you will like it. I'll be home in less than twenty minutes. I love you, bye." Then Ben walked inside the trailer.
"Where's Tony?" Ben asked. As I continued to prepare and cook our lunch, I told him about my surprise present that T. had bought for me.
Fifteen minutes later, Tony walked inside the trailer carrying a big pink sack, filled with pink tissue wrapping paper! "I hope you like it, Babe," Tone said, as he handed me the pretty pastel pink sack. I looked inside the bag and pulled out a card. Tony wrote: "Thank you so much for the gift. You can't be an author without these. Love you, Tony."
I then reached inside the pretty sack, and pulled out an expensive pair of Cross writing pens! I love Cross pens! They are the best! I once owned a set of Cross pens, but I lost them over the years, and I haven't been able to afford to replace them. "Tony I love them! I am not going to use them, until I start signing my new book!"
Kinky, Ben, Will and Tony loved my lunch and so did I—I ate too much!
Around three o'clock, Wendy and her camera crew showed up at the rescue ranch! Kinky did his interview with them in Outer Space. I shot this picture of him, holding Wendy's little rescued dog, Lucky Diamond, through the screened door.
The interview was great, and Kinky had a lot to say, and he was very funny. When it was over, Kinky took Wendy and Lucky for a tour of our rescue ranch, followed closely by her camera crew taping them, and Tony tagged along, so he could take some videos for me to possibly use for my blog.
When the tour was done, we all went over to the Lodge, so they could video tape Kinky in the Lodge with The Friedmans. It ended up that Ben's dogs, Penny and Valerie, were the only ones who cooperated with the cameras. Brownie, Chumley and Goo-Man kept running into Kinky's office, and then they would run right back out. It was pretty funny!
While that was going on, I went outside and did an interview with one of the cameramen and it went okay.
This evening, I downloaded my pictures and the short video clips that Tony had taken for me. I first deleted about thirty pictures that weren't great, then I checked out T.'s video clips and about fell out of my chair when I saw this one. It made me smile and tear up at the same time. I've posted it on the sidebar and am also posting it here. I hope you like it. It really touched my heart. Here it is: Kinky's Kind Words About Me
Y'all have a great evening!
Thursday, August 20, 2009
The Band Haywire—ROCKS BIG TIME!
This morning, while visiting with Ben and Will, I was telling them about my hike yesterday, from you know where, with Kinky. I realized that I left out the part where he also says to me, ""You're doing fine Nance, and if you fall, just roll down to the bottom, it's not that far," Kinky said, ten feet ahead or should I say above me. Anyway, I just wanted y'all to know.
Today has been fairly quiet at the rescue ranch, until I checked my e-mail this afternoon. An old, dear friend of mine, Troy Farnham contacted me and he sent me some of his band's recordings, and I was honestly blown away! The Band Haywire, out of Austin, is fantastic and incredibly great and extremely popular!
I met Troy when Jim and I had our embroidery business in Austin, probably around 1986 or 1987. He became a dear friend to us, and we looked forward to his weekly visits at our shop. He was family. In fact, Troy is the man responsible for selling us his son's old drum set, which Jim and I gave to Cindy's son, Adam, when he was about twelve years old!
Cindy laughingly told me many years later, that their neighbors hated Jim and me for giving Adam that present! Laugh out loud, I guess we should have asked Cindy and Ray first!
Troy is also the man who helped me move from Austin to Utopia, after Jim's death. He and his wife, Jennifer, drove down to Utopia and helped Cindy and Ray and me unload all of my worldly possessions into the Nelleybelle, my new home. And, he also fixed my central air conditioner before they returned to Austin. We tried to stay in touch, but over the years, we lost contact with each other.
Well, Troy called me last Sunday, to ask me if I knew about Jim's son, Richie, passing, which I did, and then we caught up with each other's news. Troy is now forty-three years old, the same age that I was when Jim passed away. He is still madly in love with his wife, Jennifer, and their four and a half year old daughter. I really enjoyed visiting with Troy and we have promised to meet for lunch soon in Fredericksburg or Kerrville. And, he can't wait for Tony and me to meet their daughter, Haley! And, the way Troy proudly described her—she is the smartest and coolest little girl on the plantet! And, I believe it!
Troy told me that 'The Band Haywire' has more private bookings than they know what to do with, and it has been a financial pleasure for them, too! I am so happy for Troy, he followed his dream and it has all come true for him!
I just went to The Band Haywire's website and I had a blast reading the band's bio's, especially Troy's and then I went to their live video clips. There are three short video clips and I watched them all. The last clip is my favorite, because it showcases them playing many different genres! I hope that you will check them out, because you are going to love their music! I promise!
P.S. Troy is the good looking one in the middle, wearing the blue shirt—that boy, sure can play and sing!
Y'all have a great evening!
Today has been fairly quiet at the rescue ranch, until I checked my e-mail this afternoon. An old, dear friend of mine, Troy Farnham contacted me and he sent me some of his band's recordings, and I was honestly blown away! The Band Haywire, out of Austin, is fantastic and incredibly great and extremely popular!
I met Troy when Jim and I had our embroidery business in Austin, probably around 1986 or 1987. He became a dear friend to us, and we looked forward to his weekly visits at our shop. He was family. In fact, Troy is the man responsible for selling us his son's old drum set, which Jim and I gave to Cindy's son, Adam, when he was about twelve years old!
Cindy laughingly told me many years later, that their neighbors hated Jim and me for giving Adam that present! Laugh out loud, I guess we should have asked Cindy and Ray first!
Troy is also the man who helped me move from Austin to Utopia, after Jim's death. He and his wife, Jennifer, drove down to Utopia and helped Cindy and Ray and me unload all of my worldly possessions into the Nelleybelle, my new home. And, he also fixed my central air conditioner before they returned to Austin. We tried to stay in touch, but over the years, we lost contact with each other.
Well, Troy called me last Sunday, to ask me if I knew about Jim's son, Richie, passing, which I did, and then we caught up with each other's news. Troy is now forty-three years old, the same age that I was when Jim passed away. He is still madly in love with his wife, Jennifer, and their four and a half year old daughter. I really enjoyed visiting with Troy and we have promised to meet for lunch soon in Fredericksburg or Kerrville. And, he can't wait for Tony and me to meet their daughter, Haley! And, the way Troy proudly described her—she is the smartest and coolest little girl on the plantet! And, I believe it!
Troy told me that 'The Band Haywire' has more private bookings than they know what to do with, and it has been a financial pleasure for them, too! I am so happy for Troy, he followed his dream and it has all come true for him!
I just went to The Band Haywire's website and I had a blast reading the band's bio's, especially Troy's and then I went to their live video clips. There are three short video clips and I watched them all. The last clip is my favorite, because it showcases them playing many different genres! I hope that you will check them out, because you are going to love their music! I promise!
P.S. Troy is the good looking one in the middle, wearing the blue shirt—that boy, sure can play and sing!
Y'all have a great evening!
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
Slip Sliding Away!
Yesterday, a few things happened that I forgot to tell y'all about. While I was over at the Lodge visiting with Kinky, Will and Copper, we were discussing Kinky's new book, and the one that I am working on. "Nance," Kinky said. "You need to get your book published now. I don't understand why you haven't."
"I can't Kinky," I replied. "For one thing, I am still working on it. And the other reason is—Mercury is fixin' to go into retrograde real soon, on September sixth through September twenty-ninth, to be exact, and I am not about to get it published during that time frame." Kinky sorta chuckled, and Will smiled.
"I'm with you, Cousin Nancy," Copper said, nodding her head. "I wouldn't publish then either. It's the smart thing to do. I have friends who..."
After we were done discussing the problems caused by the planet Mercury in retrograde, Kinky said, "I have some good news. Ruth Buzzi and Kent called earlier, and they are coming to Willie's Bloody Mary Morning event for my campaign! And they asked me if you and Tone were coming. Y'all have got to go, Nance."
"I don't know, Kinky," I said. "Tony and I really want to go to it, but we've been talking about driving in that crazy Dallas traffic, and now we're not sure." Shortly after that, I returned to the rescue ranch and the rest is history.
This morning I walked eight fast miles! Then T. and I went over to the Lodge to deliver smoothies. Will was there, but Kinky was gone. He was in Kerrville. Before leaving, we invited Will to join us for lunch in Kerrville, because we had errands to run. He told us that he would try to make it, but was not sure.
When we returned to the rescue ranch, I punched in Kink's cell phone number, and invited him to join us for lunch. He told me that he was busy running errands, but he would try to make it, too.
Now here's the part that y'all are not going to believe, but it is true. I'll explain later.
As Tony and I sat at our table, in the orange colored restaurant, we placed a bet on Kinky showing up! I won the bet—he showed up! As we ate their truly delicious shrimp cocktail appetizer, Kinky remarked, "This is really embarrassing for me."
"What's embarrassing?" I asked, with shrimp in my mouth.
"This is the third time that I have eaten here within twenty-four hours." We all started laughing. "Will and I ate dinner here last night. I ate here for breakfast, and now I am eating lunch." Once again, we laughed! Then our meals were served.
Tone and I had chicken verdes enchiladas with beans and rice, and Kinky ate their "Speedy Gonzalez Special," which he loves. It looked good and I might give it a try sometime. Our lunch was delicious and filled with laughter. Then we went our separate ways.
Kinky went to Albertsons, to stock up on some groceries, and we went to San Saba Cap to turn in some artwork. Then we went over to Copies Plus to see Trish, to talk to her about doing some posters for the rescue ranch. While we were there, Randy, of the famous, Randy and Lisa's Save Inn restaurant, showed up! He is Trish's father-in-law. We had a fun visit with them, and then we left.
Around five o'clock, Kinky called and invited us over to the Lodge for a visit. Tony was busy planting or harvesting crops, on his virtual farm, on Facebook, so I went by myself. Kinky and I visited outside by the Friedman Family Bone Orchard for about thirty minutes. Then he asked me to go on a short walk with him.
"Kinky, I'll go, but only for a short one, but not through the woods, because I don't want to sprain or break my ankle. I walked eight miles this morning and it's a hundred degrees outside. Okay?" We took off with the Friedmans.
Well, let's just say that Kinky tricked me! Yes, he tricked me. Twenty minutes into our walk, Kinky says, "Nance, there's a trail up ahead, but I am not sure where. Let's take it. It is beautiful." We marched on. "You know this is where Dylan and I got lost over a year ago." My heart was pounding—from the heat.
"I know. I've walked that trail with you and Ben, and I think it is up ahead, after we cross the creek." That's about the time, when I realized that The Friedmans had disappeared and I was fixin' to do some cross-country hiking in my pink Justin Gypsy cowboy boots! After crossing the bone dry creek, we walked about twenty more feet. "Is this the trail?" I asked.
"Yes! Follow me." I did and I wished that I hadn't. Suddenly, I found myself climbing nearly straight up a tall, rocky ledge, with rocks slipping away under my boots, and me grabbing at every branch, that I could find, to steady myself! "You're doing fine Nance and if you fall, just roll down to the bottom, it's not that far," Kinky said, ten feet ahead or should I say above me.
"Yeah right," I quipped. "I thought you promised me that we would go on a easy hike! I'm buying hiking boots, if I survive this trek with you!" Kinky laughed. I didn't.
When I finally made it up to the top of the super steep ledge, I was out of breath, soaking wet from sweat, but smiling because I had survived! Ten minutes later we were in the Lodge. Then Will appeared. They told me they had oranges, apples and bananas, so I offered to go to the rescue ranch, to get Jaws, my Vita-Mix machine, and make them smoothies.
Ten minutes later, Tone and I were at the Lodge making smoothies for Will and Kinky. As they sipped their healthy drinks, we got to talking about the Blood Mary Morning event. "Nance, you and Tone could drive up to Fort Worth and ride with Ruthie and Kent over to Dallas!" Tony shook his head no.
"I'm not going to Dallas," Tony stated. "Nance can go if she wants to, but I am staying here." We laughed.
"You're a baby, Tone. Nance, you could ride up with Ben and Will!" Kinky suggested.
"Great!" I said. "I can just hear Will telling Ben about me riding with them. 'Dang it Ben! Nancy is going to ride with us!'" The men started laughing.
"Nance," Kinky said. "You can ride up with Little Jewford and me, but you'll have to drive up to Austin, and spend the night in Dallas. How about that?"
"How about we drop the subject for now," I said. "You're wearing me out." They laughed, again. Then Kinky challenged Tony to a game of pool. T. declined because he was wore out. Kinky then challenged Will to a game of pool.
While The Hummingbird Man and Will took turns sinking their balls into the pockets, Kinky says, "Y'all, this is my imitation of Cousin Nancy earlier today. She calls me and says, 'Kinky, I've got some great news for you! Ben is coming down tonight!'" Kinky, Will and Tony started laughing! "Nance," Kinky teased. "I'd say that is good news, but not what you would call great news." The Hummingbird Man won the pool game.
Y'all have a great evening! I mean good evening! I mean a great evening!
"I can't Kinky," I replied. "For one thing, I am still working on it. And the other reason is—Mercury is fixin' to go into retrograde real soon, on September sixth through September twenty-ninth, to be exact, and I am not about to get it published during that time frame." Kinky sorta chuckled, and Will smiled.
"I'm with you, Cousin Nancy," Copper said, nodding her head. "I wouldn't publish then either. It's the smart thing to do. I have friends who..."
After we were done discussing the problems caused by the planet Mercury in retrograde, Kinky said, "I have some good news. Ruth Buzzi and Kent called earlier, and they are coming to Willie's Bloody Mary Morning event for my campaign! And they asked me if you and Tone were coming. Y'all have got to go, Nance."
"I don't know, Kinky," I said. "Tony and I really want to go to it, but we've been talking about driving in that crazy Dallas traffic, and now we're not sure." Shortly after that, I returned to the rescue ranch and the rest is history.
This morning I walked eight fast miles! Then T. and I went over to the Lodge to deliver smoothies. Will was there, but Kinky was gone. He was in Kerrville. Before leaving, we invited Will to join us for lunch in Kerrville, because we had errands to run. He told us that he would try to make it, but was not sure.
When we returned to the rescue ranch, I punched in Kink's cell phone number, and invited him to join us for lunch. He told me that he was busy running errands, but he would try to make it, too.
Now here's the part that y'all are not going to believe, but it is true. I'll explain later.
As Tony and I sat at our table, in the orange colored restaurant, we placed a bet on Kinky showing up! I won the bet—he showed up! As we ate their truly delicious shrimp cocktail appetizer, Kinky remarked, "This is really embarrassing for me."
"What's embarrassing?" I asked, with shrimp in my mouth.
"This is the third time that I have eaten here within twenty-four hours." We all started laughing. "Will and I ate dinner here last night. I ate here for breakfast, and now I am eating lunch." Once again, we laughed! Then our meals were served.
Tone and I had chicken verdes enchiladas with beans and rice, and Kinky ate their "Speedy Gonzalez Special," which he loves. It looked good and I might give it a try sometime. Our lunch was delicious and filled with laughter. Then we went our separate ways.
Kinky went to Albertsons, to stock up on some groceries, and we went to San Saba Cap to turn in some artwork. Then we went over to Copies Plus to see Trish, to talk to her about doing some posters for the rescue ranch. While we were there, Randy, of the famous, Randy and Lisa's Save Inn restaurant, showed up! He is Trish's father-in-law. We had a fun visit with them, and then we left.
Around five o'clock, Kinky called and invited us over to the Lodge for a visit. Tony was busy planting or harvesting crops, on his virtual farm, on Facebook, so I went by myself. Kinky and I visited outside by the Friedman Family Bone Orchard for about thirty minutes. Then he asked me to go on a short walk with him.
"Kinky, I'll go, but only for a short one, but not through the woods, because I don't want to sprain or break my ankle. I walked eight miles this morning and it's a hundred degrees outside. Okay?" We took off with the Friedmans.
Well, let's just say that Kinky tricked me! Yes, he tricked me. Twenty minutes into our walk, Kinky says, "Nance, there's a trail up ahead, but I am not sure where. Let's take it. It is beautiful." We marched on. "You know this is where Dylan and I got lost over a year ago." My heart was pounding—from the heat.
"I know. I've walked that trail with you and Ben, and I think it is up ahead, after we cross the creek." That's about the time, when I realized that The Friedmans had disappeared and I was fixin' to do some cross-country hiking in my pink Justin Gypsy cowboy boots! After crossing the bone dry creek, we walked about twenty more feet. "Is this the trail?" I asked.
"Yes! Follow me." I did and I wished that I hadn't. Suddenly, I found myself climbing nearly straight up a tall, rocky ledge, with rocks slipping away under my boots, and me grabbing at every branch, that I could find, to steady myself! "You're doing fine Nance and if you fall, just roll down to the bottom, it's not that far," Kinky said, ten feet ahead or should I say above me.
"Yeah right," I quipped. "I thought you promised me that we would go on a easy hike! I'm buying hiking boots, if I survive this trek with you!" Kinky laughed. I didn't.
When I finally made it up to the top of the super steep ledge, I was out of breath, soaking wet from sweat, but smiling because I had survived! Ten minutes later we were in the Lodge. Then Will appeared. They told me they had oranges, apples and bananas, so I offered to go to the rescue ranch, to get Jaws, my Vita-Mix machine, and make them smoothies.
Ten minutes later, Tone and I were at the Lodge making smoothies for Will and Kinky. As they sipped their healthy drinks, we got to talking about the Blood Mary Morning event. "Nance, you and Tone could drive up to Fort Worth and ride with Ruthie and Kent over to Dallas!" Tony shook his head no.
"I'm not going to Dallas," Tony stated. "Nance can go if she wants to, but I am staying here." We laughed.
"You're a baby, Tone. Nance, you could ride up with Ben and Will!" Kinky suggested.
"Great!" I said. "I can just hear Will telling Ben about me riding with them. 'Dang it Ben! Nancy is going to ride with us!'" The men started laughing.
"Nance," Kinky said. "You can ride up with Little Jewford and me, but you'll have to drive up to Austin, and spend the night in Dallas. How about that?"
"How about we drop the subject for now," I said. "You're wearing me out." They laughed, again. Then Kinky challenged Tony to a game of pool. T. declined because he was wore out. Kinky then challenged Will to a game of pool.
While The Hummingbird Man and Will took turns sinking their balls into the pockets, Kinky says, "Y'all, this is my imitation of Cousin Nancy earlier today. She calls me and says, 'Kinky, I've got some great news for you! Ben is coming down tonight!'" Kinky, Will and Tony started laughing! "Nance," Kinky teased. "I'd say that is good news, but not what you would call great news." The Hummingbird Man won the pool game.
Y'all have a great evening! I mean good evening! I mean a great evening!
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
Hello New Mexico! Here Comes The Hobbit Express!
Today has been a lot of fun! This morning I went to Kerrville, because Cindy Pickard had asked me to do her a favor. She had asked me to meet her at San Saba Cap, at ten o'clock, because she was getting her signs aka 'vinyl skins' put on her new FJ Toyota! I was one minute late.
When I arrived, Cindy was outside, with the owner, discussing the placement of the beautiful signs. "Hi Nancy," Cindy said. "I want you to meet John Baker. He owns San Saba Caps." John and I shook hands. "Didn't these turn out great!" My long time best friend asked, as she showed them to me.
"They're beautiful," I said. When Cindy and John were done, I told John that I had been in the embroidery business for over twenty years, and that I was very impressed with his work. Then we went inside his store, and Paul McCullar, came up to us and said hello to Cindy, and then he introduced himself to me. Paul and I quickly got to talking about being in the embroidery business, so he gave Cindy and me a tour of their work area, where their embroidery equipment is. Wow! This company was big time! In fact, they had so many sewing heads—it made my head spin!
When Cindy and I left San Saba Cap, we ran a couple of errands. Our last stop was at Pier One. When we walked out the store's door, I was carrying a sack with two gifts, that Cindy had bought for me!
On our way back to San Saba Cap, we ran into a traffic jam—and we were stranded at the corner where Wolfmueller's Books is a few doors down from. As we watched some kind of giant government equipment, that was causing the backup, slowly start moving. I looked over at Cindy, and saw Jon Wolfmueller waving at me from the corner! Cindy quickly rolled down Trigger's window, "Hi Jon!" I half-hollered. Before Jon could speak, the traffic jam was over, and I had to take off! Sorry Jon.
When we pulled up at San Saba Cap, Cindy and I were in shock, when we saw her beautifully decorated FJ! "It's perfect!" Cindy said, with excitement in her voice.
"OMG Cindy, it's beautiful!..." John came out and met us, as we climbed out of Trigger, and he was wearing a bigger smile than Cindy was. Here are some pictures that Cindy took of it, when she got home. By the way, Cindy named her FJ—the Hobbit Express! I love it!
Late this afternoon, I went over to the Lodge and had a fun visit with Kinky, Will Wallace and Copper Love! Copper is the artist, that did all of the artwork for Kinky's new self-published book, Heroes Of A Texas Childhood, which should be coming out real soon!
Around four o'clock I returned to the rescue ranch. Twenty minutes later, Will came over to borrow some tools from Tone. We had a nice visit with him. As soon as Will was gone, Kinky showed up with two people from Southern Living magazine! "Nance, Tone," Kinky said. This is Jennifer McKenzie Frazier, and Robbie Caponetto. They want to shoot me over here."
After howdies and handshakes, we all went into Outer Space for a short visit, with these two nice people. When Robbie pulled his camera out and started shooting Kinky, I went to get my camera. When I came back, I asked Robbie if he would mind if I shot Kinky, too. He had no problem with it! I shot Kinky seventy-three times! Here is a picture of Robbie and Jennifer and a few pictures of Kinky.
When the shooting had commenced, we took them on a tour of the rescue ranch. They loved my writing cabin, and admired the painting, 'The Von Kinky Family Singers,' that Dusty Pendleton had done! Then we went on the dog tour. Jennifer fell in love with several of our dogs, while Robbie shot Kinky several more times with our dogs. Jennifer told me that the article will probably be in their upcoming November issue of Southern Living! I can't wait!
Before I go watch a movie, I want to say that I met four new people today, that impressed me, and that I really liked. Thank you, Paul and John, and Jennifer and Robbie! Y'all rock!
Y'all have a great evening!
When I arrived, Cindy was outside, with the owner, discussing the placement of the beautiful signs. "Hi Nancy," Cindy said. "I want you to meet John Baker. He owns San Saba Caps." John and I shook hands. "Didn't these turn out great!" My long time best friend asked, as she showed them to me.
"They're beautiful," I said. When Cindy and John were done, I told John that I had been in the embroidery business for over twenty years, and that I was very impressed with his work. Then we went inside his store, and Paul McCullar, came up to us and said hello to Cindy, and then he introduced himself to me. Paul and I quickly got to talking about being in the embroidery business, so he gave Cindy and me a tour of their work area, where their embroidery equipment is. Wow! This company was big time! In fact, they had so many sewing heads—it made my head spin!
When Cindy and I left San Saba Cap, we ran a couple of errands. Our last stop was at Pier One. When we walked out the store's door, I was carrying a sack with two gifts, that Cindy had bought for me!
On our way back to San Saba Cap, we ran into a traffic jam—and we were stranded at the corner where Wolfmueller's Books is a few doors down from. As we watched some kind of giant government equipment, that was causing the backup, slowly start moving. I looked over at Cindy, and saw Jon Wolfmueller waving at me from the corner! Cindy quickly rolled down Trigger's window, "Hi Jon!" I half-hollered. Before Jon could speak, the traffic jam was over, and I had to take off! Sorry Jon.
When we pulled up at San Saba Cap, Cindy and I were in shock, when we saw her beautifully decorated FJ! "It's perfect!" Cindy said, with excitement in her voice.
"OMG Cindy, it's beautiful!..." John came out and met us, as we climbed out of Trigger, and he was wearing a bigger smile than Cindy was. Here are some pictures that Cindy took of it, when she got home. By the way, Cindy named her FJ—the Hobbit Express! I love it!
Late this afternoon, I went over to the Lodge and had a fun visit with Kinky, Will Wallace and Copper Love! Copper is the artist, that did all of the artwork for Kinky's new self-published book, Heroes Of A Texas Childhood, which should be coming out real soon!
Around four o'clock I returned to the rescue ranch. Twenty minutes later, Will came over to borrow some tools from Tone. We had a nice visit with him. As soon as Will was gone, Kinky showed up with two people from Southern Living magazine! "Nance, Tone," Kinky said. This is Jennifer McKenzie Frazier, and Robbie Caponetto. They want to shoot me over here."
After howdies and handshakes, we all went into Outer Space for a short visit, with these two nice people. When Robbie pulled his camera out and started shooting Kinky, I went to get my camera. When I came back, I asked Robbie if he would mind if I shot Kinky, too. He had no problem with it! I shot Kinky seventy-three times! Here is a picture of Robbie and Jennifer and a few pictures of Kinky.
When the shooting had commenced, we took them on a tour of the rescue ranch. They loved my writing cabin, and admired the painting, 'The Von Kinky Family Singers,' that Dusty Pendleton had done! Then we went on the dog tour. Jennifer fell in love with several of our dogs, while Robbie shot Kinky several more times with our dogs. Jennifer told me that the article will probably be in their upcoming November issue of Southern Living! I can't wait!
Before I go watch a movie, I want to say that I met four new people today, that impressed me, and that I really liked. Thank you, Paul and John, and Jennifer and Robbie! Y'all rock!
Y'all have a great evening!
Monday, August 17, 2009
Something To Squawk About!
Saturday morning, Tony and I went over to the Lodge to give Kinky one of our healthy breakfast smoothies. Kinky loved it, and has now asked us to keep bringing them over for his breakfast. I love it! Following his liquid breakfast, we went outside and I took some pictures of his guests, Russ and his talkative Macaw—Kinky Friedman, with the Kinkster. And, that's Trigger in the background!
The tattoo that you see on Russ' shoulder is beautiful. Russ just recently had it done. Here's a close up of it.
Saturday evening, I went over to the Lodge to visit with Kinky's and our friend, Russ Erickson. We love Russ! He had driven from Asheville, North Carolina, with his famous talking Macaw parrot, named Kinky Friedman! Russ had also brought along his son, Trace with his son, Jake.
Russ had invited Tony and me to join them for dinner around six-thirty. Tone was tired, and didn't go with me, because he had been outside all day and he was wore out. When I arrived, there was a surprise guest, too—Steve Rambam! After handshakes and hugs, Kinky, Will, Trace, Jake, Rambam, Russ and me sat down at the picnic table, near the Lodge. I had told Russ earlier in the day, not to cook anything for me, because I don't eat past five o'clock.
Russ had cooked the guys BBQ, using his perfected secret recipe, and it smelled delicious. In fact, I know it was delicious, because Rambam ate four BBQ sandwiches, including four of Russ' homemade tamales! I got full just watching him.
While Kinky only ate one BBQ sandwich, Rambam told us about his travels, and he made us laugh with most of his jokes. Kinky was the first to leave the table, because he had some phone calls to make. About ten minutes later, Will said, "Nance, the horses are over at the truck eating something." I looked up.
"OMG!" I said. "There are five feed sacks in the back of Trigger! Y'all, I hate to run, but I have to get out of here, before the horses eat too much feed! See y'all tomorrow. Bye!" I left the party of five, and skipped to the truck. "Yah! Get out of here!" I half-hollered to the happy, munching horses. They pretended not to hear me, like Tony sometimes does. So I played an old ranch trick on them.
With them watching me, I bent down, picked up a big rock, similar looking, to the rock tool that we use on Buttermilk, to get her air conditioning fan to start working. With their full attention, I tossed the rock near them, making sure not to hit them. I would never do that. Well, it worked like a charm! When they saw the rock in my hand, and then heard it drop to the ground, close to them—they took off in a fast trot! I then jumped into Trigger, and we galloped home.
I want to show you this tattoo, that I took of Russ' arm. Kinky loved the quote and so did I. The quote is from Louis L'Amour and it is: "There will come a time when you believe that everything is finished... That will be the beginning."
FYI: Kinky Friedman, the parrot, was born in Daytona Beach, Florida on September 9, 1996, which makes him a Virgo. He was named in honor of Kinky, the person. Kinky, the bird, can speak over five hundred words and phrases when he wants to. And he loves to squawk, and it can be piercing at times! He spends most of his time at Russ and his daughter, Tara's doggie daycare and grooming facility At Play With Sparky in Asheville. I hope that you will check them out! We love them both!
Y'all have a great evening!
The tattoo that you see on Russ' shoulder is beautiful. Russ just recently had it done. Here's a close up of it.
Saturday evening, I went over to the Lodge to visit with Kinky's and our friend, Russ Erickson. We love Russ! He had driven from Asheville, North Carolina, with his famous talking Macaw parrot, named Kinky Friedman! Russ had also brought along his son, Trace with his son, Jake.
Russ had invited Tony and me to join them for dinner around six-thirty. Tone was tired, and didn't go with me, because he had been outside all day and he was wore out. When I arrived, there was a surprise guest, too—Steve Rambam! After handshakes and hugs, Kinky, Will, Trace, Jake, Rambam, Russ and me sat down at the picnic table, near the Lodge. I had told Russ earlier in the day, not to cook anything for me, because I don't eat past five o'clock.
Russ had cooked the guys BBQ, using his perfected secret recipe, and it smelled delicious. In fact, I know it was delicious, because Rambam ate four BBQ sandwiches, including four of Russ' homemade tamales! I got full just watching him.
While Kinky only ate one BBQ sandwich, Rambam told us about his travels, and he made us laugh with most of his jokes. Kinky was the first to leave the table, because he had some phone calls to make. About ten minutes later, Will said, "Nance, the horses are over at the truck eating something." I looked up.
"OMG!" I said. "There are five feed sacks in the back of Trigger! Y'all, I hate to run, but I have to get out of here, before the horses eat too much feed! See y'all tomorrow. Bye!" I left the party of five, and skipped to the truck. "Yah! Get out of here!" I half-hollered to the happy, munching horses. They pretended not to hear me, like Tony sometimes does. So I played an old ranch trick on them.
With them watching me, I bent down, picked up a big rock, similar looking, to the rock tool that we use on Buttermilk, to get her air conditioning fan to start working. With their full attention, I tossed the rock near them, making sure not to hit them. I would never do that. Well, it worked like a charm! When they saw the rock in my hand, and then heard it drop to the ground, close to them—they took off in a fast trot! I then jumped into Trigger, and we galloped home.
I want to show you this tattoo, that I took of Russ' arm. Kinky loved the quote and so did I. The quote is from Louis L'Amour and it is: "There will come a time when you believe that everything is finished... That will be the beginning."
FYI: Kinky Friedman, the parrot, was born in Daytona Beach, Florida on September 9, 1996, which makes him a Virgo. He was named in honor of Kinky, the person. Kinky, the bird, can speak over five hundred words and phrases when he wants to. And he loves to squawk, and it can be piercing at times! He spends most of his time at Russ and his daughter, Tara's doggie daycare and grooming facility At Play With Sparky in Asheville. I hope that you will check them out! We love them both!
Y'all have a great evening!
Saturday, August 15, 2009
New World Record—Four Dog Hike!
Yesterday, Kinky decided to start a new health regimen. It is pretty simple—eat healthier and exercise more! So this morning, after Tony and I drank our super healthy smoothies, I made smoothies for Will, Kinky and Ben. The ingredients I used were: ginger, almonds, orange juice, pomegranate juice, kale, banana, apple, carrot, radish, flax seeds, barley grass powder, honey, blue berries and strawberries. Here is a picture before I pulverized it in Jaws, my mighty Vita-Mix machine.
Tony and I took my concoction over to the Lodge. They drank it and loved it. Then T. and I came home. Tony went outside to work and I stayed inside to workout. We're talkin' six miles, again!
At twelve-thirty, the phone rang—it was Kinky. "Nance, I've got blog material for you. Call me." I picked up the phone and called him, then I went over to the Lodge!
After saying hello to Ben, Will and Dylan Ferrero, Kinky walked into the kitchen. "Nance, the four of us just climbed Echo Hill, with four dogs, Brownie, Penny, Chumley and Mr. Magoo! We have set a new world record! Dylan and I are the eldest human beings to ever climb Echo Hill! Dylan is sixty-six, and I am almost sixty-five! Ben and Will were our Sherpas, and I am sure that in over sixty years or maybe longer, no man our age, has ever climbed to the summit!"
"Wow! I said. "What's a Sherpa?"
Kinky spelled it, and then quickly explained it to me. Then I suggested that we go outside so I could shoot them. After I shot them, I asked Kinky to do a video for me and I have posted it on the sidebar under favorite video clips. And, Kinky was great in it! Here are three pictures, that Ben Welch took on their expedition and the last picture I took of the four brave men, who made history today at Echo Hill Ranch!
Here's the video clip of the Four Dog Hike!
Y'all have a great evening!
Tony and I took my concoction over to the Lodge. They drank it and loved it. Then T. and I came home. Tony went outside to work and I stayed inside to workout. We're talkin' six miles, again!
At twelve-thirty, the phone rang—it was Kinky. "Nance, I've got blog material for you. Call me." I picked up the phone and called him, then I went over to the Lodge!
After saying hello to Ben, Will and Dylan Ferrero, Kinky walked into the kitchen. "Nance, the four of us just climbed Echo Hill, with four dogs, Brownie, Penny, Chumley and Mr. Magoo! We have set a new world record! Dylan and I are the eldest human beings to ever climb Echo Hill! Dylan is sixty-six, and I am almost sixty-five! Ben and Will were our Sherpas, and I am sure that in over sixty years or maybe longer, no man our age, has ever climbed to the summit!"
"Wow! I said. "What's a Sherpa?"
Kinky spelled it, and then quickly explained it to me. Then I suggested that we go outside so I could shoot them. After I shot them, I asked Kinky to do a video for me and I have posted it on the sidebar under favorite video clips. And, Kinky was great in it! Here are three pictures, that Ben Welch took on their expedition and the last picture I took of the four brave men, who made history today at Echo Hill Ranch!
Here's the video clip of the Four Dog Hike!
Y'all have a great evening!
Friday, August 14, 2009
Oh No! Not That One!
This evening Tony and I have some friends coming over, to play poker with us in Outer Space. Since none of us have much real money to speak of, and to keep it friendly, we will either use matchsticks or pennies. I am hoping that we will play with pennies, because matches and trailers do not make for a good pair.
I love my trailer, and I guess that I am paranoid about my trailer burning down, but I can't help it. It seems like every night, or just about every other night on the news, some trailer has caught on fire, or was struck by lightning, or been blown away to Oz by an unfriendly tornado!
Late this morning, Trigger took Tony and me up to Fredericksburg, so we could be judges for a pet contest, at St. Barnabas Episcopal Church's 'First Friday Food Ministry' luncheon, which was benefiting the Fredericksburg SPCA—and we had a blast! Patti and Sheryl were there with Opie, the dog that they had adopted from us, a couple of weeks ago! Opie looked great, and he was the coolest dog there! Our meals were delicious, and I really enjoyed meeting so many nice people. As soon as the awards were handed out, Tone and I drove over to the Fredericksburg SPCA, and dropped off seven, twenty pound boxes, filled with Milk Bone treats for their dogs, then we headed to Kerrville.
When we got to Kerrville, we stopped at H.E.B. to grab a few groceries, before heading home. On isle nine or ten, we ran into our friends Les and Denise! They were shopping with their cute grandson. After handshakes and hugs we laughed about running into them, and we realized that it has been a couple of months or so, since we had seen them at the store. Then we hugged and handshaked and said goodbye.
After we had filled our cart, I remembered that I had forgotten to get some flaxseed, so on our way back through the store we ran into our friend, Peggy, part of the P & P ladies—Patty and Peggy! After hugs, we had a quick, but fun visit with her. Before leaving, we asked P to tell Patty, who lives in South Florida, howdy!
Late this afternoon, Kinky called, "Nance, can you and Tony come over here? I want to show you something." Ten minutes later, I was over at the Lodge, staring at four beautiful book jacket designs, for his upcoming book, Heroes Of A Texas Childhood. Then Kinky asked me to pick my favorite one.
"I like this one," I said. "They all look great, but this one is my favorite."
"Me, too!" Kinky said. I want to get Ben and Will's opinion, too. Let's go find them." Then the door to the kitchen opened, and Will Wallace walked in. "Will, I need for you to pick the jacket cover that you like best." Will studied the artwork, laid out on the pool table.
"This one," Will said, pointing to the same one we liked! Then we heard the kitchen door open, again, and Penny and Valerie walked into the 'big room,' followed by Ben. Kinky asked Ben to pick.
"I like this one," Ben said.
"Oh no!" I said. "Not that one! It's my least favorite." All three of the men started laughing. Before leaving the Lodge, Kinky had made his choice, and you're gonna love it!"
My dogs have just started barking—our friends are here!
I'll bet a penny, that y'all have a great evening!
I love my trailer, and I guess that I am paranoid about my trailer burning down, but I can't help it. It seems like every night, or just about every other night on the news, some trailer has caught on fire, or was struck by lightning, or been blown away to Oz by an unfriendly tornado!
Late this morning, Trigger took Tony and me up to Fredericksburg, so we could be judges for a pet contest, at St. Barnabas Episcopal Church's 'First Friday Food Ministry' luncheon, which was benefiting the Fredericksburg SPCA—and we had a blast! Patti and Sheryl were there with Opie, the dog that they had adopted from us, a couple of weeks ago! Opie looked great, and he was the coolest dog there! Our meals were delicious, and I really enjoyed meeting so many nice people. As soon as the awards were handed out, Tone and I drove over to the Fredericksburg SPCA, and dropped off seven, twenty pound boxes, filled with Milk Bone treats for their dogs, then we headed to Kerrville.
When we got to Kerrville, we stopped at H.E.B. to grab a few groceries, before heading home. On isle nine or ten, we ran into our friends Les and Denise! They were shopping with their cute grandson. After handshakes and hugs we laughed about running into them, and we realized that it has been a couple of months or so, since we had seen them at the store. Then we hugged and handshaked and said goodbye.
After we had filled our cart, I remembered that I had forgotten to get some flaxseed, so on our way back through the store we ran into our friend, Peggy, part of the P & P ladies—Patty and Peggy! After hugs, we had a quick, but fun visit with her. Before leaving, we asked P to tell Patty, who lives in South Florida, howdy!
Late this afternoon, Kinky called, "Nance, can you and Tony come over here? I want to show you something." Ten minutes later, I was over at the Lodge, staring at four beautiful book jacket designs, for his upcoming book, Heroes Of A Texas Childhood. Then Kinky asked me to pick my favorite one.
"I like this one," I said. "They all look great, but this one is my favorite."
"Me, too!" Kinky said. I want to get Ben and Will's opinion, too. Let's go find them." Then the door to the kitchen opened, and Will Wallace walked in. "Will, I need for you to pick the jacket cover that you like best." Will studied the artwork, laid out on the pool table.
"This one," Will said, pointing to the same one we liked! Then we heard the kitchen door open, again, and Penny and Valerie walked into the 'big room,' followed by Ben. Kinky asked Ben to pick.
"I like this one," Ben said.
"Oh no!" I said. "Not that one! It's my least favorite." All three of the men started laughing. Before leaving the Lodge, Kinky had made his choice, and you're gonna love it!"
My dogs have just started barking—our friends are here!
I'll bet a penny, that y'all have a great evening!
Thursday, August 13, 2009
Thanks To Magnum P.I. And Rockford!
This morning, Tony woke me up at five-thirty, because I had asked him to. Then T. took off for the Old Timer. After feeding the dogs and the cat, I walked the walk, six miles to be exact, then I called Kinky at seven o'clock, because he had asked me to. He had an early interview to give, and he wanted to make sure that he didn't oversleep.
At seven-forty-five, I called into the Harley Show, but I got the radio station's machine. As I watched and listened to Harley doing his live webcast, I continued to punch the redial button, but I kept getting the machine! I started worrying, because last week the same thing happened to me, so I sent an e-mail to Harley, and asked him if something was wrong. Then I made some kona coffee in Perky, the percolator. While it brewed, I brewed.
At five past eight, Tony walked in the front door. "Sorry, I missed the show. I had to go to the hardware store. How did it go?"
"It didn't go," I said. "I couldn't get through, just like last week." Then the phone rang, and I let Carlton take the call.
"Hello, Cousin Nancy! This is Harley..."
I picked up the phone, "Hello Harley!"
"We are on the air right now, and I am calling to apologize to you for not letting you do the show this morning or last week's..."
"Harley, you don't have to apologize to me for anything..."
Then Harley explained to me that Becky had left the station two weeks ago, for another job, and his scheduling had been all messed up. We talked for several minutes on the air, and I laughed nearly all of the way through it. I love Harley Belew and I am so glad that everything is fine.
After breakfast, I wrote some letters and then returned some phone calls. With that done, I went outside to talk to Ben. He had driven down last night, and he was cleaning pens when I found him. He and I caught up with each other's news. Then I returned to the trailer to discover I had six new messages on the answering machine.
Early this afternoon, Kinky called to invite me over to the Lodge for a visit. Outside by the Friedman Family Bone Orchard, we discussed politics, my book, his book, my dogs, his dogs and our dogs, and then he challenged me to shoot a game of pool with him.
In the beginning, The Hummingbird Man was on a roll—shooting like a pro. Near the ending, I was on a roll—shooting like a girl, who had just found luck for the very first time! We both had one ball left on the table! I took my shot and missed, and then the Hummingbird Man sank his ball and then the eight ball! I had lost, again. So, I left the Lodge laughing all of the way home!
Early this evening, after Ben, Tone and I were done working, we went over to the Lodge to visit with Kinky and Will Wallace. "Will is the ruling pool champion," Kinky told us, so Tony challenged Will to a game. Will was tired, and he declined. So, Tony challenged Ben to a game.
During their round of pool, the Lodge was filled with laughter, until Kinky's cable tv went down. While Tony and Ben took turns missing their balls, Kinky went into his office and called the cable company, while Will and I tried to figure out what was wrong with the receiver. Then Kinky walks into the 'big room' and says, "I am putting you on with Cousin Nancy. Please hold on for a second." Then he hands me the phone and then sits down in his chair.
The technician's name was Peter, and he was really nice. I think he was from Alabama. Anyway, Kinky had his cable back on in less than two minutes, thanks to me, repeating Peter's instructions to Tony! Kink was delighted! Then his phone rang.
When Tone and I were fixin' to leave, Kinky said, "Nance, Rambam is on his way out here to talk to you and me. He wants to talk to you. He should be here any minute."
"Okay, that's fine," I said. "Send him over to the rescue ranch. See y'all later."
I like Rambam. For those of you who don't know Rambam, he is an international private investigator and he is a pretty famous one, too. Just ask him. I'm just kidding!
Five minutes after we had gotten home, I decided to go back over to the Lodge, to talk to Rambam. When I arrived, no one was in the Lodge, so I went outside and found Kinky, Ben and Will were inside the Annex, trying to get the fax machine to work. "Where's Rambam?" I asked.
"He just left to go over to the rescue ranch to talk to you," Kinky said. The three of them started laughing, so I thought they were kidding with me, but they weren't. As the fax machine began spitting out one page after the other, Kinky says, "There's Rambam. Come on, Nance, let's go talk to him."
Kinky and I left the Annex. After hugs from Rambam, he told Kinky that he and I needed to go for a walk, to discuss some business, so Kinky bid us farewell, and we strolled off into the sunset, I mean the dining hall. Fifteen minutes later, we were back at the Lodge. I started to leave, but Kinky asked me to stay and visit with him and Rambam.
As dark, threatening, but rainless clouds passed over us, as we sat near the bone orchard, the three of us had a fun visit. With loud thunder claps in the distance, Rambam told us some jokes, that I can't repeat, unfortunately. At one point during our conversation, Kinky started laughing really hard! "What's so funny, Kink?" I asked.
"Nance, we're sitting here, with one of the world's most famous private eye detectives," Kinky said. "And, he couldn't find either of us, when he got here!" We all started laughing. "When Rambam arrived, Ben and Will were outside, and I was in the Annex working on the fax machine."
"Yeah," Rambam said, "And thanks to Magnum P.I. and Rockford, I went over to the rescue ranch to find Nancy, but you had already taken off for the Lodge. Your gate was closed to the rescue ranch. But, I ended up finding you both!" Kinky and I laughed, as he walked me all the way to Trigger!
Y'all have a great evening!
At seven-forty-five, I called into the Harley Show, but I got the radio station's machine. As I watched and listened to Harley doing his live webcast, I continued to punch the redial button, but I kept getting the machine! I started worrying, because last week the same thing happened to me, so I sent an e-mail to Harley, and asked him if something was wrong. Then I made some kona coffee in Perky, the percolator. While it brewed, I brewed.
At five past eight, Tony walked in the front door. "Sorry, I missed the show. I had to go to the hardware store. How did it go?"
"It didn't go," I said. "I couldn't get through, just like last week." Then the phone rang, and I let Carlton take the call.
"Hello, Cousin Nancy! This is Harley..."
I picked up the phone, "Hello Harley!"
"We are on the air right now, and I am calling to apologize to you for not letting you do the show this morning or last week's..."
"Harley, you don't have to apologize to me for anything..."
Then Harley explained to me that Becky had left the station two weeks ago, for another job, and his scheduling had been all messed up. We talked for several minutes on the air, and I laughed nearly all of the way through it. I love Harley Belew and I am so glad that everything is fine.
After breakfast, I wrote some letters and then returned some phone calls. With that done, I went outside to talk to Ben. He had driven down last night, and he was cleaning pens when I found him. He and I caught up with each other's news. Then I returned to the trailer to discover I had six new messages on the answering machine.
Early this afternoon, Kinky called to invite me over to the Lodge for a visit. Outside by the Friedman Family Bone Orchard, we discussed politics, my book, his book, my dogs, his dogs and our dogs, and then he challenged me to shoot a game of pool with him.
In the beginning, The Hummingbird Man was on a roll—shooting like a pro. Near the ending, I was on a roll—shooting like a girl, who had just found luck for the very first time! We both had one ball left on the table! I took my shot and missed, and then the Hummingbird Man sank his ball and then the eight ball! I had lost, again. So, I left the Lodge laughing all of the way home!
Early this evening, after Ben, Tone and I were done working, we went over to the Lodge to visit with Kinky and Will Wallace. "Will is the ruling pool champion," Kinky told us, so Tony challenged Will to a game. Will was tired, and he declined. So, Tony challenged Ben to a game.
During their round of pool, the Lodge was filled with laughter, until Kinky's cable tv went down. While Tony and Ben took turns missing their balls, Kinky went into his office and called the cable company, while Will and I tried to figure out what was wrong with the receiver. Then Kinky walks into the 'big room' and says, "I am putting you on with Cousin Nancy. Please hold on for a second." Then he hands me the phone and then sits down in his chair.
The technician's name was Peter, and he was really nice. I think he was from Alabama. Anyway, Kinky had his cable back on in less than two minutes, thanks to me, repeating Peter's instructions to Tony! Kink was delighted! Then his phone rang.
When Tone and I were fixin' to leave, Kinky said, "Nance, Rambam is on his way out here to talk to you and me. He wants to talk to you. He should be here any minute."
"Okay, that's fine," I said. "Send him over to the rescue ranch. See y'all later."
I like Rambam. For those of you who don't know Rambam, he is an international private investigator and he is a pretty famous one, too. Just ask him. I'm just kidding!
Five minutes after we had gotten home, I decided to go back over to the Lodge, to talk to Rambam. When I arrived, no one was in the Lodge, so I went outside and found Kinky, Ben and Will were inside the Annex, trying to get the fax machine to work. "Where's Rambam?" I asked.
"He just left to go over to the rescue ranch to talk to you," Kinky said. The three of them started laughing, so I thought they were kidding with me, but they weren't. As the fax machine began spitting out one page after the other, Kinky says, "There's Rambam. Come on, Nance, let's go talk to him."
Kinky and I left the Annex. After hugs from Rambam, he told Kinky that he and I needed to go for a walk, to discuss some business, so Kinky bid us farewell, and we strolled off into the sunset, I mean the dining hall. Fifteen minutes later, we were back at the Lodge. I started to leave, but Kinky asked me to stay and visit with him and Rambam.
As dark, threatening, but rainless clouds passed over us, as we sat near the bone orchard, the three of us had a fun visit. With loud thunder claps in the distance, Rambam told us some jokes, that I can't repeat, unfortunately. At one point during our conversation, Kinky started laughing really hard! "What's so funny, Kink?" I asked.
"Nance, we're sitting here, with one of the world's most famous private eye detectives," Kinky said. "And, he couldn't find either of us, when he got here!" We all started laughing. "When Rambam arrived, Ben and Will were outside, and I was in the Annex working on the fax machine."
"Yeah," Rambam said, "And thanks to Magnum P.I. and Rockford, I went over to the rescue ranch to find Nancy, but you had already taken off for the Lodge. Your gate was closed to the rescue ranch. But, I ended up finding you both!" Kinky and I laughed, as he walked me all the way to Trigger!
Y'all have a great evening!
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
The Kinkster Is Back At The Ranch!
Today after walking six fast miles, I spent most of the day doing ranch paperwork, while Tony went to Kerrville to pick up Jack Nicholson. Jack looks great, and he is glad to be back home!
At three o'clock, Tony drove me to Medina, so I could mail out a load of letters. Five miles outside of Medina it began raining! I got soaked skipping to the mailbox to drop off my letters! It poured almost all of the way home, too! Puddles were everywhere! But, when we turned off of Hwy. 16, onto our road, there was not one drop of rain. The shower had completely missed us, and it sorta depressed me, but hopefully tonight, we will get some rain. I have my fingers crossed.
My good news is, Kinky is finally back at the ranch, after being gone for over a week! Even though it was pretty peaceful and quiet around here, I really missed him.
I've got to go to bed now, because I have to get up early in the morning, so I can do the Harley Show in the morning! I'm fixin' to unplug everything, in case we get some welcomed and needed thunderstorms later tonight. Good Night.
Y'all have a great evening!
At three o'clock, Tony drove me to Medina, so I could mail out a load of letters. Five miles outside of Medina it began raining! I got soaked skipping to the mailbox to drop off my letters! It poured almost all of the way home, too! Puddles were everywhere! But, when we turned off of Hwy. 16, onto our road, there was not one drop of rain. The shower had completely missed us, and it sorta depressed me, but hopefully tonight, we will get some rain. I have my fingers crossed.
My good news is, Kinky is finally back at the ranch, after being gone for over a week! Even though it was pretty peaceful and quiet around here, I really missed him.
I've got to go to bed now, because I have to get up early in the morning, so I can do the Harley Show in the morning! I'm fixin' to unplug everything, in case we get some welcomed and needed thunderstorms later tonight. Good Night.
Y'all have a great evening!
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
Forget About It!
This morning, when I woke up at seven o'clock, I was exhausted, because I couldn't fall to sleep last night! It was sometime after two, when I finally drifted off into La La Land. As you know, I am one of those people that must get at least eight hours of sleep. When I don't get enough sleep, I turn into a grumpy old lady, to put it nicely. Tony has a different expression he uses to describe my mood, but I won't go there.
After feeding my best friends, and Tony, I went back to bed. Two hours later, I woke up and I felt refreshed, thank goodness! I went back to Tony's office and asked him if he would help me finish the dog's ramp, before it got too hot outside. "I've already finished it," Tony said. "Go take a look at it." I went outside, took a look and then came back inside the trailer.
"I love it, Tone! Thank you, so much!" Then I went back outside and watched 'the old folks' happily going up and down it, with their tails wagging! I haven't named it, yet, but hopefully by tomorrow, I will have come up with something.
This afternoon, we went to Copies Plus, in Kerrville to pick up some new postcards that Tony had ordered. Trish was there and we had a fun visit with her, then she showed Tony his sunflower postcards! They were more than beautiful! Trish was delighted and so was T.! After we left her place, Trigger took us to Wolfmueller's Books.
On the way over to Jon and Sandy's I asked Tony if I could have a few of his postcards and his response was, "Sure, you can have as many as you want for a dollar a piece." Then he started laughing, as we pulled into a parking space, in front of the bookstore.
"Tony, I can't believe that you want me to pay for them! Good grief!" Tony continued to laugh. "Fine. Forget about it! I don't have any cash on me anyway, and I know you don't take credit cards, so I'll just print some up, when we get home—for free!" Then I laughed, and we went into the store.
Sandy greeted us, and then she told us that Jon had gone to get his hair cut. Tony showed Sandy his new sunflower postcards and asked her if she wanted to buy any for the store. Sandy loved T.'s postcards, and she wrote Tony a check for almost all of them! Then Jon walked inside the back door, and waved to us.
"Did you get your ears lowered?" I half-hollered to him.
"Yes I did," Jon answered. "How are y'all doing?" We told him, and then we had a fun, short visit with them, and then we came home.
I talked to Kinky late this afternoon. He was at the New Orleans airport, waiting for a plane to take him to Austin. He was delighted when I told him that Susan, from Hoegemeyer's, had called, to tell me that Jack Nicholson was doing fine, and he was ready for us to come and pick him up tomorrow! Then it was my turn to be delighted. Kink told me that the tickets for the Blood Mary Morning with Willie Nelson—were selling like hot cakes! We talked about The Friedmans, and then we said goodbye to each other. Kinky will be back at the ranch tomorrow afternoon, and I can't wait to see him!
Y'all have a great evening!
After feeding my best friends, and Tony, I went back to bed. Two hours later, I woke up and I felt refreshed, thank goodness! I went back to Tony's office and asked him if he would help me finish the dog's ramp, before it got too hot outside. "I've already finished it," Tony said. "Go take a look at it." I went outside, took a look and then came back inside the trailer.
"I love it, Tone! Thank you, so much!" Then I went back outside and watched 'the old folks' happily going up and down it, with their tails wagging! I haven't named it, yet, but hopefully by tomorrow, I will have come up with something.
This afternoon, we went to Copies Plus, in Kerrville to pick up some new postcards that Tony had ordered. Trish was there and we had a fun visit with her, then she showed Tony his sunflower postcards! They were more than beautiful! Trish was delighted and so was T.! After we left her place, Trigger took us to Wolfmueller's Books.
On the way over to Jon and Sandy's I asked Tony if I could have a few of his postcards and his response was, "Sure, you can have as many as you want for a dollar a piece." Then he started laughing, as we pulled into a parking space, in front of the bookstore.
"Tony, I can't believe that you want me to pay for them! Good grief!" Tony continued to laugh. "Fine. Forget about it! I don't have any cash on me anyway, and I know you don't take credit cards, so I'll just print some up, when we get home—for free!" Then I laughed, and we went into the store.
Sandy greeted us, and then she told us that Jon had gone to get his hair cut. Tony showed Sandy his new sunflower postcards and asked her if she wanted to buy any for the store. Sandy loved T.'s postcards, and she wrote Tony a check for almost all of them! Then Jon walked inside the back door, and waved to us.
"Did you get your ears lowered?" I half-hollered to him.
"Yes I did," Jon answered. "How are y'all doing?" We told him, and then we had a fun, short visit with them, and then we came home.
I talked to Kinky late this afternoon. He was at the New Orleans airport, waiting for a plane to take him to Austin. He was delighted when I told him that Susan, from Hoegemeyer's, had called, to tell me that Jack Nicholson was doing fine, and he was ready for us to come and pick him up tomorrow! Then it was my turn to be delighted. Kink told me that the tickets for the Blood Mary Morning with Willie Nelson—were selling like hot cakes! We talked about The Friedmans, and then we said goodbye to each other. Kinky will be back at the ranch tomorrow afternoon, and I can't wait to see him!
Y'all have a great evening!
Monday, August 10, 2009
Jack And Jill!
It is a good thing that yesterday was so restful, because we needed the energy today! First off, Kinky called to tell me the exciting news about his campaign fundraiser, 'A Bloody Mary Morning with Willie Nelson' in Dallas and the Three Dog Night concert, at Casbeers At The Church, in San Antonio! Tony and I are really going to try to make the events, too! The details are at: kinkyfriedman.com.
After Kinky's call, I started walking. I was finishing up my sixth fast mile, when there was a knock on the front door. "Come in!" I huffed.
"Nancy, Tony just left for Hoegemeyer's with Jack Nicholson, in the van!" Aaron said. "Tony asked me to come up here and tell you, to call Hoegemeyer's and tell them he is on his way, and it is an emergency!" When I saw Aaron's blood stained hands, I set my three pound weights down, and then paused Leslie's walking video—praying that I wouldn't faint.
"What happened?"
"Jack and Jill St. John got into a fight over their food. Jill is fine, but Jack was bitten on his neck and blood was pouring out! Tony used a bandana, and wrapped it around his neck tightly to stop the bleeding. He was scared that Jill had bitten into Jack's jugular vein. I need to get back outside."
As soon as Aaron left, I picked up the phone and called Susan, at the clinic, to alert her that Tony was on his way. Then I stopped the walking video, because I was feeling queazy.
An hour and a half later, Tony walked inside the trailer. There was dried blood on his jeans and shirt. "You're not going to believe what happened, Nance," Tony said.
"What?" I asked, even though I wasn't sure that I wanted to know.
"As I was starting down the pass, a pickup pulling a u-Haul trailer, had jackknifed—stopping all of the traffic. Jack was still bleeding pretty badly, and nothing was being done, and the cars were starting to stack up, so I pulled out of line, and drove Van Morrison up to the truck. I told the man that I had an emergency, and I needed to get Jack to the vet clinic. I offered to pull the man's truck and trailer off to the side of the road for him, so the traffic could start flowing, again. The man told me that his fuel pump had gone out on him, and he thanked me. Thank goodness I was in the van, because Trigger couldn't have done it. I tied the truck's bumper to ours and pulled the truck with trailer, to the side of the road. Then I took off for the clinic."
"How's Jack?"
"I don't know? As soon as we arrived, they took Jack into their emergency room. Susan told me to call them in a few hours. I sure hope that little fella is going to make it. He's a good little dog. I need to clean up and change clothes."
Forty-five minutes later, noon to be exact, our friends, Barry and Sue Ellen, from Bandera, showed up with their photographer friend, and I'm sorry but I can't remember her name, but she was really sweet. They had made an appointment to come out and take a picture of Dusty Pendleton's beautiful painting, "The Von Kinky Family Singers," that was used on the front cover of our 2009 calendar!
Tony removed the painting from the wall in my writing cabin, and took it outside, so she could shoot it. While she snapped away, Sue Ellen and Barry, and their dog, Wheezer, who they adopted from us over three years ago, had a fun visit. And, it was really great seeing little Wheezer, again! He is spoiled rotten!
After they left, I called Susan at Hoegemeyer's to check on Jack. Susan told me that he had been bitten several times. They had to sedate him, to clean him up, and he did not need any sutures. They had given him some antibiotics, and it looks like he is going to be fine, but they want to keep him for a few days for observation! Her good news made Tone and me smile!
Jack Nicholson was officially adopted this past Saturday to our friends, Steve Samet and his son, Brett, but they can't pick him up until the twenty-fourth, so hopefully little Jack will be totally recovered and ready to get out of here, and go to his forever home in San Antone.
Tony and I needed to go to Kerrville, so we took off in Trigger. We ate a great lunch at Randy and Lisa's Save Inn Restaurant, and we even got to see Randy! I swear that place has the best down home cooking and the coolest waitresses!
After lunch, Tony and I went to Home Depot. We bought some wood, screws, outdoor carpet, and tacks, so we can finish off the ramp, that leads up to our trailer, for our four old dogs. Then we went to H.E.B. and stocked up on groceries, and then we came home.
Tomorrow morning, while it is still cool outside, T. and I are going to finish the dog ramp, and I will post a picture of it tomorrow! I know that Thunder, Hank, Little Girl and Toto are going to love it!
I've got to go work on my book.
Y'all have a great evening!
After Kinky's call, I started walking. I was finishing up my sixth fast mile, when there was a knock on the front door. "Come in!" I huffed.
"Nancy, Tony just left for Hoegemeyer's with Jack Nicholson, in the van!" Aaron said. "Tony asked me to come up here and tell you, to call Hoegemeyer's and tell them he is on his way, and it is an emergency!" When I saw Aaron's blood stained hands, I set my three pound weights down, and then paused Leslie's walking video—praying that I wouldn't faint.
"What happened?"
"Jack and Jill St. John got into a fight over their food. Jill is fine, but Jack was bitten on his neck and blood was pouring out! Tony used a bandana, and wrapped it around his neck tightly to stop the bleeding. He was scared that Jill had bitten into Jack's jugular vein. I need to get back outside."
As soon as Aaron left, I picked up the phone and called Susan, at the clinic, to alert her that Tony was on his way. Then I stopped the walking video, because I was feeling queazy.
An hour and a half later, Tony walked inside the trailer. There was dried blood on his jeans and shirt. "You're not going to believe what happened, Nance," Tony said.
"What?" I asked, even though I wasn't sure that I wanted to know.
"As I was starting down the pass, a pickup pulling a u-Haul trailer, had jackknifed—stopping all of the traffic. Jack was still bleeding pretty badly, and nothing was being done, and the cars were starting to stack up, so I pulled out of line, and drove Van Morrison up to the truck. I told the man that I had an emergency, and I needed to get Jack to the vet clinic. I offered to pull the man's truck and trailer off to the side of the road for him, so the traffic could start flowing, again. The man told me that his fuel pump had gone out on him, and he thanked me. Thank goodness I was in the van, because Trigger couldn't have done it. I tied the truck's bumper to ours and pulled the truck with trailer, to the side of the road. Then I took off for the clinic."
"How's Jack?"
"I don't know? As soon as we arrived, they took Jack into their emergency room. Susan told me to call them in a few hours. I sure hope that little fella is going to make it. He's a good little dog. I need to clean up and change clothes."
Forty-five minutes later, noon to be exact, our friends, Barry and Sue Ellen, from Bandera, showed up with their photographer friend, and I'm sorry but I can't remember her name, but she was really sweet. They had made an appointment to come out and take a picture of Dusty Pendleton's beautiful painting, "The Von Kinky Family Singers," that was used on the front cover of our 2009 calendar!
Tony removed the painting from the wall in my writing cabin, and took it outside, so she could shoot it. While she snapped away, Sue Ellen and Barry, and their dog, Wheezer, who they adopted from us over three years ago, had a fun visit. And, it was really great seeing little Wheezer, again! He is spoiled rotten!
After they left, I called Susan at Hoegemeyer's to check on Jack. Susan told me that he had been bitten several times. They had to sedate him, to clean him up, and he did not need any sutures. They had given him some antibiotics, and it looks like he is going to be fine, but they want to keep him for a few days for observation! Her good news made Tone and me smile!
Jack Nicholson was officially adopted this past Saturday to our friends, Steve Samet and his son, Brett, but they can't pick him up until the twenty-fourth, so hopefully little Jack will be totally recovered and ready to get out of here, and go to his forever home in San Antone.
Tony and I needed to go to Kerrville, so we took off in Trigger. We ate a great lunch at Randy and Lisa's Save Inn Restaurant, and we even got to see Randy! I swear that place has the best down home cooking and the coolest waitresses!
After lunch, Tony and I went to Home Depot. We bought some wood, screws, outdoor carpet, and tacks, so we can finish off the ramp, that leads up to our trailer, for our four old dogs. Then we went to H.E.B. and stocked up on groceries, and then we came home.
Tomorrow morning, while it is still cool outside, T. and I are going to finish the dog ramp, and I will post a picture of it tomorrow! I know that Thunder, Hank, Little Girl and Toto are going to love it!
I've got to go work on my book.
Y'all have a great evening!
This Just In From Kinky!
This morning the phone rang—it was Kinky! He is still in New Orleans and doing great! He had some big news and here it is! And, he invited Tony and me to be his guests at both events! I'm marking my calendar now! Here's the info:
A Bloody Mary Morning with Willie Nelson
Dear Fellow Texans, friends of Texans, and everyone else who wishes they were:
Texans for Kinky announces one of the most historical, spontaneous, and not-to-be missed events of a lifetime:
A Bloody Mary Morning with Willie Nelson
Where: Gleneagles Country Club, Plano, Texas
When: Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Time: Elevenish (unless Willie wakes up earlier)
What: An intimate chance to meet, hangout with and salute the number one best-loved Texan, Willie Nelson.
Why: To help Kinky Friedman win the Democratic nomination for governor of Texas (It’s time for Texas to secede from Rick Perry).
How Much: $1000 a plate (very limited space available)
Eat with Willie, drink with Willie, listen to Willie, get autographs from Willie, get silly with Willie, argue with Willie, dance with Willie—anything else depends on you and Willie!
Reserve your place at this special event by visiting www.kinkyfriedman.com and clicking the Fundraising Events icon in the left-hand column.
Thanks for your support!
The number two best-loved Texan,
PS: Breaking News…this just in!
For those who survive the Bloody Mary Morning and those who can’t make it, Three Dog Night will perform a special show in support of Texans for Kinky on September 18 at Casbeers at the Church in San Antonio, Texas.
Reservations are $250 per person and in addition to the show, guests will have the opportunity to meet Three Dog Night and will receive a CD and photograph for the band to sign. A very limited number of guests will be admitted. Visit www.kinkyfriedman.com for more information.
A Bloody Mary Morning with Willie Nelson
Dear Fellow Texans, friends of Texans, and everyone else who wishes they were:
Texans for Kinky announces one of the most historical, spontaneous, and not-to-be missed events of a lifetime:
A Bloody Mary Morning with Willie Nelson
Where: Gleneagles Country Club, Plano, Texas
When: Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Time: Elevenish (unless Willie wakes up earlier)
What: An intimate chance to meet, hangout with and salute the number one best-loved Texan, Willie Nelson.
Why: To help Kinky Friedman win the Democratic nomination for governor of Texas (It’s time for Texas to secede from Rick Perry).
How Much: $1000 a plate (very limited space available)
Eat with Willie, drink with Willie, listen to Willie, get autographs from Willie, get silly with Willie, argue with Willie, dance with Willie—anything else depends on you and Willie!
Reserve your place at this special event by visiting www.kinkyfriedman.com and clicking the Fundraising Events icon in the left-hand column.
Thanks for your support!
The number two best-loved Texan,
PS: Breaking News…this just in!
For those who survive the Bloody Mary Morning and those who can’t make it, Three Dog Night will perform a special show in support of Texans for Kinky on September 18 at Casbeers at the Church in San Antonio, Texas.
Reservations are $250 per person and in addition to the show, guests will have the opportunity to meet Three Dog Night and will receive a CD and photograph for the band to sign. A very limited number of guests will be admitted. Visit www.kinkyfriedman.com for more information.
Sunday, August 9, 2009
The Green, Green Grass Of Home!
This morning, while I was finishing my sixth mile, our friend, Drew called. Tony took the call, because I was huffing and puffing, and doing knee lifts. Drew wanted to know if he and Renee could come out this morning for a visit.
They arrived around ten-thirty! After handshakes and hugs, Drew handed me a large foil sack. "Here's the barley grass powder that you asked me to order for you. It's organic, and you and Tony need to take a teaspoon of it every day. We put ours in our morning smoothies. And, don't panic when it turns your smoothie totally green."
I was thrilled about getting the bag of barley grass powder. I had totally forgotten about asking Drew to get me some a while back. And, Tony and I are going to start using it first thing, tomorrow morning! It will be in our breakfast smoothies.
We went into Outer Space and had a wonderful visit with them. Tony and Drew talked photography, and Renee and I had a hen party. They stayed for a couple of hours, and then they needed to leave.
The rest of our day was quiet. I spent some time working on my book, and am nearly finished with it! I am feeling rested and ready to tackle tomorrow. Kinky is in New Orleans and should be back at the ranch by Wednesday! And, I can't wait to see him!
Y'all have a great evening!
They arrived around ten-thirty! After handshakes and hugs, Drew handed me a large foil sack. "Here's the barley grass powder that you asked me to order for you. It's organic, and you and Tony need to take a teaspoon of it every day. We put ours in our morning smoothies. And, don't panic when it turns your smoothie totally green."
I was thrilled about getting the bag of barley grass powder. I had totally forgotten about asking Drew to get me some a while back. And, Tony and I are going to start using it first thing, tomorrow morning! It will be in our breakfast smoothies.
We went into Outer Space and had a wonderful visit with them. Tony and Drew talked photography, and Renee and I had a hen party. They stayed for a couple of hours, and then they needed to leave.
The rest of our day was quiet. I spent some time working on my book, and am nearly finished with it! I am feeling rested and ready to tackle tomorrow. Kinky is in New Orleans and should be back at the ranch by Wednesday! And, I can't wait to see him!
Y'all have a great evening!
Saturday, August 8, 2009
Beckham Rules!
David and Desiree at Trails End Guest House sent me this! Tony and I loved reading it! Thank you D & D at the B & B! Please tell Beck that I love him! Enjoy!
Beckham’s Tale III
It’s been a few days since we had the chance to spend some time to hear the third part of Beckham’s story. Day jobs, B&B guests, meals at Peasants and other issues got in the way of a quiet evening spent in a hog pen listening to the master story teller spin the yarn of The Hog’s history in the New World. Of course, what does it say about us as humans when the only time we allow ourselves to slow down is in a muddy Hog pen where the proper first choice of seating makes all the difference in how the rest of the evening will go. I digress.
Beckham begins;
The times were good for Hogs and Uprights. Fighting between the Smooth Faced and the Hairy was only in small doses, mostly unorganized and localized. Except for the intense savagery and death the skirmishes between the Uprights was not too much unlike the occasional territorial bout seen in the clans of Hogs. Crops were good, wild foods were plentiful and new bands of Uprights making Hog like guttural grunts came to inhabit the land. These new Uprights were quite interested in the Hogs. They lured and kept many of the young Hogs in pens next to their wooden caves of logs. These young ones grew into enormous sizes. On moonless nights some of the Wise Ones from the clans of wild Hogs would sneak into the clusters of wooden caves to speak to these Enormous Hogs. They wanted to learn the secret of their size. Rarely if ever did they find out much. Mostly the Enormous Hogs just slept and they didn’t seem to know much of anything. The Wise Ones began calling them the Ignorants. They didn’t despise them but they cautioned the wild young Hogs to not become like them. Though they didn’t know it at the time these Enormous Hogs would become an negative observation piece among the Uprights with the Upright cautioning their young also to not become as the Enormous Hogs. It seemed the Uprights and the Hogs alike thought this was a bad thing, but the Uprights and Hogs both fed into it. A confusing dilemma.
Beckham paused and looked worried. He asked us if we felt he too had become part of the Enormous Hog trap. We assured him that he, though having put on quite a bit of size since coming to live at Trail’s End was not what we considered an Enormous Hog. As his friends we speculated his daily weight and growth gains were due to his being large boned. Didn’t he still chase the ball and run around his pen to show off his manly outdoor physique to his guests and visitors, we asked? Also perhaps, we advised him, he should consider the long term effects of the “operation” he had shortly before coming to live with us. We explained to him there were many historical references to males among the Uprights that had this same “operation” and they were Uprights of great strength and importance.
“Yes, he agreed, it seems I have heard something about this from the Wise Ones. However, tell me exactly what is this “operation” I was very young when it happened, you know. I mean, what exactly did the Upright doctor do to me anyway? Other than being a bit tender for a few days around my rear hams I haven’t noticed anything different about myself. I felt ok before the “operation;” I felt fine after the “operation.” Was this cosmetic surgery?”
We assured him the surgery was necessary and that the Vet who performed the procedure was highly qualified, a man of some notoriety in his chosen field. This seemed to satisfy Beckham and he resumed his story.
“For us Hogs, the years pass in different ways than you Uprights. We are a greater part of nature than you. You consider yourselves to be the most successful when you have removed the influences of Nature from your day to day lives. Hogs accept Nature and enjoy the differences it gives every day. This makes each day seem to be a reward to itself. Hogs have noticed over the eons that Uprights have brought themselves to a place in Nature where their greatest reward is to live for many suns closed up in the caves of stacked logs and stone, then suddenly they burst out and find the greatest joy in being out among Hogs and others like us. As quickly as you burst out, you retreat back into your caves with an equal amount of joy. Now we as Hogs have had the chance to enter your caves and to be honest we just don’t get it. We see nothing that would cause any Hog to exhibit the same emotions.”
We explained that many Uprights weren’t as hardy and prepared to spend all hours outdoors as Hogs do. Beckham just scoffed, “A cool breeze blowing over me under shady trees on a hot day feels very good indeed. I just nap until I’m hungry or thirsty, I get up eat and drink and go nap again. Sometimes I feel so good and relaxed I just run for the fun of running. I know you fill my water pool and bring me food but I assure you if that stopped I could and would get out of my pen quite easily to find what I needed to live very well. I just don’t understand the lives you Uprights live. Please forgive me if I offend, but this is what happens to me daily - beautiful Upright females come to my pen, bring me choice fruit and vegetables, scratch behind my ears, pat my back and make sweet cooing noises as they call my name. With them come handsome strong Upright males that speak of my great and powerful size. These males seem to admire me in many ways. They are ignored by what I perceive to be their female while she has eyes only for me.
Their females will squat down to my level and hand feed me delicious treats until I can eat no more; then they set the remaining treats on the ground at my feet. They offer NONE to their male, not one scrap yet the male seems to not be bothered in the slightest. I assure you if that was to happen in the society of us Hogs there would be some angry biting and a lot of squealing going on.”
“And another thing, why do some Uprights call me Beckham, others call me Wilber and still others call be Piggy-Piggy? I don’t mind I suppose but why doesn’t anyone call me by my Hog name?”
We told him we did know he had a Hog Name and he told us Uprights didn’t have a lock on naming their young. We asked him his name but we couldn’t understand what he was saying. He repeated it and it was as if a deep rumble came out of his stomach and became a grotesque belch followed by a smacking of the lips. He repeated it one more time and we heard the slightest Hog giggle when he had finished. We became aware he was merely pulling our collective Upright leg. We began to laugh, he began to laugh and we all laughed until tears were in our eyes.
The three of us spoke for long hours that night and many nights since. We have been told many tales by Beckham and we have told him many ourselves. It would be difficult to scribe all these stories yet perhaps one day I will.
You can call him Beckham, Wilber or Piggy-Piggy but what he really likes is to be called, admired and loved. If you take the time to visit you too will soon be able to speak with him and swap stories. He can’t share the wisdom of the ages but he can help you become a better Upright.
Beckham’s Tale III
It’s been a few days since we had the chance to spend some time to hear the third part of Beckham’s story. Day jobs, B&B guests, meals at Peasants and other issues got in the way of a quiet evening spent in a hog pen listening to the master story teller spin the yarn of The Hog’s history in the New World. Of course, what does it say about us as humans when the only time we allow ourselves to slow down is in a muddy Hog pen where the proper first choice of seating makes all the difference in how the rest of the evening will go. I digress.
Beckham begins;
The times were good for Hogs and Uprights. Fighting between the Smooth Faced and the Hairy was only in small doses, mostly unorganized and localized. Except for the intense savagery and death the skirmishes between the Uprights was not too much unlike the occasional territorial bout seen in the clans of Hogs. Crops were good, wild foods were plentiful and new bands of Uprights making Hog like guttural grunts came to inhabit the land. These new Uprights were quite interested in the Hogs. They lured and kept many of the young Hogs in pens next to their wooden caves of logs. These young ones grew into enormous sizes. On moonless nights some of the Wise Ones from the clans of wild Hogs would sneak into the clusters of wooden caves to speak to these Enormous Hogs. They wanted to learn the secret of their size. Rarely if ever did they find out much. Mostly the Enormous Hogs just slept and they didn’t seem to know much of anything. The Wise Ones began calling them the Ignorants. They didn’t despise them but they cautioned the wild young Hogs to not become like them. Though they didn’t know it at the time these Enormous Hogs would become an negative observation piece among the Uprights with the Upright cautioning their young also to not become as the Enormous Hogs. It seemed the Uprights and the Hogs alike thought this was a bad thing, but the Uprights and Hogs both fed into it. A confusing dilemma.
Beckham paused and looked worried. He asked us if we felt he too had become part of the Enormous Hog trap. We assured him that he, though having put on quite a bit of size since coming to live at Trail’s End was not what we considered an Enormous Hog. As his friends we speculated his daily weight and growth gains were due to his being large boned. Didn’t he still chase the ball and run around his pen to show off his manly outdoor physique to his guests and visitors, we asked? Also perhaps, we advised him, he should consider the long term effects of the “operation” he had shortly before coming to live with us. We explained to him there were many historical references to males among the Uprights that had this same “operation” and they were Uprights of great strength and importance.
“Yes, he agreed, it seems I have heard something about this from the Wise Ones. However, tell me exactly what is this “operation” I was very young when it happened, you know. I mean, what exactly did the Upright doctor do to me anyway? Other than being a bit tender for a few days around my rear hams I haven’t noticed anything different about myself. I felt ok before the “operation;” I felt fine after the “operation.” Was this cosmetic surgery?”
We assured him the surgery was necessary and that the Vet who performed the procedure was highly qualified, a man of some notoriety in his chosen field. This seemed to satisfy Beckham and he resumed his story.
“For us Hogs, the years pass in different ways than you Uprights. We are a greater part of nature than you. You consider yourselves to be the most successful when you have removed the influences of Nature from your day to day lives. Hogs accept Nature and enjoy the differences it gives every day. This makes each day seem to be a reward to itself. Hogs have noticed over the eons that Uprights have brought themselves to a place in Nature where their greatest reward is to live for many suns closed up in the caves of stacked logs and stone, then suddenly they burst out and find the greatest joy in being out among Hogs and others like us. As quickly as you burst out, you retreat back into your caves with an equal amount of joy. Now we as Hogs have had the chance to enter your caves and to be honest we just don’t get it. We see nothing that would cause any Hog to exhibit the same emotions.”
We explained that many Uprights weren’t as hardy and prepared to spend all hours outdoors as Hogs do. Beckham just scoffed, “A cool breeze blowing over me under shady trees on a hot day feels very good indeed. I just nap until I’m hungry or thirsty, I get up eat and drink and go nap again. Sometimes I feel so good and relaxed I just run for the fun of running. I know you fill my water pool and bring me food but I assure you if that stopped I could and would get out of my pen quite easily to find what I needed to live very well. I just don’t understand the lives you Uprights live. Please forgive me if I offend, but this is what happens to me daily - beautiful Upright females come to my pen, bring me choice fruit and vegetables, scratch behind my ears, pat my back and make sweet cooing noises as they call my name. With them come handsome strong Upright males that speak of my great and powerful size. These males seem to admire me in many ways. They are ignored by what I perceive to be their female while she has eyes only for me.
Their females will squat down to my level and hand feed me delicious treats until I can eat no more; then they set the remaining treats on the ground at my feet. They offer NONE to their male, not one scrap yet the male seems to not be bothered in the slightest. I assure you if that was to happen in the society of us Hogs there would be some angry biting and a lot of squealing going on.”
“And another thing, why do some Uprights call me Beckham, others call me Wilber and still others call be Piggy-Piggy? I don’t mind I suppose but why doesn’t anyone call me by my Hog name?”
We told him we did know he had a Hog Name and he told us Uprights didn’t have a lock on naming their young. We asked him his name but we couldn’t understand what he was saying. He repeated it and it was as if a deep rumble came out of his stomach and became a grotesque belch followed by a smacking of the lips. He repeated it one more time and we heard the slightest Hog giggle when he had finished. We became aware he was merely pulling our collective Upright leg. We began to laugh, he began to laugh and we all laughed until tears were in our eyes.
The three of us spoke for long hours that night and many nights since. We have been told many tales by Beckham and we have told him many ourselves. It would be difficult to scribe all these stories yet perhaps one day I will.
You can call him Beckham, Wilber or Piggy-Piggy but what he really likes is to be called, admired and loved. If you take the time to visit you too will soon be able to speak with him and swap stories. He can’t share the wisdom of the ages but he can help you become a better Upright.
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