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!