Tuesday, October 30, 2012

Live From Woodstock!

Today has been a quiet day, which is good, because I was able to get a lot of paperwork done. Around two o'clock, when Tony walked in with today's mail, there was a letter for Kinky, c/o Utopia Animal Rescue Ranch, so I called Kinky to see if it was a good time for me to take it over to the Lodge.

A few minutes later, Kinky walked out of the Lodge, with The Friedmans, to greet me. After I had given Kink his letter, I petted his three dogs, then we went into the Lodge, so we could visit.

We talked about the rescue ranch, my novella and an article that he is writing for Texas Monthly. Before I was about to adios him and come back home, Kinky asked me, "Have I given you a copy of the Kinky Friedman Bi-Polar Tour, Live from Woodstock, that has just been released?"

"No. I didn't know you made a live CD of the Bi-Polar Tour."

"My friend, Brian Molnar made it when I did the East Coast Bi-Polar Tour and Brian has just released it on iTunes and he told me the sales were good. Would you like a copy?"

"I would love to have a copy."

This evening after I had edited and tweaked my novella some more, I burned the Bi-Polar Tour and am now listening to it on my iPod and I am loving it and laughing at his jokes. And I love it that on the back jacket, Brian included our web address: www.utopiarescue.com to help get the word out about our rescue ranch.



If you want to check it out, just go to iTunes and type in Kinky Friedman Bi-Polar Tour, Live from Woodstock and give it a listen. Seriously, I love this CD and I am fixin' to call Kinky right now and tell him how great it is.

Y'all have a great evening! 

Monday, October 29, 2012

Nova Scotia!

Today has been a busy day running numerous errands in Kerrville and this evening I have spent the last two and a half hours trying to fix my new one-month-old printer and then talking on the phone to a tech, in Nova Scotia, about my printer not working, which ate up another hour.

The nice tech, whose name was Gerald was very helpful in giving me instructions on how to take the thing apart, which I had already done earlier, before I called him, so after doing everything that he asked me to do, he helped me put the broken printer back together, so they could send me a refurbished replacement, only costing me $28.82 for overnight shipping, which I am fine with, because I need a printer now. So this Halloween, unlike most Halloweens, I am actually looking forward to the day, because I will get to meet my new/used printer and all I can say is, "It had better not be trick or treat."

Because it is getting close to my bedtime and there is nothing else exciting to write about, I am going to work on my novella's cover design, because I can't watch Coach or Frazier reruns, because my four-year-old Sanyo, 32 inch wide screen television passed away, sometime during the wee hours of this morning, which I know that I will replace sooner than later, because those two shows keep me laughing.

Y'all have a great evening!

Friday, October 26, 2012

Pecos, Texas!

Today has been so much fun, even though my eyes are still pink and my nose keeps stopping up. This morning when I got up, it was raining pretty hard outside, as was my nose, so while I drank my first cup of coffee and used up five or six Kleenex tissues, I started a load of clothes washing and then I checked my e-mail and found out that several of our volunteers weren't going to be coming out, because it was thundering in Kerrville with heavy rain. Then I started fixing breakfast for Tony and me.

Around 10:00, our friends/volunteers, Kris and Jim, "The Mineral Man," showed up to walk our dogs, but because it was chilly and the wind was blowing, we invited them to come inside and drink a cup of coffee with us and Tony and I had so much fun with them.

While we were drinking coffee, I told them about a woman, being rude to me yesterday, because she thought I had purposefully jumped in front of her to get into a line, which I hadn't done, because I didn't see her and after I welcomed to let her go in front of me, she apologized to me. Then they made us laugh about a store owner, in Kerrville, who told them yesterday, about a little old woman, arguing politics and religion with him and getting so mad at him, she hit him on the head with her Bible and then with her purse. "I bet you it was the same lady." I joked.

A little after 11:00, my dear friend Maribeth, from Utopia, who we knew was coming out to visit us, arrived and after introductions to Kris and The Mineral Man, it was like we had been old friends who have known each other forever and there was a lot of laughter.

After Kris and Jim left to go back home, while Maribeth and I were laughing about what I had written about her fictional character in my novella, the phone rang and it was this nice woman, from Pecos, Texas, calling to see if we had her Blue Heeler, because a friend of hers on Facebook had read my blog and told her about us rescuing Pecos Bill, from a man driving through Pecos, but after Tony had talked to her and then asked her to check my Pecos Bill post, so she could look at Pecos Bill's picture, she told Tone, that our Pecos Bill was definitely not her dog and then she thanked Tony for all of his helpful information on how to help find her dog. And that is about it for tonight and we wish the woman luck finding her lost Blue Heeler.

Y'all have a great evening!

Wednesday, October 24, 2012

I'm Celebrating Tonight!

Today has been great, even though my eyes are still pink and my sinuses are finally beginning to dry up.  This morning, Tony's brother Sam came out and helped me with the morning chores outside, because Tony was in Kerrville attending his Texas Master Naturalist class.

After Sam went home, I went over to the Lodge to visit with Kinky and his friend, that is writing his biography and I really had a fun time over there visiting with them.

When I came back home, I sat down at my laptop to work on my novella and eight hours later, after several breaks and interruptions I am proud to say that I finally have finished my first, fictional mystery cliffhanger, novella.

Even though, I still need to tweak it again, write the Table of Contents, write the dedication to Carol's horse Dude, send it off to the Library of Congress and get the ISBN numbers for it and design the jacket cover, get it printed and online as an e-book, I am so thrilled with how it turned out and I'm celebrating tonight.

Now, because the first novella of two or three has been written and because I am so close to being healthy again, I will be able to get back to blogging daily and I truly appreciate your patience, with my less than exciting posts. And that is about it for tonight, because I am celebrating tonight. I did it!

Y'all have a great evening!


Monday, October 22, 2012

Pecos Bill!

Today has been great, even though my eyes are still pink and watering, as is my nose. I've nearly gone through a big box of pink Kleenex and have used up a half a jar of Mentholatum.


This morning, even though I am feeling much better, Tony told me to stay inside and finish writing my novella, mystery cliffhanger and that he would take care of feeding the dogs and cleaning their pens. I took him up on his offer, because I am so into finishing the novella, because I can not wait to publish it.

Near the end of the novella, before the cliffhanger part, Carol is playing her fiddle and I am playing my guitar and we are singing, Louie Louie, Bluegrass style, when in reality our dogs started barking inside The Cabin, so I walked away from my laptop and went outside to the porch to see what was going on. The only thing that I could see, far away was a parked truck and I knew it wasn't ours, because Trigger was parked outside next to Buttermilk. So, I went back into the kitchen and continued writing.

About thirty minutes later, Tone walks into The Cabin and says, "We just rescued a young pup and he looks a lot like my Beau Bridges. This man and wife drove out here from Harper and told me that the man works in Pecos, on a pipeline and on his way back home, he saw this dog running down the middle of the highway, so he picked him up and took him home with him. They kept him for over a week and tried to find a home for him and because they had too many dogs already, they decided to drive out here to see if we could take him. You've got to come see him."

"Okay," I said, as I grabbed my camera. "I want to name him Pecos Bill," I said, as we walked out the door.

Tony laughed and said, "They had already named him Pecos, but I like Pecos Bill better." Pecos Bill is probably a little younger than Beau, who will be one-year-old in January and he is one fine dog. He is sweet, gentle and full of energy, so when I tried to take his picture it was difficult, because he was so happy. Anyway, here is a not so good picture of Pecos Bill and when we pick him up from Hoegemeyers, I will spend all of the time that it takes to get a photo of him and then I will post it here.


And that is about it for tonight.

Y'all have a great evening!

Saturday, October 20, 2012

Port Aransas!

Yesterday was great and today has been great.

Yesterday, even though my sinuses and eyes were draining like Niagara Falls, which is good, Jim, Eileen, Lisa, June, Ellen and Kris and Jim, "The Mineral Man," our wonderful friends/volunteers came out and walked our dogs for us. When each vehicle showed up, I told them about Kinky wanting to give most of his plants away and wanting to know if any of them wanted some of his plants. Kris and Jim were the only ones interested.

So when everyone took off for Koyote, to celebrate my birthday, Jim, Kris and I went over to the Lodge, so they could check out the plants and ten minutes later, I helped them load up four plants; three cactus and a fern that was over sixty-years-old. Yes, the day before when I was over at the Lodge, Kinky had told me that his one fern was at least sixty-years-old.

When Tony and I walked into the Koyote Kafe, everyone was there, including our dear friends Sandy and Jon Wolfmueller, which Eileen had secretly invited, so I would be surprised. Our lunch was filled with laughter and it was so much fun and the gifts they gave to me were really cool.

I had planned to write a blog last night, but when I was outside putting the Golden Girls into their Egg Palace, I came up with the character for my dear friend, Maribeth. When I had talked to her earlier that evening, when I asked her who she wanted to be, she said, "Just make me young and beautiful."

So, at 7:20, when I returned to The Cabin, I started writing about Maribeth, on my fiction mystery, novella, cliff hanger and when I had finished, it was past 9:30 and I was exhausted from my writing.

Today has been great. This afternoon at 12:15, Rick's friend Lisa from Con Can, arrived on time, to pick up Goldie Hawn, because she was going to Port Aransas and had offered to transport Goldie to her new family, that has a nine year-old-son who was anxiously awaiting to meet his new best friend. And I want to thank Rick, "The Friendly Lighthouse Keeper," for helping us get Goldie Hawn adopted and Lisa for transporting her down there.

Lisa told me before leaving, that she should be delivering Goldie Hawn to her new forever family around 7:00 tonight and I wish that I could be there, to see the little boy's face light up, when he gets his new companion. And that is about it for tonight, because my eyes are still draining and blurring my vision.

Y'all have a great evening!

Thursday, October 18, 2012

Getting On The Well Side!

Today, I am finally getting on the well side of my conjunctivitis and my bloodshot colored eyes are beginning to lighten up some, thank goodness.

I want to thank everyone for the phone calls, the e-mails, birthday cards and gifts for to me, because it made my birthday the best one ever. I wish that I could individually name and thank all of y'all, today, on my blog, but their are too many and because my nose and eyes are still draining I can barely see what I am typing. So that is about it for today.

Y'all have a great evening!

Wednesday, October 17, 2012

Red Eyes Crying In The Rain Song!

by Cousin Nancy


In the twilight glow I can't see him
Red eyes crying in the rain
When I got conjunctivitis and red eyes
I thought I'd never see again

My eyes look like burning embers
And only tea bags seem to ease the pain
And through all the rolls of paper towels that I've blown into
Red eyes still crying in the rain

Someday when my eyes are whiter
I know I will finally see clearly once again
And the next time that I have allergies
I hope my blue eyes won't turn red again

Tuesday, October 16, 2012

The Cure!

Well, the "Heel  Thyself Mentholatum" cure didn't heal me, as that article had promised, but the antibiotics seem to be finally kicking in, thank goodness. As I write this tonight, Roy is sitting beside me, with his gigantic head resting in my lap, so my left leg has gone to sleep and it has no feeling. My left eye is still red, but not as red as it was last night and my wannabe red right eye, is the eye that I am using to help me type this, because Lefty is still oozing and blurring my vision.

I want to thank everyone for sending me hilarious and sweet birthday cards and presents, because they have cheered me up and have made me laugh, which is my favorite thing to do. And that is about it for tonight, because I am fixin' to put Vicks Vapor Rub on my heels, put on another pair of white socks and go to bed.

Y'all have a great evening!


Monday, October 15, 2012

Catching The Red Eye!

Today has been not good and as write this short post tonight, I am trying to find some humor in what has happened to me this afternoon. As you know, last Wednesday, I began having allergies and everyday it has gotten worse.

This morning I woke up with a bad sore throat and my nose was completely stopped up, so to help keep this story short tonight I am leaving out some details. I knew I had a full blown sinus infection, so I took an antibotic and plan to keep taking it for the next ten days.

This afternoon my left eye began blurring, aching and oozing, so I looked into the mirror and my left eye was completely bloodshot, so I showed it to Tony and he said, "I bet it is Pink Eye."

So I got on the Internet to look up Pink Eye, and discovered that there are two kinds of Pink Eye and one of them is associated with allergies and infections, now I wanted to cry and feel sorry for myself, but I didn't dare, because tears probably wouldn't fall from my left eye.

After keeping a cold wash rag on my eye, I immediately sent our friend/volunteer Eileen an e-mail to let her know she might need to get a replacement speaker, because I might be a no-show, at the luncheon that she had asked me to talk about our rescue ranch. "Eileen, I still want to do it, but we definitely need a backup, because I will not go out in public, looking like a scary Halloween monster."

About an hour ago, I looked into the mirror again, to see what my Red Eye looked like and I cussed at it, because my right eye is turning pink, but not totally red, yet.

Tomorrow morning, Tony has volunteered to get me an eye patch, in Kerrville, but now I'm thinking that he might get me two, just in case Righty turns red, too. Before I finish writing, I just want to know why they call it Pink Eye, when they are dark red.

Beau update: He is fine, but we can't pick him up until Wednesday, because they want to watch his wound heal. I have just called Kinky, to ask if I can come over, for a second, so I can show him how ugly I look.

Y'all have a great evening, because I'm definitely not, (Poor Nancy) because my left eye keeps blurring and it makes it too difficult to write.

6:00 Update: When I went over to Kinky's he chuckled about how scary I looked and then tried to cheer me up, by telling me his doctor, in Austin, had just told him the other day, because his allergies were so bad, he had to cancel a trip to Chicago.

After I showed him the hilarious birthday card, that Ben had given to me on Friday, he laughed and laughed. "Stay positive, Nancy," were his final words to me before got into Trigger.

"I am trying to. I just wish it was Halloween, so I could go out and scare people. Adios."

When I came home and walked in the door, Tony was sitting at the kitchen table talking to someone and then he says, "Here Nancy," and he hands me the phone.

"Hello?" I said, not knowing who it was. Well, it turned out to be Sandy and Jon, on their Speakerphone and we had a fun visit, making jokes about my Red Eye, which unfortunately isn't pink, because it would look pretty next to my blue eyes. And before we got off of the phone, Sandy asked Jon to tell me about this crazy cure that they had recently read about in the newspaper. "Tell me, Jon!"

Sandy and Jon started laughing and when they had finally quit laughing Jon says, "It's supposedly a cure for everything, but it sounds stupid. You ought to try it though to see if it works."

"At this point, I'll try anything to get to feeling better.

"Okay." It says that," then they burst out laughing again, which caused me to start laughing "It says that you are supposed to rub Mentholatum on the heals of your feet and put white socks on and then sit in a chair, with your feet propped up."

As they laughed I said, "I'll do it tonight! I've got white socks and a half of a jar left of Mentholatum."

"And don't blog about this, Nancy," Sandy teased.

"I won't. I promise," I lied. "Y'all have a good evening. Adios." Then I went into the bedroom and started rubbing Mentholatum on the heels of my feet.

7:15 Update:  Tonight I am going to play my guitar and write a song and call it, "Red Eyes Crying In The Rain."

Sunday, October 14, 2012

Beau Bridges!

Today has been quiet at the rescue ranch, which was good, because I am still feeling puny and hoping that my allergy doesn't turn into full blown sinus infection, because I have a speaking engagement on Thursday.

Tony has been so sweet to me today, because I'm not feeling so hot. This morning he told me to stay inside and that he would do our morning outdoor chores and then this afternoon, he went to the H-E-B in Kerrville to get the groceries that we need.

Around 6:45, while I was inside doing some writing on my fiction mystery novel, he was outside in The Okay Corral, taking some pictures. And right after I had just written about Roy stealing Carol's homemade burrito, off of the drainboard and eating it, Tony walks inside The Cabin and pulls me out of my make believe world to tell me to call Hoegemeyer Animal Clinic, because Beau had ripped his front, left leg on a fence wire or something, so while I called the clinic and talked to their answering service, Tony loaded up a crate in Buttermilk and put Beau inside it.

Just a minute later, Dr. Rydberg called me and I told him what had happened to Beau and he was so nice, even though we had just ruined his evening and he told me that he would meet Tony at the clinic in thirty minutes.

So, Tony and Beau took off and just before it got dark here, I went outside and put up our Golden Girls. Tony should be here soon, hopefully with Beau, so that 's about it for tonight.

Y'all have a  great evening! Ahh...choo....

Saturday, October 13, 2012

We LOVE The East Kerr 4-H Club And The Medina Children's Home!

Today has been more than fantastic, because this morning, at 11:00, our favorite 4-H club, the East Kerr 4-H Club, came out to walk our dogs for us and we loved it and our dogs loved it even more! And our rescue ranch cannot thank them enough for their community service and their generous monetary donation and the two green colored, East Kerr 4-H t-shirts.

After Tony and I had met everyone and Haley had told me all about Mary Ann, the precious dog that we let her name for us, on October 9, 2011, when the East Kerr 4-H Club was out here walking our dogs, that her parents gave Haley permission to adopt from us, Tony and I gave them a tour of our rescue ranch, which included telling them each dog's story. Then we were ready to walk our dogs.

I volunteered to lead the long distance dog walk, while Tony stayed behind, busily leashing up dogs and pairing them with the club's members. Basically, in single file, we walked all of the way over to the neighboring ranch gate, then back down the steep hill to the bridge, took a right and walked along Wallace Creek, then walked up a gravel road that led us back to the rescue ranch. And by the time we had put our dogs back inside their pens, they were tired and thirsty and I was feeling puny, because I am so old and my allergy to Ragweed, was wreaking havoc on my sinuses and it was clearly winning the "Battle of My Nose."

Even though a few 4-H members needed to take off, after we got back from walking some very happy dogs, the remaining club members volunteered to walk some more, but I had to decline their kind offer, because I was beginning to run a low grade fever and my head was completely stopped up and all I wanted to do was lay down on our bed, with all of our dogs and just rest, which is exactly what I did.

And I believe the love of Roy, Mama, Abbie, Belle, Beau and Toto helped cure me, because when I climbed out of bed, one hour later, I was no longer running a fever, but my nose was.

Around 3:00, Karen, from the Medina Children's Home came out, with her son Dalton and Mitch, to introduce them to us and to show them the rescue ranch and tell us, "We're ready to start the program that we have discussed and the girls will start coming out, on Mondays and Wednesdays to walk y'all's dogs, as we have agreed to and we can start it this coming Monday. And Mitch, Dalton and some other young men are excited about coming out here on Sundays, to walk dogs or do anything else that you need for them to do...." Which of course, made our day even greater than it already was.

Early this evening, I went over to the Lodge to tell Kinky about our great day and he was more than thrilled about these two great organizations helping us.

So tonight, before I go blow my red colored, chapped and flaking nose, for the umpteenth time, into a Bounty paper towel, because I've used up all of the Kleenex, I just want to thank the fabulous East Kerr 4-H Club members and the youth, at the Medina Children's Home, for being true winners and for caring and taking their valuable time to volunteer, at our rescue ranch, to help us make our dogs happy. "Tony, could you bring me another roll of Bounty paper towels, because I'm nearly out, on this roll?"

Y'all have a great evening!

Wednesday, October 10, 2012

Peach Cobblers!

Today has been quiet and uneventful again and as I type this, late this evening, I have three of my semi- famous, Cousin Nancy's Peach Cobblers cooking in the oven, so Tony can give two of them to Rick Reichenbach, The Friendly Lighthouse Keeper, tomorrow, when he and Fourth and Fourth's friend arrive in Port Aransas tomorrow, because my dear friend Rick is absolutely wild about my peach cobblers.

Regrettably, I can't go down there with them tomorrow, because I have too much going on up here, but thankfully, because Ben is coming out tomorrow, from Austin, to help me do the chores etc., I am hoping that I can get some more work done on my mystery novel and also find the time to play a little music with Ben, because he has really gotten good on his mandolin.

Just a minute ago, while Tony was packing, I said, "Now Tony, don't you forget that two of these cobblers are going to be for Rick and the smaller pan is just for the four of y'all to eat tomorrow night."

Well, the timer on the stove just beeped, so I need to sign off now, so I can pull three, delicious peach cobblers, out of the oven, to cool off and then I'm go to bed. Good night.

Y'all have a great evening

Tuesday, October 9, 2012

Bon Appetite!

Today has been great. It was nice and quiet and I was able to catch up on all of my paperwork and that makes me happy.

This is going to be a short post tonight, because there's nothing to write about today, which is good, because I am going to have fun in the kitchen this evening, baking two Cousin Nancy's Spinach Omelets, Cousin Nancy's Peach Cobbler and making a large bowl of Cousin Nancy's Tomatillo Dip, because that is what Tony has asked to do, because it's his turn, along with several other people, to furnish the food, at his Texas Master Naturalist class, tomorrow.

I doubt if I am going to work on my mystery novel tonight, because I spent too much time earlier today working on the computer and also because my eyes are tired and my back is a little sore and I need a break from writing. And that's about it for tonight. Bon Appetite!!

Monday, October 8, 2012

Another Stranger In The Night! or My Cup Of Tea!

Today has been great, even though I overslept this morning. When I came into the kitchen Carlton was flashing and I saw that Tony had left me a note on the breakfast bar, written on one of my pink post-its.

Because I was still sleepy, I decided to make a cup of coffee, to help me wake up, before dealing with anything. Then I read Tony's note.

"Nancy, you need to listen to Carlton and then call Kinky. Love, Tony"

Then I listened to three urgent messages from Kinky. The first time he called was 10:37 and we were already in bed asleep. "Nance, Tone. Nancy, Tony! Please call me as soon as you can." Click.

The second message that he left was at 5:15 this morning, Tony was taking a shower and I was in La La Land, dreaming about my mystery novel's next turn of events. "Are y'all there? Please call me. You're not going to believe who showed up out here. Call me or come over." Click.

Kinky's third and last message that I listened to was at 7:45, while I was dreaming about waking up.
"Nance, where are you? Call Kinky, please." Click.

After I had gone to the restroom and told Roy, "I love you, so much," I picked up the handset and punched in Kink's number and then drank two sips of coffee, as I listened to half of his message, because he picked up the phone. "Morning Nance. You have got to come over here and see who's here."

"Okay. Bye." When I walked outside, Tony arrived in Trigger.

When Trigger, Tony and I pulled up to the Lodge, a gigantic, black Great Dane and little Winston Churchill Friedman came running from the front yard, to greet me, as Kinky came out the kitchen door, wearing a big grin on his face. "I think I want this dog, y'all," Kinky said. "He showed up out here around 10:30 and Winston and I had to sleep with him, in the Annex, because I was worried that he would upset Chumley. He's a fantastic dog. I think he' is either lost or was dumped."

"I think he was dumped," Tony replied, a little bit disgusted.

As Kinky, Tony and I petted the one-hundred-fifty pound furry stranger, we discussed what we should do, because we are at capacity at the rescue ranch. Then Kinky says, "I called the number on the back of his rabies tag, but it is no longer a working number, it says his name is Rocky," Kinky told us."

When I looked at the tag on Rocky's collar, I removed the collar, "Tony, the tag is a 2010 tag and it's from the Kerrville County Veterinary Hospital, on Cully Street. The people who work there are really nice." Then I handed the collar to Tony.

"Kink, can I go use your phone to call them? I bet he was dumped."

"Of course." Then Tony went inside the Lodge to call the hospital. When he came outside, he told us, "They know the dog and check it out and call us back. Come on, Nance. We need to get back over to the rescue ranch."

As we went over the river and through the woods, I said, "Tony, I don't think Rocky was dumped, because when people dump a dog in the country, they always remove the tags, so they can't be traced."

When we arrived home, Carlton was flashing, so Tony pushed the play message button and Carlton says, "You have two new messages." The first call was from the Kerrville County Veterinary Hospital, "We called the owner and her name is Cathy and Rocky ran off late last night with another dog. She was thrilled that he has been found and she is going to call you. Bye." Click. Then there was a moment of silence, as we waited to hear the next message.

"Hello, this is Cathy. I love my dog and am so happy that you found him. Please call me back, so you can tell me when I can come pick him up. My number is..."

"Yeah, I am so glad that he wasn't dumped," I said, as Tony punched in Cathy's phone number. They talked for a few minutes and after he gave her directions to the ranch, they adios-ed each other. Then Tony called Kinky.

"Kinky, we've talked to the owner and she told me that Rocky is the love of her life and she was so grateful for you rescuing him. She was shopping at H-E-B and told me she would be here in about forty minutes." To say the least, all of us were thrilled for Rocky.

Then I returned a couple of phone calls and then I grabbed a coffee cup and a Celestial Seasonings Lemon Zinger Tea Keurig K-Cup, so I make my cup of tea over at Kinky's and then I went over to Kinky's, to wait for Cathy. When I arrived at the Lodge, Kinky was outside with Rocky, Winston and Sophie. "Your mama's coming," I said to Rocky.

"Dylan is coming out this morning and he should be arriving any minute," Kinky said, and he was right, because one minute later, when Dylan pulled up in his fancy Mustang, Rocky went over to his car and looked down at him, before Dylan could get out of his sports car, which made all of us laugh.

After Dylan had met Rocky and The Friedmans, he and I went into the Lodge and in the kitchen, I loaded my K-Cup, into Kinky's new Keurig single cup coffee brewer and pushed the brew button, for it to make me a single cup of Lemon Zinger tea, while Dylan and I talked about Rocky and what a cool dog he was, as he stared at us through the kitchen door.



When I removed my cup of tea from the Keurig, I set it down on the kitchen table, so it could cool off some, before I drank it and then the funniest thing happened. Dylan bent down to smell the lemony aroma and then he picked up my cup of tea and started drinking it, which I thought was very funny, because I guess he thought that I had made it for him. "Nancy, this tea is so delicious..." Then Cathy arrived.

"Kinky, thank you so much for rescuing Rocky. He's the love of my life..." After we had learned that Rocky was ony four years old and had a fun visit with Cat, I told her, "Last night, Kinky, slept with Winston and Rocky. You can brag that your dog has slept with a famous celebrity." She put her hands to her mouth.

"You're right," Cat said, "and Rocky's father, Maximilian, has too. Many years ago, before we moved out here, Max ran off and got lost and that night he slept with Eugene Cernan."

"Wow," Kinky and Dylan remarked.

"I'm sorry who is he?" I asked.

Eugene Cernan was the last man to walk on the moon," Kinky said.Then I took this picture of Rocky reunited with Cat, with Winston in the background.



Early this evening, I called Kinky and went over to the Lodge to retrieve my emptied coffee cup and when I told him about Dylan drinking my tea, because he thought I was making us tea, he thought it was funny too and I can't wait to tease Dylan about it, the next time I see him. And that is about it for tonight.

Y'all have a great evening!

Happy Birthday Nelda Dunn!

Happy Birthday, Nelda! Tony and I hope your birthday is the best one yet. And by the way, you and Jimmie are mentioned in my mystery novel.

Happy Birthday to You. Happy Birthday to You. Happy Birthday Dear Nelda. Happy Birthday to YOU! And many more...

We love you.

Sunday, October 7, 2012

Beau Bridges!

Today has been really great, because last night, after I had written for four straight hours, I got up this morning and asked Tony, "Would you mind if I took today off and not do the morning chores outside, so I can spend today writing, because I am really on a roll with my book and it is really pouring out of me, faster than I can type it?"

"It's chilly outside and overcast. Please stay inside and keep writing, I don't mind doing the outside chores."

So when Tony went outside to do our work, I took a fast shower and then I put on my baggy sweatpants, a navy blue turtleneck and slipped a pink sweatshirt over it and then put on my socks and then slipped my feet into my favorite pair of pastel colored Crocs.

I was ready to write, but before I sat down at the kitchen table to work on my mystery novel, I needed to set the mood, in the big room. First, I turned on my Bose iDock and put on my favorite iPod playlist and the first song I heard was my most favorite song, Harvest Moon, by Neil Young.

As Roy and my dogs watched me, I then plugged in the twinkling strings of white Christmas lights that decorate our walls, and then I found my DVD, Ambient Fire: The Ultimate Video Fireplace, removed it from it's case, shoved it into our DVD player and ten seconds later, it was like magic—a fake fire burned and made crackling sounds from time to time, on the television screen. I was ready to write! Here's a picture I took of Beau Bridges watching my every move, as I set the mood and I apologize for it not being crisp and sharp, because it was not set on the setting that I normally use, but it is still cute and that shining, little light between his ears is a Christmas light, he wasn't having a light bulb moment.


At precisely 10:00, I sat down and started writing and all day today, except for fixing lunch and going over to the Lodge to visit with Kinky earlier this evening—I've written non-stop for over nine hours and I love what I have written.

And that is about it for tonight, because my eyes are tired and I am exhausted from all of my writing that I did, so now I am fixin' to pour me a glass of fine, red boxed wine and watch the fake fire, that is still burning inside my television.

Y'all have a great evening!

Happy Birthday Garnet Sheffield!

Today is our dear friend, Garnet's birthday and Tony and I want to wish her the best birthday ever.

Happy Birthday to You. Happy Birthday to You. Happy Birthday Dear Garnet. Happy Birthday to You. And many more.

Have a wonderful birthday, Garnet! We love you!

Friday, October 5, 2012

Food Confessions! or Double Sacked!

Today has been great, because June, Ellen, Eileen, Hillary, Kris & Jim and Jim our fabulous friends/volunteers, came out and they walked our dogs for us, then we went up the road to Koyote Ranch to eat lunch together.

Tony and I were the last to arrive there for two reasons. One, being that I needed to come up to The Cabin to fetch my purse and my Fess Parker wine bottle with its coon skinned topper, so I could show it to everyone, because I love it so much. And the second reason that we were late, was we had to wait for everyone to leave, so we could close the gate behind them.

When we walked inside Koyote, our friends seated at a nearby table, turned around to see what I was carrying and when I sat the dressed-up bottle down on the table, I said, "For my upcoming birthday, my dear friends, Cheryl and Walt, sent me this Fess Parker wine, the cute coon-skinned topper and four wine tasting glasses, that have a small, coon-skinned cap etched on them." Everyone loved Walt's and Cheryl's gift to me and when I left to go place my order, they were all checking out the topper.

During our fun lunch, two of the volunteers made food confessions to all of us, but they shall remain anonymous, because the female one told us that she was too embarrassed to tell anyone that she loved to eat chicken gizzards. So, in her defense, as all of us scrunched up our faces and shook our heads sideways, he said, "Personally, my favorite meal is brains with scrambled eggs."

After we had all made yukking sounds, we then started teasing them about it, as we ate our lunch. Then I changed the subject, "Do y'all know that Fess Parker was born in Fort Worth?"I love Fess Parker and after Roy, I wanted to marry him too, when I was a kid."

"Well, what about poor Tony," One of the girls teased.

"I love Tony, but since I got my Roy Rogers, my four-legged soul mate, Tony's dropped down another notch, on my totem pole," I joked.

After our super fun lunch, we came back home, so I could bake two loaves of my no-knead bread, baked inside a Dutch oven, in the stove and while it was baking for the second time, because Tony only has one Dutch oven that size, I had to do it one loaf at a time—Kinky came over with a camera crew that shot us outside, with Rufus, in the back ground, running around inside his pen, carrying his empty dog food bowl in his mouth.

Late this afternoon, I realized that I we were nearly out of Toto's under pads, which I keep scattered around, on the floor of The Cabin, because Toto is so old, he has become incontinent. We buy made-for-humans under pads, because they are so much cheaper than the expensive doggie pads, in fact they are four times cheaper.

So, because Toto knows to use them and he does, thank goodness, and that they are saving our wooden floor, I adios-ed Tony and took off in Trigger, to go buy some at the nearest convenience store, ten miles away. And before I got to the store, I had decided to go ahead and buy a six-pack of Tony's favorite beer and a box of wine for me, so we wouldn't have to go to Kerrville this weekend.

When Trigger and I pulled up at the store, there were several trucks parked outside it and the store was packed with customers buying alcohol, scratch-offs or Lottery tickets.

When it was my turn to check out my three essential items, there were only a few younger men and a young woman with a child standing behind me. And as I was writing out my check to pay for the beer, wine and the made-for-humans under pads, the young lady cashier looks around and then she asks me, "Do you want your under pads doubled sacked for privacy?" Then we both looked out the front door, at several men standing outside, leaning against their trucks.

"Okay," I sort of half-whispered, as my face began turning redder than the shirt that I was wearing. Even though I really wanted to explain to her that they were not for my use, but for my dog, I decided not to, because I knew that she was just trying to be nice to me and that she wouldn't believe me. So, as I left the building, carrying our cheap wine and beer, under one arm and my secret double sacked made-for-humans under pads, I could not help but laugh about it.

As Trigger took me home, I could not quit laughing about that embarrassing moment and when I told Tony about it, as he carried ours and Toto's three items, into The Cabin, he laughed and laughed and laughed until I finally told him, "From now on, Tony—you're buying the beer, the wine and Toto's under pads."

Y'all have a great evening!

Thursday, October 4, 2012

The Editor At Bandera County Courier Totally Rocks!

Today has been great. This afternoon, after we had picked up my guitar from the Melody Corner Music Center, I began reading the Bandera County Courier, Thursday, October 4, 2012 newspaper, as Tony drove us home. And I was more than thrilled when I read Judith Pannebaker's hilarious article, "How Jed Clampett Became Jethro Tull." It was a funny story about one of our latest rescued dogs and because of Judith's weekly columns featuring one of our dogs, I know that it will help Jethro get adopted sooner than later. And now I want to thank Judith, the editor at the Bandera County Courier, for all of her help, because she has helped us get many of our dogs into great forever homes.


When we got back home, while Tony was reading her funny article, I called Kinky to ask him if I could come over, because I wanted him to read Judith Pannebaker's story.

As we sat in rocking chairs, on Kinky's front porch, he kept chuckling as he read Jethro's tale and like Tony and me, he thought it was a great read too, and that it was very nice of Judith, to take the time to write weekly stories about our Pet Of The Week, in the Bandera County Courier.

After Kinky had enjoyed reading Judith's story, we went to his office, so he could get me a copy of his book, 'Scuse Me While I Whip This Out, to replace my signed copy, that he had given to Douglas Brinkley, while they were over here visiting us. When Kinky handed me a new book, I thanked him and then I asked him to please sign it for me.


And I laughed out loud, when I read what he had written in my book, "For Nancy—from one misunderstood genius to another. Kinky Friedman 10-4-12."


An hour later, when I came back home, Tony had already left for Medina, to go watch our nephew Zachary and his football team play in a junior high football game. After I had read Tony's note, reminding me to please put up the chickens before dark, I walked into our bedroom and then I immediately walked back out, to go grab my camera. Here is the picture that I took of Belle and Roy sleeping soundly and I've titled it—"Sleeping On The Job" or "Sweet Dreams." (Roy is sleeping, at the foot of the bed and he was snoring very loudly and they slept for thirty more minutes, before coming into the kitchen to greet me.) 


And that's about it for tonight, because I've got to go put our chickens, I mean The Golden Girls, into their Egg Palace.

Y'all have a great evening!

Happy Birthday Karin Pohlman!

Today is also Karin Pohlman's birthday and we love our German cowgirl friend, so much we wish that she was in Texas, right now, so we could help her celebrate her big day.

Happy Birthday to You. Happy Birthday to You. Happy Birthday Dear Karin. Happy Birthday to YOU!

Have a great birthday, Karin. We love you!

Happy Birthday John Kemmerly!

Today is John Kemmerly's birthday. He is our dear friend, who worked for us several years ago and we love him.

Happy Birthday to You. Happy Birthday to You. Happy Birthday Dear John. Happy Birthday to YOU. And many more!




Tuesday, October 2, 2012

Born On A Mountain Top In Tennessee!

Today has been great. Early this afternoon we ran a few errands, in Kerrville, before meeting Les & Denise, Jim & Kris and Deb for a fun lunch.

Our first stop was at the Salvation Army to drop off three bags of Kinky's old clothes. Then we swung by Stan's music store, Melody Corner Music Center, to drop off my guitar, so I could get Stan to restring my guitar again, because the strings that I had decided to try out, made my guitar sound muddy. "Stan, I should have listened to your warning that I wouldn't like these copper strings..." Then we left my guitar there and went down the street, to meet our friends for a really fun lunch, that was filled with hilarious stories and laughter.

After lunch we went to the craft store, so I could buy some etching cream, because I wanted to try etching our drinking glasses with paw prints. Then Buttermilk took us home.

When we arrived back at the ranch, UPS had left a big, plastic covered box for me, at our entrance gate. "It's for you, Nance, from Todd Miller, in California. Who's he?"

"I don't know, but don't open it, yet, because I want to take a picture of it.


After I shot the box, Tony removed the plastic and opened it for me. Inside the box, we found a shipping notice with this sweet note: "Happy Birthday Dear Cousin Nancy. We are all out of the same mold, so blessed to be of the same era. With love and admiration, Walt & Cheryl." Then Tony opened a box that looked like a giant egg carton and inside it was a bottle of, Fess Parker Winery Pinot Noir 2009 wine. 


"I love this, Tony! That is so sweet of Cheryl and Walt to send this to me for my birthday. I love Fess Parker. Besides Roy, I also wanted to marry Fess," I confessed. "Do you know that he was born in Fort Worth too?"

"No." Then Tony started laughing and slipped the coonskin topper on it, which made me laugh too, because it was so cute. "Nance, this is box one of two. Cheryl and Walt have also sent you four tasting glasses with the coonskin cap logo. I bet it gets here tomorrow."


Then I went on YouTube to listen to, "The Ballad of Davy Crockett," in Walt Disney's 1955-1956 TV miniseries Davy Crockett, that my family never missed, where he played Davy Crockett in. And now I can't get the song out of my mind, because as a four-year-old kid, it was one of my all time favorite songs.

"Cheryl and Walt, I love y'all and I cannot thank you enough for my wonderful birthday presents. I am going to save the bottle of wine for a very special occasion, like the next time y'all come out here." And that is about it for tonight, because I've got some writing to do on my hilarious mystery novel, The Cowgirl Sisterhood: The Membership Drive.

Y'all have a great evening!

Monday, October 1, 2012

He/She!

Today has been great, but the weirdest thing happened to us today, in Bandera. We went to Big B, to do some banking and to eat a late lunch.

Our lunch cost eighteen dollars and some change, not counting the tip that we left on the table. After Tony had paid our wait person, at the cash register, for our lunch, we left the establishment. As we walked to Trigger, Tony says, "That was weird."

"What was weird?"

"When I handed our wait person a twenty dollar bill, instead of ringing it up on the cash register, he/she pulled a one dollar bill out of their pocket and gave me a dollar back and told me they were out of ones and he/she didn't give me back any of the change."

"That is pretty weird. Who knows? Maybe he/she has bought the place," I said, as we climbed into Trigger.

"I doubt it. I wonder if we should call and ask to speak to the owner, to tell them what just happened?..."

Early this evening I went over to the Lodge to visit with Kinky. While we were sitting outside, on his front porch, with The Friedmans running around in the yard, he asked me if I wanted to help him feng shui his clothes closet.

One minute later, I was in Kinky's bedroom, holding an opened up plastic trash bag, as Kinky began filling it up with his clothes that he no longer wanted. Within fifteen minutes, Kinky had filled up three large trash bags, that we carried out of the Lodge and put into the back of Trigger, because I had volunteered to drop them off for him, at the Salvation Army. Then I came back home.

And that is about it for tonight, because I can't wait to do some more writing on my mystery novel, which I am fixin' to do right now.

Y'all have a great evening!