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!

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!

Texas Sized!

This morning I walked six fast miles! I then returned some phone calls and e-mails. It was now finally—My Time! I had just begun working on my book, when the phone rang—it was Kinky. "Nance, I just found a German paperback version of 'Meanwhile Back At The Ranch,' and you have got to come over and see it! Our names are all over it and it is pretty funny."

Twenty minutes later, I was over at the Lodge. After unloading some more of Tony's organic—tomatoes, onions, jalapenos, and zucchinis onto Kinky's kitchen table, I thumbed through the German paperback, finding Tony's and my name—here and there. I love that book—it is one of my favorite Kinky books. Kinky dedicated that book to Tony and me, and when I saw the dedication written in German, it made me grin! Here is a picture of the German Paperbook and the English version.

After looking at the book, Kinky and I went outside. He wanted to show me the bloom on his Texas Five Star Hibiscus, that our friends Rick R. and Leisa, from Port A., had given to him last year. It was beautiful and Texas sized, to say the least!

Kinky and I visited while he filled his hummingbird feeders. Before leaving the Lodge, Kinky invited Tone and me to join him for lunch—with Dylan, at Luby's. I accepted the invite, because I knew it would be fun to see Dylan, and also because we needed to run some errands in Kerrville.

At one o'clock sharp, the four of us entered Luby's cafeteria. Our lunch was so much fun! Dylan told us some very interesting stories, while Kinky kept interjecting some really funny remarks. I was the last to finish my lunch, because they had me laughing so hard.

After our Luby's lunch, Tone and I went to Wolfmueller's Books. We wanted to hear all about their Fourth of July pignic at the Trails End Guest House. Sandy and Jon told us that they had a blast! They said the food was delicious, of course, and Beckham is now living the life of Riley over there—and he is putting on the pounds! That news made my day!

Our visit with Sandy and Jon was fun, and I hated for it to end, but we needed to get over to Copies Plus, to get some printing done. When we walked inside Copies Plus, Trisha greeted us with a smile! Tony and I just love her. We had a fun visit with her, while she ran off two hundred copies of a brochure for us.

Tony and I are fixin' to watch Michael's memorial service that I taped earlier today. Y'all have a great evening!

Not A Happy Camper!

Last night, Tony and I really enjoyed watching Helen Mirren, in ‘The Queen.’ That movie was really good. Many friends of ours, had told us to watch it, and I am glad that we finally did! My advice to all is: If you haven’t seen it—rent it and watch it. If you have seen it—watch it again! It’s worth a double-take.

This morning, after talking to Kinky, I reached out—and touched someone, Tara to be exact. Tara had called last night, and had left a message on the machine, about some questions she needed answered, for donating to our rescue ranch, while ‘The Queen’ was on the phone, talking to Tony Blair, about Princess Diana’s funeral—and Elizabeth wasn’t a real happy camper about it.

“Hello Tara, this is Nancy, from the Utopia Animal Rescue Ranch, returning your call.” Tara and I talked for about five minutes, and I answered all of her questions concerning pen sponsorship. She was a delight to talk to. When she told me that she and her friends, follow my blog, and giving me a couple of other compliments—I gave her my e-mail address.

For lunch today, I made my famous (just kidding) Tortilla soup—and Tony loved it! While he and I were sipping our soup away, I asked T. if he would go horseback riding with Cindy P. and me, later this week. “Nance, I can’t,” Tony said. “I would love to, but my back just couldn’t take it. I would love to ride with you, but I can’t. No way.”

Slurp, slurp, “Okay Tone, I understand. Maybe I can talk my sister Cindy, Ben and Aaron to go riding with Cindy and me? You could go too, and take pictures of us riding? That would be a blast! How about that?”

“Nance, that’s a great idea, but what am I going to be doing for two hours while y’all ride?”

“You could take your laptop and get some work done, or play games on your iPod Touch.”

“We’ll see,” Tony said.

Then somehow, our conversation went from that to this. “Tony I need a roping post. Remember when we used to have roping contests, over at my little ranch in Utopia—they were so much fun!”

“Yes, Nance, they were a lot of fun, but you never won—ever.” Tony teased, and then he started laughing!

“That’s not true Tony,” I said. “I’m a good post roper, and you know it! I’m going to ask Ben or Aaron to build me a roping post, out by the Space Ship. Okay?” Tony laughed, and then he went outside to check on the dogs.

Today, I received a surprise in the mail—from Mari of the infamous Kerrville NoMads! Mari sent me a really cute card, and a peace sign decal for my future VW bus—totally sixties! I love it, and may put it on the little refrigerator in the Space Ship! Thank you Mari—it made me smile and laugh today!

Well, I’m fixin’ to watch ‘The Queen’ one more time, but T. isn’t. Y’all have a great evening!

P.S. Tara, thank you and your friends, for helping our dogs at the rescue ranch!

Something To Talk About!

Wow! Today was fantastic in so many ways! To begin with, our organic, heirloom radishes, grew about another half inch! As soon as the sun came up over the mountain, I put them outside on the porch railing.

At ten o’clock, after I had started a batch of beans, slow cooking , in my crockpot—Kinky called. He needed my help with a project, so I took off for the Lodge. When I returned to the rescue ranch, I found Aaron and Linda T., from Harker Heights, walking Dr. John and Buffalo Girl, back to the rescue ranch! Yeah! I love seeing our dogs go for walks!

After returning them to their pens, I joined Linda and Aaron. We took Lulu, Maggie, Goliath, then Aaron had some work to do, so Linda and I walked Maggie and Happy. When we returned them to their pen, there was a couple visiting with Tony, down by our trailer.

Linda and I waved to them, and then she and I took Nash and Alfie for a nice long walk—the dogs loved it! When we returned to the rescue ranch, the couple caught up with Linda and me, and the dogs. The man got out of his big SUV, “Hi, my name is Tom P., I know that one of you came from Harker Heights—just to walk dogs, today, and one of y’all are Cousin Nancy. I love y’all’s rescue ranch! I hope that y’all know—there is going to be a very special place in heaven for all of y’all.”

Linda and I introduced ourselves, then Tom’s wife, using a crutch, came around the side of their vehicle, “Hi, I’m Linda, too.” We all shook hands, and then we had a really fun visit, under the big oak tree, near our puppy pen! “We’re from Arlington, and we decided to come see the rescue ranch, and we are also big fans of Kinky Friedman, and we voted for him!”

“Arlington,” I said. “I was born and raised in Fort Worth. I love Fort Worth.”

“Me, too!” Tom said. “I grew up in Fort Worth, on the west side...” Well, that’s all it took—I love talking to people from Cowtown! Tom and I talked about Fort Worth, where we had gone to school, Carlson’s Drive Inn on Forest Park Boulevard, Camp Bowie Boulevard, T.C.U., General Dynamics, etc. It was sorta like going down memory lane, with someone you didn’t know back then, but was there when you were—it was a blast from the past for me!

As we talked, a black car drove into the ranch—it was our friend, Julia, with her friend, Karen! They drove past us, and met up with Tony, who was working, down by the pig pen. And, this is when Tom’s sweet wife, Linda, was finally able to get a word in edgewise— “I’m from Arkansas!” She was great!

Karen had told Julia a while back, about wanting to adopt a dog, and Julia told her about our rescue ranch, and asked her to please consider coming here to adopt a dog! In fact, she offered to drive her down here, and she did!

As Tom, Linda, Linda and I visited under the tall oak, I saw Tony take Julia and Karen for a tour, to see if we had a forever dog—for Karen. I had my fingers crossed.

After explaining who Tony was giving a tour to, I said, “Y’all ought to stay around to meet Kinky. He should be back at the ranch within an hour.”

“We’d love to, but we are headed to Medina for lunch, and then we’re going to Lost Maples. Maybe the next time, we can meet him,” Tom said. After shaking hands, Tom and Linda drove away, Linda and I took Maggie and Happy back to their pen. Then Linda and I went and found Karen, Julia and Tony over by Pearl and Laz’s pen.

After greetings and introductions, we finished up the tour with them. “I want to adopt Goliath!” Karen told us. “He’s the one.” All of us were thrilled with her decision!

“Oh my gosh! Y’all, this is way too cool!” I said. “Goliath is our first rescue for 2009, and our first adoption for 2009! I love it, but not as much as he is going to!”

Karen and Julia told us that they were going to go over for a short visit with Kinky, and would be back soon to sign the adoption form and take Goliath to his new home. After they drove away, Tony said, “Nance, I’m starving. Are those beans ready, yet?”

“Yes, but I still have to make some cornbread.”

“Let’s go to the trailer. I’ll just eat a bowl of beans for now—I’m starving.”

When we reached our front yard gate, Linda grabbed her lunch sack out of her car, and we came inside. While Tony lapped up his beans, and Linda ate her lunch, I made some organic cornbread, and put it into the oven, as we three visited.

After they had eaten their lunch, Linda told me that she was ready to walk some more dogs. I was tired, and my back was aching a little, because I had almost tipped over (fallen from a big loose rock, that I was standing on in one of the dog pens), so I declined to join her. She understood, and took off to go walk Blackie and Kahoula.

When the cornbread was ready, Tony and I ate lunch together. Just after I had put our dishes into the sink, to wash, the dogs cranked up outside! “Nance, someone is driving in, I think it is Tom and Linda!”

“Great! I really like those people.” I then picked up the phone and quickly punched in Kinky’s phone number, and then went out onto the front porch, and waved to them, as they pulled up. “Kinky, this is Nance, would it be okay for me to bring some really nice people, over there to meet you? They voted for you, and are big fans of yours and I love them!”

Two minutes later, Linda, Tom, Kermit and me were headed over to Kinky’s. Linda T., who had just returned Blackie to his pen, jumped into the back of Kermit, and we went over the river and through the woods.

Talk about a fun time! There was so much laughing—my back really started aching from laughing so much! Everyone seemed to really have a great time, and before we left, there was plenty of picture taking. Unfortunately, I had forgotten to take my camera, and was disappointed about not having it, so I could show you.

When we left Kinky’s, Linda stood up in the back of Kermit, the whole way back to the rescue ranch, as the four of us laughed more, with Karen and Julia following us!

Before signing Goliath’s adoption papers, I ran inside, I mean, skipped inside the trailer, and grabbed my camera. I asked everyone to pose and I shot them! Then Linda asked me to take a picture with her camera, and then Tom and Linda asked me to take a picture of them with their camera! From left to right here are our friends: Tom, Karen, Tony, Linda T., Linda, and Julia!

While Karen filled out the adoption form, my new friends, Linda and Tom from Arlington, Texas thanked us for the fun time, said their goodbyes, and drove away, followed by Linda T.

When we reached Goliath’s pen—he already knew that he was getting adopted! His tail was wagging faster than fast, as Tony slipped a leash on Goliath! Here’s a picture of Karen with her new found best friend! I hope that y’all had as great a day, as I have! Y’all have a great evening!

Five Star Beautiful!

First off, I want to thank all of y’all for the kind comments, about yesterday’s blog. Secondly, I must confess, that I didn’t get my three mile walk in today as planned, because I was a little too busy, and that is my excuse, and that is all that I am going to say about it. Trust me, if you knew what all went on today—you would accept my excuse. Now, I have some great news!

This morning, around ten-thirty, I received an urgent and exciting e-mail from Trisha Sanders, over at Copies Plus—that absolutely changed my mood, and made my day! FedEx had just delivered the proofs of our 2009 Calendar, and she could not wait for us to see them!

I immediately shot her back an e, and then I called her on the phone. “Nancy! The calendar looks absolutely fantastic!” Trish said, all excited. “It is so beautiful!”

Her news, and the excitement in Trisha’s voice—made me get all excited! I told her that Tony and I would get to Copies Plus as soon as possible! “Tony!” I half hollered, because he was just down the hallway. “We need to get to Kerrville—fast! Trish has the final proofs, and she told me that our calendar looks awesome! I can’t wait to see it! Okay?”

Tony, who is, as y’all well know, not nearly as an excitable person as me, said, “Okay, Nance.”

Twenty-four miles, and thirty-six minutes later—I jumped out of Buttermilk, and skipped into Copies Plus! Tony chose to walk. “Trish, I cannot wait to see it!”

“I can’t wait for y’all to see it either!” She replied, as she quickly opened up the FedEx box. “Here it is!”

I just about fainted, when I looked at the cover of the calendar—it was five star beautiful! And, I am not kidding you! As Trish slowly turned the pages of time—I felt goosebumps, as time marched on and on! Trisha was so proud of the calendar. Tony was proud of the calendar, and I was absolutely thrilled with our rescue ranch’s 2009 calendar! Y’all are going to love it!

Our 2009 calendar is going to be available within the next two weeks! The price of our calendar is $20.00 plus shipping and handling. I will give out more details on how to purchase it, within the next week. It is a beautiful 12” by 12” glossy calendar, printed on the finest paper, and it is filled with over seventy pictures! I can’t wait for Kinky to see it! Here is the front and the back of it!