Heaven!

Today has been great and early this morning when Tony woke me, like I had asked him to, to tell me that I needed to get up, because we were going to work a few hours next door, I sat up in bed, and said, "Today is going to be a great day!" Then I clapped my hands together and after I jumped out of the bed—Henry Standing Bear ignored me and he continued to sleep on my pillow. So, I covered him with the covers, before I went to drink my first cup of coffee.

After my coffee fix, I showered first and when I came out of the bathroom—Henry was still sound asleep and snoring softly. And Little Debbie was snuggled up close to his head and she was sawing wood, too. And when we left to go next door they were both in La La Land.

This afternoon Tony and I took off for Kerrville, because we needed to do some laundry and grab some groceries and to let me walk at the park, because I really wanted to hit my daily goal of 10,000 steps, because this morning at work I had already walked close to 4,000 step!

I am having a hard time writing this right now, because I am listening to Pandora play one of my favorite songs The Hollies singing a live version of Long Cool Woman In A Black Dress and I want to dance instead of write. Gosh they are great and it is one really great song!

Okay, I just finished dancing with Henry and Little Debbie and I am back now and I wish that I was still wearing my Apple Health App pedometer, because I am sure I could have added about 1,000 more steps to it. But it doesn't matter, because I will tell you later.

While our laundry was washing in two machines, at Country Clean, Tony filled up Trigger, while I got our groceries.

When I came out of the big H-E-B, I heard a familiar woman's voice say, "Hey, Nancy!" And it was sweet Kris, so I stopped, so Kris and I could catch up with each other's news. And before she and I adios-ed each other I got to tell her my new duck joke and it made her laugh, so I promised her that when we got home that I would call her husband "The Mineral Man" and tell him the joke, too.

After we tossed our laundry into the dryers Trigger took Tony and I to my favorite park—Louise Hayes Park. And I got to feed my feathered friends, walk from the Sidney Baker Street Bridge to the Lemos Bridge and back, while Tony took more beautiful pictures. Then we came back home.

While Tone carried in the laundry and groceries I pulled out my iPhone to check to see how many steps I had taken and because I was so close to making my daily goal I slipped my iPhone back into my jean's pocket and then put up our laundry and the groceries.

Then I took a short, sleepless nap with Henry, Big Al(ice), Beau, Roy and Little Debbie. And honestly, I am so glad that I did not sleep, because just snuggling with my best friends is like heaven to me. Or better said—Nirvana.

As I finish writing this, I am proud to report that I hit my daily goal late this afternoon and that doesn't even count dancing with my dogs a while ago.

So, in one hour and 56 minutes of active time today, before I turned it off,  so I could paint a bookcase, my app shows that I burned-off 238 calories and walked 3.3 miles. And it recorded 10,890 steps! And I am thrilled.

Eric Clapton is now singing his Unplugged live version of Tears In Heaven. I love that song so much, even though it is hard to dance to, so I am going to grab my guitar and just play along with him. (Chords only.)

Y'all have a great evening and keep on laughing!

P.S. I did call Jim and tell him my duck joke and he thought it was funny, too.

Parsley, Sage, Rosemary & Cale!

Today has been great. This morning our good friend Jim aka The Mineral Man sent me this very interesting YouTube video on how to grow 9 of your favorite herbs, in Mason/Ball jars and I absolutely loved watching it. So then I asked Tony to please watch it.

After Tony watched it, like me, he thought this 9 Herbs You Can Grow In Water Over And Over Again For Endless Supply video was really cool, too. And he was ready to give it a try and help me do it.

So this afternoon, when we were, in Kerrville, running errands, we went to the Plant Haus and bought most of the herbs.

And on our way back home we made a quick stop, at the little H-E-B, so I could purchase a few more Ball jars to put our herbs in. Then we came home.

After putting up our groceries, we brought our herbs inside and got to work, while we listened, over and over again, to one of my all time favorite YouTube music videos—The 2007 JJ Cale and Eric Clapton Sound Check, in San Diego.

Then I made this short, less than a minute, video of our finished herb project and the background music I specifically chose is just a small sampling of the the fabulous music from, the great 2007 JJ Cale and Eric Clapton Sound Check, in San Diego YouTube video. And I hope that you will enjoy watching this video while listening to the awesome sound of JJ Cale and Eric Clapton, as much as I do. 

P.S. I know the title of this post reads: Parsley, Sage & Cale! But we didn't plant any parsley or sage as you will see. We planted Stevia, Peppermint & Spearmint together, Oregano, Rosemary, Sweet Basil, Thyme, Lavender and chives.

Y'all have a great evening and keep on laughing!

What Is The Secret?!

Today has turned out to be great even though I almost had a big scare, late this afternoon, but fortunately, as you can see I survived it.

Early this morning, after Tony did his morning chores outside, we mowed and mowed and mowed. And the good news is that we've only got three pens left to push—mow. But the bad news is that it looks like we're going to have rain starting tomorrow and for the next few days. And then we'll start mowing again. And this is one of the main reasons that I am so fond of the desert. (There's no grass, in Terlingua.)

Early this afternoon, after I cooked us lunch and cleaned up the kitchen, we went back outside and mowed for about another hour. Then our backs started aching, so we came inside to rest.

Late this afternoon, after Tony took off to go help Ellen take pictures of some homeless cats, in hopes to help her get them adopted to loving homes, is when I almost had my my big scare. Which I must admit upfront, was self-induced, because I had vowed to do it.

Anyway, before my almost big scare happened I put our dogs outside and then I cranked up my music real loud to help me gather up my strength. And with JJ Cale and Eric Clapton jamming & singing Call Me The Breeze I marched back into our bedroom and swung open our closet door, because I was going to tackle (feng-shui) our closet aka wine cellar aka Hazel's Place—no matter what horrible things that might be lurking inside there.

When Leon Russell began singing his beautiful love song Back To The Island I looked at the total wreck that our closet was in and that scared me and I was even tempted to bail-out or jump ship, so to speak.

As I began removing all kinds of ridiculous stuff, piled up on the floor of our closet or else jammed into spaces above our hanging clothes, I came this close to shouting, "Man Overboard!" and skip out of our bedroom as fast as I could and to never return. But I didn't. I held my course.

Even though I was scared about what I might find hiding behind my fine wine-box-rack, the dust-covered bread maker machine, that I haven't used in over two or three years, or inside the crock pot now with a missing lid, I was determined to clean up our mess. And fortunately nothing jumped out or even scared me, except for some gigantic, hairy dust bunnies that I plan to wash and dry tomorrow and keep for making Carol's tiny bun.

When I started to remove my pretty, pink sleeping bag I did start praying that there was nothing lurking inside it—like a scorpion or a brown recluse spider, because my sleeping bag was partially stuffed inside the box that it came in. And the reason for it only being tucked halfway inside the box is because after I had used it on my fun trip, to New Mexico, a few years ago, neither Tony or I could get it to roll up small enough for it to fit back inside the box that it came in.

Anyway, it took me about an hour to clean up and undo the total mess that we had created, inside our closet aka wine cellar aka Hazel's Place. And I am happy to report that cleaning out our closet was pretty much smooth sailing after all, because nothing—got me.

And as I finish writing this tonight, I am thrilled that our closet looks so nice and is once again organized. And before I watch a movie tonight I plan to Google "What is the secret to rolling up a sleeping bag and getting it to fit back inside the box?"

Y'all have a great evening and keep on laughing!

It's The Little Things!

The last few days have been great. Except for this morning, nothing big actually happened, but it's the little things that have made me so happy.

I know that I may seem weird about always getting excited when little things happen to me, but I can't help it, because it's hereditary. And I am so glad that I have that little quirk, because I like staying on the sunny side of life.

Anyway, this past week four little things kept me smiling. The first thing that totally made my day was receiving my official Texas license plates, for Roy, the used 2012 GMC Sierra, pickup that I purchased a few days before Tony and I went, out to Terlingua, with Carol & Bill.

You may ask how could license plates make me so happy, so I'll tell y'all. Tuesday, Tony brought in our mail and he handed me the plates, wrapped, in brown paper. "Oh I'm glad they finally came," I said. "I hope they will mean something special to me." Then I unwrapped the plates and nearly half-hollered with excitement, "Omg! Look, Tony! This is way too cool!"

Tony looked at them and then he shrugged his shoulders, because he didn't get it. "What's so great about the letters JJC...?"

"It's a sign— JJ Cale! He's dead, but he is one of my most favorite musicians of all times." Tony laughed, but he still seemed to be unimpressed. "He wrote some of the most famous, Rock 'N Roll songs like: Call Me The Breeze, Goin' Down, Crazy Mama, After Midnight and...." And after I took this picture of Roy's new, super-cool plates, I started playing the YouTube video of JJ Cale playing Cocaine and I cranked up the volume and Tony went outside to put on Roy's license plates for me, before I could tell him that JJ Cale often played with Eric Clapton, Mark Knopfler, Leon Russell and was Elton John's hero.

Wednesday afternoon another great little thing came, in the mail, for me. It was the Drop Spindle that my dear friend, Fay, had purchased for me, to help me spin our dog's hair for Carol's small dog-hair bun. That I'm planning to give her for Christmas. And I absolutely love the drop spindle. In fact, I've already spun about a one foot-long strand of dog-hair. "Thank you, Fay. You made that day great for me."

Thursday afternoon more great little things arrived, in the mail. Well, they are not exactly little things, because the three canvas prints are 16" x 20." I actually received seven canvas prints in all, but they are duplicates of Tony's beautiful picture of "Shalom and Little Jewford" down, by the creek and "The Waiting Game" and "Knock Knock" that are three of our most popular photos and paintings that we've sold.

And if you're considering getting a canvas print I highly recommend using Easy Canvas Prints, because they are the very best at what they do. They are friendly, professional people and fast.

And now the very best, little thing that has made both Tony and my week so great is sweet, little Red Foxx was adopted this morning, at 8:00!

He's that cute, little guy that was adopted from us over four-years ago, but was sadly returned to us, in March, after the woman's husband died. The volunteers and us were so sad that Red had come back to us, but of course, we totally understood the circumstances. 

Then one week later, Rachel, the sweet granddaughter of this couple, found out that Red was here so she called me and asked if she could please adopt Red Foxx, because she and her husband loved Red Foxx so much and that she had promised her grandfather that they would take care of little Red. And before we adios-ed each other that day, I had promised Rachel that we would hold Red Foxx until they could come and get him. And that day was today.

Earlier this week, Tony and I took Mr. Foxx, to Hoegemeyer Animal Clinic, to get the rest of his shots and a health certificate, so he could fly with them, to their home, in Van Nuys, California.

And as I finish typing this post, I am smiling big-time, because right now it is12:17 and Red Foxx is flying the friendly skies, with Rachel & Kenny, to his new forever home, in sunny California. And he didn't have to fly in the cargo section of the plane! 

Y'all have a great Sunday and keep on laughing!

The Troubadour!

Today has been fun! This morning after walking six fast miles with Leslie, I returned phone calls, and caught up on some paperwork. Since I was busy, Tony went over to see Kinky at the Lodge, to discuss some business with him.

When Tone returned from his meeting with Kinky, I was filling out my shopping list, and ready to head to Kerrville, because earlier we had planned on going to Kerrville to run several errands, like pick up my bifocals and hopefully get my driver's license. "Kinky wants us to eat lunch with him, Frank and Big G.," Tony said.

"Where?"

"At some BBQ place, that Big G. highly recommended we try. Kinky said for us to meet them at one o'clock," Tony said. A few minutes later, we left the rescue ranch in Buttermilk. On our way to Kerrville, we decided to eat lunch with them, but we had to rearrange our schedule.

After running two quick errands, we arrived at the BBQ place, one minute early. "Frank and Big G. are already here," Tony said. "They are sitting right next to the window." When we walked inside, we went to their table and sat down. After howdies and handshakes, Kinky showed up! And, that's when the real fun began!

We spent most of our lunch laughing at Frank's, Big G.'s and Kinky's hilarious stories, about famous musicians that they knew! They talked about Leon Russell, Billy Joe Shaver, Merle Haggard, Willie Nelson, Keith Richards, Roger Miller, Steve Winwood, etc. My favorite story was the one Kinky told about the early days of the Rolling Thunder Review!

One afternoon, before the show, Kinky was sitting at a bar, at The Troubadour, in Los Angeles. While sound checks were going on, a friendly guy, with a big, bushy beard and wearing a big cowboy hat, said hi to him, and Kinky said hi to him, even though he wasn't sure who the guy was.

"This guy seemed to know me," Kinky said. "He kept talking to me about mutual friends, but I couldn't place him. We spent over two hours drinking at the bar, while Joni Mitchell kept coming in and out of the bar. This guy was very friendly. I liked him, and I enjoyed our conversation. By the end of our conversation, I decide he had to either be Rusty Weir or Ray Wylie Hubbard."

"Who was he?" I asked Kinky.

"It was driving me crazy," Kinky said. "I had to know who he was, so I finally asked him who he was." The four of us sat in silence, waiting for Kink to tell us who he was. In a soft voice, Kinky said, "The man said, 'Eric Clapton.' It was Eric Clapton."

I was in shock! I had goose bumps! "It was Eric Clapton!" I said. "OMG! I love Eric Clapton! That is so cool! Wow!" Tone, Big G. and Frank thought it was pretty cool, too!

After lunch, T. and I went to Walmart to pick up my bifocals. After getting them fitted, we walked around the store, to see if I liked them and if I could see better. I definitely could see better, but I looked like a snob when I tried to read a label. My nose was so high up in the air, I would have drowned, had I been outside in the rain.

Our last destination was the Texas Department of Public Safety. "Don't be scared, Nance," Tony said, before we got out of Buttermilk. "Look straight ahead, when you try to read the letters."

When we entered the driving license office, I was scared. Scared that I might flunk their vision test, again. When the friendly woman officer asked me to come up to the counter, I said, "I flunked y'all's eye test five times last week, and I hope I don't today." Then I started pulling the eye doctor's form out of my purse, and getting my old driver's license, while two teenage boys stared at me, like I was a crazy old lady. "I got bifocals, and here is the paperwork." Then the woman asked me to sign a few forms.

After that she asked me to take the vision test! "Please read line four." I knew the boys were watching me, and probably laughing at me, and I also felt like everyone in there was holding their breath—wondering if I would pass the test. I said, a silent prayer, if that is even possible, and then I took a deep breath, and looked into the vision machine, and told her what I saw.

"Congratulations, you passed. You didn't miss one letter." I was thrilled! I felt like I had just won the lottery! I looked over at Tone and he shot me a wink. "Now, I have to take your picture. Please stand over there, and remove your glasses."

I did as I was told, but was confused that she didn't want me wearing my bifocals in the picture. After she shot me, my thumbs were finger printed, and then she asked me if I wanted to keep my motorcycle license, because it would cost a little bit more.

"Yes," I said, as the two young men looked at me in disbelief! I loved it!

I wrote a check to the state of Texas for thirty-two dollars. Then Tony drove me back to the rescue ranch. We laughed about the two teenagers. "You should of seen the look on their faces, when she asked you if you wanted to keep your motorcycle license!" Tony said.

Y'all have a great evening!