Being Grounded!

This morning I did not walk with Leslie, because I was tired and needed a day off. I spent my morning returning phone calls and catching up on the paperwork while Matt, Meghan, Nicole, Bethany and John walked our dogs and helped Tony with his chores. Unfortunately, Lisa didn't get to come out because she had some business to take care of. Thank y'all for coming out!

After lunch Tony and I had to go to Kerrville to buy dog food. On our way to Kerrville, Tony started laughing and he told me why. "As of today Matt is an official Ranch Wrangler. As I was driving up to the trailer I saw Matt laying down on the ground in Nellybelle and Hank's pen. I stopped Kermit and asked him what he was doing and Matt started laughing as he stood up. He told me that he had just hit the hot-wire with his head as he was leaving their pen. He said he was fine and he started laughing about it." Tony and I started laughing.

We have a long ongoing joke out here about you're not part of the rescue ranch until you have been zapped at least once by our low voltage hot wires. I've been zapped, and so have Tony, Ben, John, Aaron and Kinky. It really doesn't hurt you, it just sort of jars you for a second because you weren't expecting it. Fortunately, because I am short I've only been shocked once when I reached up to toss a ball into a pen and touched the wire.

Kinky's 'number one hit' and only hit is the funniest of all of ours. Four or five years ago some reporters were out here interviewing Kinky as he gave them a tour of our rescue ranch. When he stopped at Randy Travis', Mandy's and Moe Bandy's pen, which was hot because they are jumpers, he reached up and grabbed the hot wire and yelled a cuss word as he let go and jumped back. The reporters didn't know if they should laugh but Kinky, Tony and I did. It was hilarious and Kinky has never been zapped since! It only takes one time and that's why we use them because once one of 'our jumpers' hits the wire they learn to never try to jump out again and that makes them very adoptable.

"After Matt had quit laughing about not being grounded," Tone said, "he told me that he had been sitting in Hank's and Nelly's pen to visit with them so they could get to know him. He said that Nellybelle had laid down beside him, rested her head on his leg and then she fell to sleep, and Hank let him pet him and Hank seemed to enjoy Matt's company."

"That's great news about Nellybelle and Hank," I said. "They are such great dogs."

"I know. By the way this morning Nancy and Peggy, my friends on Facebook, read your blog last night  and they asked me if I liked your cheese souffle..."

"You did like it didn't you?"

"Nance, it was good but I am not really a souffle -kind-of-a-man. I mean it was good, but  I've never eaten anything like that with that kind of texture."

When we arrived at Walmart Tony and I turned on our cell phones and then we went off in different directions. While T. filled his cart with fifty pound sacks of dog food I was over in the arts & craft section buying this and that, so I could decorate and customize my new drumsticks and drum pad for my beginners drum class on February twenty-eighth because I want to have the coolest and prettiest drum sticks and drum pad in the class! We're talkin' Bling!

Y'all have a great evening!

Utopia Animal Rescue Ranch Is On Facebook!

This morning, I spent over three hours getting our rescue ranch up on Facebook! I am not finished working on the site, and I hope that y'all will check it out at:  Utopia Animal Rescue Ranch on Facebook!

Cantaloupe!

This morning, Ben and Aaron joined us for breakfast sorta. At eight-thirty, Ben and Aaron came up to the trailer for breakfast. Tony and I had already eaten, or should I say drank our healthy, delicious breakfast smoothies. "I want a smoothie," Ben declared.

"I'm not sure, Nancy," Aaron said. "What's in this one?" Aaron has a sensitive stomach, when it comes to eating healthy food, but I went ahead and told him the ingredients.

"We're talkin' organic ginger, radishes, oranges, apple, wheat germ, flaxseed, banana, local honey, kale, carrots, pumpkin and cantaloupe.

"You had me, until you said cantaloupe," Aaron said, wearing a frown on his face, and shaking his head. "I hate cantaloupe. Sorry. No way."

Ben took a big swallow of my smoothie, "Come on Aaron. Don't be a baby," Ben teased. "It's good for you, and it tastes great." Aaron totally ignored him.

A few minutes passed. I then pulled a glass out of the cabinet, and poured a little of my healthy concoction into the glass. "Aaron, please try it," I said, as I handed him the glass three-quarters empty. I could tell that Aaron was wondering if this was part of his job description—it wasn't. He reluctantly took the glass from me, and took a little swallow of the light, green colored smoothie!

Laugh out loud—Aaron looked like he was fixin' to blow, and I will never forget that look on his face! As Aaron's fist lightly pounded our breakfast bar—Ben, Tony and I started laughing, bless his heart. A couple of seconds later, Aaron said, "I'm sorry, Nancy. I know it's good for me, but no way." I thanked Aaron for trying it, as he washed out his glass, and quickly filled it with water, so he could get the taste out of his mouth. Then he went outside.

I spent the entire day doing 'first of the month' paperwork and returning numerous phone calls.

Before Ben left for Austin, he, Tony and I talked about Facebook. He and Tony told me that they love it, but when Ben told me that someone had set up a 'Miles of Chocolate' fan club—I pricked my ears, because I really want to have a Facebook account, so I can visit my friends sites. After Ben left, I decided for the third time, to get on Facebook, but this time, as a fan club, using a new e-mail address, that I had just created for the new Facebook account! Big mistake.

I spent over an hour, trying to set it up, but because of my previous e-mail address with them—we had a few security issues. I am hoping that by tomorrow—I will be back on Facebook, as 'Cousin Nancy's Fan Club!' Please wish me luck!

Y'all have a great evening!

Face It!

This morning I overslept again, but by eight-thirty, I was caught up! After breakfast and cleaning up the kitchen. I decided to go to Facebook, to try to figure it out. I spent over an hour on my Facebook and was exhausted when I left it. It is a great deal, but too big of a deal for me! I wish I was a techno-nerd, but unfortunately, I'm not.

Feeling frusterated, I decided to do my two-mile brisk walk with my lavender weights and strechy band. After I had completed my walk, I decided to do the two-mile brisk walk again, because of my 'I can't believe it's not yogurt—frosting feeding frenzy fiasco,' yesterday morning! Four miles and thirty minutes later, I was pooped, but proud of myself for doing my two-mile walk—twice! Yeah!

Then I got on my computer, and went back to Facebook, again. OMG! We're talking tons of posts, pictures, and many people wanting to be my friend! Good grief, I had people from all over the world asking to be my friend! It was very exciting! I felt honored that so many people wanted to be my friend, but it was truly overwhelming—to say the least!

I ended up spending a couple of hours trying to add new people, who wanted to be my friends on Facebook, but when I saw that people were sending in requests to be my friends faster than I could add the older requests—I left Facebook, again! I then went to check my e-mail, to find that I had over seven pages of new people, who I mainly didn't know, wanting to be my friend! It made my smile turn into a frown.

I didn't know what to do—so I got out my sewing machine, and made myself a new shirt. It is red with a pink collar and cuffs! I love it and can't wait to wear it! (Please note: When I am feeling overwhelmed, I either sew, decorate or build something—with my iPod always playing my favorite music from our Bose.)

After I had ironed and hung up my new shirt in the closet, I showed Tone my Facebook, and asked him for his advice. "Nance, this is unbelievable!" Tony said, after laughing. "You are really popular. I don't know what to tell you to do. I only have six friends on my Facebook—and I actually know all of them." Then he went outside to plant some more seeds—for our upcoming organic heirloom garden.

The sun finally came out, after four days of cloudiness, so I went outside to talk to Tony, while he was planting seeds—faster than Johnny Appleseed! "T. I think that I am going to cancel my Facebook. I hate to do it, after all of these people have taken their time to be my friend, but I don't know how to answer them all. I'm a writer, and I love blogging. I think that is what I need to stick to. I don't have the time to blog and do Facebook. And, a few of my friends, (which shall remain nameless) have sent me e-mails, telling me that they don't want to join Facebook. They just want to read my blog, and e-mail me back and forth. I am going to cancel my Facebook."

I came inside the trailer and went to Facebook for the very last time. It took me three minutes to cancel. I want to thank all of y'all for posting! I want to do a shout out to my friend, Geir and all of his friends in the Netherlands—thank y'all so much for wanting to be my friend—y'all are my friends! I hope that everyonel has a great evening! I am because I am blogging—and I love it! That's what I do!

I Have One Friend!

I believe in signs! I'm not talking about the red colored 'Stop' signs or the yellow 'Watch for Water' signs. I obey those. I believe in astrological signs, but what I am talking about tonight are cosmic signs. The kind of signs that are sent to us, pointing—us into another direction to take—or what I like to call, 'The Heavy Heavenly Hints' made to get our attention!

Two weeks ago, when Ben was down here working, he told us that he had signed up with Facebook, and was having fun with it! He told us that he was just learning all of the ropes, but he was really enjoying it.

Last week, when Ben was down here working, he told us that he loved Facebook! He went on to tell us about all of these old friends that he had reconnected with, etc. I thought it sounded pretty cool, but didn't have a clue as to what Facebook was about.

Then this morning, when I checked my e-mail. I had two new e-mails. The first e was from a friend, announcing that he had joined Facebook, and he invited me to checkout his Facebookt, join it, and be one of his friends.

Then my second e-mail was from my good friend, Fay, up in Canada, asking me to please post this note, because Dwight Yoakam had just joined Facebook, and wanted to let his fans know about it. I love Dwight and he has done so much to help our rescue ranch—I had no problem posting this note:

Dwight Yoakam, country music performer, actor and friend of Utopia is looking for friends! Facebook friends, that is! He’s looking to expand his internet presence during this time before his next album so everyone will know what he’s up to. Anyone remember that shampoo commercial…. If you tell 2 friends, and they tell 2 friends, and so on? That’s the kind of thing he’s looking for!

DYs management is committed to keeping his Facebook up-to-date with news about his music, movie and concerts, here’s what they’re saying: “We will be using the fan page as our primary Facebook spot for Dwight, but first, we have to get everyone over there!!!!”. For those of you who are active on Facebook, and have lots of Facebook Friends, you are cordially invited to join Dwight’s Facebook, here’s the direct link: http//www.facebook.com/pages/Dwight-Yoakam/7178551770?sid=1dda391e3ca80c8c17caecc1e98b1555&ref=s

If you are so inclined, please send a message to each one of your friends by going under "compose new message" and invite them to join DY's FAN page by giving them the link. You may be able to add all of your friends with the stroke of ONE key if you put them on one "friends” list.

There’s also his online Fan Club, which will remain "the" spot for perks you can't get on those public pages… exclusive photos, videos, info, contests, meet & greets with Dwight, etc. etc. Check it out on www.Route23Club.com and join today!

This afternoon, after spending thirty minutes over at the Lodge, trying to help Kinky build a fire, in his fireplace—using wet wood—we finally had a fire blazing, and it was burning full steam, too! After completing that project— Trigger returned me safely to the rescue ranch!

When I walked into the trailer, Oprah was on—talking to the founder of Facebook! What another Facebook deal? I sat down and watched her show. Near the end of her segment with this young man—Carol called. I confess, I let the machine take her call, so I could finish watching the deal about Facebook.

As Oprah talked—Carol talked. "Nancy, this is Carol. I was wondering if I could come over there—I have something really big for y'all!"

As soon as Oprah was done talking—I called Carol. "Carol, we're here, we would love for you to come over! Did you just see the deal on Oprah about Facebook?"

"Yes!" Carol said. "It sounds really cool!"

"I know! Tony watched it with me, and he is signing up on Facebook—right now! I'm going to sign up, too! Give me five minutes, so I can go down and open up our gate. Bye!"

Ten minutes later, Carol was inside our trailer, with her special delivery, and within minutes, we were all laughing! A few minutes later, Tony announced, "I'm now a member of Facebook!" Carol and I went over to his laptop and took a look.

"I want to be on Facebook, too!" Carol announced. "Let's check it out! Do you know anyone on Facebook?"

"Ben is," Tony and I answered. "Carol, you're welcome to get on Facebook using my laptop," I said. Carol pulled up a chair, sat down and went to Facebook!

Carol had to sign up on Facebook, and then she tried to find Ben! We didn't know how to find him, and Carol kept coming up blank, so I called Ben. "Hi Ben, it's Nancy..." Then I put Carol on the phone with Ben. A few minutes later, Carol passed Ben off to me. "Ben, I am putting you on speaker phone now, okay?"

Within minutes, Carol was a friend on Ben's Facebook! Then they started instant messaging each other, and it was totally hilarious! Then Carol starts laughing out loud and says, "Look! It says that I have one friend!" We burst out laughing! T. and C. were hooked!

I plan to sign up on Facebook tomorrow. Facebook was definitely a sign for me! It has been too much in my face! Y'all have a great evening! Here are a couple of pictures I took of them addicted to Facebook. The first one is of Tony and Carol and the second picture is Carol on the speaker phone with Ben: