Tiny Pink Pills!

First off, Monday night after Tony and I spent over thirty minutes searched to find Big Al(ice)'s thunder jacket I finally found it. For some reason it was stuffed inside one of my straw, Resistol cowboy hats that I have yet to hang up, on a wall. So we survived Monday night without a hitch.

Yesterday, we spent most of our time outside burning brush. So it was a pretty uneventful day. But last night wasn't.

It was around 11:30 and Tony had already gone to bed, while I stayed up reading Second Sister by Marie Bostwick. I had just started reading this great book, around 9:00, and I was so hooked on reading it I could not put it down and it is a good thing that I didn't.

Because at 11:46, there was this big, loud thunder clap and suddenly the rain started pouring down, which made Big Al(ice) go into a full-blown a panic attack. The lightning strike was so loud that it also startled Henry Standing Bear, Belle and me. So I immediately went into action to help Alice even though I knew that I needed to unplug everything.

First, I folded up one of Alice's tiny, pink, happy pills, inside an even smaller piece of Honey Wheat bread and then I picked up Big Al and put her, on top of the kitchen island and gave her the pill. Then with her still shaking and standing on top of the island, with Belle and Henry closely watching us, I put Big Ali(ice)'s thunder jacket on her. And that seemed to relieve all of us.

Then with Alice tightly clutched in my arms I raced around The Cabin unplugging everything as fast I could. And right after I unplugged Jaws (my mighty Vita-Mix machine) lightning hit real close again startling all of us, once more. Several seconds later all was unplugged and Big Al(ice) seemed to be calming down some.

So I left Big Al, on the sofa, cuddled up with Belle and Henry and went and took my little pink pill (Baby Aspirin), so I wouldn't have a heart attack or a stroke, because of all of the unexpected commotion.

Well, it rained hard for about forty-five minutes and I could hear the thunder finally moving farther and farther away, as Big Al(ice) slept peacefully between Belle and Hen. (Yes, sometimes I call Henry Standing Bear—Hen to save time.)

A little after 12:30, I decided to do a little more reading, because I love this book and also because I was too wound up to go to sleep.

Anyway, I was so engrossed in reading Second Sister the time flew by and I ended up going to bed just a little before 2:00.

Today has been great even though I got up at 7:00 and was moving slower than normal. The Cabin was warm and cozy, because Tone had gotten up early, at 5:00 (Like he always does.) and he had started a big fire, in our wood-burning stove. It seemed everyone was rested but me.

We spent most of our morning putting away more stuff. Then using my new Instant Pot I made us a super, delicious lunch—pot roast with red potatoes, carrots and onions. And Tony and I were both impressed with how delicious it was and how little time it took for the pressure cooker to cook our meal.

So late this afternoon, after sweating and walking 4 Fast Miles With Leslie Sansone, I called Ronnie, because I wanted to tell him about how great our Instant Pot is so he could buy one, too. "....I know, Nance," Ronnie said. "I bought us an Instant Pot, about a year ago and we use it all of the time..."

After he told me about Nita making the best macaroni and cheese in their Instant Pot and rice, roast, etc. we changed the subject and talked about what Heartland episode he and Nita were watching, because I've already watched the entire series. "Well, let me see. We're on Season 10 now and we've watched the first three episodes and...." Then we went back to talking about Instant Pots, again. And before we adios-ed each other Ronnie gave me his Instant Pot Pork Ribs recipe, because he told me that he makes it all of the time for his friends and they absolutely love it and they can't believe that it only takes 13 minutes, in the Instant Pot and only 4-5 minutes in the broiler.

So tomorrow I plan to go to the big H-E-B, in Kerrville and buy some pork ribs, chicken broth and bbq sauce, so Tony and I can eat Ronnie's "Falls Off the Bone" pork ribs for our dinner. And that's about it for tonight, because I am going to read for a little while and then hopefully go to bed early, so I can catch up on my much needed beauty sleep.

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

Heartland!

Today has been great. This morning after our great friends/dog-walking volunteers walked our dogs for us they came over to check out the progress we've made with our cabin.

I was already working, over at the property, when Tony showed up with Andy & Judy, Sarah and Jim.  In fact, I had just chopped up some 2'x4's and was in the midst of building a small coffee cup shelf to put up on the kitchen wall, that will showcase my beautiful collection of Mara mugs—that I love so much.

Anyway, when they all arrived I already had started a beautiful, blazing fire, in our incredibly great wood-burning stove and I had just sprayed on my first coat of polyurethane to protect the rag rug that I painted last night, for my dog statue.

Tony and I gave everyone a tour of The Cabin and everyone seemed to think it was pretty cool and then we had a fun visit with our good friends.

After we adios-ed our friends Tony and I stained about 20 - 8 foot 2'x4's, so tomorrow afternoon we can hopefully finish turning our bathroom into a faux-looking-log-cabin bathroom.

Anyway last night, on my blog, I promised that I would take a picture of my dog statue resting on his new metal, rag rug. And here are the before the rug and on the rug pictures.

And that is about it for tonight, because I plan to work, on Carol's Top Bun Christmas present, because I just finished having Hazel suck up another ton of dog hair. Then I plan to relax and watch a few more episodes of Heartland, on Netflix and then go to bed.

P.S. Next to Longmire, Heartland is now my new favorite series to binge watch. Netflix has nine Heartland seasons and each season has 18 episodes, each episode being 40 minutes long. And it is Canada's favorite show. 

Also, I copied the curtains for our cabin, in the Heartland ranch house log cabin. Except mine are green—not blue.

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

About Last Night! or Norwegian Wood!

This morning has been great, but it is still early. I overslept this morning, even though Tony kept trying to wake me up every fifteen minutes or so, like I asked him to.

Fortunately, I finally crawled out of bed, around 7:00 and was awake enough to call in and do Harley's Show.

I had a lot of fun talking to Harley Belew this morning. Right off the bat Harley asked me when was the last time that I had spoken to our mutual, good friend Sammy Allred and I told him that it had been way too long and that it was probably about two years ago. "Now Sammy is the one who nicknamed you Cousin Nancy. Is that right?"

"Yes, Sammy gave me that nickname, back in 1986."

So then Harley started talking about Sammy and Bob Cole, two of Austin's number one DJs. When he told me about being, at Bob Cole's Hill's Cafe, many years ago and that being the last time that he saw our dear old friends I reminded him about us being there too, because we were having a benefit that night for our rescue ranch. and then Harley remembered.

Well that jogged my mind, so I said, "That was such a fun night. And do you remember that Dwight Yoakam showed up, near the end of the show, as our mystery guest?" And Harley remembered that, too.

Then Harley changed the subject and started telling me that you shouldn't judge a dog or a person by their looks, because I had just told him that Rocky was his Pet of the Week. "Rocky is so sweet and he probably is about eleven-years-old. He sort of looks like a Chow, but...."

"He sounds like a great dog, Cousin Nancy," Harley remarked. "Do you know that I once had a friend who didn't like me, because my teeth were straight? Can you believe that?" 

After I had quit laughing, I said, "That's hilarious. Well, at least you had teeth..."

Before the end of our Utopia Animal Rescue Ranch segment I asked Harley if I could please put in a plug for a Hurricane Harvey relief benefit that we're going to with Carol and he told me yes. 

"Well, this coming Sunday, at 3:00, at the Western Edge Cellars, on Main Street, in Fredericksburg there is going to be a fabulous, fun benefit with a super, great line up of musicians. We're talking Walt Wilkins, John Arthur Martinez, Mike Blakely, Stephen K. Morris, Hollin McKay....and there is going to be auctions, too."

"Hollin McKay is great," Harley said. "I really like his music and did you know that...." 

"Yes and I love Hollin McKay's music, too. I love Stephen K. Morris and I also love Mike Blakely's music. Did you know that Mike is also a famous author and that his books are ranked right up there with Larry McMurtry and Elmer Kelton's?" And Harley didn't know that. And then he gave a plug for Randy's & Lisa's Save Inn Restaurant, because they have sponsored our Utopia segment for many, many years. Then Harley and I adios-ed each other.

I have some news about last night. When Tony and I got back home from working, over at our property, Tony hooked-up my Bowl Light for me and I totally love it. And our dogs are sort of freaked-out about it with the seven, changing colors and motion-activation features. 

In fact, yesterday evening when I was watching Heartland, my newest favorite binge-watching show, on Netflix, I realized that Henry wasn't sleeping in his chair like he usually does. So I paused Season 3: Episode 4 and went looking for him. And I found him, sitting in the bathroom, mesmerized and staring at our magical toilet. So, I left him there, staring at the toilet and went back to watching Heartland.

Before I finish writing this post, I've scheduled it to post it, at 5:00 this evening, because I am fixin' to go over, to the property, to hopefully finish up my latest, painting/building project, before our dear friends, Hans & Marita, from Norway, come over to visit with us.

And if you'll remember, over a year ago about this same time of the year, Tony and I met this lovely, music-loving couple. And they are the ones who we quickly discovered are also good friends with our good friends: Chet O'Keefe, Stephen K. Morris & Eva Robinett, Brian Molnar and Kinky. 

Anyway, I'm hoping to finish my latest, painting/building project, before they arrive today, because I want to name this almost-finished-colorful cabinet door, made with imported wood from Sweden—Norwegian Wood, so it will always remind me of them. And I guess that is about it for today.

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