My Best Valentine's Day Ever!

Happy Valentine's Day to everyone! Today has been the best Valentine's Day ever! When I woke up and came into the kitchen to feed my furry friends—there was another note from Tony, and a CD lying on top of my computer. The note read: "Good morning, Nance. Please be my Valentine! I made this for you last night. I love you, Tony. P.S. I'll see you in a little while.

As soon as my six dogs and cat were fed, I sat down at the kitchen table, booted up my Apple iBook G3 laptop, and inserted the CD and opened it. There was nothing on it? Hmmm...

When Tony returned from the Old Timer, in Medina, he walked inside the trailer wearing a really big smile on his face. "Well, did you like it?"

"Yes, Tone," I said. "I can always use another CD. And, I will be your Valentine."

"What? There was nothing on it? Nance, I spent over two hours making you a CD of love songs! Are you sure they aren't on there?"

"No Tony, it is a blank CD—I checked it all over, but that was awfully nice of you to have done that for me," I said, as Tony shoved the blank CD back into my computer.

"Here they are, Nance!" Tony said, with excitement. "The songs are down here at the bottom of the CD!" Then he started laughing. "Do you mean to tell me that you thought I had given you a blank CD—for your Valentines present?" Then he started laughing, again, and so did I. Then T. quotes me , "No Tony, it is a blank CD—I checked it all over!" We laughed about it throughout our breakfast!

Linda T. arrived at ten o'clock this morning to walk our dogs! While she and Aaron were out walking our dogs, I went over to the Lodge to visit with Kinky.

When I arrived at the Lodge, Kinky asked me if I had brought my beans. "No Kinky, I didn't know you wanted any."

"I just called you, Nance and left a message on your machine, to please bring me some of your homemade organic beans. I wanted some to eat for lunch." Then his phone rang.

"Kinky, I'll go get some and be right back," I said, as I went out the kitchen door, and he went to answer his phone.

When I returned with the beans, he was off of the phone. Kinky wanted to zap them in the microwave, but I suggested a pan, and then poured them into one of his pans on his stovetop. While my beans heated up, I tried to explain to him that microwaves are dangerous, and that he should get rid of his. My words fell on his deaf ears, again.

When the beans were heated, Kinky poured them onto a plate, and we sat down at the kitchen table. "Kinky, these are my best beans, yet! I hope that you like them—they're organic, too."

"Cousin Nancy—they are delicious!" Kinky said. "Very good! You are now officially The Bean Queen!" Then he and I started laughing.

"I like that, Kinky—The Bean Queen of Medina, Texas!" After Kinky had devoured my beans, I went back over to the rescue ranch, to make lunch for Tony and me, and then Carol V. showed up to discuss our Tuesday-Wednesday Vacation plans! We invited her for lunch, but she had just eaten. We had a fun visit, and before she left Linda came in with her sack lunch and our conversation was hilarious!

Around three o'clock, Linda returned to the trailer to tell us that Opie was one very strong dog, and she thinks he caused her to pull a muscle in her leg. "From now on," I said. "Opie is a Nopie for Linda!" Before leaving, Linda gave me the cutest Valentine's card! It made me laugh out loud! It has these three pretty, women on the front posing, in Roaring Twenties outfits, with goofy hats on their heads, and the inside reads: 'There might be girls who think they're as hot as we are, but they are wrong. Happy Valentine's Day!

After Linda left, to head back to Harker Heights, I phoned Enterprise and rented a car for our Tuesday-Wednesday Vacation. Then Tony called Jon Wolfmueller, to see if he had Mari's phone number. Jon didn't, but he gave Tone her friend's phone number. Tony punched in the numbers and got Lori, who passed off the phone to Mari. Tony and Mari talked about tonight's Riders In The Sky concert, and where we should meet up with them, and then he hung up the phone.

It is now five-fifteen, and I have to get dressed for the concert! Tony and I are really looking forward to it! And, I can't wait to see Mari and The NoMads, Harley and his beautiful wife, Becky, and Jon and Sandy!
(This one's for you, Mari) To Be Continued...

Good Friends! Are We Lucky Or What!

I hope that Ben's birthday was as fun as our day was! This morning my dear friend, Ann, who've I've known since I was eight years old, came out for a visit and to work with our dogs! After a too short of a visit in our trailer, Kermit, Ann and I went over the river and through the woods—to visit with Kinky.

After our fun visit, we returned to the rescue ranch, so Ann could work with Mr. Ziffel, and then hand out treats to our dogs. Mr. Ziffel fell in love with Ann, as did the rest of our dogs!

This afternoon, Sandy Wolfmueller called around 4:30, I let our machine take the call—"Nance, Jon and I want to come out for a visit. Is that okay?"

I quickly picked up the phone, "Hi Sandy! Tony and I would love for y'all to come out! We'll have the gate open! We can't wait to see y'all!"

Around five o'clock, Sandy and Jon arrived at the rescue ranch and the party began, after they admired our three bird feeders and the many birds! Then the four of us went into Outer Space and kicked back!

Talk about fun—Tone and I love those two people! As our Bose iDeck played, Kinky's and our good friend, Will Hoover's great album, which is one of our very favorites, we talked about Wolfmueller's Book store, how much we love Harley Belew, dogs, cats and how much we missed our dear friend John K.! Then when Van Morrison began singing his country, 'Pay The Devil' album—we discussed politics, and told stories about some of the hilarious funerals that we have all attended, how great the NoMads are and their 'Riders In The Sky' upcoming event, and Robert Earl Keen's book signing in early March!

Sandy and Jon left a little before nine o'clock, and T. and I hated to see them leave! Y'all have a great evening—because we just did!