Moccasin-Challenged!

The past few days have almost been great. As y'all already know this is my most busiest time of the year and the last thing that I need to happen during this holiday season is to add one more thing for me to do each day.

First, let me make it perfectly clear that I do love the holiday season even though I know that it is and always will be stressful. Anyway this last Sunday, when Tony and I went to, Kerrville, to run a few errands he discovered that we had accidentally dressed alike, again.

No, we were not wearing our favorite blue, plaid, flannel shirts—we were wearing our matching red, blue and green plaid, flannel shirts that we had bought at Walmart. I thought it was pretty funny and it made me laugh out loud, but Tony didn't see it my way.

In fact, he was so embarrassed about us dressing alike, he suggested that we keep a safe distance between us, in case we ran into any of our friends. "Let's turn our iPhones on and use them to find each other when we're done shopping," he suggested. "And from now on until Spring arrives I think it would be a good idea for us to check with each other, first thing in the mornings, to make sure that we're not dressed alike. And, I hope that we don't run into Jim (The Mineral Man"), at H-E-B."

I knew that Tony was serious about this, so I turned my head and pretended to be looking out the window, so he couldn't see me silently laughing. Anyway, because I could not resist it, I said (joked) in my most serious voice, "Okay, Tone. But it would be much easier if we just start dressing alike all of the time. Then we could become famous, in Kerrville." Then I heard the uncomfortable sound of silence for several seconds.

"Yeah," he sort of growled. "We could become the town's joke. Just like that crazy, old woman that runs around H-E-B wearing that big red hat, black leotards and a red sweater that shows her butt every time that she bends over."

"It would be fun," I egged him on."Or that woman that rides that bicycle, all over town, singing at the top of her lungs, Bring In The Clowns. Tony, people love her and they stop and take pictures of her. I think the Kerrverts would love it if we always dressed alike. They would think that we are that cute, old, odd couple that always wear matching outfits. And, I am sure that they would stop and take selfies with us."

Tony said nothing. So I added, "Tony, I am just teasing you. I'm fine," I lied. "About us, during the Fall and Winter months, color-coordinating our wardrobes to make fashion statements, in Kerrville."

And the bottom line to this story is: Thanks to Tony, I now have one more thing for me to do every morning. Anyway, since then, Tony is now leaving me a note, on the breakfast bar, before going to the Old Timer, in Medina, just to let me know which flannel shirt he is wearing, so I won't be dressing like him.

And to change the subject, last Friday afternoon, I had So Fast Printing, make me two posters of that painting that I did for my sister Cindy's 70th birthday. And they did a fabulous job and so did River Oaks Framing. And later that afternoon, Tony hung it up for me, above our entertainment center, in the big room. And please note that River Oaks Framing were temporarily out of that red metal frame and the matte color, I chose for Cindy and this is my Plan B.

And to change the subject one more time, before I finish writing this and post it tonight, our friend  Aaron came out to help Tony this morning and he only worked a few hours. Anyway after working, we invited him to stay and eat lunch with us. 

After lunch, I was joking with him about the downsides of being my age, because I am about twenty-four-years-older than him. And to make a point, I told him about me recently discovering that I am Moccasin-Challenged and the difficult time that I've had trying to understand the directions. 

Then I showed Aaron my moccasin kit and the chewed up, piece of leather, compliments of Little Debbie and Big Al(ice). And the next thing you know, Aaron had volunteered to make my moccasins for me. And it only took him about forty-five minutes to finish them.  

The whole time that Aaron was working on my moccasins we laughed and joked about Tony and me spending over an hour trying to remove the glued on comfort cushion, it had recommended for kids 3+ in age and the choking warning. And them being one-of-a-kind moccasins, because of Little Debbie and Big Al(ice)'s contributions. 

And please notice that the one flawed moccasin below, in the background, has about two inches of the upper leather strap missing, because it should have gone all of the way to the top of the tongue piece. 

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

A Time Capsule!

Today has been so great. This morning our good friend, Linda called me. She and her husband Kevin are good friends of ours and they own the Wild Birds Unlimited store, in Kerrville, where Marguerite and Tricia work.

Anyway, I was outside when she called, at 10:23, and she left a message for me. About five minutes later, when I came back inside, The Cabin and listened to her exciting message, so I immediately called her back, at the store, to thank her for inviting us to participate in their Doggie Adoption Day, on Saturday, December 3rd, at their Wild Birds Unlimited store.

Marguerite answered the phone and within seconds I was talking ,on the phone, to Linda. "Linda, we would love to participate and...." After we had discussed this upcoming event, I thanked her for inviting us and before we adios-ed each other, she told me that she was also going to contact, another great animal shelter, in Kerrville and as soon as she got an answer back from them—the wheels would be set in motion. And I am not sure who was more excited about their upcoming Wild Birds Unlimited dog adoption day event, but it doesn't really matter, because I can't wait to do it and I know that our dogs will have so much fun. Anyway, as soon as I know more about this super-cool event I will post it hear and also spread the word,  by talking about it on Big G's and Harley Belew's radio shows.

This afternoon after lunch, Tony and I took off, for Kerrville, to run a few errands. First, we went to get our eyes examined, but that didn't happen, because we needed to make an appointment first. After we made our appointments, we left the eye doctor and then we went to Gibson's to buy Tony some new Wrangler jeans.

While Tony was hunting blue jeans, I wandered around the store and I about fainted, because on the front of an isle, Gibson's had a leaning stack of about ten, multi-colored woven potholders for sale, just like the pretty pink one that Jean and I made yesterday. And the price tags on them were $4.99 each. And to say the least, that got me all excited about making potholders, again.

Since I was inspired by seeing that people actually bought those kind of potholders, at Gibson's and after I told Tony about Gibson's selling the potholders for $4.99, we went down the Junction Highway, for a few blocks, so Tony could drop me off, at the Home Town Craft store, while he drove over to the Wild Birds Unlimited store, in the same shopping center.

As you can guess, my hopes were high about buying a bag of pink loopers and a bag of white loopers, but unfortunately all of the loopers they had in stock were those gigantic filled bags of multi-colored loopers, just like the one I bought the other day. And that's when my smile turned upside down.

But fortunately it went back up real quick, when I heard a familiar woman's voice, say, "Nancy!" Omg, it was our good friend Daneshu, so I took off to go visit with her. While we were catching up with each others news, she told me that she was having one of her paintings framed, at River Oaks Framing Co., to give as a gift and that was why she was hanging around the craft, because they told her it would only take a few minutes for them to frame it for her.

"Daneshu, I didn't know you were an artist, too!...." And a few minutes later, she opened up her large art folder and showed me one of her most recent landscape paintings and I about fainted when I saw it, because it was absolutely beautiful.

When our dear artist friend changed the subject she asked me what I was shopping for and I was too embarrassed to tell her pink and white potholder loopers, because I was hooked on weaving potholders. So, I told her the other thing that I was shopping for. "I'm looking for a small, inexpensive shadow box frame to put something I made inside it."

"Oh, what did you make, Nancy?" she inquired. And right then and there I knew that I was busted, so I took a deep breath, and nonchalantly said, "A potholder." Daneshu, tried to hide the puzzled look on her face, because she is a sweet woman. So, I added, "I wove it and it's pink and white, but I had to have our friend Jean tie it off for me. So, actually Jean and I made it and it's real pretty."

"Daneshu, your picture is ready to be picked up, at River Oaks Framing. Please come back to the counter."

"Well, I need to go pick up my painting. It was great seeing you, Nancy, and please tell Tony that I said hello." Then she rushed off, like she was fleeing from an insane person.

And a few minutes later, I found the perfect shadow box and a pink-glittered backing and bought them. Then I walked across the parking lot to go to, Wild Birds Unlimited, to get Tony.

When I walked inside Wild Birds Unlimited, Linda, Tricia and Marguerite greeted me, from the counter. Then I had a fun visit with them and I even showed them my shadow box and pink backing for it, because they follow my blog and know all about the pretty pink potholder that Jean and I made.

"Well, I want to see your painting," Marguerite said. "When can I see it?"

"Soon," I said. "It's a gift and I can't put it up on my blog, yet...." Then we started talking about the upcoming doggie adoption day. Bottom line: We're all excited about the fun event and Marguerite even told me that she would be glad to volunteer to help transport our dogs or do anything else to help make it easier on us. And before we adios-ed each other and left this super-cool store, I purchased one of their greeting cards that has a real Fender guitar pick, on the front of it and the message inside the card is: "YOU ROCK!" And I know exactly who I am going to give it to.

Early this evening, I "hermetically" sealed the pink and white potholder, inside the shadow box and now I have to decide where to put it on display. I want it to be in the kitchen, but I am also thinking about possibly burying it outside, in a secret location, sort of like a time capsule that they put on the moon. But, the only thing bad about that idea, I would have to unseal it and leave a note about it saying something like, "Two old women made this potholder, in two days—not a 5 year old kid." Anyway, I'm hoping to make my final decision by tomorrow, after I talk to Jean about it and get her professional opinion on it.

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

Leave It To Beaver!

After posting my last blog, with pictures of Henry's strange sleeping positions, our dear friend, Fay, in Toronto, sent me the cutest picture of Miss Moneypenny, Henry's twin sister sleeping and I want to share it, because they are so much alike.

The past couple of days have been quiet here, so Friday afternoon, after walking four miles with Leslie Samson, in the big room and kitchen, I got creative and decided to paint. When I say "paint" I don't mean touching up my painted rugs, on the floor, that are in badly need of repainting or my pretty, pink cabin or the Mother Ship, my treasured old RV, etc. I mean paint a picture for someone very dear to me.

With the entire kitchen counters, kitchen table and breakfast bar completely covered with my huge collection of small acrylic paint bottles, I pulled out one my sketch pads and paintbrushes and went to work and unbeknownst to me, so did Henry Standing Bear, who I thought was outside, in the front yard, playing with sweet Lori Darlin'.

Originally, I had planned to paint a small 5"x"7" picture, but that didn't happen, because three hours later, my little painting had grown into a page-covering 9"x12" multi-media painting that I was proud of it and Henry's outside work of art had grown to an 8'x2'x4' that he was very proud of, too.

Because my painting is going to be a gift I can't show you my painting yet, but I can show you Henry's creative, wood-chewed masterpiece or should I say "front porch railing, demolition, master piece." And I can't believe that Henry was so proud of his hard work, that he proudly posed by it, in these two pictures.

And since we're still talking about "art" here's the latest update on Henry's unfinished, "still-in-the-works" bedroom bench carving and once again, please note that this is why we can't have anything nice.

So, late Saturday afternoon, Tony and I took off for, Kerrville, to run two errands. One errand was that I wanted to get the River Oaks Framing Co. store to professionally frame my artwork, because they are the best. And the second errand that we needed to run was to go to the Home Depot store, so Tony could replace the 8'x2"x4" railing that our "Leave it to Beaver" aka Henry, had so proudly destroyed, in record time. 

Anyway, we went to the River Oaks Framing Co. store first, located inside the Home Town Crafts store, on the Junction Highway. And I am so glad that I got it framed, at River Oaks Framing Co. store, because their super nice, friendly woman employee was so patient with me and eager to help me. And when all was said and done we only had to wait twenty minutes to pick up my beautifully framed painting.

But before we walked outside, the Home Town Crafts store, to go to the Home Depot, I browsed around and bought a few more small, acrylic paint bottles and a plastic, potholder loom kit with a premium metal hook, that was recommended for ages 5+. And it also came with a warning sign, too—"Choking Hazard" which didn't really matter much to me, because I am not planning on putting the loops into my mouth. But if I did do that I'm wondering would that make me a little loopy?

I also purchased a large sack of jumbo loopers, because I love those kind of potholders that I once made when I was kid. So as not to disappoint you, if you're in line to receive a small gift from me anytime in the near future—expect it to be a pretty, hand-woven Cousin Nancy potholder.

Today was great for just a little while, until this morning when I found out the sad news that Leon Russell had passed away. Omg, Leon was one of my favorite music legends, as I am sure he was yours, too. His music was such a big part of my adult life, because anytime that I would hear one of his songs, it would instantly take me back to where I was and what I was doing—all happy times for me. 

So this afternoon, while working on my first, pretty potholder I listened to Pandora's Leon Russell Channel with the volume cranked up high. His music was so important to so many of us and it will always be a part of me. He will be sadly missed, but thank goodness his music will live forever. Rest In Peace Leon.

Y'all have a great evening!

Can You Believe That She Did That!

Today has been great. This afternoon Tony and I went, to Kerrville, to run a few errands before meeting our dear friend, Drew, for lunch.

We went to the shopping center, on Junction Highway, where Wild Birds Unlimited is located to take care of all three of our errands. First, we stopped at the Sub Station Post Office, so I could mail a few letters.

Then to save us a little time, Tony dropped me off, at Home Town Crafts store, so I could pick up Nancy J. Bailey's beautiful "Fall Trail Ride" watercolor, that I had the River Oaks Framing Company double-matted and framed for me, while Tony went over to the Wild Birds Unlimited store, to pick up some dog leashes and collars that Marguerite wanted to donate to us.

The River Oaks Framing Company did a beautiful job framing Nancy's artwork and after I had paid for it, I left the store and started walking across the parking lot to meet up with Tony, who was already backing Trigger out, of the parking space, so he could come and fetch me.

When I climbed into the truck, Tony admired the great framing job and then he said, "Marguerite gave us this huge sack of dog leashes and collars. And look what else she gave us." He handed me a Wild Birds Unlimited envelope, with Tony's and my names on it and inside it was a $40.00 Wild Birds Unlimited gift card! "She told me that it was just a little gift from her. Can you believe that she did that?"

"Yes I can, because I love Marguerite, because she is such a sweet, kind-hearted woman. We need to take her out to lunch soon, so we can thank her for the gift card. I'm going to use my part of the gift card to buy another super-cool, solar lantern. And that's when we can invite her and make a date, to treat her to lunch, with us."

"I'm going to buy more bird seed with mine," Tony said.

Our delicious lunch, at China Town, with Drew, was a total blast, because Drew and I had so much to catch up and tell each other that we never stopped talking. And our conversation was filled with a lot of laughter, too. Tony did get a few words in edgewise, because we had to occasionally pause to breathe, but he didn't seem to mind us solving all of the world's problems, while he sat back and enjoyed his tasty Sweet & Sour Shrimp.

When we got back home, the first thing I did was hang up the "Fall Trail Drive" painting. I hung it, on the wall, below Karin & Air Gun Pohlman's  fabulous, German-made Coo-Coo clock, that I absolutely love and also under one of my Resistol cowboy hats, next to Little Debbie's adorable, little sombrero that sweet Eileen gave to her. And the framed watercolor looks perfect there, except for the lighter shadow, above it and below it, because it is the outline of the old, green clock that had hung there for many years, before I replaced it today with Nancy's fabulous artwork.

Before I finish writing this post, I want to let you know that later this afternoon we rescued another stray and tomorrow morning a certain old dog of ours is getting adopted to a fabulous forever home, so it can be a companion to another old dog. Life is great—knock-on-wood. And that's about it for tonight.

Y'all have a great evening!