This Is Creepy!

This morning Kinky called. “Nance, I am very disappointed in the Eternal Squirrel. Last night it didn’t put out much light. Does the Squirrel need an adjustment or something? Call me.”

I immediately got up from the kitchen table, having just heard his message, and called him right back—and then I got his machine. “Kink, it’s Nancy. Nothing is wrong with the Eternal Squirrel. Call me.”

As soon as I had put the phone down, and sat back down at the kitchen table, to work on my computer. Kinky calls back, again. “Nance, pick up the phone. It’s me...”

“Hi Kink,” I said. “Sounds like you’ve got squirrel trouble.”

“Very funny, Nancy,” Kinky remarked. “Can you come over and check out the squirrel?”

“I’ll be there in five minutes.”

Kinky met me at the gate, and then escorted me around to the Friedman Family Bone Orchard. The minute that I saw the smiling Buddha, and the not-so Eternal Squirrel—I knew what was wrong. “Somebody has been messing with this, Kinky. The Buddha and the Eternal Squirrel have swapped places. Buddha is now where the Eternal Squirrel was, and the Eternal Squirrel is now where the Buddha was! This is creepy. Who in the world, would have done this?”

“I did it, yesterday afternoon,” Kinky confessed. “And, it’s not creepy. I decided to switch them around, because I was afraid that they might fall off of the stump.”

I walked over to the stump, looked behind the Eternal Squirrel. “Kinky, the way you have positioned them—the Eternal Squirrel’s solar cell panel, back here, is now in the dark, and not getting charged.”

Kinky walked over to the stump to take a look. Then he picked up the Buddha, who was laughing at him, and the weak Eternal Squirrel, and then returned them to their original placement on the stump. We both then looked at the Eternal Squirrel’s rear end, and yes—the sun was shinning on it!

Voted Most Popular!

My dear friend, Pete Hartje, down in Port Aransas sent me an e-mail yesterday, with a test to take about how popular were you in high school. Pete encouraged me to take the test, because he had found it to be right on! So, I took it, and it was so accurate that it scared me! I then sent it to several friends and they too were amazed!

Pete wrote:
Cousin Nancy, how cool were you in high school? I’m sure that you were pretty popular, but this is a pretty cool test, check it out. This test is based on how cool you were in high school—what crowd you ran with, etc. It's pretty accurate. You may want to send it to your friends to see if they've changed. Hopefully, we will see y’all soon. Pete (Voted Most Popular!)
P.S. Kelly sends you and the gang her best!
TO SEE IF YOU ARE A COOL PERSON GO TO SITE!
http://www.sailinganarchy.com/general/2002/cool_test.htm

From Here To Eternity!

This morning, I had to give Kinky an early wake up call, to make sure that he was up in time, to do an early interview. After ten calls, starting at six o’clock, with no answers, I drove over to Kinky’s Lodge, in the dark, with headlights on. No lights were on in the Lodge.

“Kinky! It’s Nance, you need to wake up! It’s nearly seven o’clock!” I hollered, from the dark kitchen. “You only have thirty minutes...”

“I’m up, Nance. Give me a minute.”

I flipped on the kitchen light and then made some coffee for us, because neither Kinky or I have learned how to make expresso or cappuccino with our new, fancy coffee machines. We drank a quick cup of coffee together, before it was time for the telephone interview. As I was going out the door to leave the Lodge, Kinky said, “Are you still going to bring me the Eternal Squirrel today?”

“I’ll bring it over after the interview. Bye.”

Anyone who has read my book, already knows about my semi-famous Eternal Squirrel, which resides right out front of my front yard. Here’s a capsule version to the story: Years ago, when Yoda, my Boston Terrier, the love of my life died— Tony buried her right next to the front yard fence, but wild hogs came in, two nights in a row, and they tried to dig her up! So, Tony and Ben built a heart-shaped slab for Yoda and me, and just before the cement had hardened, I grabbed this solar lighted, amber colored squirrel, that I had been saving for a birthday present, and then asked them to please bolt the plastic squirrel to the slab—and they did. At dusk that evening, when the little squirrel lit up for the very first time—it made me tear up, and that’s when I officially named it—The Eternal Squirrel.

Okay, back to today’s story. After Kinky’s interview was over, I went back over to the Lodge with my boxed, backup Eternal Squirrel. I keep backups because they only last for about a year or so. Ben was over there, and he put the solar parts inside the squirrel and we took it outside so it could start charging. Needing to get back over to the rescue ranch, Ben and I promised Kinky that today, after work—we would come back over, and Ben would set it up properly for Kinky’s pet cemetery, which resides just outside Kinky’s back door, where he has buried his cat, Lady Argyle, Tom’s faithful dog, Sam and where Fly Friedman now rests.

Kinky has put a lot of work into his pet cemetery, since Fly died. A few weeks ago, he purchased plants and planted them over their graves and made rock circles to mark each grave properly, before planting Chamillas on Lady’s grave site, Gardinas on top of Sam’s space, and Roses for Ms. Fly.

A few days later, Kinky hung a beautiful wind chime above their graves, attached with a painted feather, that his friend, Billy Joe Shaver had given to him long ago. Then a couple of days ago, Kinky decided to take his most favorite Buddha, that had been sitting in his office for years, and he placed it on a tree stump near their graves. And, yesterday when Kinky took me outside to see his newly created perpetual garden for pets—I was shocked, because it had become a shrine and it was absolutely beautiful! I then suggested that he add an Eternal Squirrel to it, and then offered to give him one of my backups.

This afternoon, Tony, Kinky and I ate lunch together. “I have decided to name the cemetery—The Friedman Family Bone Orchard!” Kinky declared—which caused me to choke.

“That’s a great name,” I said. “And, it is really beautiful, and I’m glad that their graves are now marked.”

“When I die, I want to be buried their, too,” Kinky said, in a very serious tone. “But, if I can’t—I want to be cremated, and have my ashes scattered in Rick Perry’s hair!”

We all broke out laughing!

Around five o’clock today, Mountain Man Ben (Ben’s nickname for our pool games) and I returned to the Lodge, so Ben could secure The Eternal Squirrel # 2 and the Buddha to the tree stump. And, I brought along my camera! Enjoy!

P.S. Please note: the first picture is my Eternal Squirrel. And, I apoligize if I have misspelled the plants, because I don’t have a green thumb.

P.S.S. I just phoned Kinky, and Eternal Squirrel # 2 has just lit up, and so has mine!

We're Fine, Dwight! And, Thanks For Asking!

This morning, Kinky called, and asked me to come over to discuss some business, over a cup of kona coffee. When I arrived at the Lodge, Kinky poured me a cup of coffee, and then he asked me to come into his office with him, because he had a message that he wanted me to hear on his answering machine.

After skipping over a couple of old messages from me—I heard Dwight Yoakam’s voice! Dwight had called Kinky, because he had found out in a round about way, from someone who had read my blog on last week’s fire evacuation. His message was short, but he wanted Kinky to call him back, because he was concerned about Kinky and us and our dogs.

Kinky told me that he was going to give Dwight a call in a little while, and thought it was something that my blog about the fire evacuation had reached Dwight!

Ghost Dog!

Last Tuesday morning, before coming to work, John swung by Hoegemeyers Animal Clinic to pick up Buddy, a dog that we had rescued a week earlier, from the Kerrville pound, because Sara, who works at the pound, had called me—to ask if we could please help save this dog—because his time had run out!

Sara told me that Buddy was a surrender, and the owners who had taken him to the pound, had begged the employees, to please put Buddy down immediately— because he had been run over by a car, and his front leg was injured.

After hearing Sara’s story about Buddy, I went outside to discuss it with Tony and John. Within a couple of minutes, it was decided that we would save Buddy’s life! I then returned to the trailer and called the pound.

The next morning, John went to the pound and picked up Buddy, and dropped him off at Hoegemeyers to get shots, treated for any injuries, and neutered. Later that day, Susan from Hoegemeyers, called to tell me that they were treating Buddy for trauma! She told me that Buddy had no broken bones, and they wanted to keep him for four or five days before neutering him.

Susan called last Monday afternoon, to tell me that Buddy was ready to come out to the rescue ranch. So John picked him up, before coming to work. As soon as John arrived, he and Tony put Buddy in a pen, and then began feeding our dogs.

A few hours later, Tony and John came to the trailer to tell me that Buddy was gone—AWOL! It appeared that Buddy had found a weak part in the fence and had managed to escape. They told me that they had been all over the ranch and everytime that they spotted him—he would take off running—like he had seen a ghost!

Tony had some paperwork to do, so John and I went looking for him. Second verse, same as the first. Everytime that Buddy spotted us—he’d take off! We decided to wait him out and came back to the rescue ranch. It was decided that we would have to use a live trap to catch him.

“Nance,” Kinky said. “I just returned to the ranch and I was calling to let you know that there is a dog running loose on the ranch?”

“I know, Kinky,” I said. “We brought him in this morning, and before the guys could feed him—he escaped. He’s fine, as long as he stays on the ranch. Hopefully, we will catch him soon.”

Later that night, Kinky called, again. “I just saw that dog run by! He’s really fast!”

“I know, several times today, I would look out the window, and see him running by. In fact, he keeps coming through the rescue ranch and the minute he sees one of us—he’s gone. I’m changing his name from Buddy to Ghost Dog.”

Wednesday morning, there were several more Ghost Dog sightings at the rescue ranch, and even more reported from Kinky’s Lodge. “Hello Nance,” Kinky said. “I’ve got a great idea! Today, when Carl, Steven and Angie arrive—let’s gang up, between all of us, I am sure that we can catch Ghost Dog!”

“No way, Kinky,” I said. “Ghost Dog is scared, and he’ll go nuts if he sees a bunch of senior citizens chasing after him. Heck, that would even scare me. We need to let him be. Besides, he is starting to calm down, and is hanging around a little longer each time he does one of his— Ghost Dog run-bys. In fact, I have actually caught him on camera! And, John saw Ghost Dog go back into the pen to check the pans for food, but the wind blew open the gate before John could get there to latch it. Don’t worry—Ghost Dog is coming around. In fact, I’m sure he’ll be coming around the mountain anytime now.”

Thursday, Ghost Dog spent the day watching us from afar, and he quit running off everytime that we saw him. Then came the threat of the fire. After we had evacuated all of our dogs, Ghost Dog made several more appearances!


Friday morning, when the dogs were coming back, I put three of those pigs-in-a-blanket in a bowl in the pen that Ghost Dog had escaped from. And, sure enough—Ghost Dog took the bait. He had a fast food breakfast.

Well, this morning while John, Tony and I were out on the porch—discussing the dogs—we were pleasantly surprised! Carol drove up with her friends, Lorri and Malea! The three of them had come over to walk our dogs!

I invited them inside the trailer and we visited for a little while. During our conversation, I told them the story of Ghost Dog. Before leaving to go walk our dogs, I loaned Carol, my newly purchased ‘Grateful Dawg’ movie, and she was delighted and couldn’t wait to watch it. Then they left the trailer.

Twenty minutes later, Tony walks inside the trailer, “Ghost Dog has been caught.”

I stopped what I was doing (washing the dishes) and gave Tony my full attention.

"Carol and them were down at Betty White’s and Jack Kennedy’s pen ready to leash them up, when they spotted Ghost Dog. Lorri took off and went into the woods, then she sat down, and then Ghost Dog walked up to her. She started petting him and talking to him, and then he let her loop the leash around his neck. Carol told me that it was so touching that it made all three of them cry. They are out walking him right now, and he is doing great.”

I was so happy with Tony’s good news, that I immediately picked up the phone to tell Kinky! “Kinky, I have some great news! Ghost Dog has been caught!”

“That’s great news, Nance. How did y’all catch him?”

“We didn’t catch him,” I said. “Carol came out this morning with her two friends, Malea and Lorri to walk dogs...”

“That is great! Please thank Carol for bringing Lorri and Malea out. And, please ask them if they want to volunteer out here. I find it very interesting that Ghost Dog was caught because they came out.

“It was fate, Kinky. Pure and simple—fate. Ghost Dog would still be running around out here if they hadn’t come out.”


Later this afternoon, Bunny got adopted, Lana got adopted and Mae West got adopted to great homes! But unfortunately, Bunny was returned later this afternoon, because of a bunny. Their pet bunny is recuperating and doing fine, and our Bunny is glad to be back at the ranch.

Homeward Bound!

This morning at 8:00, Ellen, Charlie, Travis, Aron, John and Jimmy met up with Tony in Medina, to help him bring our dogs back home! While they loaded up the dogs, I was here at the trailer, fending off one phone call after another—concerning our dogs evacuation!

At 8:40, a caravan of trucks, driven by our friends, rolled in with twenty-three of our dogs! I pulled the pigs-in-a-blanket, that I had been baking, out of the oven, and rushed outside with them. I was so happy to see our dogs, I forgot to offer them to our friends first, and instead started handing them out to our happy, barking dogs! The rescue ranch had come back to life! I loved it!

Within thirty minutes, the dogs were back in their pens with tails wagging!

Now it was time for them to caravan to the Ag Barn in Kerrville, to pick up the remaining thirty-one dogs! While John cleaned crates, Jimmy went to borrow a horse trailer. When he returned pulling the trailer—John, Jimmy, Ellen, Tony and I loaded up the clean empty crates into the horse trailer, trucks and van—and they took off for Kerrville.

An hour and a half later, Jimmy and Tony returned! In less than twenty minutes, every dog was back in its pen—happily wagging their tails! And then, John and Ellen arrived with the remaining dogs!

John pulled up in the van. “Nance, I have some bad news,” John said, seriously.

“What?” I asked.

“Guess who Pryor bit?” John said. “And, it wasn’t me.”

I looked over at Ellen. She had this big wad of paper towels wrapped around her wrist— all the way up to her elbow! “I’ll be okay,” Ellen said. “I’ve been bitten before.”

“It’s pretty bad,” John said, as he climbed out of the van. “Come take a look at it.”

Well, I didn’t really want to look at it, because I am pretty squeamish, and I usually faint at the sight of blood, but I reluctantly followed John around to the other side of the van.

“Ellen, here,” John said. “Let me help you out.” John carefully grabbed Ellen’s shoulder and gently helped her out of the van—as she held her arm.

“Ellen, why don’t you let me take you to a doctor?” I said. “I think we really need to do that.”

“It’s really bad, Nancy,” John said, as Ellen looked at me and nodded her head, in agreement.

“Tony!” John hollered. “Ellen got attacked by Pryor! You need to come take a look at this.”

Tony jumped out of the back of the pickup and when he was nearly to them—Horrors! Ellen pulled off the paper towel bandage! Thank goodness, she was in front of me—so I didn’t have to see the blood!

Tony, Ellen and John then broke out laughing! What? “We got you, Tony and Nancy!” John declared. “Ellen didn’t get bit! And, Pryor was great!”

I don’t know if I was more happy about Ellen not getting bitten, or me not having to see blood. It really doesn’t matter, because either way—I was relieved.

After Jimmy, John and Tony had all of our dogs back in their pens, Jimmy drove home, and then Ellen. Tony and John quickly fed the dogs and then John went home.

I want to thank our great friends for all of their help: Travis, Charlie and Ellen, Aron, Lance, Curtis, Jon, Maribeth, our John, Jimmy and Janie and her team of great folks at the Kerr County Animal Shelter, and Diana Ross of D and D K-9 Training! We couldn’t have done it without you!

Fire On The Mountain! — Part II

After Officer Janie of Kerr County Animal Control arrived with her crew of rescuers, Diana Ross, of D and D K-9 Training, arrived to help us evacuate! We had planned with Leifeste Animal Hospital and Hoegemeyers Animal Clinic to bring our dogs there, but Janie’s emergency evacuation plan made more sense.

Ellen, Charlie, Lance, Travis, Curtis and Tony then took off to drop off the dogs in Medina at Tony’s father’s house.

While they were gone—we got busy! In less than thirty-five minutes, thirty one remaining dogs were loaded up into crates and taken to the Ag Barn in Kerrville to spend the night!

After Diana and Janie had left with her extremely efficient crew, Tony, John, Lance and his wife Stassa, Curtis and I returned to the trailer. Somewhere in the next ten minutes—I crashed from the adrenaline rush that I had been on. I was suddenly exhausted and so was everyone else.

After a brief visit, Lance, Stassa and Curtis left to go back to Kerrville, and then John went home. Tony and I then went outside, and for the very first time—the rescue ranch gave me goosebumps—it just didn’t feel right—it was like it had become a ghost town! No dogs. No barking. In less than two hours, the rescue ranch’s vibes had changed from vibrant and alive— to stillness and silence.

When we returned to the trailer, I phoned Kinky. “Kink, this is Nance,” I said. “First off, before I tell you what has been going on—I want you to know, that everything has turned out fine. Okay?”

“Okay, Nance. Tell me what’s going on!”

“All of our dogs are gone.”

There was silence. “What?” Kinky asked. “What do you mean?”

I then gave Kinky a quick version of what all had taken place. When I had finished my story he was glad that we had evacuated our dogs and pleased that all of our dogs were safe.

“One last thing, Nance,” Kinky said. “Who pulled the trigger on deciding to evacuate?”

“I guess you could say, that Tony loaded the gun, and then I pulled the trigger.”

“You made the right choice. Please thank everyone involved for me. Take care and call me tomorrow.”

After that conversation, I wrote yesterday’s blog, and then I went to bed. Tony stayed up most of the night checking outdoors to make sure that the fire hadn’t started up again.