How Lucky We Are!

Today has been great. Last night before we went to bed I asked Tony to please wake me up real early, because I wanted to get up and clean the trailer before Eileen's sister Dean came out to walk our dogs with our great volunteers—Lisa and Eileen.

"Nance, you need to get up. It's 5:37," Tony whispered, as Mama reared her big, white furry head from my pillow and then jumped up, stepped on my butt and then using it as a springboard she—leaped off of our bed and I thought, "If she can do it, so can I," but I didn't actually leap like Mama did—I sort of slowly rolled off our bed, without crashing to the floor.

Around 9:30 when they arrived out here, Nellybelle, our 1983 trailer, was as spic 'n span as she could be and I could not wait to show her off to Dean, because I love my trailer that I bought in 1995, when I moved to Utopia.

As I walked, as fast as I could, up to the barn they were talking to Tony. "Hi, y'all! It is so good to see you!" I hollered, because I was too far away. "Dean, welcome to Texas and welcome to our rescue ranch. Eileen has told us so much about you and we have been so excited to meet you I got up early and actually cleaned Nellybelle and I don't do that for everybody."

While everyone laughed, Dean gave me a big bear hug and said, "You shouldn't have, Nancy. I love this place. It is so beautiful and exactly how I pictured it, because I have read your books and follow your blog..."

A few minutes later, they had Merlin and Princess and George Clooney leashed and we took off for the creek, so they could go swimming and I am pretty sure that we scared off all of the wildlife, including Wilbur, the giant black wild hog that we feed every morning, because we were laughing so much.

During one of our many, laughter filled, strolls down to the creek and back, Lisa and I could not believe Dean and Eileen were just sisters, because they were just alike and they could have passed as twins, because they had the same upbeat, funny personalities and they looked just alike.

When it started getting hot outside, I invited them to come up to the trailer for a fun visit, because I was having so much fun with them, but before we climbed up the steps to go into Outer Space, we climbed the steps into my Space Ship, so I could show it off to Dean and show Lisa and Eileen my latest improvements.

After Dean had told me that she loved the Space Ship and Eileen and Lisa had told me they liked my latest improvements we went into Outer Space and had a blast listening to Dean and Eileen taking turns, telling hilarious stories about each other, while Tony shot us with his camera and videoed Dean telling a hilarious story about her first husband being a professional rodeo clown and her professional barrel racing escapades, when she was a young woman. And when her hilarious story had ended Tony teased Dean that he was going to youTube it.

While we were chatting up a storm (I wish) the dogs outside started barking, because someone was driving in. "I'll go see who it is," Tony said, as he left Outer Space and ten minutes later Tony drove up in Kermit. "Nance, they want to adopt Zeke. She is the woman who heard you on the Harley Show yesterday that you've already talked to. I really like them and they are in love with Zeke."

Fifteen minutes later, Zeke had been officially adopted and had found himself a fantastic forever home and I took this picture of him with his new best forever friends, before they drove him off to his new home.

When Tony and I drove back up to the trailer we saw Lisa, Eileen and Dean walking out of our front yard gate. "We're going to Medina to eat and we want y'all to join us," Eileen said, and she didn't have to twist our arms.

"We'd love too, but first let Tony take a picture of us, okay" I said. From left to right is Dean, Lisa, me and Eileen and I must admit I cropped the picture, because it made me look fat.

Lunch was so much fun for Tony and me, because they kept us laughing with their funny tales and we didn't want it to end. When we were at the cash register I asked Lisa for my check and she said, "No, it is my treat..." 

When Eileen and Dean over heard Lisa they objected, too, but Lisa won out or lost out, because she paid for our lunches. Thank you, Lisa. Lunch was delicious!

After a short, but fun visit outside, by Trigger and Eileen's truck we hugged and then adios-ed them and headed home and all T. and I could talk about was how much fun we had had with them and how lucky we are to have such great friends as them and that is about it for tonight.

P.S. While Tony and I were doing Zeke's adoption, Lisa and Eileen gave Dean a tour of our trailer and I am so glad they did, because Dean told me that she loved our trailer, which of course made me smile.

Y'all have a great evening and please keep praying for us to get some rain!

Little Girl

When I met Tony in 1996 he came with precious cargo, his little dog that he had rescued a year before we had met and her name was Little Girl and she was the sweetest and happiest little dog that I have ever known. She was always happy and could not wait to snuggle up in your lap and she loved to kiss us and anybody else when ever she had a chance to.

Yesterday, Tony decided that it was time to put Little Girl to rest, because she has been very frail for the past several months and two days before she had quit eating and drinking water.

This morning after doing our chores outside Tony took Little Girl to Hoegemeyer Animal Clinic and when he came home we buried Little Girl, next to her son Hank Williams, Sr. and then we cried some more.

We will always love you Little Girl. Rest In Peace.

Little Girl 

1995 - 2011

Beetles!

Today has been great. This morning I got to wear my favorite pink sweatshirt (hoodie) when Tony and I went outside to feed the dogs and clean their pens, because it was fifty degrees for the second day in a row. By the time we had finished our chores I wished that I hadn't worn it, because the outside temperature had already climbed up to eighty-two degrees.

This afternoon Tone and I met our good friend Mari, of the NoMads, dog agility fame, for lunch in Kerrville and we had so much fun with her, because she is highly intelligent, has a great sense of humor, loves dogs and she has really great vibes.

After we had caught up with her latest news, because she knows all of ours news, because she reads my blog, we talked about the NoMads, veterinarians, her latest trip to Whole Foods in San Antone, the drought, our soon-to-be exciting road trip to Terlingua with Sandy and Jon, she told me something that I really did not want to hear, "Not to scare you, Nancy, but as of September 1st, they have raised the speed limit on I-10 five miles, so now it is 85 mph even though they haven't changed all of the signs, yet. So, you'd better be sure to take that Rescue Remedy with you, because you're really going to need it and..."

After Mari had scared me to death I purposefully changed the subject. "You're going to love this, Mari. The other day I bought some new 501 Levi's at Penneys and after I had laundered them, when I was putting them on this big label near the pocket is screaming at me, "Made In Egypt!" Can you believe that! Made in Egypt?" Mari frowned.

"This pink shirt I'm wearing was Made In The USA, these pants are Made In The USA and yes, unfortunately I can believe it..." a little while later, when our waiter came to give us our check, Mari grabbed it before I could and she says, "I'm buying lunch today—end of subject."

"Well, thank you, Mari," I said, "but the next time we do lunch we're treating you to lunch, okay?" Mari smiled and pretended not to hear me. Then we started talking about Tony's VW Beetle and her husband David's vintage collection of several classic VW Beetles and then she told us where David goes in San Antone to get VW parts, so Tony would know where to go to buy parts to restore his Bug.

Then we realized that the lunch crowd had left the building, so we thanked Mari again for lunch and then we adios-ed each other until next time and she went home and so did we.

Early this evening Kinky and Marcie came over for a "Toto Picnic" and when their picnic ended we went into Outer Space for a fun visit, even though we talked a lot about the drought.

When we decided to come inside the trailer, so Tony could show Marcie his Photography Hallway Gallery, Kinky asked me if he could water my dying outdoor plants. "Sure, I guess you can," I said, "but Kinky, with the water being so scarce right now, I had to quit watering them, because we just can't afford to use up what precious we've got left."

While Tony was busy giving Marcie a tour of his hallway  photo gallery I filled up Jaws, my Vita-mix blender's pitcher, with precious water twice, so Kinky could go outside into Outer Space to water my drought suffering plants. "Nance, just give them a little water every other day," Kinky suggested, as he handed back my Jaws pitcher to me. "If y'all run out of water over here I will be glad to take them and..."

When they left to go back over to the Lodge, Tony and I left to go feed Shalom and the donkeys over at Echo Hill's horse barn and that is about it for today.

Y'all have a great evening and please keep praying for rain for us and for the Fire fighters around our state who are busy putting out wildfires!

OMG! Kink!

Today has been great. This morning after Tony and I did our morning chores outside he was sweet and took Angel and Blue, two, sweet, two-year-old Chihuahuas to Hoegemeyer Animal Clinic so they could be neutered and spayed and get their shots and he dropped off Toto, so he could be groomed, because I did not have the time to play "Beauty Shop" with him, because I had too many things to do and take care of.

While T. was gone I did the Chihuahua's intake papers and Zeke's, the little Yorkie that we adopted out in July and then was returned to us and then I sent their pictures with their descriptions to Pat, our wonderful web master, so she could put them up on our utopiarescue. com site.

All three of these tiny dogs are two years old and as sweet as they can be. I took their pictures this morning before Tony took Blue and Angel to Hoegemeyer's. In alphabetical order is Angel, Blue and Zeke.

By the time Tone got home I had our taco salad lunch ready and the papers were in order for him to go to Medina to get Trigger's and Buttermilk's vehicles registered with the state and a check to pay to the county tax assessor.

While T. was gone to Medina to make our vehicles legal to drive Hazle cleaned the wooden floors of our trailer while I started a load of clothes washing in Queen Bee. Then I sat down at my laptop and began writing my bi-monthly column for Texas Animal Imprints magazine for their digital December issue.

Around 5:00, when I was nearly finished writing my column, Tony took off for Kerrville to pickup a "cleaner version of Toto. By the time they returned I had sent Joni, the editor for Texas Animal Imprints my column with a few of Tony's and my pictures.

When T. and T. returned home, a little after 6:00, Mama, Abbie and Belle sniffed him to make sure that Toto was the same dog that left here this morning. When everyone was finally convinced that it was Toto, Tony and I left the trailer and jumped into Kermit, so Tony could add several more feet to the pipe down at the creek, that provides our water, because the water level had dropped so much. Here are a couple of pictures I took, standing in the middle of a once beautiful, wide flowing Wallace Creek, while Tony lengthened the pipe, so we can have water.

This evening Kinky called me with some great news about the Saturday nights November 26th Bonefit and December 17th Bonefit, at The Springs Music Hall in Salado, Texas. "Nance, Billy Joe Shaver is going to do the December 17th show with me. Isn't that great news!"

"OMG! Kink, I love it. I love Billy Joe and...!"

Y'all have a great evening and please keep praying for us to get some rain and for the Fire Fighters fighting our states many wildfires.

Flush The Toilet!

Today has been a total blast, because this afternoon we invited Carol and her two long, lost friends in Dallas, Vickie and Debbie, that she found on Facebook, to come over for a visit.

When Carol called to tell me they were headed our way I went into action. I removed my copy of the Holstee Manifesto from the refrigerator and went and made three copies of it, so I could give it to them. Then I put the copies on the breakfast bar and put my turquoise, handmade Esteban-sort-of-copied shrine next to them, so I wouldn't forget to give them the copies and show them what I had made and then Trigger took me over to the Lodge, so I could tell Marcie that Debbie, an Echo Hill Camp alumni, back in the late 60's, was coming over and that she was anxious to see her and the camp.

"Sounds great, I would love to see them." Then I came back home and waited for their arrival.

The few seconds that it took for Carol to introduce us to her friends, that she had lost contact with over thirty something years ago—Tony and I instantly fell in love with them too—they were family.

After a fun visit inside the trailer, filled with laughter, us girls jumped into Carol's gigantic Ford F-250 truck, which makes me drool for, we went over the river and through the woods to go see Marcie. "OMG, there's the swimming hole and that's the dining hall!" Debbie said, excitedly, fondly remembering her happy summers that she spent at Echo Hill Camp. "And there's the bunkhouses and the Infirmary!..." As Tone followed us in Kermit.

As soon as I introduced Marcie to everyone she and Debbie went down Echo Hill Camp memory lane and it was really fun for us to listen to Debbie and Marcie talk about their fond memories and their mutual friends that they had made at Echo Hill Camp. And before we ventured outside to stroll around the magical camp, Marcie gave Debbie an Echo Hill Camp t-shirt and shorts, which was so sweet of her to do.

After we had visited one of the "Campers" bunkhouses and the dining hall we thanked Marcie and adios-ed her and then Debbie jumped into Kermit with Tone, so he could give her a personal tour, as Carol, Vickie and I followed them in the truck-that-I-want.

When we returned to the rescue ranch Tony showed off my latest Space Ship to Vickie and Debbie, which they loved and then we went into Outer Space, with T. happily sitting-in on our hilarious hen-party.

We talked about Echo Hill Camp, Kinky's parents Uncle Tom and Aunt Min, who Debbie had loved so much, how we could not believe that we had all gotten to be so old, but felt like we were still eighteen years old, about Tony's and my extremely funny, short courtship, their fun days in Dallas and their past boyfriends in Dallas and some of their hilarious, crazy antics.

When I told Vickie, who grew up in Mount Pleasant, in east Texas and Debbie, a native Dallasite, that I was born and raised in Ft. Worth, two rivaling sister cities, back then when we were growing up, "My mom always used to tell us, "Now don't y'all forget to flush the toilet, because Dallas needs the water," everyone burst out laughing.

Because of the outdoor heat we eventually decided to come back inside the trailer to continue our super fun visit and while we were solving the world's problems I asked them to listen to Steve Martin's bluegrass version of "King Tut" and they loved it as much as we do and could not believe how cool it was.

When it was time for them to leave, because they needed to go to the Old Timer to get some groceries before it closed, they invited us to come over to Carol's ranch so we could continue our more than fun visit, but we unfortunately had to decline their invite, because I needed to write this and Tony was tired and his back was actually hurting from laughing so much, because of their visit.

Y'all have a great evening and please keep praying for rain for us! Good night.

Great Day!

Today has been a great day because Lois Lane just got adopted and she is going to live on a big ranch in Medina! Lois Lane Rocks!

Voices!

Today has been great. This morning when the Fab 4, June, Ellen, Eileen and Lisa, arrived to walk our dogs, my day brightened, because these fabulous women are four of the funniest people that I know. A few seconds after they arrived they had Tony and me laughing.

After they had walked our dogs and Ellen had trimmed Maggie's nails for us, we had a fun visit with them, under a shade tree by Rufus and Roxanne's pen. During our visit Eileen told us that her sister Dean is coming to see her on Thursday and she is going to bring Dean out here next Friday, because all of us can't wait to meet her.

When we asked Eileen to tell us a little more about her sister, because all we knew was that Dean had gotten married high up in the sky, in a hot air balloon. "Y'all are going to love her," Eileen said. "I have an hilarious story to tell about Dean, involving a pony, a monkey and her ex-husband, but I am not going to tell it, because she tells it so much better."

I never quit laughing for twenty minutes, listening to their hilarious tales and when it was time for them to head to Medina to eat lunch at the Highway 16 Cafe, they invited us to join them and we did after I went up to the trailer and loaned June the hilarious horror movie, "The Being," starring Kent, Ruthie and Kinky.

Before Tone and I sat down at their table I pulled out my little Sony digital recorder and placed it on our table, "I'm going to record lunch with y'all, to help me remember who said what," I said, as they started laughing.

During lunch, because we were sitting at the only table in the cafe, that constantly roared with laughter, Tony's brother Sam, who was sitting at the table, right next to us, with his family and friends, jokingly half-hollered, "Nancy, please cheer up," because I was laughing so hard and that made everyone laugh even louder.

And after lunch, as I stood in line, waiting to pay for T.'s and my lunch I started hearing voices talking nearby, to the left of me, but no one was left of me—the booths and tables were empty. As I tried to hear what the voices were saying, I asked the Fab 4, "Can y'all hear those voices coming from over there, but no one is over there?  It sounds kind of like a radio or something and..." Then they heard the voices, too and that's when we suddenly realized the voices were our voices, coming from inside my purse, that was hanging off my left shoulder—my little digital recorded some how had turned itself on and was playing back our hilarious lunch conversation and we started laughing and they teased me all of the way to Trigger.

When we got home I went over to visit with Kinky. "Nance, I've got the dates for two upcoming Bonefits for the rescue ranch at Sean's place, called "The Springs" Music Hall, in Salado, Texas. The first one will be "A Night With B. J. Thomas," with me being the host on Saturday, November 26th and the second one will be "Kinky & Friends," on December 17th..." And to say the least—Tony and I are thrilled about it. So please note, as the dates, for the benefits grow closer, I will have more information about the Bonefits and the price of the tickets on our web site: utopiarescue.com and on my blog.

I also want to let everyone know that our good friend, Kimberley Galusha has contacted me to let us know that Joe King Carrasco will be performing tomorrow night in Marfa, Texas at the "Marfa Lights Festival" at 8:00 to benefit our Utopia Animal Rescue Ranch! Thank you, Joe King Carrasco—We love You and Kimberley and we wish that we could be there to enjoy his fabulous music!

My last good news is Marguerite called me early this evening to tell me that Enzo is doing fine, so far and he was sleeping by her feet, as we chatted. She said that he had met her cats, dogs and parrot and they liked him and he liked them and was loving the book, The Art of Racing In Rain and has read about a third of it! And here is a picture that Marguerite sent to me tonight of Enzo sleeping on the cool tile floor. 

Y'all have a great evening and please keep praying for rain for us and keep your fingers crossed that Enzo has hopefully finally found his loving forever home!