The One Night Sand Saga! or Send Sand!

Tony and I had a super fun, "One Night Sand," on the private island in Port Aransas, with our dear friends Sandy & Jon Wolfmueller and Rick & Leisa. And not to brag—our laughter-filled, mini-adventure lasted for a full twenty-two hours and a couple of minutes, which explains why I missed our dogs so much.

Monday evening, Ben arrived at the ranch, so he could baby-sit our dogs and the rescue ranch for us and we had a fun visit with him, in The Okay Corral, before we had to adios him, so we could pack our bags and then go to bed early. 

Tuesday morning, Sandy & Jon picked us up, bright and early, at 6:45, which was before sunrise out here and our four-hour trip was a blast, because Tony rode shotgun, in the passenger front seat, while in the backseat Sandy relaxed and tried to keep me from worrying about how fast we were traveling and it worked, even though we got lost once, for a few miles.

When we arrived safely in Port A., around 11:00, we decided to stretch-our-legs and eat lunch at Fin's restaurant first, before calling Rick to come pick us up at the marina.

One hour later, after eating a delicious lunch—our fun party officially began on the privately owned island where Rick, "The Friendly Lighthouse Keeper" lives.

While we sat on the porch, of the Main House, relaxing and watching the ships coming and going, the beautiful dolphins playing in their wake, we took turns telling hilarious stories and because I was laughing so much—my back began to ache a little, but I didn't care, because it was well worth it—we were having FUN—until a few minutes later, when a couple of brightly, orange-colored helicopters and a matching orange-colored boat started doing fly-bys and boating-bys near the beautiful island! "What in the heck are they doing?" I jokingly asked Rick, before starting to laugh. "I feel like I am starring in a Mash rerun." Everyone started laughing, as we watched one of the choppers hovering above the boat.

"Oh, that's just the Coast Guard, Nance," Rick replied. "Every Tuesday afternoon they come out here and do their practice maneuvers. It's really no big deal. They'll go away soon enough..." And sure enough a few minutes later, just as Rick had predicted—they went away. Here is a picture that Tone took of them.

That evening, Leisa cooked us a delicious, fresh Flounder dinner and I know that I ate more than I should have, but I didn't really care, because I was on island time and I was having the best-of-times with some of our best friends—and to me— that is what life should be all about. 

Around 10:00, before we all said good night to each other before going to bed, because we are old and can't party like we used to, I promised Sandy that I would get up early to catch the sunrise with her and Jon and that I would also climb up to the top of the lighthouse with them and I am proud to say that I kept both of my promises to them.

The climb up the steep, narrow, winding stairs to reach the top of the lighthouse was more than exciting for me, because I had been a little nervous about doing it, but I am so glad that I made myself do it, because we could see for miles and miles.

Watching the sunrise slowly, above the ocean was one of the prettiest sunrises that I have ever witnessed. Here are two great photos that T. took of Sandy & Jon standing outside, on the lighthouse deck, with me standing inside, because I was too scared to come outside with them and here is a picture of that spectacular sunrise that I shall never ever forget.

Then we ate a delicious breakfast at Rick's house, on the island and then we jumped into the Boston Whaler, with all of our luggage, so Rick could take us back to Port Aransas, so we could go drink some coffee with our dear friend John Kemmerly, before we headed back to The Hill Country. I love this picture, that Tony took, of Leisa's adorable dog, Squirt—jumping up on Rick's motorcycle seat.

I am so glad that we got to see John! Catching up with his latest news, while drinking coffee, at the coolest Internet cafe, in Port A. was so much fun, because we love John and it has been way too long, since the four-of-us last saw our dear friend, who was once a former employee of both Wolfmueller's Books and our rescue ranch.

When we arrived safely, back home, we gave Sandy & Jon a brick of Miles of Chocolate, that Ben had brought down for them and after hugs they adios-ed Ben, Tony and me and then they took off to go home, in Kerrville.

After hugging and kissing all of our sweeter-than-sweet dogs, that were even more happier than me to be back home with them I made Ben, Tony and me some coffee.

While we drank coffee and visited with Ben I started scrubbing on my soon-to-be-pretty sea shells, that Tony and I had picked up on the island's beach. As I was telling Ben all about our super-fun vacation and thanking him for baby-sitting for us, I accidentally re-injured my cut index finger using the scrubber, because I can no longer multi-task anymore and I should have known better. 

As I laughed about not being able to talk and work at the same time, I tried to bandage up my finger, without the use of a real Band Aid and that's when Ben made a suggestion, "Nance, you should have brought back some island sand, too, so you could fill it first into the jar then fill with the shells—to remind you of y'all's fun trip to Port Aransas."

"Oh, my gosh, I should have. That's a great idea, Ben. I'll call them tomorrow and ask them to "Send Sand." And that's about it for tonight.

Y'all have a great evening!

Happy Birthday, Matt B.!

Tony and I want to be among the very first to wish our dear friend, Matt B. the happiest birthday that he has ever had, because we love him so much. So, even though I can't sing worth a darn, but Tone can, we want to sing to our dear friend the Happy Birthday Song, so here goes Matthew...

Happy Birthday to You. Happy Birthday to You. Happy Birthday Dear Matt. Happy Birthday to You Dear Matt. And please have many more, because we love you so much!

Matt, we hope this is one great day for you and we hope to see you, your friends, Lisa & Mississippi Mark, and Gail and Paul sooner than later. You take care. Because We LOVE YOU and miss you!

Godspeed!

Sorry, not tonight, y'all. This evening, after hearing the very sad news, from Tony, about the two music icons: Dick Clark's and Levon Helm's passing has been pretty upsetting to me, as I know it has been to the rest of the world. Godspeed Dick and Levon. Thank y'all for making my world a better place than you found it.

One Night Sand!

Today has been great until three hours ago, because my index finger that I had cut on Monday, opened up and began to bleed, when I was cleaning some pretty seashells that I am going to put into a jar, that Tony and I collected very early this morning at the Lighthouse, in Port Aransas, before Sandy, Jon, Tony and I returned home from our super fun, One Night Sand," vacation with Leisa and Rick.

There is so much to tell about our really fun trip with our dear friends, but tonight's blog posting is going to have to be made short, because we are out of Band Aids and the ridiculous-looking, homemade (trailer made) goofy bandage that I made for my finger is so big, it is really messing up my typing. (Like adding extra letters to almost every letter that I attempt to type using my left hand.)

So tomorrow morning, after doing our chores outside and returning over 17 non-urgent phone calls and answering a couple of dozen e-mails that I missed, while enjoying myself on that beautiful private island—I plan to write more about our latest, fun-filled, hilarious adventure to the Coast.

But before I sign off tonight, to rest my re-injured, guitar pickin' index finger, I want to show you a great picture that Jon Wolfmueller took of Sandy and me, when we made it up to the top of the lighthouse, standing next to the light, right before the sun came up behind us, this morning, because I truly love this picture of Sandy, one of my favorite people in the world and also because it doesn't show all of my wrinkles or my waistline. Thank you, Jon!

Y'all have a great evening!

Truly Uneventful!

Today has been great, but truly uneventful. After we did our chores outside, early this morning, we worked on the chicken coop until it got too hot outside and then I spent the rest of my afternoon inside The Cabin, sitting behind my computer writing, at the kitchen table, because this afternoon I accidentally cut my index finger with an old pair of Fiskar scissors while opening up a package to me—so I wrote today instead of picking on my guitar, which has really bummed me out some, because I am so into playing my guitar, that Ronnie custom made for me.

P.S. Beau Bridges-Simons is fitting in very well with us and our fur family and I'm so thrilled that T. has added another Blue Heeler to our family. Life is good for us—knock-on-wood.

Y'all have a great evening!

Happy Birthday Nancy Doyle!

Today is our dear friend, Nancy Doyle's, birthday and Kinky, Tony, Ben and I want to be the very first of her many friends, to wish her the happiest birthday she's ever had, because we love her so much.

Happy Birthday to You. Happy Birthday to You. Happy Birthday Dear Nancy. Happy Birthday to You. And many more!

We hope that you are having a blast in Florida today, celebrating your birthday with your friends. And we wish that we could be there, too.

Three-Ringed Circus!

Today has been one fun and exciting day for us, because everything seemed to happen around the same time—1:00.

First off, we knew in advance that Sherry and Katie were bringing Beau Bridges, the 2 1/2 month old Blue Heeler, that they had rescued near College Station, to us so we could adopt him out and that Tucker, the brother of Joe King Carrasco and also a good friend of Rick, the famous Friendly Lighthouse Keeper, would also be arriving around 12:45, with his friends, to visit with Kinky and us, but what we didn't know was—who was going to get here first.

When our dogs outside started barking Tony and I went outside to go greet Sherry and Katie or Tucker and his friends, but instead we greeted Berni, a very nice, friendly woman and her ten-year-old son, Alex.

After howdies and handshakes Berni told us that they had come out, from Kerrville, to look at our dogs, because she wanted Alex to have a dog that he could play Frisbee with, etc., so we took them on a tour to meet all of our dogs and while we were walking around, I told Berni about Beau Bridges coming in, any minute, but she wasn't sure they were ready to deal with a puppy.

When they met Harley, he turned on his charm with them and was close to stealing their hearts, which thrilled us, when Sherry, Katie and Beau Bridges pulled up, so Tone went to greet the friendly, dog rescuers and Beau.

While T. visited with the women and Beau Bridges, in their car, Alex and Berni talked to me about Harley, when Tucker and his friends arrived, so it was sort of like a fun, three-ringed circus going on out here. And within twenty minutes, Bernie and Alex had adopted Harley, Tony had adopted Beau Bridges-Simons and I was over at the Lodge with Kinky, visiting with Tucker and his nice friends and Kinky was delighted about Harley getting adopted and Tony adopting B.B.-S. Here's a picture of Harley, fixin' to go home with his new family.

Around 3:00, after eating a late lunch, which wasn't very tasty, because I didn't have all of the ingredients needed for the recipe, I sat in Outer Space playing my guitar, while Tony and our fur-family played with one super smart puppy, in our front yard. And here are a few pictures that I took of our new family member, after my fingers were killing me from pickin' and grinnin' too much.

And that is about it for tonight, because I am going to go play with Beau Bridges until his sharp puppy teeth are killing my fingers.

Y'all have a great evening!