My Very Best Friend

Mama

January 19, 2002 - August 7, 2014

Thank You For Being My Very Best Friend.

Rest In Peace, Girlfriend.

You Will Always Live In My Heart.

With All Of My Love, 

Nancy

Believe!

Today has been great and a lot of fun. A little before 7:00 this morning, Mama and I got up right after Tony took off for The Old Timer, in Medina.

After we got up I started to let all of the dogs go outside for their morning business meeting, when I saw the cutest bunny, in our front yard. I grabbed my camera and took this picture, from behind our front door. Then I opened our front door, so the bunny and birds could get out of our yard before letting our dogs go outside.

Knowing that it was Tony's 60th birthday, I quickly cooked Mama two medicinal, buttermilk pancakes, because she no longer likes my grits, over-medium eggs or Parmesan, buttered popcorn, that were laced with her crushed-up pain pill. 

As soon as Mama scarfed-down her Previcox pancakes and had licked her bowl clean, I went outside and started doing our morning chores, because I was hoping to get everything done, before Tony returned from drinking coffee with his friends. And the good news is—I finished doing all of our morning chores, six minutes, before Tony arrived back at the rescue ranch.

When he walked inside The Cabin, I was cooking his breakfast and said, "Happy birthday, Tony. I've already done all of our chores, as a little birthday present for you...." He thanked me and then he ate his breakfast and told me about all of his friends, in Medina and on Facebook, wishing him a happy 60th birthday.

This afternoon we met Carol, at the Old Camp Verde General Store & Restaurant, so the three of us could celebrate Tony's birthday together. And yes, Tony & I just ate there two days ago, but because we love the restaurant's delicious food and all of the cool merchandise, in the store—we ate there again.

Tony arrived about ten minutes before our reservation, so we browsed around the store, as we waited on Carol to arrive. When Carol arrived, she hugged Tony and wished him a happy birthday and then she handed him a Baggie, full of her homemade, healthy oatmeal cookies. And to say the least, Tony was thrilled to get a batch of her delicious cookies.

Our lunch was delicious and a lot of fun. We laughed and joked, in between bites, and the time flew by. After lunch, Carol and I wanted to do a little shopping, so Tony followed us around the store, even though he was dying to go outside, so he could eat at least one or two of Carol's mouth-watering cookies.

Twenty minutes later, when we left the Camp Verde General Store, I had the cutest, turquoise, wall flower vase, wrapped up, inside the stores paper sack. So that makes it two sacks in two days.

After Tony and I adios-ed Carol, we took off for Kerrville, so we could run a few errands. Our last stop was at Wild Birds Unlimited, because Tony wanted to buy some of their super birdseed, that brings in all kinds of beautiful birds, for him to photograph. 

While he and Kevin Pillow were picking out his birdseed, I looked around the store and fell in love with their beautiful, stone birdbaths. "All water products are 20% off until August 10th," Kevin told us, so we ended up buying a beautiful, hanging cobalt blue birdbath. 

When we got back home, Tony hung up the birdbath immediately, in The Okay Corral, while I was inside The Cabin, painting the old, dark wooden sconce, that is on the same wall as my new rooster clock. Here's a picture of the old sconce before I painted it red, so it would pop the red, in the rooster clock.

When Tony came inside The Cabin, I asked him to help me hang up my new turquoise, wall flower vase. And here it is!

Tomorrow, I plan to pick some of Tony's  colorful, wildflowers and put them in the vase and I promise that I will take pictures to show y'all. And I believe that this is about it for this post.

Y'all have a great evening! And once again, "Happy 60th Birthday, Tony! I love You!"

Happy 60th Birthday, Tony! I Love You!

Something To Crow About!

Today has been great. This afternoon Tony and I met our once-a-month-lunch dear friends, at the Camp Verde General Store & Post Office. Tony and I arrived about twenty minutes early, so we could check out the store's latest items for sale.

We hadn't been there more than five minutes when I spotted the cutest, turquoise, rooster wall clock. "Look, Tony!" I said, as I took off to check out the clock. "That would look great in our kitchen."

"But, you just bought a clock, at Walmart, for our kitchen."

"I know, but it is so plain and I love this rooster and...." Five minutes later, I paid for it and it was mine! And trust me—I was more than happy about it.

A few minutes later, our friends arrived for a fun lunch, because this time Denise had made advance reservations for us, so we did not have to wait for a table. As usual, Tony and I ordered the exact same thing, except Tony drank sweet tea and I drank unsweetened iced tea.

Once all of us had placed our orders, I showed them my new kitchen wall clock and everyone loved it. Our lunch was absolutely delicious and it was filled with laughter, as we caught up with each others latest news. To say the least, "Tony and I had a blast seeing our friends."

As soon as we got back home, I took this picture of the new clock, in the sack and then I took a picture of the Walmart clock, before I removed it from the wall, so we could hang up the rooster clock.

Then I grabbed the step stool, so I could hang up the new rooster clock, but I had some trouble, so Tony came to my rescue and hung it, up on the wall, for me. "Thank you, Tony."

I was thrilled, because the rooster clock made our kitchen—pop! Suddenly the turquoise, on the painted floor rug, in the curtains, signs and cabinets came alive. I was absolutely thrilled, so I stood back and took this picture of our newly improved kitchen, because it is something to crow about.

And that is about it for tonight, because I need to do a few things, before we sit down and watch our friend, Steven Rambam's premiere episode of "Nowhere To Hide" television series, on the Discovery Investigation channel at 9:00.

Y'all have a great evening!

Nowhere To Hide!

Today has been great. Around 10:00 this morning, our dear friends Daneshu and Jim came out for a visit and they had a great surprise in store for me.

When they arrived, after howdies and hugs, I said, "I heard Daneshu got you a banjo just like mine."

"Yes," Jim replied. "It was a total surprise to me and I've already learned how to crab-it, even though I don't know how to tune it yet."

"Did you bring it with you?" I asked.

"Yes, and I hope you can show me how to tune it."

Then Daneshu says, "We have a gift for Nancy," as Jim opened up the back seat door to fetch it. "Jim custom made it for you."

"Oh my goodness," I said.

"Knowing how much you love flying pigs and that your favorite color is pink, Jim hand-crafted you a pink flying pig—that actually flaps its wings when the wind is blowing." Then Jim walked around their SUV and handed it to me. And the instant I saw it—I absolutely fell in love with it and could not quit thanking Jim for it.

Then Jim grabbed his banjo and the three of us went inside The Cabin, so I could give Jim a banjo lesson, while Tony hung up my pink, flying, wing flapping pig, on the front porch.

After I showed Jim how to quickly tune his banjo and taught him how to bar chords—he and I were pickin' and a grinnin', in no time flat, as I finger picked my guitar and Jim playing banjo. Daneshu was so amazed that Jim and I sounded so good, she grabbed her phone and started videoing us, as Tony was shooting us—with his camera.

And after we had played for thirty minutes, Daneshu asked if she could try playing Jim's banjo. So, Jim gave his banjo to her and I gave my banjo to Jim—so the three of us could make some music. And not to brag, but to brag—the three of us sounded pretty darn good. So, Tony took this picture of us jammin'.

After pickin' and grinnin' for over thirty minutes, we decided to take a break, because their fingers were killing them. And that's when I asked Jim, "Will you please sign my flying pig for me?" Seconds later, we were outside watching Jim autograph the flying pig he had made for me.

As Jim signed his initials on his/my wing-flapping, flying, pink pig, Tony and Daneshu started snapping pictures. "Nancy, I want a picture of you next to the pig," Daneshu said. "And one of you and Jim standing next to it." Then she and Tony shot us, on the front porch.

Following our pig ceremony, we went back inside The Cabin and had wonderful visit that was filled with laughter. 

And that is about it for tonight, because I am fixin' to go over to the Lodge to visit with Steven Rambam and Brian Kanof. I want to remind everyone that tomorrow night 10/9c, our good friend Steven Rambam's "Nowhere To Hide" series premier, on the Investigation Discovery Channel. And I hope that all of you will watch it, because for sure we will be watching it.

Y'all have a great evening

It's About Time!

Yesterday was so much fun, until late in the day, when Tony and I started mowing, again. Friday morning just about all of our friends/volunteers came out and walked our dogs for us and needless to say, "our dogs loved it."

Around 11:30, we all took off for the Medina Highpoint Resort, to eat lunch at their Koyote Grill and to also throw an early surprise birthday party for Tony. Eileen and Lisa furnished Tony's beautiful, 60th birthday cake, so they were the first to leave, so they could start setting up the table that we always eat at. Then One by one our good friends took off for the Koyote Grill. Which was perfect, because Tony and I had to be the last to leave, so we could close the gate.

When Tony and I walked inside Koyote Grill, everyone hollered, "Surprise Tony! Happy Birthday!" Then Eileen, one of Tony's favorite people to tease, hollered, "Old Man!" Talk about surprising Tony—he was so shocked, because the other day I had intentionally lied and told him that we were going to celebrate his birthday on Friday the 8th, two days after his birthday. Then Jim 's sweet wife, Dianne, walked inside the Koyote Grill and said, "Happy Birthday, Tony. When Jim told me it was your 60th birthday I just had to be a part of this." Then she handed Tony his wrapped up presents.

While we ate our lunch together, Tony passed, around the table, the hilarious birthday cards and the great gifts that they had given to him and he loved them all.

Because Tony and I were the last to place our lunch order, Tony was the very last person to finish eating his lunch and while he ate as fast as he could—we all teased him about how much time it was taking, so we jokingly told him to hurry up, because we were ready to eat cake.

A few minutes later, we were oohing and aahing about how delicious Tony's birthday cake was and when all was said and done—there was no cake left to eat.

When Tony and I got back home he neatly arranged all of his gifts, on the coffee table that Beau had decided to eat and then both of us took pictures of his super cool birthday presents.

And here is a close up of the two books that Eileen and Kris & Jim gave him.

Today has been great, because around 2:40 this afternoon—we had another great adoption! But I am not going to tell you who got adopted until we make sure that the adoption sticks, because this lovely couple, that has a precious Cocker Spaniel want to make sure that their dog and our dog will get along. And I promise in a few days, if it sticks, to let y'all know.

After the adoption I walked inside The Cabin to see what time it was, and discovered the wall clock, in the kitchen, had stopped ticking—it had died or it needed a new battery. I've had that cheap clock for over eighteen years, so I wasn't surprised, even though it has been one of my favorite clocks. Anyway, I removed it from the wall and shot it—with my camera.

Then I took this picture of the wall, where this clock had left an outline of where it had been above the No Coffee No Workee sign.

Around 4:00, when Tony came back inside The Cabin he started to laugh when he looked at the clock-less wall. Then I told him about my clock dying from old age and then I asked him to see if he could fix it. Ten minutes later, Tony declared, "This clock has run out of time. Sorry."

Then time marches on to 4:46, when Tony and I jumped inside Buttermilk and took off for the Walmart, in Kerrville, so I could replace my old, checkered, cow clock with another inexpensive clock and Tony could buy some new underwear. This is what I purchased and it was less that fifteen dollars and it is a little bit bigger than the old one, so it will hide the outline of the old clock.

After Tony had removed the wall clock from the box and inserted one AA battery, he hung it up where my old clock had literally "ticked itself to death."

That's my old wall clock resting in peace, next to our sugar bowl, because I couldn't bear to throw it out.

I am fine about the new, plain-looking clock and am not ticked-off that it doesn't have a checkered edge around it and a black and white cow in the middle of it, like my old one did, but it will take time for me to adjust to it, because like they say, "Time heals all." But unfortunately for me tonight, my time has run out, because it is now time for me to go to bed and hopefully get some much needed beauty sleep. But only time will tell, so please wish me luck, because I certainly need it.

Y'all have a great evening!

Today Was So Much Fun!

Today was so much fun, but I am going to have to write about it tomorrow, because I've been outside mowing and am too tired.

Y'all have a great evening!