Gracie & Me #4: Gracie Goes Golfing & the Littliest Cowpokes!

     I'm eating crow and strangely enough... It's not that bad if it's cooked right.😀 I'm eating crow because until very recently I absolutely hated dogs on the golf course.
     My frustration began when I began playing golf again, mostly at our county course. Besides a laundry list of golf etiquette violations that rub/rubbed me the wrong way, the biggest frustration is/was people bringing their dogs with them while the humans golfed.
     One golfer in particular brings his little dog that barks and barks and barks. My golf game is consistently inconsistent. So the last thing I need when I'm trying to drive, chip or putt is a yipping dog that I can hear literally ALL OVER THE COURSE!!!😝

     But now, that's all changed because of our new dog, Gracie. I took her with me to the course last week. I really didn't know what to expect from her. So, I played early with my regular golfing buddy Marvin Morrell, now officially nicknamed "Uncle Marv." Take a look and turn up the volume because this is how it went.

     It really wasn't as chaotic as the video makes it look. The worst part was when Gracie & I first arrived. She ran and smelled. Then, she ran and smelled some more and some more and some more. But within about 15-minutes, Gracie calmed down and hung out with me on the putting green.

Gracie Golfing/Scurry Co. Golf Course

     Uncle Marv and I always play only nine holes. We start on number one, which should be an easy Par five. Usually, we make a mess of it but I think we both believe the next eight holes will be easy birdies. But as it usually turns out most times, they're not easy bogies much less birdies.😂
     Anyway, Gracie was great. Sure, she ran when we took off in our carts. But when we got ready to tee-off or play a shot, she stopped and even took proper position, that is behind the player about to take his/her swing.
     Seriously, there was a time when we were teeing off. I think it was on number three, a very long par three, slightly uphill to a left to right slopping green. Gracie was hanging out directly in my target line. I said, "Gracie, go back to Uncle Marvin." And, she did!          Ladies and gentlemen, this dog is a stray that showed up on our porch. She doesn't yip, jump or have any other bad habits besides a little chair chewing. And NOW.... she knows where to stand on the golf course! Call me crazy, but Gracie might be the perfect pet!!!

Youth Play Day/Scurry Co. Rodeo Grounds

     One of the better things about getting older is having time to really enjoy the good stuff. And it turns out, watching the grandkids do their thing is definitely a good thing.
     Our six year old granddaughter Halli loves riding horses and she wants to RODEO!😃 She has a lil' horse named "Bliss" and this is their first summer to participate in our area's "Play Day."
     I know it sounds like something my mom did with my little brother, Peter, and the other neighborhood mothers, but this is a lot more than that. It revolves around kids, horses, families, competition and a LOT of sunscreen and bug spray.

Cody, Halli & Bliss/Scurry Co. Rodeo Grounds

   
     Gobs of kids are there and even more adults. The kids are separated into age groups and compete in three categories; Barrels, Poles and Flags. The bigger kids are fast and furious. The little ones like Hal aren't so fast as they are determined.
     Here's the visual: Halli's little. Bliss is about 15-hands. Hal's saddle is tiny. Her feet in stirrups might go down to half of Bliss's body. But still, Hal's determined to get Bliss moving. Hal's not wearing spurs. So, she's gotta kick to get Bliss going. Her legs are too short to squeeze, which is what she'll ultimately learn starts and stops a horse.

Halli & Bliss/Snyder Co. Rodeo Grounds

     So, she kicks and kicks and kicks. But her little legs really don't go anywhere. Imagine that you are standing with your arms hanging at your side. Now, flap your hands. That's what it looks like when a little six year tries to propel a 15-hand horse into locomotion. It's priceless to see up close and personal. It's absolutely perfect!
     I think if the horse, Bliss, could talk she'd say: "Hang on Lil' one. I got this. It isn't my first rodeo." I suspect if Halli could talk to Bliss that she'd say,"THAT IS SO MUCH FUN!"

     It's fun to feel young enough to take Gracie golfing with Uncle Marv. It's a lot more fun to be old enough to see and hear the fun of these Littliest Cowpokes.

     FORE and GIDDY-UP!

Bill Robertson
Next, Gracie the Gardner and my friend Martin!

   

   

Gracie & Me #3: We go to Taos, Gracie goes to camp & Mom's Gall Bladder

     Boy oh boy, a lot's happened since my last blog. Starting with our new dog, Gracie, it's been a whirlwind.
     I left off in my last blog with the story behind Gracie getting her name. She's apparently taken a 'shine' to it as she does come and stay when commanded. You know, "Gracie come!" or "Gracie stay!"
     Before I go on, I still gotta tell ya that I can't believe this dog's incredibly good demeanor and behavior. It's really got me stumped. The vet told us that she was barely one year old. I can't think of a single dog I've ever had that at that age wasn't bouncy, jumpy, chewy, messy and practically all but impossible. Gracie is absolutely none of those adjectives. None!

Golfing w/ Gracie/Scurry Co. Golf Club

     The picture at the right was when I recently took Gracie golfing, which was an adventure. I'll get to that sooner or later. But first, let me tell you about our trip to Taos and Gracie's trip to Canine Camp.
     We'd planned a long weekend in the New Mexico mountains many, many months, at least weeks, before Gracie pounced on our porch. We didn't want to back out of our plans but we had to find a safe place for our new dog. Long story short is, Gracie went to a boarding house in Snyder and we went to Taos.

     The Canine Camp (klip'n k-9's) was at first crazy traumatic. Thank goodness I had Gracie on a leash. We walked in. A Doberman puppy kept barking and barking and barking. Gracie didn't like it and "Remi" the barking Dobie gave me a headache. The whole time I was thinking; 'This is a bad idea. I'm never gonna get out of here." But, I gotta give kudos to the "klip'n k-9's" operator. She took charge. Got "Remi" to hush. Made Gracie comfortable. And, I got out of there. Bottom line is/was, Gracie was super well cared for and really didn't want to leave when we returned from Taos.

Taos NM/2019

      Taos, GOD's country at 7,000 feet! I bet I haven't been to Taos in 40, maybe 45 years. I don't think Teresa's ever been. We couldn't have been more pleased.
     Our place was an easy walk from the plaza. We'd walk, eat, people watch and walk some more. I dunno if I'd call Taos kid friendly, unless it's ski season. But, it's definitely almost AARP friendly. If you can just slow down a bit, enjoy that amazing blue sky, watch the cool 'granola crowd' and loosen your belt for a gastro-experience, Taos is top shelf.


    We never found Julia Roberts who supposedly has a ranch somewhere in the area, but we did get an eyeful. Our mission was; Eat a big breakfast, get in the car and just drive. Then later, we'd sit and people watch.

Rio Grande River Gorge/Taos, NM

     Isn't it funny that when you get older, you can just relax and be amazed at natural and man made wonders. The Rio Grande River Gorge Bridge is an absolutely show stopper. The picture is small but the sky is incredible and the bridge span is phenomenal. Imagine seeing it in real scale. It was amazing and it's only seven miles from the Taos plaza with a great restaurant on the way.

     If there was nothing man-made in the Taos area, just looking at the mountains, watching the sky and enjoying the crisp high altitude air would be enough. But there are plenty of man-made things to take-in. I'm not necessarily saying take-in and like, but more take-in and appreciate.

Earthships/Taos, NM

     If you want a full dose of 'off the grid,' don't miss the Earthship Biotecture that's just a little further down the highway from the Gorge Bridge.

     Everything at this compound is recycled.... everything! We didn't take the tour because by this time the wind was howling, but we did drop by the Visitor Center. In fact, if we'd taken the tour we would have gotten the senior discount. Woo Hoo!
     I bet Teresa and I could live in an Earthship given it's proximity to Taos, but I don't know if either us have the 'Nature DNA' to help or enjoy any of the construction.

Red River Bike Rally/New Mexico 2019

     We did have 'people watching' overload during our visit. I suppose even a normal weekend would've been fun considering we already know most of the people in Snyder, America.
    But this was Memorial Day Weekend and that meant it was Red River Bike Rally Weekend. I bet for every one four wheel vehicle we saw, there were at least 50-to-75 various versions of motorcycles that roared around us.
      I took the picture to the right because I'd never seen such an exaggerated 'Trike.' By the time we left Taos, we saw dozens of these modified motorcycles. What a time we had in Taos and what a shock we returned to when we got back to reality in Snyder.

Mom's Gall Stone

     We got home. All seemed good and then BAM! Unbeknown to us, mom, a.k.a. Marianne, had been really feeling bad before, during and after our Taos trip.
     We were back at The Windmill Ranch taking care of our regular routine when I got multiple texts from my older sister, Laura. They read something like:
     Laura: "Hey are you aware of the stomach ailments mom's been having the past few days?"
    Me: "I had no idea."

     Long story short is... Mom was in pretty severe discomfort. She drove herself to see her primary physician. We met her there. The doc didn't take long to order a C-T and labs. Both should Gall Bladder issues.
     The rub is/was, that was on a Thursday and into a Friday before the tests returned. My little sister, Julia, came in from Albuquerque for the weekend to help. By Monday morning when mom already had a consult scheduled with a surgeon, she was in more than severe pain. I could show you a picture, but she'd be real pissed.
     Anyway, we didn't wait for the afternoon appointment. We took her to the E-R in the morning and by 3:00pm, she was out of surgery with that giant gall stone as a souvenir. That was the biggest, but she had dozens of more stones.
     Post-op wasn't pretty. M had lots and lots of pain. She got more morphine than I knew anyone could have. In fact, she was eligible for a morphine 'hit' every 10-minutes.
     But GOD is indeed good. By the next morning, she was weaned off the morphine and getting a Tylenol-3 drip. She was a completely different person. The only rub was.... She talked and talked and talked. We couldn't decide if it was the meds or just the fact that she likes to visit.
     Now, we're three days post OP and she's sitting up, lipstick and eyes done and wearing pearls and earrings.
     I wish I could remember the exact prayer I offered over her before they wheeled her through those big swinging doors. I can't. But, I can say ABSOLUTELY everything that I/we prayed for was answered. Absolutely everything!

     So, we got a dog that doesn't jump and an 87-year-old mother/grandmother who feels great. I wanted a dog. I got one. I wanted my mother to be relieved of her pain and discomfort and she is. I prayed about both. I got both. I'm thankful and blessed.

Bill Robertson
Next: I dunno bc every time I think I'm gonna write about something specific it seems I get a strange curveball. If I had to be specific, I'd tell ya... I'm not  in charge.
   

   

Gracie & Me #2: Gracie Gets Her Name

     We did a thing. In west Texas speak, we did a thang! Yep. We got a dog. For all the preliminary details about our new addition, please refer to my previous blog, Gracie & Me #1.

Gracie

     Her name is Gracie. We were inspired by Jane Fonda... seriously. Here's how we agreed Gracie would be a good name for our newly adopted four-legged friend.

     This black dog showed up. She was obviously young, but also incredibly social and well-behaved. For a day or two, we just called her 'Hey girl...' Then, we branched out to the names we thought fit her best. Like I wrote in blog #1, she responded to just about any name that ended with an 'I-E' sound like Maggie, Missy, Lady, etc. We liked 'Gracie' because we're new Netflix(ers) and we're big fans of the show "Grace and Frankie." Do you know it?


     I included the part about us being new Netflixers because where in the world have we been for the past many years? We've heard about all this streaming TV shows stuff, but just figured the technology necessary to accomplish the 21st century while living the country was beyond our pay grade. Turns out, it's not.

     We got one of those 'smart' TVs, bumped up our internet capabilities and now we're watching the shows the rest of the world's been talking about for who knows how long. We still don't stream anything to our other devices (remember when that meant your other mostly illegal stuff?) But at least for now, we're able to pick up one of our three remote controls and find something that's been water cooler talk for a very long time for the rest of the world. Seriously up until a few weeks ago, we weren't that far removed from the old days of three channels. If we didn't have our original remote, my name could easily be "Change the channel." Anybody remember those days?

Gracie

     So back to Gracie and how she got her name. Teresa and I delved into Netflix. We started with T's favorite "Grey's Anatomy." We then watched "The Highway Men" with Kevin Costner. Then, we branched out.
     Me: "Let's find something we haven't heard of, see if we like it and go from there."
     T: "Okay. You pick."
     I picked "Breaking Bad." We didn't get very far with it because at that time our internet was pretty week.

     A couple weeks later, we ramped up our internet for better streaming and tried again. This time...
     Me: "Okay, now you pick."

     T picked a show starring Jane Fonda, Lily Tomlin, Martin Sheen and Sam Waterston called "Grace and Frankie." We had no idea what to expect. We picked the show simply on the quality of the cast. We were surprised and then we were really surprised.
     We didn't expect the premise of the show. It didn't set us off watching but it might some. The synopsis is: There are two couples (Fonda & Sheen and Tomlin & Waterston.) It turns out after many years of heterosexual marriage that Sheen and Waterston, who are law partners, are gay and in love with each other.
     The heterosexual relationships unravel, but the subsequent relationships involving a married Sheen to Waterston and a friendly relationship between Fonda and Tomlin propel the show. Suffice it to say if you use words like Fag, Queer, Lesbo, etc or judge others then this show isn't for you. But if you want rapid fire quick wit, genuine care and just a break then "Grace & Frankie" is indeed quite entertaining.
     In fact, I think Tomlin's never looked better. Waterston, who's played Academy nominated roles ("The Killing Fields,) is outstanding and Fonda and Sheen are a hoot. Plus, the supporting cast of mostly unknowns, at least to us, is very good too.

     What's this got to do with a stray black dog that showed up on our porch? Well, the black dog who answers to just about anything that ends in the "I-E" sound, answers especially well to the name "Gracie." So, we named our dog "Gracie" after Jane Fonda's character "Grace" on the Netflix show "Grace and Frankie."

     I guess we could call her "Hanoi Gracie," but I'm pretty sure that's too many syllables for a dog.😊

Bill Robertson
Next: Gracie Goes to the Vet and more...

Gracie & Me #1

     Well, we did it. We wanted to do it for a long time. We talked about it a lot. We made just about every excuse possible not to do. But in the end, we did it. Or should I say, Gracie did it to for us!

Gracie @ Home

     Yep, we got a dog! I don't think I'd write anything about Gracie if the circumstances hadn't been so uncanny and if her behavior hadn't been so remarkable. Here's what happened... starting from the beginning.

    By saying starting from the beginning, I mean starting at least several years ago. And by several, I mean longer than six or seven years ago. I don't mean the 'several' that so many incorrectly translate as meaning three, four or even five. That's just a few.
    Anyway, T and I started talking about getting a dog not that long after we married, 10-years ago this year. The rub was, we had a list as long as our arms why NOT to get a dog. We don't have a fenced yard, we like to travel, dogs shed, puppies chew, the dogs we want are expensive (I wanted a Bassett Hound & T wanted a West Highland Terrier,) etc, etc.

Gracie on the Porch

     Absolutely none of those reasons mattered because we didn't go looking for Gracie. Gracie just showed up like she was saying, "Here I am and I'm staying with y'all."
     Seriously, that's exactly how it happened and Gracie checked off just about every 'box' (obviously, she's not a Basset or a Westie) we had when it came to why we couldn't or shouldn't have a dog at this point.

     Gracie Day 1: We came home from a normal day working at the ranch. We pulled into our drive and....
     Teresa: "Don't look now but there's a dog on our porch."
     Me: "What? Where? Uh oh. Okay, let's see if it's friendly. Be careful."
Notice how Teresa says 'she' and I say 'it.' T calls all animals from fish to elephants as 'she.' She, Teresa that is, always has.
                                                 Teresa: "She's just a puppy. She's fine."
                                                 Me: "Terrific."

     Turns out Gracie, but just called dog at this point, was just a puppy and she was just fine and she was just very thirsty and very hungry. So we watered & fed her leftovers. As I remember it, the dog really enjoyed leftover meatloaf. Who wouldn't right? 😃 We did absolutely NOTHING to encourage or discourage her from staying or leaving.
     Day 2: It's about 7:45am and I'm leaving for the ranch. I walked out the front door to walk to my truck and that's when she bounded from the back side of the house. Gracie, still called dog at this point, had spent the night with us.
     All this started about two weeks ago. So, my precise recollection is a little fuzzy. The bottom line is/was Gracie, dog, stayed a second night. We still didn't encourage or discourage her. She drank clean water and our leftovers for her supper. There's no doubt she liked our spinach stuffed chicken.😉
     Day 3: We got up and she was STILL at our house. So at that point, we began thinking that she had to belong to someone. She was absolutely the most docile, sweet young dog that I could remember. She didn't have a collar (Note: In the top picture Gracie has a collar but that's a recent photo, not from the beginning,) but it was very obvious that someone had spend a lot of time and likely money training her. But obvious too was, she had been trained in a good, kind way. Gracie, still called dog, could sit, stay, come, load up in my truck and everything else a more mature dog might do. She didn't jump. She barely chewed. She didn't go spastic-excited around people. She was obviously a very young dog but her behavior was amazing!
     Long story short is, we called neighbors, we took her to the vet to see if she had a 'chip.' We posted her picture on Facebook and just about every other animal website available to us in WTX. We got back nothing. No one knew Gracie.... until....

Gracie on the Grass

     Day 4: Teresa got a text. It turned about Gracie had belonged to a couple who separated. The woman didn't want the dog. The man took the dog, but later didn't want her either. So apparently, Gracie got dumped.😖 Well, they're loss is our gain!

     Day 5: We still haven't officially named her Gracie yet. She seems to answer to anything ending in "ie." She responds to Maggie, Sadie, Missie and others including Gracie. Let's face it, she is a dog. All she hears is the emphasis on the last syllable.😁

      I guess tomorrow (Tuesday, May 28, 2019) will be Gracie's two week birthday at Casa Robertson. I think T would agree. She's checked all our boxes. We don't care that she's black and has long legs.

Bill Robertson
Next: Gracie gets her name & more
   
   

West TX Wind, Mysterious Trucks, Rattlesnakes & Spewing Water

     I'm runnin' so hot right now I could blow flames out my eyeballs. First, I blame the unrelenting west Texas wind. Does it ever stop? Then, I'm blaming a mysterious white pickup driving through the property. Then, the rattlesnake that came way too close to Teresa. And then, the gun shot that really put a hitch in my get-along.

     I can't do anything about the never ending wind, but suffice it to say... It really chaps my fanny. It blows and blows and blows. As for the other stuff, here's what happened. By the end of it, I didn't know whether to laugh, cry or just go to bed.

    A mysterious white pickup drove north through the property along our 'main street.' It happens all the time. Nosey Parkers drive through the ranch. We chase after them every time we see them. Sometimes, we catch 'em. Sometimes, we don't. The times when we do they usually say something like; "Just wanted to see what you had here."

    We didn't find the white truck. So, we decided to check and make sure the gates we kept locked were indeed still locked. They were. So we returned to the pavilion and this is when my anger meter due to the wind escalated from DEFCON 3(ish) to DEFCON 5+.

     We got out of the truck. Teresa headed for our kitchen. I was walking around the back of the truck. Then, "BILL!!!! OH NO!!!"
     "There he is. See him?"
     "What?"
     "By the kitchen door!!!"

     Wouldn't you know it, the absolute first time in about a year that we haven't told each other to 'watch for snakes,' there's a big rattler stretched out on the threshold into our kitchen.
     "Get the gun!!"
     "Okay, okay. Just stay there."

     I get the 20-gauge and load up two shells. The snake at this point has turned around and is headed back toward a hole in the deck. But, he's still up against the kitchen wall.
     I have a safe shot. I take it. But believe it or not.... I MISSED! How in the world do you miss a rattlesnake's head from less than 10-feet with a 20-gauge shotgun. I dunno, but I did.
     Strangely, snakes don't zoom off when being shot at with a 20-gauge. They kind of dare you to try again all the while rattling like crazy.

     This is the point of a gun safety story that would include something like... Always know what is behind your target. No, I didn't shoot Teresa.
     The snake was slithering back into its hole. It's head was already out of sight, but I had a good shot at its fat body.

     I took the shot and within seconds I knew I'd made matters not just a lot worse, but a likely very expensive a lot worse.
     I did hit the snake, but I also hit the MAIN WATER LINE into the kitchen that was behind the snake.

    Water began spewing everywhere. The snake, as you know if you've ever shot a rattler, just kept on rattling at me and moving more and more into its hole.

    So now, I have either a dead or semi-dead four foot rattler in a hole and by the looks of it, he's only a matter of inches from the shot up water line that now needs professional repair.
    I can't ask a plumber to work on the repair knowing full well there's a big dead or almost dead snake next to the work area. So now, we're called out a snake removal service to cut open the decking to get to that snake plus others that may be under the wood.

    I blame it all on the wind and the mysterious pick up truck.

Bill Robertson

Love to Love Ya & Delivery is FREE!

     Teresa and I just finished driving about 175-miles within the last 36-hours and we never left Snyder or Scurry county. In fact, we never ventured too far from College Avenue which is Snyder's main drag. You might say; We drive for LOVE!😘😘

The Blossom Bucket/Snyder, TX

     This marks our second year helping to deliver Valentine's Day flowers for our friends Theresa and Rodney Dupree, who own and operate The Blossom Bucket in Snyder America.
     Both years have been a little different, but each year has also had one thing in common and that is.... BUSY!!!! The volume of flowers going out is staggering.
     Theresa & Rodney had two teams delivering the day BEFORE Valentine's and FIVE TEAMS delivering on the big day. Keep in mind that while we, the deliverers of LOVE are pulling up, packing up and driving off with our bounty of bouquets, "The Inside Squad" is working shoulder to shoulder creating arrangement, after arrangement, after arrangement!

The Blossom Bucket/Snyder, TX

     It's not brain surgery delivering LOVE. In fact, it's usually a chance to knock on someone's door or visit them at work or wherever they are and they're actually happy to see you. I think the only few rules are: Don't wreck the van, Don't break the flowers or lose the balloons. And always, smile!
     I gotta admit that sometimes the smiling is forced but probably not why you might think.
     It's easy to smile when you're greeted with a smile. But I guess I'm surprised by how many who get flowers... just take 'em out of my hand without any emotion at all.      
     Sometimes, they look sad. So, the only thing I know to say is, "Aren't they pretty? I hope you enjoy them." Sometimes, they look at me like, "It's about time." All I can say then is, "Enjoy." And believe it or not, there have been times when the look I get is, "Is that it?"
     There are a lot of things I want to say to that reaction but usually none apply to the sender. My reaction is more about the creators who put genuine time and effort into making something pretty for someone they probably don't know. So in these cases, I generally go with a smile and hopefully a mood changer like: "I watched Theresa make 'em. She thought you'd like 'em a lot." It's a lil' lie, but if I said what I really felt like saying, I'd probably get hit and The Blossom Bucket would take a hit, too.
     The good news is that most of the times we're met with giggles and glee. The bad news is no matter how infrequent we get the other responses, it's still sad for everyone from creator to receiver.

The Blossom Bucket/Snyder, TX

     Flower sales are big business at Valentine's Day, duh! I 'googled' it. Each year, about 110-millions roses are sold in the U.S. on February 14th. And, that's just February 14th!
      We started delivering roses on February 13th and it's a very safe bet that Theresa and Rodney began arranging roses and more long before the anniversary of LOVE.
     In fact, I pinned Rodney between the roses, the tulips and the chrysanthemums and asked, "What percentage of your business is Valentine's Day?"

Me: "Just a ballpark. How big is this day?"
Rod: "Umm, big. But we stay busy all year with lots of other events."
Me: "Okay. Can you give me a percentage? Is Valentine's Day the biggest day for y'all?"
Rod: "That and Mother's day. But this is big. Probably 8-10% of our business. Maybe a half months worth of business."

Hot Rod Dupree/The Blossom Bucket

     That's Rodney is the picture to the right. I thought I'd snap a quick pic while he was on the phone, but before I knew it he was off and moving.
     I know the expression is; Off and running. But, Rodney doesn't run. Instead, he's continually moving. If he doesn't have a phone in his ear taking orders, he's writing down orders, or he's counting inventory, or for his deliverers' he's organizing our next outing.
     Watching him reminds me of a traffic jam on the interstate. Of course, we want to go the speed limit of 70-or so. But if we keep moving at 25-40 mph we really feel like we're getting somewhere.
     Rodney's not a drive the speed limit type of guy on these days we help deliver for them. He's more of a 'steady' kind of guy. The funny thing is.. He's not called 'Hot Rod Dupree' for nothin'. His passion is drag racing. You know, the big long snouted cars that go from 0-to-300 in less time than it takes to blink. Still on Valentine's Day and later on Mother's Day, Rodney's the pickup driver who had enough sense to get off the interstate and take the frontage road. Sure, he's not making great time but he's moving and moving ALWAYS means progress.

Theresa Dupree/The Blossom Bucket

 
     That's Theresa Dupree in the picture to the left. I don't know where to begin with Theresa.
     The picture will tell the story if you take a good look. She's on the phone taking an order. Meantime, I count at least four arrangements that she's working on simultaneously.
      Theresa's long time Snyder. She knows absolutely everyone. It's a blessing of a small town. Theresa has an uncanny ability to know who's ordering and for whom and to know what that recipient would like. It's really a tremendous peace of mind knowing  that when you're handing off something as important as love to grief that Theresa knows what would make the recipient joyful.
     Our conversations usually begins with Rodney and usually by text message...

      Us: "Hey Rod. Would y'all put together or send something to so-in-so.?"
      Rod: "Sure"
     Us: "Our price range is ____. Please just ask Theresa to work her magic."
     Rod: "👍"

     Every time, Theresa puts together something that without fail ends with us receiving a phone call from the recipient saying a big thank you.
   
     As usual, we had a great time delivering for The Blossom Bucket. It's a nice feeling delivering smiles. Thanks y'all.
    If you'd like to see more of The Blossom Bucket please check out the following link.. https://www.facebook.com/Blossom-Bucket-1686775421545326/

Bill Robertson
(Great working with Dedra Driggers, Susan Scott, David & Denise Brown, Mrs. Ann Everett's team and Dana Munkres' team)
Dedra: Hold onto the BALLOONS!!!
   

Herding Jackasses with Cat Food & Calling Hulk Hogan

     Donkeys, Jackasses or Mules... We're not sure, but we had two unexpected long-eared equine visitors at the ranch.

Bonnie or Clyde?/Windmill Ranch

     The duo dubbed "Bonnie & Clyde" showed up while we were on our west coast adventure. Our neighbor, who happens to be the area's Game Warden, texted me. I've included the actual text.

Do You Have Donkeys?

     The text is dated January 20th around 7:44pm. I think at that time we were doing anything, absolutely anything, but thinking about a conversation that would include animals, much less donkeys.

     What do you do when your 1,444.6 miles from home and your neighbor texts you to ask if you have donkeys? Of course, you begin to wonder... what?!!!!!!!!!

     I'll spare you another text stream, but suffice it to say our electronic conversation continued with our Game Warden neighbor. Ultimately, we found out that Bonnie & Clyde belong to another neighbor, who it so happens is a younger, less hulkier Hulk Hogan look-a-like. Business in front---Party in the back.

Here Donkey, Donkey/Windmill Ranch

     Wondering animals aren't that strange out here in west Texas. Bonnie and Clyde's appearance wouldn't be that unusual if they were cows or dogs, but they're donkeys. Who has stray donkeys?!
     Apparently, Bonnie & Clyde went on a 'walk-a-bout.' First, they wondered onto our busy highway. Then, the Game Warden herded them to a third neighbor's property. Then, the donkeys either jumped our fence or squeezed through the wire to our property.
     After that, it became a search for their owner and an effort to get them back home. The problem at the time was, everybody from the Game Warden to the donkeys' owner to our deer hunters said, "We can't find them."

They're They Are!/Near Josie's Tank, WRP

     Guess they weren't looking too hard because Teresa and I found Bonnie & Clyde. We drove to 'Josie's Tank.' A tank is a pond in west Texas. They came to us like puppies at dinner time.
     T & I weren't prepared for such success, so quickly. We didn't know what to do. We drove off, but the Long-Eared couple followed. I had to speed up to out run them. It's not everyday that you come face to face with a couple friendly, curious donkeys.
     It took us about 24-hours to re-group and re-plan our 'donkey removal plan.'

     Here's what happened the next day. First, we addressed the 'cute issue.'

Teresa: "They're cute. I don't mind them. What harm are they doing if "Hulk" doesn't want them?"
Me: "I like 'em too. But let's see how they affect cows, deer, and other stuff"

     If you know nothing else about Teresa you should know that she makes Colombo, Kojak and Castle look like amateurs. Within minutes, T googled... "Donkeys affect on ranch/farm livestock & wildlife."
     Teresa found out that the bottom line is/was: Donkeys run off hogs and predators but don't really have a harmful affect on cows, horses or deer. The rub is, our deer lease friend, who pays a pretty penny, debated donkeys potential harmful affects on a property's deer population.

Me: "We don't need any donkeys. They could affect our deer population. We don't want to upset that relationship. Let's clean out the stock trailer, put 'em in it and haul 'em back to "Hulk. I'll tie 'em  up to his front porch with a note that says... Hello human! We're home! We missed you."
Teresa: "No you won't! I bet they'll just follow us to the corrals. Really, get some cat food in a bag. Shake it. Drive slow and they'll follow us."
Me: "Uh... okay, but I'd rather leave 'em on Hulk's front porch."

C'mon Lil' Fella/WRP

     I'll be danged if she wasn't right. We found Bonnie & Clyde. We clicked and cooed to get their attention. They immediately came to us.

     I slowly drove west on the ranch. Teresa dangled the cat food out her passenger side window. Every now and again, she'd shake it to make that sound every animals knows as supper.... Shish, shish, shish.

    Bonnie & Clyde walked, trotted and even lopped behind us. At one point, Bonnie or maybe it was Clyde, stopped. He or she put their nose in the dirt, dipped down and took a good hearty roll in the dust. Then, he or she got up and caught up with us.

     I don't know how far it was that they followed us. But when we drove into our west corrals, all the while rattling cat food into the pen, Bonnie & Clyde followed. A stray heifer inside the pens gave us fits for a bit, but eventually Bonnie & Clyde were safely pinned with water and feed at their snouts.

     Hulk the neighbor came for them and he even bladed our roads. So, we're down two donkeys but our roads are a lot smoother. Gotta love the country!

Bill Robertson