Happy Herman's Hideaway

Hello, my San Saba sweethearts, and how are you? Why do I feel as if asking that question is like placing a firecracker in your hand with a short fuse and making you nervous to answer? It is fine, no matter how you are; know that I am glad you are here and now slowly put that question down and back away.

Well, in fine Mother Nature style, we enjoyed a lovely week of weather, and then on Saturday, she put us on boil as if we were all a pot of crayfish! At one point, I went out to the porch for a time, asked to come in, told mom I was done and to put on the potatoes and corn, and to spread the newspapers out! If there is any rhyme or reason to her tactics, she obviously is a horrid writer!

This is a big week around the Schulz house because dad will be turning 80 on October 5th! I tease mom about being old all the time, but dad is 12 years older, and man, oh man, he is about to start his years of ancient age, and I am not talking aged whiskey, but aged whiskers! Yep, daddy will not only be a senior citizen, but an official member of the octogenarian club. I asked mom if that meant he was related to an octopus, and I wish you could have heard her laugh. I plan to have so much fun celebrating dad’s birthday week!

My trip to the groomer turned out rather badly for my face…I had my identity stolen. As a wire-haired dachshund, my beard and eyebrows are instrumental in defining my personality. I use my eyebrows to help convey my moods, and my beard is instrumental in framing my mouth to help accentuate my speech, bark, howl and whine. Well, dad is always determined to turn me into a smooth-coat dachshund, and so this time I came home naked. And by that I mean beardless and without my eyebrows! Quite frankly, I felt a bit like a newborn mouse…almost completely hairless and exposed! Yes, yes, I know it will all grow back, and there is nothing to be upset about - but it is the fact that I desire and want to be who I am…I rather enjoy it.

I was thinking and about how it seems the world is a total mess right now, in an uncontrolled tailspin. We can make the choice to join the chaos, add to it, or we can stand up and be the calm, the voice of reason, joy, happiness and love. We can bring together what is separated, join hope if not thoughts, and agree to life if not ideas. If we can build walls and barriers, why then can we not take them down when their existence threatens our very existence? If I stand starving on one side, and you on the other with food…how difficult is it for you to reach over to offer me what you have or for me to raise up to take it from you? I love you, my San Saba friends, and I promise you anything I have I will gladly share with you! I wish you the best until next we speak, and thank you for being!