But there is a story behind this photo......and it's long, but it needs to be told. I will entitle the story -

After weeks of planning and anticipation, Saturday, June 14th, 1997 arrived cloaked in blue skies, cool breezes and bright sunshine. Oh how Wolfie took extra pains with her appearance. Donning her very neatest black pants (I didn't have time to shave my legs), her black suede paw covers, a lovely cream silk sleeveless top (with large pads beneath her front legs to soak up the blood after shaving - PLUS I kept watching for Jaws to come and get me in that thing they call the shower) and her nicest periwinkle colored jacket she was finally prepared to meet her two friends. I took extra care in stuffing my beautiful tail way way down into my pants so that it hung neatly there. My ears were pinned across the top of my head (ouch!) and my human hair wig was securely taped, pinned and nailed into place. I applied my finest human makeup to cover up my furry cheeks and smeared my lips with that stuff called lipstick which is more like pink grease, and I was ready! I looked cool! But, have you heard of Murphy's Law?

Murphy's Law sometimes crops up when you least expect it. Things started going downhill from the point where I exited the bathroom AFTER making sure that my human hair wig looked absolutely perfect and I had sprayed it with the mandatory three cans of hair spray to keep the danged hair and my beautiful fur in place

Through my pinned-up ears I heard my human male beginning to yowl. Now, you know what human males are like when they yowl - I rushed to his side - gnashing my teeth - saying "what is wrong, human male?" (His human name is Doug, but being a wolf like me, it doesn't matter what his name is ... a rose is a rose by any other name). My human male looked at me in anguish stuttering through his teeth.... "I have lost my wallet!" So we played "fetch the wallet" while running around looking for this strange piece of human junk which is made out of (blech) animal hide! We look here, we look there, we look everywhere. My keen nose kept twitching (I can smell $$$ real good) at peak performance until we meet in the middle of the den with the human male whining "I think I left it at the office!"

So off we go, flying down the freeway in our trusty white Thunderchicken about 90MPH - my ears now flapping in the wind - and arrive at his office in a cloud of smoke and a sputtering sound in the engine. Quickly the human male jumps out from the Thunderchicken and rips the top off the engine - nothing looks broken! Male rushes inside his office and retrieves his animal hide pouch which is bulging from plastic cards! He slams the top down on the engine and we erupt from the parking lot like a deer leaping from a thicket! I was lucky I was not wearing a neck brace from that day....surely there is some society that protects wolves from drivers like that!

Anyway, we're now moving smartly down the street rather quickly when suddenly with a lurch, a groan, another puff of smoke, and a bang - the Thunderchicken falls to the ground and rolls over on its back - claws up! We, human male and I, grasp the chicken around the neck and pull it into a large parking lot.....and right up almost to a car repair place. "Fine" you might be saying, they can get it repaired there." My human male huffs and puffs over to a group of gentlemen (sigh, he would never make it in the forest) standing there watching us - fine men who come over and say words that only human males can understand to console the chicken who is now choking out its last h-o-n-k, and they begin to shove and push the chicken into a cave! "But wait!" I beg. "What about the luncheon?" They don't hear me, pushing and shoving the broken chicken, feathers and claws dragging on the cement, and a satisfied smile on it's front bumper, into this huge dark cave. "I ain't going in there" I said to my human and promptly began to cry big wolfish tears right there outside. I am quickly going into "Wolf Shock." Glazed eyes staring blankly as a picture of our ruined luncheon flashes before my eyes. Baring my fangs I shriek "What do you mean three hours to fix it?! Is the chicken laying a giant egg or something?" My human tells me sadly - while shifting back and forth on his feet and rubbing his hands together quickly....Aah," he says - "it's a timing belt." "I don't care if it's a gold belt with fairies on it! I need to be at that luncheon!" Then I began yowling myself into a really fine fit screaming that he had planned the whole thing and sabotaged my luncheon with the Great One and the Desert Flower. "Not so" say he, rationally (in human-like fashion) he hands me the saving miracle of miracles - the cell phone! Now I had a tool with which to deal with this seemingly impossible situation - a phone! Good thing. Wolves never carry money, they don't know how to handle it, the claws spill it all over the place, and I could go on but it's best I go on with the story......

He hands me the cell phone and tells me to call the "Great One" to tell her that we'll be a "little late." (Yeah, like three hours is a little bit late - humans! they just don't understand). Now you all know that wolves under pressure do not dial well? And besides I had left my address book at home in the den. The claw pads on his DINKY cell phone are just too small. I attempted to dial 411, but it became 410 and so on. My human finally rips the phone from my claws and dials 411 and we've given a number for a V. Williams. WRONG. The voice that answered was hardly one of the "Great One's breeding. It sounded more like Homer Simpson on a rampage! We try getting the number under a different name and success is mine! The Great One answers herself . By this time I am in such a state that I blather all over the place and whine into the phone telling the Great One about my problems. The gracious Great One replys (soothing my fur) "No problem. Pete will come and pick you up." When it came time for the directions to be told, she told me to speak with Pete as she is terrible with directions. SHE is terrible with direction?! Perhaps she didn't know my other name? Wrong Way Corrigan? And so the Lone Wolf gives directions to Pete AFTER asking another human male stranger where I was? My human was with the car - right right inside the engine with just his (you know what) sticking up into the air - how appropriate at that time! And so I give Pete the directions - to somewhere on another planet in another galaxy.....

Oh how I wished that my human would leave the Thunderchicken to die on the tarmac and come and talk with Pete as I blathered blissfully "Yes, I'm on Lafayette near Trimble across from the Expresso Limousine Service and a graphics arts place. Yes, there is a car repair store here...." However, I forgot to give him any street numbers.

"Fine" says Pete. "I'll come right away and pick you up" and we break the connection. Just then my human appears by my side and asked if I got through. "Yes," I answered proudly. And I repeated what I have told Pete. Blanching six shades of white my human attempts to quickly call Pete and the Great One back, however, and alas, they must have left the house and are on their way....and so we wait, and wait, and wait.....

Now picture this, Wolfie standing by the side of the road so that anyone coming from either direction will see her standing waving and smiling. Actually two really cute dudes did stop and ask if I wanted a lift. However, after they saw my box of dolls they rescinded their offer and drove away - quickly. So there I am, out in public on two legs in the bright (read HOT) sun, in cool breezes (read, HURRICAND STRENGTH) for a very, very long time. My precious dolls melting in their box...... FINALLY, my human Doug comes to me and says "the Thunderchicken is ready now." "Great" says I, "can we go to the luncheon now?" "Yes" he replies, staying out of my line of fire as he tenderly puts me, the cell phone (still stuck to my claw), the dolls and all back in the Thunderchicken and we are off.

Hanging on for dear life we roared down the freeway to the luncheon - fearing it was all over and no one would ever speak to me again. With goblets of sweat now pouring down the sides of my face - I gingerly look in the mirror only to see my ruined picture staring back at me - my hair was a virtual rat's nest from the wind, my face beginning to redden from sunburn, freckles popping out on my nose (where is the BUTTERMILK Mammy?!). Finally we see the restaurant coming at us like an oasis in the distance - hurriedly I push my hair back into it's normal tangle of noodles .... and we pull into the parking lot (after what seemed to be a month of Sundays driving there). I feared the worst - the very worst! We left the Thunderchicken and started walking towards the restaurant - it was called "The Flames." By the time I got to the door I was aquiver with anticipation. Would they be there? Would there be a nasty note from them to me telling me they never wanted to see me again? Would there be any food left?

Squaring my shoulders and setting my jaw, carrying my box of dolls proudly in front of me I stumbled through the doors and over to the Hostess Station. As the hostess was about to say "May I help you?" I waw Viola smiling and waving from a table in the back by the windows. I rushed forward to greet her - dodging customers like a deranged football player playing a tough game, pushing and shoving customers, waitresses alike leaving Doug to help them up, brush them off and cool their tempers .....and suddenly there I was! They had all waited for me. They had eaten their lunches - but they were waiting for us! Graciously I surveyed the group at the table. There was the Great One herself looking lovely in a blue denim outfit, her charming and handsome husband Pete - who cares what HE was wearing? He apologized for not picking me up. He had looked for me and couldn't find me. Doug's face was beet red as HE apologized for the horrendous job of directions I had given to Pete....have you ever heard of the "Primrose Path?"

And then, dream of all dreams, there sat the Desert Flower herself - TADA - the woman of my dreams. The charming and most gracious Beth Lane of New Mexico, along with her beautiful and equally charming Mother, Eve. What a happy party we were. Doug ordered food for us as the others had eaten already....and iced tea. Introductions were made all around and we were a happy party of six. Eve, who was celebrating her 90th birthday, was given birthday cards and lots of love from the rest of us. She also lived in San Jose. Doug and Pete sat across from Beth, Viola and I - so as not to get hurt I guess. From their vantage point Doug tells me that we three were simply a blur of activity....arms, legs, dolls, papers, fabrics flying in all directions while he and Pete and Beth's mother looked on - the poor woman had a strangled expression of fear on her face. I hope we didn't frighten her too badly. Even a waitress or two were entranced and came to see what we were doing. Other patrons looked and scratched their heads while giving us a wide berth as though we were from a mental institution and had been let out for the day. Many business cards were given out by all of us as we played "show and tell" with dolls and other goodies. Pete and Doug dodged dolls, cards, waitresses, etc., to make sure we were left alone but at one point when we got out scissors they looked worried as we began to cut up small pieces of fabrics. Once in a while we would come up for air and a drink of iced tea and then returned to our little huddle - we really had a lot of fun.

Now let me tell you a little about each of the main characters in this story of a luncheon gone awry.

For those who do not know the "Great One" - you are missing out on so much by NOT personally knowing this marvelous woman. The "Great One" is Viola Williams and is as elegant and beautiful as her dolls, as sweet-natured and kind a friend as one could ever want. AND so giving of herself! It is always a pleasure to see Viola. I'm so pleased that she could take some time out from HER busy schedule to come and have lunch with all of us. Viola brought along many of her most beautiful dolls to show. I was drooling big gobs down over my chin over these lovely dolls. Elegant and so very beautiful - words alone cannot describe them. Exquisite, dramatic, elegant, oh how I aspire to be like Viola.....but alas, I am but a wolf.....

Ending the Viola saga on a nice note - Doug caught the mini bug and fell deeply in love with Viola and I have to take her video of "Dressing a Bride" and "How to Wig a Doll" off the TV each night. Doug calls himself "Fifi" as Pete calls himself Irene. Where will THIS end? Will they be wearing dresses the next time they get together? And as there is a higher power, I'm admitting in public that the next day he began to pour his own porcelain dolls AND clean them! And with his newfound knowledge he then declared himself to be better than me! Boy give someone a bit of knowledge.....but he so enjoyed the time that he spent with Pete and longs to repeat the experience. Note: That did not last for long......

This luncheon gave me the most wonderful opportunity of meeting the "Flower of the Desert" - the one, the only - Beth Lane! Beth is from New Mexico and she was in San Jose to spend some time with her Mother Eve, who was celebrating her 90th birthday that month. And she took time out of her own schedule to have a luncheon with Viola and I. Beth has a resume behind her that is most impressive. She is a very articulate, intelligent, highly creative and talented woman. She is beautiful and sweet and a darned good friend!

Beth and I had known one another for several months on our internet groups. We had been corresponding and had developed a deep friendship (oh don't be jealous all my other mini friends - I love you all! And you'll get your chance to one day bask in the limelight of my wonderful writing one day too!) and I cannot say enough nice things about Beth! We had a wonderful get-together in person which I relished!

Beth, I might add, is exactly the same in person as she is in her writings. What you see is what you get and I love that quality! She is a wonderfully creative person and a marvelous artisan. A beautiful woman - inside and out! She brought many of her things along to show us so we could start drooling again. I personally had to ask the waitress for a box of napkins, the drooling was just dripping!

Beth even brought a box of photographs! Beautiful photographs of room boxes she has done, her famous cowboys, her beautiful and equally famous saloon girls, prospectors, and the list goes on and on! Each one was more lovely than the previous! And her dolls! OH her dolls! Her saloon gals are fantastic! Beautifully done with fishnet hose, garters, and they are so plump and real looking. Why even my own Sheriff was impressed! He was in such a state over one of them that he fell off his chair and lost his hat while declaring his undying love for her! He said he would leave his Muffin Lady to be with her in New Mexico! The Muffin Lady heard this as she was standing right behind him holding the pan right over his head....bald is not beautiful when covered in muffins! I had to put the Sheriff back in the box and the Muffin Lady got even with him in the box going home by tossing muffins at him!

If you have never seen one of Beth's hats you are in for a real treat! THEY ARE GORGEOUS! And she gave me one! She makes the most elegant, most beautiful concoctions of tulle, feathers, doves, silks, to DIE for! And gorgeous precious "enamel" flowers too! WAH! I wanna live with Beth Lane in New Mexico! My human had to keep kicking me under the table so I would stop whining......and I tell you it was difficult!

Beth's mother was so very charming and nice......she sat there for hours trying not to show her fear of us three "children" having fun and giggling and laughing. Photos were taken by Pete and Doug of all of us and a good time was had by all. Soon it was time to think about leaving......Stay tuned......the final moments ..... get tissues, it's so touching!

I have so many wonderful memories of that day in California. We moved to Montana in 1998. But on that day in 1997 - so much was said in such a short amount of time, and too soon it was time to leave. Amid hugs, kisses, tears (mine) all mingled around us - promises made of "let's do this again" and then it was over....the magic moment had left on little cat feet. As we left the parking lot - many waves and blown kisses were passed between us and then it was over.

Wolfie hung her head on the way home, and was very quiet - as Doug would say - "for once." Now as I sadly sit and clean the Great One's greenware still, the memories of our happy luncheon linger on......The Great One has since moved to another city in California; I am in Montana; Beth is still in New Mexico. Her mother has since passed away. I had the opportunity to visit Beth for two weeks about three years ago......Beth is a remarkable woman. She and her husband were most gracious hosts. We saw a lot of New Mexico and really enjoyed our stay. As for Beth she has battled cancer and seems immune to its ravages. She has had many health problems. She now sculpts but still does minis as well. I so enjoyed my stay with her and hope to repeat it again in 2007!

One little side note.....after the luncheon I was talking to Viola....and she told me that Pete had dropped her off at the restaurant while he went searching for me like Indiana Jones. She told me that she sat holding her box of dolls in her lap staring into the faces of all those who came through the door because she didn't know what Beth looked like either! Imagine that? Anyway Beth found HER - by the box of dolls on her lap. Viola told Beth how I was lost somewhere in a far-away galaxy and they decided to wait.....and I am so glad and grateful that they did, or there would be no tales to tell! Oh yes, we didn't gossip about any members of any dolls or miniature lists that we belong to....honest!

Well that is the end of the saga of the luncheon - We, the Great One, the Desert Flower and me, Wolfie. I hope that you enjoyed it as much as we did! Next time you are ALL invited!

 

Sadly the Desert Flower is no longer with us. She fought a very long hard battle with cancer. Beth, my good friend, passed away on July 8th, 2007. She is very much missed.