In Company with Friends 2021

How Covid19 brought us together in 2021 is really quite simple. Two events added to our lives immensely: friends gathering, and traveling.  Once we were vaccinated (later boosted) our lives felt a tremendous relief, like an opening in the clouds. 

In June, Manon Bradbury and Victor Kubbeh visited from California. The rains of the day sent us to the  National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum  rather than the golf course, and it couldn't have been better. The Prix de West exhibit brought awe to our conversations with the vastness of the West, the colors of the skies, the land, the waters, the details found in a small spaces, the reflection of color, the movement of animals on canvas, sculptures that seemed to fly to jump, the portraits that stepped out of the picture and shared their stories. A day of delight ended in a home cooked meal, conversations about life and memories.  Our friends were on their way north the next day. Ten thousand miles and three months later they arrived home in LaQuinta, California. Imagine the stories they can share. 

Yes, my friends and I were overly enthused about the opportunity to play Oak Tree National this spring, thanks to a package I bid on in a fundraiser. When that spring day turned to winter, the four us said sure we can play in the North Wind and enjoy it. Even the pro mentioned that the pros from Southern Hills, Cary Cozby and group had cancelled. Not us.  

We played a zesty nine holes and laughed out loud as we tried to play our shots into the wind, downwind and not into the water or other hazards, or topped the ball down the fairway. After nine holes we were worn out and drug ourselves into the golf shop. Steve Kimmel, congratulated us and handed me a new coupon to play the course again when summer arrived. We took him up on the offer, sat down for lunch and listened as Steve regaled us in golf stories about Oak Tree. We returned in July on a warm nearly perfect day and still laughed ourselves silly. Shows you how much fun four women can have hitting that tiny round golf ball.  

Jack and I managed to play as much golf as time, yard work, and stiff joints allowed. 

September brought more friends and memories. Kathy and Jim Thomas from Hutchinson came down to play golf and tour a few museums. Once again the art and sculptures at the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum left as spell bound. I can't imagine life without art to remind us of who we are, who we were, and of all of the creative spaces in between. 

We then toured the Oklahoma City Memorial Museum for the first time. How can I describe it, as we had no words in our vocabulary to explain the events we all witnessed in 1995.

When Pat French arrived we never slowed down. Another visit to the Oklahoma Memorial gave me the opportunity to read more about the event and learn of its aftermath.  The touching tribute to the people who lost their lives will live with us forever. 

The big event, of course, was not the golf course, which was fun, but the
football game between Nebraska and the University of Oklahoma. Pat bought herself tickets close to the fifty yard line, while we sat in our corner seats above the ponies. 

It was over a decade ago when we made the drive to Lincoln to watch our Sooners take on the Cornhuskers. Pat could give you the dates and scores of all of the games and who played what.  I can send you to the website. I remember the people, the stadium, and the walk around campus. Memories.....

Looking at the wagon ruts in the Red Rock Canyon. 

Stormy, the bison observed by Ruth Ann and A.J. 

Lucky for us we also get to be grandparents to Lora and Tony Walenz's grandchildren who live not far from us. Not only do we get to visit with the kids but we also get to see more of Tony and Lora, our friends from Hutchinson. Lora and I often play golf together here in Norman or in Hutch. Miles and years apart only make friendships deeper.

My sister, Jonya, officially retired from full-time teaching Spanish in June, which gave us opportunities to be together.  In October we went to Miami, Oklahoma for her 51st Miami High School reunion. Many of her classmates had older brothers and sisters in my class of '65, so the reunion was sweet for me as well.

Driving home we took Route 66 to Tulsa and spent an afternoon at the Will Rogers Museum. History is so enlightening but the old movie of   Will Rogers' Rope Tricks  kept me glued to the screen watching over and over. I would like to have enjoyed dinner with Will Rogers. As he said, "I do not make jokes. I watch the government and report the facts."

In Tulsa we stopped for two nights, so we could visit friends from years gone by, and of course, eat our way through current conversations and memories. On the last day of our travels, we played golf at Cedar Ridge Country Club with Rebecca Mirjanick Davis. Our father taught all three of us to play golf.  Rebecca and I were in awe of the natural rhythm with
which my sister swings on the golf course. Jonya didn't even have a matched set of clubs, caused from thirty years of not playing golf. Rebecca loaned her clubs as needed, and then helped her select the right club for the shot. Jonya's natural swing out shined anything Rebecca and I could have hit that day, and we've played for forty years and more. It was a thing of beauty, one of God's many ways of giving us gifts and grace. What better way to end a season of golf than to see three grown and graying women play golf together, as they had sixty years before. (Ok, so now I can cry.)   

Mirrors reflecting art in and around people. 

On a lighter note, four of us from our Readers in the Rough book club traveled to Dallas to see the The Van Gogh Immersive Show. I've never witnessed art coming to life like modern technology can create. The walls move in out and around with Van Gogh's wheat fields, skies, furniture, sailing ships, and portraits. Find a site near you and go...2022 it's worth the drive if you can just imagine. 

We next toured the Van Gogh exhibit of Olive Trees and science at the Dallas Museum of Modern Art. We topped off our trip with a night at the Warwick Melrose Hotel, and spent Friday touring the George W. Bush Library and the gardens at the Dallas Arboretum. We were four women without children, and I believe we enjoyed the pumpkin patch with nearly the delight of the little ones. 

Letty, Leah Jackson, Susan Allgood, Rowena Shuma

My wish for you is to enjoy everyday of 2022, and take time to enjoy lunch with someone special.