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. 

In Company with Family 2021

  How did it get to be late so soon?

It's night before its afternoon.

December is here before it's June.

My goodness how the time has flown.

How did it get so late so soon?

Dr. Suess  

Thanks to all the women and men in the health community who worked tirelessly to save lives, so families and friends could once again be together for the holidays in 2021. 

Our spring began as fall ended with yard clean up, rains, and damaging hail storms. Jack fell down and rather than break his crown he busted his ribs, and we discovered the rush of adrenaline when 911 is called for a loved one. 

By June and two vaccines we felt our feet on the ground and moving along with life, slower than the years before but moving ahead. Murphy entered our lives on May 1 and we felt younger and laughed harder than we have in years. 

The beauty of this puppy is that he MUST walk daily or we end up playing ball for hours on end toward evening, when all we really want to do is sit and read, or sit and watch television. So, Jack walks him every morning that the weather allows. No rain since October and warm temperatures have kept Jack walking and getting in better shape than before.  So much to be thankful for, and so much more fun than a nagging wife. I walk the afternoon shift when Murphy is slightly worn down, but I'm not as faithful as Jack.  

Letty, Katy, Shaun, and Two Bit; Isaac, Ann, Mike and Jack 

 In August our sons arranged for a family gathering at a vacation rental home on Lake Eufaula, Oklahoma. It was the first time all three of our children and their families gathered together with us in several years, and they were happy. They laughed together and at each other, they fished, told stories, stayed up late and had fun. Our hearts were filled with thanks to God that we had built a strong blended family. Mike, Ann, and son Isaac live in Dodgeville, Wisconsin. Katy and Shaun Bledsoe live in Oklahoma City with our two grand dogs, Two Bit, and Hope. We love Hope. Matthew divides his time between New York City and South Florida.  They are each healthy, happy, and have terrific careers. 

Letty, Katy, Matthew, Isaac, Ann, Mike, and Jack

In January Mike celebrated his 50th birthday, and in September Katy celebrated her 50th birthday. She and Shaun traveled to Savannah, Georgia to make it memorable. She succeeded in twisting her ankle in the sand....and making it memorable.  

Matt will celebrate that number in 2023. 

On our way to Mineral Point and Dodgeville, Wisconsin we stopped to spend the night in Omaha with our niece Jennifer Gatlin and her family.  The house was filled with love, children, teens, four adult nieces, husbands, two dogs, and one uncle and aunt. When the Watt family gathers there is always food and fun, and her charcuterie board was a delicious treat. Grilled burgers and hot dogs reminded us of years long ago when we gathered at grandma's place.   

How do you explain how meeting your adult nieces when you remember them as tiny babies? They are wives and mothers now; artists, career women, and wonderful women who make the word a better place to live. 

We drove east and north the next day and watched the warm sun turn to gray, cloudy skies that spewed snow on us for the next four days. A Wisconsin winter blast. 

The next day we arrived in Mineral Point, Wisconsin and stayed at a boutique hotel, The Mineral Point Hotel, in 1857 as the William Lanyon Building and on the National Register of Historic Places.  The black and white flocked wall paper brought back memories of the old Country Club's elegance.

Mike, Ann, and Isaac joined us the first night for a cold snowy stroll around the quaint town and then enjoyed a delicious meal at their favorite restaurant, Popolo, and everybody else's favorite because the next night we wanted to eat there but the waiting list was too long.

Jack and I awoke each morning and walked to either the Cafe 43 or the Red Rooster for a yummy breakfast.  The kids, who live up the road in Dodgeville, joined us for most meals and shopping in the arts district. One night we ate at the Midway Grill at the Bowling Alley, located mid-way between Mineral Point and Dodgeville. We had so much fun making memories, thank you Mike and Isaac for throwing the ball backwards and creating an uproar of activity for the bowling alley.  

Home Again, Home Again, jiggery jig...

Thanksgiving was quiet and thoughtful. Jack and I cooked a full meal that we shared with my sister, Jonya, and her husband Bill. But Jack's birthday the 28 of November was anything but quiet.  

We invited neighbors and family for a come and go birthday celebration and of course, no pictures. We spent hours sharing stories, eating, and opening gifts. It's always fun to put names with faces when meeting friends and families.

Murphy didn't get his own Christmas tree, but he managed to keep us to small pencil tree with decorations starting up over the swishing tail line to protect the red bulbs. 

  

I turned 70 again for the fourth time. Each birthday gets sweeter.

Joan invited me to play golf on my fourth 70th birthday to celebrate the day and date. How to dress for 70 degrees in December in Oklahoma was a conundrum. 

Thanks friends for all of your love and support this year.  

We will end the old and begin the new with our large family "Dirty Santa" on January 1.  

How did it get late, so soon?

PS. If you have already received this story please excuse my mistake, but I think the April Fool Monkey jumped on my posting. 

I am closing the door on 2021...

Opening our eyes to 2022..