Jan's Journey

On Saturday, August 2nd, I drove from Parsons, Kansas, to Edmond, Oklahoma. It was hard to say goodbye to Jan Chapman, but we are determined not to allow another 35 years to pass before getting together again! Good heavens we would both be dead if that happened!
Well, onto more pleasant thoughts! Edmond held more Navy friends!! I first met Johnny and Nancy Vaught in the Philippines in 1976. Johnny was stationed at Cubi Point Naval Air Station with my ex-husband, Jeff. Then Johnny and Jeff were both stationed at Corpus Christi together and there we formed a relationship that has lasted through the decades and through difficult situations. It was good to spend a week with them and their beautiful daughter, Jill. Jill attends the other UO (University of Oklahoma) but was able to spend the weekends with us so that was so appreciated! Jill is a beautiful girl both outside and inside and certainly does her parents proud! She is studing biochemistry and all the related sciences that just make my head spin from thinking about it.
When I arrived on Saturday a little after noon, Johnny and Nancy drove me about 20 minutes north to their property in Guthrie, Oklahoma. No, it is not named after Arlo or Woody. Guthrie was first established in 1887 as a railway station called Deer Creek on the Southern Kansas Railroad. Then with the "Land Run of 1889" over 10,000 people settled the area in 6 hours and Guthrie became the new capital of the Oklahoma Territory. As reported in Wikipedia, within months Guthrie was viewed as "Queen of the Prairie" with brick and mortar buildings, municipal water, electricity, a mass transit system and even underground parking for horses and carriages. What a hoot! But alas, Guthrie was not to remain the capital. In 1910 a special election was held and Oklahoma City won the most votes for the next capital. However, Guthrie did not want to relinquish the honor and the State Seal was "stolen" and taken to Oklahoma City. However, Guthrie has done well to preserve their heritage and today has the largest urban historical district in the United States. Nancy and Johnny are proud to own one of these historical buildings with a business space on the first floor and an apartment above. What a wonderful job they are doing getting it ready for occupancy.
On Sunday we returned to Guthrie to attend the First United Methodist Church. It too is a gloriously restored building. The congregation was welcoming and it was a special treat to have Jill join us for the day. When we returned from church, Nancy whipped up a delicious brunch and the rest of the day was spent in a leisurely manner.
On Monday, Nancy and I drove down to Sterling, Oklahoma, where Johnny and Nancy grew up. Nancy's parents still live on their farm a couple miles outside of Sterling and Nancy oversees their care and scheduling of caregivers. I had met her mother many, many years ago, but had never met her father. What delightful people they are! Thank you Nancy for giving me his opportunity to get to know them! This was truly one of the highlights of the trip. Nancy and her dad showed me around the farm and of course had to show me his pet cow of 21 years, Jill! (See pictures below) Yes, a cow named after his granddaughter. He got rid of all his cows but could not get rid of Jill! His grandaughter and the cow have a permanent bond and I am told that Jill, the granddaughter, can make Jill, the cow, do anything she wants it to do. And they say cows don't remember! Well, I am sure someone says that. After the tour of the farm, Nancy set up the dominoes! I had only played Mexican Train, but they played another version of dominoes which I evidently caught on to pretty quickly since I won. I know it could not have been beginner's luck!
After Nancy fixed breakfast Tuesday morning she and I did some housecleaning for her folks. Then it was time for lunch and some more of that good fried okra and garden fresh tomatoes, thanks to Nancy's brother, Keith. In the afternoon Nancy and I headed back to Edmond. But not before Keith brought Nancy lots of produce from his garden. Before leaving for Edmond Nancy took me on a tour of the area and she showed me where she and Johnny grew up, the school and church they attended and of course the store front where old men would gather and spit tobacco off the porch. It was a treat to step back in time and get a glimpse into their history.
On Wednesday Nancy and I drove to Norman, Oklahoma, where Jill attends the University. Jill had completed a final and so we took her out to lunch to celebrate. She took us to her favorite Mexican restaurant and showed me some sights of Norman. What a great afternoon!! Did you know that James Garner was from Norman? People were still laying flowers around his statue to remember him from his recent passing. Then of course Jill showed me around the campus and her sorority house. They have huge sororities and fraternities! She had 96 girls who live in her sorority house! She only lived there one year and now shares a house with 2 other girls. I am sure that was a relief! Oh, before Nancy and I went back to Edmond, Jill took me to get my pressed penny!
On Thursday Nancy took me downtown Oklahoma City and we walked around the Oklahoma City National Memorial. That was a very sobering experience and it was wonderful to finally get to visit it, but I can understand why it is not one of Nancy's favorite places. It is just to painful and overwhelming. But at the same time it is a beautiful memorial and one that can offer some peace. After that, we drove to Guthrie and worked a little bit on the apartment and checked out a few shops downtown. What fun!!
Saturday, August 9th, was a special day in several ways. One year ago on that day, my friend, Joe Hugill, passed away. My heart was especially with his sister, Lee, daughter, Jennifer, and son Patrick and his family. As I have said before in this blog, life is crazy!! The bright spot of this day was that Jill and her dad, Johnny, took Nancy and me out to dinner in celebration of our birthdays! Mine was on the 8th and Nancy's was going to be on the 11th. They picked a "hipster" restaurant, Picaso Cafe, in the Picaso Art District of Oklahoma City. Not only was the food absolutely delicious, I had a lobster bisque that was out of this world, but the people watching couldn't be beat! And to top that, when we got home, Nancy and I were treated to a variety of cheesecake from the Cheesecake Factory!! JACKPOT!! Of course we shared with Jill and Johnny! If that wasn't enough, Jill had stopped on her way home that day and picked up a couple gift bags for Nancy and me filled with goodies!
Sunday we drove back to Guthrie to attend church and after church checked out the apartment so Nancy could show Johnny the latest changes. I can understand their love for this place. The whole area exudes an ambiance that just draws you to it. There is something to be said for history! When we returned home to Edmond, I mainly preped for my leaving on the next day.

I don't think I am in Kansas anymore!

The living room of Johnny and Nancy's Guthrie apartment. Beautiful brick walls!

Johnny and Nancy in their refurbished kitchen. Notice the huge pocket doors behind them! These are original to the space, over 100 years old! They don't make things like they use to!!