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Nov. 26, 2017 - November color 

We've had a whirlwind weekend, between Thanksgiving Day activities and visiting with guests on Friday, Saturday, and today.  We shared Thanksgiving dinner with a friend of Drew's, played a board game, cooked, ate too much, and cleaned up the kitchen.  Spent Friday a.m. cleaning rooms for incoming guests, a young couple who were having their wedding ceremony in OKC at their home church on Friday afternoon and then coming out to the Retreat for the weekend.  What a joy they were to meet and interact with.   They had made a reservation for the New Mexico room, and they had the bedroom end of the house to themselves.  Throughout the weekend we shared stories and blessings.  They were both a joy to be around. 
      On Saturday morning I made oatmeal and set out  small bowls with "fixings" -- pecan pieces, raisins, spiced apple slices, brown sugar, cinnamon,  honey, and toast.  They invited me to join them for breakfast and we shared a long leisurely meal with conversation that led into lunchtime.  They shared food that they had brought with them, left over from the wedding party--homemade hummus, pita bread, fruit salad, wedding cake.  Andy left the house to go to the OU football game, so he missed out on the lunch goodies.  After lunch, the guests were interested in seeing our kids' building project so we headed up the hill.  It was a beautiful, partly sunny and warm afternoon and we ended up hiking quite a ways around the property.   Sadie ran with us and wore herself out.  It was 3:00 pm before we got back into the house.  I relaxed and read for a while, and the couple went out to Roman Nose State Park where they spent a couple of hours. 
    On Saturday evening, we were all sitting down for dinner and more conversation-- they had brought food and used our kitchen to cook their dinner;  I hate Thanksgiving leftovers - pork loin, mashed potatoes, and broccoli.  I also set out the jalapeno/cranberry salsa I had made and shared it with our guests. 
    After we had finished our dinner and were sitting around the table visiting, there was a knock on the front door and a couple walked in.  The woman, Rita, said "Are we in the right place?"   I invited them in and walked over to them, asked how I could help them. My first thought was "Oh no, did I take a reservation from someone and not write it on the calendar?"  Before I could ask if they had a reservation with us,  Rita asked if we had a room for the evening.  They introduced themselves as Chuck and Rita, told me that they had been to the State Park Lodge, just travelling through on a whim.  The Lodge was full, but the desk clerk told them about our place "around the corner".  We always have a sign on the front porch that says "COME ON IN", and so when they saw that they did what the sign said to do -- they walked right in!  We all had a good laugh. 
     I checked our calendar (to make sure I hadn't made a reservation for someone and not written it down), saw nothing booked, and then asked Rita and Chuck if they would have a seat while I checked to see if we had a room "ready", meaning cleaned and ready for a guest.  Fortunately the Texas room was clean and ready, just needed some towels put into the bathroom.  I took Rita and Chuck down the hall to see the room, quoted them a price, and they decided to stay.  We all had another laugh when they told me they didn't have any luggage, that they had decided to get into the car that afternoon and "wing it".  They had eaten dinner at the Lodge and asked about a room. Had the desk clerk not told them about our place, they would have gotten back on the road and driven to Oklahoma City.
    I'M STOPPING HERE FOR A BREAK --- I NEED TO REST MY EYES.  There is more to the story of this weekend, so check back tomorrow to finish reading ....... /Linda