So, 2021 wasn’t quite the year clear of the Coronavirus like we thought (i.e., hoped) it would be back at the end of 2020.  We in our family have all been vaccinated and continue to social distance and wear masks when in public.  Sadly, we’ve experienced through good friends what the virus can do and it looks like the virus is going to be with us for a while so we will continue to take precautions in the near future.  The good news is that we have been able to leave the house and resume some semblance of “normalcy” by getting to go out to eat, travelling, and spending time with friends.  We took a few trips this year: to Bakersfield to visit my sister Becky and her family and to lay our brother Simon to rest at the National Cemetery; a quick overnight trip to Dallas, and a trip to New Mexico to celebrate the retirement of one of Andy’s college buddies.   

Back at the Retreat, things have been quiet for the second year of the COVID pandemic.   We’ve started having guests again but have limited rentals to the New Mexico room which can be directly and easily accessed from its private patio.  We aren’t serving a cooked breakfast, but hopefully we can resume full service in 2022.  We had one House Concert this year and it reminded us of how much fun those shows are; again, we hope to resume having live music next year, if not at our house then at our local winery where we’ve hosted musicians in the past. 

Our son Drew earned his degree in art education from Southwestern Oklahoma State University and almost immediately got a job as a high school art teacher in the town of Yukon.  The commute is long and he and Jenna are looking for a house to buy nearer to his job.  Jenna works from home as a paralegal for a Dallas-based law firm and all of her work is on-line. Their house project on our property has been at a stand-still since Drew went back to school to finish his degree but they still intend to finish it at some point and use it as a studio. Our daughter Alma is still living in Portland, Oregon and is happy there.  I still post updates on goings on around here on Facebook (Chaparral Retreat and Guesthouse) and sometimes write in my blog at chaparralbb.blogspot.com

Fortunately, our family is doing well as this year comes to an end.  We hope this note finds you and yours in good cheer for the holidays and that 2022 brings you LOVE, PEACE, GOOD HEALTH AND HAPPINESS.   

 /Andy and Linda Barrett

NEW MAILING ADDRESS:   4978 S. Hwy 8A, Watonga, OK  73772 (we no longer have our PO Box)"