The Voyage to Oklahoma

Our long journey began in an airport in Paris in the 1940s: just two women, alone save for a hoard of pastry, facing the beginning of a dusty road to the very far west.

That's a 'Get Smart' style Russian walkie talkie, not a cell phone

Our spirits were high, though the miles before us were long, and the warm sun greeted us cheerfully from behind the industrial plate-glass.

It being Paris in the 40s and all, I am exclaiming something to the effect of 'Ooh la la, sacre bleu! Je suis une bibliotheque chevre au vin!'  Basically I was swooning with excitement to get on the plane.

Finally, about 70 years later, we arrived in Oklahoma!  Cue this video please.  Actually there was no one singing in the airport when we landed, but once we spied our limo our hearts sure were!  We met Shelley and Paige first, and all decided no dementors/party poopers would be allowed in, or at least wouldn't be given complimentary mini soda cans.

Of course we weren't disappointed, everyone who came was amazing, fun, sweet, and a joy to be around.  This was the best group of ladies anyone could have wished to be stuck with in the middle of no where for an entire weekend.  Here's Ashley (NOT Emily) and Dani who are sisters from Idaho and the last to fly in.

After we rounded everyone up, William our driver took us to downtown Tulsa (it's a real city, with big buildings and running water!) to pick up Gina and Sara.  We may have been chanting loudly as they walked towards the limo- we're a rowdy crowd.  Once we snagged Gina away from her cute new hubby, we all took off on the loooong drive out to the ranch.  On the way of course, someone had to use the little girl's room, so William pulled us over at... this place.  Now previously, I had the impression that Oklahoma was a wholesome, family-friendly state, but, well... see for yourself what kind of establishments they have littered all over:

Now not only do they have these ... "gas stations" all over the place, they sell merchandise so people can advertise their proclivities to the whole world.  Look, they even sell BOXERS with the logo pasted all over them.  Just saying.

Now before you guys go judging me and my fashion sense... let me just say that I heard it from the horse's mouth that a certain single cowboy whose chaps you have all likely enjoyed drooling over has *this very same hat*. 

Cowboy Approved.

Once we finally pried ourselves away from this establishment, and drooled over the Sonic next-door (which we resisted, based solely on the powerful motivation that Ree was at home slaving away over the stove for us), we spent another 6 hours getting to know each other while traversing dirt roads and tumbleweed deep out into the pitch-black prairie.  It was so dark, by the way, that when we finally saw the blazing lights of the Lodge looming ahead, William was so excited that we all nearly flipped seven times down a cliff in our giant limo.

So happy to be alive!

Of course, he was much too skilled to lose control, and we all gratefully clawed our way out onto solid ground to begin our fabulous weekend!  Stay tuned for more...