Caldwell One Stop

Every other week I make a trip to Oklahoma to visit my Dad!

We always have lunch, I read the Fairview Republican, look at the Atwood’s Ad, and he gets a farming magazine from New Holland that he usually has an article ear marked for me to read. All this reading while watching Gunsmoke!

It is really a very relaxing day for me. Most of the time it is for him, too. But every once in a while he has something he wants to be outside doing and I can tell by his restlessness when he is ready for me to leave.

He doesn’t like for me to come on unscheduled visits. Ever since I remember he has been a man of order. A man that sticks to his schedule and he wants me to do the same! So I do. Most of the time. If something is happening in one of our lives that I must miss a week – then I don’t make up for it the next week – we just wait for my regularly scheduled visit! We both do better with this schedule!

On my way to Oklahoma, I usually stop in Caldwell – it is exactly half way from my house to Enid. I stop at the One Stop and sometimes I get a bottle of water – and I always use their restroom facilities and ALWAYS eavesdrop on the farmers who are there for their morning break. (or gossip-fest) whichever way one views it.

Once in a while I even stop at the newspaper rack pretending to peruse the papers while eavesdropping. – I have no pride when it comes to listening in on others conversations at the One Stop! After all, it’s a public place – it’s a public conversation.

Usually as I walk passed these men, they nod and say good morning. They are very polite. – after all, most farmers are.

Sometimes they are talking about “red haired women.” I believe the consensus is that they like them!  Usually it’s about farming, rain or equipment. I love it. I was raised by a farmer and his wife and it is in my blood.

Not that I’ve always wanted it in my blood. In high school if I thought a guy even looked like he was going to be a farmer – I wouldn’t date him. (he’s a very wealthy farmer now!!!) But I watched the struggles of that life and I guess I never had enough faith in myself to believe I was strong enough to become a farmer’s wife.

Which, I guess the joke is on me because I wound up being married to a preacher…..  figure that one out!!!

Anyway, I feel at home in the One Stop. I enjoy trying to figure out where they are going with a conversation. I enjoy “reporting” the conversation on social media!

So I guess, I am really trying to make connections with my roots while listening to the farm lingo and actually knowing what it all means!

To fill in a bit – I didn’t marry a farmer but in the early ‘90’s when we moved back to my home town, I did start helping my Dad during harvest. He taught me to drive the combine – which was my favorite harvest job and he also had me drive the wheat truck to town when my brother would come to drive combine after he got off work.

I enjoyed it. I was proud of being able to do it.

Then when I met Randy – he loved it that I was a “farm girl” and he was proud of the fact that I did drive the combine.

So – all that to say, A big thank you to all farmers! And a big thank you to the farmers that visit the Caldwell One Stop so I can share on social media all the awesomeness that is farming!!