Surrey Jan/Feb 2014 by Claremore Progress

Magazine

SURREY

Love Connections Couples travel many paths for relationships Late Winter 2014 Vol. 6 No. 3 â&#x20AC;˘ A Claremore Daily Progress Publication

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Relationships come just like classic movie plots In the 1999 romantic comedy Notting Hill there comes a time when the two lead characters face a decision in their relationship. Anna Scott played by Julia Roberts brings William Thacker played by Hugh Grant a painting as a peace offering for undue media attention. Scott realizes she wants a long-term relationship. “I’m just a girl, standing in front of a boy, asking him to love her. I’m just a girl, standing in front of a boy, asking him to love her” Roberts’ character says. Thacker says no. In a subsequent scene Thacker is with RANDY COWLING his friends and realizes the painting is an original and he's made a tragic mistake of the heart. The knetic rush to find Roberts before she leaves town and his public declaration that he does love her is the climax of the movie. Those lines are a classic plot line for romanic movies. Girl meets boy. Girl rejects boy. Girl and boy meet again and live happily ever after. In this issue of Surrey, we bring you couple’s stories and how they connected. February is the month of love. Movies and music play integral roles in how men and women find love and lasting relationships. Here’s to you finding those kind of relationships.

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SURREY Taking you places today! Surrey©2014 All rights reserved. Published Bi-monthly by The Daily Progress SEND COMMENTS TO: The SURREY @ The Daily Progress 315 W. Will Rogers Boulevard Claremore, OK 74017 P.O. Box 248 Claremore, OK 74018 E-mail — rcowling@claremoreprogress.com Bailey Dabney Publisher Randy Cowling Editor/Designer CONTRIBUTORS Rebecca Hattaway Tom Fink Mark Friedel Salesha Wilken Diana Dickinson

ADVERTISING INFORMATION: (918) 341-1101 addir@claremoreprogress.com All copy and advertising in the Surrey are copyrighted and cannot be reproduced. Some photos used by permission of source.

SURREY Vol. 6 No. 3 n LATE WINTER 2014

Inside 9 10 Long Distance Love — Page 9

11 12 18 26

Louisiana Transplants— Page 11

Long Distance Love Jack and Mary Lee Spinks saw each other just seven times before they wed.

Meeting Online John and Rhonda Cochran remain committed 16 years after meeting through an online service.

Louisiana Transplants Paul and Jennifer Tucker’s relationship met under unusual circumstances, but their love is strong.

All You Need is Love Most romantic movies to watch on Valentine’s Day.

Music is in the Air Music plays an integral role in the life of relationships. Find the Top 15 selections that enhance romance.

Love of Lamb There is no better way to pull the ‘wool’ over your loved one’s eyes than with a recipe of love: Braised Leg of Lamb — with all the sides.

The Greatest Love of All Building and strengthening relationships is hard work.

COVER — John and Rhonda Cochran are fully committed to their marriage, 16 years after they met through an online service. Romantic Movies — Page 12

Late Winter 2014 Surrey 5

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Long Distance Love Jack and Mary Lee Spinks saw each other just seven times before they wed By REBECCA HATTAWAY It was November 1957 — a time long before the era of online dating and fast, efficient transportation made long distance relationships more commonplace. Texas A&M student Jack Spinks, from the Houston area, and Mary Lee Gilstrap, of Claremore, met on a blind date set up by a mutual friend. “He asked if any girls wanted to come down and he’d get us dates with Aggies. I didn’t know they didn’t have girls down there! Three of us went. (Jack) was picked for me; the other

girls didn’t fare so well,” Mary Lee smiled. “ I thought he must be a wealthy Texan because he sent me a plane ticket. I didn’t know he was really a poor struggling college student. He was very generous.” Plans were to attend the A&M football game against Rice that Saturday. Although the Aggies — number one at the time — suffered a devastating loss, the rest of the weekend was successful and the seeds of a special romance were planted. “He invited me to come back down for the Thanksgiving game which was

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Jack and Mary Spinks

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Local married couple remains committed 16 years after meeting online By MARK FRIEDEL

ince the initial adoption of the internet in the early 1990s, the digital era has quickly brought about the evolution of daily life technology, allowing a majority of people to stay connected on a global scale. With rapid communication now available, an increasing amount of relationships are formed via email and/or social media, and in recent years public attitudes toward online dating have become more positive. John and Rhonda Cochran, a married couple out of Claremore, met online in 1997 through an AOL directory. At that time there was a negative connotation associated with meeting someone on the internet, said Rhonda.

“My family was very concerned that I would meet someone that was just out there, that didn’t go to our church or we hadn’t known for years. I was still recently divorced and they were somewhat afraid that I was jumping into a situation without thinking,” she said. “My previous marriage was not good, and I began chatting online in an attempt to find myself. I met John and he was really good about building me up.” John said he contacted Rhonda first through the AOL chat room after narrowing his search to age of person and location. He came across Rhonda’s screen name and profile and decided to message “hi,” not knowing where it would lead. He said it took Rhonda about five min-

CONTNUED ON PAGE 14 John and Rhonda Cochran

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Transplanted from Louisiana, couple finds happiness in Oklahoma By SALESHA WILKEN

aul and Jennifer Tucker have been married for almost seven years and despite meeting under unusual circumstances the couple believes their relationship was fate. In 2006 Paul met Jennifer for the first time in Slidell La. He had known almost her entire family for about a year, although the two had never met face–to- face. Paul met Jennifer’s brother, Jeremy about a year earlier working in Orange Beach, Ala. He lived in a temporary apartment while working away from his hometown of New Orleans.

Paul’s uncle owns a flooring business, which required the trip out of state. Paul and Jeremy quickly became friends during the months living in Alabama, eventually growing close while dealing with hurricane Katrina. All 22 family members shared a twobedroom condo because of the storms. Paul’s entire family lived in the area that was destroyed. Jeremy’s wife was expecting a baby and his mom came down from Claremore to help out with the baby. The friends were soon separated by life as Jeremy lost his job and moved back to Oklahoma and Paul finished up

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Paul and Jennifer Tucker

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All you need is love Most romantic movies for Valentine’s Day watching By TOM FINK

hile February may be the shortest month of the year, it offers no shortage of chances

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to show your significant other how much they mean to you. With Valentine’s Day on the 14th, February is THE month to tell or show your boyfriend or girlfriend, spouse, partner, or paramour just how much they mean to you. So, whether you take your special someone out dancing, to dinner, on a trip, or you decide to make this Valentine’s Day an intimate affair and stay home, the following movies can put even the least romantic person in the mood for love any time of the year:

“Casablanca” (1942) Set in the early days of WWII, “Casablanca” tells the story of a ex-patriot, Rick (played by Humphrey Bogart), torn between his love for a woman (Ingrid Bergman) and helping her Czech Resistance leader husband escape the Moroccan city of Casablanca to continue his fight against the Nazis. More than 70 years since its release, “Casablanca” remains an undisputed masterpiece and Hollywood’s quintessential statement on love and romance. “Love Story” (1970) In this seminal tearjerker, Ryan O’Neal plays Oliver Barrett IV, a comfortably off Harvard pre-law student who falls in love with Radcliffe music student Jenny Cavilleri (played by the suspiciously ageless Ali MacGraw), a freewheeling product of her blue-collar Italian-American family. Oliver’s father disapproves of the subsequent marriage and cuts off his son’s allowance, but despite their financial travails the couple is blissfully happy until Jenny is diagnosed as having an unnamed disease that consigns her to an early death. Although overly melodramatic by today’s standards, audiences of a certain age will always remember the first time they heard the phrase “Love means never having to say you’re sorry.” “Sleepless in Seattle” (1993) On Christmas Eve, radio talk show psychologist Marcia Fieldstone has asked her listening audience what they are wishing and dreaming of during this season of hope. A little boy (Jonah Baldwin), who is tuned in from Seattle calls in his wish — a new wife for his widowed father (played by Tom Hanks). Across the country, punching buttons on her car radio as she drives from Baltimore to Washington, D.C., Annie Reed

(Meg Ryan) hears Jonah and is captivated by him and his Christmas wish. Soon, Jonah and his dad are besieged by countless letters from listeners reaching out to help, including thousands of marriage proposals from women across the country. Annie is convinced that it is her destiny to meet Sam, Jonah’s dad, and as she sees it, there are just two minor problems: She is engaged to marry a man she doesn’t love, and Jonah’s dad doesn’t know (yet) that he and Annie are made for each other. Despite its improbable conceit — that two people one opposite ends of the country are “destined” for one another — “Sleepless in Seattle” is a nonetheless sweet romantic comedy, largely helped by the performance and inherent likability of

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Casablanca stars Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman

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John and Rhonda Cochran met through an online AOL directory in 1997 and eloped six months later.

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utes to reply, although it seemed close to an hour. The chats turned into hour-long conversations and a few days later, John picked Rhonda up for a first date. “Looking back on it, I was not smart to have a person I’d never met, come to my house and pick me up,” said Rhonda. “I had a group of friends waiting at the Caravan, a dance hall where we were headed, and they were to come rescue me if the date did not go as planned. But it went just as expected and here we

“We recently renewed are 16 years later, happily our vows after 15 years,” married.” In fact, after six months Rhonda said. “John made a testimony at church and of dating, the couple little did I know he was eloped at a small wedding planning to propose to chapel in Tulsa. me. He dropped down on According to a recent one knee, he had a ring, study conducted by the he had flowers, he had my University of Chicago, best friend sing and I more than a turned around third of marto find my riages beDad at the tween 2005 LO back of the and 2012 CONN VE ECTIO church ready began online. NS to walk me Marriage down the aisle. I breakups were was totally surreported in about prised.” six percent of the With the amount of people who met ontraffic in chat rooms today, line, compared to 7.6 perJohn said he would not cent of the people who recommend meeting met offline. someone the same way he The survey was based met Rhonda. For anyone on a sample of nearly wanting to begin a long20,000 people who anterm relationship online, swered who answered a he said he recommends series of questions about using an online dating site their happiness with their marriage and degree of af- with advanced screening services. fection, communication According to a 2013 reand love for each other. port conducted by PrinceJohn said it is possible ton Survey Research that individuals wanting Associates International, to meet someone online may be more motivated to 11 percent of internet users (9 percent of all form a long-term marital American adults) said that relationship. they have personally used “It had been two years an online dating site. As since my divorce, and I recently as 2008, three was tired of meeting peopercent of American ple at social gatherings adults had used online and clubs. I was ready to dating sites. meet someone and focus The effects are not alon getting to know that ways positive, however, person from the start,” he for Rhonda and John they said. were lifechanging. NeverThe Claremore couple theless, the modern shift has had their share of in terms of how people are rough patches similar to meeting each other in this anyone, however, they day and age is encouragboth say they are happier ing. than ever.

Late Winter 2014 Surrey 15

Long Distance Love FROM ON PAGE 9 always against Texas,” Mary Lee said. “Since it was a holiday — family time — I said ‘heavens no!’” It turned out that one of the three girls who had gone on the original trip was returning to the area to visit family. Jack decided he would just take her out instead. But when the friend asked Mary Lee if she wanted to ride with them, Mary Lee agreed, and Jack returned to his dorm one afternoon to find a note on the door that read: “Things have switched. You’ve got Mary Lee again.” As the relationship progressed, Jack flew to Oklahoma to meet her family. “(My parents) immediately thought he was wonderful. They didn’t have any qualms about it,” Mary Lee said. “It was very unusual. Girls just didn’t do things like that back then — and certainly didn’t

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fly to meet boys for weekends.” During Jack’s visit, he struck up a conversation about squirrel hunting with Mary Lee’s grandmother. “She said she really liked squirrel and hadn’t had any in a while,” Jack said. Wanting to impress his potentially future in-law, Jack started to plan a surprise. “I asked a friend who was a big squirrel hunter to kill six to eight squirrels for when I went back to Oklahoma,” he said. “I wanted a nice bunch of them.” The friend cleaned and froze his catch for Jack to pick up the week before he was to fly to Tulsa. Everything was in order when Jack changed planes in Dallas, but when he went to check on his “gift” in the overhead bin after landing in Tulsa, he knew there was trouble. “They were pretty well defrosted,” he

said. “I got off the plane and there I was with all those squirrels dripping wet!” To make matters worse, his luggage — including the tux he was to wear that weekend to a formal — was lost in transit. “He was such a good sport about it all,” Mary Lee said. Luckily, the most important item of the trip — the ring he was going to propose with — had been tucked safely in his pocket. Jack and Mary Lee were married on Aug. 23, 1958 at First Christian Church in Claremore. They had seen each other just seven times before their wedding day. The Spinkses say the “secret” to their union of nearly 56 years is “working at it every day.” “I don’t want it to seem like a fairytale, but we’ve never had any major problems,” said Mary Lee, “just the normal ups and downs.” “We had the same trepidation as everyone else,” Jack said. “Jobs were just as hard to find then.” Even though they moved quite a bit throughout his career in the natural gas pipeline industry, Mary Lee said they were always sent to good cities and were able to make good friends. Then in 1999, Jack had the opportunity to move to Oklahoma. “It was just wonderful because my mother was still here,” Mary Lee said.

LOVE CONN ECTIO N

“We’re really happy to be in Claremore. We came here by choice and it was Jack’s idea which made it more comfortable.” The Spinkses’ “retirement” years have kept them busy with real estate development and volunteering with the Rogers State University Foundation, RSU Innovation Center and Will Rogers Memorial. “We were always active in things. We have been able to be just as active as when we worked at a job,” Mary Lee said. “The pay’s not good, but the blessing is there!” They have two sons, David and wife Anne of Conroe, Texas, and Carlton and wife Shannon of Fairhope, Ala. Their grandchildren are Cody, Amanda and Skylar. “We’ve been very fortunate with our family and with our work over the years. Everything just sort of worked out the way it was supposed to,” Mary Lee said. “There’s a God-plan in all this.” Jack agreed: “When you look back, you wonder ‘did anything magic happen?’ Not that you know of — but maybe it was magic all along.”

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Music in the Air Top 15 ‘Love’ songs for Valentine’s Day Compiled by TOM FINK Songs have been composed about every topic imaginable, but the best ones — from the swooning ‘50s ballads to contemporary club bangers — have been written about the ups and downs of being in love. In celebration of Valentine’s Day, Billboard counts down the top 15 hits with a form of the word “love” in the title, with tunes covering several decades worth of love put to music. It’s sonic proof that while musical fads and fashions will change with every generation, love — and the songs they in-

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spire — will never go out of style. #15: “To Know Him Is to Love Him” ~ The Teddy Bears (1958) Phil Spector was inspired to write the song by a photograph of his father’s tombstone at Beth David Cemetery in New York. The inscription read: “To Know Him Was to Love Him.” #14: “Crazy Little Thing Called Love” ~ Queen (1980) Freddie Mercury wrote the song while languishing in his bath at the Munich Hilton. He leapt from the tub and ran to his guitar and piano to lay down the melody. His label was reluctant to release the song in the U.S. but radio stations played the imported U.K. single anyway,

forcing an American release. #13: “Because You Loved Me” ~ Celine Dion (1996) After viewing the film “Up Close and Personal,” Diane Warren met with director Jon Avnet to talk about her vision of the song she was to compose for his movie. The next morning in her office, she recalls, “The chorus lyrically and musically wrote itself.” #12: “My Love” ~ Paul McCartney and Wings (1973) McCartney wrote “My Love” about one of the members of his post-Beatles band, Wings. The inspiration for the sentimental ballad was Scarsdale, N.Y.-born Linda Louise Eastman, a professional

photographer before she married McCartney on March 12, 1969. #11: “Bleeding Love” ~ Leona Lewis (2008) Ryan Tedder and Jesse McCartney wrote the song, inspired by the latter’s long-distance romance with his girlfriend. McCartney wanted the song for himself but his label was unenthusiastic so it went to the winner of the third season of “The X Factor” in the U.K. #10: “I Can’t Stop Loving You” ~ Ray Charles (1962) Back in 1958, Don Gibson wrote two songs one hot afternoon in Knoxville, Tenn. – “Oh Lonesome Me” and “I Can’t Stop Loving You.” Four years later, Charles only needed to hear the first two lines of the latter before deciding to record it for his album “Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music.” #9: “Best of My Love” ~ The Emotions (1977)

When the Stax label folded, the three Hutchinson sisters had to find a new home. They were signed to a production company run by Maurice White of Earth, Wind & Fire. With group member Al McKay, White wrote this song specifically for them and the lead voice of Wanda Hutchinson. #8: “Because I Love You (The Postman Song)” ~ Stevie B (1990) Songwriter Warren Allen Brooks says his No. 1 hit was a “spiritual song,” even if people think he was writing about love between a man and a woman. “It’s really about me and God having a personal relationship.” #7: “Let Me Love You” ~ Mario (2005) Mario didn’t realize this song was going to be so huge. “I didn’t know it would touch so many people,” he says. “But it was an emotional song and those records last forever.” #6: “I Will Always Love You” ~ Whit-

ney Houston (1992) Houston’s signature song was originally a No. 1 hit for the woman who composed the tune, Dolly Parton. Her version topped the Hot Country Songs chart in 1974 and again in 1982. #5: “Silly Love Songs” ~ Wings (1976) It was a very good year for love songs achieving pole position on the Hot 100. First there was “Love Rollercoaster” by the Ohio Players, followed by Paul Simon’s “50 Ways to Leave Your Lover,” “Love Machine” by the Miracles, “Let Your Love Flow” by the Bellamy Brothers, “Love Hangover” by Diana Ross and the longest-running “love” No. 1 of the year, Wings’ “Silly Love Songs.” #4: “How Deep Is Your Love,” ~ Bee Gees (1977) Barry, Robin and Maurice Gibb hadn’t seen the script for the movie that became

CONTNUED ON PAGE 27

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Brought Together By Fate FROM ON PAGE 11 his work in Alabama. Paul traveled back to his home state for work where there was plenty of need after Katrina. A few months passed and Paul received a call from Jeremy. He was unable to find work in Oklahoma and asked if my uncle could help him out. My uncle said yes so Jeremy his wife and four kids moved to south Louisiana in the Slidell area. Jeremy worked with us for a while then his wife’s father got really sick. Paul did not know his illness would be the beginning of his story with Jennifer. Jeremy’s sister came to Louisiana to pick her up and bring her back to Oklahoma so she could see her dad before he died. That night Jennifer arrived in Louisiana and Paul met her for the first time in the parking lot of Academy Sports in Slidell. “Jennifer was the most beautiful girl I had ever laid eyes on,” Paul said. “She kept catching me staring at her. Because of the circumstances, the trip was short, but Paul knew there was something special about this girl.” A few months later Jennifer, her mom and younger brother Jon Townsend can down to visit for a week. “Jennifer and I interacted a lot more day-by-day. I showed them all my culture

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and the way I was raised, took them to the French Quarters and Bourbon Street,” Paul said. “We enjoined ourselves so much that when it was time for them to go back to Oklahoma Jennifer and I continued talking via telephone and text messages.” After a month of talking on the phone with Jennifer she decided to move to Louisiana. We were only 19 years old. I rented a place to live, got all the utilities turned on. I took a Greyhound bus to Oklahoma to pick Jennifer up. We rented a U-Haul loaded it with some small items that she had and headed back to Louisiana. We lived in Louisiana for a month when Jennifer’s grandpa, Bud Harrison became really ill. Jennifer was scared that he would die while she was so far away. So Paul asked her if they should move to Oklahoma. Jennifer was moved Paul would make the sacrifice for her. Jennifer said, “Really you would do that?” So the next morning in August 2006 the couple packed up and moved to Oklahoma to be close to Jennifer’s dying grandfather. “I hated it here a first but I didn’t tell her that. I found work helped her mom and grandparents any way I could,” Paul said.

In March of 2007 Jennifer’s grandpa was put in the hospital and they were informed he would not live much longer. Jennifer and I loved each other so much we talked about getting engaged, but Jennifer always had this thing about her grandpa. She wanted him to give her away. So on the evening of March 8, 2007 Jennifer and I became husband and wife on her grandparent’s 49 wedding anniversary, at his bedside at St. John’s hospital in Tulsa. “Her grandpa was so happy he pulled the curtain back and asked the little old man laying in the bed next to him if he wanted to go to a wedding. The little man said well sure,” Paul said. We became husband and wife in normal clothes jeans and a shirt and even forgot to get a camera. The old man’s wife next to us gave us her disposal camera to take pictures, Paul said. A nurse who was surprised to see the couple exchanging their vows temporarily interrupted the service. The nurse made her apologies and then went to the hospital kitchen and had wedding cupcakes made for the couple’s cake. Ten days after they were married, Jennifer’s grandpa went on to be with the Lord. The witnesses on the Tucker’s marriage license were Jennifer’s grandpa, Dud Harrison and his roommate. Harrison was a Rogers County Transport Deputy. Paul later followed his footsteps and currently serves as patrol deputy for Rogers County. In March, Paul and Jennifer will celebrated their seventh anniversary and still reside in Claremore. The couple has two children and one on the way. “We have been through a lot together but we look at it like stepping stones,” Paul said. Recently the couple mourned the pass-

ing of Jennifer’s younger brother Jon Townsend, a local hero serving our country. He was killed in the line of duty and honored by the community upon his return to Claremore. “We continue to push forward because it makes us stronger,” Paul said. The couple may not have had a honeymoon as they jumped right into life, but Paul believes their relationship is something a lot of people don’t have. “We were brought together by fate,” Paul said.

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FROM ON PAGE 9 its lead actors, leaving the viewer with an afterglow that perhaps two people meant to be together can find each other, in spite of the odds (and miles between them). “An Affair to Remember” (1957) Before there was “Sleepless in Seattle,” “An Affair to Remember” made the Empire State Building a romantic landmark, itself being a remake of 1939’s “Love Affair,” both of them, directed by Leo McCarey. Cary Grant and Deborah Kerr, highprofile types both engaged to be married to other people, meet and fall in love during an ocean voyage. To test the depth of their commitment to each other, Grant and Kerr promise that, if they’re still in love at the end of six months, they will meet again at the top of the Empire State Building. Also like “Sleepless,” “An Affair to Remember” is helped hugely by its lead actors whose charms help overcome a sometimes tedious script to offer some touching moments. “Titanic” (1997) American treasure-seeker Brock Lovett (Bill Paxton) retrieves artifacts from the submerged Titanic, among them, a drawing of a young woman, nude except for a necklace. When 102-year-old Rose (Gloria Stuart) reveals she’s the girl in the portrait, she travels to the wreckage site to tell her story of the 56-carat diamond necklace and her experiences of 84 years earlier. Cut to 1912 Southampton, for the longest flashback in movie history, where we see passengers boarding the Titanic, including the penniless Jack Dawson (Leonardo DiCaprio) and society girl Rose DeWitt Bukater (Kate Winslet), returning to Philadelphia with her wealthy fiancé Cal Hockley (Billy Zane). After the ship’s launch, Rose develops a passionate interest in Jack, which Cal finds out about, and is less than thrilled. Vengeful, in fact. By the midpoint of the film — about ten hours in — the Titanic slides against

“the iceberg” and water rushes into the front compartments, but even as the massive liner begins its descent into the ocean, Cal pursues lovers Jack and Rose, both of whom fight to evade Cal’s wrath as well as becoming trapped on the doomed ship. Still a technical marvel to behold, at its

heart “Titanic” is a love story, paced perfectly (which is good, considering its lengthy running time), flawlessly acted, and emotionally engaging. “While You Were Sleeping” (1995) A latter-day romantic screwball comedy, starring Sandra Bullock as a lovestarved subway toll booth operator, Lucy.

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Lucy pines for regular customer Peter Callaghan (Peter Gallagher), but the selfabsorbed attorney barely knows she even exists. One day, Peter is beaten by a gang of thugs and tossed onto the tracks, but is rescued by Lucy. While he is comatose in the hospital, a comment she makes at his bedside is misinterpreted, and she lets Peter’s family members believe she is his fiancée. Peter’s parents, Ox (Peter Boyle) and Midge (Micole Mercurio), take a liking to Lucy, but she takes a liking to Peter’s suspicious brother Jack (Bill Pullman). One of the most fun romantic comedies of the 90’s (certainly no doomed love or sinking ships in this one), “While You Were Sleeping” is playful and witty, taking an offbeat premise and turning it into a charming little tale of boy meets girl, boy goes into a coma, boy’s brother meets girl, boy’s brother and girl fall in love. “When Harry Met Sally’ (1989) Rob Reiner’s winning romantic comedy pairs up Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan, opening with the characters as strangers, newly graduated from the University of Chicago, sharing a car trip from Chicago to New York, where they are both going

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When Harry met Salley stars Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan.

to “make their way.” During the trip, the two discuss aspects of their characters and their lives, eventually deciding it is impossible for men and women to be “just friends.” They eventually arrive in New York

and go their separate ways, but meet a few years later on an airplane, where Harry reveals he is married. Years after this, they meet again — this time at a bookstore — where Harry reveals he is now divorced, and from that point on, the two form a friendship. Eventually their closeness results in their respective best friends (played by Carrie Fisher and Bruno Kirby) meeting and falling in love with each other. At a New Year’s Eve party Harry and Sally finally confront the tangle of emotions they feel for each other. Touching and funny, “When Harry Met Sally” raised the bar for romantic comedies, allowing sharp interplay between Crystal and Ryan, highlighting the complexities between men and women’s views on relationships. “The Notebook” (2004) Adapted from Nicholas Sparks’ bestselling novel, “The Notebook” revolves around Noah Calhoun’s (James Garner) regular visits to a female patron (Gena Rowlands) of an area nursing home. Rather than bore her with the inanities of everyday life, Calhoun reads from an old, faded notebook containing the account of a young couple (Ryan Gosling

and Rachel McAdams) whose love affair was interrupted by their separation in the midst of World War II. Seven years later, the couple was reunited, and, despite having taken radically different paths in their lives, they found themselves unable to resist the call of a second chance. Unapologetically sentimental, â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Notebookâ&#x20AC;? is anything but cloying, thanks largely to strong performances from its lead actors, and its willingness to adhere to a value system that still includes caring and thoughtfulness as components of love. Keep the hankies handy.

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Love of Lamb Feast on a dinner of tasty, tender and delicious meat By DIANA DICKINSON

hat has love got to do with it? A lot. Love offers a variety of affection. From the love of interpersonal relationships of human compassion, spirituality, emotional and connection to pleasure, such as playing sports, singing or for the love of a great meal. In this case, the love of lamb. There is no better way to pull the 'wool' over your loved one's eyes than with a recipe of love: Braised Leg of Lamb- with all of the sides. Lamb is often misunderstood. It is not 'baby' lamb. It is from the meat of young sheep that are mature for consumption. Aside from being available all year, lamb is an excellent source of B-12, protein, trace minerals and a good source of thiamine. The average American consumes one pound of lamb a year, while beef ranks the highest at 61 pounds. Located on the outskirts of Claremore is Shepherd's Cross, a unique farm chock-full of amazing things to see. The Educational Farm Museum will be open for those curious about agritourism.

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Shepherd's Cross is an Animal Welfare Approved facility, Accredited Agritourism Facility, a source of USDA approved meat and a “Made in Oklahoma” company. It is rare to find genuine American lamb meat that is grass fed and pasture-raised but Shepherd's Cross prides themselves on the care that goes into their products. Who: Shepherd's Cross catered by Linda and Dennis Coons from Country B &B What: Enjoy a succulent meal, serving Braised Leg of Lamb in a quaint country setting with your loved one(s). When: Friday, February 14 at 6:00pm Where: Shepherd's Cross Tour Barn. How Much: Advanced tickets are required and are $20 per person which can be purchased by calling, dropping by or emailing the farm. Payment methods: all major credit cards, check, cash and PayPal. Additional information: Alcohol and tobacco free facility. Limited seating. Special feature for the evening will be lessons on preparation of lamb meals and lessons on the greatest love story of all The Great Shepherd and we the sheep of His pasture. A violinist will be provided for your musical enjoyment. Casual attire appropriate for an evening out. If you forgot to buy a gift, you can visit their unique farm Gift Shop, featuring handmade items from the farm, local and international consignors.

Shepherd's Cross Braised Lamb 2 lbs Leg of Lamb - diced into bite-sized pieces (may substitute lamb chops, shanks, or stew meat 1 tsp salt ¼ tsp pepper 1/3 tsp thyme ¼ tsp oregano 1/3 tsp basil 1/3 tsp rosemary 3 tbsp butter 1 large onion, diced or chopped 4 cloves garlic, minced 2 cups stock or bouillon (may substitute 1 cup tomato juice) Marinate lamb meat in tomato sauce for one hour or overnight. Melt butter in a pan; add lamb portions and braise over low heat until lightly brown on all sides. Add onion, garlic and continue to braise for 5 minutes. Add salt, pepper, thyme, oregano, basil and rosemary; braise for a brief minute or so. Add stock or combination of stock and tomato juice. Cook over low heat, simmering for 40 minutes or until meat is tender. If desired, thicken with cornstarch mixed in cool water prior to adding the stock. Serve over rice or mashed potatoes. Contact Information: Shepherd' Cross, 16792 E. 450 Road Claremore, OK 74017 Ph: 918-342-5911 www.shepherdscross.com

FROM ON PAGE 19 “Saturday Night Fever” when they wrote “How Deep Is Your Love” for the soundtrack. They weren’t even certain that there was a love scene in the film. They intended the song for Yvonne Elliman, but their manager Robert Stigwood insisted they record it themselves. #3: “We Found Love” ~ Rihanna feat. Calvin Harris (2011) What could be more romantic than finding love in a “hopeless place”? Rihanna scored the biggest hit of her career (and the top ‘love’ song of the 21st century) with only her fourth Hot 100 entry to feature “love” in the title, following “If It’s Lovin’ That You Want” (2005), “Hate That I Love You” (2007) and her featured role on Eminem’s “Love the Way You Lie” (2010). #2: “I’ll Make Love to You” ~ Boyz II Men (1994) When the members of Boyz II Men first heard Babyface’s composition “I’ll Make Love to You,” they were concerned about recording a song that was too similar to their previous hit, “End of the Road.” Nathan Morris explains, “The record company talked us into doing it and thank God it worked.” #1: “Endless Love” ~ Diana Ross and Lionel Richie (1981) Producer Jon Peters and director Franco Zeffirelli asked Lionel Richie to compose an instrumental along the lines of the theme from “Love Story” for their movie starring Brooke Shields. When Zeffirelli changed his mind and asked Richie if he would add lyrics, the Motown star agreed to write some. Then Zeffirelli made one more request – to add a female singer, someone like Diana Ross.

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The Greatest Love of All By DIANA DICKINSON

ccording to songwriters Michael Masser and Linda Creed's, “The Greatest Love of All,” performed by Whitney Houston, was not just about “learning to love yourself”. The song was mainly about teaching your children the strength to face challenges, make decisions, cope with it all, whether they succeed or fail. “Teach your children well.” For some, that, could be the greatest love of all. That is great but children need to hear they are loved and also feel it. For others, the greatest love of all could refer to their significant others, passions, spirituality, animals or other loves. Being in love is half the battle; being loved is the other half of the battle. Not

all love is shaped with a perfect heart and tastes like Chocopologie by Knipschildt, the most expensive chocolate in the world. That sweet price for 454 grams of love and extra weight gain will cost $2,600. Is love worth it? Placing value on love diminishes the worth if it is not expressed throughout the year, without cost. Hearts can be warped, stretched, full of holes, broken, missing, cheap or too expensive to achieve. The depth of love is hard to measure, yet some say it so easily or not at all. It all comes down to that one day of the year that so many try to avoid and some look forward to. This is a day to be looked at as a day to hate or a day to love. Valentines Day (V-Day). The day of flowers and a box of candy given to symbolize love, as we know it. It actu-

ally goes further back in time, to the days of Saint Valentino, where the controversy of the real story lies. (Take your pick.) It has been the day traditionally known in a relationship as the one day for acknowledgment of love or romance. Compared to other emotions, love is hard to define. We can tell others what angers us, makes us happy or makes us sad. But when it comes to love.....it always seems to manifest itself in ways even we cannot explain. “How do I love thee? Let me count the ways,” by Elizabeth Barrett Browning, is a calculating way of listing things you love about a person without telling them you love them. This could be a daily concession of maintaining that loving feeling throughout the year, less waiting for the public display of affection. But if it begins with love, obedient to

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love (gives and receives love), ends in love...it is love, right? One would hope. In some relationships, that is the perfect guide to sustaining the heightened emotion. It takes a lot of work, effort, honesty, time and attention to make a relationship feel the celebration of V-Day, 365 days a year. The end result could be love or a lopsided relationship if not reciprocated. Healthy relationships may begin with love but when someone forgets to be nice and locks into that behavior, the obedience to love becomes trammeled. Communication may be fierce or non-existent. Forgiving does not come easy if we have inoculated ourselves against feeling anything at all. The love once desired has turned into a stone-cold heart.

The lack of tolerance outweighs the concept of what it used to be. Love can be blind. It can mean the inability to assess or see faults in a person. The immediate strong attraction felt for that person upon first meeting can be deceiving. It can lead to weeks, months or even years of incompatibility, ultimately a break up or violence and abuse. Love is not supposed to be abusive. In a universal sense, “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” (KJV). Our military men/women and law enforcement do this every single day. Yet, we are

not mindful of it but we do keep our eye on the speed limit to avoid the colorful display behind us or feel the fear when we are under Red Alert. In the spiritual sense, Dr. Diane Dickinson of Shepherd's Cross in Claremore said, “Being a shepherd goes above and beyond the greatest love of all. When Jesus asked Peter if he loved Him three times and Peter responded that he did, he was then told to feed His sheep. It is an expression of love. Another kind of love is that sheep recognize one another by their faces – for life. That is love.” Dr. Diane shepherds

LOVE CONN ECTIO N

her sheep from the beginning to the end. Love feels wonderful. It can also be a two-edged sword. It can bring us together or it can tear us apart. It comes with loss, pain, suffering, separation and disappointments. When transition occurs, “...for better or for worse......to love and to cherish, until death do us part,” being eternally connected depends on your belief system. Love comes with a price of pain through loss of the relationship, of the person or the sense of self. You just have to be willing to take the risk to love. Just be sure to tell Cupid to pull back his arrow and I will take that box of the most expensive chocolates in the world and spend my 365 days in the gym.

Come by and see us at the

Outdoor Sporting Expo at the Claremore Expo Center February 28, March 1-2, 2014

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