Lunch full of laughter, stories and all smiles...Alice-Ouida-Gayla

~~The Gayla Pink Apple~~

A fantastic lunch today! 

My Luncheon ladies today-Aug. 9, 2013

Alice, 66 and Ouida, 90 yrs old

They both look so young for their age!

 

Alice and I worked together when I was 22 years old at Arkansas Electric Cooperatives.  It was my first job when I moved to Little Rock.  Ouida hired me to work with her for the cooperatives' monthly magazine called Rural Arkansas. They both look so good (above photo) - we didn't have anyone to take a photo of the three of us today.

Me in 1977 - Rural Arkansas Magazine

Look at the "computer"  LOL - typewriter!

Sitting at my desk in 1977

Rural Arkansas Magazine, Arkansas Electric Cooperatives

I still have the name plate! 1977

I thought it was so fancy having my name on my desk.

Last month Ouida sent me a birthday card because she found an old address book and my birthday - July 17th - was listed in it.  It was such a surprise as I hadn't been in touch with Ouida for 35 plus years.  She retired in January after working there 63 years - can you imagine? 

Alice retired last week -- I finally confirmed a day for us to have lunch together. I decided to invite Ouida to join us because I knew Ouida and Alice were good friends.

The three of us enjoyed lunch today at my house. It was a wonderful time chatting, laughing, telling stories and we had a few bites of good food too. 

Alice at my wedding - 1981

 Alice was one of the reception attendants at my wedding in 1981. I somewhat kept in touch with her through the years. We have mutual friends and would email now and then. We'd catch up on each other and our daughters, etc.   Months - maybe even years - would go by and we'd touch base again, etc.  Alice also attended high school where my mother taught music many years ago!    I immediately bonded with Alice because she knew my Mother, etc. 

Alice with her daughter - 2013

 I admire Alice and when I was young often wished I was 'just like her' because she was tiny and cute.  I've never been described as tiny and cute!  She also is loved by everyone - she was the 'go to' person.  Anytime you needed help you'd go to Alice.

Ouida was my boss.  She is admired by many and most everyone loves her southern old fashion charm.  She introduced me to LR - showed me the ropes/city - I thought she lived a fun life.   I took my first airplane trip with O u i d a. We traveled to San Francisco and she showed me the city! I loved the week we spent in San Francisco. I was in my early twenties and it was definitely a little country girl goes to the big city trip. 

I was so impressed with Ouida and her 'big city' life.  I smile as I say that because, at the time, I thought Little Rock was a big city.  She was a country girl too and identified with me.  I'm pretty sure that's why she hired me.  Ouida grew up about 20 miles north of where I grew up.  Small world, huh! 

Ouida when she was the Editor of the Rural Arkansas Magazine

This photo of Ouida is exactly as I remember her...I can still hear her heavy southern accent.  She would say "yea-ah" and she knew everyone. 
I told her I'd never eaten an artichoke, so she brought one to the office and cooked it for my lunch.  Yuck - it was awful.  I love artichokes today, but I still don't care for them steamed. 

Ouida always wore her readers down low on her nose.  She drove her car with her glasses sitting exactly as in the photo.  I would be sitting in the front passenger seat - look over at her - she would be driving way too fast and her eyes peering over the top of her glasses.  I'd think, oh my lord, we are going to hit that car!  :)

Ouida wore her hair long and pulled back.  She wore lipstick and always a smile!  She must surely have had an impact on me because, you know what, I think I just described myself -- that sounds much like me today - hair long and pulled back - lipstick and readers!  OH MY!! And, I try to always have a smile.  I certainly had one today! 

A lunch full of laughter, stories and smiles indeed.

Gayla