Food and Fellowship in the Second Judicial District by Judy Haught

Campaigning is a new experience for us, and while it is a sometimes grueling, learn-as-you-go process, we are having a grand time. Western Oklahoma offers friendly people and an endless array of activities. I've often heard it said that there is nothing to do around here. Well, I'm here to say it's just not so. Faced with trying to attend all activities in a five-county area, we are finding ourselves socially overwhelmed and profoundly overfed.
One of our first campaign stops was at Sandy's Kountry Kitchen in Sentinel. This small, unassuming restaurant has the best salad bar we have ever encountered anywhere, and the pinto beans reminded us of those we ate growing up in in rural Harmon County. Nothing tasted better than our mothers' beans and cornbread after a hard day in the cotton field. We had not eaten anything quite so good until our evening at Sandy's.
Speaking of eating, we have discovered that some of the best food in the country is at rural fire departments. When we pulled up to the Canute Fire Department and saw a long line of determined people waiting in the cold rain, we knew that whatever was inside had to be special. We were not disappointed. The all-you-can-eat catfish dinner was superb. That along with the excellent company of friends and neighbors made for a perfect Friday night.
Our next foray into fire department cuisine was at Sweetwater. This time the menu included barbecue, delicious side dishes, and delectable desserts. The barbecue beat any national chain restaurant hands down, and the firefighters, their families, and members of the community were gracious and welcoming.
Another pleasant gastronomical surprise came our way when we accepted an invitation to a community dinner at Dempsey. Although Dempsey is a challenge to find, the dinner was definitely worth the search. Held in the old Dempsey School House, the meal featured Mexican pile-ons, and did we ever pile it on! All manner of Mexican fixings were followed by to-die-for desserts leaving me to wonder if larger clothes for the candidate and his spouse could be considered a legitimate campaign expense. Again the people of the community welcomed us as only Western Oklahomans can. And as if food and friends were not enough, the evening concluded with the music of Whitfield and Cline. Their old-time country and gospel music took us back to our childhoods. The nostalgia I experienced from "I'll Fly Away" brought tears to my eyes.
Seriously though, we deeply appreciate the hospitality that everyone has shown us. We hope you will follow us on this blog, tell your friends about it, and send your comments. Your choice for 2nd District Judge is a serious decision. A vote for Judge Haught is a vote for integrity and experience. He is "the one to trust."