Standing in the check-out line at Dorothy Lane Market along with the hundreds of …’day-before-Christmas shoppers’ – stood Dennis Keyes!  After the hugs and “I’d have known you anywhere” – the ‘catch-ups’ began.  Yes I still live in Colorado…I’m visiting Mom & Dad (Mary Kay & Jack),  I’ve got business out of town next week, but I’ll be back for New Years…no, (sister) Alice is not here…I hear the Oakwood class of ’67 had a fabulous mini-reunion…I’ll be over to see you before I leave…”

Corrine Huber had her annual Christmas Carol dinner party on the Saturday evening before Christmas.  What with immediate family, in-laws, extended families, nieces ‘n nephews, college roomies…added up to dozens and dozens of ‘carolers’. Everyone was named ‘Huber’ or ‘Ohmer’ or ‘Fisher’ or…  Joseph Reif and his L’Auberge crew were trying to feed the multitudes before the Miamisburg High School Choir arrived at seven fifteen.

Twenty seven of the handsomest teen-agers arrived in tuxes, or long black gowns (as was appropriate),  Their performance was that of  top-professionals.  “We heard them at Moraine Country Club on Thursday…they’ll be at Sycamore C.C. on Sunday night.”  Corrine had set up her ‘concert-hall’ in one of the many drawing rooms and the singing and clapping and joy began.

The Wednesday before Christmas was a frenetic catch-up day. Dewey Hollister called from Cincy to say:  “I’m going to be in Dayton Wednesday checking up on the landscaping I’m doing for Hope & Bob Taft.  Come out to see what we’re doing to create a ‘Prairie’ for them at their new ‘digs’…it’s off Lower Bellbrook Road just past Bellbrook…we’ll do lunch…Hope says she’ll be able to join us…”

Former Governor Bob Taft’s ‘prairie’ is on Dr. John Boyles beautiful old farm where the Miami Valley Hunt once cast their hounds!  “If I were on a horse I’d know every swale, gully, and woods…but I’m lost in this beautiful development…Dewey, your parents Martha & Bob Hollister used to regularly hunt with us here.

The “Where shall we have lunch?” discussion was a lengthy one. “Everything’ closed in Bellbrook…what about…I know – let’s go to Slotzskey’s at Far Hills & Alex-Bell…” The Cincy-Dayton foursome yacked on and on and chewed on their dark-rye-n-smoked-turkey…

It’s wonderful to have such super new area residents.  Bob Taft is now with the University of Dayton.

Trisch (‘Honey’ to we old friends) Hammer had a really fun holiday dinner party at her Sycamore Creek Country Club on Sunday evening.  The Phil Meyers, and the Platner family filled a large round table. The holiday décor was exciting and..lo ‘n behold…there was the Miamisburg High School Choral Group …performing!  “Where are you going tomorrow night?” was asked.  “We don’t know…it’s been so wild…we just show up in our tuxes and get in the van!” was the answer.

Phil Meyers told of his involvement with a new museum in Cincy featuring WWII airplanes.  “We’re taking delivery on one from Australia this week…I’ll let you know when we have our annual meeting…”       

The day after Christmas the Miami Valley Hunt held a ‘fixture’ at The Taft Reserve and Nature Center near Newark, Ohio. It’s a two plus hour drive from Oakwood and this rolling, wooded, remote-seeming area is breath taking. Members of Rocky Fork-Headley Hunt of Columbus and our MVH had thirty to forty riders, and Diedre Koik, MFH and Huntsman of MVH, cast her hounds at eleven.

‘The Newark Register’s’ reporter, Tiffany Edwards, was there and her excellent article has been e-mailed to everyone involved. Mark Masters, subscriber to MVH, lives in this Reserve area and was responsible for contacting nine adjacent land owners for their permission to hunt their lands.  So, this ‘hunt country’ is over fourteen hundred acres!

It was a beautiful, cold, breezy day – perfect for scenting!  Three coyotes were flushed – and promptly ‘lost’ due to their speed and wiley-ways. Terrific to see old friends…Jim Shaw, Bob Lindemann, Sharron Chappellear, and new friend, Mark Masters.

top of page