Husker game days are a little wack-o at the PHouse. They are either completely boring, or blissfully busy. Yesterday, as we bid Dr. Tom adieu, cheered Kenny Bell to the endzone and complemented Martinez because he didn't drop the ball... we were blissfully busy. The day started with guests from Davenport who cruised in for some of the PHouse Red, Read Whine (sorry we sold out months ago), we welcomed a few members of the Historical Society and the Yorkshire Playhouse for some football cheer, and a presentation of funds from our melodrama fund raiser, and then kept a steady stream coming through the door.
At a most appropriate slow-down, Mike happened to turn on the TV. Now, if you know PHouse, unless it's a Husker football or volleyball game, the boob-tube doesn't go on. But in some sort of karma event that began with my blog last week about the Lawerence Welk Show, the TV came on and THERE IT WAS! Guy and Rolna were crooning away, looking dazed and adoringly at each other. Next there was a marching Mr. Welk conducting his orchestra, and Myron breakin' out a tune on the accordian... dancing, singing, all in the simple bliss of about 1969 or so.
The very few of us that were perched there, sipping on adult beverages and recalling our youth, were having a marvelous time recalling names of the performers (Google on the iPad helped out), singing the old songs, talking about when there were 3 channels to choose from and the curved television screen was showing black and white. We laughed about the new-fangled antenna that clipped on to the back of the TV, and how when I was little my dad would make me go outside at our cabin, even in the rain, to turn the antenna so we could get reception. We pursuaded the lovely young Dani to come out of the kitchen to get a little "education" in genuine, traditional holiday celebration. She didn't know who Lawerence Welk was... she'd never heard of Kenny Roger's, what... maybe third or fourth wife, who used to be on Hee Haw! We schooled her in "Pettycoat Junction", and even schooled ourselves thanks to Google. Appears that, while the sisters were innocently bathing away in the Railroad Tank, petticoats a flying in the wind...that their nudity was an innuendo for something a bit more racey. And, as the theme song mentions curves, etc., that the "Shadey Rest" might just have been a crafty disguise for a whorehouse. That, my friends, is clever. All these years... who knew!
Our laughter and fond memories seguayed to party telephone lines (no, Dani didn't know there was such a thing), and the deep mustard color of the band's 3-piece suits roused memories of harvest gold appliances and olive green rotary dial telephones. The PHouse staff and our four guests at the time, were on memory lane. And, when the singers assembled at the end of the Thanksgiving Tribute show, standing in front of a cozy fireplace, surrounded by piles and piles of plastic fruit on an banquet table...we all agreed that those more simple times were pretty great. And the holiday shows, Welk's and the other formerly famous stars who did holiday tributes, were a tradition that, while kids today would think is totally stupid, were a good thing. Funny enough, when I posted that we were watching Lawerence Welk, we had a friend, here in Friend, who was tripping down memory lane with us, only from the comfort of his home by the golf course!
It was decided, as we all sang along to "Good night... Sleep tight... And happy dreams to you..." that we will be dedicating our 6PM happy hour next Saturday evening to Mr. Welk. The previewed Christmas show was met with a round of applause and laughter, and it was clear that Mr. Welk is very welcome at the PHouse. Just as the show came to an end, and the door opened welcoming our 7PM reservations, we all got back to work, just a little bit happier that we had shared those old memories with new friends. And I have no doubt that Uncle Cap and Aunt Mary were looking down, smiling.
If you're up for some nostalgia next Saturday, stop by. We'll be tuned in. It was just too "Wunnerful, wunnerful!" Have a good week and a Happy Thanksgiving.
Auf Wiedersehen!
Carey
Sunday, November 18, 2012
Sunday, November 11, 2012
Today We Are Specifically Thankful
Every day is a day to be thankful for. Thankful for health, friends, happiness, and just general things. But today takes on a specific and special meaning of "thanks" because it's Veteran's Day. Hundreds have been all over Facebook thanking Veterans in general, and those specific to their families.
I have a favorite veteran, who was born on this day in 1893. My great uncle Cap was a vet. Every veteran's day when we were with him, we'd pile in to the car with aunt Mary (the Mary Mary Quite Contrary Gallery's namesake) and we'd head out to the cemetary. At the time I don't think I really "got it", but those ceremonies, and walking the cemetary, placing little flags near headstones, stays with me even 40 years later. It was a proud day for Cap. I think about Cap and Mary often. They were the only people I knew that were born in the 1800's. I always thought that was so cool. They weren't fancy people. Cap was a janitor. He used to let us stand on the giant dust mop and he'd push us around the school floor. I especially liked to help sweep the Dorchester science lab. In fact, I loved it so much that I bought the lab when they dismantled the school for distruction. It sits in storage, waiting for me to come up with a project to re-build it. And I will. Someday. And the thoughts of my favorite vetran and his dust mop will remain. I have some great photos of uncle Cap; on where he's sitting with other soldiers, in France, drinking wine. The bar maidens are standing behind them, giggling. Another is of Cap on his motorcycle. I have a photo that used to hang in Cap's wood shop. It's about 3 ft. long and is of his entire platoon. When we were little, we'd go to the shop and scour the photograph, looking for uncle Cap. I can still find him today. Probably my most favorite was of him and other men standing in front of an airplane. It was the first mail delivery made to Dorchester. He was there. I often wonder what he and Mary would think about our world today. Everything is so fast-paced. Sadly, it's pretty impersonal too. I don't think they'd like it very much. They were well suited for a sip of Kesslers and an evening of Lawrence Welk. I am blessed that I got to grow up with these people, and to have so many clear and happy memories with them.
November is a sad month for me. And today, 5 years ago, was the beginning of the end for my mom. She'd been fighting such a hard battle with cancer, and on uncle Cap's birthday, her mind slipped away and she never spoke to us again. She hung on for several days... this Friday will be the anniversary of her death, but the laughing, smiling, chatty Betty, who sipped wine and talked to me, left on Veteran's Day... uncle Cap's birthday. It's a bittersweet day, I guess, because I have both happy and sad memories, and the national holiday is a consistent reminder, which is a good thing since I've been so busy that I honestly didn't know it was Halloween, until Halloween morning (thanks Tami). It's also sad because my baby nephew Jake never knew her, and sometimes I'm afraid that his brother and sister are so busy that they don't take time to remember their grandmother. So, today I am specifically thankful to our Veterans, for uncle Cap and for the holiday that reminds me what a wonderful mother I had, and what a great lady this world lost on November 16, 2007.
Today, take a moment to thank our Veterans, and to tell your mother that you love her.
Have a super day. Stay warm.
I have a favorite veteran, who was born on this day in 1893. My great uncle Cap was a vet. Every veteran's day when we were with him, we'd pile in to the car with aunt Mary (the Mary Mary Quite Contrary Gallery's namesake) and we'd head out to the cemetary. At the time I don't think I really "got it", but those ceremonies, and walking the cemetary, placing little flags near headstones, stays with me even 40 years later. It was a proud day for Cap. I think about Cap and Mary often. They were the only people I knew that were born in the 1800's. I always thought that was so cool. They weren't fancy people. Cap was a janitor. He used to let us stand on the giant dust mop and he'd push us around the school floor. I especially liked to help sweep the Dorchester science lab. In fact, I loved it so much that I bought the lab when they dismantled the school for distruction. It sits in storage, waiting for me to come up with a project to re-build it. And I will. Someday. And the thoughts of my favorite vetran and his dust mop will remain. I have some great photos of uncle Cap; on where he's sitting with other soldiers, in France, drinking wine. The bar maidens are standing behind them, giggling. Another is of Cap on his motorcycle. I have a photo that used to hang in Cap's wood shop. It's about 3 ft. long and is of his entire platoon. When we were little, we'd go to the shop and scour the photograph, looking for uncle Cap. I can still find him today. Probably my most favorite was of him and other men standing in front of an airplane. It was the first mail delivery made to Dorchester. He was there. I often wonder what he and Mary would think about our world today. Everything is so fast-paced. Sadly, it's pretty impersonal too. I don't think they'd like it very much. They were well suited for a sip of Kesslers and an evening of Lawrence Welk. I am blessed that I got to grow up with these people, and to have so many clear and happy memories with them.
November is a sad month for me. And today, 5 years ago, was the beginning of the end for my mom. She'd been fighting such a hard battle with cancer, and on uncle Cap's birthday, her mind slipped away and she never spoke to us again. She hung on for several days... this Friday will be the anniversary of her death, but the laughing, smiling, chatty Betty, who sipped wine and talked to me, left on Veteran's Day... uncle Cap's birthday. It's a bittersweet day, I guess, because I have both happy and sad memories, and the national holiday is a consistent reminder, which is a good thing since I've been so busy that I honestly didn't know it was Halloween, until Halloween morning (thanks Tami). It's also sad because my baby nephew Jake never knew her, and sometimes I'm afraid that his brother and sister are so busy that they don't take time to remember their grandmother. So, today I am specifically thankful to our Veterans, for uncle Cap and for the holiday that reminds me what a wonderful mother I had, and what a great lady this world lost on November 16, 2007.
Today, take a moment to thank our Veterans, and to tell your mother that you love her.
Have a super day. Stay warm.
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