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
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