Laughter is Healing

  The past week has been filled with the most horrible news; we are all still in shock over the events in Boston, MA and West, TX. Angels on all involved. 
  On a personal note, I would like to share another lost. Most of you know that I am on Facebook and Twitter. There is where and how I connected with Mike Wilder, a reporter for the Burlington Times-News. Mike was also a Jeanne Robertson fan... big time fan! Mike and I used to play a little game online; one of us would give start a line from a Jeanne story and the other one would finish it. I must confess I worked hard to stump him, but never did. Once, and only once, he got me. I had to watch the video to finish the line.
  I promised myself that I would arrange to meet Mike when I visited Burlington, NC. (Visiting North Carolina is on my bucket list.) His warm personality and fun stories made me know I wanted to meet this kid in person. 
  Sadly, Mike passed last week from a monstrous, quick spreading cancer. (I bowed my head for a moment of respite before finishing the sentence.) When the community heard that Mike was sick they came together with plans for cheer him up as well as to assist him. A Facebook page was set up to keep everyone informed, it's "In Mike's Corner". The newspaper held a bake sale a couple of weeks ago. Jeanne brought a couple of 7-up pound cakes and they were bought before Left Brain got down there to buy them back. Jeanne wrote on Facebook that it was the fastest bake sale in history; things sold out in less than a couple of hours. 
  A memorial service was held in Elon yesterday. Madison Taylor posted about the service. I have read the touching and heartfelt comments about it and Mike posted on the fb page. Of course, I couldn't attend, so at the time the service started I put in the "Flat-Out Funny" DVD. I didn't know which video was Mike's favorite, so I chose one of my favorites.
  I think that there is a Humor Corner in Heaven and Mike is there as the head storyteller.  

Howdy!!

 "How-w-w-DEE-E-E-E! 

I'm jes' so proud to be here!" 

  I can still hear Minnie Pearl say that when she came on the radio or TV; especially through the many years she made appearances on Hee Haw. In case one of the youngin's have no idea what Hee Haw is, it was a comedy-musical show that featured all of the CW stars in the day. Those days were between 1969-1992 and can still be seen the early morning hours on cable TV. Minnie Pearl and Grandpa Jones were regulars on the show. So regular that many people thought that they were married in real life. 

  Minnie Pearl's humor was much like Jeanne; their stories are clean and family friendly, stories are about what happened to them, and dare I say it... they both were celebrities for a LONG TIME. (Minnie entertained for 52 years. Jeanne has been giving her "little speeches for almost 50.) Minnie Pearl made her first Grand Ole Opry appearance November 30, 1940. Miss Jeanne will make her Grand Ole Opry debut on March 31, 2013 with another show on April 1. 

  I really don't know who is more excited, me or Jeanne. On the Grand Ole Opry schedule page for those days it says, Grand Ole Opry: Jeanne Robertson, more to be added. I am assuming that means additional stars will be added to the billing. Jeanne is already 6'2" with her hair smashed down. Please click here to go directly to the ticket page.

Fans Unite in Texas

   

Jeanne and Bucky

  Jeanne was in Texas for a week of shows. Check out her Facebook page and read her posts and the many enthusiastic comments left by fans that were at the shows. Jeanne two-stepped her way across Texas doing speeches and shows from Abilene to Crockett and back to Texas. 
  Several devoted fans attended two or more of the open to the public shows. I really don't know how many there were in this unofficial Jeanne fan-club, I do know a couple of them. The picture on the left is Bucky Eades with Jeanne at the Dallas show. She and her good friend Julie were at the Mt. Pleasant show also.
   Bucky is one of our "online kids". Mr. Bruce and I referred to her as the "puppies' mom kid". (Since we have 4 kids in TX, we have use nicknames.) Bucky is actually one of first Jeanne fan I became acquainted with online. She is a sweetheart; I was excited for her to get to visit with Jeanne again last week.

Jeanne and Sherri

  Also attending the Jeanne's Texas Tour were Sherri Harris and her mother Charlotte. They drove from Branson, MO to attend three of the shows; the only ones to do that I think. Here is a direct quote from Charlotte about the shows.

"What a great time! Traveling with my daughter and sitting on the front row seeing Jeanne."

   Sherri is a very busy attorney and also teaches at College of the Ozarks; please click here to learn more about this extraordinary "Hard Work U". She uses Jeanne's DVD in classes to prove life is OK and to look for the positive. Don't you love it! 
  Sherri does something else that I admire greatly. Sherri and others assist young ladies with beautiful prom dresses. The group is "Moms for Proms"; their Facebook page is here. 
  I was hundred of miles away from Texas, but I swear I heard laughter last week from the Texas Tour people. I think it's GREAT!
  Thanks Bucky and Sherri for letting me use your photos. Speaking of photos, the photos from this Dallas show are now on Facebook. Check them out here. Thanks Al McCree for posting them.