A Prairie Home Companion with Garrison Keillor

To: Julie Dressing
Happy 21st and a half or so anniversary.
—Steve Dressing

To: Helen Halpert
You once forbade my proposing on the radio. I’ll now risk thanking you publicly for 20 years with the best wife, mother and Superior Court judge imaginable.
—Alan Zarky

To: Larry Wiseman
Just wanted to say hi to my best friend. Remember when we discovered A Prairie Home Companion in Albq. N.M.
—Pat Stroble

To: Fred Johnson
Congrats on the new job as Town Librarian!
—Mark Reed

To: scott Trotman
6 years ago today we were married here in our beloved st. paul on the banks of the mighty mississippi. record floods one week later left harriet island completely submerged. ...you still 'float MY boat'. happy anniversary -love lulu
—Lu Bartel-Trotman

To: Julie
Julie: (from your parents)Congratulations for being accepted to college. Rest assured that the HAZ-MAT people will arive to clean your room when the semester starts.
—Steve Carlsen

To: Greg,Susan, Tim their spouses and our six grands.
Enjoying our 49th. You've made all the past 49 years worth the trip. Take care of Daisy, Our hugs and kisses to all including Daisy.Love you much. (p.s. for PHC-we will be in MN for the 4/21/07 program)
—Luke & June Drescher

To: Greg,Susan, Tim their spouses and our six grands.
Enjoying our 49th. You've made all the past 49 years worth the trip. Take care of Daisy, Our hugs and kisses to all including Daisy.Love you much.
—Luke & June Drescher

To: Sarah Lawrence College Field Botany class
Mother Nature has not been cooperating this spring -- I promise to show you a Symplocarpus foetidus (a.k.a., skunk cabbage) next week!
—Dr. Ken Cameron

To: Rosario Rosa
Dear Rosarinho, May your birthday on Sunday be a beautiful and peaceful one with Luis. Even though we're far away, you will be with us in our thoughts and wishes. We love and miss you very much!!! Your friends now and forever. Lee, Mila, Jordan and Tiago. Happy Birthday Titi Rosarinho!!!!!!
—ludomila osness

To: Jane
Congratulations! Sold your house and retired all in the same week! With all the excitement, perhaps Bill didn't notice that you forgot your wedding anniversary!
—Lirio Dendron

To: My sweet Caroline
SING TO SPRING a poem by Bryan Waller The distant rage of blizzards roar Is of concern to us no more A few flakes be rare that try to stick Upon my face but I soon lick Them away, as I see beside our door That our woodpile is spent three seasons more And my trusty ax of work will wont To cleave and cut its merriment But yea grey is gone and green has come The buzzards now nigh make the crow feign winsome For they too know that upon those wings Comes spring and all the wonderful things Like soft stirrings in the field and wood I'd plant my garden if I thought I could To watch it grow and peak up through To bear forth gifts and bounty anew The anxious wait is now aft over And sing we all to our forlorn lover Who's gifts the fecund bloom from bosoms bough Brings unrequited love unleashed upon us now With constant coax the butterfly is tempo keeping And the peepers tadlust keeps them a peeping The crickets prate and bullfrogs rumble Lures forth the warmth and creatures humble To welcome the spring again anew With sweetest honey and every hue For soon the fields will be abloom So thick the bees to them will swoon And the rathe robin sings to all some courage To the buds that are now soon in stirrage Sweet anemone, houstonia, lionsteeth and all Bloom forth all love of life and pour without stall Your hard nectar of beauty upon my heart I implore Pray drunk I be with you my paramour To the highest cloud I evermore will sing How sweet it is to feel the hand of spring.
—Harry Back

To: Ken Cameron
You’re turning 40, I’m turning 50, Let’s move to Wisconsin together – The state isn’t red, they wear cheese on their head, And if Gore’s right, we’ll have beachfront weather!
—Brian Thompson

To: AUSTIN
To our California "boy", Austin, who is in Houston - Happy 28th. We love you so much. Mom and Dad
—Cynthia Balatti Roelofs

To: Garrison Keillor
You will be listed as a Beatitude on the site The Beatitudes at www.beatitudesinneworleans.blogspot.com , dedicated to the serialized novel, The Beatitudes, Book I in The New Orleans Trilogy. Out of New Orleans before the catastrophe that was made by a hurricane and, as Dante wrote, “of false gods who lied,” comes The Beatitudes, part one in the New Orleans Trilogy. The Beatitudes portrays New Orleans as Dante’s purgatory, a place were the sins of men are exposed for all to see, where redemption is close at hand but most often lost. Hopefully, you will also list this site on yours and every time someone clicks on it they will think about donating to supporting literature in New Orleans. A good fund is The New Orleans Public Library at www.nutrias.org and click on Friends of the NOPL Restoration Funds. When The Beatitudes is published, substantial profits will be donated. Note: if you do not wish me to list you as a Beatitude, please email me at lynlejeune@cox.net.
—Lyn LeJeune

To: Wade Lyon
Hello to the best husband, father,veterinarian in Oklahoma. Make that the world. Love Always
—Mark Lyon

To: Gregory
Happy Birthday Gregory! Since Garrison never answered your invitation to speak at graduation maybe he will at least say Happy Birthday to you on the air. Love, the "mean old lady"
—Jan Anderson

To: Chet Gobel
Happy 86th birthday to Chet in the Alamo City from your curmudgeon son Bill.
—Bill Gobel

To: Laura Glazier
March 29,2007 it is our 20th wedding anniversary. 20 years of you and listening to Garrison Keillor and NPR. When we met 20 years ago we were whitewater river guides on the shennandoah river who made 12 dollars per trip ( could only do 2 trips a day) Reagan was our President and you wore flea collars on your ankles because of all the fleas infested in the barn house all the river guides lived in. And then our first date, sorry i forgot the money to pay for the pizza. But you covered it. Then our second date, you went off for a weekend of rafting on the Gauley River with 2 guys. I figured we were over. Till i fould out the two guys you spent the weekend with were seeing each other ( not interested in you. I have liked gays ever since). We dated, married when i got out of the service and had 3 wonderful children. Now Im a CPA and you a PT. Who woulda thunk it from our West Virginia rafting days. Love, Mike
—Mike Glazier

To: Byron
Now that the TV is broken, shall we spend our dates listening to the radio?
—Joanna Eddy

To: eric peterson
dearest milk & cookies, happy birthday, much love, the jersey knuckle and beer & cigaretts
—keith culbertson

To: Colin Lackley
Colin, good luck with writing your show, I hope to see you follow in Mr. Keillor's shoes, you have the talent, don't give up!
—John Schmidt

To: Rosario Rosa
Sunday, April 1, 2007, my wife will celebrate her birthday - a lady is ageless after 25, so I forgot her age. She's still today my best friend and lover. I hope to deserve her love for many years to come (after death if possible). Happy birthday, with love Luis
—Luis Ramos

To: Luis & Margarida Ramos
Luis and Margarida are my parents. They'll celebrate next Saturday (March 31, 2007) their 50th anniversary. They live in Lisbon (Portugal's capital), and I live in Fords (New Jersey). Because I'm recovering from surgery, I can't be with them to celebrate that (very) special date - I'll call them, of course. So I hope you could mention my parents' anniversary on your next show (March 31, 2007). Needless to say how much I care for them. I'm very proud of them! The following day it's my wife birthady, but I'm saving that for another greeting message. Thank you very much, Luis
—Luis Ramos

To: Ben
To my son Ben, the aspiring writer: Good Luck at your upcoming Bar Mitzvah. Thanks for coming with me tonight, I promise you it won't be as long or as hot as the last show you attended in Ocean Grove 4 years ago. Love, Dad.
—Mark Coller

To: Mary Borelli
Happy 90th birthday to Mary Borelli in West Haven CT, born on April 1, but no fool: she's looking forward to free lunches at Senior Citizens.
—Jane Borelli

To: tom
can't wait for our "date" with Garrison on saturday at town hall. Can you believe I actually LIKE him now? Let's do this every year till we are really old and really gray! love you.
—julie fleming

To: Wendy Andres
A birthday is a special time to celebrate the gift of 'you' to the world. Happy Birthday From All of Us in Lamoille County.
—betsy hauschulz and friends

To: Keith Komline
There's nothing like gassin' up the car, and catching dinner and a show in New York to make you appreciate the convience of a sub-prime home equity loan.
—Brad Orton

To: Michael Boyd
Well my good friend is it any wonder we get on when we share such good taste in humour. GK has been a favourite of mine for a very long time. It is people such as he and you that keep America from sliding off the edge. Many thanks Mike. Regards from down under (8-))
—Rod Jurich

To: Fred Glazer
Hope you're recuperating well in Minniapolis. It is not necessary to break your arm each winter. We care about you even when you're whole.
—Arthur Aptowitz

To: Gregory
Happy 18th Birthday Gregory! At nearly 9 lbs you came out ready to conquer the world, so far you have done a good job. Look out adult world! Love, Mom
—Jan Anderson