A Prairie Home Companion with Garrison Keillor

To: Robin & Linda Williams
We cruised with PHC with you in 2005 and I wrote this poem for you the day after your first concert on Sunday night: After Sunday It is the best music, the "Stand and Deliver" kind! Strings and keys and voices in flight - ripples and waves of hypnotic delight! Pauses, phrases, changes of key.... the intricate weaving of harmony.... like angels singing- singing to me - How will I ever be able to wait 'til tonight? PS: Let's do it again...it was WONDERFUL!
—Marnie Sanders

To: Kevin Frank
Kevin - thank you so much for taking me to see Prairie Home Companion. I'm sorry you went to see a radio show and an opera broke out. Love you, Libby.
—Libby Frank

To: Heather and Todd Eggebraten
Congratulations to Heather McDowell and Todd Eggebraten who were married on June 20th, May you be poor in misfortune, rich in blessings. Slow to make enemies, quick to make friends. But rich or poor, quick or slow, may you know nothing but happiness from this day forward and may your mornings bring joy and your evenings bring peace. May your troubles grow few as your blessings increase. May the saddest day of your future be no worse than the happiest day of your past. David and Laura Eggebraten
—David Eggebraten

To: Grandpa Roger & Grandma Pat
Grandpa Roger & Grandma Pat, Fire up the pontoon, We'll arrive around noon when we bring our platoon, Please make sure there's a loon. Love, The Cincinnati Amundsons P.S. If Aunt Lori the English Major were here, this would have been much better.
—Dan Amundson

To: Mike Martin
Mickey, I'm so thankful to celebrate our 16th Wedding anniversary with you, my high school sweetheart and my best friend. When we said "for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, who knew God would take it so literally! You're the best! All my love, mel
—Melissa Martin

To: Grandpa Roger & Grandma Pat
To Grandpa Roger & Grandma Pat on the Peshtigo River, Get the pontoon out, we're on our way! We love you! Peter & Kristina
—Kathy Peterson

To: Lori
Aunt Lori, Sorry you couldn't join us today, but we understand that your dog's modeling career takes priority. Love, Your Family
—Wendy Amundson

To: Scott Young
May your rivers keep flowing as you sit enjoying Garrison and we sit drowning in weather. The gang at the weather service envy you.
—Mike Gallagher

To: Rose and Dan Bingaman
Grandma and Grandpa, I hope you got better tickets for Annie next week in St. Louis than Dad's "lawn seats" tonight! Love Wolfgang!
—Wolfgang Bingaman

To: The Warsaw Gang
Greetings to Bob and Becky, Dean and Joyce, Bill and Sue, and Bruce and Joan-who: although the 'inner circle' is ever widening now as we move from northern Indiana to Maple Grove, Loveland, and Joplin, we'll still find time to get together whenever we hear that Dean is smoking something in the backyard or is in the kitchen making scones . . . Hope to see you soon to plan the next Chicago adventure. All the best, Big Lou and Paula
—Paula Osorio

To: Ellen Clough pronounced like 'rough"
Congratulations lovely daughter on your graduation Saturday from high school, looking at the pictures from your first day in kindergarden where did the time go? Remember as you start college that the journey is always as interesting as the distination, and the term on the cell phone contract "unlimited text messaging" should not be considered a challenge. Love, Dad
—Jim Clough pronounced like

To: U.S. Treasury & Federal Reserve
Hello, Uncle Sam, from William Seward, your Civil War Secretary of State, who bought Alaska from Russia just for you. I'm still waiting for my tax refund. The two hundred and fifty you sent my Social Security account wasn't enough. You, cheapskates. Pay up or I'm selling your forty ninth state to Canada. At least they know how to smoke ham.
—Dierdre Tinselle

To: Ian
Thanks for wearing your seatbelt so you can be here with us at Tanglewood. Love, Mom and Dad
—Rick Tillotson

To: Marge Yocum
Mother, Hope you enjoy your Mother's Day gift attending the Prairie Home Companion show at Riverbend in Cincinnati. I hope you don't embarrass me by swooning when Garrison starts singing!! Love your Daughter
—Janelle Espinoza

To: Peter
HAPPY 60TH BIRTHDAY - LOVE TO YOU,
—Patty Grim

To: Darin Krger
Twenty-five "blissful" years, and how better to celebrate...with Sarah Bellum at Riverbend. She always knows how to make you laugh. I'll love you 25 more and beyond.
—Beth Kroger

To: Mom and Dad
Hey mom and dad! Hope you're having a whimsical time at the show! Glad I could enjoy it with you! I love you!
—Leah Hulgin

To: Don
Happy 25th Anniversary You know they thought we wouldn't make it, but I'm sure glad we did! I love you with all my heart.
—Debbie Elbert

To: Craig
Hon, love you more than ever, happy 14th anniversary & happy 56 birthday, it just gets better with age!
—Mary Lou Jackson

To: Faye Faulkner
To my darling wife of 3and 1/2 months, it took 52 years to find you, but it was worth it. Don't make me look so hard in the next life.
—ROBERT FAULKNER

To: Marty
Happy Birthday Dad from your three adoring children who have joined you in the ninth row tonight all the way from Charlotte, NC. We hope the surprise was a pleasant one. Love, Mike, Dave, and Jenni
—Michael Mason

To: Aaron Sims
Congratulation on your graduation from Dartmouth son...it was worth every bake sale to put you through school! Love, from everyone at the Pueblo!
—Theresa Pasqual

To: Scott Smith
Happy birthday, Scott. I know we'll spend many more together. That's assuming we survive the home-buying process. Love, Your wife
—Rachel Smith

To: Catherine Pitman
Happy Birthday to Catherine Pitman in South Portland Maine who is turning 90 on July 31 and never misses a Saturday night "date" with Garrison.
—Christina Mason

To: Frank and Mary Ann Adams
Greetings from Kingman, Arizona. Where the weather is hot, the snakes have rattles and your daughter always wears her bike helmet. Love you both. See you at the beach.
—Suzanne Adams

To: My loving husband, Pat
I love you dearly, but after the doctor's remove your oversized kidney, you can not sell it on Ebay!! Hazel
—Hazel Devitt

To: Mom & Dad
Happy 50th Anniversary! Wow, how does anyone do it for that long? Dad, you know how lucky you were to find such a wonderful woman for 50 years, but you also still have your mother-in-law!
—Your daughter, Vicki Frazier

To: The Crew at Lake Williams
Our second trip to Prairie Home Companion in the last five months. HOW NICE! Bill & Jackie
—Bill Jennings