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Post by flossieskid on Oct 20, 2021 6:42:32 GMT -5
Yesterday, October 19th was my birthday. Like so many of us who have lost both our parents, they are particularly missed on our special day. Although, we may have a spouse and children, we can still feel a big hole when significant celebrations happen and our parents are not there. But, as I have mentioned in previous posts, I feel blessed that when I miss my parents so much, I can just grab one of the several DVD’s I have with their performances and pop one in our machine and feel like they are celebrating the day with me.
When I shared, in a few previous posts, that I believe I can truly “feel” my parents around me, Forum members kindly shared your own experiences of that same closeness felt after the departure of your loved ones. Whereas, you could have easily dismissed those feelings as the ramblings of “just another one of those nuts in Tinseltown” you kindly indulged my beliefs and even presented your own evidence of a connection to those who have left us. In short, you didn’t make me feel crazy. Perhaps you actually FELT those feelings, but were just too polite to question my feelings. In either case, I appreciated your response!.
Well, many of you have heard of my infamous TIVO recorder which will always tape a program with my parents’ names in the credits. Well, it worked overtime on my birthday! Yesterday, it taped 3 programs of my parents - ending with a great Walton episode! What better gift could they have given me? Well, true, a better gift from them would be an innate knowledge of future winning Lottery numbers - but I’ll settle for what I can get. I am nothing if not a realist!
One program was “The Big Valley” where my parents played husband and wife in an episode where Audra (Linda Evans’ role) got appendicitis while everyone was on a train and the only doctor on board was a wanted man for killing a rancher’s wife. The rancher was played by a dear friend,
Karl Swenson, who is best known as Lars Hanson, the co-founder of Walnut Grove with his 40+ appearances on “Little House on the Prairie.”
Karl played the father of Tim McIntire, another great actor and family friend of many years and, as I have shared before, my very first guitar teacher. It was truly “Old Home Week” on that show!
Then, the TIVO saved another show my Mom was on - “The Odd Couple” where she played a nurse to a doctor played by a terrific character actor, Bill Quinn, who I have mentioned before as Bob Newhart’s real life father in-law, Mary Tyler Moore’s father on her show and an old family friend. It was so fun to see since I had never seen that episode before. I rejoiced in the fact that my Mom wasn’t in dowdy clothes or a maid’s uniform! Of course, Tony Randall knew my parents from radio shows they had done in New York and I think my Dad was in an episode of “Quincy” , with Jack Klugman, which was created and produced by another friend, Lou Shaw.
Lou also created and was the Executive Producer on “The Fall Guy” with Lee Majors.
The final show was, quite appropriately a rerun of one of The Waltons my Mom was on. I didn’t watch it yet since I have already seen almost all the ones she did. I think it was “The Graduation” but I’m not positive. As I write this at 4am, all the Walton titles seem to meld together and overlap each other.
So, how can my skeptical husband explain 3 programs ALL shown ON my birthday, except to embrace my very confident belief that my folks, or “the powers that be” decided to appear all on the day celebrating my birth?!?
I was totally thrilled! But, I must be completely honest - I would have been even MORE overjoyed if my birthday gift from “The Great Beyond” was
was some winning Lottery numbers floating around in my head! Ahhh, one can dream……..
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Post by Easton on Oct 20, 2021 8:54:48 GMT -5
Your story reminded me immediately of Celtic Thunder's young Damian McGinty (backed by George Donaldson) singing 'A Bird Without Wings'.
Happy Birthday, Tracey.
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Post by patriciaanne on Oct 22, 2021 17:11:35 GMT -5
Happy belated birthday, Tracey!!! 🎉🎉🎉And you KNOW I believe that there is nothing coincidental about your birthday surprise!! Can't you just see your parents -- conspiring together in Heaven -- to give you this wonderful gift! I saw your Mom today in "The Firestorm." She was amazing in that episode. ☺️
Wishing you a beautiful, happy, healthy year ahead! 💗🎂🍾🥂🎈🎊🎁
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Post by carol on Oct 22, 2021 20:35:57 GMT -5
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Post by nedandres on Oct 27, 2021 10:42:26 GMT -5
Happy Belated Birthday, Tracey. Such a blessing to have you here with us.
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