Throwbacks

In the last few years, National Football League teams have started wearing replica uniforms from their early years. My favorite Denver Bronco's wore their vertical stripped socks for a game. Yikes! You folks that go fishing probably brag about your last fishing trip... including the throwbacks that were over 2 pounds. But today I want to talk more about going back in time... my time to be specifically.

It was just a few weeks ago that I was reading the Denver Post online when I came across an article about a local Denver performer and the 5 year success of her business venture. Lannie Garrett is the performers name, and her Clocktower Cabaret located in downtown Denver. Ordinarily I don't pay any attention to Denver's entertainment scene, but Lannie Garrett has a special place in Margie and my lives.

It was the night of Oct 5, 1991. Margie and I were going out on our first Date. My life had changed in more ways than I every could have imagined. I'd gone through cancer and its treatment, with pretty significant consequences. During the course of the treatment I lost 110 pounds taking me to my low of 97. Okay, so it's a good thing I started out fat, but I don't recommend that sort of diet. Like many, my ex couldn't take the changes I went through, and I just figured I'd be a loner for the most part going forward but I digress...

Lannie Garrett was performing with the Denver Symphony Orchestra that night, and to shorten this story to a reasonable length, it must have been a great concert as Margie and I fell in love and are living happily ever after out here on the farm(stead).

What brings the above to mind is that the article in the Denver Post I mentioned compelled me to write Ms. Garrett an email thank you. I had never considered writing to thank her, but Margie and I often speak of that night and the concert, and I felt compelled to write so I did. Imagine my surprise when I got a reply from her, offering free tickets to one of her shows as her guest.

We took the short notice opportunity to go to Denver and accepted the invite to Ms Garretts sold out show. Margie and I have not been in downtown Denver in many years and I admit the downtown area has all kinds of things going on with big crowds of people seemingly everywhere. All I want to say about that is I'm so glad we live on the farm(stead).

Our seats in the renovated basement cabaret were great. The show Lannie put on was entitled "Great Women of Song: From Billie to Bette", and was nothing short of wonderful as far as Margie and I were concerned. She is a first class entertainer, and we enjoyed the show as much as the last time we saw her 19 years ago. The last song, Judy Garlands "Somewhere Over the Rainbow", was performed so beautifully that it brought tears to Margie's eyes... one of her all time favorites I learned. Pay attention guys, I don't think we will ever completely know 'em.

To wrap up our weekend, we stopped in to visit an old friend on our way out of town. We related our previous nights excursion into the depths of downtown Denver only to learn that our host knows Ms. Garrett and quite well if I heard correctly. I guess Dave knows or knew Lannies agent... anyway small world.

And my last throwback I want to mention today includes a conversation I had recently where I got to relate my feelings for one of my uncles. I doubt my uncle had any idea how much I looked forward to seeing him and my aunt. He was a big man with big stories, and his work had him in the Pacific Northwest in the timber industry. I loved going into the woods in his 4x4 pickups down logging roads dodging logging trucks and watching the fascinating process of moving trees from upright to the saw mill. His stories kept me entertained almost as much.

We never know what effect we may make on someones life. Lets all try and make it a good effect whoever we deal with.