How the barbershop quartet became a barbershop trio — or: A funny thing happened on the way to the gig!

Accidents of mirth

Waldo Windmill writes: “I sang in a barbershop quartet which performed on hundreds of shows in the Twin Cities area, as well as throughout the United States and Canada. Surprisingly, we missed only two scheduled appearances during that entire period.

“One I remember vividly. We were booked to perform in downtown Minneapolis on a snowy, cold December evening in 1965. Bob, Dan, and I arrived at the show venue dressed and ready to perform as per usual, but John failed to arrive in a timely fashion.

“We soon found out why: He had been involved in an automobile accident on his way to the gig. Therein lies the story.

Continue reading “How the barbershop quartet became a barbershop trio — or: A funny thing happened on the way to the gig!”

On the postwar road: “Tourist Rooms to Let — Reasonable Rates.” (Axe murderer not included.)

The Permanent Family Record

Sis (“Big Eek’s spinster sister”) writes: “Subject: A family affair.

“When the Second World War ended and fuel restrictions lifted, war-weary families were encouraged to go on car trips.

“Our family of five climbed into my father’s second-hand coupe for an automotive adventure.

Continue reading “On the postwar road: “Tourist Rooms to Let — Reasonable Rates.” (Axe murderer not included.)”

Why was there DEAD SILENCE when the barbershoppers finished their song?

Fellow travelers
And: Surprise!

A pair of harmonious stories from Waldo Windmill: (1) “In 1968, my barbershop quartet received a joint invitation from the Barbershop Harmony Society and the USO to take a 17-day tour of the Pacific Hospital Circuit. The tour entailed visiting and entertaining wounded veterans of the Vietnam conflict in military hospitals in Japan, Okinawa, Guam, the Philippines and Hawaii.

Continue reading “Why was there DEAD SILENCE when the barbershoppers finished their song?”

Why was the little girl jumping on the couch, just before she broke her leg?

Our livestock, our pets, our gardening pants, our invasive species, ourselves
Or: Life (and death) as we know it (responsorial)

Booklady writes: “I believe I have discovered a kindred spirit in DebK of Rosemount. Her recent saga of her buckthorn incident brought to mind several of my own adventures.

Continue reading “Why was the little girl jumping on the couch, just before she broke her leg?”

The buckthorn battle never, unhappily, ends happily (or at all) . . . but it’s not usually this bad!

Our livestock, our pets, our gardening pants, our invasive species, ourselves
Or: Life (and death) as we know it

DebK of Rosemount: “Early in the week, as we laid to rest one of Taxman’s favorite clients, I got to regretting my failure to report on this year’s lambing season. The deceased, a longtime BB enthusiast, had a particular fondness for stories about our ram, Clarence, and his exuberant efforts to see to the continuation of his line.

“Truth to tell, I’ve avoided writing about lambing because so much of the news has been bad.

Continue reading “The buckthorn battle never, unhappily, ends happily (or at all) . . . but it’s not usually this bad!”