Pfft, You Were Gone

There weren't too many things that I ever remember my Dad asking for. He is the most unselfish man I have ever known, never asking much of anything for himself.

But, I do recall a few television shows that he would look forward to watching. And since the rest of the family claimed the television most of the time, Dad's wishes were usually granted when he would request to watch his favourite shows.

Some of those requests included:
- Daytona 500 & Indianapolis 500 Stock Car Races
- The Family Brown (every Wednesday evening.... Barry, Tammy, & LaWanda Brown)
- Walt Disney (every Sunday night at 6pm, Channel 11! oooo - good memory Michelle!)
- And, of course, "Hee Haw" (with Roy Clark and Buck Owens)


I recall complaining many times, "Do we HAVE to watch Hee Haw???" I thought it was the stupidest show. Dad would sit and laugh at the silly skits, and I'd sit in a grump waiting for it to be over!

Here are some memories of the show just off the top of my head. See if you can recall them....

-Lulu and Grandpa Jones (Grandpa was always washing that invisible window.... "Hey Grandpa...what's fer SUPper?");
-the Gospel segment that they'd do and you always had that lump in your throat at the end;
-the pitchforks and the overalls;
-the ol' poor hillbilly couple....she had that big space in her teeth and she was ALWAYS ironing and yelling at her lazy husband;
-standing in the corn field, you'd hear: "[Cherry Valley]: Population 132.... Saaaa-lute!!!!";
-the loose barnboard that would hit each weekly gueststar in the hiney;
-the gossipy girls hanging their clothes on the line "Oh, we're not ones to go 'round spreadin' rumours, Now really we're just not the gossipy kind, Oh you'll never hear one of us repeatin' gossip, so you'd better be sure and listen close the first time!";
-hearing the words, "I'm-a-Pickin'" and "I'm-a-Grinnin'";
-that ol' hound dog half asleep on the front porch with the half-looped moonshiners.....

And you know what?

If that show were on air today, I'd make my kids sit and watch it! After all, it's a piece of my history.

I don't think there's ANYONE in my generation or older that doesn't know this song.





I don't know why we sometimes don't appreciate things until they're gone and out of our lives, but today I'd give my right arm to go back to the time when my Dad was healthier and we'd be sitting there watching Hee Haw.

And in just watching that video, look who's not with us anymore. People like Lorne Greene, an amazing Canadian actor, and John Ritter, one of the funniest American comedians. Life changes.

I am thankful to the inventor of YouTube so that I can go back and watch some of these clips..... pieces of my past.

I have a feeling that I'm gonna have that song in my head for the rest of the day.

And you know what?

I'm perfectly fine with it.