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Nellie Newsletter 12/1/24   Ah, the final month of the year, December. And the final Newsletter of 2024, The Year of The Reunions. And what a year it has been! Alison was away from home so much that I started to think of her as “That other person who lives here sometimes”! And the cats are still not sure!   Such a month we’ve had! Alison went to New Jersey, and then didn’t even bother to come home before she took off for Ireland. And what an adventure she had there! She has wanted to visit Ireland for a long time now, because her ancestors are Irish. (Arngrim, I know.  Her dad was adopted by Icelandic folks.) So, she finally got a chance to go, and she made them promise to take her to where her family originated. She had the best time, speaking at two conferences, and giving a couple of interviews. They even found a genealogist to help her dig through the records. Well, the first thing the lady discovered was that she and Alison are related! (Good start, eh?) Then they found a local sports star, a retired hurling professional, who is in fact one of Alison’s distant cousins! And she got to meet him! So, a few links for your enjoyment:   Radio interview upon her arrival in Kilkenny: Kilkenny Radio Interview           2.  Alison showing off Irish treats in Dublin: Treats in Dublin           3.  Radio interview in Dublin regarding her ancestors: Dublin Radio Interview            4.  Alison Meeting her cousin:Alison Meets Cousin              5.  Hanging in the pub with the cousin! Alison & Cousin   That’s pretty  much it for November. Alison is still in culture shock! (It took a few days for the Irish accent to wear off! Now, let’s see, what’s next? Oh, yes, the rundown of Alison’s activities!   1.            Daily Book Readings – The daily readings are currently on hiatus for an indefinite period. But she has recently been threatening to try to get one in soon. Stay tuned!   2.            Bonnets, Etc. - Bonnets, tin cups, books, photos, Alison sells them at her online store, 'Not Your Mothers Mercantile'. Everything autographed. Here's the link to the store: Mother's Mercantile  New items have been added. (To see the complete selection, click on the “Shop Now” button.) Be sure to specify how you want them signed. And she is now home and can fill orders!   3.            Cameo - You can have your favorite cast member record a personal video greeting - Happy Birthday, Congratulations, Get Well Soon, you name it! Check it out: Cameo Website   Or... cut to the chase: Alison Cameo   News Flash: Alison just turned her Cameo back on!! In fact, she’s in the other room recording one now! Order away!   4.            Radio Show / Podcast - The Alison Arngrim Show is on every Tuesday at 5:00 pm Pacific Time. The best way to catch the show live is to go to the UBN Radio page on FaceBook: UBN FaceBook.  Her next guest will be Stephanie Powers (Hart to Hart, The Girl From UNCLE, etc.). If you have any ideas for who you would like to see interviewed by Alison, pass them along, and we’ll see what we can do! If you miss a show, or want to catch any of the past episodes, go to her FaceBook page for the show: Arngrim Show   5.            Who's Going To Do The Cooking? -  Alison will be appearing on her FaceBook page, cooking something with instructions, whenever she can find the time. And she has not found the time for quite a while now, but she’ll be back! She has made many incredible dishes. You can find all of these on her YouTube Channel: Who's Going To Do The Cooking?  Now for some schedule:   We start the month off with a couple of my company Holiday parties. (Yes, I get more than one!)   Then, on Sunday, December 15th, we return once again to that comedy club in our basement for the 2024 Edition of Nasty Nellie’s Naughty Noel! Here’s the link to the SpinCyle website: SpinCycle Noel The show will be at 5:00 pm Pacific time (8:00 pm Eastern), and the tickets cost 120 notes. (OK, this is a StageIt thing. $1 equals ten notes. So, tickets are $12.) Here’s the direct link for ticketing:  Stage-It Tickets  We are getting the band back together, so to speak. Sock Monkey is directing, the cats are running lights, and I’m behind the camera. (‘I’m interviewing for a new crew”, said Sock Monkey.) This will be our first Christmas show since 2022. And what will we be doing? Hard to say. I predict puppets and other surprises, which I don’t even know about yet! But I’m sure it will be a great time   And then we’re off for the Holidays, Tennessee, etc. Good times, as always.   There’s nothing definite yet for January, But then late in February, Alison once again takes off to go to France. (“Hourra!”, yelled Sock Monkey, in French, of course!) Can it, Monkey! She’s going for quite a spell, this time, many shows. For her latest schedule in France, check her French website:   Alison France   The next event I have solid information about is in May.   And that event is Country Con in Tulsa, Oklahoma on May 16 – 18, 2025. Billed as “The Comic Con for Country Pop Culture Fans”, there is very little on their website at this point. But check it out: Country Con  Tickets will be $250 for the VIP Experience, $160 for a 3-day pass, $45 for Friday only, $70 for Saturday only, and $60 for Sunday only, with reduced prices for children’s tickets.  The Celebrity Guests for the event are Alison and Dean Butler, plus one other listed as “Announcing Soon”. Here’s a clip of Alison and Dean promoting the show:  Country Con Promo  And here’s a link to the FaceBook page for County Con: Country Con FaceBook   But this is all subject to change. As soon as I know, you’ll know.   OK, that’s enough schedule for now. Rumour Control   Ireland was a blast! Should she go back…” “Got one more silver dollar…”  So what exactly is this Silver Dollar City they speak of? Grrr BEARS! Is it P-Town again? If so, when?? Miscellaneous   You’re Going To Do The Cooking! – This is a contest created just for fans of LHOTP. The task is: Create your favorite LHOTP character(s) out of food. OK, entries are now closed, and the judges are hard at work reviewing and voting. And the winner was to be announced on the Podcast on November 18th. And the winner is . . . !  Uh, well, they haven’t announced that just yet, because a judge or two (who shall remain nameless!) have not yet tuned in their ballots. (Hey! Turn in your ballots, already!!) Here’s the link to the FaceBook page for the Podcast:  Podcast FaceBook  When they have finally tabulated the votes, the winner will be announced on the 50 for Fifty Podcast. And to keep up with the contest, go to: Contest FaceBook   Some of those entries!   Newsletter – Yes, you’re getting it. (How else could you read this!) But not everyone is!! If you know anyone who is just dying to have their own personal copy of Alison’s Nellie Newsletter, just have them send an e-mail to LooseGravelProd@aol.com. Tell them to put, “I want the Newsletter!” in the subject line. And they will be added to the very next mailing.   Holidays – Well, Christmas is coming. And if you’ve been very good little Bonnetheads, there may be something extra special in your e-mail on Christmas eve. (And maybe on FaceBook, too!)   Make The Yuletide Gay – Well now that we’re on the subject, Alison had the opportunity, in 2009, to appear in what is quickly becoming a neo-classic Christmas movie, Make the Yuletide Gay. Hard to explain, so here’s a link to the trailer: Yuletide Trailer If you want to get a copy, check out Amazon: Yuletide Amazon Good job, Alison! (And a great filml!)   Fifty for 50 Podcast – This is still going strong and is getting better all the time. Hosted by Pamela Bob, featuring Alison and Dean Butler, they have a new podcast every week. Check out their FaceBook page:  Podcast FaceBook  On a recent episode, Alison and Dean ganged up on Pamela Bob and interviewed her! (I’m going to have to go back and listen to that one!)  You should give a listen!   Behind the Scenes Highlight – This is the section where we highlight the many people who help to keep this thing together. Last time we talked about Steven Wishnoff.   This month I would like to shine the spotlight on Dean Butler. OK, not very ‘Behind the Scenes’, you say? Well, that’s just the thing. Not only is he out there in front with everyone else, signing, selling, waving, posing, etc., but he has also become this business dynamo behind the scenes as well. In Alison’s own words:   “This month we salute the charming man forever known as “Manly”!  Yes, the man who started out years ago, as our innocent, blushing Almanzo has really stepped up as a leader for our Prairie family. He truly outdid himself during the organization of the 50th Anniversary celebration in Simi and now regales fans with stories, both touching and hilarious on our wildly successful Little House 50th Anniversary Podcast with me and Pamela Bob.   Despite telling me for years, that he would “never” write an autobiography, LOL, he is now the first male actor from the show to join our gang of published authors. And of course, “Prairie Man” has turned out to be a wonderful book, and a big hit with fans.   Ever gracious, charming, patient, and polite, he can still, after all these years,  manage to blush when complimented   And now, as we head into 2025, Dean has taken the lead in putting together our team of cast members and others, as we seek out new venues for our fan gatherings, boldly going where no bonnethead has gone before!”   We salute you, Dean Butler! Maintaining our lives in the age of COVID-19 – Now, about that latest vaccine booster: I GOT MINE!! Yes, after talking about it for months, I went down to the pharmacy and did it. Didn’t even feel the needle, as usual. Little or no side effects. Arm hurt from the needle for a couple of days. Felt drowsy the next day, but that could just be because I never get enough sleep. And now I feel fine.   XEC is still the latest COVID variant of interest. Transmissibility, symptoms, and treatment recommendations are about the same. The current (2024/2025) vaccine is effective. And, as usual, precautions remain the same. Funny, all the latest news reports I found were about committees trying to determine the origins of this virus. (Sorry, guys, it’s here. Let’s deal with it!)   H5N1 Bird Flu has been causing more concern lately. So far there have been 55 cases of Bird Flu in humans in the US. Most of the human cases of H5N1 in the US to date have been mild. An 11-year old girl in Cambodia died in 2023, and one teenager in British Columbia is critically ill after getting infected. The Canadian case is worrisome, because they have no idea how the teen got infected.   So, in light of all this, how do we keep from getting infected? Mask up, maintain distance in crowds, wash hands, etc. How do we keep from panicking? Avoid misinformation, believe only reliable medical sources.   And now for our Fauci moment: "I don't know how to explain to you that you should care for other people." But we must. Prairie Tidbits   Direct Holiday massages from various cast members:   Pamela Roylance – “I wish all of our Little House family around the world a very safe, loving, and happy holiday season. May you feel the love of Little House in your heart and in your home.”   Karen Grassle (Caroline Ingalls) – Karen is spending her time in Italy lately, hard at work learning to speak Italian. (Now there’s a challenge!)   Charlotte Stewart ( Miss Beadle) – Charlotte and Michal have one more gem show this year, The Gold Coast Gem Show December 7th & 8th at the Ventura County Fairgrounds, 10 Harbor Way, Ventura, CA 93001. Check out their website at: Gold Coast Gems.  They are hard at work getting ready to fill Christmas orders. Orders must be in by December 15th to be able to ship for Christmas. This includes Beadle Bags, all Lemon Verbena "Heaven Scent" orders and all Miss Beadle 50th Anniversary LHOTP items: Bolo Ties, Christmas Tree Ornaments, and Oaken Refrigerator Magnets, all laser engraved with the Miss Beadle Portrait. Order early and include mailing address and phone number. Email Charlotte: lottebanks@yahoo.com or Michael: jmichaelsantos@aol.com.  (I would send in my order today, if I were you!) Keep cranking them out, you guys!   Patrick Labyorteaux (Andy Garvey) – Pat is staying really busy these days. He is still working his Working Actors School. Here’s a link to the school on YouTube: Working Actors School  He also has a brand-new podcast he’s calling “The Patrick LabyorSheaux with Patrick Labyorteaux”. Anyway, I think I’ll let him explain it in his own inimitable fashion: Pat Podcast   But wait! There’s more! I have it on good authority that his next guest just might be Alison Arngrim! (“Nooooo”, said Sock Monkey) Way to go, Patrick!!   Pamela Roylance (Sarah Carter) – You may recall, a couple of issues ago, we reported that Pam had a guest star role on a new ABC Television series called "High Potential." Her episode (Episode 107) is entitled "The Sauna at the End of the Stairs." She reports that her episode should air on January 7th on ABC, possibly at 10:00 pm. (I still say we should get together for a Watch Party!) Way to go, Pam!   Susan McCray (LHOTP Casting Director) – Susan has been named Artistic Director Chairman for a gala being put on at the Ronald Reagan Library in Simi Valley. It is to celebrate the 60th Anniversary of the Adventist Health Hospital in Simi Valley.  Proceeds will go to the Breast Cancer center and Children’s Development Center. Todd McCraw has come on board as Technical Director/Production Manager. Comedian Fritz Coleman will emcee. The show will feature the big band era starring great music performed by the Lou Forstieri Orchestra with Girl singer Corlis Dale and the Hollywood Dollz singers and dancers. The Gala will be Saturday, October 18, 2025, beginning at 6:30 p.m. Further details to be announced after Christmas. Way to go, Susan!!   Pamela Bob (Producer: Livin’ On A Prairie) – OK, can’t keep this girl down no matter how hard you try! She is happy to announce that The Little House 50th Anniversary Podcast merchandise store is now open. You can get some fabulous gifts for the Holidays and beyond! They have custom made these designs for the fans who like a little cheeky humor, "inside baseball" references, and some good old-fashioned classics! There's something for everybody. For a limited time through the holiday season, they have Christmas and Hannukah themed items, as well, so it's your perfect place for shopping for that Bonnethead in your life! Just go to the podcast website, and you'll find the link to the shop! Podcast Website  And let us not forget Livin’ On A Prairie! This comedic gem cracks me up every time. If you have not yet seen it, you gotta watch! Check it out:  Livin On A Prairie  Pamela, you da best!!   Olivia Barash (Sylvia) – Olivia is working on a few things, too! She has a website where you can get signed photos ( Olivia Photos ), and another one where you can get all sorts of Sylvia-themed items ( Sylvia Items ). And she is also doing cameos! ( Olivia Cameos ) And rumor has it that she will be at the next Chiller in April 2025! Busy, busy!! The Saga of Sock Monkey (Chapter One Hundred Thirty-Seven ) What could they do indeed? Sock Monkey scratched his head and took another sip of his wine. They had been home for a couple of days, now. The cats had seemed actually happy to see him. (Although he did not trust them for even a single minute!) Alison seems to have forgiven him, or at least forgotten all about his drunken adventure. Now was his chance to make it up to her and come up with a really great idea for the Christmas Show! What to do, what to do? Well, it’s supposed to be Nasty Nellie’s Naughty Noel, isn’t it? They could have the cats come out wearing little skimpy bikinis and . . .  No, no, that’s a terrible idea! Maybe they could bring in a real reindeer . . .    No, because someone would have to clean up after the poor thing, and those cats are Union! Maybe they could have Santa’s sleigh? Hmmm, don’t think it would fit in through the door. This is not an easy puzzle to solve! (Well, another glass of wine couldn’t hurt!) Maybe Alison could dress up as Santa and jump out of the Christmas tree? And the cats could dress up as Santa’s elves? And he could play Mrs. Claus? And they could all come down the chimney and burst out of the fireplace . . .  (To be continued . . . )  There you have it. The eleventh Nellie Newsletter for 2024. Stay safe, mask up, wash up, get your booster shots, and be good to each other. And watch out for that guy in the red suit with all the reindeer! As usual (Comme d’habitude), be good bonnet heads, and I’ll talk to you next month. -       Bob