the universe was gracious enough to let me stumble upon advance notice that prairie home companion was going to be broadcasting live from the truly majestic historic fox theatre in detroit tonight, and so after a pleasant stroll through downtown in the crisp may air, there i was, sitting in the tenth row, watching those red curtains david lynch loves so much in these movie palaces rise, and the troupe perform a radio show which i've listened to off and on for more than twenty years (without ever having seen it live). and this with much content devoted to detroit and michigan. and as a grace note, it was garrison keillor's mother's 96th birthday today, the day before mother's day, and her name...is grace. and so at one point in the live broadcast, garrison wished his mother, listening at home, a happy birthday, and then sang a modified version of amazing grace with lyrics about her, before returning to the traditional lyrics and inviting us to join him in singing the final two stanzas, which we did. a wonderful moment.

and guy noir(!) flew out to detroit in a stealth helicopter to take on a case out here.

and during the broadcast, garrison broke in with a sports report -- detroit tigers pitcher justin verlander had just wrapped up a no-hitter! only the seventh in tigers history, and justin's second (the last tiger before jv to throw one was good 'ol #47, jack morris, on 4/7/84).

he also broke the news that animal kingdom had won the kentucky derby, which spoiled my later dvr viewing, and my hopes that my horse, stay thirsty, had won the prize. but at least thirsty's jockey, ramon dominguez, won the day's earlier race, the woodford reserve turf, with get stormy. and speaking of getting stormy, the most beautiful horse in the derby, imnsho, was twinspired, a stormcloud sky with hooves.

quite a day.