#the fifty year night hilda

[andy-fries]

Happy 6 years to Hilda! It premiered 6 years ago and is one of my favorite cartoons! :))) the art is so beautiful and the finale was amazing!

[the-hilda-librarians-wife]

I love the fact that you can watch Hilda many times and discover new things each one. Just rewatched The Fifty Years Night and only now realized the (very obvious) contrast created by the the juxtaposition of Hilda, a character having to learn that her actions have consequences, and Peter Ostenfeld, a character who spent his life being haunted by how his lack of action had consequences. Idk I just think the balance between these two is neat

[pikablob]

Which would you say is worse, The Mountain King or The Fifty Year Night?

I went into this fully expecting to say The Fifty-Year Night. It's kind-of the poster child for the parts of Hilda I don't like; it's a microcosm of all the things Season 2 did wrong, it's the episode that's probably inspired more of my fics than any other (and that's not a good thing), and the one time I made a tier list of episodes, it earned its own tier below the normal 'worst'. On the other hand, The Mountain King does have some major bits I like. But I don't just want to say that without some actual thought, so I've decided on a criteria.

Basically, the worse storyline is the one I'd have to change the most in order to fix.

I've talked extensively about The Fifty-Year Night before, and I've also talked about fixing it before. I went into this in my post about fixing Season 2, but I'll go over it here, too, for people who haven't or don't want to read that post (which is completely okay). Fundamentally, I have 3 problems with this episode:

Johanna is unfair to Hilda, and the narrative blames Hilda for it.

The content of this episode is darker and more distressing than a Hilda episode should be.

The complexities of the time travel aren't really explained, and ultimately some things don't make sense.

I won't labour point 1, because I think it's self-explanatory and I've been over it before. Point 2 is really about all the genuinely awful death scenes in this episode, which are just too far for Hilda as a show. And point 3 is something I've seen brought up a few times - it's never actually explained how time worms or changing the past actually work, which leads to weird questions like "is the old future deleted, or does everyone get duplicated and a time worm eats the wrong future people?" - Tildy still being around implies it's the latter, but then the original Johanna is still around and the time worm ignores her - or "why does the enchantment apply to every copy of the magazine, but destroying only one of them stops it?"

For the first point, my solution is simply to gut this episode of any mother-daughter conflict. I actually did this in my Season 2 fix, even when keeping the Stone Forest; the core of this episode is the genuinely beautiful might-have-been of Mr. Ostenfeld and Tildy, and that doesn't rely on anything surrounding Johanna. For the other issues, there is a fix already written hiding in a very unusual place:

Normally, I don't recommend the tie-in novels. They have a lot of issues, and this one is no exception. But weirdly, the version of Fifty-Year Night in this book does actually fix the issues I have with the time travel stuff.

There's no child death, and the Ostenfelds all sort of 'glitch out' in a tonally-good creepy way before they get eaten, so they're not screaming etc. So that's already dealt with. But this version also does away with having the original Tildy show up at the end, and instead gives his role to the original Mr. Ostenfeld, who survives and has a geniune arc instead of being unceremoniously dumped halfway through; this gives him a much more meaningful ending, but also confirms that nobody from the original timeline is still around in the future, which clears up the time-travel confusion. He's actually pretty much the only adult Hilda forms a genuine connection with in the tie-ins (besides a minor character in The Great Parade.)

So, to fix The Fifty Year Night, I'd take that. I'd combine the genuine heartfelt emotion of the show version (which the novel does miss), with the softer and more sensible mechanics of the tie-in novel, and then just bypass the Hilda & Johanna stuff entirely. Honestly, it's not a huge script change to make it into something that would work with the tone and feeling of S1.

The Mountain King, on the other hand, is actually a tougher nut to crack. It does have a lot of stuff I like, and on the surface, it doesn't seem like its problems are much worse:

Trylla is genuinely unlikeable and her 'redemption' doesn't work.

Erik gets off too lightly (TBF this one is less important).

Again, some scenes are just too distressing for this series.

Frida and David's storyline is functionally irrelevant.

The problem is that fixing these to my standards would require substantial changes to the story. Point 1 (and really point 3) are central to the story; the whole thing is about a kidnapping, a genuinely unforgiveable act that only gets compounded (twice) later on, and yet we have to sympathise with the kidnapper. Likewise, point 4 exists because David and Frida aren't main characters in the graphic novels, so they weren't in the original version of this storyline at all (barring a brief appearance by Frida in The Stone Forest that provides Johanna with the motivation to be awful).

There is, I think, a way to fix The Mountain King, and turn it into the finale that the first two seasons deserved. But that way involves ripping out the entire main thrust of the plot. Because what I would do to fix it is remove the changeling stuff entirely, and turn David and Frida's story into the central one.

The Hilda movie should have been about Hilda and her friends actually working to stop Erik and the Safety Patrol from going to war with the trolls. It should have been about them starting a movement amongst the students; about them reaching out to all of the creatures they've met and befriended so far, to prove that they're not bad and to protect their homes; about them standing up for something, from the start, and showing the people of Trolberg that they don't need to be afraid of what's outside the walls.

I'd keep the climax the same - I'd probably have Hilda still tricked into freeing Trundle (he promises her he'll lead the trolls to peace or something similar) - but I'd only keep the David & Frida stuff beyond that. I'd rework Trylla entirely, into Hilda venturing into the Stone Forest to find that troll mum who helped her before in order to learn the truth and stop Trundle. And I'm sure the result would be amazing, but it would be pretty much unrecogniseable compared to the movie we actually got.

And that's why, honestly, as much as The Mountain King has more stuff I like in it, I'd say it's worse. Because to fix The Fifty-Year Night, I only need to tweak some things; to fix Mountain King, I need a sledgehammer.

[randomwords247]

It's about time I address the elephant in the room: WHAT HAPPENED TO HILDA AND THE LOST FUTURE?

So, for anyone who doesn't know, in I believe early 2021 I started a comic called Hilda and the Lost Future, based off the episode the 50 year night. I haven't updated this comic in a while and I know I've had some people ask me when it'll come back

A tl;dr for anyone who wants the short answer:

It will be a while. It's not my current priority or main interest, but I absolutely want to get back to it at some point: When I do, it'll be from slowly working on multiple pages in the background which will eventually be posted every week when I have a big backlog.

For anyone wanting any more information tho, theres a number of reason's its been a while

A big one is burnout. I got really heavily burnt out I believe late 2021 and I haven't done nearly as much drawing as I would've liked since then

One of the factors for why I had so much burn out was university - For those of you who don't know, I'm currently a University student, specifically I just finished my second year meaning I have the Big Boy Dissertation coming up for my final year. I also had a job until late last year which I'd work during my uni breaks so I had like no real break.

Uni has taken generally just a lot of my time and energy away from me and it's because of uni that I haven't been drawing much. I'm still tryna get back into drawing way more regularly and it's a little disheartening that in some regards I'm a tad rusty, but I still enjoy drawing way too much to quit

Another issue that doesn't help is, as I'm sure a lot of you have noticed, I've been bitten by the minecraft bug quite bad. Or more that it's come back from the grave because I swear my minecraft obsession never truly left. And like as a result of that I've even been making my own videos! It's been really fun and I'm having a blast. I honestly have been finding making videos really fun and a nice escape from uni, plus a good excuse to draw (thumbnails). Outside of the game itself I've been very into a lot of mcyt fandoms, currently I am loving watching hermitcraft and I have loved bansmp (a series by my friend bantaro) and its been a blast being able to be a part of that series which I've loved watching.

I still like Hilda a lot, don't get me wrong. I'm just way more focused on other interests at the moment and with so little time it kinda leaves you prioritising, and I definitely lost steam with my strict schedule I put upon myself.

So, where does that leave us?

I know initally when I started the comic I had a lot of people offer to help out, help make it and things. I still am sure that I do not want this, as much as I appreciate peoples' offers.

One of the main focuses of the comic, outside of telling a story I have planned out, is to improve my drawing skills and make a comic from start to end by myself. I also know I'd be too particular with the way things would be done to want to pass it to someone else, and I don't want to like hand it off. It's something I want to do for myself, and again it's a way for me to improve my drawing skills. I mean heck, from the pages I've done so far I already vastly improved my ability to do backgrounds and perspective.

My plan is to work on pages in the background, not give any real estimation of when I'm working on them or not or when to expect them. Just a slow work on them every so often as I focus more on other things. That way, when I eventually get say (as an example), 10 pages finished, I'll do an announcement and I'll post the finished pages spacing them out a week at a time, to give myself a buffer. If this like makes me passionate enough to bump out one a week like I originally did, I'll do that, but if not then I'll repeat the process of slowly working on a bunch and posting them all after a lot are finished

So yeah! For anyone who read this far instead of just reading the tl;dr, I appreciate it! I know its a long and probably overdue talk on things, but I thought it'd be worth talking about because I've been thinking about the comic a lot lately and how I wanna get back to it. I just also know that like, I don't wanna burn myself out with it again so it'll be more of a slow project to chip away at.

Again currently my main focus has been youtube (link in pinned post), and if you're enjoying that then I'm glad to hear! I have another video that I'm hoping to get done before next week, though I've come down with a cold so it might be a little iffy on that front. Otherwise, hope you all have a nice day! :)

[wildflowers-of-trolberg]

The morning after the Kraken incident, Johanna comes home to find her daughter hiding away in her room, and a trail of brown dye on the carpet.

This was a pretty fun one - it's my usual hurt/comfort fare where Hilda lets her hurt out over the Kraken Incident sooner and ends up making a bit of a rash decision :((

She'll be okay though she gets comforted :))

[cyanide-sodapop]

I did not expect this show to have the emotional impact that it had on me

[the-hilda-librarians-wife]

The experience of being a Hilda fan waiting for a new season is like. “I trust the Hilda writers. I trust the Hilda writers. I trust the Hilda writers. I trust the Hilda writers. I trust the Hilda writers. I trust the Hilda writers. OH GOD THIS UNIVERSE MEANS SO MUCH TO ME AND IM SO ATTACHED TO THESE CHARACTERS AND THEIR DYNAMICS, A BRUTAL SHIFT IN WHAT THE SHOW IS ABOUT AND THE MESSAGES IT CARRIES WOULD HAVE TOO MUCH OF A MEANINGFUL IMPACT ON ME AND I’D LOSE A POWERFUL SORCE OF COMFORT. I trust the Hilda writers.” Rinse. Repeat.

I’m actually very afraid for Hilda season 3 to come out. Like what if it just straight up sucks

[seat-safety-switch]

Once in awhile, you can get one over on The Man. Finally, after all these years of toiling under his rule, doing his dirty work, begging for his praise, he has well and truly fucked up. And, it turns out, your entire life has been building up to the moment that you can milk him for all he's worth.

Have you ever seen a Dodge Caliber? They're getting sort of uncommon now, but when they were new, they were pretty hateful cars. Cheap, buzzy, surprisingly uneconomical, steering that felt like telling a funeral home operator how to sign a birthday card over the phone by long distance. And they fell apart all the time. Most cars get repaired, but these things got gleefully shovelled into the junkyard at the first chance the owners got.

Not all of them, though. This is a story about one very special Dodge Caliber. You see, my aunt needed a car. And my aunt is very nervous about owning a car. The skills of shitbox repair never made it into her genes, you see, possibly because she is not related to me by blood. So, in order to get that car, she went to the Dodge dealership, and she asked them: can you do a lifetime warranty, unlimited mileage, no questions asked, cover everything? And they said: for you, ma'am, we absolutely can charge you an obscene, eye-watering amount of money.

Once I found out about this, I was mad. And then I figured it out. You see, what my aunt did have was being insanely cheap. That's why she was a part of my degenerate family. She still is, even though my Uncle Larry exploded that one night at Arecibo. Unlimited mileage. There has never been a sweeter phrase uttered in the English language.

Now, whenever anyone we know needs to go for a long trip, we tell them: take the Caliber. Rack those miles up. Punish those stupid motherfuckers for writing such a terrible, open-ended contract. My aunt runs a taxi service consisting entirely of this vehicle, a fleet of drivers constantly rotating in and out, the thing rolling virtually 24/7. I love driving this car, because every single mile that ticks up on the odometer is more salty tears from the low-wattage pig who thought he was a big-time wheeler and dealer down at Old Time Country Dodge.

To their credit, they figured out the enormous error that they had made fairly quickly. When Aunt Hilda rolled in the thing, smoking and wheezing, for its sixth transmission replacement at eight-hundred-and-fifty-thousand kilometers, they offered to buy it from her and give her a brand new luxury SUV, just for being such a great customer. She laughed, and told them to get started overhauling the Caliber, and don't forget to take a look at the squeaking sound it started making in the back.

When things got real bad during the recession, they tried to go bankrupt, thinking that might get them out from having to maintain this economy car until the sun burns out. Ha! Death won't save you, my friend. My attorney Max picked that one up pro bono, despite hating warranty law, just for the pleasure of watching their attorney read the purchase contract. Her eyes got so big that they stuck that way. The paramedics had to use the jaws of life on her eyelids so she could blink again.

If you see me in the Caliber, make sure to honk. I probably won't stop to say hi, because we gotta keep this odometer rollin'. Rest assured, however, that I will honk back, maybe ten or fifteen times. Really get my money's worth out of that horn.

[helgafolk618]

🪴Hilda and the Grass Sword AU🗡

[Hildelion approaches Twig, petting him]

Hidelion: This impostor keeps saying she's me. Why don't you set things straight and tell her who the real Hilda is?

[Twig quickly runs up to Hilda and hides behind her, looking at Hildelion waringly]

Hildelion: What?

Hilda: Yeah, I don't know who you are...

*🪴🪴🪴*

More info about this AU:

PART 1: THE GRASS SWORD

As Hilda, Frida, and Kaisa ventured into the labyrinthine first chamber of Matilda Pilqvist's maze, they encountered an unexpected adversary. A plant creature loomed before them, prompting Hilda to grasp a sword she discovered in the vicinity. In this AU, the weapon in question is none other than the Grass Sword. With a swift motion, Hilda cleaved through the lock that barred their way, all without the help of Frida. "That's a really freakish sword," Kaisa said, eyeing the blade with a mix of awe and apprehension.

The Grass Sword was abandoned in the room as the trio pressed on, the episode unfolding as normal.

In the aftermath of their adventure, Hilda lauded Tildy for her exceptional magical prowess, particularly in the creation of the Grass Sword. Tildy, however, confessed to no recollection of such a feat, but she attributed the lapse to her old age. Hilda, ever respectful, returned the sword to Tildy, who intended to restore it to its rightful place within her maze.

That night, Hilda's sleep was deep and undisturbed. Yet, next morning revealed a curious anomaly: blades of grass encircled her wrist. It seemed the Grass Sword had claimed her as its new master. The thought of her Mum's potential reaction sent a shiver down her spine—Johanna would surely ground her indefinitely. Thus, Hilda resolved to conceal the sword, which is easy for her since she usually wears long sleeves anyways. She signed a confidentiality form with Alfur, permitting him to document the sword's existence, albeit discreetly.

When the Kraken incident led to Hilda getting grounded, she breathed a sigh of relief; atleast Johanna had not noticed her Grass Sword. Unbeknownst to Hilda, it would be a long time before the sword would grace her presence again.

S2E8, "The Fifty-Year Night," found Hilda meddling with the fabric of time. Her goal was simple: to cement the love between Ostenfeld and Tildy in that one fateful night. Alas, Time Worms hate deviations from set-in-stone time. As one such creature wreaked havoc in the nightclub, devouring alternate realities of Ostenfeld, it also targeted the past incarnation of Hilda. Defying the warnings of her future self, Hilda unsheathed the Grass Sword and lunged at the Time Worm. The ensuing struggle saw the sword expand, enveloping her arm in a desperate bid to subdue the beast (like Finn not letting his father escape in "Escape From The Citadel").

The attempt failed. The Grass Sword loosened its grip, severing from Hilda's arm (her arm itself is fine though). The future Hilda met her end within the maw of the Time Worm, which then consumed the remains of the Grass Sword and then turned its appetite towards the present Hilda. In a leap of faith, she plunged into a time portal, narrowly escaping the same fate.

The episode, and subsequently Season 2 and the movie, progressses and finishes as normal, yet what was happening to the Time Worm was far from that at all.

The Ostenfeld and Hilda alternates, trapped within the Time Worm, oscillated between being and non-being, ultimately glitching out to oblivion. The Grass Sword, once a formidable mass, reverted to its original form and impaled the past Hilda. It thought that it had found its way back to their master, but they were confronted with a duplicate of itself. The Grass Demon within the sword emerged, intent on eradicating the doppelgänger. It enveloped past Hilda in a cocoon, initiating a metamorphosis.

Some time after "The Fifty Year Night," the Time Worm, disoriented by the Grass Demon's transformation, flitted erratically across epochs. It traveled to a future that was the timeskip/epilogue of the movie, and close to the onset of Season 3.

Out in the wilderness, the Time Worm fainted on a clearing in the Great Forest. Within the creature, a mysterious force cleaved its way to freedom, leading to the creature's demise. From its remains emerged a figure of grass, gradually assuming a more familiar form—a form that has a beret, a scarf, and an insatiable thirst for adventure.

Thus, Hildelion came into being.

*🪴🪴🪴*

Thanks for reading! I don't have a fanfic in mind at the moment; this AU was just for fun. I'll make a part two soon focusing on Hildelion herself. 💙

>:D

[chill4234]

Ok rewatching hilda season 2 so I’m not lost when I watch season 3, and I noticed something interesting.

In season 1, the end credits theme was adventurous and upbeat, but it was always the same regardless of episode.

In season 2, they changed it, with a new theme every episode, David’s light rock song in The eternal warriors, a song about how Hilda keeps messing up in The beast of cauldron island.

But there’s one episode where, instead of a new song, it’s back to the old one. The fifty year night.

The episode about a man time traveling to an event 50 years in the past, so desperate to return, so scared of changing how it went, and learning it’s better to leave things as they are.

[jetcat-14]

Hilda Appreciation Week Day 2

Favorite Hilda Episodes

@hilda-appreciation-week

Top 5 Favorite Episodes

The Fairy Isle

Being the last Episode of the series and the one i broke down in tears it is my favorite episode of the whole show. Just getting to see Johanna's back story was everything to me. And i still can't shut up about.

2. The Mountain King

Being an Episode to show the love between Johanna and Hilda (Which i always have loved about the show) plus it being the one episode I got to watch with my mom and I got to explain the show to her and I really enjoyed doing that with her.

3. The Forgotten Lake

Once again being an Episode that shows Johanna and Hilda's mother doughtier relationship. And seeing Johanna willing to do anything to save Hilda and willing to do anything to do it and on top of it willing to die with her doughtier not wanting to let go of Hilda when the Frog Spider had a hold of her made me love the episode so much.

4. The Deerfox

Being of the few episodes that made me cry the first watch and seeing Hilda and Twigs readership and him willing to give up his family for her plus also Young Johanna makes the Episode everything too me .

5.The Fifty Year Night

First getting to see Tildi more and seeing kind of her past made me love this episode but the idea of time travel in Hilda made my mind work on a million different idea's i just have never brought to words or made anything out of it . (I mean we kind of get my wish of Young Johanna and Hilda interacting)

(I FISHED THIS ONCE BUT MY DAFT JUST LEFT I try and explain the best I can I kind of just suck at it sometimes lol )

[7official7moose7]

Johanna headcanons!! Because I love her!!!

She likes hard rock/metal. Take one look at her and tell me you don't see it I dare you

Her parents were quite strict; they cared wayyy too much

Or, they didn't care enough and she was left to her own devices most of the time, I can see it going both ways

Either way she got into a lot of trouble as a kid

She wasn't a mean girl or anything, just extremely blunt and curious like Hilda

In fact, Johanna acted a lot like Hilda when she was younger, just more cautious and unsure of herself

She never really had any school/neighborhood friends, which is why she pressured Hilda to make "real" friends at first

As she grew older (around 13-16) and had more family problems, she sort of retreated into herself and became closed off

This is when her passion for art really started blooming

Eventually, sometime right after Hilda was born, she moved them into her granddad's cabin to get away from her parents and the city

(She was very close to her granddad, maybe spent the weekends up at the cabin with him and they'd go exploring outside)

Johanna is terrified of becoming her parents, and any time she does something that reminds her of what her parents would do, she gets extremely guilty and just sort of breaks down (e.g. s2 e8: "the fifty year night")

Her favorite flowers are daffodils, sunflowers, and dandelions (and if you say "they're just weeds" she'll get defensive)

She's a dog person!!!!

She probably had an old family dog that either died or she just hadn't seen since moving out

She thinks of Tontu, Alfur, Twig and Baba like her own kids (David and Frida too sometimes)

And often wonders why she keeps accidentally adopting other kids/creatures

She knits in her spare time!!!! It's not really a hc because she says so in s1 e4 but I like to think she does it primarily around christmas time :)

Johanna has social anxiety (e.g. s1 e5 "the troll rock" and s2 e13 "the stone forest", in which she feels awkward talking to other parents and Hilda says that she never gets out and has no one else to talk to; to which Johanna gets really upset)

She is bisexual (and possibly ace, but that's just the vibe I get from her)

The events of "the mountain king" gave her nightmares for weeks; she'd either not be able to sleep or wake up screaming/ having an anxiety attack

Speaking of, she's had them often for years, but won't really go through with therapy because she feels it doesn't work for her

She's an ugly mug collector. If there's an ugly mug anywhere in any store, it's going in the cupboard and there's no stopping her

Sparrow scouts was her "escape" as a kid; she felt like she belonged with them, even if all the other kids thought she was weird

She wore big chunky braces and glasses for half of her high school years and was made fun of relentlessly (but now she wears contacts)

Johanna has a tendency to cry when she's angry, even if what she's angry about isn't necessarily sad

She's easily flustered, especially around people she isn't familiar with

And lastly, she loves cheesy romance novels and totally has a sketchbook dedicated to fan art 👌🏽

[formallyuninformed]

thinking about how after the fifty year night we're not actually following the original Hilda anymore, the original hilda was the one that got eaten by the time worm

[whitepolaris]

Ghosts from All Over the State

Boscobel

Ghosts aplenty are said to haunt the old Boscobel Hotel. Celebrity shades John F. Kennedy and his wife, Jackie, may haunt room 19, which the former first lady used as a place to "freshen up" during a campaign stop in March 1960. Or maybe the ghosts of John Nicholson and Samuel Hill haunt the room. These two traveling salesmen met here in September 1898. They later formed the Gideon Society, dedicated to placing Bibles in hotel rooms around the world. Or maybe the spirit is Adam Bobel, who built the hotel in 1865. Columnist Ralph Goldsmith once penned this ode to Bobel, the only bit of Wisconsin doggerel we know of dedication to a ghost: "The ghost of Adam Bobel came a knockin' at the door. 'Come in, come' I says to him. 'But don't track up the floor. It's newly washed this afternoon.' And then I shook with fright, for Adam stood before me, with the door still fastened tight."

Campbellsport

The Amber Hotel, a popular supper club and bar at 139 West Main, is home to the ghost of Ed "Mush" Bauer, a former owner. A true larger-than-life legend, Bauer once tipped the scales at a not-so-spectral eight hundred pounds and was renowned as one of the world's physically largest hotel-and-tavern owners. At the age of his death in January 1957 at the age of fifty, Bauer had slimmed down considerably, to a mere four hundred pounds. Much loved the Amber and can still be heard clumping around the building. "There are so many rooms upstairs, we heard different noises," says Lois Zingsheim, who her husband, Dale, currently owns the hotel. "We say it's him walking around up there. He gets lonely when we are gone."

Edgerton

The Fuchs family met Pete Oppengaard face-to-face only once, in unusual circumstances on a chilly November morning in 1987. Shirley Fuchs woke from a restless sleep to find Pete standing at the foot of her bed. He was dressed in something blue that extended over his head. Pete had died twenty-four years earlier, in 1963, so perhaps it was a shroud. Shirley had known Pete as a child-she had often visited his home to share sugar doughnuts with the old guy. Now, as an adult, she was living in his former home, and despite Pete's face being covered by the blue shroud, she knew right off who it was. Shirley's son, Alex, saw him too. This was the sole occasion any of the Fuchs family saw Pete in person, though he continued to reside in the house for several more years. The night he chose to reveal himself was the very night his widow, Hilda, died in a Stoughton nursing home. Pete was a playful soul, and when he did manifest himself, it was always in a lighthearted manner-taking small objects, turning lights on and off, moving furniture, and leaving dirty wineglasses on the table, presumably his.

Elm Grove

The two-story farmhouse at 1920 Highland Drive has at least three long-term resident ghosts. They're spooky but friendly. An older female ghost with her hair pulled back sometimes walks down a hallway. She wears a striped floor-length dress gathered at the waist. Sometimes a little girl is seen peering into cupboards and a ghostly dog is heard paddling, his toenails clicking across the uncarpeted floor. Demo, the son of the man who owns the house, had the most unnerving encounter of all. "I thought I heard my dad in the other room snoring," Demo said. "It bothered me, and I had to shut the door. I went in the other room and looked on the couch, where I thought he was lying, and he wasn't there. Needless to say, the hair went up on my head. I flew out the back door as fast as I could. It was a good excuse not to do my homework."

Green Bay

For many Green Bay Packers fans, Vince Lombardi was like God-he could do it all. And like God, Vince is all around us even though he can't be seen. Marie Lombardi, Vince's window, used to "visit with" her dead husband at his exhibit in the Packer Hall of Fame. According to Lombardi's biographer David Maraniss, "She certainly talked to him or believed she talked to him after he died. I got recordings of a speech she was going to give at the Pro Football Hall of Fame. She was practicing it, and she stopped and startled, and you could hear the address Vince like he was there."

Mark Kanz of the Packer Hall of Fame agrees. "Once in a while, it looks like something is a little out of place or awry, and it seems like the ghost is a good place to lay the blame." Then there's the local businessman who gave up a fifty-yard seat for the 1996 NFC Championship-the first played in three decades-"so Vince's ghost would have a good seat."

John Gehring, a Green Bay psychiatrist, a purchased Lombardi's home in 1969, when the coach went to the Washington Redskins. Lombardi used to watch films of games in his basement and had his home office there. Gehring says, "Sometimes you get a feeling that Vince is here. When there's a bad game or a bad play, you can hear someone walking around here."

Fans around the country were startled to see a familiar-looking figure staring back at the TV camera, wearing the trademark hat and brown coat and standing atop a pile of snow as he watched the victory parade in 1997, following the Packers' trouncing of the New England Patriots 35-21 in Super Bowl XXXI. Turns out it was a man had attended the same church Lombardi had once attended. However, many fans weren't convinced. They believe it was Vince himself.

Still not convinced? Keep an eye on the sports pages or your ears open to football commentary for the number of times Vince Lombardi's ghost is invoked. You'll be surprised. If Wisconsin has a most famous ghost, known the world over, it's that of Vince Lombardi. Asked about replacing a legend, former head Packer coach Lindy Infante said, "There is a ghost of Lombardi here, but it's a friendly ghost."

Hartland

Ghost Harvey's claim to fame is that he contributed to a soundtrack recorded at Hartland's Millevolte Recording Studio in 2000. Owner Vinny Millevolte dubbed the ghost Harvey, naming him after invisible rabbit from the famous play and movie. Millevolte said that during a recording session, a heartbeat-like sound showed up on one of the tracks, though no one present played that beat. Harvey wasn't the only ghost alone in haunting the building, which backs up against the hill below the cemetery. "Late at night, you can sometimes hear doors creaking, someone coming up the stairs, or something in the kitchen," says Millevolte. "I always have to look."

Madison

In 1989, four university women sharing a house on North Brearley Street experienced lights flashing on and off, appliances coming to life for no reason, and loud music blaring from the switched-off stereo. Joy, who was home alone with the doors locked, was napping one afternoon until blaring music jolted her awake. Every light was on in the living room, and the dining-room chandelier was lit. All the kitchen cupboards were open, the front door was unlocked, and the screen door was ajar, as if the ghost had made a hurried exist. Sarah couldn't breathe, couldn't move, couldn't scream. Sometimes the old hag stared down at her from a perch in the chandelier. Amy couldn't stand the feeling of being stared at by unseen presence while the claw-foot tub and refused to bathe there. The fourth roommate had nightmares about what was behind the door leading to the attic. Later the women learned that their landlord's mother, who had lived in the house for eighty years, had died in it.

Milwaukee

Hands down, Aunt Pussy has the best name of any ghost we know. Though long gone, she still holds a tight grip on the Brumder Mansion at 3046 West Wisconsin Avenue, as she haunts the Gold Suite. The Victorian mansion is now a bed-and-breakfast, and the Gold Suite was formerly Aunt Pussy's room. An austere, fussy German immigrant when she was alive, Aunt Pussy remains so in death, frequently expressing disapproval for owner Carol Hirschi's ornate decorating. Aunt Pussy is known to rearrange window shades according to her half-shuttered, half-open preference, and she frequently fusses with table settings. Most of all, she doesn't like dogs, especially when they're on the bed. A creepy feeling awoke Carol one night, and she got the distinct impression that Aunt Pussy was really ticked off that one of Carol's dogs was sleeping with her on the bed.

The list of Aunt Pussy's alleged ghostly activities continues. A visiting Native American medicine man complained of many chatty spirits in the Gold Suite, and one psychic went "completely off her nut" after spending a night there. At one point, the suite's mirror moved across the room, landing in the bathtub without breaking. Then Carol found fresh droplets of blood in the bathroom, though she was the only person home. And for years, the doorbell refused to work for guests, and the programmable tune would always change from the one Carol had chosen. Eventually Carol let Aunt Pussy pick the tun3e, and so long as "Take Me Out to the Ball Game" or "Happy Birthday" is selected, she's as happy as any austere German woman can be.

Pipe

Club Harbor, built in 1846 as a stagecoach hotel and later used as a bed-and-breakfast, began showing its ghostly side after Chris Bray purchased the building in 1999 and began renovations. At first, Bray noticed little things such as lights being turned on after hours. "Somebody wanted to party," he says. "Some people have stayed here don't really recall what the checkout time is." A rotund Asian man with a Fu Manchu mustache who had once worked at Club Harbor as a cook manifested before Bray's eyes in a medicine-cabinet mirror. Then there's the mischievous young dark-haired girl with pigtails who runs through the hallways slamming doors. Remember, if you go looking for ghosts, consider taking some time for the ghosts to get used to you. "It's like deer hunting," cautions Bray. "You have to sit still and be like that for a long time before you hear something."

Rochester

The first tavern in western Racine County was the Union House, now Chances restaurant in Rochester, built in 1843. Co-owner Deb Schuerman says, "We've had the cash register do crazy things when it's not even plugged in. And one time, I saw on the second floor taking inventory when I heard this beautiful music that sounded like piano music. We don't even have a piano! It was almost like a harpsichord." There's also a young Civil War soldier and a woman in a green dress who are often seen in the building."

Sawyer County

Professional fishing guide and longtime firefighter Al Denninger says, "I intended to keep quiet about it. I didn't want to sound like people who have lunch with Elvis or just talked to God." But people all up and down the Chippewa Flowage were talking about the polaroid photo Denninger had snapped while fishing the "Big Chip" in October 1991. The picture shows an amorphous animallike shape shrouded in white and suspended in front of the tree line. According to Denninger, his client was the first to spot the apparition. "All of a sudden he looked at me, his mouth wide open and his face white as a ghost, and said, 'Al, wha-wha-what's that?' I looked up and saw it coming down through the trees on the island just across the channel."

The two fishermen said the white-robed ghost remained in position for about a minute and a half drifting to the left and away through the trees. "All this time, it never changed shape. And it had been raining for five straight days, so smoke was not a possibility. Besides, I know what smoke looks like." Denninger sent the photo to Polaroid for analysis. "When they gave it back, they said. 'Whatever that thing is, it's not a doctored negative or trick.' Anyway, you can't tamper with Polaroids-there is no negative." Denninger later discovered that for years, locals had been referring to the area of his photo as Ghost Island, based on a number of other strange encounters there.

West Bend

The RESTAT Building at 724 Elm Street was built in 1897 and today houses the RESTAT prescription benefit management company. It previously housed the West Bend High School, and in later incarnations was home to the elementary school, the library, and even the city's recreation center. In an all-too-frequent scenario that's become a ghostly cliché, this building is haunted by a janitor. This janitor committed suicide in the school's basement, and from all accounts, he wasn't-and-isn't-all that nice. According to Jackie Maynard, a former instructor at the recreation center, "The ghost tended to mess with females; not too many men ran into him. It was definitely a male spirit. He was never menacing, but there was a distinctive presence, cold spots where you could feel the hair on your arms stand up. In the morning, things would be moved on people's desks."

[qnewsau]

The 50-year reunion to celebrate this iconic 70s gay venue

New Post has been published on https://qnews.com.au/the-50-year-reunion-to-celebrate-this-iconic-70s-gay-venue/

The 50-year reunion to celebrate this iconic 70s gay venue

In late October former patrons and staff of the 70s gay venue Old Rowes reunited to mark the 50th anniversary of its opening. Organiser Ross Cali shares more on the venue and the event. 

Fifty years ago, in the heart of Brisbane, a resilient phoenix rose from the devastation of the 1974 floods.

This phoenix was none other than Old Rowes Restaurant, a remarkable establishment brought to life by three visionary friends: Don, Patti and Neil. 

What they created was more than just a restaurant; it was a sanctuary, a place of joy, laughter, and community. 

About Old Rowes

During the day, Old Rowes served as a bustling restaurant, delighting patrons with its inviting ambience and delicious offerings.

But it was at night, on three magical evenings each week, that the true spirit of Old Rowes came alive.

It became a vibrant gay venue, a first-class establishment that welcome all with open arms. 

In an era when it wasn’t always safe to be yourself, Neil, Patti and Don gave the gay community a safe haven, a place where everyone could be free, dance without fear and celebrate life without judgement. 

Old Rowes was more than just a venue; it was a home where friendships were forged and memories made. 

The laughter, the joy and the love that filled its walls have stood the test of time, providing that the bonds created there were as strong as the foundations upon which the restaurant was built. 

The reunion

For those who remember the thrill of doing the Bus Stop on the dance floor, the delight of ordering from the menu, the elegance of walking down (or stumbling up) the marble staircase, or the taste of a bottle of Bedoga or a refreshing Pimms – the reunion was to relive those golden days.  

Around 60 people came from all over Australia to celebrate at Hairy Mary’s on the Gold Coast.

It was a wonderful afternoon and it was magical to see all those people come together after many many years. It only seemed like last night we got off the dance floor and now here we were 50 years on.

Remembering Neil

It was also a time for us to remember Neil who passed in October before the reunion. 

We all have so many wonderful memories of this amazing man, the quiet achiever. What he has done for the community will never be surpassed. From Broom Hildas to Dirty Dick to Old Rowes to Silver Dollar to Terminus to Sporites and all in between. 

We raised our glasses to Neil and had plenty of rum and cokes to go around as it was his favourite.

So here’s to Old Rowes, the memories we cherish, and the friendships that have endured. May its legacy continue to inspire us.

Read next:

Vale: The Sportsman Hotel legend Neil McLucas dies

Neil McLucas: the icon behind early Brisbane gay bars

1970s Brisbane and the Queens of the Valley

For the latest LGBTIQA+ Sister Girl and Brother Boy news, entertainment, community stories in Australia, visit qnews.com.au. Check out our latest magazines or find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.

[wildflowers-of-trolberg]

003: Hilda

003 | Give me a character & I will tell you:

How I feel about this character: She's my favourite character of all time. I don't think I can understate that; I love Hilda with all of my heart, and I haven't been this attached to a character since I was about 14 XD

Any/all the people I ship romantically with this character: Frida primarily, but I also like poly Hilda/Frida/David and I have a couple of crossover ships for her :))

My favorite non-romantic relationship for this character: Johanna - when their relationship is firing on all cylinders (see The Bird Parade, The Troll Rock, The Black Hound, The Deerfox, or The Yule Lads) they have one of if not the best parent-child dynamics in all of media. Johanna isn't perfect, but that's part of what makes her such a good mum; she accepts when she isn't and makes up for it; and Hilda's not perfect either but she still loves and supports her. I can really only think of one other series that handles a parent-child bond as well as Hilda does, so it's something really special to me. Also Alfur and Tontu my beloved :))

My unpopular opinion about this character: I have like 3 of these but I think probably the biggest relevant one atm is that her dad has zero place in the show, at all. Some things are just better left unsaid; Johanna is a single mum who does the best she can for her daughter, and as a parent, she's the only one Hilda needs; any answer they could give about her dad (and I know exactly what answer they are giving about her dad) undermines the whole dynamic between them unless the concretely say that he's not in her life and doesn't matter, which they won't. There's nothing they could say about her dad (within the tone & target demographic of the show) that would be better than the implications of him not being mentioned. Hilda doesn't need a father, she has plenty of blood and found family to take care of her, and who she is shouldn't be dependent on some hitherto-unseen extra character. I think Season 3 has decided to introduce him because of all the questions about him, and I think it's a mistake that this show will struggle to recover from in terms of quality and meaning.

One thing I wish would happen / had happened with this character in canon: I've written it more times than I can count and I have two more ideas at least, but Johanna acknowledging she was too harsh on Hilda and that their arguments in Cauldron Island/Fifty Year Night/Stone Forest were her fault. We're past it now, and it seems Johanna has gone back to the character I love, so hopefully this won't be needed, but I still wish it had happened.

Favorite friendship for this character: Frida and David - actually I think David specifically he is such an incredible friend and he really deserves the world. Also Twig :))

My crossover ship: Erin from The Secret of Black Rock, Aster from Aster & The Accidental Magic, and I could see her having a one-sided crush on Greta from Greta and the Giants. Non-romantically, I have given her sibling dynamics in various AUs with both Simon Laurent and Hazel from Infinity Train and I am deeply attached to both of them.