I’ve often rationalized, it’s probably for the best that I haven’t won a new home or a free cruise, because as wonderful as it would be gifted something huge and unexpected, I’m not inclined to jumping up and down or to public displays of crying. Neither is Angela Reeves of Minnetonka, but she tells me she surprised herself by “shedding a few tears” when she found out she was in the audience of the final  “Oprah’s Ultimate Favorite Things” show (well, the first of two final shows, anyway.) Reeves and her husband Fred weren’t the only Minnesotans there – Faith’s Lodge founder Susan Lacek was in the lucky audience as well – my pal Jason DeRusha had the scoop: click here.

Angela called in to Shop Girls on Saturday to tell us about her surreal experience on the show. (Listen here). After writing Oprah about her husband, Fred Reeves, founder of Street Therapy Interactive to help troubled teens, the two were invited to the show – with just a week’s notice. “I just wanted to see Oprah. It’s her last year,” Angela said. Okay, there was this little idea in the back of her head – given the time of year, and the bits of confetti she saw fall on a chair on stage before the show, but then a producer said the show wouldn’t air until next summer, and anyway, who would dare think it..until…it happened! “People were hugging and high fiving and a couple of people did fall on the floor,” Angela said. My husband didn’t understand the concept of what we were going to receive.” And receive they have – the 53-inch flat screen TV arrived over the weekend. Some smaller items, like books and cookware, guests lined up for and took with them after the show. For bigger ticket items, or ones that required sizing, coupons were given out that could be redeemed online. Oh, and Oprah did pay the taxes on everyone’s gifts. “She was so funny, so down to earth,” Angela said. “It was amazing.”