Thanks for stopping by for our weekly Quirky Question—where the question’s just for fun, your answer’s always welcome, and you could win an eBook for free!
(Left: “Family Tree Pillow” from Marie Osmond’s Heartfelt Giving)
Get ready for family, friends, food, and fun—Thanksgiving is only 15 days away! When tight-knit groups get together, familiar stories often emerge (whether we want them to or not). Which brings us to this week’s question:
What’s one story about you that your family and friends tell again and again?
Post your answer in the comments before noon (PST) on Monday, November 12, for your chance to win. The winning comment will be posted on Wednesday, November 14, along with the next question.
Last week’s question was, “What tricks have you dreamed up—during the holidays or any time of year—to carve out a few extra minutes to sew?” Here’s last week’s winning response:
“I will play ‘earn your sewing time.’ Each household task or Christmas event earns me sewing time. And of course, more sewing time is rewarded than the time it took to do the task or event.”
Last week’s winning comment was written by Cheryl. Congratulations, Cheryl! Look for an email about how to get your free eBook.
They just say that thank God I got married…LOL!
—Jean on November 7, 2012This was 6 yrs ago right before Thanksgiving (where we live we don’t have winters; anyway myself, husband and kids were out at a lake and on one side there was this tree that hung over the water with a rope tied to it. Well the kids dared Mom (me) to go first. I grew up doing things like this so what was the big deal. Anyway, my husband pulled the rope back so I could stick my foot thru the loop and wrap the rest of my body around the rope, ready to swing over the water. He pushed me out pretty far, I came back and for some reason he pushed me just a tad harder so I went even further out over the water..no biggie…didn’t scare…until I turned around in just enough time to scream "PAUL…TREE!!!!!" I ended up smacking that tree with my left thigh and hip and hobbled around for 2 weeks but they think thats the funniest thing thats ever happened. My kids will come up behind me and holler "PAUL…TREE!!! LOL And everytime they do I go up behind my husband, Paul, and smack him behind the head. LOL
—Maria Carroll on November 7, 2012I had just had surgery and returned home and I was on pain pills. We were sitting at dinner and I wanted some more ice tea, so I asked "Please pass the ‘pea titcher’. This happened over twenty years ago and still gets repeated.
—Sharon Theriault on November 7, 2012My mom, dad, sister and I always take lots of gifts to my brother’s family on Christmas eve. We usually have a car-full that requires several trips to carry them in. One year, I was carrying in presents when one of the kids gave me a gingerbread cookie. Not thinking, I shoved it in my mouth as I was going out to get the next load. I nearly choked before I could get outside. I coughed. I spit. I rinsed my mouth out with a soda. It was the worst cookie I have ever tasted. But, wanting to be polite and not hurt anyones feelings, I didn’t say a word when I went back in. I just carried on as we usually did. But, on the way home, I saw that my sister had one. I told her not to eat it because it was the worst, that I couldn’t get that taste out of my mouth, and something must have gone wrong with them. They gave me the strangest looks. Then, they burst out laughing. Everyone else had been in the house to hear that they were Christmas ornaments. Not cookies!!! And so, being my ever loving and supportive family, they immediately told my sister-in-law about it. So now, they have to remind me ever year not to eat the ornaments….
—Tina on November 7, 2012My husband’s family can never let a story die, so this is one they tell over and over. One year at Christmas we were opening gifts and several gifts were packed in bubble wrap. After opening the gifts, the recipients (and eventually those sitting near them) sat and popped that bubble wrap endlessly. Eventually, the usually mild mannered me could take it no more, and I tossed a piece of bubble wrap on the floor and jumped up and down on it for a great deal of bubble popping. It shocked and amused them and they will never let me forget it.
—Lisa Marie on November 7, 2012I have had 2 almost kitchen fires one with chicken one with hash browns. No one was hurt but the stories have humorous moments to others. They tell then every time i mention fry foods
—Robin on November 7, 2012The story that is told over and over again is how when I was a toddler I fell out of a two story window and landed in our driveway which was two rows of gravel with grass in the middle. Just as I was slipping out the window my dad entered the room and saw me go. He was so afraid for me that he jumped out the window after me. I was fine but my dad hurt his legs but nothing was broken. My family always teases me about it saying that is my excuse for my goofy personality. I am almost 70 years old and they still tease.
—Susan Paxton on November 7, 2012Right before I got married I tried to get tan so I would not burn in Hawaii. So, I spent a lot of time in the pool area and outside. Between the sun and cholrine my hair turned really white/blonde and so I decided I would dye it darker back to normal for my wedding. I bought the dye kit for DIYers and went home to dye it light brown. It turned Orange from all the chemicals on it and the very next day I was suppose to be on a plane to Hawaii. I quickly looked around for a shop that was open during the evening and they stayed late to fix my hair…rescued But my husband threats to show everyone the pictures of my bright orange hair, and yes we are still married even after he threatens to expose me.
—Drayanna Lambert on November 7, 2012Every year my kids talk about how I always forgot where I put a Christmas present. I thought I had a good hiding spot so they wouldn’t snoop around and find their gifts before the holidays. I would always find one item at least 3 to 4 months after Christmas in a "special" hiding place. Now that they are older with familes of their own I think they understand! They also followed the tradition of hiding. Now I’m older I find I still find some quilt kits and fabric in a "special" hiding place. Some tradition just never go away!! Love my quilting!!
—Bunny Rule on November 7, 2012Bunny Rule
Middletown, DE
My family love telling this story, when I went on holiday with my family in Fiji, there was a great slide into the hotel pool.
—Raewyn on November 7, 2012I used a denture adhesive to make sure my new teeth didn’t fall out.
No they didn’t, but that night they wouldn’t come out and I had to wait for them to come unstuck. The reason I used denture glue; when I first met my husband of 40yrs I had false teeth, (very young I was) and we went to a swiming pool on a date. I dived into the pool and my teeth came out and sunk, he swam to the bottom of the pool and retrieved them, I was so embarrased I was not going to let that happen again. So I used an oversized portion of the adhesive. Not a word was spoken at the time, but I could hear him chuckle a lot telling the story to our children.
Well the one we talk about all year is who won the thanksgiving table cloth. See for oh over 10 years now I make a new Thanksgiving tablecloth every year and there are at least oh anywhere from 10 to 21 people at our table for thanksgiving. We, my husband and I decided to take our thanksgiving to one more level and give a way the tablecloth to one of the family/friend members that we are having at our dinner. The hardest thing is trying to come up with a different way of deciding how to choose the winner each year…..so everyone has a fair shot at it. I hope you and your family have a wonderful holiday..
—Sharon Griffith on November 7, 2012This is one my brother loves to tell at Thanksgiving and Christmas. When I was about 7 or 8, I was really into drawing and painting. My parents were so pleased, as not many of my immediate family members were interested in art, and I had even had a few drawings in area competitions at that time. Now, my Mother had just had new carpeting installed in the living room and hallways. (I can feel peole cringing already)My brother and I came home from school one day just before Christmas, and my brother noticed a shopping bag at the top of the hall closet while hanging up his jacket. I insist this was his idea although his story leads you to believe it was mine. Anyway, I climbed up on his shoulders, and tried to pull the bag down so we could see if it contained gifts for us. I dropped it, and we heard the sound of glass breaking. We stood motionless for a few seconds, and then we picked up the bag, only to find that several glass jars of paints had broken, and had seeped out onto the new carpeting!
—Karen on November 7, 2012My brother, age 64, has been retelling this story all these years, each year embellishing just a bit to make me look more guilty than him!
When I was about 15 I decided to try making chocolate covered ants. I figured I would put the ants in boiling water and then cover them with chocolate. I told my brothers and they all gathered around. I didn’t tell my parents who were in the next room watching tv. I went outside and got a jar of ants and got the water boiling. Ants are fast and when I opened the jar to throw them in the water they all ran out and scattered all over the kitchen. My brothers started laughing hysterically as I tried to round up the ants and my mom came out to see what was going on. She had an hysterical fit and told me to get the ants out of the house. That, of course, was impossible.
—Marlene on November 7, 2012Every year I make all my siblings something for them of their house. I always call their husband to get some helpful details so I can custom make an item. Example – dimensions of kitchen table, length of mantle, colors in family room, etc. and then I design something to fit exactly. For a while the wives couldn’t figure out how I could custom make something being so far away. Now they try to get details out of their husbands the whole month of Dec. to try to figure out what I will be making this year. Hubbies never tell!
—Rosemary Krupski on November 7, 2012My daughter was in a Bible tournament one year. A door was slammed into her right wrist and broke it. During the tournament she was at a point where she interrupted the question and had to finish the question then give the answer to it. She was laughing so hard she almost didn’t make the time limit. The question was "If thy right hand offends thee, what should you do?" With her right hand in the cast she said, "Cut it off." The entire group of pastors, young adults, siblings and parents broke into laughter.
—Vickie - Tucson on November 7, 2012When we first married I insisted on going frog-gigging with my husband and his brother. They would gig a frog, cut off its legs and throw the body back into the lake. I finally asked why they threw the body back into the lake and my husband told me that it would grow new legs. Being from a small town and not having ever went frog-gigging before so I believed him. My parents came to my husband’s farm for a family Thanksgiving and when I told them about going frog-gigging they listened and when I got to the "growing back new legs" I thought the dining room had exploded with all the laughter. They do not grow new legs! So they have a lot of fun reminding me of my gullibility.
—S Gilmore on November 7, 2012When I was three we lived in a upper level duplex. My younger brother who was an year and a half was trying to open the door to go outside. Being the caring sister, I opened the door to let him out. Of coarse he fell down the entire flight of stairs. Family lore has it that I pushed him down the stairs!
—Joyce on November 7, 2012My family and friends keep "helping" me remember the time I was trying to make homemade gravy and ended up with gravy on the window (by the stove) and ceiling!!!
—Tonya Reichard on November 7, 2012My sisters and I are very close,even though we each live in a different state. I am in Kansas City area, my little sister is in the St. Louis area and our older sister is in the Denver area. My little sister drove to my house and at 10:30 PM we loaded up our little boys and headed to Denver to see our older sister. We stopped to go to the bathroom at the Green Lantern Truck stop in Salina KS. We were driving a big van.Our sons, age 6 and 4 were sound asleep. We got out locked the doors and ran in quick. My nephew who was 6 opened the side door after we had went in and he decided he was going to the bathroom. We came out, I unlocked the doors and we climbed in and went on our way. Her son had been slreeping on the back seat way in the back we thought they were fine and still sleeping.We were pulled over by the Highway Patrol just east of Hays Kansas. We had no idea why we were being pulled over,(I wasn’t speeding). He said he was looking for 2 red heads that left a little boy at a truck stop in Salina Ks.We both turned our heads to look back in the Van.Sure enough my son was there and hers was gone!!! We about died. He said the Local police were with him at the truck stop. He radioed and told them we were on our way back. (almost 2 hours away). When we got there we were a mess of emotions.We were told by the Highway Patrolman who was waiting with him these unforgetable words…..He only knew he was going to see his Aunt. Didn’t know which way on I-70 we had been going. He said we were 2 red headed ladies and one forgot to shave her legs.(I had mentioned this on the way that I needed to shave my legs and wouldn’t you know it he picked up on that!!). We talk about this all the time. He is now 32 yrs old and he always brings this up at holidays.Now days it would have been more dangerous! We never did that again. We were very lucky he was ok.
—Janel Borg on November 7, 2012When I was about 6 years old. I went to the corner store to buy some candy. I exited the store on the wrong side and got lost. I don’t remember what happened after that, but my parents and family tell me that I was found sleeping in the couch of an entrance to a "Bordello". The Ladies called the police and was taken to the police station, where my father came to pick me up. In every family gathering, the story is always mentioned by a family member.
—Paula on November 7, 2012I was born and raised mostly in the south, however I don’t like, nor do I eat grits. While visiting a Georgia family of eight friends of mine, I decided to surprise everybody and cook breakfast. I made bisquits from scratch, turned the oven on to heat, started frying bacon and sausage and cracking the eggs to scramble, then I measured out what I thought to be enough grits for 8 people and one for the pot. While the children were setting the table, I popped the biscuits in the oven and started filling the serving dishes. When I was asked, what was in the three large stew pots, I replied grits. I didn’t know, grits swelled and I had cooked nine cups of grits. I was told, they were delicious, just the right texture and buttery flavor, and I was always welcomed to cook breakfast, but somebody else would cook the grits.
Just for the record, the family had second (and third) helpings; the hounds, chickens, and wild birds ate; and the ants carried off the rest. Nothing goes hungry around me.
Keep smiling,
—Lynnita Shipman on November 7, 2012I still get teased about blowing up the green bean casserole (a favorite of my family) the last time I had Thanksgiving at my house. I had just taken the casserole out of the oven and put it on top of the stove (not realizing the electric burner was still on.) A few minutes later, the green bean casserole blew up leaving bits of glass and green beans in the squash casserole and all over the floor. The hot glass burned holes in my new vinyl flooring. Of course, nothing would do, but that I had to put another green bean casserole together before my family would sit down to eat!
—Charlotte Gannaway on November 7, 2012Cornelia from Martingale here (and don’t worry, I’m not eligible to win!). Here’s my story:
—Cornelia on November 7, 2012My best friend and I were at a water slide park with a large group of friends and family. One of the slides was a gigantic one with inner tubes designed to hold two people. People waited for the next available inner tube at a pool at the bottom of the slide. So-for some unknown and insane reason my friend I decided to go on the slide together. Keep in mind, we are both, ahem, on the larger side. After huffing and puffing our way up the hill to the top, we started having second thoughts and asked the teenaged attendant if it was safe. He said "Sure!" After he heaved us over the barrier at the beginning of the slide, we picked up unbelievable speed and started screaming. Our family and friends could hear us far below at the pool as we screamed at the top of our lungs all the way down the slide! When we reached the bottom, instead of daintily dropping out of the end of the slide and into the pool, we SHOT out and skipped over the top of the water, and all the waiting people scattered to get out of our way. We slammed into the wall on the other end of the pool and looked around to see all these incredulous open-mouthed people. My friends daughter yelled "Mommy, I want to go with YOU next time!"
Several years ago our family Thanksgiving was a very small group due to recent moves, etc. It fell on my nephew Jason to play "man of house" and to handle the turkey. He was more then competent to do this as he had worked in the upscale food industry for years. When it was time to take the turkey from the roaster to the platter he prepared to do that while I stood ready with the platter. What we didn’t realize was that the turkey was very done and that I should have been a lot closer and faster with the platter. When Jason lifted the turkey my Mom pulled the roaster away but before I could get the platter under it the majority of the turkey simply fell away and landed on the floor. Jason was left with the lifting forks and his mouth hanging wide open. Mom and I exchanged horrified glances, the turkey had virtually carved itself when it landed and was not whole anymore! My Mom kept a VERY clean kitchen so with only a moment’s hesitation we put the turkey back on the platter, arranged it attractively and served it. We didn’t say anything at the time to the guests and felt a little guilty when they complimented how moist and tasty the turkey was. It wasn’t until our Xmas gathering that we finally revealed the big secret of the turkey and it has been a source of laughter for us ever since!
—Annette Vise on November 7, 2012As a born and raised California girl, I was never in really severe weather and didn’t know much about the terms used for that extra chill in the air in a snowy, windy day.
My husband, a Marine from Utah,and I were driving from California to our duty station in Tennessee when we ran into an awful storm – rain, wind, sleet!
I reached up and put my hand on the car windshield and my puzzled husband asked what I was doing. I told him I was checking the "Windshield Factor"…
He laughed so hard! And still tells this story about his crazy California wife who had never heard of a "Wind chill factor"!
—Leslie O. on November 7, 2012I was the only female in a NAVMTO Cargo Handlers Unit and just prior to muster, I was looking at all the men to the right and left of me. One asked what I was looking at, and my sincere reply was "Do you guys know, all your chests are bigger than mine?" At that precise moment, the flag went up, the Star Spangled Banner was played, and the men were having a hard time restraining themselves from laughing. When the "At Ease" command was given, my arms got hit by the two men next to me and unfortunately for them, our Commanding Officer saw it. When asked why, I, in a very serious voice, claimed to be hit all the time and showed a bruise on my arm. It took me a while to convince my CO, I was only kidding and the bruise was from something else when he was going to put the two men on report. When I told him, what I had said just prior to the "Call to Colors", his reply was, "Shipman, I would’ve hit you too."
Keep smiling,
moment, the flag started going up and the Star Spangled Banner was played. The men were having a hard time surpressing laughter. When the command of "At ease" was given, I got punched on both arms. Unfortunately the two men were seen by our commanding officer and when asked, I jokingly said, "Oh I get hit all the time" and showed the bruises on my arms. Our CO was going to write the two men up and it took me quite a while to convince our CO, I was joking (a trait of mine) and the bruises occurred elsewhere. When our CO learned the turth, he looked me square in the eye and said "Shipman, I would’ve hit you too."
—Lynnita Shipman on November 7, 2012Every Thanksgiving I make the pumpkin pies for dessert (I now make 6-8 pies due to the size of the family now). And every year I get asked if I remembered to put the sugar in the mix –all because one year when I was only 8 years old I forgot to add the sugar. You’d think after 47 years of making the pies I learned my lesson. Will they ever forget this??
—Sue Fender on November 7, 2012We had recently moved into an apartment with a swimming pool right outside our door. I was dressed up to go out; heels and all. As we stepped out the door, my brother in law gave me a shove. It was just enough to throw me off balance and send me stumbling towards the pool. I reached down to catch myself from going into the pool. The guys say I teetered on the edge of the pool–back and forth–so long that they were taking bets on whether I would fall in or not. Eventually, my hind-end merged with gravity and I went in and under all the way. Needless to say, I looked like a drowned rat. Of course each time the story is told, the shove gets less and less and I teeter longer and longer. But I got the last laugh when they had to wait on me to get dressed up again.
—Marie on November 7, 2012There was a time that I bought a pair of tennis shoes off the clearance rack for $10.00 (a great deal when they were orignally $60–this was more than 20 years ago when sneakers were affordable). I made a comment to my family on how comfortable and great fitting they were. My sister wanted to try them on and discovered that one of the shoes was a size 9 and the other a size 10. So now everytime I buy a new pair of tennis shoes and someone in the family notices the "new shoes" they always ask if both shoes are the same size. You know, to this very day, they were still the most comfortable "pair" of shoes I ever owned!
—Sue Fender on November 7, 2012When I was a young girl, MATH seemed as if it was invented soley to punish me. I hated it! I didn’t get it and I thought it was both boring and hard at the same time. Once while doing my homework, out of sheer frustration, I shouted "I can’t wait until I grown up – then I will NEVER have to do math again!" Of course, My Mother and older sister laughed. Also, something I said frequently when young was that I couldn’t wait to grow up and "not have to do anything I did not want to." (This was usually in response to having to do the dishes.) My sister REALLY loves reminding me of this at Thanksgiving when I insist on me, and only me, hand washing my China. To make both of these stories even better!? I grew up to have three children who don’t like to do the dishes ANd I am an accountant. (Guess I finally figured out that Math thing!)
—Lisa on November 7, 2012they love to tell about how I threw a temper tantrum when I was about 5-6 years old. There werent enough little babies in the family’s baby Easter parade, so they included me. I wanted none of it. There is movie film of me being hauled along with my mom on one arm and my aunt on another, with me screaming and all red in the face. They tell it to prove the point that I was spoiled. Of course, none of them had to be in the parade…….
—Madeline on November 7, 2012Once when going through a dinner buffet line at a restaraunt, next to the jello was this big, beautiful bowl of what I thought was banana pudding or some sort of pineapple dessert. I took a nice big spoonful on my plate. Part way through the meal just I was getting ready to put a spoonful in my mouth, my husband said "your not going to eat that are you?" I replied,"Yes!". After placing the bite in my mouth I realized it was whipped butter. This happened over 26 years ago and we still laugh over that story. He tells it every time he can get a chance to.
—Bonnie on November 7, 2012My birthday is October 31. One day I was up set and crying and I called out to my sister you`re the little Queenie and I`m the little Witch. My Mama said that`s right you are my little witch. Needless to say that made me madder than I was.When we got older we set back and laugh about it.My Mama always called me her little witch.
—Paula on November 7, 2012Like Lisa, MATH wasn’t my favorite subject either, and I’d constantly tell my parents and teachers, who needs fractions? All I needed to know, was how to read, write, add, subtract, multiply, and divide. Fractions wasn’t something I needed to know because I’d never use them. THEN, I became a Quilter. Out there, are numerous math teachers rolling over in their graves laughing. I did accounting work too.
Keep smiling,
—Lynnita Shipman on November 7, 2012When all four of my children were still at home (in the 80′s)the oldest was 16 and the youngest 6 we went on a vacation to the Smokey Mountains. It was the first time we had ever been there and this was prior to GPS and google maps. I had a Rand McNally map of the states for directions. In looking at the map i saw that there was a back entrance to Cade’s Cove which was much closer to where we were staying then going to the "front" entrance. If you have never been to North Carolina and on their back roads they are literally one curve after another. After searching for this "back entrance" to Cades Cove for over an hour and all 4 of my kids sick to their stomach and my oldest daughter who gets motion sickness in a car with a migraine and ready to throw up we finally stop and ask about where this is located and we are told that is not a public entrance it is an employee entrance only. My kids always remind me of this nauseating adventure when we reminisce about their childhood. We made it to Cades Cove another day using the front entrance and fell in love with the place.
—Patricia Garcia on November 7, 2012My Mother’s family homesteaded the area I’m from,in Michigan. My Grandmother, Mother and 9 siblings and Me and my two sisters all went to the same 1 room school house. Our community winter block sledding party’s consisted of a five mile square of families. We had 50+ at our Thanksgiving dinners in a rented hall. [Family]. My sister and I are moving back to Michigan next May. Even thought we go home every year to visit, it will great to be there forever.
—Sally Hennessee on November 7, 2012As I was opening Christmas gifts a number of years back, I received salt and pepper shakers that were the small ball canning jars. I loved them but my first question was "I wonder how we will tell which one is salt and which is pepper?". My husband looked at me and said "I think we will be able to "see" that the salt is white and the pepper is black." Haven’t lived this one down and we still laugh about it alot.
—Di on November 7, 2012When my daughter was about 5 years old she was having a discussion with her 6 year old cousin about Parent’s Favourite Sayings. Matthew said his father (my brother) always says "Don’t insult my intelligence, Matthew" to which my daughter Deborah responded "Mum always says ‘I’ll just finish this block’". Thirty years later they still laugh about it … and I am still ‘just finishing a block’!
—Susanne Baker on November 7, 2012It’s a long one but right to the punchline. I had 6 rolls of freezer paper in my hand in line at the grocery store. The man behind me asked what I did with that and I told him that I used it in my sewing, my applique. He reached into his pocket and slapped a badge on the counter saying, "I’m a police detective. I had to ask. You have enough to wrap a body."
—Patricia Hersl on November 7, 2012My son loves to tell the story of the day I was making grilled cheese on toast. I was using the grill in the oven and got distracted, when I smelled smoke I turned to see the food on fire.
—Kayt on November 7, 2012Quickly I snatched the tray out of the oven and blew out the flames, but then the smoke starting rising towards the smoke detector! Well, how better to contain the smoke than putting it back into the oven? Yes, in hind sight, it would have been better if I’d turned the grill off first….
When we were newlyweds 38+ years ago, my parents showed some old family movies of my brother’s and my growing-up years. In one, I am wearing orange pedal pushers and red knee socks (or maybe it was the other way around–I don’t remember for sure!). I was maybe 7 or 8 at the time–before I was in 4H and learned about what colors "don’t" go together, etc. (wardrobe rules were a lot more rigid in the 1950s). Since I am now very particular about what colors and fabrics I put together in my wardrobe (and red plus orange is NOT one of the combinations I would Ever wear!), my husband picked up on that, and is still teasing me about it all these years later!
—Charlotte Trayer on November 7, 2012The time I was 12 and my younger sister was around 6. I had been sent outside to pull weeds and my sister was playing with a friend, when the friend started yelling at her and pushed her into a puddle. I walked over, pick up the little girl and sat her in the puddle and told her, ‘now stay there until you can apologize.’ That little girl never moved for over an hour before she finally said she was sorry!
—Jean on November 7, 2012Fifty years later, they are still reminding about the time I fell backward into the peony bush and was stuck in the fence that encirled it. It was caught on film (thanks dad) and it always brought up at family gatherings.
—Susan Grancey on November 7, 2012I have always had extremely vivid dreams that were usually very strange, but rarely scary. My husband is a high school coach and works very long hours during his sports seasons. One night he came home and I had been asleep for a good while. He said I sat straight up in bed and told him quite forcefully, "You CAN’T make tomato soup without TOMATOES!" Then I laid my head down and went back to sleeping quietly. Just about every time we have anything to eat that involved tomatoes, that story gets repeated, so my kids have heard it many times over the years, and they’ve taken to repeating it to their friends. I am the famous Tomato Soup lady.
—Dana C on November 7, 2012I started a memoir of my childhood when my father was very ill, it cheered him up when we had "Lorry Story" time…there were times he would be so withdrawn, but I could start a story, and he would start to smile, and then enter into the conversation, and we would all end up laughing…the favorite??? Oh My- I will have to do a "condensed version."
—Lorry Kirschner on November 7, 2012After watching The Wizard of Oz, I became fascinated with the apple trees that threw their fruit at Dorothy and her friends. I decided to do my own version of the story. So, with the help of my trusty puppy, I picked some unripe hard green apples from our small orchard and climbed the Maple tree out front to throw them at the mailman when he delivered the mail. He was my only available target since we lived way out in the country, and there was NO traffic. It was difficult climbing the tree one-handed, since I had to carry my little dog too. I put the apples in my T-shirt (the T-shirt with the skunk on front that said "I’m a little Stinker) rolled it up and held it between my teeth, climbed with my right hand, and held Patches in my left hand….Mom did not have any idea what was about to happen…it was a HOT summer day, and she was in the back summer-kitchen ironing in her underwear since it was too hot to even get dressed. This was the 1950′s and there was no air conditioning. Plus, like I said we lived in the middle of nowhere- no traffic) I was so excited as I saw the mail man approaching…this was going to be FUN FUN FUN…The problem came when I realized I didn’t have enough hands to do it all- I had to let go of the dog to throw the apples…he fell pretty fast, and as I would tell my Dad later…he yelped and cried like a baby & got me in trouble! He wasn’t actually injured, but looking back- I am sure he was terrified. When my mother heard him yelping, she came running out to see what happened, imagining some horrific accident. I have always maintained it was NOT my fault she ran out in her underwear! The mailman seemed to get a big laugh out of it. I just couldn’t see whay she was mad, adn the mailman was so happy! I was sent to my room for that, like all the other things that seemed to happen when I was a child growing up on the farm. Once again, I got in BIG TROUBLE…which was my nick name. As I heard dad coming up the stairs to my room that evening, I prepared my defense. The funny thing was, he was never mad at me, and sometimes we secretly chuckled together at the events that took place throughout my childhood. BIG TROUBLE will be the title of my memoir…hoping to finish someday, in memory of my loving father. I miss my father terribly, but I will forever enjoy the memories, and my family will keep reminding me of the "Lorry Stories." My sister often starts her phone calls to me with "I thought of something to put in your book!" I guess I may have to make it a series…Oh well, that worked for Laura Ingalls Wilder…LOL…What a magical time to grow up!
When I was about 7 I was staying with family friends for dinner. The wife asked what vegetable I would like and I said green beans was my favorite. When the green beans were passed at dinner time I served myself two green beans. The wife said I thought green beans were your favorite vegetable and I replied yes I served myself two. Usually I only have one vegetable. For some reason my family repeats that every time vegetables are passed at meals.
—Ellen on November 7, 2012One of our family’s fav stories is the time my husband bought a bag of liberty of London fabric for me for my bday and hid it in a seldom used dining hutch. When I went to make a holiday dinner – I found it and thought – OMG – I must have bought this hiding it from my husband so he didn’t find out I was buying $22/yd (at the time – now its $32/yd) fabric. So without looking at it too closely (I was in the middle of making a big dinner) – I hid it in my stash (then promptly forgot about it). So my bday comes up and my husband says – Well I did get you $100 worth of Liberties – but they seem to have disappeared from their hiding place – LOL!! The light bulb went off and I remembered – they were still in the bag – so it was still a nice surprise – and a good story!
—Nina-Marie on November 7, 2012When I was three, my grandfather died. While at the drugstore with my dad I disappeared, my dad called m mom and said "we’ve got a problem…I lost Julie". My mom went into a panic attack, because she’d just lost her father and told my dad "you better not come home unless she’s with you" After closing the store and 45 minutes later I was found hiding under a cash register with a box of tobacco (for a smoking pipe), because I thought that would bring him back to life. It’s been a FUNNY story with the family for over 40 years.
—Julia on November 7, 2012Several years ago after a family dinner, I was cleaning up in the kitchen and everyone else was at the kitchen table playing games. I opened the cabinet under the sink and screamed! There was a mouse in a glue trap looking up at me with those beady eyes. He scared me to death! Everyone else enjoyed a good laugh.
—Debbie Fowler on November 7, 2012When I was in my teens I had a big fight with my mom When I stormed out of the room I accidentally stepped in the wastepaper basket in the corner, which ended up getting stuck on my foot. I was mortified! My sisters were rolling on the floor in hysterics. Today, 50 years later, my sisters still go into hysterics every time they tell someone this story and they tell it as often as they can!
—lindawwww on November 7, 2012My aunt had a heavy German accent. When I went to visit her in downtown Pittsburgh, she said that I should not go out in the alley because there was a "draft." However, with her accent, and being only 5 years old at the time, I thought she said giraffe. I was constantly at the window looking for the giraffe. When I finally expressed my dismay at not seeing the animal, everyone figured out what had happened. I have never lived this down!
—MaryRose on November 7, 2012My sons tell hair cutting stories like when I accidentally
—Joyce Mosby on November 7, 2012Nicked my son’s ear. They are telling this nearly twenty years later!
My family and friends are great storytellers, and they remember incidents and occasions I don’t. One of their favorite stories is about the time I was a patient in the hospital after having my kidney removed. I felt so good after getting that thing out of me, I couldn’t stay in bed and rest. To fill my time I rearranged the hospital room so there would be space for my visitors. All the plants and tables had to be relocated to the long empty wall. The chairs were moved closer to the bed. When visitors stopped by, we all felt more "at home." It was a wonderful time to celebrate life!!!
—VickiGene on November 7, 2012I come a family with 6 kids and I’m the baker in the family. When I was in high school my newest thing was making homemade bread. It usually came out pretty good except one time. I took the bread out of the oven and was letting it cool. My brothers went to cut it and was unable to. That thing was harder than a brick. I was told by them we could use it as a doorstop. Some 30 odd years later I have not lived that down.
—Marilyn R on November 7, 2012Every holiday or family get-together this story would always get brought up: When I was about 3 years old, my brother, who was about 10 at the time, apparently made me very angry and I bit him in the behind. I knew what was coming when my Mom or Dad would say, "You remember the time when Jan got so angry?" Ugh!
—Janice Prunier on November 7, 2012My father in law made the best smoked turkey. When we returned from our honeymoon, he had left a smoked turkey in our refrigerator. That evening, we ate turkey sandwiches and I remember dreaming about eating one during my sleep. . .I awoke when I heard my husband say, "YEOW, That’s my ear!" . . .I pretended I was still asleep. Course now, every time someone talks "turkey" my family shares this story!
—Terry K on November 7, 2012Just one? Between being gullible and forgetful, there are too many stories for them to choose only one!
—Donna Whittle on November 7, 2012Once when I was quite little, my parents were having a big argument over money. I was really upset and worried, so I solemnly told them that when I was older, I was going to bring them a back pack full of money. They never let me forget.
—Gail G on November 7, 2012No one in my family ever seems to forget that I once crashed into my own car with a friend’s motorcycle!
—Joanne Lenigan on November 7, 2012Until high school i lived on a farm. Once a month my mom would drive all five kids to town and we would get some pizzas and soda. Truly a treat then. One time mom decided to eat in the car, so she asked me (im the oldest) to go in and order the pizzas and bring it back to the car. There where some things that I wasnt sure what they where. But the man said they where good so I said "sure, put them on". When I took the pizzas out to the car my three brothers dug right in. By this time it was dark, so we where all eating in the moonlight. When one of my brothers says, "yuck my pizza has hair on it" My mother turned on the car inside light and looked at the pizza. There where anchovies all over it. They really where yucky. To this day my brothers will bring up this story.
—Lori Smanski on November 7, 2012When my children were growing up I sewed a lot of their clothes (until they came to the age where they were more embarrassed by that fact and wanted clothes from shops). I used to sew in the evenings once they were all in bed (my best designing and productive moments). I often had items completed and would place them at the foot of their beds with notes saying that the "Sewing Fairy" had come and left these especially for them. When my daughter (the middle child of 3) got a to be a teenager and acquired a taste for clothes that were in fashion and trendy I told her that some of these were out of range of the family budget. I suggested that she could start sewing her own clothes. She quickly replied that maybe the Sewing Fairy could whip up a few things?… ;0)
—Marion on November 7, 2012Every Thanksgiving was ALWAYS at Mom’s house. She was such a wonderful cook, she never, ever made a bad dish, ever. One year my lovely Sister-in-law and I decided to give Mom a much needed hand with the cooking. One dish we thought we could produce equal to Mom’s was her Cranberry salad. Its really and easy recipe, strawberries,cranberries, some jello,and a couple of other ingredients. But, as simple as it was, we seemed to have messed up, BIG TIME. That year everyone complained about our traditional cranberry salad. Believe me, as simple as it was, we still don’t know what went wrong. This story was continously repeated each year, my Sis-in-law and I have never lived it down. And neither one of us have ever attempted to make that cranberry salad again. Sadly, Mom is no longer with us, and neither is her salad.
—Jaan L on November 7, 2012My cousins in Iowa like to tell the story of when I, the California cousin, came to the midwest to visit our grandparents and treated the farm animals like pets. They howl when they remember that Grandma let me bring a chicken in the house to watch tv with me. What I remember is that a couple of days later when we were having dinner, Grandpa teased me that it was "Snowy". Grandma reassured me that my favorite hen wasn’t on my plate. I wonder if that is why I have been a vegetarian for 20 years.
—Beth T. on November 8, 2012A friend of mine and I were visiting all the winerys in Napa Valley, CA, and at each one, we’d sample all thier white wines. He had given me strawberry wine coolers (7% alcohol), to drink at my leisure, in route to our original destination. I never had wine coolers before. At the last winery, I thought, I asked the barkeeper for a sample of his white wine. In actuality, I asked for WEISS WIND. Until the day, my friend died, he would, on any occasion, ask me if I wanted some "weiss wind" and laugh. I miss him.
Keep smiling,
—Lynnita Shipman on November 8, 2012I always start my Christmas shopping early,purchasing things on sale I know people like, most go into my bedroom closet. A few times we will be passing outand opening gifts and I will remember something I had not wrapped, sometimes even a part of a gift . Now someone always asks if everything is under the tree before we start opening.-It doesn’t always help and I still find little stocking stuffers in a bag in the bottom of the closet-Then everyone gets New Years presents(a few older members are suspicious).
—ELIZABETH CROSS on November 8, 2012To make a good paella, when it is time to cook the rice, you have to fry it a few minutes in oil before pouring the water. I repeated that to my husband since we met (He’s a man from the North and, obviously, I come from a little further in the South). One day, 20 years ago, when we were just married, I prepared a paella for him, my brother and some friends. I let my brother with the paella cooking, told him to stop the fire after 30 mn and went to the station to greet our friends. My brother, lost in a book, forgot about the cooking and when my husband came back from work, the paella was burnt beyond salvation. They tried to make another, remembered the bit about the need to fry the rice, but forgot that, after friying, you have to put water with saffron in it ! The paella was uneatable… And now, family and friends always tell how I make paella without water… How unfair is that ?
—Louise on November 8, 2012My older sister loves to tell the story of my mom making me a set of pajamas wheni was about 2yrs old ,and i wanted a pocket on the top .when my mom came back from penning cloth on the line i was at the sewing machine with the needle down through my finger crying .My sister always said i was trying to put a pocket on my pj.And she adds she is not surprised i love to sew as i was trying at 2yrs old.
—Mary Chevalier on November 8, 2012I offered to go to the cemetery with my friend on Memorial day to give her support. Our timing was such that there were a lot of her relatives at the same grave sight. I was over come by sadness and had to make a discreet exit to the car. Since then I’ve been dubbed the town crier.
—Lee Suski on November 8, 2012Many years ago when we lived in California, my husband called and asked if I would like him to bring dinner home from a fish restaurant called Delaney’s. I had a very long day and was tired and I said I wasn’t very hungry but clam chowder sounded good. When he arrived home with the clam chowder I opened it to find it was the New England and not the Manhattan. We never ate the New England, we only ate the Manhattan.
—Mary Ann on November 8, 2012So I said I’ll take it back. When I got to Delaney’s I was greeted by the Mater Dei, I explained the problem. He insisted my husband must have asked for the New England. I told him no, we don’t like the New England…he kept insisting. Finally, I threw the container at him and when it hit his chest it popped open and soup spilled down his black tie and white shirt. My husband and family never let me live this down
even though it was over 35 years ago.
This is a Thanksgiving story that always brings laughter,of the year when our oldest daughter Anji was almost two. My parents were coming from Kansas City and I was preparing our 20 pound turkey. It was frozen solid and I did not have time to thaw it out, so I figured I could just rub it with oil, season it and lay it in a large pan with celery and onions and close the oven door. I was not aware that when our house was built the oven was not secured into the wall as it should have been, so when I went to check on the turkey a while later, I pulled the rack out a little farther so I could baste it. Our little daughter was in the adjoining dining area next to the kitchen. Suddenly, I realized the oven was starting to tip out of the wall from the weight of the turkey on the extended rack. Before I could think, the pan was falling with the still partially frozen turkey being launched across the kitchen, sliding on the floor and proceeding into the dining room (hardwood floors) where it stopped right at the feet of our sweet child who was shaking and screaming in horror at the giant bird coming her way. I watched this happening as if in slow motion and was shaking right along with her. A few minutes later, after calming the two of us down, I saw a trail of grease, celery stalks and turkey skid marks to clean up before Mom and Dad arrived several hours later. Thankfully, I was calm enough to shove the oven back into the wall, clean the bird off, and put it back in the oven and continue the cooking process…this time, not pulling the rack quite so far out of the oven. The turkey turned out great along with the rest of the meal, but needless to say, my husband secured the oven into the wall the next day.
—Pamela Zajicek on November 8, 2012My story would be the time I was sick in bed when I was a teenager. I don’t remember what I had but I felt bad and was taking medicine. On one of those days my mom came in my room and woke me up. She told me she was going to the grocery store and was there anything I wanted her to get for me. I sat up in bed and said "Yes will you get some Ceek". She looked at me weird and said "You want what?" I said "Ceek….can you get some ceek!" Now keep in mind I can hear what I am saying and it sounds right to me. Then my mom said "I don’t know what you are talking about." By then I was getting frustrated and said "You know Ceek….you pour it in a glass and drink it!" I said this while doing the hand motions of pouring a drink in a glass. My mom then said "Oh do you mean Coke" and I said "Yes, that’s what I said." I looked at her like she was crazy. In my mind I was thinking Ceek was the past tense of Coke!! That was over 30 years ago and still gets brought up occasionally.
—Pam on November 8, 2012I have the type of coloring that usually gets red before tanning and always admire people who have really nice tans. One time my former husband and I went to the beach and someone was being friendly to us. I commented on the girls tan saying "she had such a nice tan". Both her and my husband gave me a look of you got to be kidding. I didn’t get it right away but found out the girl was from African decent. I am not at all prejudice just thought she had a really nice tan.
—Grace Capuano on November 8, 2012I was a new bride and prepared my first Thanksgiving meal with my inlaws and my parents in attendance. The turkey came out of the over looking like a "Betty Crocker" moment and was just THE perfect picture of how a turkey should look. As my dad carved the turkey a bit of white started peeking out and I’m not referring to the "white" meat. LOL. When the cut was completed low and behold there before my horrified eyes was a plastic bag that had cooked in the turkey. It was the giblets! What was amazing was that the bag had not melted and the giblets had cooked; fed those to the cat. I had not been able to find any giblets in the breast cavity of the turkey so figured they were not included. It never occurred to me to look at the other end of the bird and not just the end you stuff.
That turkey was the moistest and most flavorful turkey I had ever cooked. Needless to say each year I receive a phone call to ask if I checked the turkey at both ends to make sure the giblet bag had been removed.
—Terri Drake on November 8, 2012The often repeated story here is how my husband and I got engaged. We had only been dating a few months, hadn’t talked about getting engaged. We went to his family reunion in Victoria, B.C. and the day of the dinner his sister, who was at that time working at Birks Jewellers, convinced him he should be looking at rings as the price of diamonds was good right then, so we went in to humour her. While we were looking, her manager told her to show us a recently returned ring (not loved by the recipient?). It was very nice, a cluster of 13 small diamonds. The manager told me to try it on, and lo and behold, it fit perfectly! He then proceeded to tell my then boyfriend, he could use his sister’s discount, and since it fit why not take it now and settle with his sister later? And suddenly we were engaged!! We were married two months later and just celebrated 35 years of marriage! He jokes now that it was actually his sister who proposed to me, not him!!
—Cher Merriman on November 8, 2012The story is about me being in our first home video when I was 8, and had a retainer and told a story of our dog getting into a present of Chocolates. "Chocolates" sound horrible when you have a retainer in. I hate it, and everyone laughs.
—Karrie Smith on November 8, 2012Our family used to switch being hosts for the Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners. One year it was our turn. Mom wanted to serve warm apple cider after dinner so she proceeded to warm it up and serve it. Wish you could have seen the looks on everyone’s faces when they took a drink. She accidently put the olive juice in the pan and heated that up instead of the apple cider. We all got a real laugh out of that and everyone always wanted to know if she put the apple cider in the pan after that.
—Daisy C. on November 9, 2012The one thing that I make sure we do on Thanksgiving around the table… is after we have a reflection time of each one saying what they are (one thing) thankful for… then I pull out a questionnaire about Thanksgiving and let them answer my questions. Some are easy and others are hard. The ‘prize’ is an antique candy cane… sometime in the late 1900′s (I think). they all know what the prize is… but you know how competitive people can get… just to be the winner.
—Suz on November 9, 2012Several years ago, a tenant in my apartment building began throwing his possessions out his windows, and then began shooting through the walls of his apartment. The rest of us tenants were immediately evacuated from the building, and very, very fortunately, no one was hurt. After a 14-hour standoff with the SWAT Team, the tenant ran out of ammunition, was taken into custody, and we tenants were allowed back into the building. My family had arrived during the day to spend the weekend of my 50th birthday, and I had rented the vacant apartment across the hall for their stay. As we were returning into the building, a TV reporter asked if he could interview me and my family as we went into my apartment to see if any damage had occurred to it. We found that we couldn’t stay in either my apartment or the one across the hall because of the residual tear gas. The Red Cross found us lodging at a nearby motel. At the end of the interview, the reporter complimented me for my conciseness and my sense of humor in spite of the frightening events. My older sister said, “Well, of course! She’s number five in a family of seven children, and she could never get a word in edgewise at home. Now that she’s grown up and does public speaking, we can’t shut her up!” Now every time we get together, I hear a chorus of, “We can’t shut you up!” And they’re right, they can’t!
—Kay Day on November 9, 2012After my mother-in-law passed away, my father-in-law took my daughter, who was 3 or 4 at the time, to his old hometown for many weekends. Several years later after he had passed away, someone was talking about the Statue of Liberty. She said she had been there with grandpa. Husband and I never knew that! She was so insistant and we were so unbelieving that she contacted his companion to ask if they’d ever gone to New York and was told ‘no’. It became a family joke and she had to take a lot of teasing about the Statue of Liberty. She still does at age 49.
—Joanne Scott on November 10, 2012How a sneaky photo was taken of me while I was on the commode.
—Valerie A. Clark on November 11, 2012My husband likes to tell the story about the first time I tried to make sage dressing for him. I was inexperienced enough not to realize that 3 Tablespoons(!) was a bit much. It was pretty much inedible.
—Carmen on November 11, 2012What funny stories. I am not American so don’t celebrate Thanksgiving but the family time and togetherness you all seem to have makes me wish I could one day.
—Sheleen on November 12, 2012