Comments on: Be Grateful You Weren’t Invited

By: Winston

Winston — Sun, 14 Nov 2010 00:32:36 +0000

Still a very humorous post!

I’ve been thinking… perhaps that Japanese couple thought Thanksgiving was an American tradition originating in WWII– torture the Japanese. Their filling your apartment with smoke could be viewed as a form of retaliation. I’m surprised your Soviet cell-bloc wasn’t visited by U.N. officials. Perhaps it was put under surveillance.

By: Stephanie - Wasabimon

Stephanie - Wasabimon — Sat, 13 Nov 2010 22:30:27 +0000

This has got to be the funniest thing I’ve read all week. I love that you were such a troublemaker.

Smoke like a chimney!

By: Winston

Winston — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 20:31:25 +0000

What a crazy place– and dinner.
Did you recook the turkey and perform an encore for Christmas?

My brother and sister-in-law were both professionals in Atlanta and both were wonderful cooks. They alternated weeks, he shopping for groceries and cooking one week, and she the next. But she had a strict rule– she always did the washing-up after meals– by hand. Their well-appointed kitchen was equipped with a state-of-the-art dishwasher– which was never once used! My sister-in-law was a perfectionist about dishwashing. However, a holiday was a holiday, and having no children, they always took Thanksgiving dinner at the nearby Colony Restaurant.

As an aside, my sister-in-law and I had birthdays and much else in common. Whenever I visited Atlanta, she would kidnap me for an afternoon downtown and we would spend part of our time riding all the hotel elevators. One had glass elevators which glided up and down a vast interior atrium. Another had crystal elevators whizzing up and down its 70-story exterior. From the top one could see Stone Mountain 30 miles away. At yet another, the elevators arrived at a revolving restaurant atop the builging. We’d dodge the maitre’d and steal matchbooks from the tables. A good time was had by all!

By: ruthpennebaker

ruthpennebaker — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 15:03:17 +0000

My husband learned to cook. I’m the self-appointed clean-up person. I’m not very good at that — but I am a lot better at cleaning than cooking.

By: Meredith Resnick - The Writer's [Inner] Journey

Meredith Resnick - The Writer's [Inner] Journey — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 01:04:10 +0000

Great detail – and fun (funny, too!).

By: Jennifer Margulis

Jennifer Margulis — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 00:11:06 +0000

I’m grateful I wasn’t invited. This story is hilarious. Poor Japanese people. Poor you! Thanksgiving. Now my question: do you both STILL not know how to cook?!

By: Kristen J. Gough

Kristen J. Gough — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 19:07:43 +0000

I think the first Thanksgiving we cooked in our home went something like that too. Who knew it took so long to cook a turkey?! We didn’t. So by the time our bird was done–about 4 hours after we’d planned–the mashed potatoes, stuffing and everything else was cold. I think the next year we got pizza.

By: Almost Slowfood

Almost Slowfood — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 19:02:00 +0000

Definitely sounds like a Thanksgiving to remember!

By: stephanerd

stephanerd — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 18:40:48 +0000

I have yet to host a Thanksgiving dinner and, thanks to stories like this one and movies like Pieces of April, I’m terrified at the prospect. Which I suppose is ridiculous. I’m a competent cook any other day of the year!

Thanks for the fun post. Hilarious.

By: Sheryl

Sheryl — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 18:22:18 +0000

As always, Ruth, you gave me a good chuckle. I’ll think of you this Thanksgiving when I carefully (with the emphasis on removing the innards) prepare my (defrosted) turkey-hold-the-gravy.