Tuesday, November 1, 2011

It's November!

 
 
The first day of November.  I always think of my oldest brother, Bill, on this day, it was his birthday.  He passed away 19 years ago at the age of 49.  I fully intended to talk about something else in this post, but I think I'll tell a little story about him.  

My older brother was one of a kind who was hard working but also loved to have fun.  His wit got me into trouble more than once during my youth.  He not only had a wonderful sense of humor but used facial expressions that could speak volumes and he could dead-pan with the best of them.

I remember one time that got me into such trouble was when Cousin P came one day to visit from Colorado.  He was a very, very large man.  We had just sat down to eat, which was called dinner on the farm because the noon meal was the largest.   My mother was an excellent cook and served several side dishes along with the usual meat, potatoes, and salad.  Cousin P took a huge helping of everything when each bowl or platter was passed to him.  So, of course, his plate was piled high...very high...by the time everything was passed around. 

I just happened to be sitting across from my older brother who was sitting on the same side of the table with Cousin P.  Of course, I just happened to be watching my brother's facial expressions every time Cousin P started piling food on his plate.  He had that sneaky way of quickly making a funny face then relaxing into that innocent "I didn't do anything" look and no one at the table saw him, but me.  Which was what he intended, of course.  The grownups were busy talking and didn't pay any attention to us.  Well, I kept looking each time a dish was passed to Cousin P for that raised eyebrow look of horror on my brother's face when Cousin started spooning food on his plate.  The looks on Bill's face was so comical that I started giggling and tried to pass it off as something I was thinking about, but soon I had the red face and giggles so bad, I had to excuse myself from the table.  I ran into the next room dissolving into peals of laughter that I'm sure everyone heard at the table.  When the meal was over, and Cousin P and my dad had gone into the living room to visit, I crept back into the kitchen to see if there was anything left to eat since I didn't finish my plate.  My mother gave me "the Look" and said under her breath, so no one else could hear, that she would talk to me about my behavior later.   I knew what that meant!   That was just one of many times where I got the giggles at an inopportune time when I was supposed to be quiet and behaving myself.   Thanks to my older brother.  He was quite a guy and I still miss him.
Linking to Barn Charm at 
Until next time...

34 comments:

  1. Cheryl,such a lovely story,it made me smile and it brought back memories of my own childhood.I had a cousin who could make me laugh,he was just like your beloved brother.
    I am sorry that this is a sad day for you,but I am glad that you remember him for his sense of fun and he obviously loved you very much.
    Carolyn.

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  2. Cheryle, I am glad you have such wonderful memories of your brother. I so enjoyed hearing the dinner table story. I can see this gathering in my mind's eye and I remember incidents of uncontrollable laughter from my childhood as well. Thank you for reminding me of the easy laughter of childhood (sometimes, no many times, at the most inappropriate times! LOL!). I am sorry for the loss of your brother way too soon... blessings ~ tanna

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  3. That was such a sweet story remembering your brother! My sister and I use to get the giggles all the time in church and my father would give us this look from the pulpit that told us to stop and my mother would glare at us from her perch on the organ. Which of course only made us laugh more. I remember one of the best laughing fits we got in to was when my mother got up to sing a solo one Sunday night, she has a beautiful voice, and the music started playing and it was a country/western type song. My sister and I just looked at each other and broke out in laughter. Our mother had never sung a country/western type church song before. We were just composing ourselves when I heard the background singers (on the tape) were doing their "oohs and aahs" in a country twang and I leaned over to my sister and said, "That's you and me in the background." We lost it then and my mother gave it to us when we got home. We still laugh over this and it was probably over 30 years ago. Thanks for sharing your memory of your brother. Made me remember a fun time and gave me a smile this morning!

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  4. I am so sorry you lost your brother at such a young age. What a fun rascle he was.
    Nothing is harder to do than conceal laughter. That very attempt just makes it escalate.
    I once snorted and choaked back laugher loudly at an unrelated comment a friend made while we stood in line to enter the church for a funeral.
    Like you, I was the only one given the evil eye by everyone.

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  5. He left too soon! I am glad that you have such fun and warm memories of your brother and thank you for sharing them with your readers. I could see the faces!

    (I got a terrible case of the giggles at a funeral once. Oh my. I can still remember "the look" my mother shot me and the kick in the ankle my great-aunt gave me. Ouch! It settled me down.)

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  6. a sweet memory of your brother and i smiled while reading about your giggles. my brother is 4 years younger, his most favorite thing to torment me when he was young was to repeat everything i said, so fast behind me it was like he knew what i would say before i said it. i would scream at him to stop repeating my words and he would repeat the scream. he is 63 now and can still do that but not nearly as often as when we were kids.

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  7. this was really sweet. as i read your story, i pictured my youngest brother (9 yrs. older than i am) making faces and raising his eyebrow as he is so apt to do. i am sorry you lost your brother at such a young age. i lost a sister when she was 47 and it still seems so unfair, even 11 yrs later...

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  8. Cheryl, where would we be without our memories? I enjoyed this! I am an only child so I was stuck being mischeivous with no one else to blame. Sweet and funny remembrance of your brother on his birthday.

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  9. Brothers are very special Cheryl, this was such a sweet story.the most wonderful thing about memories is that they go with us through out life, and we can pull them out and relish them any time.
    Blessings today.
    Sue

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  10. Sorry about your brothers passing....he was far too young.
    I'm so glad for you that you have warm and happy memories of him and fun times together.
    Did cousin P ever find out what all the laughter was about?

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  11. It is a gift to be able to open the book of memories, and find such good remembrances of him.

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  12. i remember times like that, too... just couldn't help it, huh?! LoL!

    Is that a pic of a barn? Swing by & link up to Barn Charm... the others would love to see this beauty, esp all decked out in Autumn colors!!! =)

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  13. Brothers seem to have a special knack for getting their sisters in trouble. Mine surely did- many times. I miss him terribly.

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  14. What a nice tribute to your brother. There is nothing that honors our loved more than talking about them. I'm sure he would get a chuckle over that memory too.

    My mother passed away 5 years years ago. Her biggest fear was that her younger grandchildren wouldn't remember her. Stories like you shared keep our family alive in our hearts.

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  15. YaY! You linked up! Thank you thank you thank you... =)

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  16. I too can remember something like this happening when I was growing up. Sorry for your loss he sounds like a wonderful brother.

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  17. Your brother sounds charming and like he was such fun!!! And what is wrong with giggling at the table, food and family is supposed to be a fun time!! I can just see this all in my head now, a good story! May I ask how your brother died at such a yoing age?? I know you still miss him greatly, and this is such a sweet tribute to him.

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  18. yeah brothers do that to sisters sometimes! And getting the giggles at not appropriate moments happens to the best of us!

    Thanks for the story and so glad to be back here!
    Leontien

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  19. Touching memories of your brother on this the anniversary of his Birth. How nice of you to share your thoughts of him with us, Cheryl.

    hugs,
    Pam

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  20. I love the photo, but love the memories even more.

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  21. Love the barn in all the beautiful fall colors.

    It’s wonderful to have such great memories of your brother and warm that you share them with us! Happy Birthday, Bill, you live on in the wonderful stories your sister shares!

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  22. Cheryl
    Your brother sounds like a barrel of fun! It's important to keep his memory alive and I can see why you miss him so. This was a sweet tribute.
    Take care-Kimberly

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  23. Thank you for that amusing, but loving story of your brother. It sounds as if you have some great memories and miss him very much. November seems to be a month for remembering.

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  24. That was such a fun story about your older brother. He must have been quite a character. And obviously he enjoyed entertaining you. :)

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  25. gone way too soon!! you are very lucky to have such beautiful memories!!

    so happy to see this charmer at barn charm!!

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  26. I am sorry you lost your brother so young. Your story reminded me of my brother, a year younger than I, and I at the dinner table. I'd get the giggles too, from something he said followed by "the look" from our father. Sometimes I laughed so hard I cried. It's nice to have memories like these. Blessings, Pamela

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  27. I am sorry you lost your brother so young. Your story reminded me of my brother, a year younger than I, and I at the dinner table. I'd get the giggles too, from something he said followed by "the look" from our father. Sometimes I laughed so hard I cried. It's nice to have memories like these. Blessings, Pamela

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  28. Hi Cheryl!

    I can tell that you love and miss your brother, he sounds like he was quite a character! What a funny story - it's those moments that we will never forget, all the fun times that are burned into our hearts.

    My dad passed away on Halloween night, so it hasn't always been easy for me to see people celebrating on that day. I still miss him too - always will.

    Gentle Hugs,
    Barb

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  29. Your brother sounds a lot like my hubby with those facial expressions. But your story also reminds me of my girlfriend (now) and me: we can exchange some looks that make us just melt into the giggles...even at our age!

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  30. Brothers!!!!Aren't they the best! I love your story. I bet you miss him alot!

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  31. Don't you hate when you laugh at the wrong time?

    I'm glad you have some good memories of your brother and that you can remember them.

    Also 49 is way to young for your brother to die - I'm so sorry.

    Hugs and good memories!

    sandie

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  32. Cheryl, thanks for sharing such a sweet and funny memory of your brother. I have two brothers and my oldest one passed away last year. I miss him so much. Memories are sweet though.
    I was smiling on this one. Blessings to you for a lovely post.

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  33. Hi Cheryl...

    I so enjoyed hearing this story...It's these kind of stories that keep our loved ones dear to our hearts. My sister passed away several years ago, and I often think of all those little fun things that we did as children...
    These are Blessed memories that I am so thankful for...
    blessings to you and keep on keeping on with those memories...
    shug

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  34. Very nice barn shot. :-)

    I'm very sorry for your loss. It sounds as if you have wonderful memories of your brother, and the way you told the story I felt like I was there.

    NoteworthyMusings

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