(LONG)The Legendary Thanksgiving Blowout Extravaganza 2006(TM) Plus: TMI warning

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Sorry, this occurred in 2006, it is now 2013 and you can remember the conversations word for word? I think it's time you put it behind you and moved on.  Oh and avoid BIL.

Thank you so much for your kind feedback! I'll have to remember your advice.... 

[Thipu1]

Thank you for posting this entertaining and appalling story.

It's a wonder that BIL is still alive!

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Wow.

I am going to just leave my jaw there for a while.

That's simultaneously one of the most appalling and also well-written things I have ever read.

Wow.

Aw, thanks! 

[*new*mommyagain36]

I'm going to very respectfully say that I don't think this was posted in the right place.  I can't find anything humorous about anything that was written here.   

[RebeccainGA]

Epic. Hysterical, I'm sure, now that it's done. Sounds like some of the insanity that's come out of my own extended family (which is why I haven't spoken to anyone outside my most immediate family members since the last major funeral in the family).

Thanks for sharing - truly, an epic SS storm.

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I'm going to very respectfully say that I don't think this was posted in the right place.  I can't find anything humorous about anything that was written here.   

Because if I don't find a way to laugh it off, I will cry. And I've cried enough. As another poster wisely advised, it's time to move on. Maybe this is my way of doing just that - by finding what humor I can in the absurdity of it all. Because, to me, it is. Absurd. And dripping in irony. Because for most of my life I cared too much about what they think - and it ran my life.

Now it doesn't. This is me liberating myself from them.

And I'm sick of feeling bad about my family. They have been a source of great pain for me (in more profound ways than I care to mention) that it feels good in finally calling them out on some of the more ridiculous behaviors, even in an anonymous forum.

This is (my) way of finding a way to heal. Thank you, eHell. For me, this does belongs in the Humor section, because now I can finally laugh about it...and other stuff...and let it go. 

[CaptainObvious]

I'm going to very respectfully say that I don't think this was posted in the right place.  I can't find anything humorous about anything that was written here.   

Because if I don't find a way to laugh it off, I will cry. And I've cried enough. As another poster wisely advised, it's time to move on. Maybe this is my way of doing just that - by finding what humor I can in the absurdity of it all. Because, to me, it is. Absurd. And dripping in irony. Because for most of my life I cared too much about what they think - and it ran my life.

Now it doesn't. This is me liberating myself from them.

And I'm sick of feeling bad about my family. They have been a source of great pain for me (in more profound ways than I care to mention) that it feels good in finally calling them out on some of the more ridiculous behaviors, even in an anonymous forum.

This is (my) way of finding a way to heal. Thank you, eHell. For me, this does belongs in the Humor section, because now I can finally laugh about it...and other stuff...and let it go. 

You said that you weren't there, I'm not sure why this upsets you to the extent you described above.

[sidi-ji]

Wow.  Thanks for posting.  I feel sorry for these people(and their victims) and sorrier for myself :  I woke my convalescing husband with my hooting.The headlock/arm-biting disrupted my horror -filled fixation.  I feel as I do when I read a great short story(Ibsen) or novella: enriched.  Well- written indeed.

[Piratelvr1121]

I'd imagine it was the embarrassment that came from the fact that she's related to these folks by blood or marriage.  As far as I can tell, the only decent ones in the Thanksgiving events were Mr.Kitty's SIL and nieces!

Wow.  Like you said, you warned your brother and I'm sure he didn't doubt you too much after this event.   

Thanks for sharing, as it was rather like watching one of those dark comedies that are written about dysfunctional families.

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I'm going to very respectfully say that I don't think this was posted in the right place.  I can't find anything humorous about anything that was written here.   

Because if I don't find a way to laugh it off, I will cry. And I've cried enough. As another poster wisely advised, it's time to move on. Maybe this is my way of doing just that - by finding what humor I can in the absurdity of it all. Because, to me, it is. Absurd. And dripping in irony. Because for most of my life I cared too much about what they think - and it ran my life.

Now it doesn't. This is me liberating myself from them.

And I'm sick of feeling bad about my family. They have been a source of great pain for me (in more profound ways than I care to mention) that it feels good in finally calling them out on some of the more ridiculous behaviors, even in an anonymous forum.

This is (my) way of finding a way to heal. Thank you, eHell. For me, this does belongs in the Humor section, because now I can finally laugh about it...and other stuff...and let it go. 

You said that you weren't there, I'm not sure why this upsets you to the extent you described above.

1. Because I love my nieces and the part(s) that affected them upset me out my love and concern for their innocent well-being.
2. Because I tried to prevent it. Alas, I failed, yet again, to do anything to help someone I care about because of past history of dysfunction, toxicity, and mis-trust in my immediate family.
3. Because I heard about it, from both sides, over and over again until the details were burned in my memory. And then I realized (recently) that I didn't have to. And then, after that epiphany, I realized there were a lot of things with regard to family interaction/dysfunction that I didn't have to do - such as participating in any dysfunction -  even as an after-the-fact witness.
4. Because of the realization, lately borne, that I added to my own misery by allowing myself to be subjected to any of this, thus participating in victimizing myself - and allowing my time to be wasted on so much nonsense.
5. Because that's what family drama is. A waste of precious time and resources that could be spent more productively - and happily.
6. Because it is not simply this one incident to which I refer when I say letting it go - I'm talking about the entire body of dysfunction with my siblings. This is the one iincident (throughout a lifetime of such) that I wish to share. The rest, believe it or not, is too personal.
7. I'm laughing at myself for taking the whole relationship with my siblings way too seriously (and seeking their approval, which would never come) for too long, when there is nothing I can do to change it.
8. Finally reaching acceptance that they are the  way they are, and I am the way I am. And let it be what it is.

[Cz. Burrito]

I haven't finished the story yet, but I just had to say that the Lemon Zest thing reminded me of Amelia Bedelia.

[Venus193]

I agree with Piratelvr.  This is horrible and hostile behavior and something to be concerned about.

Moving a 10-year-old's chair until she falls on her tuchas despite the directive not to?  I would have tossed him out the door before it got to that.

[Amava]

So... Has your brother gained some common sense since then? 

I hope he makes better decisions by now.

Hosting them at his place, worse, subjecting his wife (she sounds very sweet, maybe too sweet for her own good) and daughters to them, while you had warned him, was not the best judgement.

And his choice of entertainment for his "guests from hell"?
He knew they had problems with alcohol - so, hey, why not take them to a winetasting place, and a hot air balloon ride afterwards? Sounds like a good plan to me - what could possibly go wrong?? 

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I agree with Piratelvr.  This is horrible and hostile behavior and something to be concerned about.

Moving a 10-year-old's chair until she falls on her tuchas despite the directive not to?  I would have tossed him out the door before it got to that.

Yep. You're exactly right. I think most people (with better sense) would have. (I do not mean to imply that that part was funny, because to me it wasn't.)

[Redneck Gravy]

Holy Cow!

I hope Bro has learned his lesson. 

We don't have any family in California but I suspect that part of your family's gene pool is in ours.  This kind of behavior is why we no longer have the big holiday family meals that we used to.  Now we stick with smaller family gatherings and some of those I boycott do not attend. 

Wow, just Wow.