Stoeries of days gone by, the eldery

[k8_doran]

Hello,

I am doing a project based on 'the eldery' (dont like calling them that) but I wondered if anyone had any stories that the eldery used to tell you or relatives stories, anything funny or any funny memories you have of your older relatives? Many thanks.

[Clanad]

Growing up in the ranch country of the western U.S., my most desired goal in life was to ride the train carrying the beef cattle that had been sold in the fall to Omaha, Nebraska. The cattle were loaded with all the other ranchers steers to make a train load. The railroad company would then add one passenger car to carry representatives of each ranch. My greatest expectation was realized when I was only 7. The first morning after arriving in Omaha at the old Golden Hotel I eagerly awaited eating breakfast with my Dad and his cronies at the hotel restaurant. I thought I had died and gone to heaven, with all the sights and smells.
Our waitress was a rather buxom young lady and had her name tag attached to one of the prominent projections. (I think it might have been Elaine). Without missing a beat, Dad asked "Let me ask, what's the other ones name?"...

[CompNut]

Hi k8, here's one. My Father, when a boy in London during 2nd world war, was out on his bike during black-out. (All streetlights were off after dark so that enemy planes could not see targets to strafe with machine-guns or to bomb.) He bumped into another cyclist in the pitch black, they both fell over, and as he got up, Dad angrily called out "Oi! Mind my bike!" (this being a catch-phrase on a radio show then) before discovering the other cyclist was the Vicar of the Church where my Dad was a choirboy! They were both embarrassed, and my Dad's bike was damaged and he had to walk home.
Is this the kind of anecdote you meant?

[dancealot13]

My boyfriends Italian grandmother has advanced elzheimers disease, and as sad as it is, she often says the funniest things.

We were having a party and this handsome man was standing next to the grandmother. She reaches over to him and kisses him on the cheek . Now she meant to say "Oh you're so handsome, and you have a good head!". But what came out was....."Oh you're so handsome, and you give a good head!"

lol uuhh we were laughing so hard!!

[Quizmonster]

I'm pretty elderly myself, now, but here's a memory from my childhood. Even though we lived in the north of Scotland, we were still subject to occasional bombing during World War II, because of the proximity of airfields. Anything the German Luftwaffe had left over, they'd drop on us, before heading home across the North Sea.
On one occasion whilst home on leave, my father had gone out into the back yard, having heard enemy aircraft overhead. My mother yelled at him:

"Come inside, Wullie! They'll see yer fite sark!"

That is, "your white shirt" in the local dialect. We just thought it hilarious that a squadron might target one man's shirt! As it happened, a bomb landed less than a hundred yards away, so maybe she was right, God rest her soul!

[spinchimp]

If you don't like calling them 'eldery', why not try calling them 'elderly'?

[dancealot13]

spinchimp- LOL thats a good one,..I didn't even notice until you pointed it out lol lol ;)

still laughin'

[k8_doran]

Hey thanks for all your replies, more are very welcome! Very goo, I typed it quick and I also spelt stories wrong! lol, nevermind

[shaneystar2]

I was born after the war.. ( a few years after) but I remember my Mum telling me that when my Dad came home on leave from the MN and the air raid sirens sounded..he was not allowed into the shelter for fear of the dog,an alsatian...who would growl and snap at him for some reason so he had to crouch under the kitchen table and hope for the best !!

[Alibobs]

A true story I heard on Monday -I work in Social Services.

A lady was admitted to our local A&E over the weekend, some what worse for wear. When she sobered up she said that she did not want to drink water because of the drought so drank sherry instead!

Another one....an elderly lady sitting at her husbands bedside. The husband was an alcoholic and had lead the lady a merry dance all her married life. When he was pronounced dead at 1.45am the old lady shouted "Yippee" at the top of her voice, waking up the other patients

[shaneystar2]

Oh Bless.....I can remember the last words my 92 year old Mother ever said to me.....I had to leave her in hospital to travel back to where I was living at the time....she said .."For goodness sake do something with your hair ....it looks dreadful...you look as if you have been pulled through a hedge backwards"....!
I got home two hours later to find she had passed away whilst on my journey.

[waimarie]

I was about ten (an age where you are starting to be aware of what's going on), when my grandmother died, she was born in 1864. I have often wished I had asked the same question of her. After all, when she was ten in 1874 she may have known and spoken to people who fought at Waterloo, seen the coronation of Queen Victoria and so on, then told me about it. What a missed opportunity.

[Ferg]

My nan was pretty poor, growing up in the East End of London and they used to brush their teeth with coal!

[spudqueen]

In a Pickle - that was what a yule log was like - they would choose a huge log which would burn for the 12 days of Christmas and just push it into the fire as it burnt down!

My Gran was born in 1891 and when she left school went to work on a travelling fair. She worked on the shooting range when they used real bullets and unfortunately one day a drunk missed the target completely and shot her through the head. She was taken by horsed ambulance (over cobbled streets!) to the nearest hospital where they managed to save her life. This was in 1910! - I have a copy of the newpaper report. She always wore her hair so that it hung down over her scar, and didn't die until she was 86.

[k8_doran]

Oh my goodnes, these replies are all so good and exactly the type of thing I am after, so many wonderful memories, with so many people sharing them with me. By all means, write as many as you wish, I just wanted to thank you all so much for your input. Thank you