My cute little daddy–in the middle, with the beard–had worked in a bakeshop of one kind or another, ever since he was about 8 years old. So, when he went into the Navy, it was only natural that he became a cook. To hear him talk, he must have loved it. One story that he told us when we were little, was of being on a battleship, somewhere out in the middle of the South Pacific on Thanksgiving Day.
He said the food was always as good as they could possibly make it, considering what they had to work with. But today, the guys were hoping for something more–anything that would make them feel just a little closer to those they loved back home.
Canned turkey was expected, along with some sort of dried bread stuffing and soggy vegetables, but what they all were missing the most, they said, was pumpkin pie. Of course there was no pumpkin–fresh or canned out in the middle of the ocean–during a war. But that wasn’t good enough for my smarty-pants dad.
He thought about it and thought about it and realized that cooked pumpkin, in many ways, is quite similar to…
carrots. Yesiree. Carrots.
So, while no one was looking, he cooked them up and added all the right spices, milk, and sugar. He said, that he found that if you treat a carrot like a pumpkin, it will act just like one. So when the “pumpkin” pie was served that day–it was perfect. Everyone thought it was a miracle or that pumpkins had just dropped out of the sky or something. They never knew. But they didn’t think too hard about it because they were way too busy being grateful for all their blessings…
and their amazing Superman cook–my cute little daddy….
who saved Thanksgiving Day.
And that’s the way he told it…
except for the Superman bit…that was all mine.
heh, heh.
Such a cute story!
Okay, that last picture could absolutely positively be Laurie’s oldest boy – wow. I had never really seen the resemblance before. And I loved the story, just goes to show what we can do when we need to and how Heavenly Father uses those that will listen, to bless the lives of many or in most cases just one.
So awesome! I love Veteran’s Day! It makes me even more grateful for all the men and women serving for us and for my hubby!
And YOU immortalized him in…puppetry!
:}
Jesse? Wow…I’ve never thought about that either. Well, that would make them both happy, I’m sure.
He used to laugh when he’d tell the story–how it was like a trick that no one knew about. But then later in life, when he’d tell it, the story became tender to him…and he’d cry.
He was a cute guy.
Still planning to make your girls the daddy dolls too. That will be so cool.
Thanks Kathy, for lending your husband to our country.
:}
That is a very cute story- your dad was such a sweetheart! If i hadnt known better looking at the pictures I would have sworn it was Andy as I remembered him when we were in high school!
Wow, what a wonderful tribute to your Dad. Sounds like a wonderful man to care so much. I’m sure those other men were so thankful to him. Thanks for sharing. And thank you to all who have served and are serving.
I actually thought that for the first time when I just now saw that picture too. Definitely resembles Jesse!
Oh, that’s funny! But I guess I can see it in the eyes. He does look like daddy that way. :}
You wanna know something funny? I actually wrote this and had it scheduled to post before I even realized it was Veteran’s Day. My daughter told me just in the nick of time. I just thought of it as a Thanksgiving story. I should check the calendar once in a while.
:}
When my Mom was posting it last night, I saw Jesse in it too! 🙂
Happy Veteran’s Day!!! We’re lucky to have so many brave people serving us and working so hard to protect us!
I LOVE that story!!! Grandpa is amazing and I just love remembering the stories he would share with us and the adventures that he had! What a guy!
What an amazing story, Launi, thanks for sharing. I am so grateful for the men and women who have served and are serving in the military to protect all that we take for granted so much. What a wonderful blessing to live in this land of freedom and for the brave, amazing men and women of the armed forces. Not to mention their families that give them up to protect us!
What’s this about a “puppet” or “daddy doll”? I tried looking at past post and stuff but didn’t find anything – I’m really curious 🙂 I loved your story – at first I thought it was a recipe you had made up since you don’t like pumpkin, but then I realized that was another blog I read not yours – which shows that I shouldn’t be reading blogs after midnight but I’ve been up getting ready for Thanksgiving and was trying to unwind – and now I’ll stop blabbing on and go to bed 😉
I think you may mean the “Daney Doll” that we made for the kids when Dane was on his mission. This year’s version will be the “Rhenny Doll” of course! I hope that’s what you mean.
https://graciousrain.com/2009/01/16/dane-dolls/
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