the Winner!

Last week, we asked readers to submit their most unusual stories of "entertaining dilemmas." It was a tough decision - we had some hilarious entries and loved them all, but "the Weigh-In" had our staff chuckling...thanks to Chuck.Lennon@state.mn.us, and congratulations! (you've gained more than just weight :)

This will be the 9th Annual Lennon Weigh-In, Weigh-Out Thanksgiving Dinner...

Each year, guests weigh in upon arrival and then weighs 'out' right after dinner.

The guest with the biggest weight gain (not necessarily the biggest eater) wins the 'paddle' trophy, which is engraved with the winners' name and weight gain.

We have had scandal. A couple of years ago my daughter's boyfriend Jake, a beast, drank several glasses of milk and a large amount of
water just before weigh-out. While he gained the most weight, my son also witnessed his immediate move to the restroom after the weigh-out, where he 'voided' most of his gain and was disqualified by the Board of Directors (me!)...

Since then we have instituted a new measurement to give the younger, smaller crowd a chance to win. Instead of total weight gain, we use the largest percentage of one's weight gained...which leveled the playing field.

Last year's winner was a darkhorse, The Honorable Judge Caroline Hagen Lennon, who sits on the court in Shakopee. While she confessed that her victory probably was the product of 'water weight' she earned the paddle anyway and thereby added some new prestige to the event.

While some may consider this uncouth, it is done with class and a lot of humor. It's talked about all year. Recently my nephew was in town playing rugby. At end of his game, his final words: "See you at the Lennon Thanksgiving."