Reviews from

At Home in Mississippi

Viewing comments for Chapter 9 "Little Things Which Shaped Me"
Growing up in the 40 and 50 in MIssissippi

21 total reviews 
Comment from barbara.wilkey
Excellent
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Thank you for sharing your early years with us. Mom was born in 1932. Some of her memories are very similar. I am really enjoying reading this and couldn't find any way to improve it.

 Comment Written 19-Apr-2024


reply by the author on 21-Apr-2024
    Thank you Barbara. I'm sure your Mom and I do share some memories. It was a different world back then.
    Beth
Comment from LateBloomer
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Hi Beth, I enjoyed reading your story. Thank you for sharing your delightful early-age story with us, and for taking me down memory lane with you. Of special note:

--At that point, Glover got into his car and went to his parent's house to spend the night, leaving my mom to deal with me the best she could.

(In those days, that is what men did--leave, flee, shoo away. Children were woman's work, along with all the cooking, cleaning, laundry, food prep etc.)

-- It seems I didn't have a lot of toys to amuse myself with.

(This was typical for the time. Children did not have a lot of toys to amuse themselves. Unlike the children of today who have a whole room full of toys to entertain themselves.)

--Dad read me the funny papers.

(Being read to from the funny papers is a cherished memory of mine; again, something that today's children do not engage in ... or is it that the parents no longer engage in the practice??? Who even buys newspapers anymore? In our house, we do, but most of our neighbors read the news off the internet. BTW, the internet does not print All news.)

--Since my family still had no electricity, we had no radio so we were blissfully unaware of anything except that Franklin Roosevelt was president.

(This is a fine example of less being more. Think of the stress that your family was relieved from. Stress can be a killer, and it can fill a person with anxiety. The World news delivers stress like never before. We could all use a little time being "unplugged.")

A delightful story. Well done; well told. Margaret ~ LateBloomer









 Comment Written 19-Apr-2024


reply by the author on 21-Apr-2024
    Thank you Margaret, I really appreciate the long review where you commented on things that stood out. I'm glad you like my story.
    Beth
Comment from jim vecchio
Excellent
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As someone wrote in one of the contests, Tom should have a store for six stars! Your family is indeed fortunate, and others who through the years will be reading this account of you and your family's history as long as writing still exists! Many thanks!

 Comment Written 19-Apr-2024


reply by the author on 21-Apr-2024
    Thank you Jim. I really appreciate your review on my story. I'm glad you like it.
    Beth
reply by jim vecchio on 21-Apr-2024
    You have such an interesting story to tell.
Comment from Jim Wile
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This was so interesting, Beth. I especially loved how different your parents were from each other, yet they seemed to complement each other perfectly in your upbringing. Seems like you became more of a daddy's girl.

It certainly is difficult to distinguish between a true memory and simply what you've been told. I swear that I have an actual memory of something I did at age 18 months, but I'll never really know for sure.

Hey, maybe it was your grandmother who was the inventor of the "sugar tit," and based on that, it became popular and spread. Fun to think about anyway.


 Comment Written 19-Apr-2024


reply by the author on 21-Apr-2024
    Thank you Jim, Yes my mother and father had very different personalities. They didn't always see eye to eye on things but they tried to be good parents. I had more interaction with my mother but she was tougher on me than my dad. He gave her a hard time but not me.
Comment from Wendy G
Exceptional
This work has reached the exceptional level

This was an interesting and engrossing chapter, and both your mother and father had quite distinctive personalities. You made this first year come to life for the reader - I was horrified about the oven episode where you had to be brought back to safety with a broom! Very well written.
Wendy

 Comment Written 19-Apr-2024


reply by the author on 21-Apr-2024
    Thank you Wendy. Yes my mother and father had very different personalities. They didn't always see eye to eye on things but they tried to be good parents. Thank you for the six stars.
    Beth
Comment from Begin Again
Exceptional
This work has reached the exceptional level

Good morning, Beth!
I must give you a six today because you have the ability to write so smoothly about times that were beyond difficult. Even though you were just born, you make the reader believe you were actually remembering every second of your life. Awesome! Children of today would never be able to face the "good ole days" that you write about with such feelings and accuracy.
Smiles, Carol

 Comment Written 19-Apr-2024


reply by the author on 21-Apr-2024
    Thank you Carol, It is always a pleasure to get such positive comment from an amazing writer like you. My memory of the early years is clearer than the more recent. Maybe life as more fun back then.
    Beth
Comment from Debbie D'Arcy
Excellent
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This is so well done that I actually believe the baby in you is writing this! The detail you give is outstanding, Beth, and I smiled or laughed all the way through! You certainly come over as the most endearing baby ever. And, though I shouldn't laugh, the incident under the stove with your mom flattening your head against the floor and then pulling you out by the feet is magical as well as demonstrating how inventive your mother could be. Your story flows beautifully with only 2 suggestions: When you go on to say your uncle's daughter was 8 years old, for a minute it sounds like you're referring to the age of the doll; blisful(ly) unaware.
Very well done here! Debbie

 Comment Written 19-Apr-2024


reply by the author on 21-Apr-2024
    Thank you, Debbie. I so glad you like the story of my early life. I have hopefully made the parts you mentioned better. I'm so glad you take the time to point them out.
    Beth
Comment from Dolly'sPoems
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I enjoyed reading about your early years Beth and the near fatal accidents you managed to avoid! It sounds like raising you was a family affair.

Have you ever tasted breast milk Beth? It is extremely sweet. My youngest daughter had only breast milk for 18 months and she was a bonnie child and I was worried she had gained too much weight! The midwife said that you cannot over feed a breast fed baby and not to worry. She turned about to be a slim girl when she grew up.

I enjoyed your information filled post Beth, love Dolly x

 Comment Written 19-Apr-2024


reply by the author on 19-Apr-2024
    Thank you Dolly, I tend to thing DNA has a lot to do with whether pr not you'll have to fight to keep the weight down. The one of children who eats more that other three had never had to worry about gaining. The other three have to fight it.
    Beth
Comment from Karen Cherry Threadgill
Excellent
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This is a well written story. I was born in the city so my view point is different. And I was surrounded by family.I have heard of sugar tits, That explains why British teeth are so bad. Karen:-)

 Comment Written 19-Apr-2024


reply by the author on 19-Apr-2024
    Thank you Kakren, Maybe sugar tits explain why my own teeth are so bad.
    Beth
reply by Karen Cherry Threadgill on 19-Apr-2024
    This is the message I got from marilyn: came home tonight but am nervous about it. I had 3 small strokes and need to have my carotid arteries surgically cleaned. Still having trouble walking. Let's all continue the good thoughts on her behalf. Karenmm
Comment from lyenochka
Excellent
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I love how varied your education was - depending on whether it was your dad or mom teaching you. And your grandmother was so innovative! She not only made you a pacifier and she made one of those johnny-jump-up thingies which we had our first baby in. Well, until they took it off the market, probably for the same reason you got a scar on your chin. Fun stories. And my dad would relate to your cousin as he still moaned about the toy that his mother gave away even when he was 93.

I was devastated to kearn I wasn't perfect. (learn)

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 Comment Written 18-Apr-2024


reply by the author on 19-Apr-2024
    Thank you so much Helen. I've heard people say when you are about to die sometimes you whole life with flash before your eyes. Maybe if I finish this, they will let that part. lol
    Beth
reply by lyenochka on 19-Apr-2024
    No, you can't get to that part. Keep writing ab out your fascinating childhood!