Chasing the Elusive Dream
Viewing comments for Chapter 3 "Developing Domestically"A southern couple's journey in the 60's,70's & 80'
50 total reviews
Comment from judiverse
This is quite an account of your early effort at homemaking, and had many humorous details. I imagine Tupperware wouldn't do well in an oven. The detail about the lecherous landlord also added humor. Ironic comment about giving up writing love notes. Very enjoyable and down-to-earth. I took 4-H when I was in school and learned the baking and food preparation. When I was in college, I often opened cans of Chef Boyardee. Haven't done that since. Great work. judi
reply by the author on 13-Jul-2013
  |
This is quite an account of your early effort at homemaking, and had many humorous details. I imagine Tupperware wouldn't do well in an oven. The detail about the lecherous landlord also added humor. Ironic comment about giving up writing love notes. Very enjoyable and down-to-earth. I took 4-H when I was in school and learned the baking and food preparation. When I was in college, I often opened cans of Chef Boyardee. Haven't done that since. Great work. judi
Comment Written 13-Jul-2013
reply by the author on 13-Jul-2013
-
Thank you so much for the review, Judi. I'm glad you found this humorous and down-to-earth. I signed up for 4-H but I gave it up when at the first state meeting, everyone else had the uniform we were supposed to sewing, but I tossed the letter and forgot about it. I was the only kid without a uniform. I finally got my act together and learned to cook and sew.
Beth
-
You're welcome. We didn't have to have uniforms for 4-H. Maybe every state does it differently. judi
Comment from balloonmom
I enjoyed this piece very much. It kept me chuckling throughout. I made my own share of kitchen disasters early on but, I must admit, they don't sound so bad after reading yours...ha ha. Great storytelling. Keep it up.
reply by the author on 13-Jul-2013
|
I enjoyed this piece very much. It kept me chuckling throughout. I made my own share of kitchen disasters early on but, I must admit, they don't sound so bad after reading yours...ha ha. Great storytelling. Keep it up.
Comment Written 13-Jul-2013
reply by the author on 13-Jul-2013
-
Thank you so much for the review and great comments. I'm glad you found the humor here. I can't believe how naive I was in those days. At least, my husband was never bored. LOL
Beth
Comment from marijmd
I like when you say you mastered the art of opening a can opener LOL. I cringed at your dinning choices - I do so hope you have been able to evolve from your teen years! New day new age - I have my sons in the kitchen with me each night. They will learn to cook!
reply by the author on 13-Jul-2013
|
I like when you say you mastered the art of opening a can opener LOL. I cringed at your dinning choices - I do so hope you have been able to evolve from your teen years! New day new age - I have my sons in the kitchen with me each night. They will learn to cook!
Comment Written 13-Jul-2013
reply by the author on 13-Jul-2013
-
Thank you so much for the review and comments. I,too, cring when I think of those early food choices. Actually although it took a while, I'm a pretty good cook. Good for you mking sure those sons learn to cook. They might take a bride as naive as I and at least they want starve. LOL
Beth
Comment from kiwijenny
Ha ha ha early marriage.,and yet we survived . I have similar stories. Thanks for baring your unprepared soul. It was a good read . What a shame you had to deal with a pervert..........
Thanks for the humor.
God bless
reply by the author on 13-Jul-2013
|
Ha ha ha early marriage.,and yet we survived . I have similar stories. Thanks for baring your unprepared soul. It was a good read . What a shame you had to deal with a pervert..........
Thanks for the humor.
God bless
Comment Written 13-Jul-2013
reply by the author on 13-Jul-2013
-
Thank you so much for the review and comments. I'm so glad you got a laugh from this. I'm sure we all have plenty of tales to tell from those early days. I wonder if many were as unprepared as I wsa.
Beth
Comment from Amicus
Beth, I enjoyed reading your amusing biographical piece. As with all your writing, this essay is presented in clean straight forward prose that reads smoothly. You manage to maintain reader interest throughout and you choose vivid detail in telling your anecdotes. I especially like the gentle tone of acceptance that you use when discussing your main character's youthful lack of experience and knowledge.
reply by the author on 27-Mar-2009
|
Beth, I enjoyed reading your amusing biographical piece. As with all your writing, this essay is presented in clean straight forward prose that reads smoothly. You manage to maintain reader interest throughout and you choose vivid detail in telling your anecdotes. I especially like the gentle tone of acceptance that you use when discussing your main character's youthful lack of experience and knowledge.
Comment Written 27-Mar-2009
reply by the author on 27-Mar-2009
-
Amicus, Thank you for reading and for the lovely comments. I do appreciate your review.
Beth
Comment from skye
It is amazing so many people survive their first few years of adulthood and marriage.
Your story reads well, is strongly written, funny, real, and easy to read.
Very well done.
reply by the author on 25-Mar-2009
|
It is amazing so many people survive their first few years of adulthood and marriage.
Your story reads well, is strongly written, funny, real, and easy to read.
Very well done.
Comment Written 25-Mar-2009
reply by the author on 25-Mar-2009
-
Skye, Thank you for reading and commenting. I'm glad you liked it.
Beth
Comment from Annelisa
Bless your heart. Not all of us are cut out for housework. When my dear husband went out of town to work last week, my youngest son wailed, "Who's going to cook for us?" Oh, well. We do the best we can :)
Annelisa
reply by the author on 25-Mar-2009
|
Bless your heart. Not all of us are cut out for housework. When my dear husband went out of town to work last week, my youngest son wailed, "Who's going to cook for us?" Oh, well. We do the best we can :)
Annelisa
Comment Written 25-Mar-2009
reply by the author on 25-Mar-2009
-
Annelisa, Thanks for your review. I love your comments. I can cook now and so can my husband so I let him every chance I get.
Beth
Comment from Themon
Oh, my. Wonderful writing. To the point, well-phrased, no obvious SPaG poking me in the eye.
Your Tupperware incident reminds me of the Exploding Eggs incident. College, four students, two apartments. Eggs being boiled for something, oh, LOOK! XYZ playing at the theatre, that's in FIVE MINUTES! Go! Go! Go!
We come back two hours later to a strange red glow and a vile odor from the kitchen. The red glow is the aluminum pan on the gas range. Kind of pretty, in a Hellish way. The stench is, of course, the sulphrous, blackened remains of boiled eggs. That is, what was left in the pot, and not splattered on the ceiling.
Ugh.
reply by the author on 25-Mar-2009
|
Oh, my. Wonderful writing. To the point, well-phrased, no obvious SPaG poking me in the eye.
Your Tupperware incident reminds me of the Exploding Eggs incident. College, four students, two apartments. Eggs being boiled for something, oh, LOOK! XYZ playing at the theatre, that's in FIVE MINUTES! Go! Go! Go!
We come back two hours later to a strange red glow and a vile odor from the kitchen. The red glow is the aluminum pan on the gas range. Kind of pretty, in a Hellish way. The stench is, of course, the sulphrous, blackened remains of boiled eggs. That is, what was left in the pot, and not splattered on the ceiling.
Ugh.
Comment Written 24-Mar-2009
reply by the author on 25-Mar-2009
-
Themon, Thank you for your great review and comments. As for eggs, I blackened eight of them just last week. I put them on the boil and got tied up with FanStory back in the office. Heard something that sounded like someone was in the kitchen and knew I was home alone. I went to see and you know the rest of the story. I'm a lot better than when I first got married but I still have my days. LOL
Beth
Comment from jojosug
Your husband may have been hungry, but I'm sure his early years with you, were never boring! A funny well thought out piece of work, though there were rather a lot of 'never' in it. It may help to find alternatives in the future.
Jo
reply by the author on 24-Mar-2009
|
Your husband may have been hungry, but I'm sure his early years with you, were never boring! A funny well thought out piece of work, though there were rather a lot of 'never' in it. It may help to find alternatives in the future.
Jo
Comment Written 24-Mar-2009
reply by the author on 24-Mar-2009
-
Jo, Thank you for your review. I was frustrated with the editing because I kept changing words and every time I saved it, it went back to the original. The staff finally told me I couldn't change anything because something was wrong with the picture. I took the picture out but by that timw I was tired of trying to change words.
Beth
Comment from DecrepitOldBag
Beth, your accounts make me howl with laughter! Isn't it strange how quickly we can become acclimatized to household chores! I hate them even now; any excuse to leave the chores 'just one more day' is good enough for me. I keep on top of the dish-washing (I do not have a machine) and the laundry, but the rest, "Ah, to hell with it!"
I noticed one phrase which slipped through the editing process:
"....even from his wife, that his she hadn't........"
Sure you'll fix it up good.
Can't wait for more!
Warmest wishes
Kat
reply by the author on 24-Mar-2009
|
Beth, your accounts make me howl with laughter! Isn't it strange how quickly we can become acclimatized to household chores! I hate them even now; any excuse to leave the chores 'just one more day' is good enough for me. I keep on top of the dish-washing (I do not have a machine) and the laundry, but the rest, "Ah, to hell with it!"
I noticed one phrase which slipped through the editing process:
"....even from his wife, that his she hadn't........"
Sure you'll fix it up good.
Can't wait for more!
Warmest wishes
Kat
Comment Written 24-Mar-2009
reply by the author on 24-Mar-2009
-
Kat, I am so furstrated with the editing. I changed dozens of things on the editor before I even released it and neither of the editor, basic or advanced would let me change anything. When I hit save it always went back to the original. I've tried 5 or 6 times and it isn't working. All the orignals spags are still there and I can't seem to change them. Aside from that, Thanks again for your excellent review and comments.
Beth
