Reviews from

Sunday Family Dinners

A lost tradition

32 total reviews 
Comment from Carol Hillebrenner
Excellent
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This is a really interesting and well-written article about your family. It is so very different from a German family gathering with all the kids crammed at the table with the elders, and you only got a chicken wing if you misbehaved before the meal. Those dinner, too, are gone.

 Comment Written 06-May-2023


reply by the author on 07-May-2023
    Thank you Carol for taking the time to read.
    I do appreciate it, John .
Comment from Jumbo J
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Hi John,
When I was a rug rat around seven, our family moved from the country to Wollongong a multicultural steel working city. The suburb we moved to was a placed named Coniston,and mostly populated by migrants, or what I always heard said... new Australians and yes, on the other side of that... wogs. But I never liked or used the latter name, as I had formed many happy relationships in the neighbourhood with the Italian, Greek and Yugoslavian kids. We rented our house off an Italian family... The Tappas's. My very first taste of family Sunday feasts... my first taste of exotic foods. And yes, the food blew my mind. The beautiful old Nona used to bring me a plate of food every time I walk through the door. Guess that's why I love Italian food to this day. So reading your beautiful memories took me back to some of the exact settings. The outside yard with the cascading grape vines so magnificently shaped and trellised.

Really enjoyed reading this story. Grazie amico mio.

'the' cousins did what cousins do when 'we' get(either get or got, but I prefer get as it allows the word to keep going so to speak,) together... 'wreaked havoc'.
I often reminisce about' these' good family times, (again those and these are both acceptable, but I prefer these for the same reason as the first.

Cosi' mie piaciuto leggere questo. Hope I wrote that right?

With our thoughts we create...
indelible memories.

Kind regards,
James.

 Comment Written 06-May-2023


reply by the author on 07-May-2023
    James, my brother? great review. I certainly appreciate your words and your time!
    Great memories for sure.
    John
Comment from LJbutterfly
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The greatest memories of all are those of pleasant family gatherings. You told a delightful story with enough description to put the reader in the center of all the activity. I could almost taste the wine. You told a beautiful story about a beautiful time.

 Comment Written 06-May-2023


reply by the author on 07-May-2023
    Great review LJ. Thank you.
    John
Comment from Douglas Goff
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You painted an exquisite picture of family life. The reader almost felt like they were sitting at the table.

One catch:
I think you meant wreak havoc instead of wreck.

It is a great talent to be able to paint such a wonderful
mental picture. Well done!

 Comment Written 06-May-2023


reply by the author on 06-May-2023
    I thought I fixed that wreak vs wreck. I?ll go back and check.

    Thank you so much for reading and commenting.

    John
reply by Douglas Goff on 06-May-2023
    You know got yo back!
Comment from royowen
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Yes, of course, we have a considerable Italian and Greek population in Australia, one of my best friends growing up was Italian, his dad owned a market garden, in the country which wasn't very, but the generations become "Australianised" and those times fade, I can remember being absorbed into mealtimes in Italian household, I also remember the Vino, and purple teeth. Beautifully written John, blessings. Roy

 Comment Written 06-May-2023


reply by the author on 06-May-2023
    Awesome review Roy. Purple teeth probably came from homemade wine? Thank you so much.
    John
reply by royowen on 06-May-2023
    It did indeed.
Comment from Ginda Simpson
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My grandfather was from Calabria. He and his brothers immigrated to Baltimore and I grew up enjoying the very gatherings you describe. Eventually I moved to Italy and lived there for almost 25 years. I love this story. Any necessary corrections would be with the spelling of some of your Italian words, but I hesitate to suggest them in case you are more interested in preserving the spoken language of immigrants. Lovely story. Alas, we no longer have these meals together. The two older generations are now gone.

 Comment Written 06-May-2023


reply by the author on 06-May-2023
    Wow, Ginda. That?s awesome you lived there for 25 years. I?m jealous.
    I tried writing the Italian as I remember my family talking. I would welcome your take on my Italian. I?m not ashamed.
    Thank you for reading and everything.
    John
Comment from Jannypan (Jan)
Excellent
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. . .yes, times have changed for all, John. I enjoyed your
story. I wished you'd entered this in share your story contest.
I really liked the smooth flow and great details of your family
and its get togethers. I liked the way you used your family's
first language then wrote it out in English. The foods sounded
delish. You need to write a family favorite cookbook. It's sad
to see the decline in families.
Thanks for sharing, Jan

 Comment Written 06-May-2023


reply by the author on 06-May-2023
    Yes, it?s discouraging how so much has changed.
    I enjoy writing about food in my posts.
    Thanks for your time.
    John
Comment from w.j.debi
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Benissimo! Those Sunday dinners sound like they were a lot of fun. But families get bigger and move on to other things.
Excellent details. I love that you include the Italian and then the English translations. It adds flavor to the story.

 Comment Written 06-May-2023


reply by the author on 06-May-2023
    Debi, thank you so much.
    I always appreciate your reading and commenting on my posts.
    John
Comment from barbara.wilkey
Excellent
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I think society was better back in the day. I think children grew in a healthy environment and learned from the elders. I really wish life would or could continue like that. Thank you for sharing.

 Comment Written 06-May-2023


reply by the author on 06-May-2023
    Thank you so much, Barbara.
    I always appreciate your reviews.
Comment from Shirley E Kennedy
Exceptional
This work has reached the exceptional level

You are so fortunate to have those carefree moments and caring childhood memories.
Food, wine and big families seem to be a perfect mix.
Eloquently written yet feeling just like a conversation as memories and moments are recalled with love and appreciation.
Blessings
Shirley

 Comment Written 06-May-2023


reply by the author on 06-May-2023
    Shirley, WOW! Thank you for all them stars?

    I appreciate all tge kind words, and yes, I am blessed with memories!

    Thank you again. John
reply by Shirley E Kennedy on 06-May-2023
    You're welcome.