Reviews from

Grandma Bessie & Thanksgiving

A Family Thanksgiving with cornbread dressing.

51 total reviews 
Comment from Dolly'sPoems
Excellent
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Your memories of your Grandma are sweet here and made all the more interesting when food is involved as we can taste the memory on our tongue and the flavour lasts a lifetime, much enjoyed Terry, love Dolly x

 Comment Written 18-Nov-2021


reply by the author on 18-Nov-2021
    Thank you very much, you are very kind.
Comment from Tpa
Excellent
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It is an interesting story about your past. I thought the back story could be intertwined with the gist of the story. It seems of little importance to the main topic-CORNBREAD. good luck in the contest.

 Comment Written 18-Nov-2021


reply by the author on 18-Nov-2021
    Thank You.
Comment from papa55mike
Exceptional
This work has reached the exceptional level

We need more family memories of the past holidays. They brighten everyone's Thanksgiving day. What a wonderfully written story.

Good luck in the contest!
Have a great day, and God bless.
mike

 Comment Written 18-Nov-2021

Comment from MissMerri
Excellent
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Hahahaha! What a fun story! I enjoyed every bit of it, and think you did an excellent job of telling a bit of your family history from a child's point of view. Children don't really care much about how something is made... but they do sit up and take notice when there is the feeling of tension or drama in the air. Best wishes for the contest. This was certainly well done.

 Comment Written 18-Nov-2021


reply by the author on 18-Nov-2021
    Thank you very much coming from an excellent writer like you this means a lot.
Comment from Carol Hillebrenner
Excellent
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That's an interesting story and one like I enjoyed for Thanksgiving. My mother was not a cook so grandma did it all, so no arguments, unless Grandpa and Daddy tried to discuss something. Saw 2 things you might want to change in the fifth paragraph: I ask(ed) her, & . . . why are (you) marrying . . . Best of luck with this.

 Comment Written 17-Nov-2021


reply by the author on 18-Nov-2021
    Thank You very much. For some reason, you must have had an earlier copy of the story, because those changes were made, but thanks for catching them. I need all the help I can get.
Comment from irishauthorme
Excellent
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What a neat story! The cornbread fiasco was funny, and so typical of family rivalries.
Our family always went to Grandma's for Thanksgiving and the only thing my Mom was allowed to bring was the yams, glazed with brown sugar. Everything else was Grandma's alone, and excellent.
The smells were intoxicating, and of course, as just kids we were always hungry anyway, but by suppertime we were ravenous.
Liked your viewpoint, made the story real.
Cheers, irish

 Comment Written 17-Nov-2021


reply by the author on 17-Nov-2021
    Thank You very much I do appreciate your read and review.
Comment from Soledadpaz
Exceptional
This work has reached the exceptional level

This is beyond excellent! I'm still laughing out loud. His wife died three months ago! That shouldn't make me laugh but it does. You didn't like ingredients, that is just hilarious. You should definitely write more about your family.

Great luck in the contest!

Sol

 Comment Written 17-Nov-2021


reply by the author on 17-Nov-2021
    Thank you! you are very kind. There are a few more stories yet to come.
Comment from Elizabeth Emerald
Excellent
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Charming story. Masterfully narrated--vividly evocative of your grandmother and the holiday surprise--brilliant trick. In future, was the yellow cornmeal really white?

 Comment Written 17-Nov-2021


reply by the author on 17-Nov-2021
    Thank you very much. I am sure the cornmeal was white, my mother was adamant about that.
Comment from lauralumummu
Exceptional
This work has reached the exceptional level

I love this story of Bessie. It brings her to life and that stuffing. We never had it here ours is usually bread and onions and poultry seasoning. If possible could you go to the advanced editor and make the font a little bigger, the story flows beautifully but it could cause eye strain, lol, All the best, Laura

 Comment Written 16-Nov-2021


reply by the author on 17-Nov-2021
    Thank you very much.
Comment from Mary Kay Bonfante
Excellent
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This is certainly a great story of family drama! Most American families have it in some way, shape or form. Yours apparently revolved around the color of the dressing!

I have made some suggestions for grammatical improvement, for your consideration:

Sometime starting in the mid 1950's until 1979 ...
-->
Sometime starting in the mid 1950s until 1979, ...

His real nick name was Mutt,
-->
His real nickname was Mutt,

I ask her, "Grandma, after being your boyfriend for twenty five years ...
-->
I asked her, "Grandma, after being your boyfriend for twenty five years, ..

She said, "his wife died three months ago."
-->
She said, "His wife died three months ago."

Food during this era, 1950's to mid 1960's,
-->
Food during this era, 1950s to mid 1960s,

Merle Haggard said it best "it was when a girl could cook and still would."
-->
Merle Haggard said it best, "It was when a girl could cook and still would."

I said, "but mommy, I don't like ingredients!"
-->
I said, "But mommy, I don't like ingredients!"

Now that you understand the back story. Here comes the part about the Thanksgiving dressing.
-->
Now that you understand the backstory, here comes the part about the Thanksgiving dressing.

Everyone loved it. Well mostly.
-->
Everyone loved it--well mostly.

Being kids and all my brother and two cousins did not have a clue and didn't care.
-->
Being kids and all, my brother and two cousins did not have a clue and didn't care.

But, Grandma Bessie said, "this just doesn't taste right!"
-->
But, Grandma Bessie said, "This just doesn't taste right!"

It was about half way through the meal that my mother ask, "mother how do you like the dressing?"
-->
It was about halfway through the meal that my mother asked, "Mother, how do you like the dressing?"

Grandma Bessie said, "it is excellent!"
-->
Grandma Bessie said, "It is excellent!"

Absolute quiet at the table.
-->
There was absolute quiet at the table.

***

You have great humor in your story. I loved your line, "Mommy, I don't like ingredients!" How much like a child, to come up with that!

 Comment Written 16-Nov-2021


reply by the author on 17-Nov-2021
    Thank you very much! I need all the help I can get!
reply by Mary Kay Bonfante on 17-Nov-2021
    You're very welcome, Terry. I'm happy to help. May God bless you.
    - Mary Kay