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Comment from Bill Schott
So many old timers I wish I had interviewed about their lives and thoughts about then and now. Too late we have the inspiration to have those conversations that will now never be.
reply by the author on 17-Sep-2022
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So many old timers I wish I had interviewed about their lives and thoughts about then and now. Too late we have the inspiration to have those conversations that will now never be.
Comment Written 17-Sep-2022
reply by the author on 17-Sep-2022
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Yes, you are right. All their stories, both happy and painful are lost to future generations. Thank you for reviewing. Always appreciated.
Wendy
Comment from Terry Broxson
Wendy, this is a sad yet moving story about your grandparents. You have written the story very well. I had an uncle who had similar experiences I WWI. Here in the states, it was called 'shell shocked.' Good job. Terry.
reply by the author on 17-Sep-2022
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Wendy, this is a sad yet moving story about your grandparents. You have written the story very well. I had an uncle who had similar experiences I WWI. Here in the states, it was called 'shell shocked.' Good job. Terry.
Comment Written 17-Sep-2022
reply by the author on 17-Sep-2022
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Thanks so much Terry. So much pain locked away.
Wendy
Comment from Paul McFarland
A very sad story, Wendy. Grandparents are important to a child's upbringing. I was fortunate to have had many pleasant experiences with my grandfather. He was also a World War I veteran, but did not suffer from "shell shock".
reply by the author on 17-Sep-2022
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A very sad story, Wendy. Grandparents are important to a child's upbringing. I was fortunate to have had many pleasant experiences with my grandfather. He was also a World War I veteran, but did not suffer from "shell shock".
Comment Written 17-Sep-2022
reply by the author on 17-Sep-2022
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Thank you very much Paul. Wonderful gift of six stars, and I appreciate it a lot. I don?t know what traumas he went through, as he could not speak of it. My own father and his twin brother were together in WW2, and my father lost his twin. He also never spoke of his war experiences, but towards the end of his life wrote a short autobiography, which explained a lot. Y
Thanks again.
Wendy
Comment from Fleedleflump
My Grandad never spoke of his time in the war, except to proudly tell of trading his cigarette rations for extra paper to write letters home. After he passed, my Nan told me he'd been a sniper, and never wanted to speak about his combat experiences, even to her. He was always kind, though, if sometimes short-tempered. My occasional nights spent at their house when I was little are some of my favourite memories, and you brought them to mind with your well written piece :-).
It's terrible that so little was understood of the effects of war trauma, and that culturally, people didn't speak of it.
Mike
reply by the author on 16-Sep-2022
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My Grandad never spoke of his time in the war, except to proudly tell of trading his cigarette rations for extra paper to write letters home. After he passed, my Nan told me he'd been a sniper, and never wanted to speak about his combat experiences, even to her. He was always kind, though, if sometimes short-tempered. My occasional nights spent at their house when I was little are some of my favourite memories, and you brought them to mind with your well written piece :-).
It's terrible that so little was understood of the effects of war trauma, and that culturally, people didn't speak of it.
Mike
Comment Written 16-Sep-2022
reply by the author on 16-Sep-2022
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Thanks so much for your lovely review. Yes they all pretty much kept it locked inside, trying to just move on and forget, except that such experiences are never forgotten.
Wendy
Comment from Dolly'sPoems
You have a story here already Wendy, a love story, albeit sad, your Grandparents were quiet peaceful people and were not doubt slightly ashamed that they had to come and live with their daughter. As children we never fully understand the situation and your Grandfather's experiences were probably too horrific to be retold to children, we never know the suffering behind sad eyes. Your story is delivered with a kind heart, much enjoyed, love Dolly x
reply by the author on 16-Sep-2022
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You have a story here already Wendy, a love story, albeit sad, your Grandparents were quiet peaceful people and were not doubt slightly ashamed that they had to come and live with their daughter. As children we never fully understand the situation and your Grandfather's experiences were probably too horrific to be retold to children, we never know the suffering behind sad eyes. Your story is delivered with a kind heart, much enjoyed, love Dolly x
Comment Written 16-Sep-2022
reply by the author on 16-Sep-2022
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Thank you Dolly for your lovely review. I greatly appreciate your thoughtful and caring words.
Wendy
Comment from Father Flaps
Hi Wendy,
I enjoyed your story very much. Well-written, it could (and should) be in a family or history magazine. I felt like I knew him when the story was done.
Our grandparents had a rough time in the early 20th century. They lived through World War I (1914-1918), and then, the Great Depression (1929-1939). My grandfather, Stuart McAdam, fought in WWI. He took a bullet in the chest, and it was never taken out as it was too close to his heart. Yes, he survived. But it was a terrible time. We can't even imagine how difficult it was for them.
You've done a great job of posting this from your iPad, Wendy! You need a new computer.
Hugs,
Kimbob
reply by the author on 16-Sep-2022
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Hi Wendy,
I enjoyed your story very much. Well-written, it could (and should) be in a family or history magazine. I felt like I knew him when the story was done.
Our grandparents had a rough time in the early 20th century. They lived through World War I (1914-1918), and then, the Great Depression (1929-1939). My grandfather, Stuart McAdam, fought in WWI. He took a bullet in the chest, and it was never taken out as it was too close to his heart. Yes, he survived. But it was a terrible time. We can't even imagine how difficult it was for them.
You've done a great job of posting this from your iPad, Wendy! You need a new computer.
Hugs,
Kimbob
Comment Written 16-Sep-2022
reply by the author on 16-Sep-2022
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Thank you for your very understanding and thoughtful words. You are right, they had a very tough life, and it is beyond our imagining.
Hopefully my computer will be fixed in the next couple of weeks. Or I?ll get a new one.
Wendy
Wendy
Comment from Verna Cole Mitchell
This was very well done. I love the "pink carnation soap." I feel like I knew your grandparents well from your descriptions. I think your mother was wise not to ask for the autopsy findings.
reply by the author on 15-Sep-2022
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This was very well done. I love the "pink carnation soap." I feel like I knew your grandparents well from your descriptions. I think your mother was wise not to ask for the autopsy findings.
Comment Written 15-Sep-2022
reply by the author on 15-Sep-2022
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Thank you Verna. I agree, re the autopsy. Many thanks for your kind review.
Wendy
Comment from GARY MACLEAN
What a nice memory to associate with your grandparents, pink Palmolive rather than green. I never met my grandparents, but Old Spice and wintergreen Copenhagen are two of the aroma memories I will always have of my dad.
Para 1, 1st sentence: Add a comma after (time)
Para 8, 1st sentence: Add a comma after (war)
Para 9, 2nd sentence: Add a comma after (where) and after (family)
Para 9, 5th sentence: SUGGEST (from both) instead of (of both)
Para 11,1st sentence: (honey- suckle) should be (honey-suckle) extra hyphen space
You have great stories. The image of your grandfather standing at the door and waving tells a story all on its own. He knew it was his time. He had to go be with grandma and he was silently telling you both.
Nice recollection, thanks for sharing.
reply by the author on 15-Sep-2022
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What a nice memory to associate with your grandparents, pink Palmolive rather than green. I never met my grandparents, but Old Spice and wintergreen Copenhagen are two of the aroma memories I will always have of my dad.
Para 1, 1st sentence: Add a comma after (time)
Para 8, 1st sentence: Add a comma after (war)
Para 9, 2nd sentence: Add a comma after (where) and after (family)
Para 9, 5th sentence: SUGGEST (from both) instead of (of both)
Para 11,1st sentence: (honey- suckle) should be (honey-suckle) extra hyphen space
You have great stories. The image of your grandfather standing at the door and waving tells a story all on its own. He knew it was his time. He had to go be with grandma and he was silently telling you both.
Nice recollection, thanks for sharing.
Comment Written 15-Sep-2022
reply by the author on 15-Sep-2022
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Thank you Gary. I appreciate your review, thoughtful words, and also your suggestions.
Wendy
Comment from lyenochka
Oh, but you do have stories. It's not the typical grandparent stories. But you have told it beautifully with such compassion as your child's eyes took it all in and preserved the sights, smells and smiles to pass on about your grandfather's unspoken pain and your grandmother's strong silent support. Loved your telling of it and I think this could have gone into the grandfather's story contest.
reply by the author on 15-Sep-2022
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Oh, but you do have stories. It's not the typical grandparent stories. But you have told it beautifully with such compassion as your child's eyes took it all in and preserved the sights, smells and smiles to pass on about your grandfather's unspoken pain and your grandmother's strong silent support. Loved your telling of it and I think this could have gone into the grandfather's story contest.
Comment Written 15-Sep-2022
reply by the author on 15-Sep-2022
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What a lovely review, and so encouraging. I so appreciate this.
I think it would have been disqualified as the contest required "you to be living with them", not them living with you, and I?ve been disqualified before (several times) for lesser things. But I still wanted to record a story about my own, even if they were not stereotypical grandparents. I loved your review.
Wendy
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Who does the "disqualifying" ??
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I don?t know. The CEC, officially, but I have only ever been disqualified in certain contests, all initiated by the same person, who therefore I assume must have some input. It doesn?t matter. I could have pretended I was living with my grandparents, but I choose not to, as to me that would destroy the integrity of my writing.
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I admire your integrity, Wendy! 💖😊
Comment from Olivanne Marsh
What a sweet, sad story. The simplicity of your writing set the tone so well, the last line seemed a perfect ending. I liked the way you wove the Pink Palmolive soap into the story as a theme, but didn't over do it. I wonder if you could have described the scent of Pink Palmolive soap for the reader to give it more depth. Was it the scent of a floral bouquet of sweet peas, musk roses, jasmine and lilacs for example, or something more simple? I think there were a few places where you could have edited down and not hurt the tenor of the piece. Also, just a personal preference, but I dislike the use of exclamation marks for anything but the most dire emergencies, such as Help!
One example, below:
"After our play, of course we had to wash in the bathroom - and they used Pink Palmolive soap! What luxury! We always had Green Palmolive soap at home, and its fragrance did not compare with the beauty of pink soap. To this day I remember the beautiful scent of Pink Palmolive soap. And I remember my grandparents. I remember those things more than their short stay with us in their later years." I'd rewrite here and get rid of the line about the beautiful scent of Pink Palmolive soap and replace it with a description of the scent. Also, don't repeat Pink Palmolive soap again, just say I remember the scent of soap more than I remember the short stay.... No need to say you remember your grandparents, that's obvious.
Lovely story.
reply by the author on 15-Sep-2022
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What a sweet, sad story. The simplicity of your writing set the tone so well, the last line seemed a perfect ending. I liked the way you wove the Pink Palmolive soap into the story as a theme, but didn't over do it. I wonder if you could have described the scent of Pink Palmolive soap for the reader to give it more depth. Was it the scent of a floral bouquet of sweet peas, musk roses, jasmine and lilacs for example, or something more simple? I think there were a few places where you could have edited down and not hurt the tenor of the piece. Also, just a personal preference, but I dislike the use of exclamation marks for anything but the most dire emergencies, such as Help!
One example, below:
"After our play, of course we had to wash in the bathroom - and they used Pink Palmolive soap! What luxury! We always had Green Palmolive soap at home, and its fragrance did not compare with the beauty of pink soap. To this day I remember the beautiful scent of Pink Palmolive soap. And I remember my grandparents. I remember those things more than their short stay with us in their later years." I'd rewrite here and get rid of the line about the beautiful scent of Pink Palmolive soap and replace it with a description of the scent. Also, don't repeat Pink Palmolive soap again, just say I remember the scent of soap more than I remember the short stay.... No need to say you remember your grandparents, that's obvious.
Lovely story.
Comment Written 15-Sep-2022
reply by the author on 15-Sep-2022
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Thank you Olivanne. You?ve read my story with thought and care, and I will certainly consider and use several of your suggestions. I don?t really know what the scent was, not sure I could specify any flower ?.I will go back and edit as soon as I can.
Wendy
