At Home in Mississippi
Viewing comments for Chapter 5 "The News is Out"Growing up in the 40 and 50 in MIssissippi
18 total reviews
Comment from Spitfire
That would be true about the rubbers although they are called 'condoms' these days. How scary to get pregnant and have a husband who didn't want children! I'm anxious to see how this plays out.
reply by the author on 07-Mar-2024
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That would be true about the rubbers although they are called 'condoms' these days. How scary to get pregnant and have a husband who didn't want children! I'm anxious to see how this plays out.
Comment Written 07-Mar-2024
reply by the author on 07-Mar-2024
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Thank you for the review. I doubt if many called them condoms in those days. My first trip to the doctor after getting married, he asked if I was doing anything to prevent pregnancy. I didn't want to say rubbers and I couldn't think of the word condom. I said we use prophylactics, remembering that word from the package. He looked at me like I was crasy and "You mean rubbers?"
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LOL
Comment from Karen Cherry Threadgill
You have true feelings for your writing that stand out right away. I hope he came to see what a treasure you are. These days, my reviewing is slow. I am
hibernating. My pain is such that I am taking my aspirin whenever I wake up after fours or more of sleep. I am keeping track of my dosage times. Then, I drink some liquid, eat a pouch of tuna, and crawl under my heated blankets and pads. Off to sleep I go, Karen :-)
reply by the author on 07-Mar-2024
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You have true feelings for your writing that stand out right away. I hope he came to see what a treasure you are. These days, my reviewing is slow. I am
hibernating. My pain is such that I am taking my aspirin whenever I wake up after fours or more of sleep. I am keeping track of my dosage times. Then, I drink some liquid, eat a pouch of tuna, and crawl under my heated blankets and pads. Off to sleep I go, Karen :-)
Comment Written 06-Mar-2024
reply by the author on 07-Mar-2024
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Thank you Karen for a great review. I'm so sorry you are going through such pain. I wake up three of fout times in the night not able to breath. I think my is alergies but it is scary. I can't keep up with the reviewing any more either. I may have too many on my fan list or people are writing more.
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I have bad allergies. Sleep with your head higher than your heart, and sleep on your right side. This should help. unless you have sleep apnea. :-)
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Thanks
Comment from royowen
I love this post, it's almost like the extended existence of Beth...before she was born, heh heh, you are phenomenal Beth, I TOI k you must have been taking notes of your ancestors, long before you were born, it puts another slant on time, a minor inconvenience to deal with sin, well done, blessings Roy
reply by the author on 05-Mar-2024
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I love this post, it's almost like the extended existence of Beth...before she was born, heh heh, you are phenomenal Beth, I TOI k you must have been taking notes of your ancestors, long before you were born, it puts another slant on time, a minor inconvenience to deal with sin, well done, blessings Roy
Comment Written 05-Mar-2024
reply by the author on 05-Mar-2024
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Thanks Roy, I only know what I've been told. Some of the the words that say might not be exactly what they said.
Beth
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You?re still brilliant, a super memory
Comment from LateBloomer
Hi Beth, first I must tell you that the carrot cake had me tempted. It's a good thing that it was a photo, and I didn't have a carrot cake in the house 'cause I might have attacked it.
Your story is the reality of married couples living in 1937...how to control the babies from keep on comin'. Your characters are real, and your dialogue is believable. Of note:
--To her, children meant work and trouble.
(My aunt who was one of 14 children never got overly excited about hearing that someone was going to have a baby.)
--he last five years had taught her that he didn't like surprises.
(I think that Grover is my husband's twin. My husband doesn't even like it if we change restaurants at the last minute, but he does love children, and he loved having his own family.)
--"I was talking to your mother today and she thinks I may be pregnant."
(Oh, how she threw his mother "under the bus." However, as they say, it's not the lie, but the coverup.)
At the end of the story, Grover is already coming around, but her lying to him seems like there's going to be a problem. Thank you for the character lineup and description. Well done. Xo. Margaret
reply by the author on 05-Mar-2024
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Hi Beth, first I must tell you that the carrot cake had me tempted. It's a good thing that it was a photo, and I didn't have a carrot cake in the house 'cause I might have attacked it.
Your story is the reality of married couples living in 1937...how to control the babies from keep on comin'. Your characters are real, and your dialogue is believable. Of note:
--To her, children meant work and trouble.
(My aunt who was one of 14 children never got overly excited about hearing that someone was going to have a baby.)
--he last five years had taught her that he didn't like surprises.
(I think that Grover is my husband's twin. My husband doesn't even like it if we change restaurants at the last minute, but he does love children, and he loved having his own family.)
--"I was talking to your mother today and she thinks I may be pregnant."
(Oh, how she threw his mother "under the bus." However, as they say, it's not the lie, but the coverup.)
At the end of the story, Grover is already coming around, but her lying to him seems like there's going to be a problem. Thank you for the character lineup and description. Well done. Xo. Margaret
Comment Written 05-Mar-2024
reply by the author on 05-Mar-2024
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Thank you Margaret. I really appreciate your nice review and comments. My mom was being bit deceptive because my dad has a temper so she was nervous about telling him.
Beth
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Beth, I did understand about the temper part. Men of that generation often had short tempers. Xo. M
Comment from Jim Wile
Interesting start to the story, Beth, about your (very) early life. I got a little confused about who was who because you mentioned the names of seven characters in the first three paragraphs. I had to read it over a few times to figure out all the relationships. Perhaps it isn't necessary to mention all those people so early in the narrative.
For example, maybe you didn't need to mention the brothers, Newman and Eugene. If they become pertinent to the story, you could always introduce them later on. Also, was it necessary to name Annie Jane, or could you just continue to use the name Grandma throughout? I find myself saying, "Now who is Annie Jane? Oh yeah, that's the grandma."
A more hard-hitting beginning might have been to start with your father's finding out about your mother's pregnancy and how uncomfortable that made him. There is great potential to show how he either mellows to the idea and becomes a great father, or he remains cold and aloof throughout, or whatever happens.
It's a little difficult to tell who the main character will be at this point, and you should probably identify that person early on. - Jim
reply by the author on 05-Mar-2024
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Interesting start to the story, Beth, about your (very) early life. I got a little confused about who was who because you mentioned the names of seven characters in the first three paragraphs. I had to read it over a few times to figure out all the relationships. Perhaps it isn't necessary to mention all those people so early in the narrative.
For example, maybe you didn't need to mention the brothers, Newman and Eugene. If they become pertinent to the story, you could always introduce them later on. Also, was it necessary to name Annie Jane, or could you just continue to use the name Grandma throughout? I find myself saying, "Now who is Annie Jane? Oh yeah, that's the grandma."
A more hard-hitting beginning might have been to start with your father's finding out about your mother's pregnancy and how uncomfortable that made him. There is great potential to show how he either mellows to the idea and becomes a great father, or he remains cold and aloof throughout, or whatever happens.
It's a little difficult to tell who the main character will be at this point, and you should probably identify that person early on. - Jim
Comment Written 05-Mar-2024
reply by the author on 05-Mar-2024
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Actually this isn't the start to the story. This is the fifth chapter. I tried to put it into the book, but it kept going into the wrong book so I decided it would be easier to add it later. That is why I put the character list at the bottom. The story is about me an my family but I've not been born yet. I'm sorry it was confusing. Most of the reviewer have read things about the other characters, especially Annie Jane, Lucille and Glover in other chapters. In some of the chapters a different character will be the mail character of that chapter. I appreciate your suggestions.
Beth
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Got it. I didn't realize.
Comment from Debbie D'Arcy
This news is very well done in your excellent dialogue as Lucille tries, as subtly as possible, to disclose her pregnancy secret to Glover. And, after the initial shock, it seems to have worked quite well. My Goodness, some of these men who believe that pregnancy is nothing to do with them and it's all the woman's 'fault.' Nicely done, Beth. No errors noted. Debbie
reply by the author on 06-Mar-2024
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This news is very well done in your excellent dialogue as Lucille tries, as subtly as possible, to disclose her pregnancy secret to Glover. And, after the initial shock, it seems to have worked quite well. My Goodness, some of these men who believe that pregnancy is nothing to do with them and it's all the woman's 'fault.' Nicely done, Beth. No errors noted. Debbie
Comment Written 04-Mar-2024
reply by the author on 06-Mar-2024
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Thank you Debbie. It is true they seeme to thing anything going on in a women's body, she much be responsible for. At least, he new my Mom well enough to know, I had to be his. That was confirmed as well, after I was born because everyone said I looked just like him.
Comment from barbara.wilkey
This story caused me to smile. In a way I feel sorry for Glover, but he is coming around. I know he'll enjoy this little bundle. Thank you for sharing.
You haven't missed a period, have you?", he asked. (omit the comma)
reply by the author on 06-Mar-2024
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This story caused me to smile. In a way I feel sorry for Glover, but he is coming around. I know he'll enjoy this little bundle. Thank you for sharing.
You haven't missed a period, have you?", he asked. (omit the comma)
Comment Written 04-Mar-2024
reply by the author on 06-Mar-2024
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Thank you Barbara. Yes, it turned out, he liked little girls after all. He loved my three girls too but he gave my son a hard time.
Beth
Comment from patcelaw
This is very well written, and I enjoyed listening to it. It flows very well. Your sat structure, and your paragraphing is very good. I wish you the very best for the day and I also hope that God will richly bless you with all good and pleasant things. Patricia .
reply by the author on 06-Mar-2024
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This is very well written, and I enjoyed listening to it. It flows very well. Your sat structure, and your paragraphing is very good. I wish you the very best for the day and I also hope that God will richly bless you with all good and pleasant things. Patricia .
Comment Written 04-Mar-2024
reply by the author on 06-Mar-2024
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Thank you Patricia. I'm glad you liked my story.
Beth
Comment from Ric Myworld
I can remember growing up and working from sun up to sun down on the farm about every day of the week, all but maybe just some piddling on Sunday afternoon. Which didn't leave much time for chasing little snotty-nosed brats. LOL. Thanks for sharing.
reply by the author on 06-Mar-2024
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I can remember growing up and working from sun up to sun down on the farm about every day of the week, all but maybe just some piddling on Sunday afternoon. Which didn't leave much time for chasing little snotty-nosed brats. LOL. Thanks for sharing.
Comment Written 04-Mar-2024
reply by the author on 06-Mar-2024
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Where you working on a farm when your kids came along? I thought you left home early and went on walk-about to see the world, and and then you either chased a lady or got into race horses or both..
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I left home at 15, but I grew up working on the farm. I took off to see the world, but was broke in about two weeks. So, having worked with race horses my whole short life, I took a job at the racetrack as a groom for two years until I made a great financial deal that set me in motion. Of course, as young boys do, I went home to catch up with a girl and complicated life.
Comment from Tom Horonzy
I would be the anti-Glover. The last thing I would want as a child would be a girl, being raised with five sisters, and besides worrying about them become pregnant would be far more challenging then having a son. God fixed it. I fathered none, but ... we did adopt a pair of girls five years apart.
Both made it through to adulthood safely.
reply by the author on 04-Mar-2024
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I would be the anti-Glover. The last thing I would want as a child would be a girl, being raised with five sisters, and besides worrying about them become pregnant would be far more challenging then having a son. God fixed it. I fathered none, but ... we did adopt a pair of girls five years apart.
Both made it through to adulthood safely.
Comment Written 04-Mar-2024
reply by the author on 04-Mar-2024
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Thank you Tom. I appreciate the review. My dad hated noise and he seemed to think most of it came from boys. Among my four kids it was the boy who got into more trouble and created noise. My dad gave my son a hard time.