Reviews from

Chasing the Elusive Dream

Viewing comments for Chapter 28 "My Husband the Organizer"
A southern couple's journey in the 60's,70's & 80'

27 total reviews 
Comment from mermaids
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I admire your husband's ability to save up for an early retirement, quite the skill. His organizational skills come in quite handy with the dishes but I agree with you, I would not want my husband to organize my closet or books.

 Comment Written 25-Feb-2022


reply by the author on 27-Feb-2022
    Thank you so much for the review and comments.
Comment from Cecilia R
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I enjoyed the humor and the easy flow of your story. Your descriptions created clear pictures of your dilemma. The beginning was strong and drew me to want to read more. Your talent as a writer showed. I found there was no area that seemed to need more work.
My late husband was an organizer too, but he kept it for the garage and his closet area only, thank goodness.

 Comment Written 25-Feb-2022


reply by the author on 26-Feb-2022
    Thank you for the review and comments. After that incident he did stick to the garage, his shop and his closet. But occasionally he felt the need to put all my pot plants in a row.
    Beth
reply by Cecilia R on 27-Feb-2022
    You are welcome. Life could be way worst.
    Cecilia
Comment from Verna Cole Mitchell
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I have been reviewing only poetry, but I'm so glad I decided to give your book a try. This is marvelous. I'm sure I'll continue. My husband, too, decided to retire early, after 30 years in the field of education. I kept teaching for five more years. He picked up some side jobs but became chief housekeeper, which he did better than I. He was very organized and decided to organize my cabinet of pans and my pantry. That was a disaster. I bit my tongue, some, then rearranged it to how I wanted it. He told me Harris Teeter had called and wanted me to return some of my cans of tomato soup.

 Comment Written 25-Feb-2022


reply by the author on 25-Feb-2022
    Thank you for reading this. I've had two books of stories going about my life. This one is told with more humor. My husband passed away in 2019 and the other book started when we met and now I'm to 1995 and Mom is dying. It is more serious and I write it as if I
    talking to my husband. I started it because I wanted my children to have a record of our lives.
    Beth
reply by Verna Cole Mitchell on 25-Feb-2022
    I'm sorry about your husband. Mine has had several strokes, and I almost lost him to a serious bleed 4 years ago. We are in the independent section of a retirement system, and he gets along very well. My poetry has been what I'm leaving for my children.
Comment from Ulla
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Oh dear, Beth, I think I would have gone ballistic. I know your husband did it out of love and with all the best of intentions. I would still have blown a gasket. I admire your restraint. The new room does sound lovely although you had to sacrifice half your closet. I love to read about your life. Ulla:)))

 Comment Written 25-Feb-2022


reply by the author on 26-Feb-2022
    Thank you Ulla. Yes he meant well so I tried to restrain myself. He was very good at some things so I really miss him and all the yard work he did and household help. He only tried it once with the clothes and books.
    Beth
Comment from Spitfire
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Wish I had a six left. This will connect with most readers. I am disorganized too but I've heard that's the sign of a creative person.
As for your hubby retiring early, when I moved to a retirement community fifteen years ago, housewives talked about hard it was to have their husbands around 24/7. I envied the 'golf widows'. I laughed about leveling the books and half to admit that is something I do.

 Comment Written 25-Feb-2022


reply by the author on 25-Feb-2022
    Thank you for a great review. I love it when someone reminds me disorganized people are creative, and I don't have feel guilty about it. Virgos are supposed to be very organized but they missed it with me.
    Beth
Comment from Jannypan (Jan)
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Your bonus room sounded awesome, Beth, but a difficult way to get it built. You did a great job expressing your thoughts and feelings about your husband's retirement. I agree that event would cause much distress if not done the best way. It seems you and your husband worked out the best arrangement after trial and error. The part about the dishwasher was funny, now though.
Respectfully, Jan

 Comment Written 25-Feb-2022


reply by the author on 26-Feb-2022
    Thank you so much for the review and comment. I miss him and his help but not his organizing of thing I use. LOL
    Beth
Comment from Begin Again
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The organizer part wouldn't bother me because I too put things in specific places especially in my kitchen. All the chicken noodle soup together, all the tomato soup, etc. Lined and in a straight row. My closet on the other hand (since my son usually takes the clothes from the dryer, puts them on hangers and then jams them into my closet. Not so much organization there. Dishwasher...Bravo and two bravo's for his handy work.

Smiles, CArol

 Comment Written 25-Feb-2022


reply by the author on 25-Feb-2022
    Thank you Carol. My pantry is the only thing I do organize, but it is the one thing my husband didn't worry about. I have to be able to get my hand on the things I want to eat.
    Beth
Comment from nancy_e_davis
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This is a delightful story, Beth. Wow, sometimes he was just too helpful wasn't he. I'm sure you found it pleasing to have those clothes you never wore anymore packed up, out of the way, giving you more space to search for the correct outfit in a smaller closet. LOL But then there was that lovely new room. Well done. Nancy:)

 Comment Written 25-Feb-2022


reply by the author on 25-Feb-2022
    Thank you Nancy, he was definitely too helpful that day. I hated to let him how much he complicated things for me. He thought he'd done something special for me. I was the one who had to pack the clothes. By that time he was busy getting sawdust everywhere. LOL
    Beth
Comment from damommy
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It's good to know I'm not the only one with a closet of many sizes. I have been trying to organize mine, too, but not as drastically as yours was. hahaha. I removed all the clothes I can no longer get into, but I moved them to another closet, just in case, don't you know. I've heard that retired husbands can be a pain in the neck, but at least you got a great gathering place out of it. 8-)

 Comment Written 25-Feb-2022


reply by the author on 25-Feb-2022
    Thanks for the great review. He was always busy but after that he left my books and closet alone.
    Beth
Comment from patcelaw
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It seems in many cases that God puts together the messy people with those who are the organized. I used to be one of the messy people, but not so much now.
Patricia

 Comment Written 25-Feb-2022


reply by the author on 25-Feb-2022
    Thank you for the review and it works pretty well that way. We have other things in common but he was strong in some things and me in others and that was good.
    Beth