Book Review: Packed up and Ready to Go by Betty Tand

Betty Tand does not disappoint with her second book about her mother, Ms. Emma Thornton, also known as my Grandma. The vignettes add to an understanding of Grandma in such poignant ways—it’s amazing what a glimpse, response or simple action will tell about a person. In the foreword, Janice Fisher describes Grandma as “reaching out to the world” with “fluttering wings.” Betty’s stories show that this woman can fly!

I so much enjoyed reading each and every story. I was smiling and would find myself laughing out loud at some points—causing my neighbors in the airport to look at me askance. I didn’t care one little bit. I teared up thinking about the wonderful person that I’ve been able to know and love and experience.

I am amazed at Grandma’s memory. Several of the stories point out her ability to remember birthdays, directions, or anniversaries simply because they happened to her. Ask her today what she talked to Janice or Carolyn about last week, and she could confidently give you a snapshot. I sat next to Grandma at lunch last Sunday and she turned and said to me, “I don’t think I’ve eaten dinner sitting next to you in a long time.” I had to think back to all those Thanksgivings and Sunday dinners, and I believe she was right. She then said, “You would eat SO SLOW when you were little.” I laughed and said, “I still do.” She then mentioned that when I was little all I would eat was weenies and cheese (American slices no less) and it would still take me forever to finish my lunch. I laughed and asked her if she remembered HOW I would eat that meal every day and she said “yeah, but I want to hear you tell it.”

So, I said, “I would take my slice of American cheese and fold it in half, then half again, then half again and then half one more time to get these little bitty squares. I would take them and place them all around the rim of my plate. After that I would slice up my weenie and place it on each slice of cheese (having to nibble any leftover slices of cheese or weenie real quickly if I had any “blanks”) and then I would eat my weenie and cheese bit by bit, probably telling stories about each one and where it came from and what it had for dinner before it came to be on my plate.”

She laughed and said, “That’s exactly right.”

The book inspires in me my stories about Grandma. She is one of the sweetest people I know. She just loves getting attention, and she praises and loves and sees the wonder in everyone she meets—and from the telling of this book, the girl gets around! It also taught me something about myself that I have never been able to figure out. When someone says something that is absolutely right and true I will respond with “I mean.” I never even realized I said that so much or that it was an unusual response until I was in graduate school in Kentucky and my friend at the time laughed at me (in a nice way) and asked why I always said “I mean” and what did it mean. In the story “Campbell is a Girl’s Name?” Grandma responds to the question “What if a girl wants both [cuddling and sex]?” with “I mean.” Absolutely!
Thank you, Betty, for the gift of this book. I have enjoyed the entire experience of reading this book. Every story is perfectly told and gives me that little Grandma hug I certainly need right now. I will show it off proudly to my friends, all of whom really loved My Mother Told Me. They will be tickled to know that there’s another installment!