Chit-chat

[vicki]

I thought it might be nice to have thread for those who are online to shoot the breeze and chat with anyone else who's around.

The highlight of my day so far is that I got the new Thursday Next book--First Among Sequels, which I'm glad to finally get my hands on! I also got the Lois McMaster Bujold books so many people have been talking about--The Curse of Chalion, Paladin of Souls and The Hallowed Hunt, sample chapters of which are available here (http://www.dendarii.com/chalion.html). I adore Bujolds' Vorkosigan books, and Piper <waves to Piper> says these new three are some of her best work, so they must be fabulous. I also got a newer book of Bujold's--Beguilement, which jtb, Grey Badger and kuttlewis have mentioned here.

[KarenB]

Love them! I'm wishing I hadn't read them already, just to have the pleasure of reading them for the first time. Enjoy:D

[vicki]

Yah, I'm looking way forward to them. I'd gotten The Mists of Avalon at the library book sale recently and I picked it up yesterday to read it. But I hadn't finished the first page when I realized that what I really wanted to read was some LMB. So I busted off to the bookstore once I figured out the library didn't have them. Finding the new Thursday Next was just gravy. I'll still have TMoA ahead of me when I'm in more of an Arthurian mood. After the kids are down for the evening, I'll have some good reading to do!

I just got in from a run and the skeeters are fierce out here since the drought broke. I reek of Off so badly I can't stand myself.

[spiston]

I would almost be glad for skeeters and a broken drought.

Here in the desert we've had 22 days in a row of 100+ degrees. From a weather website: "More notable within that was a 10-day stretch at 106 and above from June 28 to July 5 and 16 days in a row with at least 104 from June 20 to July 5."

Damnation. I don't care what folks say about a dry heat. I'm about to pack my bags and move to the Antarctic.

[Strawberry Curls]

Damnation. I don't care what folks say about a dry heat. I'm about to pack my bags and move to the Antarctic.

I hear you. I live by the beach in So. Cal. but I love Palm Springs. This time of year it is always over the century mark and dry heat or not, it is just too hot to bear.

[vicki]

Crikey--y'all do have some dreadful heat! I'm a warm-weather gal, but that's way too hot for me. I'll keep our standard 90ish degree days that we have from mid-June to mid-September.


I'm about to pack my bags and move to the Antarctic.


There's always Bouchercon in Anchorage this September. ;) But I checked on the weather sites and it's actually pretty mild there most of the year on account of it's in the jet stream or something meteorological like that.

[jtb1951]

We have been very dry here in the Midwest, but at least the number of 90+ days has been at a minimum; however, the last couple of days we have been treated to deluges of rain and monstrous lightning storms. At least the farmers are happy!:) , and when they are happy we're all happy!

John.

[vicki]

Our farmers are much happier, too, although the rain comes too late for a good many of the crops around here. We did manage to have good Chilton County peaches (yum!--even better than GA peaches imho, <ducks to avoid hurled peach-pits from the GA-folk>), although they were smaller than usual.

Oh, I did decide to read HBP in anticipation of tomorrow, although I may skim some of it. I'll pick up the new Thursday Next and my new Lois McMaster Bujold books next week.

Must. Read. Faster.

[jtb1951]

Must. Read. Faster.

I just had to chuckle; you sound so much like me sometimes!;) Here's your cheery thought for the day: they are going to keep writing good books faster than we can possibly read them (of course, my Time-Turner does help a bit!) Being a reading addict is quite the double-edged sword!!:)

John.

[KarenB]

Vicki and John - It seems you both need this poster: http://owlsquarepress.com/btocepo.html

"snort, giggle, giggle"

[jtb1951]

Look what you've done KarenB; I've had to change my avatar!!!:)

John.

[vicki]

Oooh. I love that!

[KarenB]

My kids don't listen to me; my dog looks at me with confusion; my DH just says "uh-huh" and keeps on going - but, oh the bliss of having influence somewhere!

"I shall be honored to go down to posterity in the turn-up of Wilfrid's trouser . . ."

[Strawberry Curls]

Vicki and John - It seems you both need this poster: http://owlsquarepress.com/btocepo.html

"snort, giggle, giggle"

Now that is truly cute, and makes a great avatar, John.

[vicki]

I really do need one of those posters. It does make a great avatar.


"I shall be honored to go down to posterity in the turn-up of Wilfrid's trouser . . ."


I looove Gaudy Night (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gaudy_Night)! One of my friends at R'ville had another great quote from that book as her signature line:


How fleeting are all human passions compared to the massive continuity of ducks.


BTW--we're all set for the HP party tomorrow night at the bookstore. I only need to slam through about 600 pages of HBP before then. <Happy dance>

[jtb1951]

My kids don't listen to me; my dog looks at me with confusion; my DH just says "uh-huh" and keeps on going - but, oh the bliss of having influence somewhere!

It's all a matter of timing, I guess!:)

Now that is truly cute, and makes a great avatar, John.

Thank you very much! (he said blushingly:o )

I looove Gaudy Night! One of my friends at R'ville had another great quote from that book as her signature line

Thanks for the attribution; that will be my first Wimsey novel after I finish the shorts compilation!

Love you all!;)
John.

[KarenB]

No, no, no!!! (shrieks of horror) Start at the beginning with the Wimseys! Gaudy Night is (IMHO) the best of them all, so don't start there. The first few are classic detective stories of the era, then Harriet steps in with Strong Poison and changes the whole atmosphere. Besides, the first few go much more quickly so you'll feel you are making good progress on that lovely mountain.

[vicki]

Yes, yes--to Obi-Wan you listen. </Yoda>

Use this Wimsey chronology (http://www.leftfield.org/~rawdon/books/mystery/sayers.html), and if you can't spend the time to go through the whole Wimseyverse chronologically, at least don't skip any farther down than Strong Poison.

In the post-Strong Poison lineup, I will admit that I skipped Five Red Herrings because gobs and gobs of Wimsey fans have told me that the whole thing is founded on a bunch of incomprehensible train schedules and that if you're not super-mathematically inclined, you'll end up with crossed eyes and not much fun. I also skipped Nine Tailors just because I couldn't bear to not have one more Wimsey to read (not counting FRH, of course).

But I would advise starting at the beginning and going through the line-up chronologically--I think you'll get the most out of it that way. It's so interesting--and gratifying--to see Sayers develop as a writer and to see her add such depth and finish to Lord Peter's character over time. It's great, great stuff.

[Strawberry Curls]

No, no, no!!! (shrieks of horror) Start at the beginning with the Wimseys! Gaudy Night is (IMHO) the best of them all, so don't start there. The first few are classic detective stories of the era, then Harriet steps in with Strong Poison and changes the whole atmosphere. Besides, the first few go much more quickly so you'll feel you are making good progress on that lovely mountain.

I so agree. The early ones set the tone and establish Wimsey and Bunter his man. You really need to work up to his meeting Harriet Vane and all those stories brought about. I happen to think Gaudy Night is perfection. Sayer was a genius.

[vicki]

Gaudy Night is perfection. Sayer was a genius.


Amen. I have a biography of Sayers that I really need to read. She was a very interesting person. I love how she brought her experience in the advertising industry into Murder Must Advertise--there was just one gem after another there.

[AmyLizzie]

I envy you all! Here in England it has done nothing but rain, floods are awful and I feel so deprived of sunlight its ridiculous...what I would do to see one nice sunny day....*sighs*

[jtb1951]

No, no, no!!! (shrieks of horror) Start at the beginning with the Wimseys! Gaudy Night is (IMHO) the best of them all, so don't start there. The first few are classic detective stories of the era, then Harriet steps in with Strong Poison and changes the whole atmosphere. Besides, the first few go much more quickly so you'll feel you are making good progress on that lovely mountain.

I so agree. The early ones set the tone and establish Wimsey and Bunter his man. You really need to work up to his meeting Harriet Vane and all those stories brought about. I happen to think Gaudy Night is perfection. Sayer was a genius.

Yes, yes--to Obi-Wan you listen. </Yoda>

Use this Wimsey chronology, and if you can't spend the time to go through the whole Wimseyverse chronologically, at least don't skip any farther down than Strong Poison.

Great Caesar's Ghost! I've unleashed the passions of the Lord Peter Wimsey Fan Club!!!;)

Seriously, thanks for all the input, I'm sure it will maximize my reading enjoyment (and when Yoda speaks, I listen!!!:) )

John.

[jtb1951]

I envy you all! Here in England it has done nothing but rain, floods are awful and I feel so deprived of sunlight its ridiculous...what I would do to see one nice sunny day....*sighs*

I'm afraid all I can do is send you some virtual sunshine (through the Virtual Book Club) and hope that that will lift your spirits!!!:)

John.

[KarenB]

Vicki - If you can read with a sort of squint and not get caught up in the incomprehensible train schedules, Five Red Herrings does have some rather entertaining characters. Most of the supporting characters are artists, which adds an interesting side note.

Nine Tailors is very worth reading. When faced with a stack of ten books (not including the shorts, and the two collaborations with Jill Paton Walsh) I realize I am very unusual in rubbing my hands together and chortling gleefully. But, should you want to read a little more Wimsey, go for this one. I do miss Harriet in it though. And, it does have a Mary Russell in it, although I have trouble imagining a MR more different from our own beloved. I think Ms. King said that it is possible the name moved into her subconcious but her MR did not come from there.

[vicki]

Whew! You had me worried there for a minute. A great reader like you deserves nothing less than the optimal Wimsey experience.

Sorry re: the perpetual cloudiness, AmyLizzie. I hope you don't have that Seasonal Affective Depression, where lack of sunshine significantly depresses your mood. One of my friends moved to England, intending to stay for the long term, but he had a severe case of SAD (appropriate acronym, eh?) and he had to move to a sunnier place for his mental health. :(

We've had a drought all summer here in Alabama, so relentlessly sunny days have come to strike me as oppressive and even threatening. That's a strange place to be for someone who normally adores pretty weather.

<edit> x-post with Karen <waves>


Vicki - If you can read with a sort of squint and not get caught up in the incomprehensible train schedules, Five Red Herrings does have some rather entertaining characters. Most of the supporting characters are artists, which adds an interesting side note.



Read with a squint--hehehehe! I like that. Okay--so I'll have 2 Wimseys left to read (yay!). Will try to ignore the schedules to the best of my ability. I've heard great things about Nine Tailors, and since I won't be expecting Harriet, I won't be too disappointed not to see her. Murder Must Advertise is actually one of my favorite Wimseys, in spite of being a post-Strong-Poison-yet-sans-Harriet story.

[jtb1951]

Whew! You had me worried there for a minute. A great reader like you deserves nothing less than the optimal Wimsey experience.

I just came home from the bookstore w/ Whose Body?, Clouds of Witness, and Unnatural Death; so, now to do this right!!;)

John.

[vicki]

Wooohooo! Signs say: great reading ahead--be sure to give us travel reports as you move through the series.

HP7 minus 4:40 and counting! In the central time zone, anyway. :)

[Ms. Kay]

My library system will distribute and then circulate the new (last) Harry Potter tomorrow morning at around 9:30 (we all open at 10 am). Since many prefer to buy these books, I don't know if I'll have many patrons waiting for these (we didn't for no. 6).
Next, I love the Peter Wimsey books!:) I've read most of them quite a few times, although I've not ever made it through Five Red Herrings (and I've tried!). I was first introduced to Lord Peter through Masterpiece Theatre on PBS in 1973.:eek: My husband and I were first married and watched The Unpleasantness at the Bellona Club on an old tv in our first little apartment. It was wonderful and got me hooked!

Ms Kay

[Piper]

Ooh, the new Thursday Next is out! Must pick up a copy soon. Thanks for the tip, Vicki!

And another Wimsey fan here as well. I think Murder Must Advertise was the first Wimsey I read, and it's still one of my favorites.

[vicki]

I was first introduced to Lord Peter through Masterpiece Theatre on PBS in 1973.http://laurierking.com/vbulletin/images/smilies/eek.gif My husband and I were first married and watched The Unpleasantness at the Bellona Club on an old tv in our first little apartment.


Oooh. Must see that! I did see the LPW/Harriet Vane productions by the BBC, and I liked them a lot (other than Gaudy Night, which left out the freaking chess set--how could they leave out the freaking chess set?)

Piper, the new TN looks mighty fun even on the first few pages. I'll pick it back up after Harry (1.25 hrs left!) And I agree with you on MMA--it's my favorite non-Harriet Wimsey book.

[Strawberry Curls]

I was first introduced to Lord Peter through Masterpiece Theatre on PBS in 1973.:eek: My husband and I were first married and watched The Unpleasantness at the Bellona Club on an old tv in our first little apartment. It was wonderful and got me hooked!Ms Kay

Oh, a contemporary. I was married in '73 and we watched PBS also. I remember those Wimsey's with Ian Carmichael. He just didn't have the body type I thought and was a bit old for the part. I had read a few by then and had a definite opinion on the matter. The later ones, the Harriet Vane mysteries with a different actor were dead on. Had to resort to imdb.com to come up with the names. Edward Petherbridge was Peter and Harriet Walters played Harriet Vane. Really great series, must remember to watch that soon.

[jtb1951]

I'm back home w/ 4 copies of HP! Oh, boy!

John.

[vicki]

Am about to start HP7! The bookstore was very crowded and the line wound all the way around the store and in and out of all the shelves. The kids and I admired BEEK as we passed through the mystery section on the way to the register.

Petherbridge and Walters were fabulous as LPW and HV.

[spiston]

i just got home from my locally-owned bookstore where i made a wand and ate a booger-flavored jelly bean...

see you all after the weekend i'm gonna lock myself away with mr. potter and his friends...

:)

[jtb1951]

J. K. Rowling has saved the best for last!!! I am well satisfied!:)

John.

[KarenB]

Yup! I so agree. I finished late last night and breathed a huge sigh.

[vicki]

Urg. HP adrenaline hangover. Urg.

[jtb1951]

Urg. HP adrenaline hangover. Urg.

You can say that again! The action was unrelenting from start to finish, and the drama of this book was unparalleled within the series!! A breath-taking work!

John.

[Kay]

J. K. Rowling has saved the best for last!!! I am well satisfied!:)

John.

I agree, the best was saved for last. I am ready to reread as I swallowed it up like a glutton first pass. That could be the result of my kids tapping their toes next to me when it was my turn.

Thank you, thank you to gifted storytellers like Laurie and Jo. You bring so much enjoyment to so many!

Kay

[jtb1951]

I am ready to reread as I swallowed it up like a glutton first pass.

I'm with you! I'm afraid, however, that my inclination is going to be to start with H. P. and the Sorcerer's Stone and re-read the whole series in one fell swoop (oh, what a geek I am!;) )
It won't be helping to diminish the height of the TBR mountain, unfortunately!!:rolleyes:

John.

[vicki]

I'm afraid, however, that my inclination is going to be to start with H. P. and the Sorcerer's Stone and re-read the whole series in one fell swoop (oh, what a geek I am!;) )



Geeks rule!

I'd love to go back through the whole series, actually. I did read HBP the day before DH came out, and I'm glad I did. It would be nice to go through the whole thing from first to last, though.

[Kay]

I'm with you! I'm afraid, however, that my inclination is going to be to start with H. P. and the Sorcerer's Stone and re-read the whole series in one fell swoop (oh, what a geek I am!;) )
It won't be helping to diminish the height of the TBR mountain, unfortunately!!:rolleyes:

John.

Same! I decided to go back to the beginning and began HP and SS last night. JKR wove in so many old threads I wanted to go back and catch them all. It's like spending an evening with a friend.

kay

[AmyLizzie]

Sorry re: the perpetual cloudiness, AmyLizzie. I hope you don't have that Seasonal Affective Depression, where lack of sunshine significantly depresses your mood. One of my friends moved to England, intending to stay for the long term, but he had a severe case of SAD (appropriate acronym, eh?) and he had to move to a sunnier place for his mental health. :(

We've had a drought all summer here in Alabama, so relentlessly sunny days have come to strike me as oppressive and even threatening. That's a strange place to be for someone who normally adores pretty weather.



Thanks Vicki, I'm not too bad, it is bothering me a bit but I'll live, at least we haven't been flooded here yet!

I know everyone here is going to hate me but I don't like Harry Potter, I'm really sorry toall of you who do but I felt like I needed to confess that :(

[Piper]

AmyLizzie,

If this were a Harry Potter board, you might be in trouble, but as this is the LRK board, I think you'll be ok to make that admission.

I feel bad for my husband--he reads much more slowly than I do, so I've been merrily reading away and he's working his way through Sacred Games by Vikram Chandra, which is about 900 pages long. The good news is he's only got about 200 pages left!

[jtb1951]

I know everyone here is going to hate me but I don't like Harry Potter, I'm really sorry toall of you who do but I felt like I needed to confess that

No hate allowed on this site, AmyLizzie; don't worry, be happy!!!:) :) :)

John.

[nkk1969]

I know everyone here is going to hate me but I don't like Harry Potter, I'm really sorry toall of you who do but I felt like I needed to confess that :(

My sistah! ;) My daughter had to read the first one in elementary school. She didn't like it and I couldn't see what all the fuss was about.

[AmyLizzie]

I've written 23 pages of my wonderful novel so far,just needed to actually write that, and it's not too bad if I do say so myself...who needs Harry Potter? :):)

[vicki]

I know everyone here is going to hate me but I don't like Harry Potter, I'm really sorry toall of you who do but I felt like I needed to confess that


S'okay--just means more Potter for the rest of us! :)

I'm still making up for my HP7 sleep-deprivation. It was worth it, though.

[vicki]

Oxford University escapes flooding (http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070725/ap_on_re_eu/britain_flooding;_ylt=Av9Ld71VOxTVZOhJFcH1WgGs0NUE )


Oxford University stacked sandbags around its music department but the renowned school's main classrooms escaped the brunt of Britain's worst floods in 60 years as water pushed through the Thames Valley on Wednesday.

Most of university buildings were perched above the city's rain-swollen waterways, which forced nearly 100 residents from their homes and into a stadium. Many residents watched nervously as passing emergency vehicles sent waves lapping toward doorsteps.


AmyLizzie, you still okay? How about our other UK members? I hope Miss Russell's safe from the flooding as well! :)

[AmyLizzie]

Hi Vicki,

Yeah I'm fine, if a little wet. The flooding is awful though and supplies of water are running low (would you believe!) but the good old British spirit holds fast and we're coping. Thankfully, I live in an area that doesn't easily get flooded but some people I work with have been flooded and my heart goes out to them. Thanks for the concern though, and I'm sure Miss Russell is busy soldiering on like the rest of us! :)

AmyLizzie xxx

[KarenB]

AmyLizzie - I've been seeing the footage of the flooding and thinking of you as well. I'm not sure what we across the pond can do for all of you except send sunny thoughts your way.

Also reminded me of the Thames flooding scene from the Dark is Rising book series by Susan Cooper. Have you seen any Viking ships floating by? :)

[AmyLizzie]

erm...I've seen a few canooes and rubber dingys,as wellas a few few floating cars!:)but no viking ships -as of yet...

[Kiyomi]

I LOVE the Dark is Rising sequence. Hopefully the movie they are planing does it justice. It has the potential to be the next LOTR or a huge failure. I especially enjoyed how Susan Cooper wove lots of different legends into her story.

[jtb1951]

AmyLizzie - I've been seeing the footage of the flooding and thinking of you as well. I'm not sure what we across the pond can do for all of you except send sunny thoughts your way.

<visualizes bright blue skies and chirping birds and dry land, and telepaths them to AmyLizzie> :) :)

John.

[AmyLizzie]

Thank you to everyone for your kind words and thoughts, it really helps to know you're thinking of us. The sun is actually out today so it must be working! xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

[VictoriaMisselthwaite]

I know I'm new here, but I've had something sad happen today and wanted to let you know...my 11 year old Jack Russell terrier Cujo passed away suddenly this afternoon. He'd been unwell for awhile, so while it wasn't a complete surprise, it's still very painful...

[jtb1951]

We send our sympathies for your bereavement.

John.

[Ms. Kay]

Victoria-
This is terribly sad. It's losing a family member and I'm very sorry. Please know my thoughts (and, probably, all our thoughts) are with you.


Love,

Ms. Kay (Kippy)

[Piper]

Victoria, very sorry to hear about Cujo.

You can see the trailer for the Dark is Rising here (http://www.seekthesigns.com/). Unfortunately, it appears they've turned Will into an American boy.

[vicki]

I'm so sorry for your loss, Victoria. That's a hard thing to go through, even if you knew it was coming. I will be thinking about you.

AmyLizzie, I'm glad the sun finally made an appearance, and I hope the flooding is over soon for all our U.K. friends!

<Waves to Piper> I'd heard that about the blasted Dark is Rising movie. It offends me mightily that they've changed Will into an American. What on earth prompted that bit of nonsense? Probably some cock-eyed focus group. GRRRR! The series is beyond fabulous as it is, and some of the best parts show the tension between Will's life as an English farmboy and his other life (trying to stay vague for spoiler-prevention purposes). I am way, way annoyed about this. </rant>

<Takes deep breaths, does relaxation exercises> Sorry. I feel very strongly about how my favorite childhood books get treated in Hollywood. It makes me feel like a family member just got mugged.

[KarenB]

Victoria - I am so sorry to hear of your loss. That's a difficult thing to go through. We are all thinking of you.

On another note - did you actually watch the Dark is Rising trailer? Almost none of it seems to be from the books. Yikes! One of my favorite series has been hijacked by Hollywood. grrrrrrrr I hate when that happens. Rather like Eragon . . .

[vicki]

On another note - did you actually watch the Dark is Rising trailer?


Couldn't manage it after hearing all the news. It'd probably just make me blow a blood vessel, anyway.

Almost none of it seems to be from the books. Yikes!

Arrrgghh--I hate that! It makes me want to pull out my virtual voodoo doll (http://www.virtual-design.com/demos/voodoodoll/voodoo.asp?section=demo&subsection=voodoo) in honor of the filmmakers.


One of my favorite series has been hijacked by Hollywood. grrrrrrrr I hate when that happens.


Me too--waaah! :..(

[Kiyomi]

I'm glad I saw your post Vicki! I was thinking about doing a search when I found out they were doing a film but I cannot in a million years figure out WHY anyone would make Will and American!!! I thought that part of the point was the oldest and youngest comming from what would become the UK etc.

[vicki]

Yah, it's just so utterly and completely wrong. Evil, bad filmmakers! Grrrrrr. They certainly lost my business. It must be frustrating for Susan Cooper, who is a terrific writer and a lovely person. She visited our TDiR discussion in Readerville and was an excellent guest.

Dang, I'd love to see the whole series done properly on film.

[vicki]

Hi, all! Hope you all had a nice weekend and that your week started off well today.

In my email today, I found this great School Library Journal article (http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/article/CA6464288.html) about an 85 year old who has found a second career at a non-profit foundation, where she helps create and renovate school media centers in NYC. I think I might like to be her when I grow up. :) Enjoy!

[jtb1951]

In my email today, I found this great School Library Journal article about an 85 year old who has found a second career at a non-profit foundation, where she helps create and renovate school media centers in NYC. I think I might like to be her when I grow up. Enjoy!

What an inspirational story! I can only hope that I have half her energy when I'm 85; it just goes to show that our seniors are really an incredible resource just asking to be tapped! Thanks for sharing!:)

John.

[Piper]

What a neat article, Vicki! Thanks for posting it. Her mentioning that she still remembers her school librarian reminded me of my conversation with a middle-school teacher this weekend, and she mentioned how one day she saw two of her former students, who greeted her enthusiastically and were telling her about their exploits in college. She said that she remembered them, and where they both sat when she had them, and why she had placed them there.

I'm so happy to be feeling relatively normal again. I recently came down with strep throat (which I haven't had in, oh 30 years or so); I think it was a "gift" from my young daughter. I'm glad she didn't get it, but I was feeling fairly awful for several days. Thank goodness for penicillin!

[vicki]

Hi, Piper! I'm sorry to hear you've been under the weather, but am relieved that the lovely beebee didn't fall ill with it. And yes--thank goodness for the miracle of antibiotics! I know their overuse contributes to the rise of super-bugs, but I can recall several instances where antibiotics saved me from abject misery, and even perhaps from lasting harm.

I'm glad you enjoyed the article--it's a good one! I sent it to my mom, who is in her 60s and still wondering what she's going to be when she grows up. :) With longevity what it is these days, it's possible for people to have several long-term careers over their adulthood. Pretty cool!


Her mentioning that she still remembers her school librarian reminded me of my conversation with a middle-school teacher this weekend, and she mentioned how one day she saw two of her former students, who greeted her enthusiastically and were telling her about their exploits in college. She said that she remembered them, and where they both sat when she had them, and why she had placed them there.


On the one hand, I think her memory for people and details is really cool. On the other hand, I'd just as soon some of my teachers forget certain aspects of my behavior. I was a tad bratty way back when, I'm afraid. Hehehe. <Blush>

[jtb1951]

Darling wife and I spent the afternoon and evening in downtown Chicago today celebrating our anniversary (31 years!) and my birthday (56; yoicks!!) by attending one of the last performances here of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee at the Drury Lane Theatre. Not only was the the production a blast, but yours truly was selected as one of the four audience participants to be onstage with the cast as performers. Quite a memorable time, and I was the last of the four knocked out, not being able to successfully spell a very long medical term (that I have not been able to find in any on-line medical dictionary!) After the play we had a wonderful dinner at The Signature Room on the 95th floor of the John Hancock Building, seated at the windows, looking out over a beautiful clear view of Lake Michigan and the Chicago shoreline. A day to remember!!!:):):)

John.

[vicki]

Happy Anniversary, Mr. and Mrs. jtb, and may you have many, many more!!! It sounds like it was a wonderful day to be out and about in the Windy City. I hope the rest of the long weekend there is just as lovely and enjoyable!

[The Grey Badger]

My nephew and his wife had a baby girl on Monday, the 27th. My daughter had her baby boy on Friday, the 31st. Mothers and babies are doing very well.

My great-niece is called Ellery Lucile Burness. My grandson is called Caden Brant Vulpe Mathews.

[vicki]

Wow--lots of Badger family expansion last week! I'm very glad to hear that both moms and both babies are doing fine. Now the question is--how is Auntie/Grandmother Badger doing after all the hoopla? :) When I had my first baby, my mother spent over a week helping me out, then promptly went home and fell ill with a horrendous cold for two weeks. I hope you're taking care not to get too frazzled, Badger. I'm sending restful thoughts your way. :)

Cool baby names, btw--very elegant-looking on the page, and distinguished-sounding when spoken. Plus, the initials don't spell anything embarrassing, which is really, really important between first and fourth grades. So, additional kudos to both sets of parents on their excellent name-choices.

[KarenB]

Have just been camping in the Poconos for three days (with glorious weather, hallelujah!) and had to get my VBC fix before falling into bed! Everything I took smells of campfire smoke, I have sore muscles from river rafting (I didn't even know I had muscles in some of those places!), but a good time was had by all and now I can have some appreciation for civilization again - books, computers, coffee I can reheat . . .:)

[vicki]

Welcome back to civilization, Karen! It sounds like you got some great time in the outdoors and quite a workout, too. Good stuff!

Oh, and here's a tip to deal with the sore muscles--if you take a sock and fill it with rice (regular rice, not minute rice), tie off the end and heat it in the microwave between 1 and 2 minutes, it'll stay warm for quite a while and will mold to your sore spots. Leave enough room so that it's a little loose, or it won't mold very well. I keep several of these around the house and my kids call them "rice-babies." Note--they smell a little ricey the first few times you use them, but that diminshes. I don't mind, as I looove rice.

[KarenB]

Thanks, Vicki. I'm not sure I have a sock big enough . . .
In any case, the sore muscles are better, now on to the laundry!

I'll be joining you in the happy dance on Thursday, Farmwife, and if nothing else I can read To Play the Fool so as to join in the discussion.

[KarenB]

I'm not sure this is the right place to post this, but for all of you who loved A Wrinkle in Time, there is sad news. Here is the link to the NYT obituary of Madeleine L'Engle:

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/08/arts/08lengle.html?_r=2&pagewanted=1&oref=slogin

:(

[vicki]

Oh, dear. <Sob!> I think this deserves its own thread. I'll go ahead and start it, with thanks to KB for the notification.

[jtb1951]

I'm not sure this is the right place to post this, but for all of you who loved A Wrinkle in Time, there is sad news. Here is the link to the NYT obituary of Madeleine L'Engle

Yes, I heard the sad news this morning on NPR and the years swiftly fell away to when A Wrinkle In Time was first published and she became another source of science fiction/fantasy that confirmed my love for the genre. She will be missed!!

John.

[vicki]

Hi, all! Sorry I've been scarce for the last few days. I've been working on a fun little project for the LRK webiverse that you should be hearing about very soon. :D

Also, the kidrens have had a few bumps in adjusting to the new school year, what with the increased difficulty of schoolwork and all. So I've been pulling some major, major homework duty this week--with participants who are not uniformly grateful for my attention and assistance.:rolleyes:

Ah, well. All in a day's work for a parent.

[vicki]

And Laurie just blogged (http://laurierking.com/wp.php/?p=391) about that project today. :) Enjoy!!

[jtb1951]

Wow, vicki; how cool is that!!! I'm going to be the first one on my block to have official LRKVBC-wear!:) Thanks for the surprise!!

John.

[vicki]

I'm going to be the first one on my block to have official LRKVBC-wear!:) Thanks for the surprise!!


I'm glad you like it! I just ordered my B'Con stuff today--a VBC tote, a VBC Jr. Raglan (sized up so it'll be looser), and a Touchstone Jr. Raglan (ditto). My shoulders must be weirdly shaped or something, as a lot of t-shirts don't fit me well. Raglan shoulders tend to work better for me. And since I'm a rather teeny person (4'10" if I stand very straight), the 3/4 sleeves and shorter length of the Jr. Raglan should be more workable.

And the eldest last year for Gr 2 had none. She never sent anything home. This year, he has some homework once in a while, usually a math page. We had to have a "go round" the first day... but since has realized if we do it quick it's over.


Last year, DD's homework was a breeze, but 4th grade is a big step up. Ugh. And yes, that quiet time on school days can be quite a treat. :)

[Strawberry Curls]

I'm glad you like it! I just ordered my B'Con stuff today--a VBC tote, a VBC Jr. Raglan (sized up so it'll be looser), and a Touchstone Jr. Raglan (ditto). My shoulders must be weirdly shaped or something, as a lot of t-shirts don't fit me well. Raglan shoulders tend to work better for me. And since I'm a rather teeny person (4'10" if I stand very straight), the 3/4 sleeves and shorter length of the Jr. Raglan should be more workable.

I have been vacillating about the shirts. I too have a problem with fit. I'm 5' 10" and long waisted. Woman sizes tend to be too short, but men's sizes are too baggy and don't even get me started on One Size Fits All. In what universe???

Good Lord, Vicki, if we stood side by side we would look like Russell and Elizabeth Chase. ;)

[vicki]

Hee! Some of my best friends are tall, so I'm used to the height-difference thing. :)

Alice, look at the available cafepress products (http://www.cafepress.com/cp/customize/?viewall=true) to see if you think one of the other shirts would work. We edited the selection down a fair amount, as it's overwhelming to have so many to choose from. I'm thinking the fitted shirt (http://www.cafepress.com/cp/customize/product.aspx?clear=true&no=106) might do the trick--it's unisex, so it may be a little longer than the women's shirts, but it shouldn't be baggy at least.

If you find something you think will work, I'll add it to the shop. And if anyone else is interested in a particular product, let me know and I'll see what I can do to get it added in.

<Edit> I went ahead and added that fitted shirt into each section so it's easier to seewhat it looks like. Here's the VBC logo version (http://www.cafepress.com/laurierking.170811588), for instance. But if that's not what you need, look through the other shirts and see if something else might do.

[Strawberry Curls]

Hee! Some of my best friends are tall, so I'm used to the height-difference thing. :)
After 60 years I'm comfortable with my height, but it wasn't fun when I was younger. Clothes never fit, pants were never long enough and I couldn't find shoes to fit. I can certainly relate to Russell's problems clothing herself, but I lack the funds to have bespoke clothing. If only... We also share being left-handed, another problem, oh and being blue-eyed and wearing spectacles. Unfortunately I haven't her intellect or her facility with languages. :(

Alice, look at the available cafepress products (http://www.cafepress.com/cp/customize/?viewall=true) to see if you think one of the other shirts would work. We edited the selection down a fair amount, as it's overwhelming to have so many to choose from. I'm thinking the fitted shirt (http://www.cafepress.com/cp/customize/product.aspx?clear=true&no=106) might do the trick--it's unisex, so it may be a little longer than the women's shirts, but it shouldn't be baggy at least. <snip>
I went ahead and added that fitted shirt into each section so it's easier to seewhat it looks like. Here's the VBC logo version (http://www.cafepress.com/laurierking.170811588), for instance. But if that's not what you need, look through the other shirts and see if something else might do.
That is very kind of you, Vicki. I'll take a look.

[Smurrey]

Alice,
I am 6 feet tall so I feel your pain. When I was in middle school I was both the youngest and the tallest in my class. I was so uncordinated that I couldn't walk a straight line without bruising myself or get through a meal without spilling a drink. My parents threatened to make me drink from sippy cups again like a two year old. Keeping me in clothing for more than a couple of months, especially shoes was impossible. There weren't young options for tall girls in those days either, at least not in my neck of the woods. Now it is better, there are some stores with lines just for tall women who prefer not to wear mu mus (sp?) and regular stores are catching the trend although they still have trouble getting the proportions right-- their solution seems to be adding more material to the bottom and leaving the waistline and sleeves where they are.

Shauna

[Carlina]

I'm random today pardon me. I've just learned I seemed to have grown from a whooping 5 feet to 5'1 and 1/2...Glad to be out of the five footer woods....don't think I'll do anymore growing though...unless my intervertebral disks get taller...*crosses fingers*

I have many problems finding things that fit and usually have to go to the kids section...14H in boys for my cargo and field trousers thank you...Women's dress shirts don't work...so I have to buy the ones with cuff linked sleeves and usually something by good old Ralph L. in a petite. He's about all I can wear in adult clothes. Adult capri pants fit like regular trousers on me as well...

[vicki]

Wardrobe sister!!


14H in boys for my cargo and field trousers thank you...


*Smacks self on forehead* Why didn't I think of boys' huskies before? That's brilliant! I'm heading for Old Navy tomorrow to get some. Capri pants worked for me until they shortened so many of them even further this year--now they just look like floods on me--very goofy! :(

Although they *do* require hemming, I've found that my favorite-fitting pants are Lucky Brand.

[Carlina]

Wardrobe sister!!

*Smacks self on forehead* Why didn't I think of boys' huskies before? That's brilliant! I'm heading for Old Navy tomorrow to get some. Capri pants worked for me until they shortened so many of them even further this year--now they just look like floods on me--very goofy! :(

Although they *do* require hemming, I've found that my favorite-fitting pants are Lucky Brand.

Cool! BINGO!!! That's exactly where I purchase my cargo pants! Old Navy...They will need hemming, but hey...can't beat the quality or the price. Especially if you're crawling around a lab moving skeletons or working on dirty or forensic stuff. Their ringer tees and polos are nice too if you know you're in for a bone bit shower....

I also do the GAP too. I love rugbys...what can I say? Thank Tony Banks..the man of spells. He introduced me to the rugby and if you know who Tony Banks is then you are way cool.

[vicki]

beat the quality or the price. Especially if you're crawling around a lab moving skeletons or working on dirty or forensic stuff. Their ringer tees and polos are nice too if you know you're in for a bone bit shower....



I looove Old Navy! I don't work with skeletal bits, as a general rule, but I still appreciate a bargain in good, durable clothes.


if you know who Tony Banks is then you are way cool.


I didn't know, but I googled him and found lots of stuff, including this (http://www.laurierking.com/vbulletin/if you know who Tony Banks is then you are way cool.) (some rugby shirt photos are in the first gallery). :)

[Carlina]

I looove Old Navy! I don't work with skeletal bits, as a general rule, but I still appreciate a bargain in good, durable clothes.

I didn't know, but I googled him and found lots of stuff, including this (http://www.laurierking.com/vbulletin/if you know who Tony Banks is then you are way cool.) (some rugby shirt photos are in the first gallery). :)

Indeed! They are very durable...but you don't work with skeletal bits as a general rule? Come now...;)

Um...link doesn't work...did he look like this:
http://imagecache2.allposters.com/images/pic/MMPH/262195~Genesis-Posters.jpg.
He's the one on the far right in the coat...and rugby...known as the member that does not smile. He's a founding member of Genesis and in most of his pics, he looks very serious.

[KarenB]

for those of you who have enjoyed (or are enjoying!) Lois McMaster Bujold's books, here is a recent interview with her. She says some interesting things about genre and gender and crossing over genres:

http://www.sffchronicles.co.uk/forum/41673-chronicles-interview-with-lois-mcmaster-bujold.html

[vicki]

Hello, all! <Waves> We've had a bit of excitement here over the last week or two. My little boy had a big growth hormone test, where he had an IV stuck in his arm for several hours and had to get lots blood drawn, etc. And, as I expected, the levels turned out to be low, so they're going to see if the insurance co. will pay for his injections.

But what I didn't expect was that he tested positive for celiac disease, which I didn't know much about. He apparently has a fairly silent case of it, as he's never had terrible digestive troubles. But it would help explain the slow growth and perhaps why his teeth are somewhat discolored. We have to get a biopsy to know for absolute sure, but I've read that a positive blood test is pretty accurate.

Anyway, I've been researching and scouting out the gluten-free products at Whole Foods (aka "Whole Wallet" -- ack!). DS already has huge food issues, as he is very sensitive to tastes and textures due (most likely) to his Asperger's Syndrome. This knocks out over half the foods he likes to eat. Luckily, I already found a great gluten-free spaghetti that he really likes, and we're about to test some gluten-free bread in his lunch tomorrow. Life without McDonald's and most cupcakes, cookies, biscuits and pizza is going to be hard on the little feller. :( But I'm thankful that we live in a time when there are so many gluten-free options. I'm also happy that we have the first Whole Foods store in town, and that it's just a few miles from my house--they have the best selection of such products of any supermarkets around.

[vicki]

Carlina, I still haven't gotten over to Old Navy to check out those pants. It's on my to-do list (which has gotten long as my arm--arrggh!), but it'll be good to wait until next month, anyway, as October has been a huge wallet-suck. :(

Hi, farmwife--long time, no see! <waves> So y'all found the defendant not guilty--what was the charge? I hope it was an interesting experience, rather than just a pain in the neck, as some trials are. I worked in the federal courts for several years and some of the cases were fairly tedious, but there were some that were like TV shows. We had some high-profile stuff at my courthouse, like Eric Rudolph and the HealthSouth prosecutions. During stuff like that, you could hardly get through the front door for all the TV crews.

Karen, thanks so much for the LMB interview! I love her take on the different genres and how they cross-over, as well as how fans of one genre might perceive crossover pieces. She's very insightful. I especially like this quote of hers--

My experience so far with genre-blending is that while F&SF readers don’t mind a bit of romance as a sub-plot, they are very taken aback to have it presented as a main plot, urgently looking for the “important” political action to identify as the plot instead. Romance readers in turn don’t mind a bit of suspense or political action tucked in around the romance, but don’t want it getting in the way of or replacing the main game. It goes a little further than just a preference of proportion. Underneath is a hidden judgment about what is and is not important in human lives.


I thought that was interesting, how different groups filter cross-over material through their particular lens and focus on certain aspects of the work.

Like LMB, I'm really a multi-genre fan, so I love many different kinds of work and my instinct is to look for connections and commonalities between genres. Genres shouldn't be silos. Let's mix it all up and try them all--like one big party!

Not that I'll *ever* finish it, but I've got a genre-hopping story collection all planned out, and some of the pieces are already drafted. I'd like to eventually start some writing groups for original fiction here in the VBC (note--if you're interested in Russell fanfic, see the fabulous Letters of Mary (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Letters_Of_Mary/) writing community, which has some crossover here in the VBC--<waves to our LoM members>) where we could work on stuff like this. I kind of envision groups of 4-8 people, each group with its own private forum as a safe place to post pieces periodically and get feedback. If you're a procrastinator like I am, it's great to have a posting deadline like that, so you'll be motivated to get moving! I'm in major need of some motivation to get this done. So if you have an interest in such a writing group, let me know. If there's enough interest, maybe we can set something up after the holidaze.

[KarenB]

Vicki - I have a good friend with celiac and kids. I'll ask her if she has any resources or advice for you. You are lucky to have Whole Foods, which is very good provided you can afford it! We have a Wegman's which is somewhat comparable, but they do have a weekly newletter with a meal for celiacs in it. Since he has other food issues, I don't know if it will help, but you never know!

Karen

try Wegmans.com to sign up - I can't seem to copy the link

[vicki]

Thanks, Sheri--I'll be looking for it! It sounds like y'all have been through a lot with your DS's dietary issues, but that you have the routine down pretty well now. I enjoyed reading your blog entry, btw. I'm not overly familiar with the turf-wars going on among the various autism interest groups, but what you say in that entry makes sense to me.

Thanks for the heads-up about Wegman's, Karen! They really have some good-looking recipes on their site. I think I'll just need to experiment with some different things to find something DS likes. He's just so very picky. This knocks out most of his favorite foods, so I'll need to find some items to fill in the gap pretty quickly. If your friend has some tips, that would be great!

[KarenB]

I know all about picky - my DS will eat: pasta with pesto, mac & cheese, pizza, pancakes, peanut butter, cheese, yogurt, cereal and a few fruits, no milk, no meat/fish/chicken, no eggs. I keep having him eat one bite of what we're eating in hopes that someday it will take. Short of starving him, I'm not sure what else to do. Makes my mother insane!

Good luck with working it out. I've had some successes with the Wegman's recipes, even if you don't use their ingredients, you can make it work. Also, you might try the advanced recipe search on Epicurious.com. You can narrow your choice based on ingredients (including ones you don't want), cuisine, season, type of meal, etc. I've found it very useful.

[KarenB]

Well, he hasn't starved to death yet! I admit I don't know where he or my DD get their energy from - they both have an overabundance and neither eats very much. Are they really related to me . . .?

[The Grey Badger]

Hello, all! <Waves> We've had a bit of excitement here over the last week or two. My little boy had a big growth hormone test, where he had an IV stuck in his arm for several hours and had to get lots blood drawn, etc. And, as I expected, the levels turned out to be low, so they're going to see if the insurance co. will pay for his injections.

But what I didn't expect was that he tested positive for celiac disease, which I didn't know much about. He apparently has a fairly silent case of it, as he's never had terrible digestive troubles. But it would help explain the slow growth and perhaps why his teeth are somewhat discolored. We have to get a biopsy to know for absolute sure, but I've read that a positive blood test is pretty accurate.

Anyway, I've been researching and scouting out the gluten-free products at Whole Foods (aka "Whole Wallet" -- ack!). DS already has huge food issues, as he is very sensitive to tastes and textures due (most likely) to his Asperger's Syndrome. This knocks out over half the foods he likes to eat. Luckily, I already found a great gluten-free spaghetti that he really likes, and we're about to test some gluten-free bread in his lunch tomorrow. Life without McDonald's and most cupcakes, cookies, biscuits and pizza is going to be hard on the little feller. :( But I'm thankful that we live in a time when there are so many gluten-free options. I'm also happy that we have the first Whole Foods store in town, and that it's just a few miles from my house--they have the best selection of such products of any supermarkets around.

I have a friend who has precisely your son's issues and also says he has gone off casein, which means milk and cheese. He says it's done wonders for him. We are both members of a local organic foods co-op. I hope the changed diet helps a lot - apparently silent celiac disease is more common than I ever thought. I wonder if it's something in the growing process such as pesticides?

[vicki]

Sheri--the book came and it has so much useful info! Thankee, kindly!! I took it into Whole Foods with me and got some of the ingredients that seem to recur in the bread and cookie recipes, which I need to try. I never dreamed I'd be cooking with xantham gum (or anything that starts with an x for that matter). It was pretty funny--when I asked an employee at Whole Foods where the xantham gum was, she guided me to the candy aisle. Hehehehe! :D

Karen, thanks for the epicurious recipe search idea! That's a good suggestion. I'm not much of a cook under the best of circumstances, but I'm really going to have to get geared up and creative to deal with this. I just haven't yet found many replacements for DS's favorite foods and he is extremely resistant to trying new things. :(

Thank dog he likes rice pasta--the Tinkyada brand is really good--and isn't that a cute name? So we do have spaghetti and mac/cheese covered. Also, many of the Ore-ida and Frito-Lay products are gluten-free--phew! He's also decided that he likes my baked chicken pretty well, and he told me that he liked the spinach and the broccoli that they served at his day-care years ago, so I called the Director there and she got me the recipes from the cook who used to work there at that time. I'm still trying to hit those recipes just right--DS can taste it if it's the slightest bit off from the original. :rolleyes: I'm trying to look on this as an opportunity to grow my culinary skills, but sometimes it drives me a little cuckoo.

Badger, you're right that silent celiac disease is more common than people might expect (I'd love to know the cause of that, too, as well as the cause of the autism explosion of the last couple of decades). And you're also right that casein sensitivity often goes hand-in-hand with gluten-sensitivity. I'm not sending my brain there quite yet, however, lest it implode. We have a gastroenterologist appointment in January, so I'll ask then about whether we might need to take him off of casein, too. Eeeek!

I hope all is well with everyone. Have y'all started gearing up for the holidays?

[Carlina]

Vicki I hope your kids are doing better. Your son is very lucky to be able to have GH injections. On a side note and completely unrelated, one of the things we study is the way the growth disorders and congenital growth disorders are treated in the clinical setting. I was amazed that one of the treatments for achondroplasia (dwarfism) is the breaking, extending, and resetting of bones in childhood. Basically the doctors break the bone, create an additional "growth plate" and then reset it...stretching it out little by little. This allows children with achondroplasia to obtain close to average heights. I've seen a couple of clinical cases and it is impressive. Of course there are another myraid of features that come with achondoplasia that only folks with the "eye" for it could really tell these kids have the disorder.

I can't even fathom the medical bills for this process....

[Kiyomi]

Carlina that sounds so painful. Being shorter than everyone else is hard, but I can't imagine having your bones deliberatly broken even under sedation ::shudders::

[Jennifer]

Hi all,
I saw a special on one of those cable channels about extending the height of little people and they focussed on a teen ager who'd gone through the lengthening process of both arms and legs. She finally achieved a relatively normal height of about 5ft. But her ligaments didn't like being stretched and would give out on her. They needed lots of pt to work as they normally would. The mom mentioned, with what had to have been quite a load of guilt, that she worried she'd put her daughter through so much in order to be "normal." I don't know if I could have done it. The whole process took about 4 years.
Jen D.

[VictoriaMisselthwaite]

I didn't expect to be posting something like this again so soon, but my sweet little dog Cosette passed away tonight...she was 10. This does not get any easier.

[Kiyomi]

I am so sorry to hear that. You have my sympathies for what they are worth :(

[Carlina]

Vicki sorry to hear about your pup again.

Yes the breaking and resetting sounds like a painfully atricious process for any child to go through. Those that have undergone it say its not too bad...with a little advil here and there. Yes, the tendons and muscles are also put under pressure. Imagine taking a rubberband and stretching it until it tears. Ligaments can only handle so much, plus the additional pathologies related to such stress...eg bone spurs, arthritis...Of course add to this the additional orthapeadic problems little people have....

To me, if I had to make the decision, I think I'd prefer my child stay a little person. I peter out at about 5.15...I've had a growth spurt in the past two years...don't know how but I did. I'm content with my height and often joke about it.

Farmwifetwo...interesting there. You know lots of things can cause growth delays in children...diet for example (which today is often induced by gastrointestinal disorders, some of which have been discussed in this threat) can lead to nutritional deficiences which stunt growth. Constant illnesses also halt growth as well as cold, infections, the flu, and anything that causes a high fever a child has to fight. Usually though the growth lost is regained through what we call catch-up growth.

It could be your pal's kid is naturally small too, which seems the most likely. Was he a premie? Premies tend to grow a little slower their first year of life and later catch-up. Its a lot of stress being born early.

[Jennifer]

My youngest, a boy, fell off the charts at his 9month check-up. In both height and weight. From then on, he grew proportionately but very slowly. My pediatrician said he has something called "Delayed growth syndrome." That it's more common among boys and they usually catch up in their teens. He was always one of, if not the shortest child. I remember when he came home in the 3rd grade, proud that there was someone smaller than him! He's still small and in the 5th grade. I worry about middle school. He's 4'3" right now. We made friends with a family whose son is on growth hormone. That little boy is taller than my guy and about the same age. I was extremely worried when I learned that he was on GH, worried that maybe I should be looking into that, but the dad assured me his son was never ever proportionate. At 3, he was about as wide as he was tall. So, I am keeping my counsel and hoping for the best. If I had a little person, I would not go the route of breaking and extending. Little people have, from what I've seen, enough health problems w/o creating another situation.
Jen D.

[Carlina]

I should say something about the "charts." I'm not sure what charts are used in Canada, but the US we use the NHAINES charts. These charts are comprised of averages from large sample sizes of mostly middle class and upper middle class children. This is the first thing they teach us as biological anthropologists...don't expect your study group to conform to the 50th percentile or above in the NHAINES charts especially if you are working with groups outside the US.

There are other variables that come into play in growth. Ethnicity is one...Asians and Canadian Native Americans for example are always below the 50th percentile in growth and usually fall between the 5th and 20th...doesn't mean anything is wrong. They just have different genetic factors related to their growth process because of the evolutionary factors that play a role in climatic adapation. That is especially true of Inpuiat children.

So if you are of mixed ethnicity, it can be reflected in your growth pattern. Children from colder climates also tend to grow slower and be of a shorter stature...gotta conserve heat some how.

It also depends on familial stature. If you are 5'8 and dad is 5'9, well expect your child to fall around that height.

Delayed growth can occur for what ever reason, but usually catch-up growth reins it in and levels things out before a child reaches peak height velocity, more commonly known as the growth spurt. Boys can grow well into their 20s too...it can happen.
I was always under on the charts...

[vicki]

Victoria, I'm so sorry about Cosette! :..( And so close on the heels of your losing Cujo, too--I am thinking about you and sending all the best wishes and brain-waves in your direction. You take care of yourself and don't overdo this holiday season.

Sheri, I'm with you on the don't-put-your-head-in-the-sand thing, especially when it comes to my kids' health. I've been proactively taking the bull by the horns on my little boy's issues for 7 years now, and he's benefitted *so* much from aggressive investigation and intervention for his autism- and attention-related difficulties. I know, down into center of my bones, that I've done all I can to ensure he has the best chance possible to fulfill his potential. I grieve for kids who don't have that kind of support because the parents lack resources or are simply in denial.

It's interesting to read about these growth issues today because the training nurse just left the house after doing a training session on how to administer growth hormone (genotropin in our case) via an epi-pen. It seemed a tad complicated, but I imagine I'll be able to do it in my sleep by the time Christmas rolls around. DS will be getting 6 shots a week.

I don't have a problem with his being short--most of our family is short, and I'm barely 4'10" myself. I don't imagine he'll ever be tall, but I'd like for him to be the height he was meant to be but for an inability to make growth hormone. We'll see what happens. I know he'd be happy to be at least a little taller than his little sister, who is 2 years younger. :)

<edit> Sheri, I meant to add--if you think your friend might benefit from talking to another proactive-parenting thinker, I'd be glad to email her or have her email me.

<edit>Oh, and I should add that we waited a long time and watched his growth under an endocrinologist's care, and *then* had an elaborate growth-hormone test with an IV (it took 4 hours in all) before deciding on the growth hormone. There are benefits to waiting and watching, as you don't want to take such a significant step without good reason.

[Jennifer]

Delayed Growth is much different, I'm told, from needing growth hormone! A lot of smallish boys have that big spurt that puts them up into normal height range. I have a small son and an above-average-height daughter! Go figure! My doctor told me, at least 10 years ago, that falling off the charts in a proportionate way was the clue to our situation. My friend's son who is getting growth hormone was never proportionate. Now he's fine. He gets shots several times a week with the epi. He'll attain a nice normal height for a boy and have no problems most likely. I wish you the best with this.
Jen D.

[vicki]

I have a small son and an above-average-height daughter! Go figure!


Same here! :)

DS is proportionate, but he's progressively slipped further and further down the chart and finally off, and never gained back anything back. So his pediatrician finally referred us the endocrine doc, who encouraged us to just watchfully wait for a year or two. So we did that, and the pattern continued for about 18 months, after which she ordered the hormone test. So that's when we found out that he just doesn't make enough hormone. Who knows--maybe he got it from me and I was supposed to be 5'6" or so! :)

My parents actually considered growth hormone for me, but I'm glad they didn't do it--the gh available back then was mostly bovine growth hormone, which was later associated with cases of CJD--the human variant of Mad Cow Disease--eeek! Don't want that! I'm fine with my height, but I'll admit that I *really* don't want to shrink as I get older. So I do strength training and drink a lot of milk to try and ward off osteoperosis! :D

[Younger Son]

I don't know whether this is the right thread.

Terry Pratchett has been diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer's, following a very mild stroke a couple of months ago.

A copy of his statement can be found here (http://www.paulkidby.com/news/index.html) (likely to become stale; sorry). He says his immediate plans are to go on working.

I'm upset. He'd been kind to my daughter Kate.

[vicki]

FYI--Badger started a thread for discussing the Pratchett situation over here (http://laurierking.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=255). I'll post about it in announcements, as we have several Pratchettphiles hereabouts.

YS, I'd be interested to hear more about the good experience y'all had with him. I've always heard that he's a terrific person, as well as a terrific writer.

Sheri, I'd be happy to talk with your friend--anytime. Just let me know. Things get so much easier once you accept the situation and start networking with other parents in similar situations. And I'm so glad to hear your kids are doing well! I also think it's important to stay on top of things at school in a firm but polite way.

I got a sad reminder today that I need to be thankful for the problems we have with asperger's, add, gluten, etc., as it could be a *lot* worse. I saw a college friend at the mall today while Christmas shopping, so we had an impromptu lunch at the food court to catch up. It turns out that her 12yo daughter has been battling leukemia for a year and has been very ill from the rounds of chemo. On many days, all she had the energy to do was to lie in bed and read, so she has gotten very interested in books. I have big soft spots for both young readers and sick kids, so my soft spots are combining to make me a big marshmallow tonight. :..( Fortunately, they think she's got a good prognosis. Getting there is just the pits, though. Poor teekie!

I was in another online book group that talked at one time of having an ongoing charity project of giving YA books to one or two selected children's hospitals, for the young people who get stuck in the hospital for weeks/months at a time. One of the members of that group had a sister who was in the hospital for several months, and she thought that kind of thing was needed--her sister really got a lot of comfort out of books during her hospitalization, she said. My college friend concurred--she said that most of the activities, books and materials for the kids at the local children's hospital are more for the 3-10yo crowd, so the pre-teens and teens end up feeling a tad marginalized sometimes.

If the VBC ever adopts a charity, maybe we could look into doing something like that--maybe we could start with a children's hospital of LRK's choice and donate some YA books. It's something for the idea-hopper, anyway.

BTW--we did our first injection of growth hormone tonight and I boggled the first cartridge up and ruined it. :( Our training nurse went a little fast and I failed to grasp one of the necessary steps completely. Eeeek! So I went back and reviewed the instructions more thoroughly and everything went well on the second try--whew! :)

[vicki]

A winner has been announced in the Wacky Warning Label contest (http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071212/ap_on_fe_st/odd_wacky_warnings;_ylt=AqYjYdJZh4wBt6no_JHj2Kes0N UE):


Danger: Avoid Death


Hehehehehehe! The runners-up are pretty amusing, too.

[KarenB]

I like Do not Iron Shirt While Wearing personally. Nice visual that one conjures up!

[AmyLizzie]

I had my first visit to Oxford today :) I'm doing an Advanced Diploma in Local History with the Uni and I went up today to visit the Bodleian Library and it was stunning! With my student card I can get places visitors can't, so I had a good look around, and its fantastic! I also met my course director which was a very proud moment for my dad who came with me but nerve racking for me!! Just wanted to share my excitement!!! Hehe :):) Love lots, Amy xxx

[tangential1]

*grins* I love those. I think my favorite so far has been "Do no drive car or operate heavy machinery" on a bottle of children's cough medicine. Left me with images of three year olds with tractors or something:D

There's a pretty good list here: http://www.rinkworks.com/said/warnings.shtml

[jtb1951]

I had my first visit to Oxford today I'm doing an Advanced Diploma in Local History with the Uni and I went up today to visit the Bodleian Library and it was stunning!

Congratulations, Amy!!!

John.

[vicki]

Congrats, AmyLizzie--that is beyond cool! :cool: We've got Oxonians in the VBC! Wooohooo! There are many cool RL Oxonians, and many excellent fictional ones (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_fictional_University_of_Oxford_people) as well!

If you ever go to the Eagle and the Child pub, there is a residential building of St. John's College almost directly across the street from it, and I stayed there on the second floor while I was there one summer during college. My little bump-out window hangs just over the sidewalk--to the right of a pub (or left, if you're facing the window from across the street). </nostalgic>


I went up today to visit the Bodleian Library and it was stunning! With my student card I can get places visitors can't, so I had a good look around, and its fantastic!


Hmmm--it would be fun to see pictures of those student-only areas, if someone just happened to saunter through there with an unobtrusive camera phone. <Bambi eyes>

Tangential, that whole list is hilarious. For some reason, I really like

"May irritate eyes." -- On a can of self-defense pepper spray.

Well, let's sure hope so! This one is also fun--


"Eating rocks may lead to broken teeth." -- On a novelty rock garden set called "Popcorn Rock."


Is that a fact??! :rolleyes:

Hehehehehe!

[vicki]

I'm such a wild and crazy chick--here it is, another Friday night and I'm making a huge pot of chicken and rice soup, crocheting on an afghan for my aunt in the colors of her alma mater--Florida State (http://www.draftboardinsider.com/images/fan-fsu.jpg) (I love people--they're so irretrievably weird) and watching the live action "Grinch" with DD.

Later, I'll be searching for potential blogs for LRK's upcoming blog-tour. If y'all have any ideas for good tour-blogs, post a link here or email it to me. It just needs to be a relatively high-traffic blog (doesn't have to be a literary blog) that would be a good fit for an LRK appearance re: Touchstone, LRK's other work, or LRK generally.

What can I say--it's just one of those devil-may-care, throw-caution-to-the-wind kind of nights.

</nerd> :D

[Jennifer]

Hi FarmWifeTwo and anyone else sitting in a snow storm. Tonight was supposed to be my hubby's birthday supper with neighbors coming over but it's been snowing steadily all day and it feels as if we are going to be covered in snow for an eternity. Hubby is out wildly trying to buy a Christmas tree. We kept waiting for the weather to "get better" and realized that nope, this is it and we are stuck with it so he's braving this mess to find a tree. I feel like a real deserter not being out there with him but he timed his venture w/o consulting me and I'd just put the paella on to cook. Can't run out on simmering rice, saffron, shrimp and smoked sausage. I am very down. We've had 6 snows in 2 weeks. That's got to be a record. It's the most I've ever experienced. And everyone's nerves are on edge. It's only Dec. 15! Quick, someone tell a joke!
Jen D.

[jtb1951]

I wish I could send you some reassuring weather news, Jen, but I'm afraid that's the way some Madison winters are. We have steady snow here in Chicago at the moment but nothing like Madison has received so far; my grad-school daughter says you've gotten ~20 inches thus far with the average being 3! Don't worry, be happy:), it will probably only snow for another 3 1/2 months! Meaghan (DD#1) says she actually had to go out and buy some serious winter garb this year after making do with her lighter-weight garb last year. Look at the bright side of life; you could have the same amount of snow and be living in Buffalo instead of Madison (now I'll get nasty rejoinders from N.Y.) Hang in there and happy birthday to your DH!

John!

[Jennifer]

John,
25.1" of snow so far (to be exact). I just saw it on the news this morning. Yes, I will look on the brigther side. "It could be worse" should be the Wisconsin motto according to my daughter!
Jen D.
(Soon to be out clearing the driveway....)

[KarenB]

Ah yes, Wisconsin . . . I remember the 2-story snow fort the neighbor kids built, the 10 ft. drifts at the end of the driveway which made for a sort of Russian roulette kind of thing in entering the busy road we lived on, no snow days for school, only cold days (I think it was something like 20 below) . . . and you wonder why my parents moved to the Carolinas!

[Jennifer]

Salt in the wound....I come from NC and have been a sojourner here in WI for lo these past 11 winters. But this is by far the most challenging to the body and soul. I marvel at my stoic friends and neighbors who just keep on shoveling, never complain, always a smile. For my Southern psyche, this much snow puts my spirit in a constant state of emergency. Do we have enough milk, bread, toilet paper???? I have to calm my nerves and remember that the salt trucks will be out, just go slow, all will be well. But the pulse races!
Jen D.(about to walk a snow-bound doggie badly in need of a romp...)

[tangential1]

When are you going to teach me how?? Mom tried but being left handed, we couldn't make it work. Maybe it would now that I'm an adult and could follow her lead better.

I'm left handed too! I learned crochet from my dad when I was about 9 or 10. The trick, I found, is to face your teacher head on and mirror them exactly. Much easier that way than trying to see what they are doing and invert it in your head!

[Strawberry Curls]

I'm left handed too! I learned crochet from my dad when I was about 9 or 10. The trick, I found, is to face your teacher head on and mirror them exactly. Much easier that way than trying to see what they are doing and invert it in your head!

How clever of you. I'm left handed and found learning to knit impossible. Probably more about my desire than my handedness. I did teach myself to crochet from a book, just the basic blanket stitch, never was able to master anything else, but I did a few basic afghans back in the day. I love the idea of your dad teaching you to crochet, that is soooo neat. :)

[AmyLizzie]

Happy Anniversary John and Mrs John :) Sounds like you had a truly wonderful day :):)

[tangential1]

How clever of you. I'm left handed and found learning to knit impossible. Probably more about my desire than my handedness. I did teach myself to crochet from a book, just the basic blanket stitch, never was able to master anything else, but I did a few basic afghans back in the day. I love the idea of your dad teaching you to crochet, that is soooo neat. :)

I taught myself to knit from a book about five years ago and that was frustratingly difficult at first. With a bit of perseverance (and a lot of frogging of my project), though, the theory behind it finally clicked and I was able to figure it out. I think that's really the key; understanding the theory of the stitches. Now I can knit up a simple hat in about a day and I've figured out most of the cool pattern stuff (like cables, double knits, colorwork and such).

There are so many different styles of knitting that you could choose, it could be that one would work better for you than another. It would be interesting to survey knitters to find which styles different handed people preferred (continental vs. english vs. combined, etc.) or if there was a preference at all.

:D My dad is quite good at crochet, although he doesn't do it as much anymore. He also used to do counted cross-stitch, but I never got into that. I think he must have learned from his mom, although I don't think I've ever asked. Textile arts are becoming increasingly popular with guys, I've noticed (The author of Stitch 'n Bitch just came out with a book for guys called "Son of a Stitch 'n Bitch" for example), which is cool=)

[jtb1951]

Is it too early to start thinking about gathering in Baltimore in the fall? I'm seriously considering making the trip!

John.

[KarenB]

No, not too early! The sooner it gets on my calendar, the more likely I will be able to be there. And I'd like to - be there, that is! How shall we go about this, Vicki? and any others who know how B'con works?

[Strawberry Curls]

No, not too early! The sooner it gets on my calendar, the more likely I will be able to be there. And I'd like to - be there, that is! How shall we go about this, Vicki? and any others who know how B'con works?

I have the link to the 2008 B'Con Website http://www.charmedtodeath.com/ It has registration info and hotel info. I just wish I knew for a fact I could go. I want to, but long term plans are likely to be disrupted by this and that these days. I'm more likely to know this coming summer if there is any possiblity I can attend.

[jtb1951]

Happy Anniversary John and Mrs John Sounds like you had a truly wonderful day

Thank you, Amy!!!

John.

[vicki]

YES--you must *all* come to B'con!! It's so much fun, and all those interested in the mystery genre are welcome--publishers, editors, booksellers, librarians, fans--you name it. The panels are great, and we can even organize reporting on all the ones we can attend, like I did for the ones I attended in Anchorage. There are loads of signing opportunities with famous and soon-to-be-famous writers, a dealer room to buy new and used books, receptions and events at night, and a VBC get-together, of course. :) You *all* need to come! If Touchstone is nominated for one of the awards, maybe we can even have a VBC table at the awards banquet and cheer ebulliently for Our Fearless Leader.

Maybe it's' not too early to start up the B'con thread again, or to start a new thread for B'con 2008.

Between all this talk of blizzards (Happy B'day, Mr. Jen--I hope you found the tree without getting too frozen!) and those gorgeous winter wonderland pictures Sheri posted in the Gallery, I'm ready to heat up a rice-sock and carry it around with me for the rest of the evening. For the uninitiated, a rice-sock is a sturdy sock filled with long-grain rice, heated for 2 min. in the microwave, and it stays warm for quite a long time. Great for aches, pains and the plain old chills.

I taught myself to knit from a book about five years ago and that was frustratingly difficult at first. With a bit of perseverance (and a lot of frogging of my project), though, the theory behind it finally clicked and I was able to figure it out. I think that's really the key; understanding the theory of the stitches. Now I can knit up a simple hat in about a day and I've figured out most of the cool pattern stuff (like cables, double knits, colorwork and such).


I'm impressed--I never *could* learn how to knit from a book. I did try, but finally concluded that having more than 2 or 3 loops on a needle simultaneously makes me want to find my Happy Place. :( That's great that your dad did needlework! My grandfather actually taught my aunt how to crochet--she was left-handed so he showed her how to do it in a mirror.

[Jennifer]

My mom taught me to knit at age 9 and I made many scarves. The kind that got wider and wider! Then in college, I was IN LOVE and had to make a scarf for THE BOY. Well, Mom wasn't handy so I went to a book store, looked at a knitting book and most of it came back. Most of it I say. W/o realizing it, I flipped my knit and purl stitch and came out with an interesting looking fabric. The salesperson/teacher at a yarn store finally explained to me I was doing some creative stitches. Bless her heart, she didn't teach me the right way but suggested I go to a book called "The Anarchist Knitter" in order to use my distinctive style to the fullest. I decided conformity might be an option and looked up videos on-line to see how to do it the conventional way. Any of you out there interested in learning, I recommend looking up the various sites that have good photos and videos. I am a visual person, I learn by watching.
Oh yes, we got our tree, Ms. Vicki! And 3 inches of snow! And some paella! Thanks for the "thread tools" tip too! Always keeping your grateful community informed!
Jen D.

[tangential1]

Any of you out there interested in learning, I recommend looking up the various sites that have good photos and videos.

Seconded. And my favorite is www.knittinghelp.com

[Bachi]

Many Thanks to Alice (a.k.a. Strawberry Curls) for tracking down my signature quote. Now I have the correct quote and source.
w

[Strawberry Curls]

Many Thanks to Alice (a.k.a. Strawberry Curls) for tracking down my signature quote. Now I have the correct quote and source.
w
It was my pleasure. :D I'm just nosy enough to seek out things. My friends tell me I should have been a research librarian (wanted to be a librarian in my youth but was dissuaded by a high school counselor) but ended up in the business world instead.

[Bachi]

Or an aquaintance that thought for some reason I wanted all of her jokes forwarded
Sheri

I receintly received an email that has the perfect reply to those forwarded emails! It read::)

They finally created the perfect reply to all those 'forward to all your friends' emails!

(make sure your sound is turned on)

Indicating the following url as Click Here
http://info.org.il/irrelevant/may02-smilepop-soapbox4.swf

[Carlina]

It was my pleasure. :D I'm just nosy enough to seek out things. My friends tell me I should have been a research librarian (wanted to be a librarian in my youth but was dissuaded by a high school counselor) but ended up in the business world instead.

My high school counselor never gave me any career advice :(. Just a pat on the back and...keep up the good work. I do recall taking one of those tests to see what I should BE when I grow up. I think it said something about communications. I dunno..I was originally a film major, dabbled in literature, then found anthropology. I was seduced by the skeletons you see..

Now..I'm an anthropologist, that dabbles in literature, criminal psychology, and forensics...I should get out more..really...Excitement to me is a "forensic" skeleton (meaning someone found a decedent) in my lab...oh dears...:eek:

Thinking about Boucheron...can't commit just yet..depends on the teaching situation. Plus I've got an academic conference in Ohio where I may be presenting some of my research...eep...(look out OHIO the people that study death are coming your way bwahahahahaha). I don't think I can write Boucheron off as an academic conference either...drat.

[Kiyomi]

I think people who you don't know who send spam to you have way too much time on their hands and are in need a some 'strong discipline'. Those spam messages from people you know show that they are without common sense and courtesy, we should pity them for their misfotune and delete most of their messages on site. ;-)

[Jennifer]

Speaking of unwanted e-mail, do you all get chain letters via e-mail? The ones that promise you get a wish or reap a smile or one even promised something really bad would happen if I broke the chain. I can't believe how many of my friends buy into these things and then try to include me. I just hit "delete!" Regardless of the sender, the content, the proposed outcome. Yes, I break the chain! I do warn those folks, if they ever write me a legitimate note, that I won't do chain letters. Even if an angel is promised to show up on my doorstep!
Jen D. (angel-free but unrepentant)

[Kiyomi]

That is terrible, what part of take me off your forward list is so difficult anyway? I must admit that spam is the main reason I only check my e-mail online. I never download anything. If I want to save it I click my printable copy version and then manually save the page in a folder on my computer. It's a bit of a pain but most messages are just not important to keep after I've replied to them. So far ::crosses fingers:: I have manager to avoid viruses and such and I attribute it to luck and the fact that I have never downloaded my e-mail.

[jtb1951]

Doing our last Christmas shopping this weekend; both daughters are home from college for awhile; looking forward to spending Christmas Eve with my 10 siblings and spouses/sig. others and our 27 kids (ages 6-25); Christmas morn for the four of us; then into the car and off to Columbus, OH to visit my DW's folks for several days! I just pray for good travelling weather! Merry Christmas and happy holidays to all!!!

John.

[Strawberry Curls]

Doing our last Christmas shopping this weekend; both daughters are home from college for awhile; looking forward to spending Christmas Eve with my 10 siblings and spouses/sig. others and our 27 kids (ages 6-25); Christmas morn for the four of us; then into the car and off to Columbus, OH to visit my DW's folks for several days! I just pray for good travelling weather! Merry Christmas and happy holidays to all!!!

John. The mind boggles at just the space requirements for that many people under one roof, and the detritus from that many packages being opened. :eek: I hope you and yours have a wonderful time, John, and that your travel is safe and stress free. I would like to join in your Merry Christmas and happy holidays to all. May this be a safe and blessed holiday for everyone.

Alice
AKA Strawberry Curls

[Bachi]

I would like to join in your Merry Christmas and happy holidays to all. May this be a safe and blessed holiday for every one.

Same here, and the very best in the upcoming year!

Wanda (a.k.a. Bachi)

[Kiyomi]

Congratulations! Isn't being done with all your pre-Christmas shopping great!

[Jennifer]

We went out for some last minute things! How nutty was that? It's extremely foggy here, a snowstorm, a big one, is in the offing and there's this electricity (maybe I should say "ekeltricity," given the craziness of the time+the weather) in the air, as if everyone knows we are not going to go out for a few days and provisions are needed. I am glad we made it back safely. The fog is literally like pea soup. Now, we can snuggle in for whatever happens!
Jen D.

[Kiyomi]

I'm glad you are back safely! Stormy weather is scary to be out in! One year I was visiting my relatives in Kansas and we were driving back to my greatgrandmothers farm and there was a flash thunderstorm and we went to almost zero visibility in seconds just as we started crossing a 2 way bridge that had to crossed 1 car at a time! Fortunately no one else was around because there's no way either of us could have seen each other.

I hope you have lots of hot beveragey goodness!

[Jennifer]

Hi and thanks for your good wishes, Kiyomi,
I was looking at the weather map and it seems a goodly number of us will have some interesting weather in the next few days! We are stocked up on the hot chocolate and champagne. I guess that will have to do! Hope everyone else is home safe and if you are on the road, sending you all traveing mercies!
Jen D.

[Kiyomi]

Hot chocolate and champagne, two of my favorite beverages! It sounds like you are set to ride out the storms!

[The Grey Badger]

Off the topic, but I'm adopting a new kitty, or he's adopting me.:) A classic Jellicle Ca, Buster has been coming in and out of the cat window every 5 minutes. I leafletted the block backing up to mine and got one phone call - he was a homeless kitten last summer and someone who later moved had been putting out food for him.

I set out a 3rd cat dish, put an old army blanket under the bed, got a used cat bed from a friend, and started talking baby talk to him. He trusts me enough to look at me when I'm not moving. However, if I walk by after feeding the cats, he acts as if he had been caught stealing, and scrambles for under the bed.

Interestingly enough, the senior cat, Dufus Claudius, is black with some white tufts on his underside. The junior cat Spot is white with black spots on his head. So Buster is somewhere in between.

[Jennifer]

Hey Grey Badger,
Keep working with that kitty! My brother tamed a completely ferral cat, a gorgeous black tom. At first, the kitty would only come to the house and eat the food on the deck when no one was looking. My brother was so patient! It took a year! Now that black tom is fat, sleek and shiny and owns the house! His purr is loud and contented and holding him is such a pleasure! Taming a cat isn't for everyone but it certainly has a satisfying end for those who have the patience!
Jen D.
Our "snow storm" turned into more of an ice and wind-storm. Pray we don't loose power!

[Kiyomi]

Keep working with the kitty! I have also tammed a feral kitten and an older feral cat at my mums house. The older ferral cat now sleeps with them on their bed almost everynight! It felt like forever before she would trust anyone but I kept getting a little closer when she would let me. It is funny because once she was afraid of my step-father because he is a man and I think some boys were torturing her when she was young but now he is her favorite person. He also lets her do all sorts of things my mother would prefer he not ;-) Before she would take off like a shot as soon as she had some food in her mouth, now she walks right up to you saying, merrrow? merrrow? and enjoys pushing doors open if you haven't latched them properly.

[Jennifer]

My brother's cat was a limited matter, not being near a farm or being subject to multiple incidences. Ferral cats are a very complicated matter when they are being dumped and in great numbers. Wiscosin was on the brink of giving people permission to shoot them a few years ago. The Governor tabled that suggestion due in part to a lot of national attention. The other side wanted to round them up, spay and neuter and then put them back in the wild. I do not know if that came about. My brother needed a hobby, an interest....
Jen D.
(It's still snowin' and blowin'!)

[Carlina]

We have coyotes that seem to take care of the feral cats round these parts :eek:. Plus we have a very good animal shelter, actively involved with Peta which takes up stray animals. Come to think of it...I haven't seen a stray since I moved here like five years ago...

Now we do get real wild cats...not the strays...bobcats...Also the occasional tiger on the lose..someone had it as a pet. we actually have an exotic feline rescue center here too...Yeah wild...

Feral cats are interesting because their behaviour is well..natural. I don't think I have the patience to do it but find you folks that take the time to train them quite admirable.

[Jennifer]

Our storm is over. It was more sound than fury, thank you up there! I am reading "Busman's Honeymoon" the very last book-length Peter Wimsey story and finding so many threads that seem to extend into others' work. There's a pub scene, dissecting the case from the vantage point of the village folk. Oh that so reminded me of the pub scene in the beginning of "Goblet of Fire!" "Frank had a hard war..." For disseminating backstory in an entertaining fashion, it's a hard one to beat. There's even a Gudgeon in the story, which again, reminded me of Jo's character "Davey Gudgeon." Not being all that familiar with British names, that one sticks out to me. It's really a lovely book and as DL Sayers said, it's more of a love story with a mystery intruding rather than the other way round. But no fear, it's a restrained, held-back, full of promise rather than delivery sort of love story. Nothing that would bother a true mystery fan because the dang thing keeps on intruding in.

But back to my title, we are in the lull before the Christmas hoopla. Pleasantly vacant, our stares all are. Waiting, waiting. Hope all you have good friends and family to spend this time with, and that you all know how to keep Christmas!
Best,
Jen D.

[VictoriaMisselthwaite]

I just read a blog post and had a thought... Do American's have Boxing Day?? I grew up near the border and just assumed (yes.... that's not always a good thing :) ) you did, but the way she worded it... I wasn't certain.

Just curious.

Like John all that snow melted and we got a dusting for Xmas. It's now VERY foggy out. Off to my parents for a couple of days and leaving the boys behind.

Hope everyone had a great Xmas yesterday.

S


It was a lovely day...and no, Americans generally don't have Boxing Day...at least not in any official capacity, though I'd imagine some have that tradition -- it's sometimes marked on calendars with [Canada] in parentheses...

[Jennifer]

I know some of the official stuff about Boxing Day, but if one is not expecting a treat from the manor house, what does one do?
Jen D. (mistakenly considered herself pretty up on British traditions....)

[tangential1]

Now it's the US equivalent of Black Friday after your Thanksgiving.

For us those not in retail, an extra day off work. It was also my Grandmother's birthday so we always went out for supper.

Sheri

Huh...I never really thought about it before, but it's kind of funny how the biggest shopping day of the year (no matter where you are) is given as a national holiday. Thanksgiving is especially odd given that the actual day is Thursday but most people get Friday off too and Friday isn't really a holiday at all. Says something about current society, no?

Oddly, I watched an episode of M.A.S.H. on Christmas Eve that was about Boxing Day. They had some British soldiers in camp who said a Boxing Day tradition was the higher ups trading places with the servants for the day? Since it was the army the officers traded jobs with the enlisted (to an extent). I have no idea if this a real Boxing Day tradition, but it sounded cool=)

[The Grey Badger]

Huh...I never really thought about it before, but it's kind of funny how the biggest shopping day of the year (no matter where you are) is given as a national holiday. Thanksgiving is especially odd given that the actual day is Thursday but most people get Friday off too and Friday isn't really a holiday at all. Says something about current society, no?

Oddly, I watched an episode of M.A.S.H. on Christmas Eve that was about Boxing Day. They had some British soldiers in camp who said a Boxing Day tradition was the higher ups trading places with the servants for the day? Since it was the army the officers traded jobs with the enlisted (to an extent). I have no idea if this a real Boxing Day tradition, but it sounded cool=)

Can't speak for the Brits, but it's certainly an old Saturnalia custom. And weren't the British boarding schools heavier on the Greeks and Romans than us Yanks?

[vicki]

Am cleaning out and throwing out junk/detritus. :(

I dunna like to do it. :( :( :(

[Redneck626]

I have internet again....:D

[Kiyomi]

Am cleaning out and throwing out junk/detritus. :(

I dunna like to do it. :( :( :(

That's no fun :( ::HUGS::

[KarenB]

Oh yeah, the new year's clean-up. Hate it,hate it . . . all my puritan yankee ancestor genes jump up and shout "Keep it! It might be useful someday!!"

On a totally different note - has anyone had an endoscopy done? Any idea what I'm in for? The technical aspects I know - just the personal experience is what I'm wondering about. Thanks!

[Younger Son]

On a totally different note - has anyone had an endoscopy done? Any idea what I'm in for? The technical aspects I know - just the personal experience is what I'm wondering about. Thanks!

Surely this depends on what's being scoped? I've had my bladder done, but even if you're getting the same, I believe our experiences would not match.

[Carlina]

A local anesthetic...possibly demerol (or however it is spelled)... no foods or fluids after a certain hour...Doesn't hurt at all, well it may feel uncomfortable if it is going down your throat...For those they might knock you out, I'm not sure...

It does depend on where it is going, but its not painful or anything...no side effects or what not...I haven't had one, but seen quite a few administered during my time in the med sci department...

[KarenB]

Thank you both for your reply. It's going down the throat (poss. ulcer? GERD? definitely gallstones) and I feel a gag reflex coming on at the thought of it. Oh, well, enough sedation should make it okay. I just hate it when my body doesn't do what it is supposed to!!

[Ruthie]

It's going down the throat (poss. ulcer? GERD? definitely gallstones)

Oh dear, you poor thing.
If it really is gallstones (I had an ultrasound for mine rather than entroscopy) there is a way to get your body to expel them naturally and without pain. It involves drinking copious amounts of apple juice over a couple of days. It is definately safe and really works. let me know if you're interested and I'll hunt out the details
Ruthie

[KarenB]

If it really is gallstones (I had an ultrasound for mine rather than entroscopy) there is a way to get your body to expel them naturally and without pain. It involves drinking copious amounts of apple juice over a couple of days. It is definately safe and really works. let me know if you're interested and I'll hunt out the details

Yes, please, Ruthie! It is definitely gallstones from the ultrasound (the technician informed me that my gall bladder was "full of stones and gunk"), but the endoscope is because there may be other stuff going on. grrrr

Between the holiday travel and stuff to do and this I haven't done much besides lurk here. But it feels quite like listening in on a group of friends without necessarily feeling compelled to contribute. When my brain gets back in gear, I'm sure I will become my more usual wordy self.

[tangential1]

It is definitely gallstones from the ultrasound (the technician informed me that my gall bladder was "full of stones and gunk"), but the endoscope is because there may be other stuff going on. grrrr

Hopefully not too gunked up.:(

A good friend of mine had to have her gallbladder removed a couple years back. It wasn't too big a deal (it is apparently an outpatient procedure now) and she's absolutely fine now. However, she lost all tolerance for greasy fried foods (although that's not necessarily a bad thing).

[KarenB]

Thanks for the support everyone!

Sheri - sounds tough! I have so much trouble with the documenting kinds of things - too disorganized or something. BTW, what is NLVD & PTSD?

Karen

[Kiyomi]

That sounds tough! Hopefully you aren't in too much pain. Feel better soon Karen.

[KarenB]

I should have remembered PTSD - oh yes, I did read Folly & Keeping Watch!

I didn't know about NLVD - have an acquaintance with a boy with autism who may have this - I'll send her the link.

About the DH, I banish mine to the bedroom with a remote and shut the door on him when he's sick. Otherwise we would be like the Kilkenny cats - nothing left of us! Hang in there!

[The Grey Badger]

Thanks for the support everyone!

Sheri - sounds tough! I have so much trouble with the documenting kinds of things - too disorganized or something. BTW, what is NLVD & PTSD?

Karen

NVLD is Nonverbal Learning Disorder which means (IIRC) you learn great when it has to do with words but are not as good with anything nonverbal. PTSD is Post Traumatic Stress Disorder meaning you've been through hell and it shows. Think of the combat veterans jumping a mile when someone drops a cup.

[Kiyomi]

I can't get my dh to ADMIT when he is sick. Stubborn ::mutter, mutter, mutter:: man! He's had a bad chest cold for over a month and still refuses to admit anything is wrong.

[Kiyomi]

I don't know if it'll help with illness but Epsom salts in a warm bath do draw out some toxins so it's probably something like that and it can't hurt to try.

[Jennifer]

Knitters,
I have just found out a good friend is going to have a mastectomy tomorrow, will undergo chemo and yes, lose her hair. Do any of you have a good pattern for a knitted cap? We have lots of winter left here so it will have to provide warmth as well as cover the bald pate. I've been perusing sites on line so if you have knitted from an on-line pattern and have advice (or warnings!) that would be helpful too.Thanking you in advance....
Jen D.

[Kiyomi]

Do you crochet Jen? If so I can get a nice simple pattern that also keeps the head warm. It is also a fairly quick crochet as if you are really determined you can knock one out in a day or so. My only warning would be to make sure you pattern expands outward fast enough. I have a slightly bigger than average head by a fraction of an in which makes a difference in how tight the cap feels on my head. Too tight is bad. Yarn that is more springy and can expand a little is nice because it is more one size fits all.

[tangential1]

I think the best site for chemo caps is Head Huggers (http://www.headhuggers.org/); they have a very big selection of hat patterns and a lot of recommendations. Knitty (http://knitty.com/archiveHEADS.html) also has a couple of patterns that would be good, one specifically for bald heads (http://knitty.com/ISSUEsummer06/PATThalfdome.html).

Just about any hat pattern will work, really, but you have to remember that a bald head is not as big as a head with hair so you generally need fewer stitches (many patterns have multiple sizes for various circumfrances, which is really helpful). And make sure you get really soft materials because the last thing you want is an itchy hat. My favorite soft yarn is Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Aran(soft and warm, a perfect combo;)).

[Kiyomi]

Have you tried JoAnn's Sensations yarns, particularly the whispy one whose name escapes me, I think it's called AngelHair or something like that. If so how would you say it stacks up next to the Debbie Bliss Chashmerino Aran?

[tangential1]

I've never used JoAnn's yarns (and a little bit of research revealed that you got the name right;)), so I can't really say how they compare. I'm not really an expert, but there are a few fundamental differences in composition between the two yarns that are telling.

The Angel Hair (http://www.duny-sewing-machines.com/jo-ann-sensations-angel-hair-yarn/B00083OGQIID.html) is a wool/acrylic/nylon blend and at 120yards/100g with a size 11 needle recommended, is a bulky yarn. The Cashmerino (http://www.debbieblissonline.com/yarn/cash_aran.htm) is a medium weight (98yards/50g, recommended needle size 8) merino wool/microfiber/cashmere blend. I'd say that the Debbie Bliss is definitely a higher quality yarn than the JoAnn's just based on fiber content, but that doesn't necessarily mean it's softer. That's kind of subjective.

So it really comes down to what you are wanting to make. I could see the Angel Hair working into a really fluffy scarf, or a tam or beret. Something really simple because the feathery aspect of it might get in the way of more complex patterns. The Cashmerino on the other hand works really well for more tightly knitted things and shows patterns really well, especially gansy and cables (I just used it on a pair of cable knit fingerless mittens/gloves that came out really well). I would think that the aran weight would knit up better for a winter chemo cap because you could get the tighter knit (the looser knits are kind of permeable to wind), not to mention the higher wool content.

Sorry for the long post; I could talk for days on knitting:o

[Jennifer]

Kiyomi and Tangential,
I am not a crochet person but I would be open to learning this pattern. I have done some things in crochet, just not a proficient.

Also, I will check out the yarns you both mentioned as we have several nice yarn stored (luckily) here and a JoAnn's as well. Headhugger sounds familiar so I'll head there now. I had read about the importance of fiber content against a bald head so I was thinking about that. The cashmerino sounds very soft but I have made things from very soft acrylic baby yarn (which is good because it requires less special washing and blocking afterwards.)
Thanks to you both and anyone else wanting to pipe up, feel free!
Jen D.

[tangential1]

Actually, one nice thing about the Cashmerino is that you get all the warmth and luxury of merino wool and cashmere, but the microfiber makes it washable (gentle cycle). And I haven't really needed to block it, either.

[Jennifer]

Hi Tangential,
I wasn't familiar with Cashmerino. It sounds just about perfect if it's low-maintenance. I will search it out. Sounds great for baby things too, which I am behind on as we speak. Lots of fertile friends and relations...
Jen D.

[Kiyomi]

Generally I make scarfs and blankets altough I've made the odd hat. My favorite yarn to work with is JoAnn's Persian yarn, I work it double stranded as scarves and/or blankets. I never seem to follow gages, but you don't really have to when you aren't trying for a specific pattern. The yarn is really whispy but I love the look and feel of it and the pockets of air the layers create seem to keep my neck warm. :)

[Jennifer]

JoAnn yarns are good for so many projects. I made my daughter the softest scarf from a JoAnn yarn. It had wisps too and not scratchy. Can't abide scratch yarn. This yarn came in so many colors. My daughter wanted something orange-pink and they had a wonderful peachy pink color. I love this hat pattern book called "Hats On." It has a great mix of patterns and I have made several of the hats. I also made a truly gorgeous chullo for said daughter to go with new coat. I lined it too, with polar fleece like the hats at the outdoor stores. Now I have to make mittens to match. And about 6 baby hats. Who has time to write?
Jen D.

[Carlina]

Glad the procedure went well...I'm a little behind. Gallbladder...I do detest that little small sac that stores bile. Gallbladder removable is relatively easy, depending on how far along you are. If it is not an extreme case, then it can be removed with endoscopic surgery. On this end we weren't so lucky because it had been misdiagnosed...TWICE...so it had to be radically removed. This includes cutting open the body and doing it the old fashioned way...no fun...

Glad yours was caught in time though. You'll have to adjust to life without a gallbladder, which isn't too difficult. There may be some changes...won't go into details here...but you'll notice them right off....It's just a matter of reshifting your diet. You want have the organ to store the bile, so it will either be reabsorbed or go straight through your intestinal track.

AND NOW FOR SOMETHING COMPLETELY DIFFERENT...

I wish I could sew :( ...

[tangential1]

Where do you get polar fleece? The fabric shop, I suppose? I really love the idea of lining hats with fleece; so much warmer.

I wish I could sew too:(

[Kiyomi]

Take heart! I can crochet but I can't sew either :( I've seen polar fleece at JoAnn's. You can sign up online to get their coupons and e-mails, there is generally a 40% off any regular price item coupon.

[Jennifer]

Kiyomi and anyone wondering about fleece,
I would love that crochet hat pattern. Is it on-line? I can crochet and I know where to get help. Also, the fleece did come from JoAnn! It was the perfect wine-purple color of her hat and it does increase the warmth tremendously. I took a huge leaf out of the hat-styles I found at the outdoor store. I just lined part of the hat, the part the circles around the ears. It was a band of about 3 inches wide and the circumference of the hat. I sewed it in with normal sewing thread. I think doing the entire inside would possible make the hat too warm, for normal situations, not like climbing Everest or anything!
Jen D.

[Kiyomi]

I got the pattern from 'Lion Brand' yarns. They have lots of free patterns on their site. I tried to figure out which one I used but the darn pages would not load for me at work. However there is a wide variety of both crochet and knit patterns from simple to complex. http://www.lionbrand.com/content-crochetPatternIndex.html?d=Adult Judging by the titles it was either the Reverse Single Crochet or the One Skin Hat & Scarf I think the one I did was the latter.

[tangential1]

Sadly, there is only one JoAnns within 30 miles of me and it is very dingy and lacking in...just about everything. :(

I'll have to try and find another fabric place, I think...

[Kiyomi]

I am envious I can cross stich or needlepoint but am a total failure at buttons! Too loose or too tight, no matter how many I do I just don't seem to have any sense of proportion to getting the thread just right.

[Strawberry Curls]

I am envious I can cross stich or needlepoint but am a total failure at buttons! Too loose or too tight, no matter how many I do I just don't seem to have any sense of proportion to getting the thread just right.I'm terrible at any of the "arts" womanly or otherwise but I can sew on a button. I always wind the thread around the underside of the button between it and the material, after I have put a few stitches in to hold on the button. It seems to give the proper distance between button and material and strengthen the whole enterprise. At least that is what has worked for me.
Alice

[Kiyomi]

I shall have to try that next time. I feel silly at my age asking my mum to fix my buttons when they come off. Fortunately she doesn't mind so long as I thread the needle.

[AmyLizzie]

Hi all,

I feel like I've not posted anything for ages! Life has been really busy lately! Recently acquired a new Nephew - Isaac, so life has been very baby orientated :) I am busy catching up on all your posts so just wanted to leave a message and say I hope you all had good holidays and hi :)

Amy

[Bachi]

Hi all,
I feel like I've not posted anything for ages! Life has been really busy lately! Recently acquired a new Nephew - Isaac, so life has been very baby orientated :) I am busy catching up on all your posts so just wanted to leave a message and say I hope you all had good holidays and hi :)
Amy

Congratulations on your new Nephew. How interesting an Isaac, coming into the world during the same month that CD's our discussion group read.

Sounds like your new year has started on a joyous note.
Regards,
w

[jtb1951]

Hi, Amy! Congrats on your new nephew, and Happy New Year!!:)

John.

[vicki]

Welcome to the world, Isaac--our first VBC baby! <Dabs eyes with hanky>

Congratulations, Amy!

[The Grey Badger]

I'm in love. Her name is Babs. Barbara B. Catt. She used to go by Buster when I thought she was a boy. She's black and white, with the yellow-grey eyes of her kind. I'm fairly sure she's underaged. She's neat, clean, well-mannered, which tells me she was reared in a good family. I can't shake the feeling that her family is out there somewhere, either searching for her or perhaps not even knowing she's gone, if she goes home periodically. I've looked in the announcements and have advertised, to no avail. However, she's here at my house for breakfast and again for supper. She sleeps over here, often with me in the same bed. She won't let me touch her, and leaves if my hand gets within a few inches of her - in fact, she has a hiding place under the bed. I have laid down an old army blanket for her so she'll be comfortable there.

Her relationship to the boys is interesting. She has these all-out scraps with the younger one, and then will be found sitting next to him as if they'd always been fond friends. The older one outright hates her, and is always giving her attitude. But mostly they have very little to do with each other.

Well, it seems I've been adopted, anyway.

[tangential1]

Laurie's book event in Berkeley last night was much fun:) My friends and I were gawped at when we wandered in and found seats at the front (we were the only people there under 40, I believe, and we were definitely getting looks of "what are you doing here?":rolleyes:), but it was an awesome lecture.

And of course, I blathered like an idiot when I got to the front of the book signing line. *sigh* So hard to say anything coherent when one is speaking with an admired elder. And it probably didn't help that my roommate was standing behind me snickering at my lack of articulation.

But yes, a wonderful evening. Thanks Laurie!!

[Bachi]

How wonderful for all, Grey Badger and Babs & tanqential1 and friends.

[The Grey Badger]

I hope she goes to prison for the rest of her life. Good grief - if she couldn't cope with the child and other family members could, what about paying them to take care of her? For that matter, as little as I like or trust the various child protective services, I'd have called them in. Or - there are probably coping groups, etc. Good grief. What's next. Killing a fat kid or a gay kid?

[Kiyomi]

Sadly I think parents killing/harming children with defects and disabilites is more common than most of us would like to think about. So many people are screwed up it's overwhelming.

[vicki]

I can't shake the feeling that her family is out there somewhere, either searching for her or perhaps not even knowing she's gone, if she goes home periodically.


:..( Poor kitty! I'm glad she has you looking out for her, Badger. One of my friends had four cats who were all so funny in their different ways. One of them would "go on walkabout" several times a year. My friend would resignedly go out and put up the usual flyers in the neighborhood, after which he'd get a call sooner or later to come pick her up, thin, bedraggled and much worse for the wear. She would then recover, settle back in, plump back up and promptly go on walkabout once again. Strange little thing.


we were definitely getting looks of "what are you doing here?


Maybe they were just checkin' y'all out! ;) Thanks for posting about the event, Tangential--I'm *sure* you were much more coherent than you thought you were. Oh, and if you have any pictures you want to share, you can send them to me for posting in the gallery, etc, or you could post them, if you want.

I don't even know what to say about the woman who killed her daughter because she couldn't "cure" her autism. That's just completely horrible. I think parents should give their children absolutely unconditional love and help them develop into the best "them" they can be, whatever their gifts or difficulties. The rewards in doing so can be enormous. It's been truly delightful to see DS grow and develop his many gifts in spite of some developmental challenges. Every person has challenges of some sort that may become more or less pronounced over time. Nobody is perfect. It's so sad that this woman inflicted her perfectionism on her daughter, and finally killed her, rather than loving her as she was. :..(

Speaking of DS, he's having an endoscopic procedure done next month (tube down throat, etc) to make the final determination as to whether her has celiac disease. They're going to put him under general anesthesia, which is very worrisome. But gluten-free living has been difficult and and very limiting for him, as he has soooo few foods he enjoys, even under the best of circumstances, and because he hates all the non-wheat breads we've tried. Also, *if* he has celiac disease and *if* he ingests gluten for some reason, it'll kill the effect of his growth hormone injections that we do every day. I'll let y'all know what we hear next month.

[The Grey Badger]

I have a friend who is on a no-gluten no-casein diet. He's 71 years old and walks two miles every day. There are probably websites with tips on how to do this - I'll ask if he can forward me some links.

One thing to consider: fruits, vegetables, rice, fish, and meat are the staples of a lot of ethnic cooking, especially Asian cooking. My daughter gave me a rice steamer for Christmas one year and I've used it quite a bit. Mostly for vegetables since I haven't taken the trouble to really get into rice (reared with potatoes and oatmeal as my starches) but decidedly a help.

[jtb1951]

My thoughts and prayers go forth to all of you who are dealing with family medical issues, particularly those with children who require health and medical care. We have been blessed enough that our two daughters grew up with minimal health issues but I still clearly remember how distraught I was watching my younger daughter at the age of 2 undergo general anesthesia for inserting ear tubes. I can't imagine the stress and strain that many of you undergo on a daily basis and I salute all parents who give their kids the unconditional love and care that should be (but isn't always; witness the daily news) the responsibility of every parent! Among my 10 siblings and their 27 kids there are four diagnosed with various degrees of autism, and I see what an impact it has had on their lives. Fortunately my siblings are tight enough that there is lots of brotherly/sisterly support, which helps tremendously, but it just goes to show that there are no guarantees in life (or parenthood!) Again, I strongly believe in the power of prayer (and miracles; I've witnessed them!) so mine go up for you!! Peace and love!

John.

[tangential1]

Oh, and if you have any pictures you want to share, you can send them to me for posting in the gallery, etc, or you could post them, if you want.

I didn't even think to take pictures...or bring a camera for that matter:( I'll have to remember next time I got to an event.

[The Grey Badger]

I consulted my friend about the gluten-free diet and support websites. He hasn't found any. But he suggests:

For cold cereals: rice krispies or corn flakes.
I add for hot cereals, Cream of Rice if you can find it, and corn meal mush. Which takes forever but tastes good.

For ethnic cooking other than Asian: Cajun. Red beans and rice.
Mexican: corn tortillas and beans. Let me add that you have to have either red or green chile or both with that or it doesn't taste like Mexican.
Irish: potatoes with butter and posibly something in cheese sauce over them if that's doable.

[Kiyomi]

Vicki, I feel for DS not liking the non-wheat breads. My mom does a lot of flax seed instead of wheat based cooking and I can't stand it. It's not the texture, something about the taste is just bad to me. I will send good thoughts his way and hope that isn't the problem. If you don't mind my asking is he an audio learner? I once tutored a kid who could not focus on the written word, but if you read it out loud to him 2-3 times he could understand it and do his homework etc, but if he read it himself he would just not comprehend and get frustrated. It's amazing how approaching learning slightly differently can make a world of difference for so many people.

Fortunately both on my parent's come from unnaturally healthy stock as far as congenital defects/diseases go with the exception of congenital heart defects in males on my mom's father's side. Fortunately they are minor and can be controlled with pacemakers. Most of my relatives live well into their eightys or ninetys and are relatively free of dimentia and other mental imparments. I think it's extremely difficult to deal with life when something cannot be cured and find it inspiring how well people like you cope with such problems.

[The Grey Badger]

Also there are rice cakes. My friend suggests eating them with peanut butter.

For casein - he weaned himself off it using goat's milk. He followed that with a switch to soy milk, but he's over 70. With a kid I think I'd stick to goat's milk.

[Kiyomi]

I am not a big milk person. I was fine with it up until a certain age, I think about eight or ten and then I'd start having problems after drinking it, coughing etc. The weird thing is I can drink non-fat milk, and eat processed items with milk fat like cheese and icecream but I can't drink regular milk and can barely tolerate drinking 2%. If milk is used in cooking I am fine. Generally if I want to drink something caloric instead of water I have vanilla soy silk. I like the chocolate too but I can't have much of it because if I have it on a regular basis the chocolate gives me hard nodules that come out of my skin like pimples, but I can eat all the cheese/fried food I want. Tell me how that makes sense? I'm the only woman I know who avoids chocolate except for birthday cake and the occasional hot chocolate urge.

[tangential1]

.. what's wrong with soy milk??

I am fully in love with vanilla silk. It tastes awesome with Special K cereal and by itself too:) The only thing I still like regular milk for is white nuns...and with cookies, of course (the soy is a bit sweet for cookies).

My girlfriend can't have chocolate. I watched her have some at Univ once... OMG.... who needs to get drunk.... She just bounced.


I have that same reaction to things with too much sugar, especially packaged beverages. I had bottled chai latte once a few years ago that gave me hard-core twitches for a good hour; couldn't stop moving. I finally bounced out of my chair and did two laps around the block...to the shock of my roommates...I really can't stand running, generally.:rolleyes:

[The Grey Badger]

Back to the gluten-free products: Last night I piled some "Tacos & Nachos" grated cheese on top of corn tortillas and baked them at 375 (oven already there from another dish) and took them out after maybe 10 minutes. Yummy!

[Arcadian]

For me it's sodium. I have to be extremely low sodium. So no fast food, chinese, pizza, italian, mexican, etc. I can make most anything myself tho' it doesn't taste the same. I also need to shop at many places for condiments and pantry items like canned tomatoes, pickles, seasonings, canned tuna, no sodium baking powder, snacks....I can only find good no-trans-fat-no-sodium margerine in Canada, so I stock up. Restaurant eating is always a challenge, as I am sure anyone with any restriction has found. Wait staff often don't know what's in the food or how its prepared. Makes socializing a challenge, too: "Sure I'd like to get together for dinner, but..."
Hmmm....maybe I'll go fire up the bread machine.......

[Kiyomi]

Ah yes the resturaunt challenge! For me it is the spices used in cooking when eating out. Annoying allergy that, you can only test by trial and error. So far as I can tell with out stupidly experimenting leafy spices and I do not get along well, I do okay with onions and garlic :) I wish everyone had to list their ingrediants on the menu!

[tangential1]

I wish everyone had to list their ingrediants on the menu!

Aren't a lot of places leaning toward that now (or starting to anyway)? Or is that just the fast food places? I remember reading something about all the fast food places being required (by the FDA?) to list ingredients and nutrition facts. Kind of going hand-in-hand with the whole "No Trans Fats" thing?

[Kiyomi]

I think that's only fastfood. None of the regular restaruants I frequent have all that information availible. Hopefully they will follow the trend and start making that information availible.

[Jennifer]

Hi Guys,
I was wondering if anyone had read any Amanda Peabody mysteries and how they might measure up. I tried the Winspear books but couldn't get into them. I have "Peabody" coming and wanted some advance opinion if possible. I am so new to mysteries I don't know the big names after Sherlock, Lord Peter, Mary Russell.
Jen D.

[Kiyomi]

For mysteries I would recommend 'The Face of a Stranger' by Anne Perry. It is the first novel in a series which gets better with each novel and begins in 1856 with the main character losing his memory and not knowing who he is or what his job was. One of the most interesting things about that series is that it takes most of the series to date for him to regain his memory in bits and pieces. Due to his circumstances he becomes a very different person from who he once was and eventually one of his most bitter rivals comes to respect and on occasion trust him.

I also greatly enjoyed 'Lord Darcy' by Randall Garrett set in an early 20th century England where magic has been developed as a science and crimes are solved by forensic sorcerers and detectives. It is not only very entertaining but intelligent too.

[Jennifer]

I was just reading a recommendation by Vicki and my "Amanda" Peabody is probably really Amelia! The names run together. We are still getting snow. Will someone tell the snow gods to knock it off???? I shoveled at 6:30 this morning, thinking I'd gotten the all-clear and no! To add insult to injury, it started up again and obliterated my hard work!!!! My son (dad in tow) is off taking the ACT and my daughter is playing her viola in orchestra. Looks like it's up to me to go at it once again!
Jen D. hoping snow-shoveling burns a ton of calories at least...

[KarenB]

Jen - send some snow our way! My kids keep doing magical snow dances and are wearing their pj's inside out to try to get the snow gods to send us a good storm. We've had lots of flurries, but nothing substantial.

The Amelia Peabody mysteries are a fun read - kind of tongue-in-cheek romance novels at least at the beginning. The first is Crocodile on the Sandbank, then The Curse of the Pharoahs. The thing I particularly liked about them is that Elizabeth Peters (real name Barbara Mertz, also has written under the name Barbara Michaels) has a PhD from Chicago in Egyptology so her research is sound. Always irritates me to find haphazard research in otherwise enjoyable books. I liked her Vicky Bliss series as well, although they do get MUCH better as you go.

[jtb1951]

I also greatly enjoyed 'Lord Darcy' by Randall Garrett set in an early 20th century England where magic has been developed as a science and crimes are solved by forensic sorcerers and detectives. It is not only very entertaining but intelligent too.

Wow, Kiyomi, what a blast from the past! I read all the Lord Darcy stories when RG's collections came out in the 70's; I was distraught at his early death (he was only 60) because I was hoping for many more years of Darcy adventures. His collections Too Many Magicians, Murder and Magic, and Lord Darcy Investigates are classics; I am going to have to dig through my boxes of packed up paperbacks to find them for a re-read. His other fiction was pretty fair, and he did some good collaborations with Robert Silverberg, but his Lord Darcy stories were the best! Thanks for the memories!

John.

[2bnallegory]

I would highly recommend the Peabody series, the first book is a bit slow because of all the introductions and setting of scenes but all the books after just keep getting better. They are very fun to read, especially if your interests are Egyptian, archeology and good stories. These are one of a very few sets of books that are read by my grandmother, mother and myself. Usually we travel different genres. Anyway, hope you enjoy the book.

[Kiyomi]

John, if you can't find them Baen republished them in one book puting all the Lord Darcy stories together in one place. They've been doing the same thing with other original sci-fi greats for several years now at least 1-2 books collecting the works of the greats. I also really liked Med Ship by Murray Leinster if you have not read it I would highly recommend it knowing that you liked Lord Darcy.

[jtb1951]

Thanks for the info, Kiyomi!:)

John.

[Kiyomi]

I am floored that someone wrote that program in the first place O_o Who did they talk to? O_o Everytime I think the media can't get stupider they prove me wrong.

[Jennifer]

Hi out there, anyone who's in a sunny, warm, non-sleeting, snowing and generally muck-filled waterlogged, sopping mess of a place like the one I live in!
I am officially in need of a cheery thought or two. Today it got "warm" and instead of snow, we got raining and freezing rain. That made the snow turn into semi-solid puddles of massive size. Walking is a process of slide, slurp, slide, slurp. Doggy and I are on our last nerve! I am buying spikes tomorrow and I am very happy to say it will be like Christmas day! Only better. I am a broken wreck of a former functioning human being, sick unto death of this endless precipitation of various kinds.

Sheri,
How did your son tolerate so much work on his teeth? I must go now but I do feel a little better after my rant...
Jen D. Not very chitty, not at all chatty!

[Strawberry Curls]

Gads, I thought I was having a few bad days, but I am not contending with a child going under a general (had that twice when my son was small and don't wish to relive those few hours again) as you are, Sheri or living in your conditions, Jen D. My heart goes out to both of you. For some reason this is definitely a winter of discontent. I have friends across the nation and in the UK and everyone is saying the exact same thing. Blahhhhhhh! At least we have the warmth of this and other Internet communities to visit and receive succor. :)

[Kiyomi]

It was so cold last night that I not only used all my comforters and my cold weather pajamas I also wore my heavy winter robe to bed! Surprisingly I did not overheat and was comfy. I did accidently stall my car this morning as I had forgotten how cold it must have been for it and didn't warm it up extra. Ooops...

[The Grey Badger]

This morning I couldn't open the padlock on my garage door. After a couple of tries, I put on the teakettle, soaked a dishcloth in boiling water, and wrapped it around the lock for a few seconds, then tried again. Worked!

[Jennifer]

Gosh people,
It isn't just me! You all are suffering (don't want to be overly dramatic but it does sound like we are having a bad run of luck!). But, I see that you are triumphing as well. How clever to heat that lock, Grey Badger!! Before car keys got so high tech, I would take a match and heat my car key when my door lock froze. I loved that trick. Also, money can't buy happiness, but it can do a few things. I went to an outdoors store and got these things called "Yak-trax" that you put on your boots so's you won't slip and slide in all this ice and snow! I just walked my dog and it was HEAVEN not to worry about whether I'd come back in one piece! And, I believe it was my day because they were on sale!!! I thank all of you who wrote to commiserate. Hope things are better today for you Sheri! Do you blog? Your life is quite interesting enough to merit blogging. I am so intrigued by all the things you do. I want maple syrup from your farm! Once we moved up here and maple syrup was more common, I switched our kids over from the HFCS sad substitute I grew up on. I have a wonderful maple mustard salad dressing recipe. YUM! And it just happens to be lo-cal. So, I survive. Tonight and tomorrow we are predicted to get between 7 and 10 inches of new snow. But, like a phoenix, I will rise.
Jen D. (off to knit a bit, sip some coffee and generally veg-out!)

[tangential1]

We have made it through yet another storm here in NorCal (not nearly as bad as the first, thank God, but still enough rain to turn the rice flats into a lake!). Beautiful blue skies for miles.:)

And where am I? Home sick in bed. *sigh* C'est la vie. :rolleyes:

[jtb1951]

Hi, Jen! Looks like our weather will be similar overnight; we might get 12 more inches of the fluffy stuff! We are well over the seasonal average, but I don't think we will be approaching the Chicago all-time record (90") this season (knocks on wood!)

John.

[Strawberry Curls]

Great news about youngest dental work. Big sigh of relief. Not such good news about the weather. Wow. Keep warm and dry. Alice

[Strawberry Curls]

In case anyone is interested and in the Los Angeles area, UCLA Extension is offering a one day seminar called "Sherlock Holmes And His World." This will be taught by Leslie Klinger, the renowned editor of "The New Annotated Sherlock Holmes," a three volume work published in 2004 and 2005. A member of the Baker Street Irregulars, Mr. Klinger is one of the foremost authorities on Sherlock Holmes in the World. He was also a character in Ms. King's "The Art of Detection" that looked at the world of Sherlockians.

The course is given on Sat. Feb. 23. For information access WWW.UCLAExtension.com and search using keyword Sherlock Holmes.

I'm signed up and hope to see others there.

[Carlina]

In case anyone is interested and in the Los Angeles area, UCLA Extension is offering a one day seminar called "Sherlock Holmes And His World." This will be taught by Leslie Klinger, the renowned editor of "The New Annotated Sherlock Holmes," a three volume work published in 2004 and 2005. A member of the Baker Street Irregulars, Mr. Klinger is one of the foremost authorities on Sherlock Holmes in the World. He was also a character in Ms. King's "The Art of Detection" that looked at the world of Sherlockians.

The course is given on Sat. Feb. 23. For information access WWW.UCLAExtension.com and search using keyword Sherlock Holmes.

I'm signed up and hope to see others there.

I know some folks in the slash circles that will be attending that event. I will pass along their names via pm if you'd like. Heh...this should be interesting...Holmes/Watson slash folks and Russellians in the same room. Let the games begin....

Farmwife...glad to hear the dental went well...ouch...dentist...tricky lot. Luckily mine's a prof of dentistry so we tend to work together on my x-rays and diagnoses, exploring all the clinical manifestations of my symptoms before reaching a consensus. Since my training requires knowledge of dental anatomy, she knows this and explains everything to me clinically. We then discuss options and differential diagnoses. I love her to death...really I do. She's adfab...

As for crappy weather...well I was stranded in bloody O'Hare yesterday for a considerable amount of time. I swear that airport has the least amount of plug ever! I so totally had to charge my ipod so I could watch Torchwood! Crikey!

[Strawberry Curls]

I know some folks in the slash circles that will be attending that event. I will pass along their names via pm if you'd like. Heh...this should be interesting...Holmes/Watson slash folks and Russellians in the same room. Let the games begin.... Why should it be a problem? Everyone is entitled to their fandom aren't they? I don't mind them and hope they won't mind me. I'm quite looking forward to the day. :)

[Carlina]

Why should it be a problem? Everyone is entitled to their fandom aren't they? I don't mind them and hope they won't mind me. I'm quite looking forward to the day. :)

Oh I more than agree and you know that ;)! I'm quite apt to placing him with Russell one moment and slash him with Watson the next. Then again, I've always been interdisciplinary :) . My research is cutting edge so why not let it drift into my hobbies :). I just made my statement because I recall the...um...surprise I got elsewhere about a particular thing I posted and questions I've raised about Russell's sexuality. Names and places are not mentioned because of copyright issues....

Some of the slashers are a little interesting...and not too fond of Russell (some a little more rabid than others) and swear up and down John was the only partner in his life (barring a few others prior to John). The ones (and I think there are two) that will be attending your event (times like these I wish I had a job on the west coast...but property and taxes are extremely low here thank you) are pretty laid back so there should be no problems and I don't think the issue will come up.

Klinger actually published an interesting article on all the books, pastiches, etc that address the *coughs* sexual life of Sherlock Holmes :eek:!

I think your seminar will be much canon though. Fair heads up on that. Klinger's spent much time with canon!Holmes. I'm sure he'll cover some of the Russell/Holmes times, but a lot of his...most of it actually....has focused on Baker Street!Holmes and his times which is nifty! I'd love to hear Klinger discuss and argue his points since he's a lawyer by trade :).

Have a great time! I wonder if there are laws against recording lectures in CA? Well...I'll expect a full report SC :) ...if that's ok...notes and all :)....

[Strawberry Curls]

I think your seminar will be much canon though. Fair heads up on that. I'm a fan of the Annotated Sherlock Holmes he published and was not expecting him to cover Russell/Holmes. I'm going to expand my knowledge of Holmes. If he covers anything touching on Ms. King's books that will be a big bonus. Have a great time! I wonder if there are laws against recording lectures in CA? Well...I'll expect a full report SC :) ...if that's ok...notes and all :).... I don't believe recording something like this would be allowed and I don't have anything that would do a good job anyway. I will take notes for my own edification, but will try to give a précis if possible. :) Cheers.

[Bachi]

... If he covers anything touching on Ms. King's books that will be a big bonus. ... but will try to give a précis if possible. :) Cheers.

"One never knows does one" from the course outline: "...as well as reviews the contemporary publications and societies that perpetuate the public's fascination with "The World's Greatest Detective"

Based on your LRK's author's signing posting, we are all in for a treat, when you post your recap.

I'm not very up-to-date on my Canon-Doyle's Holmes, an old fav., until I found Lord Peter. I look forward to your capturing the course.

Regards,
w

[2bnallegory]

We should make VBC badges and whenever someone attends an event they can announce they are reporting for the VBC all official like. Then maybe secret handshakes..;)

[Strawberry Curls]

We should make VBC badges and whenever someone attends an event they can announce they are reporting for the VBC all official like. Then maybe secret handshakes..;) Sorry, but this made me say out loud to the computer... "Badges, we don't need no stinking badges." God I'm showing my age. LOL

[2bnallegory]

That's OK because I was thinking the same thing as it was being written. :p

[Bachi]

... "Badges, we don't need no stinking badges." LOL

Maybe not, but the secret handshake? :cool:

[Jennifer]

Hi All,
Got a big snow storm! Spent a lot of time digging out! Still smiling. Achy, but smiling. It's warm today and doggy is getting his walks. Sheri, I want syrup if you have extra. We consider it a food group too! I make waffles, we freeze the extras and have them on a fast-paced school day. A little joy. Not much to report other than survival. We are fast approaching our record of 76" of snow. Will break it in a few days. I wish I could say "Hooray!" Off to do more errands before the next snowfall.
Jen D.

[kriddle]

I gotta tell you, I just finally came upon this thread (and I've been almost completely monogamous with this site for weeks) and I'm glad to have a place to say how blown away I am about the breadth and depth of this site. It has everything! Thanks to you all for having me and allowing me to rant and blather without slapping me down. It makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside:D. Thanks, Vicki and Laurie, for making it possible.

[Kiyomi]

Ahhhhh! Working for absent minded professor type people is crazy making! :( I worked over 10 hrs of overtime this week and have to go in tomorrow to do my own work for more overtime because the so called person in charge dumped a ton of paperwork/responsibility on me 1 week before our state inspection and didn't do all their job/paperwork and so I spent all week catching up on their stuff and hardly did any of my own work. ::cry:: I miss you guys. You are sane, and nice, and have good taste!

[Strawberry Curls]

I didn't know quite where to post this so I'm putting it here. In today's blog entry Ms. Kings writes about her experience with, and the threat to, the RIF program. It is in danger of being axed from the Federal budget.

Please take the time to read this blog entry and if you were as moved as I was please use the link provide there to send a letter to the President and your State representatives demanding that RIF be left in the budget.

I wish I had the ability to provide links as Vicki does, but alas I can only do this: http://laurierking.com/wp.php