tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-349474272012-01-16T18:05:39.748-05:00I wanted a place to talk about books, family, knitting, diet and exercise, sometimes simultaneously, but mostly as the whimsy strikes me.gnaedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08478635268494852457noreply@blogger.comBlogger461100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34947427.post-53105204249394670232010-05-07T19:19:00.001-04:002010-05-07T19:19:45.430-04:00

promOriginally uploaded by gnaed1My baby is 18 and headed off to college in the Fall. It's going to be lonely around here.

gnaedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08478635268494852457noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34947427.post-59676528541673290432010-03-21T17:20:00.001-04:002010-03-21T17:20:53.630-04:00

Girl KarenOriginally uploaded by gnaed1Of course, I could say that about most of my pictures from age 6 - 10. No real bowls were used in the creation of this haircut. Rachel worried. Aunt Jerry did most of our haircuts and while they may have looked very much the same from visit to visit, at least they were even and easy to take care of.

gnaedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08478635268494852457noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34947427.post-76593800292699581442009-12-27T15:16:00.002-05:002009-12-27T15:27:39.349-05:00

My husband would tell you they're caused by living with two women, one on each end of the hormonal flux. It really isn't my own aging that's getting me down. I'm fine. I just wish I could freeze time for everybody else. Gram passed away in October. Yes, she was 100. Yes, she had a good life. Yes, I was probably as prepared as you get for these things. BUT I still miss her every day and I

gnaedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08478635268494852457noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34947427.post-80385305534206934182009-03-28T17:19:00.004-04:002009-03-28T17:32:17.300-04:00

On Customer Service: Every Interaction Matters - even the ones that never happen.My daughter has a button that says "Question Authority."I want one that says "Listen to the Answers".

gnaedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08478635268494852457noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34947427.post-62936278013537070052009-03-23T20:01:00.001-04:002009-03-23T20:01:52.113-04:00

0323091851.jpgOriginally uploaded by gnaed1That is all.

gnaedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08478635268494852457noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34947427.post-61656489259562927072009-01-26T22:26:00.006-05:002009-01-26T22:44:27.560-05:00

This BB gun story happened to my husband and his brother and is a favorite with both of my children. Tony and Joe both had BB guns, but for some reason on this particular day Tony was using Joe's BB gun and he shot at something in the pond. Joe screamed that Tony had shot him in the stomach! Tony denied this hotly, declaring that he had shot the pond, not his brother, and to prove it, he fired

gnaedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08478635268494852457noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34947427.post-75309948899358340972009-01-24T19:14:00.001-05:002009-01-24T19:14:38.991-05:00

0124091708.jpgOriginally uploaded by gnaed1Isn't it purty?

gnaedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08478635268494852457noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34947427.post-30656846288330500362009-01-22T07:02:00.003-05:002009-01-26T22:25:55.418-05:00

After my father swore it was mostly true, I figured I'd better tell the promised Rabid Fox Story. When my father and his brother, Harold, were middle sized boys of indeterminate age, they found a dead fox in the barn at the Old Simon's Place. Well, you can't pass up an opportunity like a dead fox just lying there at your feet, so they quite naturally dragged said fox into the Old Simon's Place

gnaedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08478635268494852457noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34947427.post-67567029320255763382008-12-15T15:07:00.002-05:002008-12-15T15:32:27.121-05:00

Like most mothers, I have spent untold hours in waiting rooms with my small children, trying desperately to entertain them. A prepared mother enters with crayons, coloring pages, toys that are saved just for this occasion, paper and pencil for tictactoe, and still she finds herself at wit's end long before their names are called.This is when I would resort to story telling. I am actually

gnaedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08478635268494852457noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34947427.post-36802562946890935292008-12-06T20:42:00.002-05:002008-12-07T12:42:46.456-05:00

1202081352.jpgOriginally uploaded by gnaed1What is this world coming to? I spent a week of my free time on this only to discover that it looks like it came from a store and that that is apparently a good thing. You'll remember that I'm trying desperately to hold on to my Pollyanna World View even as it slips away.I know, I really do, that appearances are very important to teens and that if she is

gnaedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08478635268494852457noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34947427.post-47603230572667847702008-11-26T23:24:00.003-05:002008-12-07T09:05:31.389-05:00

Most children with siblings are pretty sure that they would have been better off as only children. They don't buy into the whole "lonely only" propaganda. I don't actually know very many only children, but I imagine there's a lot of pressure.I claim that the first is born of ignorance and all subsequent children are born because having the first one killed (or at least numbed) parental brain

gnaedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08478635268494852457noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34947427.post-92046279180016806982008-11-25T06:24:00.005-05:002008-11-25T21:59:16.919-05:00

I think of myself as a doggedly positive person. This is partly a reaction to the classmate who wrote in my yearbook (28 years ago) that she envied my pessimistic life view because that way I never faced disappointment. Not being a gloom and doom teenager anymore also helps.I work hard at being a Pollyanna. This has taken a lot more effort in the recent months and I'm trying to turn myself back

gnaedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08478635268494852457noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34947427.post-55045393619681587382008-10-25T11:49:00.005-04:002008-10-29T11:50:07.473-04:00

There's nothing that illustrates the meaning of those letters, which stand for Your Mileage May Vary, like discussing an interesting book in a group of very different people. This is also what makes our book group a great mix even though there are only about 6 of us.Last month we read Mutant Message Down Under, by Marlo Morgan. This novel claims to be based on fact, but is presented as fiction to

gnaedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08478635268494852457noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34947427.post-921657633811984692008-09-01T11:51:00.003-04:002008-09-01T12:10:20.259-04:00

The thing about cliches is that there's enough basis in truth to make them worth repeating and sometimes I'm very envious of the fact that someone else already said it so much better than I can. One of the many great things about having children is that you often get to be the first person to introduce a cliche and sometimes they even think it was an original thought. Then they go to

gnaedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08478635268494852457noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34947427.post-89371265691456066882008-08-29T23:44:00.002-04:002008-08-30T00:00:37.287-04:00

I'll save the big philosophical discussion of all the roles we play in life (mother, daughter, wife, director, friend) for another day.Today I'm talking more about the emotional roles we seem to trade around in our family. My husband is the worrier. I don't usually have to anticipate what might go wrong or stay up waiting for our teens to get home because he does those things so much better than

gnaedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08478635268494852457noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34947427.post-35148322283668147622008-08-22T21:46:00.002-04:002008-08-22T21:59:32.844-04:00

We celebrated our 20th wedding anniversary this week, my son started his freshman year of college today and this year marks 25 years since I graduated from the same college. This feels like it should be traumatic or momentous or something. Mostly I'm tired. I will say with gratitude that boys bring about half as much stuff as girls, going by casual observation of the piles that formed on the

gnaedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08478635268494852457noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34947427.post-73857034018114581682008-07-17T08:35:00.002-04:002008-07-17T09:02:25.585-04:00

With a son graduating from high school and a daughter going into the 11th grade, my own teen years have been coming up in discussion a lot. I'm probably also just at "that age."I epitomized the word Loser to the point where it is hilarious (along with being somewhat pathetic). I was "overweight" (at 135, for God's sake), wore glasses, and (the kiss of death) had a really good vocabulary. I was

gnaedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08478635268494852457noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34947427.post-29186625930661288772008-07-08T07:24:00.003-04:002008-07-08T07:57:24.963-04:00

Cultural literacy is, apparently, one of my favorite topics with which to bore my children. Say the words to them and they will groan, roll their eyes, and say "Yeah, yeah, and your little dog, too, we know." I am a Pollyanna and therefore look upon this as living proof that something I've said to them (ten milion times) over the years has actually been heard and retained.The dictionary

gnaedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08478635268494852457noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34947427.post-49087379129509975222008-07-02T05:55:00.002-04:002008-07-02T06:30:18.276-04:00

I just attended two days of mandatory parent orientation whilst my older child attended his two days of freshman orientation. May I just say "They didn't have that when I went to college!" My parents helped me unload my stuff on moving in day, hugged me goodbye and never looked back. I found myself surrounded by people happily screaming back at the cruise director style program director. Large

gnaedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08478635268494852457noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34947427.post-12029476916087417082008-06-24T20:35:00.005-04:002008-06-25T07:37:38.080-04:00

I had to read a lot of short stories in high school and a few of them actually stayed with me ALL this time. There are three in particular that have made lasting impressions and they have all come up in conversations over the years and over the past few days.The most recently discussed is "The Story of the Five Dollar Lawn." I think the teachers hoped we would be inspired to work harder, go the

gnaedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08478635268494852457noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34947427.post-68430297170836977432008-05-31T19:15:00.003-04:002008-05-31T19:49:28.790-04:00

And I don't just mean the fact that I've gained weight and need to get a grip!If you knit or crochet and have been under a rock for the past year, you need to know about ravelry. It is THE place to be, and I mean that in all seriousness. The hard part is tearing yourself away. But while I was wallowing in a wonderful thread about ludicrous and strange knitted objects*(knitted digestive tract,

gnaedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08478635268494852457noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34947427.post-10666547816727395052008-05-10T22:13:00.002-04:002008-05-10T22:22:42.510-04:00

There's a story about a goat in a turnip field. The boy starts to cry because the goat is in the turnip field and it won't get out. Fox comes and asks the boy why he's crying. The boy explains that he's crying because the goat is in the turnip field and it won't get out. So Fox starts to cry. Bear comes along and asks Fox why she's crying. Fox says "I'm crying because the boy is crying and the

gnaedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08478635268494852457noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34947427.post-76980832249701218972008-04-23T07:00:00.003-04:002008-04-23T07:13:55.285-04:00

I could also have called this "The Power of Polls" or "Group Think," but whatever you call it, I have alway found it frightening. Well, okay, maybe not Always, but at least since 9th grade. That's when we read "The Lottery."If the purpose of making 9th graders read that story is to help them avoid peer pressure, it worked on me, not that I had a prayer of fitting in well enough to be a follower,

gnaedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08478635268494852457noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34947427.post-82452316975456630492008-03-30T08:31:00.004-04:002008-04-19T15:14:44.629-04:00

Here's the dictionary.com definition. Before I looked it up I was thinking of it as a positive or at least euphemistic term for expanding one's horizons or abilities.Please note that it can also refer to spending time in prison, to being tortured, or to being hung.stretch (strěch) Pronunciation Key v. stretched, stretch·ing, stretch·es v. tr.To lengthen, widen, or distend: stretched the sweater

gnaedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08478635268494852457noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34947427.post-40687773771124881332008-03-22T08:34:00.007-04:002008-03-22T09:34:54.806-04:00

When I was in college (25 or more years ago), I had friends (male) who I baked for when I went home on weekends. I was a shameless praise hussy (still am) and my ego needed the rush of males falling over themselves to get to my brownies. Jack ascribed to what we still call "the theory of else" in our house - everything's better when it's made by someone else. My son is a strong believer in this

gnaedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08478635268494852457noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34947427.post-83210733662649096212008-03-18T08:31:00.002-04:002008-03-18T08:54:58.882-04:00

When your first baby is born and you read everything there is to read about bringing up baby, this topic comes up a lot. If you're paying attention you'll soon notice that most of these techniques are orally fixated - thumbs, pacifiers, fingers - so it's no wonder many of us grow up still self soothing by sticking something into our mouths. None of these foods are even remotely good for us,

gnaedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08478635268494852457noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34947427.post-48617910788492412352008-02-03T11:05:00.000-05:002008-02-10T09:05:42.418-05:00

Research at the Harvard Medical School Mind/Body Institute has found that when an individual is knitting her heart rate can drop 11 beats a minute and her blood pressure drops as well."A growing number of medical researchers say that leisure activities that challenge the mind—like learning music, playing cards, knitting, and woodworking—can prolong healthy brain functioning. .. "In some cases,

gnaedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08478635268494852457noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34947427.post-24506782271142054452008-02-03T08:51:00.000-05:002008-02-03T20:33:31.268-05:00

Work in Progress - What a versatile phrase. It's almost as good as Pointification. It's a knitting term referring to the items on needles or waiting to be seamed, all those little and big things in life that you've got a start on but haven't gotten around to finishing yet.I have WIPs in every aspect of my life - projects at work, around the house, and yes, at least 4 knitting projects - one that

gnaedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08478635268494852457noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34947427.post-86338502605123130202008-01-15T16:28:00.000-05:002008-01-15T16:31:08.443-05:00

Are these not the cutest? And the kids are pretty adorable, too.And the baby can come now. I know the child was just waiting for my package to arrive. I'm just relieved it got there in four days. Amazing.

gnaedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08478635268494852457noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34947427.post-68086305803249029822008-01-09T19:06:00.000-05:002008-01-09T19:27:11.327-05:00

I do! But not for long. This gator is flying to England tomorrow, by hook or by crook. I won't wish having the gator arrive before the baby on poor Stephanie, but I do want it to get there relatively soon so she can use it!I see it as first a nursing pillow, then a baby support boppy sort of thing and finally a body pillow. The original pattern is the Morehouse Merino alligator scarf, but I took

gnaedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08478635268494852457noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34947427.post-30758639221841185242007-12-20T18:31:00.000-05:002007-12-20T18:56:45.924-05:00

This could just as easily be called "can't keep a secret." I'm just not good at waiting.I know people who are perfectly capable of making the perfect purchase in July and waiting patiently until Christmas to present the present. I'm not one of them. When I find THE gift for the giftless I want to dance and prance and crow and get it immediately into the hands of the person so they can share my

gnaedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08478635268494852457noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34947427.post-50446988982770822402007-12-03T06:57:00.000-05:002007-12-03T07:25:01.493-05:00

Number one should be: Figure out what to put ON the to do list. It feels like things would all fall into place if I just knew what I had to do to accomplish it all. Actually, it should be more like an outline for a paper entitled Life of Gonad I. Get on Track with Diet and Exercise. A. Go to Gym 4 days a week. B. USE WW tools and follow the plan. II. Get on Track

gnaedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08478635268494852457noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34947427.post-87465521511570076512007-10-26T16:27:00.000-04:002007-10-26T16:35:57.745-04:00

I'm at home.Brrring. Brrrring. "Hello.""Hi is Mary there?""I'm sorry, you must have the wrong number."Brrring."Hello.""Hi, is Mary there?""What number are you dialing, hon?""Insert my phone #.""I'm sorry, hon, you must have the wrong number because there's no Mary here."Chat with mom for awhile, then Brrrring."Hello.""Hi, is this Mary Smith's number.""No, this is Mrs. Librarian's number, but wait

gnaedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08478635268494852457noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34947427.post-68076507356458847722007-10-24T14:45:00.000-04:002007-10-24T14:49:11.665-04:00

I originally posted this on a librarian list, but it is relevent to my Idealism post from last year and expresses my feelings about the whole topic a little bit more clearly, if not necessarily more eloquently.Two parents brought me books this week that their 11th grade sons are reading in English. One is on a "pick one of these 5 books" list, the other is required reading for the class. The

gnaedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08478635268494852457noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34947427.post-58545850483613568362007-08-23T12:12:00.000-04:002007-08-23T12:23:40.986-04:00

I have to thank my friends for having lives and doing things like having babies and falling in love (not necessarily in that order). It gives me this lovely excuse for knitting adorable little baby things and lavish afghans. I probably come across as the most conceited thing alive when I show off my finished objects, but the truth of the matter is that I'm in awe of the designers who are cabable

gnaedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08478635268494852457noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34947427.post-10805734224472490732007-08-14T06:59:00.002-04:002007-08-14T07:11:49.634-04:00

Thursday was one of those classic life cycle days - a beautiful new baby (welcome, Georgia) came into the world and a very special friend (goodbye, Melanie) left it. This loss was very hard, partly because it was sudden and unexpected, partly because she was only 45. I only saw her 3 or 4 times a year, but we always saved each other seats at our library meetings, and knit together. I think she

gnaedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08478635268494852457noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34947427.post-53041388916289310112006-10-12T11:20:00.000-04:002006-10-12T21:03:24.020-04:00

A friend asked for a list of books for babies and since I recently attended 2 workshops on Creating Readers, I want to share some of the things that were brought up there. I'm sure I'll be adding to the list. This is just what I came up with so far.Board books and bath books are perfect for babies. Babies explore books with their whole bodies. They hear you say the words, they see the pictures,

gnaedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08478635268494852457noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34947427.post-67158570025230024552006-10-05T07:10:00.000-04:002006-10-05T08:11:23.518-04:00

I have always been a strong supporter of teachers taking risks in their book selections. I sincerely believe that hiding reality from students is a big mistake and that it's better for them to have the opportunity to discuss hard topics in a safe environment and in the abstract. While it is my wish for them that they never actually have to deal with things like incest, date rape, or suicide in

gnaedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08478635268494852457noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34947427.post-66044038104841341802006-09-27T20:51:00.000-04:002006-09-27T20:54:47.504-04:00

It bothers me every time someone on the WW board plays the clique card and I started thinking about why I take it personally. Part of it is because I am an individual and while I have made wonderful friends on the 50+ Board, I am not afraid to disagree with them and I certainly wouldn't "attack" another poster on their say so. I will speak up if I see someone being treated unfairly, no matter who

gnaedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08478635268494852457noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34947427.post-85747514792703549972006-09-27T20:28:00.000-04:002006-09-27T20:51:17.607-04:00

The first of two commentaries about groups. I've known for years that men and women behave differently at the work place as well as at home. The women I have worked with formed closer friendships than the males, but were also more likely to have major emotional scenes. We talk about each other, complain about each other, and tend to tell our grievances to everybody in the building except the

gnaedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08478635268494852457noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34947427.post-1159149750617887942006-09-24T22:00:00.000-04:002006-09-24T22:03:42.416-04:00

Yet another post from the 50+ Board. At least now we can just refer people here.The clique card has been played before and I still say it's more about the board personality that has developed over time. Some of us (koff - mom) are more diplomatic than others (koff koff - Cat). Yes, over time friendships (and enemyships) strengthen and grow and we make jokes and refer to things that happened in a

gnaedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08478635268494852457noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34947427.post-1159149558146905752006-09-24T21:54:00.000-04:002006-09-24T22:11:48.363-04:00

This is also teleported in from the 50+ Board. There are things that come up a LOT. When someone posts a question that violates the WW terms of agreement (points questions, for example) or that asks about the virtues of Hoodia or some other weight loss program, the responses are often fast and furious. The OP (Original Poster) then gets her feelings hurt and accuses the people on the board of

gnaedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08478635268494852457noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34947427.post-1159149267178727212006-09-24T21:50:00.000-04:002006-09-24T21:54:27.186-04:00

I teleported this from the WW 50+ Board. If nothing else, it will make it easier for me to find the next time it's needed.I don't have ANYthing against people who are new to the WW boards. I welcome you. I do have a problem with people who don't read the literature, who ask points questions so they won't have to pay for WW, and who refuse to learn to use things like the search button or Google

gnaedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08478635268494852457noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34947427.post-1159113958671054592006-09-24T12:02:00.000-04:002006-09-24T12:44:35.860-04:00

This is from February, 2005. I went on WW in April of 2005.I've lost 89 pounds since then. I went from covered from head to toe to a swimsuit, which is actually sort of backwards, since I'm a lot colder now.

gnaedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08478635268494852457noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34947427.post-1159111716940390402006-09-24T11:26:00.000-04:002006-09-24T11:29:03.733-04:00

Alrighty then, the real reason you are here. I promised a picture. This is from June, but unfortunately I haven't changed much since then. I suppose you want a before picture now. I have to warn you, it isn't pretty.

gnaedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08478635268494852457noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34947427.post-1159108479827906102006-09-24T10:23:00.000-04:002006-09-24T10:34:39.836-04:00

In case that is what you are now asking yourself, you're in good company - mine!You probably got here from the WW 50+ Board, so you have no one to blame but yourself.If you just came for the pictures, you're too early.My first posts will probably be reposts of my best stuff from the WW board, so you might be bored, especially if you didn't find it all that exciting the first time you read it.One

gnaedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08478635268494852457noreply@blogger.com2