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Post by anzuhana on Nov 18, 2011 14:55:48 GMT -5
^ They went to Pizza Express.
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Post by virgoscorpio on Dec 16, 2011 18:06:17 GMT -5
From reading Little Sister and The Kids in Ms. Colman's Class, I had a deeper appreciation for the Natalie Springer subplot. I also liked how Pamela, Jannie and Leslie were in the book. I think that Pamela was semi-nice because Shannon was around and she wanted to make a good impression. Shannon seems like someone, to me, who Pamela would look up to.
When I was reading this, I assumed that ghosties implied that perhaps Russ and Peaches were pretty well off and didn't need the extra cash? I say this because they end up buying what sounds like a beautiful home ("Cape Cod" style). And again when Peaches bought out all the stores they went to. I just assumed she didn't really care about money, or what things cost, not because she was "crazy"... but maybe it could have also been because she was frivolous. If that was the case, I think they should have put more frivolous stuff into her personality in the book. I don't like the way they did it (with them sneaking off for pizza).
So something on the Friday-night-sneak-out. I kept asking myself WHY was the whole Kishi family asleep at 11:30pm on a Friday. Talk about BORING! I may like night and be a kind of night hawk, but that's ridiculous! Russ was apparently sound asleep at 11:30pm which makes me believe he went to bed earlier. Even the HIGH-SCHOOL kids were up past 12am when Claud was out at Pizza Express.
I liked reading about Mary Anne helping Claud, but felt that Claud was kind of using her (without realizing it). I think Claud has a bit of a selfishness to her personality (even though I do like her).
Also, why does Natalie Springer have the same writing (only misspelled) as Abby? You'd think that they would have come up with some more original writing when Abby came along 11 books later...(89)
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supprazz
Sitting For The Newtons
Posts: 2,106
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Post by supprazz on Feb 10, 2012 3:04:29 GMT -5
Why was Claudia using Mary Anne? She was asking a friend to teach her how to knit, a close friend mind you. I would have offered her money for bringing the yarn, books and needles though.
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Post by virgoscorpio on Feb 11, 2012 1:01:20 GMT -5
I guess using her wasn't the write words to describe it. But she was insensitive to Mary Anne's time. Several times she planned to meet with Mary Anne and forgot about it. That's not to say it was Claud's fault, but I'm sure Mary Anne's time is important, too. She could be smooching Logan, listening to Cam Greary vids or petting Tigger!
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supprazz
Sitting For The Newtons
Posts: 2,106
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Post by supprazz on Feb 11, 2012 3:22:59 GMT -5
I really don't remember her and Mary Anne making plans to meet again. In fact, there was very little mention about meeting again after that first time if any and I think Claudia was continuing to work on the Blanket on her own. I think Peaches was being insensitive to Claudia's time with her homework getting delayed over and over with her mom speaking to her about it too, and Stacey was being reckless with timing to meet Mary Anne, maybe you got it confused with that cause it's from around the same time?
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Post by candykane on Aug 24, 2012 11:16:23 GMT -5
I just re-read this for the first time in a long time. I hardly remembered it! I liked the scenes where Claudia and Peaches spent time together; it reminded me a little of hanging out with my own niece. Didn't like Peaches telling Claudia she could worry about her homework later, telling her she'd help her, and then forgetting about helping her. I'm sure she knows Claudia isn't a good student and that homework takes her forever to do. Like others in this thread I thought it was weird that Peaches quit her job so soon. After she went out and started spending like crazy on baby stuff, I figured Russ must make a lot of money at whatever he does, because she sure wasn't worried about prices. I liked the mention of Russ and the golf cart that we first heard about in #26. Poor Claudia always thinks she's to blame when something bad happens. First she blamed herself for Mimi's stroke and then Peaches' miscarriage.
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oldhickory
Sitting For The Arnolds
Heather Loves Boys and Gym
Posts: 3,270
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Post by oldhickory on Aug 24, 2012 13:41:27 GMT -5
^ i agree, peaches wasn't very considerate of others here. i know becoming a parent changes your whole life, but she expected everyone else to drop what they were doing just to keep her entertained. she's said to be claudia's kindred spirit, a younger version of mimi, but considering how understanding she's supposed to be, she really left claudia up a creek in this book. i liked that claudia blaming herself was written in, even though it was sad -- it was consistent with her guilt over mimi's stroke, and as a babysitter she's seen her fair share of normal pregnancies and kids. seeing a healthy woman lose her baby (especially someone she loves) was probably heart-wrenching.
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scrounge
Sitter-In-Training
Boo and bullfrogs!
Posts: 414
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Post by scrounge on Aug 27, 2012 0:54:00 GMT -5
I liked the scene in this one where MA was teaching Claudia to knit the baby blanket. I think MA and Claudia is one of my favorite friend pairings. They'd been neighbors forever, and Mary Anne was close to Mimi, but they don't spend much one-on-one time together in the books.
I also liked the parts where Claudia and Peaches hung out and had fun together, of course in Stoneybrook they would end up going to see a black-and-white movie that came out in 1938. My favorite scene in this book is the one where they go shopping and then cook the special dinner for the family. It just sounds fun.
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supprazz
Sitting For The Newtons
Posts: 2,106
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Post by supprazz on Aug 28, 2012 21:16:51 GMT -5
^ cooking the special dinner and doing all the creative stuff with it definitely sounded like fun, pizza night also did too though both should have let someone know they went.
I also don't blame Claudia for feeling like everything is her fault when she's belittled for who she is at home, or was for a long time when younger.
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celaeno
Sitting For The Papadakis's
I have to share a room with Vanessa
Posts: 1,514
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Post by celaeno on Sept 22, 2012 21:13:19 GMT -5
It annoyed me in this one how Claudia tells Mary Anne she wants to try knitting a baby blanket, and then Mary Anne says it would be too complicated for a first time knitter, and that Claud should try something simpler like baby booties. While you can certainly pick blanket patterns that are more or less complex, a blanket would actually be a better choice for a novice since a blanket is, after all, essentially just a simple rectangular shape. Baby booties on the other hand would be a lot more complex, and not good for a beginner!
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oldhickory
Sitting For The Arnolds
Heather Loves Boys and Gym
Posts: 3,270
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Post by oldhickory on Sept 23, 2012 2:14:16 GMT -5
^ i thought that too. i think maybe MA meant booties would be easier because they are so much smaller, but i don't see how making a complicated, 3d, foot-shaped pattern would be easier than knitting straight lines into a square. and i don't see MA having the patience to teach claudia something that complex when claudia's as new to knitting as she is.
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supprazz
Sitting For The Newtons
Posts: 2,106
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Post by supprazz on Sept 23, 2012 7:50:41 GMT -5
I don't see mary anne as a good teacher, period!
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Post by virgoscorpio on Sept 23, 2012 12:11:03 GMT -5
^ Not that I can remember.
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supprazz
Sitting For The Newtons
Posts: 2,106
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Post by supprazz on Sept 23, 2012 18:28:54 GMT -5
watching her trying to teach claudia was awkward, and though not much of her fault, she was impatient when mimi had her stroke and she was looking after her...and to be honest, why didn't the kishis just hire a caregiver for her instead of relying on young girls to look after her? they didn't even cpr training till baby parade!
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scrounge
Sitter-In-Training
Boo and bullfrogs!
Posts: 414
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Post by scrounge on Sept 23, 2012 18:37:52 GMT -5
Booties can be knitted flat and then seamed. I think the real difference is that with a blanket, Claudia's going to have to do a lot of the work by herself, with nobody there to help her if she makes a mistake. How frustrating would it be for a beginner if she knitted four inches of blanket and then realized she messed up back in row three? If she starts with something like booties, Mary Anne could be there the whole time to guide her through it.
I do think it's funny that Mary Anne says the block pattern Claudia picks is easy because all she has to do is knit and purl. Pretty much, for any knitting, all you have to do is knit and purl. Even increases and decreases and fancy bits of lace are just different ways of knitting or purling a stitch.
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