Take heart Ritzy I went through that two years ago with my DGD she was 11, I was heartbroken with the way she spoke to me and the language I phoned and got her dad out of bed after working all night and crying told him he had to come and get her. Right after that she changed and became human, now she is such a delight to be around. They do grow up now I am so proud of her. She hasn't come back to quilting yet I have to wait for that one. Joan

Failing that stick her in the coal house.

Congratulations on your award, so that will have been the wonderful potrait

Ritzy, you are a true entertainer. That said I consider you the most wonderful grandma, one could ask for. Where else should she learn that bad behavior does not pay off (even if it did this year)? Make those rules for next year and make her follow them - or else no help from grandma. In the end you will gain her respect. Hugs from

It was meant to entertain ladies so I am glad you can relate and it made you smile.

Ritzy, congratulations on your win and have to tell, your story brought back memories of working with my DD's girl scout troop. I'm still chuckling. Take care, Pat

Oh Ritzy, big hugs! Congratulations on your win! And your story about Kate made me laugh until I had tears streaming down my face, so some good has come from it all!

Oh, I was busy moaning and groaning (maybe I picked that up from Kate ) that I forgot to tell you that the quilt I did with the Lea McComas' class won a blue ribbon in the Fine Arts division!

Rosemary--according to her I did spank her bottom. I suggested to her that IF I truly had she would have known it because she would not have been comfortable sitting. Gotta' love 'em but don't have to tolerate them.

Ritzy, congratulations on still having a youngest grand daughter that is able to sit down comfortably, and without any pain

Oh poor Ritzy I'm glad I didn't have girls

She must have some natural talent to have done so well

This summer has been crazy! :shock: Besides Loren's surgery, Kate (our youngest granddaughter) decided that since she liked winning Grand Champion last year with her 4-H project that she should sew again this year and that grandma should help. Keep in mind--I didn't know what was happening with Loren and his surgery so we were really working against time.

Backtrack a little with me to last year. Last year Kate wanted to do first year sewing for 4-H. Kate was a great student and did her best even when having to rip stitches out. She did a pretty difficult quilt block(for a beginner) and she appliquéd it on to a pillow casing. She worked really hard and we got it done in good time. It was a joy watching her as she saw her ribbons and rejoiced in being able to take her pillow to State for competition. Grandma was happy--Kate was happy.

This year: slouching in the chair, lingering when asked to come press her fabric, moaning, groaning, complaining (about everything) and many tears. All of a sudden, after just threading the needle on the machine--she couldn't thread the needle. She could not sew a straight line (of course that is hard to do when you are laying on top of the fabric you are feeding through the machine and you are not sitting up straight so you can see where you are going).

Now, I know that if I had let her rip every thing out that she careless put in, she probably would have straightened up but we were under a time restraint and I was trying to keep her from being frustrated (bad grandma!). The harder I tried to get her on track--the harder she made the process.

Enters my mother. Mom does not hesitate to say that Kate is her favorite great-granddaughter. I asked her to pick Kate up so we could work on her project (friends car in shop for repairs, Loren at work with his car, friend using my car---running out of time to get project done). So, mom goes and gets her and drops her at the door.

First twenty minutes ( I am not exaggerating--twenty minutes) of constant complaints and "I can't"s. I finally called my mom, told her to come get the child that she didn't want to work and I didn't want the fight (bad, bad, grandma). Mom takes her, talks to her, and tells her "she is only ten and I am expecting too much from her" . I reminded my mother that the project Kate did last year was harder and that I didn't have all the arguing and disrespect. Anyway, now we have a kid who thinks she can blame her laziness on being a 10 year old--not happening!

Finally, I told my mother she was welcome to work with her darling and I would go in the other room (bad, bad, bad grandma). It only took my mom about 15 minutes to decide that Kate was not working and she took her home .

Kate's mom also was able to experience Kate's behavior during one of our sessions. So, we finally got the project from Hades done (four placemats that were very basic), I taught her the happy dance and told her how happy I was to still have a youngest granddaughter and took her home.

I told my daughter that I hoped Kate didn't get a champion ribbon because her work was not what it was last year or what she was capable of (I also was hoping that she would see that you have to put the work in if you want to be rewarded)(AWFUL grandma!!!). Daughter agreed as she had seen Kate's behavior (bad mom).

Fair week: so yesterday I went to the fair to see how Kate did with the judges (keep in mind that she refused to go to hear what the judges said because she knew her work was not good) (hmmm...do you see the problem here?). She received a first place ribbon and because no other child did placemats, she received a reserve champion ribbon. Today, daughter calls and says that with her reserve champion ribbon Kate received an invitation to show her work at State (mom is dismayed, grandma is dismayed--terrible, awful adults ).

Kate assured her mother that next year she won't act like she did this year when grandma helps her with her next 4-H project :shock: . I think there will be some rules laid down and a contract signed because THIS grandma is not going through that again(terrible, awful grandma who hopes a year lets me forget).

This is an update on where I have been today. Shopping online. JoAnn's is have an online sale of particular interest to quilters. First of all, Quilting notions are all 50% off, secondly included in Quilting Notions is EQ7 for Macs @ $94.97. What's even better is that there is: third, Free Shipping for all purchases in excess of $50.00. Needless to say, what I've been up to today is creating serious damage to the balance in my bank account. But it's been so much fun. Not sure how long the sale lasts.

Just be sure that it is 'gentle', and take care now.

Reetzbobeetz wrote:
You are so, so right. And, don't forget yard work. Yardwork is sure to cause relapse. But the gentle sewing is oh so therapeutic.