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Sunday, May 5, 2013

#11 Kristy and the Snobs



So, this book, (imo) isn’t too overly snarkable simply because Louie’s death is so sad.:(  I pity the person who draws Claudia and the Sad Goodbye.
Now Kristy starts by saying that if there’s one thing she can’t stand is a snob.  And if there’s one thing I can’t stand is someone who instantly judges people without knowing them and creates for themselves a world of hurt. 
School has started and Kristy is dressed in what is now her uniform: jeans, turtleneck and sweater.  Isn’t that combo a bit hot for September yet?  David Michael (DM) has Kristy call Louie and they see that he is limping.  They tell their mom, then head out for the bus.  DM’s bus is on time, but Kristy’s is late.  She is approached by…THE SNOBS!!!  They ask her about the BSC, since she’s been sending fliers around.  Then they make a snide remark about her outfit and she calls them snob clones.  And the snob war has started…
Later that day at the BSC meeting, Kristy gets a job in her new neighborhood.  When she gets home, Louie seems worse. 
They end up at the vet with Louie the next day.  He is getting old and arthritic and his eyesight is worsening.  The vet sends home some pain pills for him.  After they get home, Kristy takes him for a walk and she runs into…THE SNOBS!!! She meets Shannon Kilbourne and Amanda Delaney, both of whom have purebred pets.  Louie is scruffy and smells like the vet, which Shannon comments on.  Kristy makes a smart remark; Shannon replies in kind and they storm away.  I’m saying, Kristy’s big mouth probably is contributing to her problems, along with the fact that she’s not even trying to like the neighborhood or neighbors.  Attitude has a lot to do with these things.
Kristy sits for the Papadakis family the next day, whom she knows slightly and likes.    She finds out that Shannon usually sits for them and she asks about more of the neighbors.  Suddenly the phone rings and it’s Shannon, calling to tell Kristy the house is on fire.  It’s not, of course, but the kids are upset and Kristy has to tell Mrs. P about it.  C’mon Shannon, use your noggin and leave the kids out of it.  Anyway, Kristy decides to retaliate by sending a diaper service to the Kilbourne’s house.
A sitting chapter: MA sits for Myriah and Gabbie Perkins.  Jamie Newton comes over and proceeds to tell them how he doesn’t like his baby sister sometimes.  The girls are appalled that he would dare to not like the baby.  “Cause nothing ever bothers them ever and they are the Buddy Bears and always get along.
Ooooo, token spelling word!  Ostentatious!  That’s what the Delaney’s house is.  And the kids are absolutely bratty SNOBS, just as Kristy predicted.  But….Kristy lets them get away with it because she’s afraid they’ll tell their mom she’s mean. Ummm….again, you’re bringing some of this on yourself.  Shannon calls again because she’s sitting for the Papadakis kids and Sari is crying and she wants Kristy to come help her.  So Kristy shows up and Shannon had yet again tricked her.  As she leaves, Shannon thanks her for pushing her out of all of her sitting jobs.  Ah, the real root of the problem.  What are we going to do about this?
Another sitting chapter.  This is the beginning of Jeff Schafer’s major attitude change and desire to return to California.
At the next BSC meeting, Kristy complains about her sitting job with THE SNOBS!!!  Stacey calls her out on it and asks her why she let the kids behave the way they did.    Mrs. Delaney calls for a sitter and Stacey asks for the job, for she has a plan.  Then Dawn breaks down crying about Jeff, and says she doesn’t think her dad is thrilled at the idea of Jeff coming to live with him.  She’s pretty broken up about the whole thing, as well she should be.
Kristy comes home from the meeting and calls Louie to go out.  Unfortunately Louie can’t make it out and has an accident on the floor.  The whole family realizes that Louie is really sick.
Another sitting chapter.  Stacey tames THE SNOBS!!!
Kristy babysits for THE SNOBS!! Again.  The kids are better since Kristy puts her foot down and doesn’t let them misbehave and they’re out in the yard having fun when a pizza delivery truck arrives.  Shannon has pranked Kristy yet again, but Kristy sends the pizza guy over to Shannon’s house.  Shannon storms over with the pizza and demands money.  Kristy says no, it was Shannon’s idea that backfired so Kristy’s not giving her any money.  Shannon accuses her of horning in on her sitting territory and threatens to throw pizza at her.  Kristy threatens to make her purebred dog and pepperoni mountain dog and suddenly they’re all laughing.  Ah, the whole war solved by Krisy’s big mouth.
Yet another sitting chapter.  Claudia sits for the Pikes, who are covered with chicken pox.
Back at the Brewer/Thomas household, Louie is getting worse.  He takes a tumble down the stone steps leading to the basement, bringing DM with him.  Mrs. Brewer takes him back to the vet and he’s worsened to the point that he needs special injections twice a day.  They run themselves ragged for a week before the vet says they’re not helping and the car ride is too much for Louie.
Kristy stays home from a BSC meeting because she is so worried about Louie.  She is there when Karen and Andrew arrive early, along with DM and Charlie.  Karen runs around shrieking, but the last shriek is horrid, because Louie has lost control of his hind legs and is pulling himself around the kitchen in a panic, crashing into things.  That night they call a family meeting and announce that Louie is going to be put to sleep.
DM spends one last night with Louie and everyone says goodbye.  Kristy and DM come into the vet with Mrs. Brewer and say their goodbyes in the waiting room.  It doesn’t take long and soon they head for home.
They plan a funeral for the afternoon and Karen invites THE SNOBS!!! To come to the funeral.  They are all very respectful and Shannon stops Kristy to tell her she’s sorry and she doesn’t know what she would do if something happened to Astrid (her purebred mountain dog).
A few days later, Shannon stops by when Kristy’s sitting for THE SNOBS!!  She brings along a puppy, one of Astrid’s offspring, and offers it to Kristy.  They call DM over and at first he doesn’t want a puppy, but she worms her way into his heart.  DM decides they should call her Shannon.
Now, how to solve the problem of horning in on Shannon’s sitting territory?  Why, invite her to join the BSC, of course.  Shannon declines, citing her busy-ness at school.  Well then, why the heck did you make such a big stinkin’ deal about it then?  They decide to make her an associate member.  Yay, maybe she’s not such a SNOB!!! After all.

Mommy Moments:
  • I don’t know if I would have Shannon sit for my kids again after a stunt like the fake fire.  That’s just not something I’d be okay with. 
  • I would hope that my sitters would feel comfortable telling me if one of my children was misbehaving.  That the BSC doesn’t feel they can tell Mrs. Delaney about her children’s behavior is a little unsettling.
  • There is a time when it is kinder to put a pet to sleep than let them suffer any longer.  It’s s tough call, but it is the humane thing to do.

Common Sense Moments:
  • Kristy brought a lot of grief on herself with her big, smart mouth and predetermined attitude about all of the neighbors being SNOBS!!

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