#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!!

#8 Boy Crazy Stacey

It’s Stacey! (It’s Stacey!)  She’s back and she’s boy crazy!

 So, it’s the beginning of August and Stacey is stressing about what to wear because she’s going to Kristy’s new mansion for a BSC party.  What to wear….what to wear….She goes with a pink shirt covered with big, bright green and yellow birds.  Nothing screams sophisticated like a shirt covered with birds.  This is the best image I could come up with.

Her mother gives her a foil wrapped packet of apple slices, just in case Stacey is temped to eat something she shouldn’t, ‘cause she’s diabetic you know (Stacey comments who wants to be sick?).  Since Stacey’s been friends with these people for a year now, and has gone to parties before, where they’ve always had food for her, why should she start worrying now?Stacey exits, and we find out Ed’s favorite hobby is gardening…an excellent hobby for a work-a-holic.

 Stacey’s riding with Claud and MA to the mansion and they arrive to find Kristy is normal.  Hurrah.  Woulnd’t you know, they have a good time, but end the evening bawling because Dawn’s going to Cali, Claudia’s going on vacation, and MA and Stacey are going to Sea City as mother’s helpers for the Pikes. They are going to be away from each other for two whole weeks.  I don’t remember being this emotionally overwrought when we all went away for vacation over the summer.  Kristy has the brilliant idea of MA and Stacey writing post cards every day for the club notebook, you know, since they’re technically sitting.  That’s how I want to spend my working vacation.

The next day MA and Stacey go to the Pike’s house and they get a stampede at the door. There are eight Pike kids, after all.  You might fill out a bikini Stacey, but you're no Bo Derek.

 Mrs. Pike gives them the low down on Sea City, what they’ll be doing and what they’ll need.  This blows my mind, though: “As you know, Mr. Pike and I don’t believe in making rules for the children or forcing them to do things they don’t want to do.”  Really?  No rules?  So…there aren’t any rules about hitting each other?  What if they don’t want to brush their teeth?  You’re not going to make them?  Sorry, I’ve got guidelines for my child.  Anyway, they also cover Stacey’s diabetes and medical information.  Yes, good to know!  Stacey heads home to finish packing and her mother hovers nervously.  I might hover; I’m not sure.

MA and Stacey arrive at the Pike’s the next morning as they get ready to go.  In the days before GPS, cell phones and aps, there were maps and directions to places and places to meet in case you got lost.  This is also the era before seatbelt and child seat laws.  Claire and Margo are sprawled in the very back of the station wagon.  Let’s go on vacation!

Mallory climbs over the seats while they’re driving so that motion sick Margo can climb to the front seat.  Nicky and the triplets have a sign war.  Then….they’re finally there!!  They have a rental house by the shore; after unpacking the kids take them on a tour of the main drag and the beach.  They’re hanging out on the beach when Stacey sees a blonde, tan lifeguard.  She’s in LUV!

 Claire and Margo wake MA and Stacey at the butt crack of dawn, but they snuggle and go back to sleep for awhile.  After breakfast, MA and Stacey head upstairs to grab their things and unveil their bikinis.  Stacey brags that her top is filled out quite nicely; MA takes one look at her and refuses to take off her clothes.  It’s like the rack under the coat.  

Stacey talks her into it (or out of it) and they head out to the beach.  As they get spread out, they notice some male mother’s helpers nearby.  Then they notice Byron isn’t going in the water.  Stacey is distracted from Byron by the arrival of the god of blonde gorgeousness. 

He’s much older than she is and is surrounded by girls who are much older and fill out their bikini tops much better than she does, but she’s in LUV.

Byron starts getting picked on by his brothers and MA and Stacey try to intervene.  MA seems to have things in control so Stacey goes over Mr. Handsome and turns on the charm.  As she’s turning away, Mallory runs up with Claire, who has cut her foot on a shell.  Mr. Handsome comes to the rescue with bandages and introduces himself as Scott Foley (he’s related to a motivational speaker). 

Stacey hangs around him for the rest of the day and finds out all about him, leaving MA to mind the children.

The next day the Pikes spend the day at the beach with their kids and then go out for the evening, giving Stacey and MA money to take the kids out.  They eat at the Burger Garden and have a little fun on the drag.  By the end of the evening, MA isn’t feeling so well and they realize she has a really bad sunburn.  She looks like “a tomato with hair.”

The next day they hit the beach and Stacey starts to flirt with Scott again.  Some girls come by and he calls them kids, much to Stacey’s delight, although I don’t think Snookie and the gang would appreciate that very much.

 Stacey spends the rest of the day running errands for Scott and getting dirty looks from MA, who is pretty much on Pike duty.  At the end of the day, Scott calls Stacey his lifesaver and gives her his whistle.  Aw…..

There is a rainy day in their lovely week so MA and Stacey take the kids miniature golfing, which, with 8 kids 11 and under, was a lot of fun (sarcasm, sarcasm).

We finally hear from Kristy, and (of course) it’s a sitting job.  Apparently EVERYONE is babysitting, even if they’re on vacation.  Eesh, girls, learn how to relax!!  

 Anyway, Kristy’s sitting for Karen and Andrew and the kids wash Watson’s car with steel wool.

The next two days are amazing for Stacey, who is spending her time around the lifeguard stand, falling in LUV with Scott even more.  She and MA get Saturday evening off, so they go out for dinner and stroll the boardwalk.  Stacey drops $10 on a huge box of chocolates for Scott(adjust for inflation, $40 today) which she thinks will show him how she truly feels.  Yep, nothing screams love like sugar and partially hydrogenates soybean oil encased in a red cardboard box.  She then turns around and sees him playing tonsil hockey with a gorgeous, curvy redhead.  Stacey’s heart is broken.

 Stacey is embarrassed and humiliated and wants to hide in her room the next morning, but MA gets angry and calls her out on it.  Still, Stacey stays behind and Byron stays with her.  They go for a walk to a little bay, where Byron actually goes in the water.  He confesses to Stacey he doesn’t like the waves of the ocean and not being able to see the bottom.  That afternoon they face their fears together and go the beach.  Byron spends time in the water and Stacey spends time with the kids, whom she has REALLY MISSED while she was flirting with Scott.

The next day they split up the kids and Stacey heads back to the beach with Claire, Vanessa, Adam and Jordan.  Claire teases another kid, which leads Stacey to meet the male mother’s helpers.  She’s in LUV again!  

This time his name is Toby and he’s 14.  He’s also stellarly impressed by the fact that she’s originally from NYC.  He’s perfect for her.

Friday is their last day in Sea City.  MA and Stacey get the evening off and they decide to ask Toby and his compatriot Alex out.  The meet at a hotdog stand for dinner before the girls decide they should pair off to go down the boardwalk.  Stacey and Toby head for the arcade, then a gift shop, where Toby buys Stacey a little pink shell “to remember me by.”  Really?  Do 14-year-old boys do stuff like this?  I can’t see my husband doing something smarmy, much less a teenager.  They close the evening with a ride through the tunnel of luv and Stacey’s first kiss.

Saturday Stacey wakes up early to ponder her vacation.  Claire is up too so they go down to the beach in the early morning light.  They head back to the house and get packed up before taking one last look at the beach.  Toby and Alex stop by to say farewell; MA cries, of course, and Stacey decides to go say good bye to Scott as well. 

They finally arrive home, exhausted but happy.  The rest of the book is spent recounting their adventures to their friends.  There are only two weeks left of summer, but anything can happen in two weeks!

SAHM Portrait Collection: Tory

Victoria Maria to be exact.  I was born on a chilly Milwaukee morning at St. Joseph's hospital about 30 years ago, give or take a little; the tide of Lake Michigan had nothing to do with my birth.  I come from a family of three girls; I am smack dab in the middle and spent half my time being bossed by big sister Angie and bossing little sister Christina.  Perhaps I could have given Kristy a run for her money since not only was I bossy, but I had a big mouth.  I got in trouble a lot at school for my big mouth.  Rarely was it ever seen as a good thing.  I graduated from UW-Milwaukee with a degree in business management and was able to find a job in the area.  I took some courses in business communication as well so when I yell at the BSC for their communication or lack thereof, I know of which I speak.
Six years ago, I met my husband Aaron and then I met his two sons, Jared and Zach, who were three and five at the time.  I was surprised that he had full custody at first, but well, it was for the best.  It took some time for the kids and I to adjust to each other, but when I married Aaron, I adopted the boys.
A little over four years ago we had a son named Adam.  It was about the middle of my pregnancy when the economy tanked and I lost my job.  Aaron and I crunched the numbers and realized we would actually net money if I stayed home and took care of the kids, although Jared and Zach were in school most of the day.
Now I have an 11-year old, 9-year old and an almost preschooler.  Being a SAHM has been great; I've been there for every big event in my little boy's life and helped my older boys through a lot of their own events.  Once Adam's in school I'll look for work again, but for now, I'm just enjoying being at home, although there are days when I'd even let MA sit for my kids so that I could go grocery shopping alone.

#19 Claudia and the Bad Joke (or Claudia and the Lawsuit Waiting to Happen)

I must be lucky.  Not only did I draw another Claudia book, but I got one that was one of my favorites as a kid…then I read it again and kind of went, mrrr?  This is a good one for some parenting failss.

The cover is pretty normal, but it gives away what the bad joke results in.  I guess the mystery is in how we get there.  The walls look pretty sick too…not sure I’d want to stay in that hospital.

The books starts with Kristy wishing to get hit in the face with a pie.  The girls plus Logan are at a slapstick film festival (apparently Logan invited MA as a date and she invited everyone else…I don’t think that’s what he had in mind, MA) and Kristy’s all about wearing food.  I’m amazed Claudia hasn’t jumped on this bandwagon. She gets right into the introductions and I realize that this old copy has hash marks that show the beginning and end of what has now become the chapter long section of information on the girls.  For your skipping ease, of course.

The next day is a club meeting and, after an indepth look at how the club runs, we have the actual meeting.  There’s a call from a new client, Mrs. Sobak, looking for a sitter for little Betsy, her daughter.  Claudia takes the job, but is confused because she knows the kids who usually sit for Betsy.  Kristy admonishes her not to knock it, but that maybe they’ll get a new client out of it.  She then proceeds to squirt disappearing ink all over MA’s white sweatshirt…amazingly enough, she’s the only one laughing.

Claudia and Dawn hang out for a bit after the meeting (Dawn is lonely since she’ll be the only at her house…I kinda have to go with Tory on her scathing review of Mrs. Schafer’s decision to move back to Connecticut) and then Claudia helps Mimi finish dinner.  “The Genius” comes home and is sober, because life is tough as a genius.  They have a nice dinner before it’s time for homework time.  Now this has been a rule for Claudia for awhile, but in the last book I snarked they must have been on vacation or Claudia wouldn’t have fallen behind so much.  Anyway, she finishes the homework and then gets a crank phonecall….prank season in Stoneybrook has begun!!

It’s the day of Claudia’s sitting job with Betsy and she’s getting nervous.  She’s talked to the other kids who used to sit for her and they all quit because she is a horrible practical joker, to the point she doesn’t know when to stop.  At first Claudia is optimistic, because Betsy seems nice and her mother, while strange (her name is Cookie, which Ann puts in italics…why name your own character something you can’t believe) is also nice.  But the jokes start right away with a dribble glass and a fly in an ice cube.  Then she tricks her with some pepper gum, which really angers Claudia.  This is the kind of job you go to and when you look at the clock only 10 minutes have passed.  She agrees to go outside with Betsy to get her mind of jokes and they sit on the swingset to swing.  Claudia suggests a swinging contest in spite of some funny looks by Betsy and soon they’re going pretty high…and the bottom drops out of Claudia’s swing and she lands on the driveway.  Her leg’s at a pretty funny angle and she knows it’s broken.  She calmly instructs Betsy to call 911, then the Sobaks and then the Rodowsky home before her own parents (what?).  Dawn and Mallory arrive before the ambulance and Dawn calls Claudia’s parents, who will meet her at the hospital.  The ambulance arrives and Dawn rides along with Claudia.  Her leg is in pain now and she is given some pain killers so most of the procedures are hazy to her.  She wakes up in the hospital with her leg in traction.  The break was apparently bad enough that she’ll have to stay in the hospital for a week and home for a little longer before she can go back to school.  She starts thinking about what would have happened if she had broken her arm or hand, which potentially could end her art career.  Perhaps she should quit the club because sitting is too dangerous.

Her hospital stay is fairly eventful, with lots of visitors and flowers.  Her roommate is “a big baby” about her broken elbow and has no friends.  Nice, Ann.  (although I’d probably have said the same thing at that age).  Claudia begs for her friends to sneak her some junk food and Dawn has pity on her and sneaks some in.  MA also sneaks Tigger in, which twigs Claudia out a bit.  During one of her phone calls to Stacy, she confesses that she might quit the club…dun, dun, dun! 

A sitting chapter.  MA and Jessi sit for the Pikes and are inundated by practical jokes.

Claudia is ready to go home from the hospital and is finally released.  She is greeted by friends and family in a hustling bustling flurry and then everyone leaves for work or school.  She has breakfast with Mimi, receives a phone call from her homeroom at school and enjoys a little Wheel of Fortune.  Since she’s an art fanatic, she’s also spent time decorating her cast.  At the BSC meeting that day, her friends have a few little autographs too:  God made rivers, God made lakes, God made Claudia, well we all make mistakes.  Guess who wrote that one.  MA’s confused me at first until my mom pointed out that the car is supposed to be auto.  Then it makes sense.  Claudia springs her fears about sitting on the rest of the club and tells them she might want to quit.  She promises to think about it for awhile when suddenly the phone rings and it’s Mrs. Sobak, looking for another sitter for Betsy.  Ballsy, that woman is.  Claudia is (and rightfully so) upset that Mrs. Sobak calls for a sitter and I would have called her back and said, “sorry, we can’t help you” but these girls are fixers, so they are going to “fix” Betsy.  The best way to fix her?  By waging a joke war, of course.  Mallory volunteers for the first wave of attack, especially since her siblings are all about the jokes right now too.

Which brings us to Mal’s sitting chapter.  Betsy hides on Mal; Mal gives her sneezing powder.  Betsy gets Mal with a bloody tooth; Mal scares her with a slug.  Betsy scares Mal with a rubber snake; Mal scares her with a rubber rat.  Betsy scares Mal with her cockroach and Mal runs out of jokes just as Mrs. Sobak arrives home.  Score in the joke war: 0-0

Dawn sits for Betsy next.  Betsy slimes Dawn’s kid kit; Dawn “faints.”  Betsy gets Dawn with a pooh-pooh cushion; Dawn pretends to see a mouse.  Betsy squirts Dawn with a fountain pen; Dawn pulls out a spider.  Betsy pulls out a rubber toad and Dawn is out of tricks.  They get into a game of Monopoly and end up having a late lunch.  Betsy apologizes and makes sundaes as a peace offering…only Dawn’s is made of shaving cream.  Score in the joke war: Betsy 1, BSC 0

Claudia is currently still stuck at home and is starting to worry about missing so much school. She’s also worried about having to repeat 8^th grade (doesn’t she get sent back in later books?) but Mimi helps her calm down.  She asks if Claudia has made up her mind about whether or not she’s going to stay in the club, but Claudia still doesn’t know.  Then Stacy calls and Claudia heads upstairs to talk to her.  She asks if Claudia has made up her mind about whether or not she’s going to stay in the club, but Claudia still doesn’t know and is slightly annoyed about being pestered about it.  The rest of the club arrives for the meeting and the first official order of business is to demand if Claudia is going to be in the club still or not.  Claudia is irritated, but promises to have her decision in a week.

Kristy is the next to sit for Betsy and she claims she has won the joke war.  She and Betsy go to a viewing of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and Kristy makes Betsy promise NO MORE JOKES.  Betsy instantly pulls out the joy buzzer, so it’s on.  They get into the theater and Betsy asks for popcorn.  After she leaves to get it, Kristy switches seats and Betsy can’t find her.  During the middle of the movie, Kristy slips a bloody thumb onto her finger and carefully slides it into the popcorn box.  Betsy screams loudly and some of her schoolmates (whom she joked as well) start to laugh.  Betsy is angry and says Kristy embarrassed her.  Kristy points out that’s what most of Betsy’s jokes do and that’s why people don’t like her jokes or Betsy herself for that matter.  Betsy asks how Claudia is and asks if she can go and apologize to her, even though she had sent her a note of apology.  Claudia is at home and is frustrated over some math she has to study when Kristy and Betsy arrive.  She apologizes to Claudia in person and then Kristy takes her home.  Later Kristy comes back and asks Claudia about the club and Claudia says that she’s going to stay; Betsy’s apology made her change her mind.

The book ends two months later with Claudia getting her cast off.  Her leg is pretty atrophied and she has to have crutches for a little while longer.  There’s another meeting that afternoon and Jessi says that Betsy has another joke catalogue, but didn’t play any jokes on her.  Then there’s a call for a sitter and it’s in a few weeks, when Claudia can sit again.  Hooray!  And the book closes with Kristy still wishing she could get hit in the face with a pie.

Ok, parental fails:  Sobaks, your kid is a practical joker, to the point you have a hard time keeping a regular sitter.  Now she’s played a joke that resulted in someone breaking their leg.  It’s past time to take care of this issue.  At least Betsy wrote an apology note.

Kishis, this is an actual legitimate lawsuit.  I have a really hard time believe you did nothing besides meet your daughter at the hospital after she broke her leg.  At the very least, bang down the Sobak’s door and demand an apology.

Sitter fails:  Do you really think you can “fix” a child who has no parental discipline in this issue?  #1. It’s not your place #2. it’s going to take more than a few jokes to change and attitude.  But then, this is Stoneybrook, not the real world.

#15 Little Miss Stoneybrook...and Dawn

Sorry it has taken me so long to get this posted.  I hate this book.

Ah, this book annoyed me in so many ways as a kid.  Maybe it was because Ann kept pushing that pageants are sexist and I didn’t get what sexist meant, or maybe it was because the girls, yet again, start fighting.  As a grown up, this book pisses me off in so many ways.  I get that Sharon is supposed to be disorganized and scatterbrained, but don’t you think she would have at least thought about what a drastic change she was making for her kids.  They had just gone through a divorce; did she really think it was a good idea to move them across the country, to a different climate, a different culture and  that far away from their dad?  I get she probably needed to get away, but maybe move a few hours away, then slowly transition back east.  Anyway, I digress.

Chapter one, we’re at a meeting.  “And before we go any farther, maybe I should explain who the club members are and what the Babysitter’s Club is.”  Please do, Dawn, since the name in and of itself is not self explanatory.  Wow, the anger is already seeping out.  Mallory and Jessi are “inducted” into the club and Dawn gets her panties in a twist because she wasn’t inducted.

She gets home and after dinner she finds out that Jeff was in trouble at school again.  This time, though, there is no fighting and Jeff begs to go back to California to live with his dad.  Sharon agrees and starts calling her ex and her lawyer about custody arrangements.  Mommy Moment:  Sharon, forget about yourself and move your family back to California.  That’s what I’d do.  Dawn is terribly upset by this and is hurt and angry with her brother (which he has every right to be) and spends the rest of the evening crying.

The next day, Dawn is at the meeting a little early and she and Claudia spy an ad for the Little Missy Stoneybrook contest.  Instantly Claudia proclaims it sexist, as do all of the other girls when they come in.  Thank you, Ann, for shoving your views down our throats.  Anyway, Dawn gets asked to help Margo and Claire Pike get ready for the Little Miss Stoneybrook pageant.  Mommy Moment:  I think the reason Mrs. Pike asked Dawn specifically is because she knows Sharon and knows what’s happening with Jeff and thinks this might take her mind off things.  Ha!  My K key is sticking and it spelled Pie.  Margo and Claire shall henceforth be known as Pie.  None of the other sitters are overly happy that she gets asked to take the job and this begins a little competition between the girls over who is the best sitter. 

Kristy has a sitting job for her siblings and manages to talk Karen into entering the contest.  Watson and Elizabeth aren’t overly excited about it and Kristy promises she’ll help her prepare for the pageant. 

Back at the Schafer household, Sharon is picking at dinner, Dawn and Jeff aren’t saying much and finally it all comes to a head.  Jeff is legally able to live with his father for six months to see if the behavior problems improve.  Jeff is ecstatic; Dawn is shocked (that’s what she says) and numb.  She admits she misses California and her friends and her father (pay attention Sharon!!), but that she’s not going to leave her mother.  She calls MA and then spends her evening thinking about Pie.

She meets with Pie the next day and discovers that Margo’s talent is reciting The House that Jack Built and peeling a banana with her feet.  Claire’s talent is singing Popeye the Sailor Man.  Then they try curtseying, which is a disaster.  Dawn realizes they aren’t pageant material.  Mommy Moment:  Aside from plot contrivance. I’m thinking Mrs. Pike knew this too and didn’t want to spend much time on it, but the girls reeeeally wanted to do it, so she hired a sitter to help them.  It’s what I would do if I had a daughter whining about it.  Or I’d just say no.

Mary Anne sits for the St. Perkins girls and convinces Mariah to ask her mom to let her enter the competition.  Again, Mrs. Perkins says it’s okay as long as MA helps her get ready.  Then Claudia sits for Charlotte and talks her into entering the pageant.  You know, Charlotte, the one with terrible stage fright.  And yet again, the mom says okay, as long as Claudia helps her get ready.  Because if your girls wins, you are the best babysitter.  Logic…..it goes bye-bye!

Mallory and Jessi sit for the Pike hoard.  They are all annoyed by Pie practicing for the pageant.

The next meeting is super awkward as none of the girls want to talk about what their pageant contestants are doing.  Then Sharon calls with a non sitting question and Dawn drops the bombshell that Jeff’s going back to California.  Apparently Sharon has become really clingy with Dawn, as though to keep her from going away (remember that in future books) What I find interesting is that none of the girls really says anything supportive or comforting.

Friday is the last day before the pageant and the last day with Jeff in Connecticut.  So of course, Dawn is spending the afternoon getting the girls ready for the next day.  They do a few practice runs, and stop and hide when Charlotte and Claudia come in.  Arg, these girls!

After a quick dinner of leftovers, the Schafers are on the road to the airport.  Jeff pretty much waltzes onto the plane and Dawn breaks down, wondering what it was going to be like growing up without him and him growing up without her.  Mommy Moment:  Seriously, Sharon.  You have to do what’s best for your kids.  Jeff needs to be in California and Dawn needs to be with Jeff.  Arg.

The next day is pageant day.  Dawn hustles over to help Pie get ready and she and Mrs. Pike head to the pageant.  They get the girls checked in and start preparing for the pageant.  Boo-Boo Alert:  Sabrina Bouvier is only a little girl.  In later books, she’s in middle school.  All of the girls’ charges doe well, except for Charlotte, who runs off the stage in tears and refuses to come back.  Myriah Perkins comes in second (Sabrina Bouvier wins, of course).  All the sitters admit that they really wanted to win to prove they were good babysitters.  Common Sense Moment: How would your sitting charge winning a pageant show that you’re a good sitter?  I’d think keeping the kids alive and safe would be a better measure.

One evening, Dawn is sitting at home reading a magazine when the phone rings.  It’s Jeff!  They have a great conversation and Jeff says he misses her.  She is happy to know Jeff is happy, even though it’s really hard to have him so far away.

Then Claire calls…there’s a beautiful child contest at Bellair’s….

#2 Claudia and the Phantom Phone Caller

The plague has hit and we’ve all been dealing with sickness at our homes, except for Tess, who has no school aged children and is vacationing in Acapulco with her husband while her son gets some quality grandma time. (I’ll pay for that when she gets back).  So, without further delay, let’s get to the snarking, aye?

This is the second book in the series and it was one of my favorites, simply because, ooOOoo, secret admirers!  Now I worry about letting my girls leave the house alone in case some creepy preteen boys decide to stalk them.

We meet Claudia on a gloomy fall evening as she’s mooning over Trevor Sandbourne and bemoaning about having to do homework.  She talks about how she needs help with her work because she tends to daydream.  Mimi is there to help her and she finishes fairly quickly.  Instead of reading or daydreaming, she asks Mimi to come in and finish sitting for a portrait she’s doing.  They talk about why she and Janine don’t get along and Mimi gives her some sage advice about having to try to get along with her sister.  Yay Mimi!

The girls get together the following Saturday and Claudia moons over Trevor  and the upcoming dance, the Halloween Hop.  Kristy describes the wonderful Alan Gray.  MA reads in the paper that there is a phantom phone caller on the loose.  He calls to see if they’re home and then breaks in to rob them, even if they’re home.  This panics the girls slightly and they develop a code they can use on a phone call in case they’re sitting and something similar happens.  They decide to keep this a secret from their parents.

Now these are the days before the BSC clique, so Claudia is sitting with her other friends and Dorianne Wallingford dramatically sighs that her grandparents were robbed by the phantom phone caller.  Claudia panics until she mentions her grandparents live in a couple of towns over.  Another girl mentions in the bathroom Claudia’s crush on Trevor and Claudia flips out at Kristy for blabbing.  Kristy defends herself and Claud believes her.  So who is spreading these little rumors….

A sitting chapter.  Claudia sits for Jamie Newton and Kristy scares the snot out of Claudia.

The next evening as Claudia’s working on another painting when she hears that the state troopers are tailing the Phantom.  She calls Stacey and rejoices with her…until the next evening, when she’s sitting for the Marshalls.  The phone rings and no one is there.  Claudia gets the girls to bed and calls Stacey.  They’re talking when Claudia hears some noises as someone is trying to get through the door.  She tries to use the code, but panics, then she realizes it is just the Marshalls, who have forgotten their keys.

Another sitting chapter.  Kristy sits for Karen and Andrew and Karen starts in on her witch nonsense again.  After the kids go to bed, the phone rings a couple of times, again with no one on the other end of the line.  Hmmm…..

And yet another sitting chapter.  Stacey sits for Charlotte J and the lights go out.  No weird phone calls though.

Wow, three sitting chapters in a row.  MA is sitting for DM while the rest of the family is out.  She rigs up some crazy alarms, just in case.  No crazy phone calls here either…

At the next meeting, there is more talk about Alan Gray and Trevor Sandbourne and how awful Alan is and how wonderful Trevor is.

That night as Mimi is helping Claudia, The Goldmans come from next door a little shaken up.  It appears that they have been robbed by the phantom phonecaller.  MA’s father catches wind of this and forbids her to babysit.

At school the next day, Claudia is a little distracted, but she tries to talk to Trevor and ends up dumping red jello in his lap.  Smooth.

That night, she and Kristy are sitting for the Newtons, who have cousins visiting them.  (The “evil” Feldman children).  The  kids start off by being wild, but Kristy and Claudia calm them down.  While the kids are playing, the phone rings three times and three times there is no one on the other end of the line.  As they’re feeding the kids, the girls see a shadow go by the house.  Claudia calls the police.  Who is skulking around the house?  Alan Gray.  He wanted to ask Kristy to the Halloween Hop. 

That night Claudia bonds with Janine over some salt water taffy as she explains what happened at the Newtons.

The next day, Claudia puzzles over who could have a crush on her as she sits for the Marshall girls.  The phone rings and again there is no one on the line.  The next time it rings, Claudia demands they speak and lo and behold, it’s Trevor Sandbourne.  Hoorah, they’re going to the dance together.

The girls go to the dance (except MA), the phantom phone caller is caught and Claudia’s grades start to go up.  Yay. 

Mommy Moments:

• I kind of agree with the Kishis having someone work with Claudia on her homework.  As is repeated a lot in the early books, she is smart, she just needs to focus.
• I kind of have to agree with Richard on this one; I would likely ask the girls stay home while a criminal who doesn’t mind breaking in while people are in the house is on the loose.
• Really guys?  You have to skulk around like this just to ask a girl out?  I probably wouldn’t let my daughter go out with you after you stalked her for two weeks.
•  

Common Sense Moments:

• 911 was implemented in 1968.  I think it would be better to call 911 than call a friend and ask her if she’s seen your red ribbon.

Claudia Outfits:

• Some hair:  “That day I had fixed it in five slim braids, and looped each one up on my head, holding them in place with beaded barrettes that had sparkly streamers attached to them.”

#13 Good-bye Stacey, Goodbye

Enter Stacey, fantasizing about being in a candy land and eating it all, because she has diabetes and can never ever eat sweets. 

 Sigh.  I’m sure we’ve all looked it up, but people with type 1 diabetes can have sweets occasionally.  Either medical science didn’t know that back then or Ann has no clue.  Stacy says she would kill for a tootsie pop.  Congratulations, Ann.  You’ve just created a serial killer.  Perhaps you can write a series on the Tootsie Pop killer.

Hmmm…turns out Stacey was in math class while fantasizing and is saved by the bell.  She spends her afternoon sitting for Charlotte Johanssen before heading off to a club meeting.  Her mom calls at the end of the meeting to hurry her home and she leaves with a sick feeling in her stomach.

No need to panic, Stacey.  You’re just moving back to NYC in five or six weeks.  She drops her knife twice during this conversation. 

She’s not totally excited about this until her parents start reminder her of all the good old days and things they can do until she’s totally psyched.  Then she calls Laine, her formerly former best friend, who tosses cold water on her by reminding her of all the people who don’t like her at her old school and think she’s weird.  Then she calls Claudia, heads over to her house and they cry together and try to think of ways Stacey could stay in the ‘Brook.  There really is no way, because the McGills aren’t going to let their daughter stay behind and they aren’t staying, so it’s time for an emergency meeting of the BSC.

Stacey tells everyone the next day at lunch and then scuttles off to talk to her math teacher before the tears really flow.  Of course, the remaining girls decide to throw a going away party for her, although they only have $15.  Then they realize they have a lot of business and are going to be short a sitter.  (if they have all this business, why are they so broke?)

Sitting chapter: MA sits for Jeff Schafer and finds out he really doesn’t want to be in Connecticut and that he misses his dad pretty badly.  This has been building for a couple of books now.

The McGills have started packing and realize they have too much junk to fit into their apartment.  Stacey volunteers to hold a yard sale with the help of her friends.  Tada!   

A way for them to make money to pay for the party! (aside from the copious amounts of sitting they’re supposedly doing).

Another sitting chapter.  Claudia is sitting at the Pikes with Mallory and the kids are spying on their new neighbors.  Mal’s not doing it because she’s “too old.”  I call shenanigans because in SS#1 she was Harriet the Spy all over that cruise ship.

The BSC organizes for the yard sale, Claudia and Stacey are sad together and the girls decide to sell brownies and potholders along with the McGills’ stuff.

Sitting Chapter #3: Kristy sits for her sibs and some of their friends.  Karen starts talking about how Mrs. Porter is a witch.  Mrs. Porter invites the hoard over to make lemonade and Kristy realizes she’s just a lonely old woman. (well, duh).  I don’t get why that family lets Karen get away with besmirching and old lady’s name.

Stacey hasn’t told Charlotte J that she’s moving yet and today’s the day.  Charlotte reacts the way you’d expect and eight-year-old to act, telling Stacey she hates her, then wanting a hug.  Stacey takes her over to the McGill house and shows her all the things they are getting ready for the yard sale.  She sets aside a copy of A Cricket in Times Square for Charlotte, including a personal inscription.

Yet another sitting chapter: Dawn sits for the Barretts and they decide to have a yard sale.  They sell one thing, but they give Dawn an idea for Stacey’s going away party.

It’s yard sale day!  The sale is from 10-4:30.  Odd hours for a sale; most around here start at 8 or earlier.  Must be the East coast.  They get everything set up and the day goes by busily.  They apparently make a crap ton of money, but, like every other BSC book where money is involved, we don’t get the actual figure.

Charlotte J stops by and give Stacey a book she made for her.

Stacey gets an invitation a few days later for a farewell party in her honor.  She is confused, as it instructs her to wear old clothes.  She arrives at Kristy’s suitably dressed and is let to the backyard to see….KIDS!!!!  All the kids they sit for, minus the babies, of course.  They start with an egg relay race, then musical rug, pin the baby on the sitter, hunting peanuts (not in the day and age with all the nut allergies out there), Simon Says and races.  There are prizes for the winners; it turns out the girls spent the yard sale money on them[.

At the end of the party, the kids draw Stacey a huge picture of Stoneybrook for her to take to NYC.  Then they have cake (including a sugar free one for Stacey) and give Stacey a card before they leave.

It’s Stacey’s last BSC meeting and there are things to do.  Kristy officially “thanks” Stacey for her service and transfers the treasurer position to Dawn.  They think about asking Mallory to join.  Dawn points out Mallory could take a lot of afternoon jobs, freeing them up for the evenings.  Now, I snarked Hello Mallory a few months ago and that point wasn’t brought up until the end of the book.  Even Ann can’t remember what she writes from book to book.  

Stacey gets to call her and ask if she’d be interested and Mallory shrieks her ecstatic yes.

The morning of the move starts with Stacey bemoaning the fact that she didn’t sleep well.  No one usually does when something big is happening.  She and her parents clean out the refrigerator, having odd things for breakfast.  Stacey returns to her room to double check her stuff and weep over the good bye cards her former sitting charges.  As she sobs away, she hears her friends outside calling to her, holding up a big sign that reads, “See you soon Stacey!”  She gets to keep the sign and she gives them cards with her name and address that her parents had printed for her.  I’m glad that’s just a drawing, because the card is a little….umm….I dunno, not exciting looking.  Maybe it’s just me.  They watch the movers pack up the McGills’ stuff and then the girls say good bye.  Claudia slips Stacey a letter to read in the car, which outlines all the fun things they’ve done and how Stacey’s her best friend ever. ~Sniff~  Stacey closes up the letter and starts thinking about New York and all the fun things she’ll do there.  She’s ready; bring it on .

Just for fun, a Claudia outfit:  “a purple and white striped body suit under a gray jumper thing(real technical here).  The body suit went all the way to her ankles, but she was wearing purple pushdown socks anyways.  Around her middle was a wide purple belt with a buckle in the shape of a telephone.  On her feet were black ballet slippers.”  I would love to know where you could find a belt with a telephone shaped buckle…but then, it was the ‘80’s.

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