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Living overseas

Living in America 2011

781 replies

MmeBucket · 04/03/2011 02:35

We were a few messages away from being closed on the other one. Hope everyone finds me here.

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PenguinArmy · 04/03/2011 02:40
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jabberwocky · 04/03/2011 02:42

Good job, Mme! I hadn't even noticed we were that close.

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MmeBucket · 04/03/2011 02:55

Nice job getting the last word in, Penguin.

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PenguinArmy · 04/03/2011 04:20
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PenguinArmy · 04/03/2011 04:21

I'm still at work. A 12 hour day has turned into a 14 hour one, thanks a stupid meeting and one of the experiments going wrong. Tomorrow is supposed to be a 12 hour day as well.



Only an hour to go :)

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kickassangel · 04/03/2011 04:36

.

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Earlybird · 04/03/2011 04:39

Ahh - here you all are!

Have been googling about the ancient Aztecs with dd, as she has a school assignment to make an 'Aztec artifact' of 'museum quality'. Urgh. Tbh, I had intended to spend my weekend a bit differently.

Parents are not supposed to help out much, but I am sure someone will arrive at school on Monday with a miniature temple made out of toothpicks or sugarcubes or something.........Hmm

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PenguinArmy · 04/03/2011 04:41

'museum quality' WTF??

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kickassangel · 04/03/2011 13:12

sorry, earlybird, but that's making me laugh. except it wouldn't surprise me if i don't end up with something similar - i've heard stories of pocahontas costumes etc.

museum quality - i'll bet almost every one of them is based on a cereal box.

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Earlybird · 04/03/2011 13:36

Cereal box....hmm, it has possibilities! Grin

So far, have heard reports from parents that they are underway with concocting a mask, authentic dolls, and jewelry. Hmm.

Dd has chosen the singularly uninspiring topic of 'Aztec Family Life' and research tells us that the women mostly spent their time cooking, weaving and sweeping. The men hunted and grew crops. The children helped their parents. Not exactly scintillating stuff - should we make a 'museum quality' broom? Weaving loom? A set of cooking pots filled with various grains accompanied by some tortillas?

I am wondering if a shoebox (or cereal box!) painted to look like a typical family home, with a roof garden is in our future....

If you knew me in person, you all would laugh. I am probably the most 'uncrafty' person ever. And that fact - which does not normally hinder me much in day to day life - is about to become glaringly obvious to dd's school community. She/I will be the recipients of many pitying glances from smug parents who will bask in the glow of their lovingly crafted (and so-good-you-can't-tell-the-difference-from-the-real-thing) artifacts. And these same smug parents will insist that the project (that they have stayed up all night making with a glue gun!) really was done by their child with no help at all from Mom and Dad! Hmm

Argh - we're doomed!

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jabberwocky · 04/03/2011 14:00

Earlybird, you may not recall that dh is an artist and does miniatures. To make it museum quality all you have to do is use archivally safe materials. So, make your little house out of sheets of acrylic glued together with gorilla glue and then paint and decorate to your heart's delight!

I am very fortunate that dh does all of the projects for school with ds1. Last year they had to do a house from somewhere else in the world. Ds1's project was a Native American cliff dwelling, lol. It gets very competitive around here...

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jabberwocky · 04/03/2011 14:01

OR, you could go to one of those make your own pottery places and do some bowls!

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berri · 04/03/2011 15:07

Ooh hello.

Anyone living in Chicago on this thread? The old one looked a tad overwhelming, but this one isn't quite as big (yet) Grin

We're moving to Chicago in the Summer, would love to hear from any other mnetters over there.

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jabberwocky · 04/03/2011 17:35

You need grockle

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Grockle · 04/03/2011 18:51

Here I am, Berri! I lived in Chicago for 6 yrs. Not there now but will help if I can. What do you want to know?

Well done Penguin for the last word Grin

Earlybird, I love that your DD is having to make museum quality artifacts! I'd be in a big panic about it. I hate all that competitive parenting malarky. I'd fail!


I love macarons. I made some but need practice - they are tricky and the almonds need to be ground much more finely than I can get them.

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tadjennyp · 04/03/2011 19:53

rofl that some parents think they are making authentic dolls from a civilisation no longer in existence! I'm very impressed with your efforts. There will be nothing 'museum quality' emanating from this house! Grin There may be the occasional representation of something!

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redflipflops · 04/03/2011 20:34

Hello all! just joining new thread.

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kickassangel · 04/03/2011 21:01

dd's after school club are currently making leprachaun traps (stereotyping much?) for st patrick's day. after that they will be doing robots. mostly it appears to consist of cardboard boxes & string. they are happy.

museum quality my arse!

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Earlybird · 05/03/2011 00:06

We MUST be able to do something creative with paper plates......Wink

We should have plenty of time to work on the project this weekend, as we're forecast 3" of rain. It is moving in atm....oh well, a week from today we'll be in sunny California for spring break. Can't wait!

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kickassangel · 05/03/2011 01:54

as the women mainly stayed indoors doing housework, could you send them a 'museum quality interactive display' - ie, a pile of dirty dishes & some detergent, with strong encouragement for them to wash them?

or some clothing which needs to be hand washed?

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MmeBucket · 05/03/2011 02:10

I hate leprechaun traps. With a passion.

And Earlybird, not to rain (ha ha) on your parade, but having just come back from California, I wouldn't say it is always sunny there, since we only saw it for part of one day. Although you'll be south of where we were. I'm wishing good weather there anyway, because my friend is going to Disney with her family.

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redflipflops · 05/03/2011 02:36

yes has been raining n' grey in CA this week.... next week forecast is better 70F (where I am in Central Coast). Hope you have a good trip Earlybird.

My DC also doing leprachaun traps... never noticed St Patricks day till I moved to US!

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PenguinArmy · 05/03/2011 02:41

today was nice though, not that it helps you now. Tomorrow is supposed to be good as well, but we have possible showers predicted for sun/mon

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kickassangel · 05/03/2011 03:27

i'm jelaous no - today has been just like england. grey, with rain/sleet & wind. just above freezing.
at least it IS above freezing.

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fridakahlo · 05/03/2011 05:03

Hello Everyone, just joining the latest thread. And can someone please explain, Leprachaun Traps? Why (apart from st patricks day, of course)?
Will be going to bed in a mo as I've finished stage one of the English Trifle I shall be wowing everyone with tomorrow evening. This has been made slightly harder as my dh has bought cake made with sucrolose [hmn] rather than proper good old fashioned sugar.
Hope all have a good Saturday!

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