#127: Abby's Un-Valentine

[tsukichibi]

I'm back with BSC #127: Abby's Un-Valentine. I haven't read a lot of the Abby books, since I'd mostly gotten out of the BSC by the time she came around, but I remember liking her. Also, I found that this book sounded kind of interesting, as it was bout a 13-year-old who actually wasn't interested in dating. I'm both doubtful and amazed that someone

Comments

Guide Dogs Rock

[nightwalker]

My family fostered guide dogs for the Seeing Eye for almost twenty years and they really like foster families with children so the dogs can be comfortable around them. Small children are often loud and rambunctious and unpredictable and the dog needs to know how to cope with that before it's paired. They had dozens of ways to help the kids deal with the fact that the puppy/dog would eventually leave, too. We got photos of the dog in training classes, and the dogs new owners/partners would send us letters and pictures. They also usually brought the new puppy on the same day they took the older one away, which helped (what can I say - kids can be fickle. ^_^)

From the other side, the responsibility of training a Guide Dog can be really good for a little kid, too. There are rules and guidelines for how the dog needs to be prepared, and speaking as someone who grew up with that, it really does help little kids learn responsibility, as well as making them feel accomplished.

Re: Guide Dogs Rock

[tsukichibi]

Yeah, I know, but it seems like Elizabeth and Watson didn't really prepare Andrew for this, you know? Of course, that's more about crap parenting than anything else, so... It's not about the Seeing Eye and fostering so much as Elizabeth and Watson can be totally fail parents sometimes.

[jura319]

I make the pinecone bird feeder things with the kids. We have never "melted beef suet" *blech*
The squirrels REALLY seem to enjoy them, but I have never actually seen a bird eat one.

[laina_inverse]

I used to make them, but only with the peanut butter and birdseed. Chickadees LOVED my dad's place in the winter for that very reason.

[ryversong]

You know, I read these things religiously until I was a little too old to be reading them without being embarrassed. That being said, I'm going to date myself here. Who the hell is Abby? Where did she come from? WHEN did she come in?! Sadly there's no way I'm going to go out and buy more BSC books just to catch up on the snark. *laughs*

[kakeochi_umai]

Dawn's replacement. Dawn went back to Cali for good in #88(?) and Abby was written in to replace her. Here's the Wiki article about her.

[tsukichibi]

Abby was introduced after Dawn left for good. She joins the BSC in #90: Welcome to the BSC, Abby! I don't blame you for not wanting to buy the books just to read them, because I don't, either. Mine came from the library. If you read the snarks, though, most of them are kind of like rough summaries, so you could catch up that way. That's what I've been doing.

[kakeochi_umai]

Or when she was just a kid and ate a whole box of chocolates that she and Anna had bought for their parents.
See, this is why you should get Scorched Almonds! For the non-Kiwis (and possibly Aussies) on here, there was an ad where a girl was going to give each of her family a Scorched Almond for Christmas but didn't have enough because she'd eaten too many herself. The ad ends with her saying "To Mummy and Daddy..." and I'm totally picturing Abby and Anna doing that with their parents' Valentines Day present.

do you really want Stacey's sloppy seconds, Abby?
I dunno, if "must not have dated Stacey" is one of your dating criteria, your pool will be pretty small. And now I can't help wondering if that's the real reason MA went for a new boy, Kristy went for someone from a different school and Mallory went for the male version of herself.

She enjoys those occasions when she can exercise her authorityHA! I love how Abby snarks on Kristy

[kakeochi_umai]

Also, Logan, Hunter and Kerry's last name now makes me cringe because it makes me think of Bruno Mars who I hate more every time I see or hear him.

[nothingtolose19]

Ugh, that link! Heaven forbid two women KISS! That's not family friendly! Give me a break!!

[mapmakerscolors]

oh man, I forgot about when Kerry stole Tigger! that was crazy.

[dandelion]

I'm a big Abby fan, so yay Abby snark!

"She says that even though she and Kristy ride the bus together, coach the Krushers together, and both like sports, they're not that close because Kristy is so bossy. That surprises me, because I always pictured Abby and Kristy as being pretty close, because they compliment each other well."
I think they're too similar and irritate the hell out of each other, or at least did in the books I read (the series ended around 106 in the UK). Kristy hates that Abby is a "natural athlete" who doesn't have to work for it, and is annoyed she doesn't take things seriously enough. Also, Abby is somehow mostly immune to K-Ron's Kool-Aid. I think they put up with each other because they have to, eg they're driven to meetings together.

[gbye_bluemonday]

In the book where Abby and Anna are introduced (89, Kristy and the dirty diapers) Kristy likes Anna more and is disappointed when she doesn't want to join the Baby Sitters Club. I think this is the book where Kristy and Abby finally bond.