| 2012 Calendar
Date Host Presenter
Sept 9 Sandi Sandi D.
Nov 4 Diane Rachel Eryn
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Please Forward this GaGazine
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September 9 Meeting
Sandi Dolmatch, MFA and antiquarian book seller, will be doing double duty at our September 9 meeting. She will host and present a talk on how to get rid of our most precious possessions.
She'll start with what we think are our most treasured possessions and end with our garage sale items. We'll learn how to make those tough decisions of parting with things that are valuable to all of our family and what is valuable or sentimental to just us.
By decluttering our lives, we'll free ourselves from the added burden of dusting, insuring, and worrying about the things that take up time and space in our homes. |
Free Subscription to GRAND
GRAND - The Online Magazine for GRANDparents ($19.95 value - 12 issues) is offering our readers a complimentary subscription to their Magazine. This link provides instant access to the current issue and archives, plus each new bi-monthly issue will be delivered. Please feel free to pass along to your grand friends and family. |
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An Olympian Recipe
In honor of 12-time Olympic Swim medalist Natalie Coughlin, I'm sharing her delicious recipe for Leek and Chickpea Soup. It's easy to prepare and tastes delicious.
Ingredients
1 medium potato, peeled and cubed into 1 1/2" squares
1 tbs. butter
1 tbs. olive oil
5 medium leeks, outer skins removed, sliced lengthwise, rinsed thoroughly and finely sliced crosswise
2 cloves garlic, minced
Salt
12-ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
3 cups chicken broth, divided
Parmesan cheese, grated
Black
pepper to taste
Extra virgin olive oil
Directions
1. Cover potato in water and boil for 30 minutes until done. Drain potato.
2. Add butter and olive oil to large saucepan over medium heat. Add leeks and garlic and a good pinch of salt. Cook until tender, stirring 5 minutes.
3. Add chickpeas and potatoes and cook for 1 minute. Add 2 cups broth and simmer for 15 minutes.
4. Puree soup, if desired. Add remaining broth, plus Parmesan cheese to taste. Serve in bowls garnished with Parmesan, freshly ground black pepper and a drizzle of olive oil. |
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Greetings!
How do you rate as a mother-in-law? If you answered "good," then count yourself blessed. According to our July speaker, Jane Angelich, 60% of mother-in-law/daughter-in-law relationships don't work. As we all know, being a grandma is easy compared to being a mother or mother-in-law. At our July 15 meeting, I asked the group of 26 GaGas to introduce themselves by sharing one thing they admire about their daughter-in-law or son-in-law, as well as something they wish they had more of in their relationship. Our members named many admirable qualities that included patient, accepting, respectful, loving, energetic, organized, artistic, adaptable, and organized. The one thing that the majority wished they had more of in their relationship was time alone without the grandchildren. Several grandmas admitted they had a challenging relationship with a difficult daughter-in-law and wished they could do something to improve it. Jane offered several practical learning tools on how to avoid situations that can cause tension in that sometimes difficult mother-in-law/daughter-in-law relationship. Check out her suggestions in the article below. |
How Do You Rate as a Mother-in-law?
 Author Jane Angelich likes to write books about topics that bug her or others. That's how she happened to write her latest book: What's a Mother [in-Law] to Do?
Her son had just gotten engaged and when she mentioned the joyful news to her hygienist, she began ranting about her mother-in-law for the 45 minutes that she cleaned her teeth!
She shared her excitement with friends and after they offered congratulations, said: "enjoy it while you can!" Jane decided to interview women who had great relationships with their mothers-in-law by posting a request on The Wedding Channel. She got thousands of responses and after distilling the data, she came up with five keys to building a successful relationship between a mother and her son's wife. While Jane admits that the mother-in-law/daughter-in law relationship is much harder to navigate than the son-in-law relationship, her tips can help us in our relationships with all of our adult children. 5 Steps to Building a Loving RelationshipStep 1: Hold Your Tongue Resist the urge to offer unsolicited advice which can sabotage relationships. Step 2: Embrace HerLet her become part of the family at her own pace without suffocating her. Step 3: Keep OutRespect the couple's privacy, home, and boundaries by calling before you visit. Keep the dialogue open and amenable to change. Step 4: Don't Ask, Don't TellYour children will start a family when they're ready and once they do, remember they are the parents! Step 5: Be a Role ModelInspire by example and have a life independent of theirs. Get to know your adult children as individuals. Each chapter ends with the following helpful sections:
- What I Learned
- The Experts Weigh In
- Why You Might Be Behaving This Way
- Why Change?
- Some Conditions That Make Us Feel Welcome
- Seven Simple Suggestions for Success
- One Final Tip
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A Sign of Our Times
A friend sent me this and I thought it was so cute I'm sharing it!
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Programs for Our 2012 Meetings
The following programs are planned for the rest of the year so be sure to mark your calendar for these dates.
September 9, 2012 Disposing of Your Sentimental Possessions will be presented by our host Sandi Dolmatch. Sandi will share some tips for downsizing collections and objets d'art, by deciding what to toss, donate or bequeath to family and friends. November 4, 2012 Intergenerational Communication will be presented by Rachel Eryn Kalish. Rachel will discuss how to have dynamic, open, honest conversations across generations about any topic. December 6, 2012 Anniversary/Holiday Celebration will be hosted by Carol Woodard again this year to celebrate the 9th anniversary of the GaGa Sisterhood.
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Tips For Getting Along with the Other GrandmaWhen Jane Angelich wrote her book, What's a Mother (in-law) to Do, she wasn't a grandma yet and had no experience with the "other" grandma. After visiting her grandson on his first birthday, she realized that dealing with the "other" grandma can be quite challenging. As a long-distance grandma, Jane only gets to see her grandson once a year. She was furious when the other grandma showed a lack of sensitivity and dominated the visit. When Jane was getting ready to leave, she wanted to hold her grandson and spend the last five minutes alone with him but the other grandma monopolized the situation. She learned a lesson from that experience: instead of visiting on her grandson's second birthday, she went the week before so she could have some quality time alone with him. How do you get along with the other grandma? I asked some grandmas who share the same grandchildren for some advice and here's what they had to say. Speak favorably about the other grandmother. Janet and Judy share babysitting duties for their two granddaughters, three-year old Quincy, and one-year old McKinley. Read more ...
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The GaGa Zone
Please continue sending me pictures and stories of you with your grandchildren for the GaGa Zone.|
Frances' grandchildren Levi and Ella are posing in front of the blanket, woven with their pictures, that they and their moms gave her for Mother's Day!
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