So who has meet in "real life"

Oh Sara - those pads look SO TINY now compared to his current pair. I told Ellice about this, but you (and everyone else) will enjoy this.

DS went to return his jerseys for his Flames team at the league storage facility. Where the league just happened to be doing a MASSIVE clear out. And being a true scion of my family, he brought something home that was going to be trashed. A pair of 70's vintage goal pads - leather and horse hair - in his length and nearly pristine. One of these weighs more than both of his new pads.

They are "art" in his room

I'm sure we can - just have to check the LNS to see what would be excellent S.E.X. timing and the rest of life activities. Somehow, I think Sue always makes out on these - as she's sort of in the middle from us in VA, to the northern MD/Delaware crew!

Ellice

I told DH about this...he enjoyed that. Of course, we have somewhere DH's skates from the Cornell days - he played in them until about 7 years ago - when finally the boot cracked to being not repairable (they were Laings, molded kind of goalie boat, with hard shell, and inner liners. I promise you, we still have pristine liners for these -but, hey, they were the skates that he got from the team and he loved them. Don't want to talk about the fights going thru goalie helmets. But, one of his Cornell team pix - which his crazy sister had mounted on a Wheaties box (best present ever) has him in the brown old pads - I'm sure it's his freshmen year pic - he's got long hair, and is really thin on top - hadn't quite grown more. Makes it clear as to why he chose hockey over football in college!

We have the dorm room "hockey stick hanging lamp" - complete with the late

70's bright paper shade on it. And a variety of hockey are. It's just making sure the stinky stuff goes away - or gets hermetically sealed if not cleanable ;^) E

Ok - jerseys, the skates, outgrown shoulder pads, chest protectors and 3 pairs of used/abused pads... And DH's college gear...

C

LOL - we sound like our own little competition....Personally, in our case I think it's either all the roller gear (and those bulky skates) or all the softball gear that puts us over the edge. It took a while to get him to lose the old high school chest protector - he'd detached the arms and used it for roller & street for a while. DH at least has donated outgrown leg pads, or replaced ones to several programs. Happily enough, we donated a bunch of my earlier "skating out" gear and some of his older (smaller) goalie gear to the Ft. Dupont Kids on Ice program - whose coach/founder (and great guy, though not too nice to "outsiders") Neal Henderson just got named to the Hockey Hall of Fame in the new category for community development or some such.

We could start our own version of Play it again Sports - that is if anyone were ever willing to get rid of their stuff. DH is just waiting for me to lose weight and start the horsey thing again - more stinky stuff to bring into the house!

ellice

DH's first pair were just like that. They are incredibly heavy. But art? I dunno. Just curious, how tall is K. now?

Sara

Oh - you'll win hands down, while there is TONS of hockey gear, and a few baseball bats, DD's lacrosse gear is a stick, a mouth guard and goggles. Unless she does become a goalie full time, then you add an extra stick and protective gear.

C

He's about 6 foot 2 and may be doing another growth thing. DD is rising fast.

C

Hey, I don't know that it's winning. Just means that essentially instead of a kids room, we have what I could lovingly call the "room of stench".... One of the spare rooms downstairs (of the 2 only partially finished ) is supposed to be the fitness room - which has the garment rack, my gear and some other assorted non stench stuff. But, the other room - which is ultimately supposed to be the crafty room (we even did electrical in there for an extra washer/dryer) is meant to house the gross assortmt of athletic gear. Right now, it actually is storage for some patio furniture, and....a circulating fan, and ....the stink stuff - that's where the airing racks for gear are, and the softball stuff, and the roller stuff... It's kind of pathetic that essentially we have an entire room full of this stuff - and somehow, I'm not sure it's going to come visit when we're old and drooling in our dotage.

My DB & DSIL (not the crazies) laugh at us that we have all this gear. But, the nephew did benefit as he was growing by being the recipient of gear, and at least having us to play hoops, baseball, football, and skate with him. His uncle on my SIL's side was a pro-tennis player (he's an agent now - & an antique/Stickley dealer -quite the combo) - who could do the tennis thing with him.

So on that note....today I have my first session with the trainer at the new gym that opened in our 'hood. Amazing deal for the residents - so, we're signed up. I'm excited as they have an indoor and outdoor pool. So, yeah, water aerobics in bad weather. I think one of our community pools will have them during the summer now the pool's open as well. At least the gym doesn't take big gear - just more work-out clothes.

Ellice

Big kids! I'm so happy that at least one of my niece's is actually just shorter than me! It's like being in a family of giants at my brothers - with him being just about 6'3", but the over 6'8" nephew,& the 5'11" niece - who wears heels - a lot. IIRC, the nephew was only abouat 6'5" when he started at FSU, and then grew the next 3+ inches. Be happy that you can get normal shoes for K - I think my DB is constantly amazed at the trials of getting size 17/18 shoes for J. My SIL is about 5'4" - although her dearly departed mother actually argued with mine that I was her height (not) during the infamous ordering of hideous bridesmaid dress incident (extra length or not). Made me think -they're kind of like my folks - dad was 6'5" when they married, and mom.....5'3 + 1/2" - very important 1/2" . In the wedding pix

- my mom was standing on a phone book under her gown - seriously.

E

I'm 6 ft 4 ins tall and take size 14 shoes. I get most of my clothes from an online shop in Cornwall who stock trainers up to size 19

Bruce

I was used to the big/tall shops with my dad, who was pretty slender (he managed to always stay in shape), and was just a size 12 shoe. But, I think my nephew hit a size 16 shoe when he was about 16. They live in an area with a lot of professional athletes, and I think they've taken advantage of being able to shop similarly. I think my brother is just hoping that Josh doesn't grow much more! We just call his older sister the "Glamazon" - given her height and penchant for fashion, & high heels. Or, we actually think that she's the role model for "legally blonde - Elle Wood."

It's good that you have a place to get your clothes - on-line is so convenient now, rather than having to run all over looking for a shop.

Ellice

I think USA shoe sizes are different from those of UK, as the clothes are. I've gathered that size 5 shoe here is called 7 there, or something like that. In clothes, sizes 2 and 4 don't exist in UK (to my knowledge;) if they did the wearers would be in hospital or coffins! Even a 6 is a very skinny teenager!

Joyce in RSA.

The sizes do differ. Essentially, I think for shoes you're right. At least for women - I think the number is about 2 smaller in the UK versus here - or

1.5 Just did the highly accurate closet check - comparing a pair of lovely suede pumps with a low heel - that are at least 15 years old - and exactly in style right now. They're some German brand that I bought in France, size 6, and pretty much the same as my American size 8 shoes of similar heel height. Clothes-wise, the numbers, at least for dresses, are one size different. As in a UK size 16 is a size 14 here, so a 4 here in the US would be a 6 there - at least comparing my closet stuff from the last time I shopped overseas. I'm sure someone else knows better than me. I just remember shopping quite a bit when I was working in the UK, and constantly bringing back lingerie (great for what we call slips - for under dresses/skirts) and being annoyed 'cause the size number was one bigger - made me feel huge!

Here, when I was in jr hi/high school the father of one of my class mates owned a set of women's boutiques called "size 5/7/9" - they went down to size 1! Tiny, tiny - my then bf who was a ballet dancer, and hysterical when she was pushing her size 3s would shop there. Needless to say, I can remember my joy upon being able to actually buy some pants there in the ever huge size 9 (which would be about a UK 8) as odd number sizes here are Juniors, cut not so full in hips/bust. Also needless to say - that only lasted a couple of years! My bf - so thrilled when a boutique opened specializing in really tiny - size 0, 1, 3. She actually didn't have any eating disorder, but was so body conscious and had issues being the typical ballerina - with huge legs and tiny waist/bust so was always having to get her jeans altered for the waist to not be tooo huge. Aach - amazing we didn't kill each other shopping.

ellice

I met Darla and Tia Mary at CATS in Las Vegas in '06 and, of course, Gillian's already mentioned her trip here. I also meet Arliss (former poster) occasionally at NN, usually about once a year. I have talked to TM & Gill a number of times and with Ellice once or twice.

Joan

It's been a while, but seems to me that at some point I met Diane Lewandowski. We were both rushing at some convention or other, don't remember which one. And of course I've met a number of the other designers. But I'm not really sure if there's anyone else left on this group that I've met.

Teri

I seem to recall meeting you in the early 90's in NH at Celebrations, or was that a different Teri on the list?

Cheryl

In Australia I've met a bunch of people who used to hang around here, mostly from Sydney.

In England, I've met Pat P.

I went to Celebration a few years back and met Cheryl, Bobbie, Margaret and their friends.

I've also met Lee from Maryland who used to be on this group.

Rosemary in Melbourne, Australia

Teri

I think we met one time at the Creative Needlework Festival in Toronto. It was (ahem) quite a few years ago :)

MargW