a small RANT, if you will

Thank you for reposting the website, Jan. I have my newsreader set up to delete messages once I have read them, and I missed the chance to go to the site and see the teddies. They are so cute, and individual. And those smiling faces will be sure to help the tears stay away while a little one is getting a needle or having a cut fixed up, etc.

Gemini

Yeah... what's that beer commercial? I... AM... CANADIAN!!! ;o)

Gemini

Joan.. Good for you..I have knit many blankets for Project Linus and had to send them by mail which cost a lot..then I made a lot more took them to the local hospital for new mothers who didnt have much for their new babies. It is a blessing to be able to share our love with others. This Teddy we knit takes a little ball of yarn size of a lemon for either pants or sweaters on teddy..thus using up all our old yarn in little balls not big enough for hats or mittens..

The Salvation Army takes used toys.

Higs, Katherine

Wow, Hazel... that is terrible that charities won't accept used toys. While there are some things set up close to Christmas around here (well, in the nearby cities) where they ask people to drop off an unwrapped new gift, I

*know* that there are some places more than happy to accept used toys. The Inn of the Good Shepherd, for one, would happily accept used toys to give out to little children who have very little if anything.

What about local churches in your area? Would they not be able to find homes for the dolls with the new clothes that you lovingly made for them?

*hugs* Gemini (Ontario, Canada)

And if all else fails... what about charities (like the teddies one) that send toys and such off to less fortunate countries?

Gemini

I appologise if i misunderstood Nbjess `s meaning , but it did come over a bit harsh ,, i admire her charity actions. But each should be left to make one`s own`s choises . mirjam

Hello Noreen,

Are you saying that, Americans are part of being North Americans, just like the Canadians are part of being North Americans. However Canadians are not Americans and Americans are not Canadians. BTW I have always wondered what "duh" means is this an agronomy?? for what...??

Hope you have the same nice weather we are having here, sun is shining and the spring flowers are bloming

Els

I didn't see any horrendous mail either. Perhaps Noreen could copy them here because I am very concerned to see such mails. I have only every seen kind and helpful mails here

Ophelia

I noticed there is a pattern for crocheted teddies as well as a pattern for knitted teddies. I didn't notice though... do the knitted teddies use doublepointed needles, or just straight ones (I hope they are just straight)?

Gemini

Hazel I am sure that someone would be deleighted with your old dolls in new outfits. There must be some group out there that would love to take your newly outfitted ladies in to make some girl or boy happy. Shelters for women, hospitals, recreations centers, social workers, clinicks, Schools, and afer school programmes, daycare centers, etc. the list is endless.

Good luck with this.

Els

I was giving this some thought a while back, and really, using American could technically cover anyone in both North and South America. For a while, I felt it was presumptuous of US people to call themselves Americans, but now I think it's just an easier way to identify. I am curious though, as to how people in other countries refer to people from the United States. When you hear "Americans", do you assume that would be people in the US?

BB

Yes the Salvation Army is another place where your dolls would be very welcome, good advice Katherine.

Els

Yes, to me (and all other Canadians that I know personally) the word "Americans" is in referrance to people from the United States of America. We (from Canada) call ourselves "Canadians", not "North Americans", as Shelagh pointed out before. As I'm sure Mexicans likely don't call themselves "Central Americans", or Argentinians (I have spoken to a few on line) don't call themselves "South Americans".

Considering that your country has the word America in it "United States of _America_", it would only seem natural to call yourselves "Americans". I can't think of anything else you *could* call yourselves.... United States-ers? That just sounds wrong in so many ways. ;o)

I know that people in the northern States used to be known as "Yankees" (although, I never knew where that term came from), and I will admit that I have heard some Canadian people referring to Americans as "Yankees", or "Yanks"... just like we (Canadians) have been referred to as "Canucks". But it technically would be wrong to call all Americans "Yankees", considering that the people in the southern States used to call themselves "Rebels". So, I can think of no better way of stating who you are or where you are from than to just call yourselves "Americans"... it says it all.

Just my opinion!

Gemini

Any U.S. Americans I've ever met call themselves "Americans". It's short & to the point.

As a Canadian, I call them Americans

Americans can also mean South Americans or Central Americans. But for many people, it just means U.S. citizens. This is the meaning I had in mind because you said it would be better to give the teddies to American Katrina victims.

Els, I had to giggle when I read this because I think you meant acronym. To the best of my knowledge it is a slang word and not an acronym. Go to Google and search on "define duh" (without the quotes) to get an idea of it's meaning. Here's an example of what you will find: "Another common use is to suggest to someone that you are telling them something obvious, but you're telling them anyway because you don't expect that they are all that bright.

Instead of sun we are getting a pretty snowfall with big fluffy flakes. It will be a long time before we see spring flowers.

No, NO, NO!

W're " 'Meric'n"! 'Ca'se w've lost the skill of diction to properly pronounce "America." It has to do with the way we have starved our schools; and the way we depreciate learning and education.

Actually, GWB can speak with perfect diction and elegant phraseing. His "good old boy" accent is an act that he puts on to appeal to " 'Meric'ns" in the "Red States".

Aaron

Els, I'm jealous of your weather. Jan, we are getting the fluffy snowfall too. We've had a weather warning for west of us, and I'm not sure we'll get it here. I'll have to keep an eye on it. It was very windy last night. ;>P

Shelagh