OT - What do you get the woman who has everything?

I don't know about the wine, but the chocolate aggravates my mother's
bladder problems. She still has a piece now and then, though. She gave up
coffee for tea for the same reason, but since one of my sisters keeps her
well-supplied with good tea, she doesn't mind that . And she still has a
cup of decaf now and then.

--
Carolyn in The Old Pueblo
take out nospam to reply

If it ain't broke, you're not trying. --Red Green
If it ain't broke, it ain't mine. --Carolyn McCarty

If at first you don't succeed, switch to power tools. --Red Green
If at first you don't succeed, get a bigger hammer. --Carolyn McCarty

"teleflora" wrote in message
news:PF9od.88074$%x.55238@okepread04...
What kind of doctor tells a 92 year old woman she can't have a glass of
wine or a piece of chocolate. Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.

rant mode over - I'll read the rest of the story now
Cindy
"georg" wrote in message
...
I'd love a few suggestions for what to get Gram for kissmoose. She's 92,
and will tell anyone that she doesn't want anything. I used to get her
pink catawba wine (because she would have half a glass with dinner). When
the doc made her stop, I bought her good chocolates. The Doc made her
stop that too, but I think she still needs fattening up. She doesn't like
the "fancy coffees" and rarely bothers making them for herself any more
(although she used to love them). She doesn't do much crafty any more at
all. Last year, she kindly gave mum assignments to pass out to the
grandkids, which we were VERY happy about. I had to give her 4 Get Well
Soon, 4 sympathy, 4 happy birthday cards. She did not want more than
that. And a crossword dictionary. My sis had to get her a new tablecloth,
since Mum was permitted to get her a new kitchen table. If I make
anything for her, she gets mad at me for "bothering." She's also given
back to us most of the pictures of us all that we have given her over the
years, in an effort to simplify everything.

I love my gram. But she hates having a fuss made over her, and I do
understand her perspective- that's why I have tried to give her
comestibles in the past. But there aren't a lot of times where I can do
anything for her, and kissmoose is one of those times.

What do you do for your mum or gram who is like that? And on behalf of
grandkids everywhere if you are like that- we do like the list idea or a
few hints Of course, if you were on this list and my gram, I'd know
what to send you- fabric- regardless of your SABLE status. Too bad Gram
doesn't want to sew any more.

-georg

My parents aren't elderly, but they have everything they want or need, so
are hard to get presents for. I usually make them something quilty. This
year, I made them a large 75" in diameter Christmas tree skirt because they
always have a huge 12'-16' tree. I already sent it to them so they can enjoy
it all season. They put up their tree the day after Thanksgiving. (pictures
are still in the camera)
--
Ginger (in Texas)
http://photos.yahoo.com/gingerbread1958


"georg" wrote in message
...
I'd love a few suggestions for what to get Gram for kissmoose. She's 92,
and will tell anyone that she doesn't want anything. I used to get her
pink catawba wine (because she would have half a glass with dinner).
When the doc made her stop, I bought her good chocolates. The Doc made
her stop that too, but I think she still needs fattening up. She doesn't
like the "fancy coffees" and rarely bothers making them for herself any
more (although she used to love them). She doesn't do much crafty any
more at all. Last year, she kindly gave mum assignments to pass out to
the grandkids, which we were VERY happy about. I had to give her 4 Get
Well Soon, 4 sympathy, 4 happy birthday cards. She did not want more
than that. And a crossword dictionary. My sis had to get her a new
tablecloth, since Mum was permitted to get her a new kitchen table. If I
make anything for her, she gets mad at me for "bothering." She's also
given back to us most of the pictures of us all that we have given her
over the years, in an effort to simplify everything.

I love my gram. But she hates having a fuss made over her, and I do
understand her perspective- that's why I have tried to give her
comestibles in the past. But there aren't a lot of times where I can do
anything for her, and kissmoose is one of those times.

What do you do for your mum or gram who is like that? And on behalf of
grandkids everywhere if you are like that- we do like the list idea or a
few hints Of course, if you were on this list and my gram, I'd know
what to send you- fabric- regardless of your SABLE status. Too bad Gram
doesn't want to sew any more.

-georg

Good lord, seems like a person who has reached 92 ought to be able to eat
chocolate and drink wine if she wishes!
If she has a favorite scent, maybe you can find other items like body lotion
or bath soap in the same line. Put together in a pretty basket.
One of the most successful gifts in my experience was a fleece bathrobe.
Gave it to a dear elderly friend before her hip operation. She wore it when
out of bed, and put it on top of the hospital blankets when in bed, because
she felt chilly.
Roberta in D

"georg" wrote in message
...
I'd love a few suggestions for what to get Gram for kissmoose. She's 92,
and will tell anyone that she doesn't want anything. I used to get her
pink catawba wine (because she would have half a glass with dinner).
When the doc made her stop, I bought her good chocolates. The Doc made
her stop that too, but I think she still needs fattening up. She doesn't
like the "fancy coffees" and rarely bothers making them for herself any
more (although she used to love them). She doesn't do much crafty any
more at all. Last year, she kindly gave mum assignments to pass out to
the grandkids, which we were VERY happy about. I had to give her 4 Get
Well Soon, 4 sympathy, 4 happy birthday cards. She did not want more
than that. And a crossword dictionary. My sis had to get her a new
tablecloth, since Mum was permitted to get her a new kitchen table. If I
make anything for her, she gets mad at me for "bothering." She's also
given back to us most of the pictures of us all that we have given her
over the years, in an effort to simplify everything.

I love my gram. But she hates having a fuss made over her, and I do
understand her perspective- that's why I have tried to give her
comestibles in the past. But there aren't a lot of times where I can do
anything for her, and kissmoose is one of those times.

What do you do for your mum or gram who is like that? And on behalf of
grandkids everywhere if you are like that- we do like the list idea or a
few hints Of course, if you were on this list and my gram, I'd know
what to send you- fabric- regardless of your SABLE status. Too bad Gram
doesn't want to sew any more.

-georg

"georg" wrote in message
...
No, I know her doctor. He's skinny and doesn't listen as well as he
should. When he was my doc too, he put me on Flonase, to which I had an
allergic reaction. I was describing the psychedelic reaction I get - of
the lights coming down to lick my nose and worse- and he was telling me
that I should keep using it because it was good for me.

Hey! It does that to me too. I thought it was one of the benefits.

Cindy

"georg" wrote in message
...
idea though. She has the coolest phone that can be heard to ring anywhere
on the property and get wireless service through the whole yard (BIG yard-
which she still mows by herself).

-georg

See? That's why she's lived so long. Bet she never spent a whole morning
sitting at the computer. She physically worked.

I will NEVER be in that kind of shape.

Cindy

Give her a chore "IOU" note. I owe you 2 lawn mowings, rug shampoos, floor
moppings, or other chores that are difficult or impossible for her to do.
My son gave me a summer of lawn mowings and I have never had a better gift.
He is too busy to do it himself so he contacted a local person who came by
every week in the spring & every 2 weeks in the summer until the end of
October. Another one I like is when my son brings my granddaughter & they
cook dinner for all of us. We watch a rented dvd, eat ice cream and just
have a wonderful evening. The gift of your time with a good visit is always
welcome. Don't forget a hug! In our later years we don't get a lot of
touching so hugs are always welcome.

--
http://members.ebay.com/ws2/eBayISAP...rid=snigdibbly
~e~
"
/ \
http://stores.ebay.com/snigdibblysscrapbox&refid=store
"georg" wrote in message
...
I'd love a few suggestions for what to get Gram for kissmoose. She's 92,
and will tell anyone that she doesn't want anything. I used to get her
pink catawba wine (because she would have half a glass with dinner). When
the doc made her stop, I bought her good chocolates. The Doc made her stop
that too, but I think she still needs fattening up. She doesn't like the
"fancy coffees" and rarely bothers making them for herself any more
(although she used to love them). She doesn't do much crafty any more at
all. Last year, she kindly gave mum assignments to pass out to the
grandkids, which we were VERY happy about. I had to give her 4 Get Well
Soon, 4 sympathy, 4 happy birthday cards. She did not want more than that.
And a crossword dictionary. My sis had to get her a new tablecloth, since
Mum was permitted to get her a new kitchen table. If I make anything for
her, she gets mad at me for "bothering." She's also given back to us most
of the pictures of us all that we have given her over the years, in an
effort to simplify everything.

I love my gram. But she hates having a fuss made over her, and I do
understand her perspective- that's why I have tried to give her
comestibles in the past. But there aren't a lot of times where I can do
anything for her, and kissmoose is one of those times.

What do you do for your mum or gram who is like that? And on behalf of
grandkids everywhere if you are like that- we do like the list idea or a
few hints Of course, if you were on this list and my gram, I'd know
what to send you- fabric- regardless of your SABLE status. Too bad Gram
doesn't want to sew any more.

-georg

..... and at the age of 92 why the heck listen to a doctor who orders such
outrageous things - anyway!! At 92 we need to eat the dessert first - for
pities sake!!

--
http://members.ebay.com/ws2/eBayISAP...rid=snigdibbly
~e~
"
/ \
http://stores.ebay.com/snigdibblysscrapbox&refid=store
"teleflora" wrote in message
news:PF9od.88074$%x.55238@okepread04...
What kind of doctor tells a 92 year old woman she can't have a glass of
wine or a piece of chocolate. Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.

rant mode over - I'll read the rest of the story now
Cindy
"georg" wrote in message
...
I'd love a few suggestions for what to get Gram for kissmoose. She's 92,
and will tell anyone that she doesn't want anything. I used to get her
pink catawba wine (because she would have half a glass with dinner). When
the doc made her stop, I bought her good chocolates. The Doc made her
stop that too, but I think she still needs fattening up. She doesn't like
the "fancy coffees" and rarely bothers making them for herself any more
(although she used to love them). She doesn't do much crafty any more at
all. Last year, she kindly gave mum assignments to pass out to the
grandkids, which we were VERY happy about. I had to give her 4 Get Well
Soon, 4 sympathy, 4 happy birthday cards. She did not want more than
that. And a crossword dictionary. My sis had to get her a new tablecloth,
since Mum was permitted to get her a new kitchen table. If I make
anything for her, she gets mad at me for "bothering." She's also given
back to us most of the pictures of us all that we have given her over the
years, in an effort to simplify everything.

I love my gram. But she hates having a fuss made over her, and I do
understand her perspective- that's why I have tried to give her
comestibles in the past. But there aren't a lot of times where I can do
anything for her, and kissmoose is one of those times.

What do you do for your mum or gram who is like that? And on behalf of
grandkids everywhere if you are like that- we do like the list idea or a
few hints Of course, if you were on this list and my gram, I'd know
what to send you- fabric- regardless of your SABLE status. Too bad Gram
doesn't want to sew any more.

-georg

Oh this can be fun!
Depends on what she likes and what she does of course.

Last time I was flummoxed by what to get one of my grammas, I ended up
having a flash of brilliance and getting her an omnibus edition of
"Isis Unveiled" by HP Blavatsky. She got loads of milage out of that
book, it had information relating to all her favorite conspiricy
theories and spookumy stuff. I imagine some of my uncles who were
sent to the library to to do research for her after that would have
liked to kill me, but she enjoyed it immensly.

Lessee, more generic since I don't know what your gramma likes....

If she can't have chocolate can she still have cocoa? Sometimes
people can, depends on why she can't have the chocolate. If she can
there is all manner of fancy instant hot cocoa available these days.
If she can't, perhaps she might care to try chai?

A bottle of dealchoholized wine. I don't think any of it is near so
good as the real thing, but needs as must... If she likes it it could
be a blessing all around.

Gift certificates to her hair salon.
Gift certificates to anyplace she likes to eat.
Gift certificates to anyplace she likes to shop.
Open tickets to the local theater, movie or real.
Lots of versatility in gift certificates.

A trip to the casino (or bingo if she druthers) on the reservation for
her and a friend.
I can hook you up with the reservations people for the Senecas, but
the Oneidas are probably closer to you.

A painting done by that little girl in your town whose work has gotten
so much attention.

Small conversation pieces. If she goes out with friends, an odd bit
of jewelry from foriegn climes can be worth several hours of
conversation. A necklace of grass beads from Kenya, a jade bangle
with lucky bats from China, a bead plundered by Turks from Persia.
(these aren't off the top of my head, I have them all and boy are they
good talking points!) With the internet you can find all manner of
odd and nifty things fairly cheaply.

Then there is charity.
You could "buy her a baby", or an older child that will write to her
through any number of charity places. That is a continuing investment
though remember.
You could feed a number of kinds of animals for a month or several,
monkeys and horses come to mind as the easiest to find online. There
are multitudinous animal rescue places.
You could buy a sheep or a goat for a family in one of several
countries to help them support themselves.
There is the whole charity section on ebay. That might make two gifts
at once for you.
There are thousands of options like this. From a donation to fix the
church roof to buying medicine to cure lepers to preserving the
rainforests to buying books for needy children to feeding the hungry
etc etc.

NightMist





On Sun, 21 Nov 2004 18:26:59 GMT, georg wrote:

I'd love a few suggestions for what to get Gram for kissmoose. She's 92,
and will tell anyone that she doesn't want anything. I used to get her
pink catawba wine (because she would have half a glass with dinner).
When the doc made her stop, I bought her good chocolates. The Doc made
her stop that too, but I think she still needs fattening up. She doesn't
like the "fancy coffees" and rarely bothers making them for herself any
more (although she used to love them). She doesn't do much crafty any
more at all. Last year, she kindly gave mum assignments to pass out to
the grandkids, which we were VERY happy about. I had to give her 4 Get
Well Soon, 4 sympathy, 4 happy birthday cards. She did not want more
than that. And a crossword dictionary. My sis had to get her a new
tablecloth, since Mum was permitted to get her a new kitchen table. If I
make anything for her, she gets mad at me for "bothering." She's also
given back to us most of the pictures of us all that we have given her
over the years, in an effort to simplify everything.

I love my gram. But she hates having a fuss made over her, and I do
understand her perspective- that's why I have tried to give her
comestibles in the past. But there aren't a lot of times where I can do
anything for her, and kissmoose is one of those times.

What do you do for your mum or gram who is like that? And on behalf of
grandkids everywhere if you are like that- we do like the list idea or a
few hints Of course, if you were on this list and my gram, I'd know
what to send you- fabric- regardless of your SABLE status. Too bad Gram
doesn't want to sew any more.

-georg

--
"It's such a gamble when you get a face"
- Richard Hell

"georg" wrote in message
...
I'd love a few suggestions for what to get Gram for kissmoose. She's 92,
and will tell anyone that she doesn't want anything.

My dear sweet Gran'ma lived to 98+ and yours sounds to have very much the
same attitude mine did. Some gave her gift certificates for grocery stores
and department stores and she'd had a fit "I'm not a damned charity case!"
Proud old egos are fragile things often covered with crusty shells. She
would wonder out loud if she smelled when receiving lotions, soaps and
scents. She too was sending back pictures and gifts that she's gotten years
earlier. She didn't want anymore stuff. What to do, what to do?

I gave my grandmother my time. A few years before one of the cousins gave
her a (from Hallmark, I think) coupon book for hours of time and she never
would call to ask. Well, I eliminated that problem. I gave her a calendar of
my time. Each month I filled in a day and time and what would be done. A
birthday lunch, a drive through the parks to see the trees blossom in the
spring, a drive to look at Christmas lights, a day and time designated to do
garden work for her, an afternoon of playing cards, a drive to see the
daffodil fields, a lunch at the wharf, etc. I had set the day and
time......she knew when I would be there and what we were going to do. I
talked to my grandmother almost every day and would always remind her that
"now remember, I'll be there tomorrow at such and such a time for whatever."
She would be looking forward to this weeks in advanced. My grandmother
showed those calendars to every one of her friends and was so proud of them.
She'd tell them what we'd done, where we'd gone and what we were going to
do. It gave her something to remember and what to look forward to. All those
calendars were kept in her side table, they were never given back or thrown
away, bless her heart. Those days were just for her and I, no kids, no
spouses, nobody else, just the two of us doing something just for her. We
would talk and talk and giggle like girls. I learned so much about her and
her life. It was as much a gift to myself as it was to her.

This won't cost you anything but a little time and planning.......and it
WILL be priceless. I am weeping typing this message as I think about her. I
loved my grandmother so much. She's been gone almost thirty years now and I
am so glad I put "important" things aside for a few hours a day each month
for the years of calendars I gave her.

Val

NightMist wrote:

If she can't have chocolate can she still have cocoa? Sometimes
people can, depends on why she can't have the chocolate. If she can
there is all manner of fancy instant hot cocoa available these days.
If she can't, perhaps she might care to try chai?

Some of the individual fancy servings go over well with her- and my sis
will be getting them.

A trip to the casino (or bingo if she druthers) on the reservation for
her and a friend.
I can hook you up with the reservations people for the Senecas, but
the Oneidas are probably closer to you.

She's 30 mins from Turning Stone, so yes they are closer. The folks etc
all live in the greater Utica area. I'm not sure how enthusiastic about
she'd be- her game of choice is Bridge.

A painting done by that little girl in your town whose work has gotten
so much attention.

LOL! That stuff is selling for thousands!! I can't afford it. But I can
put the dog's paws on fingerpaint and get the same effect.

Small conversation pieces. If she goes out with friends, an odd bit
of jewelry from foriegn climes can be worth several hours of
conversation. A necklace of grass beads from Kenya, a jade bangle
with lucky bats from China, a bead plundered by Turks from Persia.
(these aren't off the top of my head, I have them all and boy are they
good talking points!) With the internet you can find all manner of
odd and nifty things fairly cheaply.

She loves the thrill of the hunt- not the item. The best Kissmoose we
had when we were little was the garage sale kissmoose- she had spent a
total of $5 on all of the grandkids each in the various garage sales and
estate auctions she had been to that year- so we all had several
newspaper wrapped things to open. I still have the horse statues I got
that day, as well as the opera-length black gloves.

I think I have enough ideas thanks to everyone. She will feel loved.

-georg