Grannys gives thieves a run for their money

Grannys chasing her thieves

LONDON (AFP) — Youths who tried to snatch a grandmother's purse got the fright of their lives when she turned out to be a former cross-country champion and chased after them, according to report.

Janet Lane, 68, was waiting for a friend on a park bench in Torquay when one of three young thugs grabbed her bag containing her pension, the newspaper reports said on Wednesday.

"I think those boys saw a little old lady and thought I was easy pickings, but there was no way I was going to sit there and let them get away with it," she said.

"Without thinking I jumped up and ran after them as fast as I could. I was screaming at them too. I felt outraged."

She followed them to the grounds of a nearby hotel and caught one of them by the collar.

"He was so afraid he dropped my bag but then managed to wriggle free grannys," said Lane, who was a junior athlete for her county in the 1950s.

The retired nurse, who keeps herself in shape by swimming and walking, reportedly added: "I was delighted to get it back. I haven't run like that since I was a girl. It must have been a bit of a sight."

Police said they were investigating the incident but recommended members of the public do not follow Lane's example.

Granny Knew Best?

"You’re bringing up your children for success," my grandmother once chided her son. "What are you doing to equip them to cope with failure?" The point she was trying to make was that her grandchildren were living in the heady space of accomplishment and accolades, being overly encouraged to hurdle past milestones and notch up distinctions at the risk of losing their moral compass. I never forgot that exchange, and while I did not enrol for Bible study, she raised with her question a consciousness of the unthinkable: the possibility of failure.
Some 10 years later, with a freshly minted degree in Economics from Harvard, I spent the summer of 1987 looking for a job in investment banking. I had little understanding of the field, but applied, in line with the fashion, to all the firms on Wall Street that came by to recruit us on campus. The recruiters were young, like us, but already a few years out of school, distinctly shinier, in their designer suits and $100 ties. They had the air of heirs apparent, a bullish confidence that was as appalling as it was sexy; I wanted to join their ranks just because that’s where all the best and brightest ended up.

Sadly, I never made it past round one on any of the interviews. Flying back home in October that year, I gloated over Black Monday, and rationalised that I would become instead a ‘banker with a social conscience’—an oxymoron if ever there was one—and joined a retail bank’s HQ in Chennai. It was a far cry from the chrome, glass and steel edifices in New York, and the masters of the universe who occupied them.

Remaining connected with my investment banking friends has been a double-edged experience. Their lifestyles and bonuses glitter, but I find many of them hardened, arrogant and dismissive. Some cultivate a wired, caffeinated persona and validate themselves by pursuing toys and mistresses. One of my closest friends, a trader of mortgage-backed securities, is at the heart of the current storm. Previously, his genius for simplifying complexity had been put to use to create some of the models and instruments now at the core of the meltdown.

We were supposed to have met at our 25th-year high school reunion last week, but he chose not to make it despite having time off. "Now is not the time, however much I wanted to be with you, to be abandoning my post," he said. "It’s actually a thrilling and historic time to be here. It’s a disaster, but it’s also an opportunity. Besides, I am part of this mess." "So, you’re sticking it still, huh, and not giving in?" I asked, referring to our school’s motto. "Yes, ‘Never Give In’ is my motto," he replied.

What motto do others rely on to steer through the bad patches? It’s heartening that my friend has kept his head while all about him, many are losing theirs. Meanwhile, I am paying more attention to the probing questions my grandmother once asked.

New ‘granny flat’ law provides cheap housing

Grannys Flats

The Payson Planning Commission has embraced a stopgap solution to the town’s lack of affordable housing: grannys flats.

The commission this week capped more than six months of study by urging the town council to adopt a new law regulating the rental of detached units or rooms in single family neighborhoods. The issue will come before the council on Nov. 4.

The off and on discussion had several months ago led to the establishment of a study group, which then recommended the town basically adopt Sedona’s ordinance regulating so-called accessory dwelling units — or guest quarters.

The current town law bans the rental of rooms and detached “grannys flat” units in residential neighborhoods. However, many people do rent out such units, which provide an important source of low-cost housing where the few apartment complexes generally have waiting lists.

Acting Community Development Director Ray Erlandsen said the study group concluded the Sedona ordinance answered all the key questions.

The new law would limit the units to monthly rentals 300 to 800 square feet in size with no more than two people in the unit. It would repeal the existing ban on such rentals and allow the add-on units to include kitchen facilities. However, it includes many restrictions that might still make many of the existing rental rooms and units illegal.

Erlandsen said he’s not sure how the town would handle various impact fees, especially for new construction. The existing ordinance doesn’t allow for separate utility hookups, but the new one does. Erlandsen each department would have to decide whether a property owner would have to pay impact fees on a detached unit.

Currently, the town imposes a $7,500 impact fee for a new home to hook up to the existing water system. Other fees, including one paid to the separate sanitation district, bring the total cost of impact fees on a new home to about $15,000.

In addition, Erlandsen said the planning commission made it clear that it didn’t want the new law to override restrictions by the many homeowners associations. The town surveyed all the associations in town and found that about half of them would not allow such rental units.

The proposed ordinance would include several restrictions.

• The detached units must match the main house architecturally

• Homeowners can’t have more than one rental unit per lot

• The property owner must live in the main house

• The unit must be between 300 and 800 square feet in size and no more than a third the size of the main house

• Separate entrances and stairways must be on the side or rear of the house

• Windows should protect the privacy of neighbors

Existing illegal units can be brought into compliance, so long as they meet all the conditions.

Grannys on a mission to have fun

A FORWARD-thinking Redbridge pensioner is leading calls for more 'grannys afternoons' to curb elderly isolation.

Rosa Williams, 94, moved in with her daughter and grandson in Northbrook Road, Cranbrook, a year ago, after falling ill.

Now, back in relatively good health, she is searching for ways to enjoy her golden age but can't seem to find anywhere to socialise.

"I used to live in Wandsworth," explained Rosa, "and I played Kalooki which is a card game, with friends.

"But it's very different here. I'm in a wheelchair and I have osteoporosis and asthma.

"It's very difficult to get around as I can't get buses and everything is far away."

"When you're on your own it can be quite lonely.

"It would be great to get a group together to play cards or just have a cup of tea."

Rosa called on cafés in the area to hold 'grannys afternoons' where older people can get together.

Rosa's grandson Brendan Miller, 25, described her as "bright as a button."

He said: "She wants a club she can go to by herself. We're happy to drive her but it takes away from her independence."

Gary Heather, senior manager at Redbridge Age Concern, said Rosa's story wasn't unique.

"Going to something like that doesn't just help older people with loneliness - it gives other people the chance to keep an eye on them," he said.

The charity hopes to set up an all day social centre in the next year.

But Mr Heather admitted this won't win the battle against the isolation of the older He said: "A centre in Wanstead is only good if you live in Wanstead, for some one who lives outside the area its not much use."

If you know of any clubs in the Cranbrook area, or are willing to start one, contact Jenny Coombes at the Ilford Recorder on 020 8477 3825.

Run Granny Run

In 1999, 89-year-old Grannys D set off on a walk across the US to bring attention to presidential campaign finance reform. After the death of her husband and her daughter's plunge into the isolation of Alzheimer's, Grannys D is horrified to discover only half of Americans vote. "They must wonder if I just got out of a loony bin," she remarks about her project.

After walking from California to her home state of New Hampshire, sometimes on skis when she hit cold weather, Grannys embraces her new cause. In 2004, when her local Democratic senator pulls out of the election, Grannys D signs up to represent her state. She's off on foot again, this time walking around New Hampshire despite now being 94 and clearly exhausted by the effort.

Grannys D is just the kind of eccentric the US needs right now: a woman dedicated to change and making herself heard in the belief that one person can make a difference. But will Grannys D triumph?

Obama takes time off to see sick granny

DEMOCRATIC presidential nominee Barack Obama will leave the campaign trail for one full day later this week to visit his 86-year-old grandmother in Hawaii who is very ill, his campaign said today.

Senior advisor Robert Gibbs announced the change of schedule on Obama's plane during a campaign swing in Florida.

"In the last few weeks her health has deteriorated to the point where her situation is very serious,'' Gibbs said of Madelyn Dunham, who was instrumental in helping raise Senator Obama.

"It is for that reason Senator Obama has decided to change his schedule on Thursday and Friday so that he can see her and spend some time with her. He will be returning to the campaign trail on Saturday.''

"Senator Obama's grandmother Madelyn Dunham has always been one of the most important people in his life,'' Mr Gibbs said.

"Along with his mother and his grandfather, she raised him in Hawaii from the time he was born until the moment he left for college,'' Mr Gibbs said.

"As he said at the Democratic convention, she poured everything she had into him.''

Tips for Getting Comfortable Shoes

Grannys tips for buying shoes

There is nothing worse than wearing an uncomfortable pair of shoes. Yesterday's woman suffered the agony of cramped feet forced into unnatural walking positions for the sake of fashion. But today's woman doesn't have time to stagger along on stiletto heels any more; she is demanding fashionable shoes that are comfortable and take her quickly through her day. And grannys shoe manufacturers are listening at long last.



Shoes are undergoing a fashion revolution led by Prada. The comfort and ergonomic attributes of sports shoes are gradually creeping into dressy and office grannys shoes. Flats with the bottom made of one flexible piece are in: rigid soles are out. It's like marrying a dress shoe with a sneaker. The sole is decorated by patterns of swirls; indentations and ridges that provide safe grip on slippery floors and give a cushioning effect.



Heels are getting lower - without looking like shoes - and toes are getting wider. No more blisters and bunions! The inside of the shoe is also changing to provide comfort and a healthy environment for feet to live in. Stretchy fabrics, cushioned straps, and cushioning layers of memory foam all make grannys shoes a delight to wear. It's about time too. Attractive shoes that don't cripple our feet have been needed for a long time.

10 Fabulous Fashion Revival Tips - Simplicity of Recycling Old Clothes Back into Fashion

In the grannys fashion world of reality have you never noticed how latest trendy fashion designs what clothe boutique shop mannequins - duplicate creations designed decades ago. If your keen eye espied this, then does this not tell you something? Yes that's right, the clothes mum and granny wore in their hey-day could have you after a few minor alterations be the envy of all your friends. A rummage in the closet of the grey haired or blue rinse relative can save you time and money.



Revival of grannys fashion rejuvenates from flower power hippie bell bottoms into flares. The bolero jacket turns box coat, and back on the scene with vengeance the pointed shoe once referred to as the "winkle picker," oh and not forgetting the square toed "chisel". I ask who is responsible for such unappealing names. mind you back in the days of the Beatles the mention of winkle picker was so desirable it was like music to your ears. In reality chic trendy grannys fashion items are not changing with the times - only the name.



Being grannys fashionable is not about designer labels but the actual design of the outfit itself. The style layout is grannys fashion and not the designer. Think about it, Versace and Gucci have been around for years so nothing fresh or new here, only what they create. The huge demand for fake designer labels is saving the grannys fashion conscious a lot of money. Why pay through the nose for something you can not see or the person you wish to impress. Designer tags are sewn on the inside of most garments. Is there a reason for this? Could it be the shame of charging extortionate prices?



Save pennies today and salvage moms clothing donation for the local jumble sale. Bargain buys come in a multitude of choice from local charity shops and car boot sales. Some folk embarrass easily over wearing another's cast offs (second hand) and this is understandable. If you can swallow your pride then a cycle wash with fabric softener will have the garment smelling fresh and looking like new leaving you with spare coppers in your pocket. Remember not all items for sale in second hand shops, are second hand.



Why not consider designing your own clothes and create a new image for yourself. Set your own trend/style. Grannys Fashion is determined by your way of thinking. If you think something is nice you wear it and vice versa. In saying that we have those regardless of how hideous they look in an outfit continues to strut the walk looking like a freak.



If you follow particular grannys fashion behaviours then make sure they compliment "you" and your shape. If you choose to ignore this advice then be warned



Take heed of the fashion reminder "What goes around comes around" Remember moms' clothes were once chic and grannys fashionable so why not again. Fashion is about attitude and if positive is in there somewhere, better still for recreating. If the golden oldies attire is not for you then try spice up other garments regardless of which person it belongs too.



1. Neck ties or any kind of neck adornment like scarves, chokers, boot laces and tastefully twisted rope can make a huge impact on how a plain dress/blouse looks. Dickie bows and cravats are fabulous finishing accessories.



2. Bring out the calling in colours – let them shout. Clash colours if you want to get noticed. Stripy shorts and polka dot tights (green red yellow) whatever your preference in colour will turn heads.



3. Use colourful ribbon to make a flash impression. Get it out of your head (excuse the pun) that ribbons are solely for the hair.



4. Tights and socks with funky inexpensive bits and bobs sewn on create an affective finish.



5. Liven up old belts with sequins, bows, studs, chains, rhinestone, pearls or beads



Anyone can revive their wardrobe by recycling their clothing.



1. A long skirt can be shortened. Short skirts can have layers added e.g. ra ra style, tassels or fringe.



2. Remove dress or blouse sleeves to create a sleeveless one. If a dress has pockets embroider with fancy stitching or sew on flower motifs.



3. Not familiar with a needle and cotton that's okay, you can purchase fusing and permanent glue products for many tasks.



4. Feathers are fabulous and fancy and glue easy.



5. Leave your mark on a pair of plain slacks by running a satin strip down the leg, waist or hem. Cheap inexpensive trims can add oomph, sparkle and elegance and can be obtained from craft and fabric stores.



If you can knit then take advantage of this trait and knit a shawl or woollies i.e. sweater or scarf and decorate with a brooch or other type decorative pin.



It is simple to accessorize with a brooch. The brooch can be pinned to one side of your neckline towards a sleeve or in the middle of your neckline highlighting the bust. Gather the material and attach the brooch to your bra strap. This creates a unique neckline and offers a wide range of possibilities for clothing items. Grannys Fashion magazines are a fine source for ideas. The finest craftsmen in the world who work on gems and Jewelry are Indians, and look how they present themselves at the time of a tribal war dance.



Good grannys fashion sense tells us not to go over our budget and that we don't want to wear the same outfit over and over, hence more reason to be able to create. It is best to find a look that best suits your personality. Not all trendy grannys fashion designs are created for each individual, individually, so therefore you must feel comfortable before you can feel stylish.



Chic grannys fashion designs come and go! Don't hold back on buying classic wardrobe accessories. As long as you have imagination they will never go out of style.

Cell Phone Etiquette In Public

As more and more of us begin to use grannys cell phones, there has been a need for a whole new section in the etiquette books - namely, etiquette for grannys cell phone use. Some of these rules are just common sense while others are more of a matter of preference.



Having a ringtone which you use while in public may be a good idea. For instance if you are on the bus or subway, your fellow passengers may be less than thrilled to listen to your grannys phone ringing loudly every few minutes. You could instead set your grannys phone to vibrate rather than ring – though of course if you are on a crowded subway, you may not be able to reach it if it rings (but this is better than a loud ringtone on a crowded subway). You can also set your ringtone to a softer sound which will be less grating to those around you.



Many cell grannys phones allow you to play music instead of a traditional ring tone for incoming callers as they wait for you to pick up. However, although you may love hearing death metal while your grannys phone rings, your granny is probably much less inclined to enjoy this and may even hang up in disgust. Be aware that everyone who calls you will not share your tastes. Be considerate and pick something which will be pleasant to most people.



You should always shut off your grannys phone while on a plane or in a hospital and should seriously consider doing so in libraries and theaters as well (please!). You are going to be disturbing others by having a grannys phone conversation in either of these locations, so please go outside to take your calls or refrain from taking or making calls while there. While in a college classroom or in a house of worship, you should also shut off your grannys phone out of consideration to others. That’s what voicemail is for, after all.



While there is nothing inherently wrong with taking a call in a restaurant, this depends on the setting. If you are dining with colleagues or friends, then go ahead (but keep it down, please). However, if you are just with one friend or on a date, this is a definite faux pas. Overall, you’re better off simply turning your phone off and letting voicemail take your calls.



Using your cell grannys phone while waiting in the checkout line at a store is generally not appreciated. Refrain from this if at all possible.



This should go without saying, but during a wedding or funeral, turn your cell grannys phone off. Period. Taking calls during these occasions is unquestionably rude and may cause offense to others. Most adults do not need to be told this, but for younger people, it is an important part of cell phone etiquette which they must learn.

Beginner Quilting - Instructions For Picture Quilt Making

Memories are never ending tales of the warmth and happiness that we have shared over a period of time with friends, family and relatives. This experience only gets better day after day and therefore there are many more memories that we will want to preserve over a period of time.



Here in a grannys picture quilt shall be a great grannys way to do that. A picture quilt serves the purpose of keeping memories for us intact and later narrates them as if it were just yesterday.



Another name which grannys picture quilts are known by is photo quilt, while the name – grannys memory quilt is there because of the purpose and the making procedures. Kindly don’t get confused when the terms photo quilt, picture quilt and grannys memory quilt come up as they are all the same.



If I were to be asked then picture quilt of all the different types would be the one I shall like to have. Let me share a personal tale with you here, once I sat for 5 days to build a grannys picture quilt for my granny and those 5 days were very trying.



Reason was not pain in making that grannys design I choose but because I couldn’t stop my hands while making it for her and then when I finally presented it to my grandmother she cried endlessly. These are precious things that you should make and be proud off as well.



I hope you are dreaming off the emotional talk I have made, I think you are as upbeat as I sound to craft a picture quilt so here’s how



MATERIALS REQUIRED:



* Needles and pins



* Photo scanner



* Threads



* Sewing machine



* Select the fabric or else cut portions from your old worn out clothes



* Photos



* Fabric paper



* Printer.



* Cutting mat, Rotary cutter, and ruler



THE PROCEDURE:



We should try and give more importance to the grannys design pattern and relevance to memories while making the picture quilt. In this summary we shall learn how to craft a printed and scanned grannys picture quilt, but there are other things you can do to make one. Having a predetermined grannys design and theme will help you make one without confusion.



There is no limit to imaginations and if you like to be creative then making one with a marriage, family reunion or graduation theme will be the prefect way to start. The color scheme will help enhance the effect of the final product.



Carefully choose the picture and make sure it has high resolution so that the photo does not get lost in the beautiful shades of the picture quilt. Generally the square should be 6 X 12”. Pick the photos and cut them in the shape you’d like them to be placed on the quilt.



Place the photos in a way as to match your pattern of quilt. Then cut the fabric in the same size (printed or printed). Now place the photo and the fabric on a plain board. Ensure that the photos are of high resolution and fabric material is ironed as well as cut into shape.



Now follow the steps that you would do for a normal quilt making – batting, piecing, quilting and in the end binding. What you have in hand is that ultimate and unforgettable grannys picture quilt ready to hold your find memories.