Please could all followers - visitors sign the petition, to allow all kids with challenges to go to a school of their choice

The ups and downs of raising 4 amazing kids: Inlcusive Education Petition - Education for all!: "Ashley would love it if you take a moment to sign this on-line petition !! Education for all: Every child to have the right, to access a..."

It only takes about 1-2 minutes to sign the petition.

OMG - I can't believe I said it...

Well today before our last Adult Skate class of the season, I usually go for a 3-5 mile run. It's a community running track and it's nice, it's usually social and the whole community share the two lane track. We have people from 90+ down to 3 using it. Serious runners to physically less able people and generally it's a nice atmosphere, as you run around you look down on the ice. With the snow hanging around it's nice to have a facility that you can run/walk inside.

My usual running companion couldn't make it today so I took my nano for company. Well, I can't believe I said it, (Those YOUNG PEOPLE!) (I really felt like Victor Meldrew, with one foot in the Grave...) but there were some young adults mid twenties maybe (so 5-10 years younger than me) and their behaviour was DISGUSTING, totally, not only did they run in a 2X2 formation, they were inconsiderate and rude and just awful. There is this one regular walker who takes 5 minutes to do a 200m lap, she's must be in her late 80's and a really sweet person. Another guy who takes 8 minutes he shuffles, we have one lady who I'm sure has CP she has a walker and today there was a young lady with Downs. What is usually nice is that we all co-exist happily and are courteous and everyone shares and gives respect to those who might be slower for whatever reason. But they are all regulars, and if I/ we or they miss a week they ask after you it's that nice.

This was about the only time they gave way, one had stopped already lol!

Well this group of 4 running in their 2X2 ran AT and through people, they would split and both go round either side of people jostling them, the elderly/physically less able either almost fell or got shoved into the wall. I did take a photo while I was jogging, I just couldn't take a photo of them with what they did to the young lady with Downs as it was just horrid, just plain horrid. I ran a mile watching this behaviour, almost embarrassed to see what they would do next. It was only a mile because.....

I think apart from the lack of humanity, what shocked me more was their lack of fitness, here I am a mum of 3, 20lb's to lose and well I could keep up with them! After one mile they were panting and having to take a break!

I had the dilemma moment of whether to intervene and stick my two pence worth in or not... by asking the aide of the lady with downs if she wanted me to say something to them, so after a bonus lap of thought, I did, I had finished my run, well she then turned and bear hugged me and thanked me for even caring, she said that she was annoyed too, but she was kind of hoping that they would just leave, I reminded her that it's a facility for all, and I could hear the other track users complaining of them too so she wouldn't be alone.

I knew how she felt, sometimes when you care for someone who is physically less able, from fighting all the time, sometimes you just want "it" (the fight) to go away, and just be able to go and have a good time without having to 'fight the fight'. You just want to be part of society without having to make a scene and just BE and not having a finger pointing to your disability ALL THE TIME... (It's not from embarrassment but you feel for Oatie like that time when he was asked to leave the buggy skating and he cried)

Well I'm going to make my lovely kiddies some lunch and the Oatie and I are hitting the bench (for ABR).

Oatie copying his sister, watching a movie together, he said "Oatie Chillin' Mama"

Well we have the charging cable... Hooray!

I love the sun here, you can see the moon and just off the horizon the dark is the mountains.

Well, we have our extended Ipad2 Charging cable... Yipee! It arrived today. 31 days till it (magic book what Oatie calls the Ipad ) arrives. I hope that Otterbox's defender case will be ready too as the estimation should coincide with the delivery of the Ipad2. They (Otterbox) said that they didn't have the dimensions of the Ipad2 till it was released in the USA. I am sure that apple and such like companies, don't like Otterbox as they stop your lovely gadgets from breaking and would rather you buy their cases. A friend of mine told me how she recently DROVE over her iphone in it's defender case and was still fine. (not sure I'd want to try that one out and decided to take her word for it...lol!)



Oatie has been so much better today, he ate his all his dinner and is still chesty but we managed 1.5 hours of ABR I was tempted to go for a second hour after dinner while my two Beavers were at Beavers, but he was actually enjoying playing for the first time in a few days and it was nice to play with is Scooby Doo pirate ship with him.



Just made 3 banana breads which are baking and about to start cutting out for the gold skirts, The Skirts are for a team event with my two skaters. My older son, has the same material as my daughter and their friend, on the top with a swoosh (which he drew) and he'll wear his black skating pants... The Girls have the same material top and matching gold from the girls hotpants (Kylie style) which they competed in December, and this time the girls are having gold skirts out of the same material as the hotpants. I am always apprehensive about sewing for someone else (unless it's a surprise/gift), for a start I never charge for making (just the material) and I just hope it fits, which is usually does, I'm just a bit of an over perfectionist all the seams must line up and the gathering has to be just so.., my kids even show me the ill made skating clothes in the store (to make me feel better) with one inch out wasit seams to the skirt... and they (at this moment) still LOVE me making their skating clothes as they are unique and made to fit them.



Well I had better get back to making the skirts, the girls need them in 10 days time... yikes!

Healing, Empowering and Thriving: Guest Post: Rachel Cohen-Rottenberg:When Preservin...

Healing, Empowering and Thriving: Guest Post: Rachel Cohen-Rottenberg:When Preservin...: " It's an honor to be able to host this incisive, evocative and inspiring post by Rachel Cohen-Rottenberg. Rachel p..."

Oatie - In limbo, a disabled fraud or where?

On Friday we did manage 2:39, of Manual ABR and has his Machine every night but two, since we got  his ABR Machine.

Well while I went swimming and had the "mean swimmer" swimming in the next lane as my muse... (joking about him being my muse, just relieved not to swim with him),... I was wondering about the "F" word, (Future), for Oatie.  Sunday night we did his flashcards with him, and he will always orientate them correctly and he got all correct apart from his newest word that he hadn't seen for 2 weeks, he is so obviously very very bright... and even though it's  2.5 years till he starts Grade 1, that's only 30months...   Why was my head swimming when I was swimming.... well apart from the best place for me to think;

• My eldest school is also having a re-vamp and well there was no mention of adding any disabled facilities to the school, it's not even an old building and had a huge overhaul 8 years ago and even then when they added an upstairs library still no disabled method of conquering the stairs.  We would like Oatie to go there when it's time... but that is a battle to come, for another day...

• The the other recent experience of the whole speech thing at his school, "oh sorry our budget is exhausted..." and I was like with whom?  Oatie is your most severe disabled child, and you've spent NOTHING on him... so who took the WHOLE budget?"  "Sorry our OT is pregnant.... so nothing this year..."

• Parking in a disabled bay WITH our badge WITH Oatie in the car, the scathing looks of the elderly like WHO is disabled in your car....!  (Yep they can push their cart and walk unaided to their car, not saying they don't' deserve their badge, but... what makes them think that they have any right to judge whether Oatie qualifies for his badge)

Well, who needs Google, from swimming regularly, and at the same time as the adult swim-club (I don't swim with them...) but I know quire a few people who do.  I am finding out a wealth of info on disabled services and the best way of accessing them.  Only, there was a disabled swimming group, which isn't open to the public it's organised via a Dr's referral... granted it was for adults... but only because I swam much later today did I ever see or hear of this group.

Everyone says he will walk, and for him, I really hope he does, it would open up the world to him, but if he doesn't walk, he doesn't walk, people can lead a super life without walking too.  But at the same time, no one thought he was "disabled"/ had CP.

So I kind of feel that Oatie/we are in limbo, it's taken a huge effort to keep our disabled and our able bodied worlds both open, and sometimes I'm thinking.... why did I fight for this, to be in both?  (But it is for our family good to be in both, it just is painful from time to time, but that's ok).  It's good for my elder two to have a 'normal life' and embrace their brother's and it's so so so good for the "normal" people to have a reality check with seeing a disabled person in their face, and for their kids, to see that it is perfectly normal for disabled and able kids to mix, and in my opinion, how it should be.  Another blog I follow of a girl called  Ashley, her mum has been campaigning to get Ashley into a mainstream school.


I can now TOTALLY see why we don't see many families with a young disabled member, being in the able world, as it's fairly painful actually...  being in a fairly small town, if you're a sporty family, you tend to see the same people/families around town all the time.

From the able world, you get the uncouth remarks, then they go oops... or they arrange an able bodied activity/social for the kids and ohhh sorry I forgot... or a play-date with the kids the same age... but not Oatie... and they turn and say, "Well he can't do X..." and like I had at the volunteer commitment / no one wanting to babysit.

Where as in the "physically less able world", although we all have our different plights and each of our children all have unique "conditions", we all stand together and that's so nice.

Recently one of the blogs I follow,  of a gorgeous young man called Adam, Sharon put a post about WHY, why don't people look closer to home...

The blanket definition of CP, each child who has CP, it affect them all in a different way.  From love that Max


Oatie is 'lucky' as I don't know if that the right word, but he has the "normal" life just out of his fingertips... always..., he's blipping between the two worlds, his speech, walking improved day by day, but will it be 'enough' in 30 months time?, I wonder where his life will lie, in which sphere able or less abled?  Some day's I wonder if we're a fraud in the disabled world as there are so many kids/adults who have much bigger challenges to climb than Oatie... and then, we don't fit in the "able" world either.  I have to say I feel more at home here in the the "physically less able"  that's why I sometimes feel that we're in limbo,... and more so as we're out of the "medical system" as we do ABR which is out of the medical system.

We didn't do any ABR over the weekend as he really wasn't very well, a parting souvenir from preschool before spring break.  But today he didn't want to eat his lunch, he said, "Mama I'm tired" something he's only said to his dad before and then I said well "eat your lunch and you can have a Nap then?",  he said... "NON!! in his French accent and said " I want BED", so I sat him down for lunch, and he drank his drink and said, "Tired... Tired.... Tired.... Tired... Mama... Tired..." etc so he took himself off to his bed for the whole afternoon, and didn't want to get out of it, he reluctantly came down for dinner and we said he could play for a bit as he'd been in bed, and said, nope! I Tired, I want Buzz Bench (ABR Machine), I sleep!

So as my bench companion (Oatie) went to bed...., I made two pairs of figure skating pants this afternoon for my eldest,  I was hemming them as he went out the door...they compete in the weekend after next for three weekends in a row....

Hoping to get some ABR in tomorrow,

Love Oatie's Mum
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Freezing Friday

The photo is of this mornings frost, I've never seen frost like it in England.

Today we ordered Oatie's iPad it's a 3-4 week wait.

My poor daughter is in bed with a fever. Today is the first day of Spring break here. Well
I'm in the middle of Oatie's ABR so I might be back later.

xxx

Thursday, hypothermia and arghghghg

Well, today I met a Olympic-length triathalete in our pool, (my alter ego from a decade ago... lol!), well he was a nice chap (ok stop ribbing me about my Englishness - Chap) well, we swam for a bit together he was a fabulous swimmer and later when I only had 10 minutes to go and collect Oatie from school (I can see his school from the rec centre it's 300m away) I decided to run one 8minute mile.. and this guy was on the treadmill next to me,.. I was going for a bonus sprint, when running at a sprint speed, my phone went flying!).  First it bounced on my treadmill and then bounced on his and bounced to the floor.  Well I scared him to death and he very sweetly tried to save my phone by hitting emergency stop on his machine... ooops!  Well apart from ruining his run... (which he said he didn't mind...) my phone was fine.  I do love the Otterbox defender series...

Oatie and I had a super bench session we got 2hours 40 in of ABR today and my daughter passed her entrance exam and was given a place at my eldest's school... so while they had skating today my husband took them, I made her a cake to celebrate as she didn't know... and later my eldest helped me make pizza dough and helped with the icing of her cake... he was so proud of her.

Well, when my husband picked her up from school, she was as cold as ice... I still don't understnad why in  this day and age these stupid things happen.  She went school swimming 300m walk away, and even with a cap her hair gets damp/wet, they walk back..... it's a dampish -5 so what does the school do... they then send them out to Recess with soggy wet hair!  My daughter told her teacher that she was cold and BEGGED her to let her stay inside and read a book, but her teacher said NO!  So when my husband picked her up later she was bawling her eyes out not wanting to go outside and then he touched her, cold as ice.

My husband was super, he got her all warmed up, I always send my hair-dryer with him just in case anyway and he dried her hair of and got her wrapped up warm and I had a nice bath waiting for her when she got in.  (this evening they had parent-teacher night so we wrapped her up super warm to go to that......) and well my husband let them have what for, as this only happened earlier, by the time they got back in, she felt so ill that she didn't even want to eat her dinner  (home-made pizza her favourite) or her cake, the poor love.

After personally seeing and hearing of so many awful accidents/near accidents caused by "stupid adults" in charge of kids, I have since taught my kids to be respectful to the adults but...go with their gut instinct...if your instinct is SCREAMING NO at you, you should listen to it and say "NO". 

Ok going swimming is a risk.... and having damp hair walking the 300m is a risk... ok... I get that, but she specifically asked not to go outside for recess (20 minutes) as she was cold, and they refused to let my 5 year old stay warm and dry, and sent her out in wet -5 with wet hair!  It's not like they needed exercise, they just went swimming!  That's what makes me cross.  She said 'NO' and they ignored her, it's the irresponsibility of the school and totally pointless and now she's ill... great.

Do I really have to teach her to go and hide her snow pants so she doesn't have to go out in such situations?  Or run to the school 20m next door to phone home (she's remembered my husbands cell number and area code since she just turned 4)?

Well I'm going for a nice cup of tea and going to sew some trousers/pants.... (my other unpaid job lol!)

Love and hugs to you all,

Love Mel
xxx

Babies with iPads: Suggestion on how to fund an iPad

Babies with iPads: Suggestion on how to fund an iPad: "http://blog.friendshipcircle.org/2011/03/23/on-a-tight-budget-7-ways-to-get-an-ipad-for-your-child-with-special-needs/"

My Favourite Apps... for the caregivers...

Well, I did promise Eric, that I would put my favourite apps, I am partial to Apple products, you might have guessed when Oatie says "look at the apple mama" when he takes photos of me pretend or real... Luckily for you, he hasn't worked out how to upload the photos he has taken of me to his blog... PHEW! shhhh don't tell him!

Well, with all the faffing of the red tape and otherwise, we have decided just to buy him an Ipad2 and just get the ball rolling as he to me, is at a crucial point in his speech development, he's parroting everything and is trying so hard to communicate and be understood... and if you work out what he's saying, it just gives him a huge confidence boost.

A lot of them do have FREE versions, so you can trial it, but some free ones have all the features as paid ones, the informant you can upgrade by migrating it so you don't have to re-enter your data... well it was like that...

So here are my favourite Apps for the Caregivers! Apps for the kids I'll leave to the experts...

Just right click on the link and open in a new tab, so you don't have to go back and forth...

My first one is
1password:

This is so fantastic for me, I store our health card details, membership, credit card, library card, any sort of online activity here, you put in your extra password and can lock it down further to a master password and, once you're in, you press to log in to say the library or eBay or amazon it's fantastic... so if you hate looking around for your card or can't remember it's a great app, you can have auto lock so no chance of someone being able to see your sensitive info and you can also have auto wipe or remote erase I believe...

Timelogger:
I have just gone for the free version as I actually weirdly like the adverts. It's what I time my ABR with, and it's fantastic. I put all Oatie's exercises in and press start stop, and there is also a pause and it logs all the time and at the end of the session I just email it as a CSV excel sheet to my desktop voila! easy...


Blogbooster, you may have seen photos uploaded with blogbooster, annoying as they have really upped their selfbragging, but it's so easy, quick to use, you can pixel size the photos and sync it to your Picassa web album and it's totally easy and brainless... so often if I'm at home I might type on my desktop, and then go to blogbooster and upload the photo as it can be uploaded and done in 10 seconds. The only disadvantage is that the photos don't show up in the margin of other's blogs.... but for a huge time saving app, I love it and like it says you can blog on the go.

Iflow, I really like this one, it was under a different name but they have re-branded it... it's the classics but it's cheap or free... and you can have hands free reading, you can customise the speed, colour etc,... it's great if you can't watch Dora the explorer for the millionth time or just want to treat your child and get a read in too.

Informant, well I have to say I love it, I have my desktop synced with google docs which then syncs with my phone. no probs or hassle, and I ensured I had the auto sync at totally different times of the day. So super I can change an appointment on my desktop, shake my phone with the app open and it's all synced... or vice versa... (I'll let you know how 3 way syncing with the ipad goes... people have said it's been fine...) Informant has my calendar and to do list, and one one of the organised methods, I have set up my contexts which is the different type of shops, so as I need things, I put them in under the correct shop so when I go out with my limited time budget, I can just go, Costco... and all the things I'd like to buy are there in a list. or Fabricland, and all listed, it's saved so much time and got rid of the feeling arghghgh I forgot X.

Obvioulsy, Shazam, Shazam is better than soundhound, I've been trying both out simultaneously and Shazam is more accurate. What is a better way than having your ipod playing great tunes to help you treat your kid more easily...

Home Routine, this is based on the "Sink Reflections" woman, but I love it and you can customise it and I like the morning evening routine very much, love checking off those stars...

if you have other kids and need them to "comply" well irewardchat is fantastic, you can even calculate how many stars till they qualify for X.

Lifeplanner, this is the one that I said most other would find it useless, but I really like it, it's kept separate from my schedule and keeps me on track, like it bings 5 or how many minutes you want, to tell you that you have free time or you should be doing your chores... I often get carried away doing something else and I has made me more time savvy... I like it a lot.

If you have a home gym or go to one, Ultratimer is your app. You can put your very own work out in it and group workouts, so you can just chill and do your reps and it tells you (from what you programmed) what you're doing next, and you can play music from your library at the same time.

Spelling, if you have younger kids who all have spelling homework, well this app is fab as you put your list in, and say the word or they can, and then they can practise the spellings and it emails you how they did, so you can see which words need some work....

Grocery Gadget, I love it! you can just scan the items you want to add to your list and you can email it or sync it with someone else and they can whilst they are out go shopping for you with photos and everything.

Ohhhh and if you want to see how much time you WASTE!!!! well this app is for you, you start and stop the time of your chosen list Eat dinner and you can see how much time you spend doing what. The worst bit is that it can't lie or fudge it so it is what it is... It's called Timerific

Well these are my favourite apps for being organised with a special needs kid...

Love Oatie's Mum
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Oh and we got 3:05 of ABR in on Monday and 2:32 today.

WOW I/we know some nice people...

Well, my heart rapidly repaired as fast as the Borg on StarTrek... I had two lovely messages from Sharon and Sherry waiting for me this morning which was just so nice.

Today I went to colled Mr. Oatie from school and well there was a British Friend who is an aid with the school 20m apart from my daughter and Oaties, and said she needed our help.  I was her daughters Girl Guide leader when we first moved.  She told me about her friend, whose marriage fell apart, she lost her home and then found out she's got the big C (Cancer) and was going to get married in the Summer.  I don't know her at all, but she's a friend of two friends of mine, anyhow her wedding got moved to this Friday as... her chemo started today,and her hair will fall out soon.

She wants to save her hair for a wig, (she won't be able to afford to buy a wig, but if you have enough hair it knocks the cost right down apparently) and from when I donated last it was 8 wig lengths to make a wig, her daughters have long hair too, so that could be 3-6 wig lengths... I've been growing mine for a year now and was going to grow a second wig length, but I told my friend, that if the Bride wants my hair she could, I have about one wig length currently, but I have dark hair... my friend said that our hair is almost identical shades so fancy that.  So this time next week I might have shoulder length hair!!!!

They are doing a wedding on a zero budget as possible, so one of my friends is altering her dress, another donated their dress, and well the friend I'm chatting to was arranging the car and the flowers and giving her away.  But the car fell through, so she asked if we had a nice car to lend...   So I said, not really a nice car for a wedding... but.. so I said I'd ask some friends of mine.  Well one is a fellow Scouter and so he's a friend(me) of a friend(my friend) of a friend( her friend) and well this took me back some, he said that he'd use his car and drive her to her wedding, someone neither he nor I have met... meanwhile, my hubby said that he'd take time out of work to drive her too, if my friend couldn't do it for some reason, so there I have two Scouter leaders, both willing to give up their time, and drive a stranger to their wedding.  Isn't that just so nice.

So the day after a broken heart, look at some of the lovely people I know!

Broken heart...

For those who know me personally, will know that I am a forgiving soul, and that wear my heart on my sleeve, always have and always will. With that comes the beating and battering of daily life... That is a price I'm willing to pay for doing so.... I have dealt with a lot my whole life so far, not as much as others but I've had a good dose of rubbish. I used to stand up for every moral principal I had when I was younger...and now I pick my battles, and taken so many breaths in the last few years that I could permanently hyperventilate "letting things go..." and I've let so much go...but for some things even that won't work...

What hits me to my core and breaks my heart, is those who either lie to me or let me down repeatedly for no good valid reason or break their word, that's something for me, no deep breath will work.... For me, for my forever.

I survived...!

Just to check in and say Hi I/We survived the 32 hours or should I say the 35.  My husband did 7 hours "worth"  But after a 13 hours one day and a 14 hours the next and a 3 hours today, my hours are done!  Hooray!  So Oatie and I might be back tomorrow!  Good night xxx

Oatie's loves Bopping....

Well, you might have noticed a few additions to our blog. We've added the playlist, (some of the song's don't work) these are Oatie's favourite tracks, and if he hears them, particularly "Halfway" from the Black eyed peas, he'll either do his frog hop dance or he stands up and his standing style is hip-hop-ish.

Today I ran 3 miles and then had our adult skate lesson, I then noticed all the cuts and bruises I got from this guy in the pool yesterday, who swam very selfishly (to be nice), he was horrible didn't want to share and kept on ramming either myself or this other lady into the plastic ropes... So I forgave him, telling myself he must have some kind of chemical brain imbalance to be that nasty,... I have 2X2 inch cuts on my shoulder, two cuts on my hands and one on my chest. But by the end of my swim yesterday I kind of felt that he was just a horrid nasty person from witnessing his other actions. If I see him again I'm reporting him if he does it again. I don't understand how people can just be like that, how can anyone live like that? The amount of energy and conscious thought to go into being like that? Totally alien to me. Laughable that I can't hold a grudge even if I wanted to....

Tonight my DH (Darling Husband) had his Vol shift, here comes Mr Chippy.. and tomorrow I have my 12 hour shift so I may not be about till Saturday! I sure will be having a Guinness when I get in tomorrow (St. Patrick's Day). If you ever get the chance to go to Dublin, you HAVE to go and go to the Guinness Factory it's fabulous!
Oatie taking his brothers cat for a walk.

Call from the Neuro clinic... hmmmm....

I'm sorry it might be my Englishness... I've had a few people ask me...A "Tumble-Turn", is when you get to the end of your swimming length and you do a summersault underwater and turn at hte same time and carry on swimming like the "real swimmers" do. One of my Canadian friends called it a flip turn.

Well last night we got our follow up call from the neuro clinic, they actually are very nice don't get me wrong, I just feel that the "structure that they have is flawed".

They are nice, for the following, they are happy to keep the "door open" for Oatie, we've never been to the neuro clinic for the following reasons.... They want to poke and prod Oatie, and weigh him for the millionth time and OK I can hear you shout "What's wrong with that...!", well nothing in principle if it's for a valid reason. Like when he got diagnosed,.... that was fine.

Well that's not why we haven't been. They want to give him a general anaesthetic to scan his brain to see what's damaged. So for me, I'm like WHAT'S THE POINT! Why do we need a photo to see the damage, what is that going to do? Do they have superhuman powers to correct this or is it just to tick a box? How will this improve Oatie's treatment or his quality of life? Why should he have to have a general anesthetic at the age of 3 (he was 2 when diagnosed) for no VALID reason in my eyes. I have nothing against anaesthesia at all, but there is a place... for operations, life and death etc... not just to tick a box which doesn't improve or alter the outcome.

If at some stage of his life Oatie needs an GA (general anaesthetic) the I might ask them if they want to scan it then then do. The reason for the GA is at this age he can't lie still enough, so again if he is able to lie still when he's older, I don't mind that either.

Spending time going for that procedure, which to me is "looking back" not looking forward is a waste of time. When we first found out his diagnosis, I remember scouring hte internet,and came across this book title, no laughing I'm still on the waitlist from the library... the title is something like...."So my child has brain damage, so now what?", I like the idea of it, looking forward and making a change with what you can change... not sitting in a heap crying over what you can't. It was that book that mentioned ABR, I caught an extract on the net and it just said ABR, it took me 2 hours on google to decipher what ABR was. As soon as I saw it, it made so much sense to me ....the next day we were booked in for our induction. with tickets bought!

Anyway, this lady phone my darling husband... and obviously they've never met, (so to be fair, they don't know how severe he is in their defence) him and asked how his walker was and what aids and then my husband mentioned ABR and he doesn't have a walker or mobility aids except his pushchair/stroller. My husband mentioned the benefit of ABR,... and how he's improved... Then she was saying how he will make "natural progress", Yes I agree that he might do that, and as he gets older he'll mature like my other two. However, this time last year, he couldn't sit without his hands supporting him. Oatie was so unstable physically, I couldn't even get him to weight-bear for more than 2 seconds, If it wasn't for the off duty, Canadian soldier who helped us off the plane and to our cab and gave me his barracks number if we needed help (he joked he'd send a tank...) I don't know how I would have done it (my heart's a softie, but I'm not). To then have Oatie holding not even all my fingers yesterday (they usually feel like they are being pulled out), that isn't natural progression, it just isn't. I feel like contacting our paediatrician just to let him see Oatie and let Oatie walk in, and have a camera handy to capture his expression and send that to the sceptical neuro clinic... So the door is still open... The other flaw is now recently they are now x-raying the hips... as for YEARS they have seen that problems with the hips now results in bigger problems later. So yes, that sounds like a good idea and you don't need a GA, why did it take YEARS for them to work that out, or change the procedure?

Today he did some messy art, something he doesn't like to do, so I'll post a photo in a a while, it's a St Patrick's day Craft.

T-shirts, tumble turns, magic, walk, tan, ABR, 3-turns and meringue

Well today was what would be a Typical Winter/Spring day in Sunny Alberta. A beautiful Chinook arch in the sky, blue skies, sunshine, 3oC and you want to be in a T-shirt, I'm sure I got a tan. (I'll explain the tan in a bit).

Oatie holding my hand walking look at his feet, look at our hands  WOW!

If you ever fancy some free "sport" (meaning a laugh), just invite me along and make sure you get a front row seat. No I'm not joking, I have posted how I end up going against the grain of life, and I've posted how it really used to bother me, and used to wonder WHY? but now I have a few grey hairs, I just shrug my shoulders and well you just have to LAUGH and not fight it! It's so much funnier when you just laugh...

A Friend who doesn't have any brain injured children all the same ages as ours and does have her household like the "Waltons", says how I "look" for these thing. But I seriously don't, it just happens, look at last week with my "so annoyed post". I dotted all the 'i''s and crossed all the 't's and still. BOOM BOOM POW! I was proactive in ensuring it would go without a hitch and it should have... but nope of all the 50+ families... it happened to me!


After dropping my 3 gorgeous kids off at their schools I went for a Swim. I was in a lane with a lady whom we've swum with a once or twice but never really chatted. Well even though I swim as fast as a snail, she was complimenting my swimming and told me how she couldn't Breathe for front crawl... well being a person who didn't get proper stroke technique till they were 12 and became a swimming instructor... I gave her a few tips. And then out of the blue, she started to Tumble turn. She stopped and said how she felt like she wanted to pay me, as she was in Swim Club as a kid, she couldn't compete as she couldn't "Breathe" and well she gave up swimming as a result, and now is obese... So I jestingly said, she could egg me on to do a Tumble Turn as "payment", as I haven't done one for 18 years... (since I injured my back when I was a teen), and have been reluctant to do so since, so I did 4 tumble turns today, they weren't pretty, but I sooo enjoyed them, we had an absolute SCREAM together it was hilarious...

My Oatie, was full of surprises... and know how I was took him shopping, well I was still thinking about how nice it was... and why was it nice this time, what was different? I don't see it but my friends do, Oatie is very subtly improving. That's why, his back's not in pain how it used to be, today he stood up and put on his OWN hat. as it was a T'shirt day we walked back to the car. Yes I'd say it was a walk. Usually we'd do the WADDLE... but today he held one hand, my hand was by my side rather than high up taking his weight. It took 20 minutes to go the 200 metres but we Walked, it was pleasurable, it was a slow stroll, he chattered, it was the first "normal" experience of physical activity we've ever done, it was just like MAGIC, so magical that it was one of those moments like on a Startrek film, where time was frozen and I'll remember the moment FOREVER. Well that's how I got my Tan!

We did 2:25 of ABR,.... Thank you ABR so much!

The 3-turns, well I'm still short of one of my inside ones, (skating speak), buy my figure skating kids did beautiful 3 turns, they had a great skate today.

The Meringue, well we had some egg whites from making the peppermint creams at Scouts last week, so I made some English meringue's actually a strawberry pavlova, I can't eat the cream but we bought some and whisked it up and voilà! Which my lovely hubby took round to my two fellow Scouter's homes. I won't be at camp next weekend due to the 32 hours. They are always so nice, and so supportive of Oatie, me and my family, never complain if I can't be there or go to camp, and it's an honour to Scout (Scout Association) with them.

Not a great photo but you get the idea, two layers of meringue, sandwiched with whipped cream, whipped cream on top decorated with Strawberries,  We use dairy free ice cream instead...

Night time ABR...

I had no idea what to call this post.  My husband and my older two are at Beaver Camp for the night so the house is oddly quiet!  Oat and I had planned on staying in for a snuggle day even though it was one of the nicest days in 6 months... but I had to do a Skate Sharpening Run.

Here is a old English Expression, (after putting the link from wiki, I'm not sure it's all that politically correct or if I will ever use it again after thinking about it), but there is no offence intended, one of my Uncles is Dutch.  But I as the English say, plucked up some "Dutch Courage"  (But without the Alcohol upfront...), the part of England that I was from, it's more meaning "Bravery" than the Wiki Definition.

I realised when I was in my husband's car (we swapped mines more economical for distances), that we rarely go out with Oat on our own apart from the School Run.  When we go out as a family to shop, we have our "Groove" and between us, it's generally a really nice experience.  I used to go out with all 3 in a blink of an eye when Oatie was a baby, I'd have him in the baby sling, and my other two having a hand each.

Apart from the physical limitations of going out with someone who can't walk, the world wasn't build for physically less able, it's the emotional roller coaster, the smallest thing can really, really upset Oatie, and sometimes I don't know what it is as I can't understand what he's saying... (that breaks my heart not understanding him) .  (I can't complain, I think I would be 10million times worse than Oatie if roles were reversed).  It's also the getting in and out the car, folding and unfolding the wheels, and then the whole Barrage of "society" on top.

Today I thought I'm doing to go shopping with Oatie, like I used to with my other two... I may not do it for a while, a very long while... but I'm doing it today!  It can either be really nice or really upsetting for everyone.

So a huge cup of tea before going out (it was my alcoholic replacement - joke), and first went to the skate shop,  I trudged in there holding both of Oat's hands and left the skates there, I call it the "Waddle Walk" as I'm holding his hands straddling his gait and stooped over slightly so we "Waddle" and there's me chortling away in my "Queen's English" and Oatie replying in English or Fench, we always get the most bizarre looks!  We went in the car to another shop, bought something for Oat's brother, and our first conflict.  We parked in the handicapped spot, we have our Blue Badge, and (I NEVER park in it if Oat's not in the car with me), he didn't want his wheels, he wanted to hold my hands and walk, (yes it does take 10 times longer, but I think he likes the being part of the action), this lady started to scowl at us, thinking I was using it for a parent and child... and she went into the store that I was going in (I found out a few minutes later )to REPORT ME for abusing the space!, anyway I was trudging across to the furthest side of the store to get the item I wanted, in our "Waddle" when the manager approached me, she went to say something, but didn't, (she could clearly see that he couldn't walk), stepped out of my way with the scowling lady in tow and then they walked off, hearing her, oh, I didn't realise....  Why do you have to be "OLD" to be "handicapped?"  I don't get it!

We stopped off in another store but they didn't have what we wanted so we collected the skates, and then went to the fabric store which had a 50% sale on.  This time I did use his wheels as even I don't like going in there.  Oatie got complimented on his behaviour and the shoppers who said hi to him, he either chatted back in French or in English.  This nice lady who meant well, in the queue was saying if her grandson was here, (same age) he'd be running around the shop... "Don't you want to run around little man?"  (at which point Oatie teared up, and blinked back the tears)... and then said "Home now mummy?"

So we were out for 3 hours (I would have taken me 1.5 hours) but he really wanted to trek about and we both enjoyed it for the most part.  I'm glad I've been exercising as doing the "Waddle" is like an endurance event... but being fitter, it wasn't as tiring to put him in the car repeatedly, or do the "waddle" and  it was nice to be able to walk that length with him... We got home and I had made us a chilli con carne for dinner which was waiting in my beautiful oven for us, we played, and did some late night ABR which was a nice round off to a nice day.  It was so nice, I might do it again soon. He even helped me get out his ABR Machine, (daddy usually put it on for him) and he was teaching me how to do it... ahhh.

March and Friday AGAIN!!!

Oatie with the hardest push-along we have, the one behind is the harder cart and in the by the door is his sturdy tikes cart.

Here's Oatie taking Crystal my other son's cat for a walk in my daughter's Barbie Pram. You can just see the paw and tail.

Yesterday was a rather hectic day with one school skiing with their dad, Oatie at preschool, my other son at home for a teacher training day.  We made some paper aeroplanes together then picked up Oatie, had lunch, cleaned up did some ABR then had to go to the volunteer meeting which I actually (I'm surprised) got an apology for the whole "annoyed" thing.  So I was like oh OK, and well then the kids had skating followed by off ice followed by me leading our Scout meeting we were making peppermint creams.

It's really quite tricky trying to lead something when you just can't speak up, not because I'm shy (I'm about as far from shy as one can be.  Well that's not strictly true as the introvert side on occasion I can be but I don't mind public speaking or making a speech those thing just don't phase.  So it was like Galaxy Quest when I say something and then my fellow Scouter would repeat it for me.

So anyway, today I've declared that on Teacher Training days' I'm just not going to roll Oatie, I will take the day off, my eldest is going to be 8 this year and my daughter 6 next month and Oatie 4 in July... so seeing the actual Numbers, I'm like YIKES, and so I'd really like to enjoy those days with them.

So we've done 3 hours in the last two days and tomorrow & Sunday I should get our full hours in.

So Annoyed... 'resolved'

Well, after a night of insomnia, and an email or two later.  I got a lovely email saying that I was "NASTY" for telling the truth and for standing up for ourselves!  My email was no way rude and was factual stating the facts, the truth  (I'm sure she didn't like the fact I had dated photos).  How is it rude saying my son is handicapped? how is it rude saying I have a lump in my throat and how is it rude asking for justification for being moved without asking or consent? for a volunteer position?

Anyway,  they begrudgingly took the Saturday back off me and gave me back the Wed's that I/we origionally had.

I later found out they did this to someone else.  The trend is that you put your name down 2 weeks ago, then one of the organisers "buddies" just today, wants to have a social and so they pick and choose the shift of their choice, they get what they want, an hour here and an hour there and everyone else gets 'bumped'! for no legitimate reason...  Fair - I think not!

So my ears will be burning later this afternoon when they complain endlessly about me at their meeting.  Oh well, C'est la vie! 

I'm just happy that Oatie won't be "tormented" by being strapped in for hours, or go without half his weeks' ABR.

I am so annoyed, so very annoyed!

Indirect discrimination against Disabled people!  I HATE IT!

Well I am really annoyed.  Like really.  One of our kids after school activities clubs, signed up for hosting an event which mine can't participate in (that's totally fine)but they wanted $500 cheque if you don't volunteer per child.  So ok $1000.  They never stipulated the hours required till it was time to fill out shifts.  So when they said I had to do 32 hours over a 4 day period, with a 7-5 and handicapped 3 year old I was like...... Oh OK.  So I diligently was one of the first to put my shifts down, and got up to 27-28 hours, maybe 30 as one was sketchy end time it ends when the jobs are done..., with the view of topping up should it be needed.  So all was hunky dory or so I thought.

Well today, Oatie and I had just got back from picking him up and my daughter had an entrance test to get into my elder son's school, and I went to check my email and came across the schedule.  Well apart from the fact that I said I couldn't do Saturday, and I picked Wed Evening, All day Thursday and All day Friday, they changed all the posts that I put my name for (quiet non shouting ones (I am a chatterbox so I do hope there is nothing sinister wrong with my voice as I do like to chat) but I can speak lots, just not shout/raise my voice.... so they changed my volunteer position to something I explicitly said I didn't want to do out right (I can't shout because of my throat, the lump is still there) so it would just be a disaster as how can I shout and call people if I can't Shout?  And then without asking me first, they put me on Saturday without my consent and then PUBLISHED and printed it, not like sorry, you HAVE to do Saturday... Nope... I accidentally clicked on Saturday and saw my name.

So they took away 8 of my 28 hours, so it looks like now they will claim they can cash my $1000 cheque... what's makes it worse was that I spent 3 hours contacting the Guides and Scouts in the area and my eldests school who do volunteering towards a youth award, and out of that I got one young lady who is doing 7 hours.  Which they wouldn't have even got the 7 hours if it wasn't for me.

Previously they said that child over 13 who volunteers adds to your hours say if you had an older child... now they say not!

Don't get me wrong, I have nothing against hard graft (Hard work) but it has to be fair.  How can you take peoples hours away when you were first in line and then give you a day you didn't consent to?

My husband is going to be working full time and being Super dad collecting and picking up all 3 kids while I'm doing my "32" hours...

The day I didn't consent to?  Here's the thing... having a "Disabled" child...., who wants to look after them?  (other than you of course) Your Extended Family... NO!  Hey do you think someone wants a play date with them? haaaa!  NO, Oatie is a nice gentle polite soul, a really loving guy, but no one wants a playdate with him EVER!  Finding a babysitter... NO! They know I have a disabled child, I wasn't asking for special favours, I had put all but 4 hours on the sheets in times where my husband could be Super dad and I could find an intravenous drip of caffeine...and (spent 3hours finding other volunteers (not counted in the 28-30hours) but that doesn't count either).  (So I can't find anyone to look after him for the day I didn't consent to, as I tried to do that to do a sponsored run to raise money for cancer a few weeks back,)...So what do they expect me to do, stick Oatie on the pavement/side walk? When were they going to tell me they put me down for a day I was never going to be there for originally?

My husband re-arranged his work, appointments everything so we could do the days that we put down, it was one grid chart not like there was dupes...   And what was best for Oatie, we (his parents decided we'd take the brunt of the exhaustion) and let his routine be his routine and cause him the least amount of upset, he's doing so well, he doesn't need to be stressed and panicked and feel trapped being strapped in a claustrophobic environment)

The day I didn't consent to, I have been put on a "Walking about post", so how am I meant to "walk" with someone who can't! in a highly busy area where there are STEPS!  His stroller wouldn't be an option and he would just SCREAM.  If it was a stationery post where he could watch a DVD on his player or something I might be able to do it but how fair is it to strap a 3.5 year old in a stroller for 4 hours for something he's going to HATE!  I think that's cruel!  (hence I didn't want to do Saturday) and was prepared to do a 12 hour shift both days plus the Wed's night set up.

It has really upset me, as if it's not enough to deal with the prejudices against less physically able people, I thought that was rather insensitive, lets RUB your face in it, and give you a walking position which isn't even fathomable and cruel to even suggest, and then say sorry for the 'hardship', caused to anyone's who's shifts we've changed......, and take and change your hours that you put down first, first come first served, take them away, make you feel bad for having a child that no one wants to play with because he can't run, and then claim they will bank your cheque!  Just makes me feel sick!

Wowwzer's Monday

Well, I think you know I'm slightly obsessive about time management, (I was a Executive PA), well I really really do like to squeeze as much in a day as possible. There are a multitude of reasons, one of which is really personal, was my aunt, who my mum nicked-named "Joan Collins", well my mum and my dad's sister had a spirited but healthy rivalry, and looking back it was rather surreal, but does make me smile, I think my mum and my aunt quite enjoyed the banter. Well the sad bit was that while my Aunt was what most people call their prime in her 40's, (although I think being in your 60's is your prime!) she had a stroke and had a combination of muscle wasting diseases and from being a feisty spirited, very handicraft type person to not being able to move a muscle apart from a blink. I still have the toy seal she made me when I was 7, and what occasionally chokes me is that after her first stroke and she realised that her health would deteriorate, she made pictures and hung them around her house, and wrote notes on the back for whom they were to go to, but never told a soul, after she died, her husband found them, they hung there for years. I don't know why I'm telling you this, I suppose it's just gone past her death anniversary, and I love sewing, a friend today was admiring the skating dress I made for my daughter, and she, my aunt loved sewing, but we never got to sew together.

Well, after seeing my aunt when I was 17, she could just about chat then, and we enjoyed watching "pretty woman" together, I vowed never to 'waste' a day again. Waste meaning Take for Granted. Hence my days are actioned packed.

Well to further streamline my schedule, I found this app, it's actually quite useless, but I kind of really needed it(for me), I think in pictures and well your day is a pie chart, and you put your daily schedules in and you can visualise you day (as you can see quite useless) but for me, I actually like it. I think the idea is that you balance your work, rest and play, and I suppose seeing the segments of each it nice. This evening when "Freetime" went ding on my phone I was like, ohhh that's nice!

Well today I had a great day, I swam 2k, ran 2 miles, I straightened my hair and painted my nails, did 2:55 of Bench (ABR), made the lunches for tomorrow, took the kids skating and made dinner, a banana cake, well it was just nice.... not too rushy but just nice.

Oatie will be returning to School tomorrow, he didn't make it today as each time he goes in he picks up another cold, and I was beginning to wonder if it was the floor... so my husband was hedging asking as diplomatically as he could when, so we found out today that the floor hasn't been mopped since September-October last year, the cleaner they just sacked said he never knew he had to clean in the preschool room ewwewewewe! 

Oatie walking to put the fence back in Happyland today

Quiet Saturday's are nice...

My oven is busy making all these dishes.

Today we had a quiet day at home.   It wasn't as quiet as I thought, as I did a bit of spring cleaning, I know I've mentioned my oven a few times, but I really do love it, how many ovens can you clean while your cooking?  My oven was grilling sausages, had a casserole, frying onions, a huge rice pudding, and cooking rice and had the contents of my quiche filling, oh and making me a cup of tea too!  (Yes that is a giant sized mug, it's my ABR mug).  I can make a nice cup of tea it stays hot and is great especially for $0.50cents!

We took today off from ABR, and Oatie played with his less sturdier cart, this morning he stood up and went to walk with it and lost his balance and fell on his bottom, he was about to crawl away and cry, when I told him that he was able to play with it, but he couldn't lean on it as it won't take his weight,and he'd need to put a few of his cuddlies/stuffies back inside the cart to help, so he said "OK Mama" and stood up in open space and had another go.

What's ironic is that having the combination of "able" and less "able" children in our house, at times, I'm not sure who's the less able one, as Oatie rarely spills anything, gets any food around his mouth, where as my 7 year old.....!  So it's quite funny, even though they have differences physically to Oatie, they all 'struggle' with similar goals just in different ways,  my older two are trying to perfect their "sweet-spot" on their figure skates whereas Oatie is trying to find his "Sweet-spot" on his feet too.  When he stood up, with his cart after he fell, he rocked back on his feet and forward, looked like he found his balance (same look as my older son on his hockey skates last week) and then was off...  It's called his "speed cart" and it's full of all his stuffies/cuddlies.

Meanwhile, Crystal was hunting the sausages...

I can smell Sausages...

A change... a good change but a change...

I'm perplexed, doesn't happen often but, I'm had a few moments of actually looking, not believing my eyes and looking again! I suppose it was subtle, but just a good few 'subtles' today which was eyebrow raising for me.


If I could ever have multiple me's like Multiplicity (with Michael Keaton), I would kind of love. The rest of the world wouldn't as there would never be any peace for a start and if they could chat half as much as I can... then it would be "God save the world", as I am a Gemini too, but 50-50 extrovert-Introvert straight down the line.

Well I have decided what "jobs" they would all have. I'm sure you who read my blog can guess what, one for ABR, one for running the house... But ultimately I don't think I could as they would be like Slaves and I just couldn't stomach that. I wouldn't mind employing someone to help, but they would have to treated "tiptop" for sure.

The reason I think of Multiplicity.... is the balance, my plate spinning goes awry at times, I hear a few chinks of of Stoneware hitting the floor. I would say China, but I only like my cup of tea in China. Good old Stoneware is so durable.

My "old life" was predictabley boringly balanced, too balanced, I like running things to perfection, (OK i'll admit it) it was a tad dull,... there is never a dull moment now! Be careful what you wish for!!!

Today my younger two had teacher training days, (I can hear you shouting WHAT ANOTHER ONE!!!) like I said between Oatie picking up every illness at school... and the Teacher Training days of 3 different school calendars... I have job some days working out who is meant to be in the car and who isn't!

Well, I decided to take my daughter to the public figure skate, not because she was lacking in ice time but just to spend some one on one with her. She skated this evening for another 1.5 hours but we went for a giggle together, we held hands, she looked at my 3 turns, and we really enjoyed it too. The trade off was Oaties ABR so I did manage 1 hour and I thought one hour is better than no hours and well it has a knock on to the dishwasher not being run and then adds a few chinks to my well oiled machine. Oatie is still having everyday 10-14 hours of ABR Machine a night. I suppose I wish I could be there for everyone whenever they need me (highly unrealistic) but it was what my "old life" before his diagnosis was like and I did really enjoy the freedom of the past, I don't want it to sound bad as I love Oatie just as much as my other two, and in some ways he's the least trouble as he always does his best and listens most of the time and doesn't have strops. What I mean is, I liked being able to "waste an afternoon chatting to a friend about nothing", or not multitasking EVERYTHING, all the time, and as long as the basics were done, laundry, dinner sorted, school run and clean kids, didn't really have a care in the world, I suppose the simplicity. Hence the thought of multiplicity.

I thought this was going to be a short post! Well I wished I could roll (ABR) Oatie more, not because anyone is making me do it, or out of guilt as I don't feel guilty about what happened to him. But on days like today, for a fleeting moment I do wish I got our "usual" hours in, especially when you see him progressing.

Here's why I was gobsmacked...today, he spontaneously asked for food, when offered lunch he said no, later!, and then told me which pudding he'd like, when I said it wasn't available (he hmmmmmmed and then said something else), he stoutly was opinionated, used words I had never heard him use before and, pushed his other cart that he couldn't hold even if I was holding it he'd fall over (I felt bad for buying it as it seemed cruel that he had this toy and couldn't use it, so I hid it in a corner behind the door in the playroom for the past 2 years)..., today he got it out, did squats with it and pushed it along and I was like, OMG!!!! and said to my husband "did you see that?" he looked up and just said yes (automatically) thinking Oatie was with his usual more sturdier cart, when he looked up again and went OH! He found two stuffies from this cart, decided they were friends, and gave them names and told me what they liked!?!?!? (OMG!) Watching Skating this evening he sat on the bench watching his DVD holding his dad's hand (usually he'll stand up) and he walked to get his bedtime water and opened the underbed-drawer to get his ABR machine out, and well he was just "different" like a good change had happened again, nothing major, but all the little bits really added up to "WOW" for me, and that's why I couldn't believe my eyes.

Well it's our Friday night Date Nite, our Takeout/Takeaway is arriving soon, so I'll leave you in peace... for now! Hope you all have a great weekend too.


Love Oatie's Mum (Mel xxx)

Peppermint Creams

Today Oatie had a teachers training day. So my daughter and I made some peppermint creams together as a practice run for Scouts next week. Well they are pure sugar with egg-whites, so rather sweet...

We did 1.5 hours of ABR purely as I couldn't focus with all that sugar buzzing around. So this evening at scouts I inflicted all the other scouters with them.

The Wrong Trousers - I hope I'm not Wallace, I have do have a Gromit & Shaun!

 Oatie at Preschool using Scissors...  I was very impressed, and taken back, I didn't realise he could use scissors like that!

Oatie using Scissors today...

The Wrong Trousers?

I love GROMIT xxx

Wallace And Gromit Graphics &; Wallace And Gromit Pictures";

I hope I am NOT Wallace, but I had/have to be creative with Oatie's Trousers/Pants... as "normal" ones don't last at all.

Today Oatie's trouser prototype "1" bit the dust. It served well it lasted 9 months well I did make a few pairs so that's not bad going.

Trackpants, I cut and resewn to be CP Friendly for Oatie

Until now, I got his existing pants and rehashed them. Like I'd cut the seams off, and pretty much remake them adding the hard wearing material in the front. I learned that it was best to bind the edge of the patches before sewing them to the hard wearing fabric. This time, I've decided to make them up from scratch. It's more work than making them up from scratch. I'm not doing ribbed cuffs as I'd like to have a hem for growing room. In principle I like them, my daughter chose the blue fabric, I might buy some black fabric to mix it up.

So "normal pants/trousers" are wrong for Oatie for a brand-new pair of jogging bottoms/tracksuit trousers, Oatie can wear the knees through in 3 days. I could also use a pair of those trousers featured in Wallace and Gromit, it would be perfect for getting Oatie around.  

I'll be making him some new ones very soon, which reminds me to prewash the fabric, so I had better go and put a wash on.

If you click on the photo you can see the black patches on the knee- thigh, the ankle cuffed ones ride up like that.

Today we did 2.5 hours of Manual ABR

Pizza car at the gas bar

Today was -34oC and with the wind chill it felt like -40oC.  If you weren't wearing gloves after about 20 seconds you hands were burning....  OUCH!  I don't normally mind our winters but this one is very "special" and I am sure I will treasure it in my heart... NOT!

Today we got 2:30 of manual ABR, which is more than usual on a Tuesday.  I didn't swim and Oatie didn't make school either.  But I did go to the Flag Ceremony.  It was really sweet, and for me looking into the Francophone community, it was nice that they wanted to be fully integrated into Alberta.  I do love O Canada in French, it sounds lovely!

My older two had dance, and my "Michael Jacksons" Thriller jacket arrived for recital, he was so excited... fortunately his figure skating pants are now above his ankle bones so they should be perfect for the pants to go with the Thriller Jackets maybe a minor mod to them.  My daughter is one of his dancers... in sparkling fuschia pink two piece they look gorgeous.


Today Oatie, found a lego ladder from on of the lego dumpster trucks, added a block to make it a "bridge" and then got Pizza Car and took him on the bridge which was Pizza car at the Gas Bar.  We do love his games, he's so inventive and it's super cute.  

 

I've contacted the Mayor

Today was a special Flag Ceremony at my daughters and Oatie's School... and guess who sat next to me,... none only other than the Town Mayor (we're not officially in the town) but we're in the sprawl in the countryside so we're like honorary town members.

So whilst I was emailing him his photos, I asked if he could do something to improve disabled peoples access/rights in and around the town.  He really is a nice guy, probably the nicest politician I've met, so we shall see.  What I like about him is that he really does seem to care about what his role is and I have no idea how good his French is, but he was really making a huge effort and it was nice.

I even sent him a photo of Oatie Buggy skating from Sunday so I'm hoping that his cute smile might win him over.

Oatie and I'll be back later.