Squirrels

You may wonder why i asked about squirrels...Well at the grand old age of 45 i have NEVER EVER seen a squirrel of either colour at all...That's despite growing up beside the sea but also surrounded by lots of woodland...Playing in the woods, going frog spawn colleting, rolling easter eggs in them, walking home from sunday school through them etc...I have never ever seen a squirrel...Well there was loads of red squirrels where i was over the weekend...They would come right up to the front of the house in the morning or late evening...And guess what...Yups i have still NEVER EVER seen a squirrel...Everyone else say plenty over the weekend...The little sods run a mile when they knew i was out in the grounds <sobs> Saw plenty pheasants and rabbits and hares and other birds but the squirrels avoided me like the plague <SOBS>

Above are some pics i took over the weekend...Ok it did rain a wee bit but still the weather was in the main glorious...The rooms were amazing...I was in the 'turret' as one of the regular people who help run these conferences calls it...In the middle between the front and back of the house...We had no keys for our doors although we could lock them from the inside...Being in the middle of nowhere then the only people around to nick anything were staff and the people staying there for the conference...Am putting a couple of links at the end of this entry about Douneside and the MacRobert trust...We had a book in our room about the Trust and as i hadn't taken anything with me to read and we were basically packed off to bed early i read it...Fascinating read actually :o) The views across the fields and the surrounding hills were fantastic...It was very peaceful and tranquil :o) In the evenings a log fire was lit in the bar area and we divided into 2 teams to have a quiz both nights...The team i was on won the 1st night and lost by 1 point on the 2nd night...I love quizzes and i did get quite competitive LOL...I have in the past written and run a weekly pub quiz for charity...M loves gameshows especially quiz type ones and i was asked if it was me he got it from...I'd never thought about it before and i suppose he does in a way...It may be a good fundraising idea for their Triple A team and i will suggest it at next steering group meeting...M could help me to ask the questions :o)

Have to go as someone wants to chat so will do the rest of what i was going to say just now another day.

History of the Trust

Douneside House Conference Centre and Services Holiday Country House

Toodle pip tc xx

I know it's only april but i look like rudolph lol

Well my weekend away was good but i have a sunburnt nose that is all shiny and red...It's not sore and am covered in even more freckles and am all pink too...Needless to say we did have nice weather but yesterday was very hot and very very sunny...Being in the middle of nowhere then suntan cream wasn't an option...No i didn't have any long lies as brekkie was at 8.30am and the programme for the day started at 9.30am...We were doing lots of workshops and discussions on various issues...To share our feelings and reactions to things and how we coped and dealt with tons of issues.

Am not going to go into details as that would be wrong...What i will talk about is the mechanisms that we can try to create or put in place that can help all of us with dealing with things...We discussed meetings first of all...How we felt before a meeting, during and after...Am afraid that i really don't feel that bad about meetings or nervous about them really...But as one of the facilitators pointed out that could be because am so far down the line now and have been dealing with all kinds of meetings with all kinds of professionals for 16/17 years now for G and for M since he was about 8 months old that am used to them...So much of what i said was things the facilitators would advise to do to help...Oh and i have now come to a what i think may possibly be the reason behind the constant moans about G's appearance...As you all know from what i write he is very capable academically...So they don't really have anything to do in that area for him as such...So i think instead of focusing and helping with the other issues he has that i am concerned about she has to find something to moan about...Possibly to justify to herself why he needs a place in the base...So she picks on his hair and his clothing because she has nothing else to pick on that could be 'bad' and he would need 'help' with...Does that sound plausible???? Anyways i digress as usual...After we all said our piece about our feelings and how we deal with meetings we discussed something called 'Circle of Friends'...Circle of friends is a good tool IMO but it can also be quite emotional trying to think of one and to try and create one...Also we don't need one just for ourselves but for our disabled person in our lives...I have always found it incredibly difficult to try and even just create one on paper as an exercise because there are so few people in my life as such now...But as i had to phone home i missed part of it and didn't have to do one as such as an exercise :o) But i do really need to create a circle of some kind regardless of how small it is...Mainly because i am a single parent...And i can't include family in an area of the circle that i really should have them in because they live too far away...It is very important that your circle know what YOU WANT for your disabled person and what the disabled person wants and NEEDS...The circle can step in when you as the main carer fall ill and make arrangements for more outside care or stuff like that with the professionals...You also need to include on the outmost ring of the circle the people who are PAID to be in your life...Like doctors, specialists, teachers, care workers, respite workers etc...The innermost people in the circle need to know who they are...I guess even though my circle is miniscule when i had the emergency hospitalisation over my gall bladder nearly 3 years ago they kicked in and made phone calls and made social work listen and make arrangements...Not that what social work actually organised was that great but at least the 3 closest friends i have helped K out with that big time :o) Your circle could also give you a kick up the backside so to speak if it is a disabled child you have...Like pointing out that you are still dressing them like a very small child even though they are now a teenager...Regardless of if those kind of clothes are easier for them to wear...Am sure my small bunch of friends and K would have kicked my up the backside if G's hair was making him out to be even more different than he is <g>

Another thing we discussed but briefly is Person Centred Planning...Hopefully if funding can be got then a couple of courses on it will be run which i will definitely go on as it is something i am very interested in...Small view on PCP below

Person centred planning is:

A powerful way to support POSITIVE chane

A different way of working together

A better way to listen and respond to people

Different for different people

An invitation to personal commitment

Working towards inclusive communities

For anyone who wants it

Person Centred Planning is NOT:

A cure-all

Just coloured posters instead of paperwork

Just a more sophisticated assessment

A standard package

A service routine

Just a better way to put service packages together

Just for those who are 'ready'

It's about MOVING FROM planning which is owned by professionals TOWARDS planning which is owned by the person and those close to them

It's about MOVING FROM trying to fix people and waiting until they are ready TOWARDS creating opportunities now and providing support as/when needed

It's about MOVING FROM people being surrounded by paid staff, bound by the service TOWARDS people having friends and strengthening community connections

It's about MOVING FROM packaging people TOWARDS inividual and unique arangements

It's about MOVING FROM designing a service solution to last forever TOWARDS expecting services and supports to change as the person changes

It's about MOVING FROM services trapping individuals TOWARDS services being a bridge into the community

Basically in simplistic form it is all about looking at our disabled person we care for as an INDIVIDUAL with INDIVIDUAL needs and catering for those needs...About looking at them as an individual and looking at them as a person and NOT the condition they have and lumping them into a set category because of their disability...After all we are ALL of us INDIVIDUALS with different needs, wants and dreams...What works for one doesn't always work for another regardless of if they have the same condition...I know that extremely well because i have two sons both with same/similar condition on paper who have very very different needs, abilities etc...I really want to go on a course about it so i do hope funding can be found to run one...The person i know who tries to get courses like this, conferences and other things like the weekend away doesn't believe in parents/carers having to pay an absolute fortune to learn all this info and be trained in anything...Her preference is FREE as opposed to charging but if a charge has to be made then as small as possible...Professionals get trained, parents/carers don't get trained...We have to learn or find out for ourselves...Often after a disagnosis is made you are left to go away with no info on anything...Not even info on local support groups, places you can go for help etc...That hasn't changed in all the time that G has been diagnosed...It's shocking really and it wouldn't be that difficult for say a leaflet to be made up and handed out to a parent at least...With phone numbers, addresses, websites etc...Some of the people there at the weekend didn't even know the carers centre existed as no-one had told them...Quite frankly i find that disgusting and unforgiveable...If you happen to be a carer then your nearest carers centre can be a goldmine of useful information for you.

On sat i ended up in tears in the afternoon about one thing we had to fill in...And i still feel really stupid about it...We got handed a large sheet of paper with 4 sections on it to fill in...And we were only allowed to write in POSITIVE things...You know glass half full and not half empty...Or in my case i always see the glass as empty or at the most a quarter full...So first section was ROLES...Ok that wasn't too bad...Mum, chief bottle washer, chauffeur, general dogsbody and unpaid counsellor...Next was SKILLS...Good listener, give good advice, can drive, artistic...Next section was PASSIONS & INTERESTS...That i found very easy...I may not always have time for them but i managed to write a fair few in there...Lastly was WHAT PEOPLE SAY about you...This is the one that i just couldn't fill in and ended up in tears over...That funeral last week was still on my mind...To me i don't have that many people i know to say stuff about me and why would they say things to my face...But i did manage to put down good listener and good at councelling...Eventually i managed loyal friend as well...But i was really sobbing by then...So two of the others came over and plonked themselves on the floor beside me...One grabbed the sheet and wrote the following: Motivator, Selfless, Dedicated, Compassionate, Outgoing (HAHAHA), Good sense of humour, trivia queen...The hahaha is me adding that just now btw...Am not really it is a front...I did come across on the friday as very confident but i did point out on the fri that i am only confident when it comes to meetings etc to get what i want and what i believe is right for the boys...In every other area i am severely lacking in confidence and have absolutely no faith in myself at all...As i always say who counsels the counsellor...I am pretty good at giving sound, workable advice to others but am pretty bad at heeding my own advice...I ALWAYS come last at the very bottom of the pile and i ALWAYS put everyone else before me...And K has given me a right good telling off about that for years and G is doing it now as well...But hey i did buy clothes for me last week...I spent far too much on new clothes for me last week...I did buy K a new top though because she was such a star at coming home to look after the boys for me to go away...And i refused to take my change back of the money i had left with them for stuff over the weekend...They went tenpin bowling on the sat and the boys paid for themselves!!!!...She managed to get them to clear out a lot of rubbish from their rooms!!!!!...I've been nagging them for months about it...Oh well big sis is easier to do things for than  mean old mum <g>

Am not going to write anymore about the weekend just now i will keep some for an entry tomorrow and possibly the next day...Spread it out a bit instead :o) But can i just ask how many of you have seen a squirrel for real...Grey or red but preferably red...You'll find out why in another entry :o)

Toodle pip tc

 

Question

To those who buy off ebay specifically ebay shops have any of you bought anything where it says it's from china, thailand, usa, ireland etc??? Am a bit wary and asking because some of the jewellery components are mega cheap from china, thailand or usa

catchy up

I went to the funeral last thurs... I found out about it on wed evening and to be honest i was incredibly tensed up about it...I hadn't been in touch with her for a few years and most of the people i knew who would be going don't talk to me any more either...But i had to go for myself as i wouldn't have felt comfortable within myself if i hadn't gone along...There were other people there that i know who i never see regularly anyway so i mainly spoke to them...I felt incredibly uncomfortable but am glad i went along...I do wish she had still spoken to me as i didn't know just how bad her depression had become :o(  I ended up with the worst migraine i have had in a very long time on fri, sat and most of sunday and i think it was because i was so tensed up...I was invited to a 50th birthday in a local pub on the fri but i couldn't go...Not just because of the migraine as i would have popped along for an hour just to show my face...But also because i didn't feel i could face some of the people again...Silly really isn't it...I lost a lot of so called friends during the years after me and my ex split up...The irony of that being that most of them were friends with me to begin with LOL...But it is their loss and not mine but it still makes me feel awkward being in their company.

On to less deep and emotional stuff now :o)  My best friend got a dog last week...I went with her and her kids to pick it up...She got it via freecycle LOL...So because i was the one that Bex was sat with in the car all the way back (approx an hour) she adores me LOL...Now as most reading will know M is terrified of dogs so this is a big problem...But he has said he will not not visit my best pal again...As long as Bex is in the garden or in the utility room away from him then he says he can cope...Am kinda hoping that eventually Bex will help him to overcome his fears...It may be that he still doesn't like dogs much but that he is fine with Bex...She is an 8 month old border collie and she is a wee bit excitable...Me and best pal plan to take her out on long walks which is cheaper than the gym LOL.

I have physio tomorrow morning and i've kinda recovered a bit from my 2nd fall two weeks ago...It aches a heck of a lot but not painful as such now...Ok it still hurts if i type too much or do too much at oncebut hey ho...I had M to the doctors yesterday and i asked our lovely gp what he had injected me with last week...It was an anti inflammatory...I said i wished he'd done it before as i actually managed to sleep for longer than 45mins...He said next time he would do it straight away...I said 'next time!!!! there will hopefully be no next time' And he laughed...Actually if i do bash it again i want it to break so i can have it operated on and fixed proper like...It's swollen and feels weird if touched but not painful...Will see what the physio says tomorrow...I have to drive on fri for much longer distance than since christmas...Am going away early on fri morning and return sunday teatime...It's a weekend oragnised by the carers centre for single parent carers...But as i don't go anywhere or do much i ended up buying stuff from asda last night...Pyjamas, slippers, socks without holes, a pair of trousers and a couple of tops...At the moment i own two pairs of jeans that fit me, some vest tops and some old t shirts and a couple of jumpers...The jeans include a black pair that don't really look like jeans...We'll be having workshops and time to ourselves...I've no idea if we have to share a room but am kinda hoping not...With my sleep being the way it is then sharing a room isn't going to be good for the other person.

I did 3 orders off 3 different ebay shops later on fri evening...Am well impressed that two of the orders arrived yesterday...No mistakes and one of the shops am well impressed that they emailed me saying they had sent my order 1st class on mon...I will be using her again as the crystals were reasonably priced for the amount in the pack...Now i know what some of the colours look like in reality i will be ordering more...the blue zircon colour is as i thought and is a gorgeous teal colour...The only thing is i ordered a mixed pack of pinks...A list of which pinks they are would have been useful...When the other order of st silver wire arrives (hope tis right gauge) then i will be making up some designs...I really need to build up a range and then go and find an outlet...Like the craft group although they may not take me on as they have a few already who do jewellery and a few who do cards...But my cards are different to those others and the jewellery is in the main different to the others as well...Fingers crossed although that will be a few weeks away...Their next craft fair is in may and i can't do one in may as i want to be here to make sure the boys study...Well to make sure G studies for his exams in may...Am going because my shoulder is aching now although i have more to say

Toodle pip tc xx

Klutz or numptie lol

Well am having to use size 14 font now as size 12 is appearing as size 8 and size 10 wants to be about size 24 <sigh> Methinks the font sizes on this blog are trying to give me a message...LOSE WEIGHT AGAIN lol...It will happen but not until i am able to take up exercising again...I can't even do swimming just now which i had thought i could start again despite the council cutbacks...We do actually have umpteen swimming pools in the city it's just finding one that is open at a time i can go there and one that isn't full of people who aren't into swimming length after length like me.

Reason i can't go swimming is that despite now having more movement back in the capputed shoulder i erm fell again...To be exact our stairwell carpet is rather worn...That is really an understatement it's downright dangerously full of holes...Well i caught my toes in one said holes last wed night and went thunk banging the already damaged shoulder on the edge of one of the steps with a vengance...G came rushing down to see if i was alright and to help me...One of the neighbours came in just as i was attempting to get up...Now i thought i was fine and on thurs i felt ok...Winded to start with and just a bit stiff on the thurs...Big error on fri teatime as i drove to sainsburys...Fridge was empty and cupboards looking barren so i needed to buy supplies...As the crow flies sainsburys would be around 5 mins walk but the railway line gets in the way...Boy did i ache when i got back...My best friend called and asked if i would go to the cinema with her so i said yes despite film she wanted to see not being my thing...By the time we sat down to watch it i had shooting pains going up my neck and pins n needles down my arm...If i clenched my fist i had pain in my shoulder joint...The long winded medical name i can't pronounce let alone spell but you know the ball & socket joint that links the clavicle to the ulna or is it radius erm arm bone :o) It got worse over the course of sat and sun so on mon i phoned and managed to see my wonderful GP...Upshot is i have now damaged that part of my shoulder...Loads of internal swelling and stiffness <sigh> More painkillers or an injection was offered so i leapt at the injection...Marvellous as on mon night i actually managed to sleep longer than 45 mins for the first time since before christmas :o) GP told me to let my physio know and to also tell them he'd injected it...What with is anyones guess but am presuming some anti inflammatory...It still aches and i get sharp pains if i move it wrong but hey ho...I also felt incredibly sick all weekend like you do if you fall and bang your head...That according to the GP is from pain...So my movement is restricted again, i have to take it easy and physio will check it over next week when i see him and proceed from there...The stair carpet is getting hauled up and dumped in the street bins as soon as i am able and sod what anyone in the block says...It has been suggested by some friends that i need wrapped up in bubble wrap or cotton wool LOL...Am just glad it was me and not one of the boys...It could have been a lot lot lot worse...No-one cares about the state of the place and as am on the first floor then everyone of course is using that section of the stairs...Soon they can just put up with the wooden stairs themselves as i am not putting down more carpet...So i can type a little bit but it starts to ache a lot after about 4 lines...But it is keeping it moving and that is good, i can put up with some aches.

As you know K is coming up next week on the thurs...To be with M at the YAC agm and to look after the boys so i can go away for some peace and quite...Well M has decided he is going to stand to try and be elected for the vacant MSYP place next thurs...It won't be plain sailing as someone else is standing...Fingers crossed he does get voted in...Ok i will worry about him going away to weekend long meetings but it will be good for him i think...For someone who as yet as no qualifications through school and still has more difficulties than people perceive he is very passionate about people like him...From very young, teens, to older people with an ASD...He is able to overcome his social difficulties to try and make himself heard to try and make the public more aware of people like him and G...To make people realise that it's not special treatment as such that they need but allowances and understanding...Once someone knows it is not that much of a hardship to speak differently to them, to make people aware that yes they can do a job as long as certain things are in place...Not stuff that would cost money as such either...Mainly understanding, explaining things simply and clearly and to not treat them like they are thick or lepers of some kind.

Last night M didn't want to go to club so G took the bus...I couldn't have driven the 4-5 mile round trip anyway...Just after G left i phoned my best friend and she was pissed off...Her fella had decided he was not going to go with her and their young children to view this dog my friend had seen advertised...So i said i'd go with her instead...M was happy enough to be on his own...Well it's just as well i went with her as am a better satnav than his tomtom LOL...It was way out in the country and she had seen it advertised on freecycle...They were giving it away because although she is fine with children and other animals she did try to bully their other dog...So i ended up with a dog in the footwell trying to clamber over me on the way back...M won't be visiting them again <sigh> Mind you perhaps this well get him to be ok with dogs...My best friends 3 year old daughter is dog mad to the point where proper leads and collars had to be bought for her stuffed toy dogs...Although am not a dog lover in the sense that i would have a dog as a pet i will go out with her to take it on walks...It's cheaper than the gym LOL...Now am really aching so am off to see if a soak in the bath will help and attempt to wash my hair.

Toodle pip tc xx

Britains Got Talent!!!!! hmmm

K moved yesterday as her lease finished then although the keys don't have to be handed in until monday...She's got a room not far from the flat...I can't remember if i said already but that came about weirdly...This woman had rescued her from some obnoxious git on the bus and they got chatting...The woman and her husband were looking to rent out another room as they already had a lodger...So K went to see it last mon or tues and took it...It sounds nice and when the woman cooks she cooks for everyone if they want what she is cooking...The furniture that K has collected over the last year is now at my ex mother in laws...That includes her telly as there was already a telly in the room...Oh i'll have to remind K to get a refund on the TV licence...She has no internet access just now as they don't have the internet but are going to be getting it installed...Also this couple reckon they can get K a job for the summer quite easily :o)  And that possibly can continue part time when she is back at uni after summer...She can stay with the same GP as it is the same area...I think she's actually a wee bit closer to the GP now...I phoned my ex mother in law last night and she said they're a nice couple in their 50's she'd say and i feel happier knowing she has seen the place.

Well last night we did watch Britains Got Talent and OMG...K texted me gobsmacked that M didn't get through and they put through that bloke on the electric organ murdering the star wars theme tune...I must say i can't understand it myself...It's not sour grapes M really was a lot better than some last night...I do think he made a massive mistake though...If you remember i said that once he had been buzzed 3 times M spoke out...Then Simon said it was nice to meet him though...And then M walked off the stage...3 buzzers from watching last night didn't mean you were out <sigh> Now i reckon M should have let all the judges speak and then voted...Oh well he wants to put me through it all again next year ARGHHHH...BTW those buzzers are LOUD...MEGA LOUD...Scarily loud to be honest...Am not so sure that the change in format is a good idea...Last year they had the pre-recorded auditions, then the live semi finals and then the final...All over the space of about 9 consecutive evenings as i recall...This year they have 6 saturday night shows of auditions, then the live semi finals onconsecutive evenings culminating in live final...People will get fed up of seeing it for so long...At the time i was a bit miffed as well when M was on stage...All he was asked by Simon was his name and what did he do...He wasn't asked his age or what he did for a living...Everyone else we saw and those we saw last night were...But as M is no longer in the competition i would like to see an act that is NOT a singing act winning...A bit of variety rather than just having another singer but we'll see.

I really had better not phone social work as M's contract agreement with Jigsaw is 4 years out of date LOL...It shouldn't be as what he was assessed for money wise for support and respite was redone last year and the year before...Social work probably have a copy but have never sent it to Jigsaw...I only found that out because i had to ask for transport for him in 2 weeks time as i won't be here...K is coming up on the 23rd or might be 24th...It's the thursday LOL and she's coming up to be with M at the YAC agm...Apparently there may be some ructions and bad feeling and she's been advised by some on YAC to be there for M as he doesn't like any nastiness...It's not really that people are going to be nasty but they want rid of the current chairperson and possibly dep chairperson...M doesn't respond well to stuff like that...So K said she would come up and when i asked when she was going back she said the sat or maybe the sun...So my darling angel of a daughter is going to look after the boys so i can go to the weekend away for single parent carers our carers centre has organised for that weekend :o) Ok we have workshops to go to but we can also get pampered if we want...Am really looking forward to it.

Toodle pip tc xx

Oh FFS

Ok i DID increase the font size on that entry about the march...AOL is playing silly buggers and making it appear in like size 8 font...Wonder if AOL has some kind of weird need to become a size zero...Sorry Stuart if you want to read it i will post a copy to you or you'll have to increase it with the Ctrl button and roller and click bitty :o(

The march

Well our esteemed leader <cough> did actually take part in the march this morning...How she got away from it in one piece is probably only down to the high police presence...She declined to talk at the rally at the end of the march and left that to her deputy to do...Well to be frank she was booed as soon as she went up onto the platform so she stepped back down...The deputy leader was booed to bits as well LOL...It was bitterly cold and started out sunny which soon changed to hail then back to sun, then rain and then it decided it was going to snow and keep snowing...The main city centre street is the one the march went down and it was completely closed to traffic...That is something i have only ever seen on hogmanay...Even then it's not always the whole of the street that gets closed off...All along the whole length the pavements were lined with people clapping and cheering and some joined in with the actual march...Even the shopworkers were stood outside the shop doors...Thousands took part in the march itself from the very young in pushchairs, physically disabled in wheelchairs right through to the elderly...There was a rally at the end of the march at the finishing point...Quite a few people actually didn't stay for the rally or wandered off part way through but it was bitterly cold and snow falling all the time...Each group that took part got a chance for a spokesperson to speak out, councillors themselves spoke, Nicol Stephens MSP Abdn south and leader of the lib dems in Scotland, Anne Begg MP abdn south...There were other local MPs and MSPs there too...Anne Begg is utterly disgusted with the cuts that are being regarding the disabled...She is in a wheelchair herself so she can understand i guess...The majority of these cuts are being directed towards schools and disabled groups...Closing down day care centres, cutting back on outreach workers, cutting back on respite care provision (it's shit as it is) ...As i've said before surely if the budget for social care is being exceeded within around 3 months then that points to a NEED and that more money needs to be allowed in that sector!!!!...Is that too much like commonsense????? So they close several day care centres with no alternative provision for the people who are kicked out...So then they are left to become almost prisoners in their own homes...Not just elderly disabled but many young disabled too...People will have to give up their jobs to lookafter them...Which is not so much a worry about having to live on benefits but the fact that for many of them their job, full or part time, is the ONLY break they get...And they will lose that and then their health will suffer as a result...Why oh why can't these IDIOTS see that...Why does John Swinnery come out with biggest load of tripe when being asked about what is happening in aberdeen...Westminster set aside several million quid last year to go on the disabled/social care sector...Around £30 million i think was given to Scotland as our share of that pot...So what do Holyrood do they hand out a share to all the councils WITHOUT RING FENCING IT...So it just goes into a general pot in the coffers of the council and they use it for whatever they want...BLUDDY STUPID...Oh our ever so well respected <splutter>, marvellous <choke>, fulfills his duties ever so well <cough> Deputy Lord Provost was there too...Whether he was on the march itself or not i haven't got a clue as he most certainly did NOT look like a councillor...Naaaa he looked like a kid who was protesting at his primary school being closed down...He was pointed out to me and had tatty trainers on, scruffy jeans, a beanie hat and a hoodie FFS...Now hey my lads wear stuff like that BUT they are NOT city councillors let alone the deputy lord provost FFS...Honestly he looked like a damn good candidate for an asbo...He stood there gawking at the platform chewing his gum and trying to chat to the group K was with...And they were trying to slide away from him...He then moved on to stand beside 2 grown men who knew him but you could tell from their expression they didn't want him anywhere near him...I know plenty young people who are responsbile, have plenty life experience, who work hard on committees at school, groups outwith school and in local politics and for local issues...Am afraid this gormless eejit is giving them all a bad name...From what i have been told on very good authority and from what i saw today he's like a young teen playing at something instead of it being a very serious, responsible job...They can't trust him to go anywhere outwith the city to represent the city if the Lord Provost is unable to go...The organisers of today had the foresight and decency to have someone on the platform signing what was being said by everyone for those who were there that are deaf :o)

Do i think today will make a difference to the cuts??? Sadly probably not but every single one of those councillors who are the ruling parties up here are going to quaking in their boots that they are going to be out of a job at the next election...Shame there's not one soon...Am proud i went along and took part and marched with thousands of others for something i believe is WRONG...I don't give a toss that they have no idea where they can get money from so as to not make these cuts...They can decide NOT to move into Marschial college at a cost of around £80 million as it stands just now (it cost £40 million when first was spoken about and set in motion) and stay in their crappy old 1970's high rise eyesore...There you go that's a big saving on money that they can use to spend PROPERLY <g> Link below is to the local STV website with video clip and spiel about the march...Oh yes the tv cameras were all the way along union st today and the local papers had goodness knows how many photographers out in force following everyone :o)

stv news - Eight thousand protest against Aberdeen council cuts

PS: I've redone this entry for Stuart as the font i usually use is now too small for him to read...I tried readjusting the original but instead of increasing the size AOL in their wisdom decided to decrease it to a point where i was struggling to read it...Hope this is size 12 unlike me LOL

 

How bluddy thick can you get!!!!!!!

Just how bluddy stupid can our council get FFS...Not only did the deputy lord provost (get back to him in a min) announce in the local evening paper he was going to take part in saturdays protest march yesterday, today the bluddy council LEADER has announced she is going to go on it!!!!!!!  The NUMPTIE kid that is the deputy lord provost has been informed that he is NOT WELCOME...Think the council LEADER will be told the exact same thing...In fact i wonder if they will have enough police out on the route tomorrow to make sure these two IDIOTS don't come to any harm...The deputy lord provost is a LAUGHING STOCK...He's as thick as mince and i doubt he's even got quarter of a brain cell let alone one whole one...He doesn't dress appropriately for important meetings or visits he has to go on...Honestly if he was my son and in a responsible position like that i'd at least damn well make sure he was dressed in a shirt and tie, preferably a suit, before he left the house FFS...But these two numpties have said they are going on the march to protest against the settlement our council were given from Holyrood...Well TOUGH LUCK if they want to protest against that then they can arrange their own fucking march...Scuse the language but it is so damned annoying when you have some high up plonkers deciding they can hijack a protest against THEIR CUTS to make some other point...They're probs thinking that it will divert attention away from the real reason for the march...HAHAHAHA no chance it has been across the press for weeks and on the news for weeks...Not just the local news but the whole of Scotland news...Anyways got to go pick up K and am a tad upset tonight...Phoned my ex mother in law to wish her happy birthday...Well she told me my ex had phoned her and was looking for his brother to get someones phone number...My ex mother in law said it was something to do with someone called Y and that she had been found dead of an overdose this week...Y was my best friend for several years until a few months after my ex walked out...I've known Y since about 1982/83...Am really upset about it and i can't think of who would know that i still have a number for :o(  I don't really want to phone my ex to ask him :o(

Toodle pip tc xx

PS: Stuart look out for me on the march when you see it on the news tomorrow <G>

Scholarships

The set above is what i have made for my ex mother in law...Her birthday is today and yes am being very nice in giving her this...It's really from the kids and not me as such...I hope she likes them and actually wears them...These are very wearable and it doesn't have to be a special occasion really...I actually want them for myself now LOL

K is coming up later today as the SYP are joining in this march tomorrow...Am definitely going on it and although M has been asked along he's not going...He's of the opinion that walking over a mile is too far for him without actually going to buy himself something LOL.

G got a letter today from RGU...It's inviting him as a prospective student to apply for one of 2 scholarships given by local oil companies...They are both for the duration of the course...There are other scholarships but they are for later years on the course...These scholarships are awarded to students on academic merit and personal characteristics...How they chose who they ask to apply who are just about to start i have no idea...It must go on their academic record from school and what they have written in their personal account in their UCAS application...Anyway he is applying and we'll see how it goes...They may ask every applicant to apply for them but i know they don't do that for further on years...Be brill if he won it but not going to hold my breath...One of them is 4 grand for 1st, 2nd and 3rd year and 3 grand for 4th year...The other one is 2 grand for each of the 4 years...Fingers crossed...It could mean he wouldn't have to take out the student loan although if you're eligible and don't apply then you have to pay full fees...Anyways better go and do some more cleaning.

Toodle pip tc xx

Not much of anything really

Mum was supposed to be getting her cataract done today but she didn't...The machine broke down just after they had finished doing one of the people in front of her...So they cancelled everyone else as they didn't want to risk the machine breaking down again and mid operation...If that happened the poor person having it done would be left with a permanently damaged eye...Hopefully she won't have to wait too long for a new appointment...I feel like cack because i had my 5th injection yesterday...Am so damn hot but without the flushing, i feel mega nauseous again and feel generally ugh from it...Oh well only one more to go and it is also this month because they are 4 weekly...What happens after that i have no idea...Tell you though with all the yuk side effects i better get none of them when i actually have the menopause or i will scream so loud i will be heard in Brisbane LOLOL...Lynne you've been warned <g>

The first set in the pics above i have made for a very good friend...She's been having a really crap time of it lately and i want to try cheer her up a bit...The second set i had made for ex mother in law for her birthday this week...But i didn't like the original so i ripped it apart tonight and remade slightly different...Hmmm now i think it is too short for her so am gonna make her something else...Am bad you know as i went to John Lewis to buy a box last fri to send nieces pressie in...Well i asked about something else whilst i was in and they checked the computer at the material counter...So i ended up buying the white material with the glittery gems on it...And i forgot to get the box until i was on my way out so had to go and get it ROFL...I will be ordering boxes from online WHEN i find somewhere that does ones in silver in the size i need...My ebay purchases arrived with NO problems with the contents :o)  Well except that red aventurine lookes exactly the same as carnelian DUH!!!...Both my nieces loved their presents so am happy :o)

Me and M watched The Apprentice again tonight...For 2nd week on the trot he predicted which team would lose from about 10 mins in...We both got wrong who would get fired though and i do think Sir Alan made a mistake tonight but it's good telly...Am off to watch Grand Designs on 4oD as i always miss it on actual telly...Even 4+ i miss it on as of course we have to watch the BBC2 show about the apprentice...I apologise again for the rubbish pics but do please look at them larger as then you get a better idea of what the stuff looks like

Toodle pip tc xx