Just a pic of another necklace

 

One of my closest friends has a birthday next month...So i've made her a necklace...Birthstone for June is pearl so i used some freshwater pearls and fire opal swarovski crystals...I love the fire opal crystal the colours are gorgeous, yellows, oranges and reds all mixed together on same crystal so it does look like fire :o) The background is material i have bought for using for displaying on...I thought it was really pretty and appropraite with the silver glittery bits on it...I still have some tweaks to make to it...Well i have to file down some bits but that won't make any difference to the finished effect hence the pics above...Think it would make a pretty bridal necklace myself...It took me ages to make (approx 3-4 hours) and well after having a look around some places you already know my conclusion is that prices i was considering are way too cheap...So am not sure but possibly around £60 - £70 maybe??? Am flipping useless at pricing things...When i make this one for other people i will use slightly thicker sterling silver wire...My left thumb is a wee bit sore with it getting poked by the wire i used on this one LOL...Oh well they my fingers and hands used to get burnt and scraped and pricked with holes all the time when i was at art school many moons ago so no change really...I phoned up the number on the invite and have accepted the invitation...The degree show is actually open to the public that day anyway so if am feeling a bit scaredy cat then i'll just have a wander round the show and not bother going to the lawn in the quad for the afternoon soiree of champagne LOLOL...I've emailed and had a reply from someone recommended to me who makes his own glass lampwork beads...When he has more in stock am now on his mailing list so am definitely going to buy some from him...Of course each bead is unique so that will add something else to the jewellery i do and you can charge for that LOL...Rule of thumb from all those many moons ago since i went to art school was that the person we sold on to marked up by 100% then whoever they sold on to marked up by same again...So say in a shop depending on how many middle men there were the item could cost 200% more than the jeweller who made it got for it...So selling for yourself you could add that on yourself...Which i think is possibly a bit cheeky but then again if people are willing to pay then why not...Besides people pay for swarovski because of the name even though they are not always that expensive as such to buy...I have found a site that sells wholesale packs at around the same price as the factory shop itself...That's IF i got my calculations converting euros to sterling right for the factory shop prices LOL...So to save the flipping hassle of converting i'd rather just buy from the place where the prices are in sterling...That place also has an ebay shop and they do auction some of the factory packs as well as buy now...Thing is having watched a couple of the auctions the bidders ended up paying either same or more than the buy now price...So what's the point in hassle of keeping an eye on the auction i ask myself...I've also made a necklace, bracelet and earrings set the same as the set i made for the Wobbly miss Moo but in the sapphire crystals instead of aquamarine for G's taxi escort...Apart from 1 term he has been with the same taxi escort for the whole 6 years he has been in the base...Also she was one of the playground supervisors at his 2nd mainstream primary school...So he's known her for nearly 8 years...She is going to miss him something chronic...I wanted to give her something special as a present this time hence the jewellery set...I do hope she likes it

Toodle pip tc xx

My baby is 17!!!!!!

Well the birthday boy is off to the cinema with the Triple A team to watch the new Indiana Jones film...To be honest i didn't have a clue what to get him until this afternoon...Me and G went out to buy his cards and pressie from me when i suddenly decided to get him a digital camera...So he's actually well chuffed with it :o)  G had bought him the Futurama film on DVD and i got him a pressie from K which is high school musical game for the DS...So far he also has £100 in birthday money with more to come...I'll be asking him for a sub LOL

Yesterday G had an appointment at the disability support bit of RGU...Student only and not parent going in with them...Ok he is 18 and they speak to the student rather than parents as it isn't school BUT when they have a disability i do think it would be better if the parent or someone else was allowed in with them...G came out after 15 mins and had promptly forgotten everything she had spoken to him about <sigh> Basically it was to discuss support and him being assessed for support both in person and for aids he may need...He has to have a letter confirming his diagnosis and stating what he can and cannot do...So G had thought our GP would be able to do it...WRONG he doesn't see the GP about his aspergers full stop...In fact he doesn't see anyone anymore as there has been no need to...He mumbled something about diagnosis within last 2 years...So i gave up and went in and asked to speak to his disability officer...I got impression off him that meant we were going to have to have him rediagnosed again but no we don't need to...This confirmation for SAAS has to be from someone medical...Which is a bit cack as he doesn't see anyone medical...It's not really a medical condition as such where you see people regularly...She said educational psychologist would be ok...Hmmm the ed psych at his school hasn't even met him as they change so regularly LOL...The head of the base isn't good enough for SAAS which is so so so STUPID...She is the one who knows best about him academically and what support he would need for university FFS...Anyways we drove out to the base and lightbulb went ping on way there...School GP could do it for us...Spoke to Mrs P and she is going to ask the school GP and have letter for next week...Today another lightbulb moment so am going to phone Mrs P tomorrow...Going to ask if she can get together with the school GP and dictate what she writes <g>  Which am sure the lovely school GP will be more than happy to have happen...That way we can get what is needed written down for SAAS...He will be seen next in july by the disability officer and get assessment done then...Speaking of RGU i have my annual invitation again to private viewing of this years degree show from Grays school of Art...Now i have never gone along to them in the past but i am tempted to this year...A) because the lecturer i had left at the end of last year and B) because it sounds frightfully posh this year...These invites i have only received over the last 7 years and they always came in the post...For an evening where you were given one glass of wine and one strawberry tart...This year the invite came via email and (puts on best posh voice) it is for a champagne reception on the lawn in the quad on a saturday afternoon...Thing is i won't know anyone and i bets those who go along are all recent graduates...But it might be a bit of a laugh and does sound ever so posh, says she who will pop along wearing jeans and a T shirt <g> As one friend said i may be able to network at it you never know...So should i say yes to champagne on the lawn or not????

I had M's last ever parents night at school last night...I came away very pleased with how he has done and so is the school...His teacher has given him extra work on IT skills to prevent him from becoming bored...Have to bear in mind that it is a SEN school and some on his class are still unable to read or write...They probably will never be able to read or write very well at all...She is concerned as am i that he could end up repeating a lot of stuff at college and end up bored witless...We also say the head teacher and the deputy head teacher as this was his last ever parents night...They both game me contact details to go above the person am supposed to contact for college <g>  The head teacher asked what he would eventually like to do as a job and he said working in television...And there are courses apparently at college to do with that...Not just the media course but other ones specifically about television industry...M had read about them in the prospectus...Which i didn't know he had because he never told me grrr...So even though college are the same and wish to speak to the student only they ain't going to get away with that from me <g> Oh no i will be going in and demaning (politely) to talk to someone who can put us in the right direction...And fingers crossed they can accomodate him doing some work from these mainstream courses to see if he can cope with them...He certainly knows a lot about filming, editing, adding in sound and special effects and so on...I know of kids who have gone to the special needs course at college from mainstream school who have done standard grades or intermediates who have then had to sit and do work well below their academic capabilities...And that is just plain STUPID and POINTLESS...Ok have them do practical life skills but not repeating or going back to academic work they did several years beforehand...We'll see i don't take things lightly anymore and i certainly won't kow tow to any so called professional and take what they say as face value...Am far too long in the tooth at this now to put up with stuff like that.

Mum has hospital tomorrow about her wrist and should get the plaster removed :o) Oh when out shopping for M's pressies i went to Staples for an SD card as i knew their own brand ones were fairly cheap and actually quite decent...Well up until the 5th of june they have 1gb sandisk ones for £3.99...That is a real bargain and i bought all the ones they had left today...And i will be going back and seeing if they have more in and buying them as well...Asda are about £14.99 for exact same SD card lol...Anyways going to go make and watch the rest of the tennis in peace and quiet :o)

Toodle pip tc xx

Not a lot

Haven't written anything for a couple of weeks so thought i better do an entry...Not that i have much to say as such...Says she before she writes a screed lol.

Mum is still plastered but has appointment next thurs so i presume they will take it off then...And i thought kids were bad enough but when mum was shopping in the town my little sis lives in this woman in her 60s/70s went up to mum and spoke about her plaster...The woman was miffed and jealous that mums plaster is purple as she had only been given a plain old white one LOL...Mum actually didn't get asked they just put on the purple one...Me i was bad on wed and bought some of the fresh cooked chicken drumsticks from asda and ate them...Not good as i've spent yesterday and today ill and running to the loo again...I just can't eat chicken at all since the gall bladder trouble 3 years ago...So M smacked my hand earlier LOL.

M is 17 next wed so i went and booked a party for him on wed for sun 1st june...Indoor adventure golf party with dodgems and this XD theatre thing as well as food...But it's at 10.15am as they only do the golf parties early in the morning like that...How stupid is that for crying out loud...Plus the teen parties (bowling or golf) are supposed to be for 12-16...The place it's at do parties for 3 and under, 3-10, 5-11, 6-11, 12-16 and then adult which is 18+....What about the poor 17 year olds!!!!!...Never mind it's booked and so far everyone who has replied has said they're going...M and me are on our own this weekend as G is away with his base on an adventure weekend up at Nethybridge which is near the Cairngorms.

Abernethy Trust Nethybridge Outdoor Centre

This is his last trip with them as that's him effectively left school now...When he first went to the base the trip was to Lagganlia (sp) which is near Aviemore, then for the next 3 years they went to Lochgoilhead over on the west coast, last year to same place as this year...He's always really enjoyed these weekends, mainly because they do lots of watersports which he loves...They did sailing for the first time last year and it's the only watersport he's tried that he didn't like that much...He had his Higher Physics exam this morning before they went off grrrr...Means i have got to wait until monday to find out how he thinks it went...He had his Advanced Higher Maths on tues and he said it was easier that the prelim and went a lot better :o) He is positive that he has definitely improved to a B grade pass but maybe an A...He got a C pass in the prelim and he wasn't happy with it at all...His Advanced Higher Tech Studies isn't until june...Then he has the leavers lunch and that's it until he starts at Robert Gordons University in Sept...He's come on one heck of a journey over the years...From being totally non verbal and eventually diagnosed with autism just after his 3rd birthday to starting to speak when he turned 5, then being integrated into mainstream primary part way through P2...Then for secondary school we were fortunate enough to live somewhere that there is specialist provision for pupils with aspergers/high functioning autism within mainstream secondary school...I am not sure but i think the MICAS bases are unique to our city in Scotland...I know that the one G has attended was unique in Scotland until our council opened more and they have continued to expand to the city now having 5 such bases in different areas of the city :o) I'd love to see some of the people who were around when he was 3 and say 'look at him now' Some of whom held out no hope of him being in mainstream schooling let alone going to university or hopefully getting a job...Even now in this day regardless of where they are on the autistic spectrum there are less than 50% of adults with an ASD in full time employment in Scotland :o( 

M has work experience from 2nd -6th june...He will be working in an office at one of the council buildings near his school...It's the education dept office and he will be an office junior...Am happy enough with that as i really didn't want him working with the janitor or in the kitchen...The original job he was going to do fell through before easter hence this one instead...So although he's allowed to wear his school clothes he is wearing a shirt and tie and smart trousers and jacket...Because that is what you wear to work in an office...So i've bought him another new shirt that has come with a tie and is young looking rather than old looking...He doesn't know but the other one he liked my best pal has bought him for his birthday :o) He will be leaving for full time SEN course at college starting in aug and i am seriously concerned about it but i till talk about that another day after i have spoken to people i need to speak to.

I've decided to try and set my sights on getting a stand at some of the autumn wedding fayres and see how things go from there with the jewellery and the cards...I of course need to make much much more than i have at the mo...As everything apart from earrings has been made as gifts i need to make them up again...And i've spoken to someone about trying to get decent pics done...One of the mums from the weekend away who has what i call a proper camera...In other words an SLR camera rather than wee point and shoot jobby :o) Hope everyone reading is well and happy...Told you it would end up a bit of a screed lol

Toodle pip tc xx

Catchy up

Poor mum ended up in hospital last wed, thurs and fri...Wed she was there for her resheduled cataract op which got cancelled for the 2nd time...The consultant who was going to do the op came through and told them all that he was feeling unwell and wouldn't be able to operate after all...If he was feeling that ill then a) he shouldn't have been in at work and b) he could have let them all know before they travelled to be there at 8am...Not everyone lived in the town where the op was taking place...My mum lives 24 miles from that town and she and my older sis had to be up early to get there on time...Thurs she tripped and fell in the village square and had to go to A&E...Upshot is a broken wrist but no-one there to plaster it on thurs so she had be taken back on fri morning to get plastered...She wasn't asked but the plaster is purple LOL...Been teasing her saying she's all trendy with it being coloured.

G was out on saturday, i woke with migraine on sun so we went up on mon to visit...Poor mum looks tiny compared to the boys now...It was a gorgeous day up there mind you it has been gorgeous since last fri really...It's supposed to get better towards end of the week...M has his maths standard grade tomorrow and am going to take him up there...I will wait in the big park close to the school and take him back down to his sen school once the exam finishes...It's only 80 mins and it's lovely weather so i can just sit in the sun and wait...G has now started study leave and effectively is now finished school...His exams are on the 20th, 23rd may and 4th of june...He's away with school for a long weekend up near aviemore from 23rd to 26th may...Slight problem there am gonna need to maybe find someone to pick him up and take him home on the 26th...Am going to the theatre to see Joseph that evening and that was arranged long before his weekend away...This sat they are both out at seperate birthday celebrations...G is out all afternoon to the cinema and then pizza hut and M is out in the evening tenpin bowling and the dodgems...Shame they're not out at different times but hey ho...The pics of the flowers are from mums back garden...It's full of bushes and flowers and slopes up pretty steep...I really love the peach trumpet daffodils and hadn't even noticed that colour in her garden before and never seen them before...She keeps offering me plants and cuttings but i keep telling her there is no point...I gave up trying to keep indoor plants alive when i was in my early 20s and i think i best give up on outdoor plants too...Nothing grows for me LOL...If you want a plant to die that you cannot kill off give it to me and i will gurantee it dies within a couple of weeks :o)  I looked through some of mums old photos when i was there on mon...I have some to scan in but one in particular...You will really laugh when you see it and when i tell you what M said about it you will laugh even more...That entry can wait until another day though...The others i need to speak to a man who can restore very very old and slightly damaged pics...One i think is beyond repair which is a shame as it is me as a toddler in a rowing boat with my dad at the outdoor pool we went to a lot in the summer when i was a child...I loved that outdoor pool complex...There was the kiddies shallow pool, the boating pool and the deep big pool with diving boards and a chute into the water...The water came from the sea so it was a saltwater pool but they didn't heat it up...It is now derelict and was along the coast a bit from where i grew up on the moray firth coast...Stonehaven just south of here still has an art deco open air seawater pool...Thing is they heat it up and there is nothing more vile than heated seawater in your mouth when swimming...Mum also had a few pics of K,G and M as a baby with her which i nabbed to scan...The very old ones i need repaired are of my dad in his army uniform from his national service, my grandad (mums dad) in his naval uniform from WW2 and one of my grandad in same uniform with my granny...I just need to figure out how to scan as i;ve not used the scanner bit of the printer before.

Toodle pip tc xx

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