Life is a roller coaster so lets just scream!

............ Well, the way the past week has been i feel like screaming.
We've got from being low - Matthew's job and the hassles he's been having. Not going into detail - for the obvious reasons that those who know will understand and the rest of you will just have to wonder.

TO the high point of Louise's best friend Charlene, who had a baby girl last sunday morning. Oh, what a girl she is - she's made sure that by having a Halloween birthday that EVERY party for many years to come will be a dressing up one! And that's just Charlene!!! Quite what baby will make of it all, i'm not too sure!
Louise has met baby and we have seen photos. I want to give her a hug, but that can wait - give them time.
But she is soooooooo cute - if she was chocolate i would eat her!!! The cutest little chin and nose and well - everything else!!!

Peter thinks baby is lovely and has told us when they visit, she can play with his Cinderella toy. Now, from Peter, this is an honour that no one else has ever had, so it's high praise!!!!

Yesterday was like highs and lows one after the other.

The 1st low was the hassle Paul frquently gets from the music department @ school. Normaly, i'm wary of naming names, but this time they surpassed themselves. Even after being told last year that we needed more than a day or 2 notice for things and being assured that this would happen, they went and did it AGAIN.
They asked Paul to take part in Young Musician of the Year.
He knew it ws upcoming, just not when the actual DAY was.
So wednesday afternoon, he came in fizzing - YM was to be held the following evening, in Airdrie.
Trouble was, Paul had Strathclyde Uni Band, Louise was working and Matthew, Peter and I had been invited along to a do with Enable. So even if he was madly keen to go, he couldn't - it was too late to cancel anything.

(meanwhile, i'm wondering how SCHOOL would feel if Paul just didn't rock up for class one morning cos he got another offer or couldn't be bothered!!)

WHich takes us on to a high point of the day.

Our night with Enable, the staff and people they support (not using "service users" or "clients", so if someone can think of a better word, please let me know!!) .............. Well, it was GREAT!

The staff we have met from Enable so far have been great. Things have been planned round US as a family, giving Peter the support he needs and making us feel relaxed and confident with those who support him.
Ok, it early days yet, but things are going well. Peter's 3 workers know we're crazt, they LOVE Peter, are totally different from each other, but compliment each other.
And Ashleigh and Caroline went out to find folk that they  thought Peter would like and enjoy being with.

But it's not just US they do that for - all the stories we heard last night about what the staff do with families and others who access the services they use - i just wanted to jump up and down and ask if i could take them along to Paul's school to show the staff what life is like for us!!

Mind you - last night - quite how Donna wore those BRIGHT RED high heels and didn't let grip of the smile on her face, i don't know - i was in agony just watching and my knees complained!! I know - old age on my part!!!

And the MC guy - his jokes were so rubbish that we laughed outta sympathy. I'm sure they just keep him in the office out of the way of the traffic lest he gets knocked down!!!!

But the best parts were watching Peter and the others just enjoy themselves!!!

Louise often says that they are frequently reminded about "professional boundries" and how you "don't get too involved". THen she laughs @ whoever has just said it and tells them to come live her personal life, where we have had to fight for things and had hassles.
Yes, you wasnt professional people, but you also want people who care. Not just about the person they are looking after, but also the extended family (or in some cases where there is no extended family, the support staff ARE the persons family)

Some high up managers don't understand that quite often you have to give a little of yourself to help the family or person open up. Louise often calls the 1st 10 minutes of a shift the "weekly woes" time, where the family will tell you whats been going on, sometimes good, often hassly and bothersome and sometimes it's just another adult who isn't family (cos we know - much as family are good, they (well extended) don't always "get" what goes on)

Oh - been there done that and the guilty will remain nameless - for now!!
But if you know me well, you know the who guilty ones in my family are!!

Just as well they'll never read my blog - well as far as i know!!!

And no - nobody in Enable has paid me to write so well about them - come on guys - takes more than one free Southern Comfort to get nice words out of me (try a free 1.5 litre bottle and you may get a thank you!! Oh - and Ashleigh - i will share, but just don't let on to management!!!)

As you can see - the highs have had more space than the lows - which is good.

But at least knowing about how roller coaster my day can get, may help some of you understand WHY i scream so much!!!!