Friday evening..............

..................... and the end of another week!!

As weeks go, it's been fairly busy. Louise decided she wanted to drive to the cinema, so off we went. we saw Tangled, which we all loved - the most sensible character is the horse!!! But i have a warped sense of humour!!!
We also did some food shopping - i decided to get stuff to make soup - always a good thing to have to hand on cold and wet evenings when people are coming and going.

Alas, Louise managed to get a flat tyre - there was a big nail embedded in the side of the tyre, so we had to go and see if we could get it a) fixed or b) buy a replacement. Had to do the latter, but she is mobile again!!
Mind you - a few words flew between her and her dad - i'm now beginning to understand why she got me on the insurance and not her dad!! If i left them in the car together, i reckon i'm come back to see a pile of bones and a car chassis - they would end up arguing!!!!

As usual , more meetings this week.  One was about the filming i'm going to be doing. THe local council have decided to make a dvd about the Self Directed support we're doing. They are hoping that mpore people will go this route of having control of their own budget for support and respite.
So the director came out to see us along with a guy who does a lot of media training. He just wanted to give me a few pointers and ideas.
So that was interesting.

Mind you - it was a bit rushed . Ryan, our thursday morning worker had phoned in sick and Caroline the team leaded had tried to get cover - even to the point of saying she'd come and take Peter to college. I declined, thinking that we'd have this filming stuff pout of the way, but nae luck - the unmaking of plans elves decided to visit!!! They often visit our house, just to add tpo the fun we have already!!!

Louise drove Peter to college and i got Peter to class. Not too late.
And Louise and i went off to shop!!

Last night we had a really nice meeting. We are doing a thing called The Big Plan with Peter. A group of young adults get together and try to make plans for their future. I think the idea started in the US, working with youngsters. Here in Glasgow, it's something that has been done with folk with learning disabilities. THe question they ask is (shortened version, cos i can't remember it all!!) "how do we help this young person to have a happy fullfilling life?"

When i get the stuff to hand i'll write the whole thing out.
Basically, we have 5 sessions and last night we did 2 things - one was to do a poster about the things that were important to the young person - what makes them want to get out of bed in the morning and make life worth living??
I knew most of Peter's but it was nice to here what others said and to listen to a bit of banter about rival footie teams!!

THe 2nd thing we did was to look at labels. Everybody seems to be labeled and they are not always helpful. So we had to think of good positive labels.

Some of Peter were that he is the wearer of some crazy hats! He had a Disney one on last night!! So instead of being "Peter with the learning disabilities and isn't that a shame", he's "you know Peter - he's always got a cool crazy hat from his holidays!!"
We also said he had a good laugh that came from his big toes and that he was arty.

We have 4 more sessions, so i'll update as we go.
We did actually do the big plan about 4 years ago, but Caroline thought it might be good to do an update, now that Peter is out of school and we have had a bit of experience post school.
this time had a slightly different feel to it - i think it has evolved and cahnged over the years. And a different set of youngsters means different views and ideas.

THis morning, yet another meeting. (wish i got paid to be a professional meeting goer!!) THis time at Paul's school with his guidance teacher and the head of support for learning. It was the shortest meeting i've had in 6 years!!!! Mind you, there is little love lost between me and these 2 women. The SFL woman took on the job a couple of years ago. THe guy before was great and really cared about the kids. Loved working with Paul cos Paul wanted to be at school and learn and didn't create havoc.

It's bad when you meet a teacher for the 1st time and you have to explain the fundementals of the job to her. She failed to understand parts of the ASL Bill and i had to put her right on a few bits especially when it came to young carers!! We know a social worker who was involved in the initial writing of said bill before it went out to consultation and he told me that in his mind, he kept Louise and Paul at the front of it, what should be done for kids like tehm who help care for a sibling or parent.
To say this woman was a tad shocked when this was told to her is putting it lightly!!! She kind of realised that i knew my stuff and that i would not be treated like an idiot.
Butn todays meeting was to sign off paperwork for the exam board to let Paul get extra time for the exams and transcription of the exam paper.

Mind you - the meeting didn't start too well. She announces that Paul WOULD be getting extra time for the advanced higher music exam.

MMMMM - fine if he was actually DOING AH music. But someone somewhere kept putting obstacles in his way - one teacher blaming another, another teacher saying that the music dept said one thing and we saying that indeed they had not said anything like that to us! So eventually, he said forget it - i'll not do the music this year on the proviso that i do core music (something to fill the timetable) and i still get my music lesson.

Man - if it wasn't so serious you'd laugh!!

Mind you - the 2 teachers said they were sad it was going to be the last meting they have about Paul.
But the look in the eyes said it all - they are not so sad to see the back of me!!!

Anyone needing lessons in being a boshie parent, i'm your woman.

I don't see it as sad - i see it as getting what we need to get Paul on to the next part of his life. He's just about ready for leaving school and moving on.

So you'll understand why friday evening is a bit of a veg out night!!
Mind you, Kelly picked Peter up from college tonight and brought him home. Thru wind and rain - they arrived home looking like a couple of fully drowned rats and it took a bowl of soup and a plate of macaroni cheese to thaw Peter out.
They decided that tonight they would print out some of the photos that they took last week. Peter likes using his camera and they had fun deciding which photos to print, did them and put them in the album.
Then a bit of chill out time watching a dvd.
Paul had band tonight and Louise (poor thing) is working.
Well - she has a car to buy petrol for and new tyres!!!!.
She's almost a grown up.

Next week busy again - no meetings yet, but Paul has an interview and audition for college on tuesday. Then a long weekend off school , but has exams just before and just after.
Louise has an interview for a job soon as well.

So i think i have enough stress the next 10 days or so withouit adding anything extra!!!