First times...............

On another blog that i follow - Five of my own - i was reading about the first day at school for the girls daughters. 
Very first, never been, new to it all!!


It got me thinking about first days we've had. 
School obviously


Our 1st days went thus - Louise went to school, skipped off into the class, i walked home (in the rain!!) pushing Paul's pram and crying!
My daughter didn't need me any more. She was gone and that was it!!!


If only i'd known then, what i do now!!!!


Peter's 1st day - well, i was just  soooooo glad that he had got to a stage where he WOULD be going to school, that i sniffled all the way home in my  dad's car!!! He was at a diff school to Lou, and off he went with the teacher and totally ignored me!!!!!!


Paul's 1st day, School tie, brown shorts, blazer and postman pat rain jacket!!! It rained. And my poor boy was turning BLUE from the cold!! I was a BAAAADDDDD mum making him wear those shorts. But in my defence M'Lud, they were hard to come buy and expensive, so he was damn well wearing them!!!!


We have had various other first days since and i'm not too sure that i've cope that well with them either. When we moved house, Lou had to move school. Now, i do not regret the house move - best thing that we did. But the school move was traumatic and i could still feel the ripples when she moved to secondary school 4 years later. I no longer cry about the days she had at the school, but it wouldn't take much to take me back to them and make me cry again - even now.


Peter moved school a year later, which kinda floored me again - i didn't really see it coming. THe spec ed school he was in thought it wasn't the right place for him and we had to think of a better placement. I had spent 2 years investing time and effort and i had to start again.
By the time Lou and Peter got to secondary they were both on the 3rd school in there life - a lot of 1st days.
Paul on the otehr hand - didn't have that - 2 schools, more or less the same friends and maybe just a few hitches and a crazy mum to deal with.


We have more 1st days this year. Peter at college - new course, but i'm not sure about it. And Paul as well. He's started college.


Can you tell i don't dop well with 1st times at new things.
Lots of people think i'm quite outgoing and chatty, but i find it hard to break into that "crowd" of mums at the school gate, or in a new situation. I don't usually like breaking into a conversation or a group.


It weird tho, cos quite often, i'll be the one who goes to a new person and at least try to give them a shoehorn into a group or whatever!!!


I'm putting off thnking about this Naidex Exhibition. I know i have to stand up and talk and i know i should really get something prepared - but i keep thinking Mañana. Or more like "if i don't think too much, it might actually go away and they'll say they don't need me!!!


Take it i'll be the one going between a block of cement and a quivering jelly on the day!!!!

Travels, food, good friends and filming........

Peter and i arrived home yesterday evening from Skye.
The photo is of the Harbour in Portree. Don't those lovely painted houses cheer you up?!?!?!? If you have children under 8, you'll probably want to burst into a blast of "What's the story in Balamorie"!!!!!! (but for those who don't know, that is from a different Island called Mull!!!


Anyway, Peter and i went off on Tuesday morning,  armed with the supplies from Kimbles and a bottle of Southern Comfort (which turned the Northern warmer!!)
It's a 7 hour bus journey from Glasgow to Portree. We did have a long enough break at Fort William to stretch our legs and do a loo stop.


Linda was waiting for us at the Square with Harry the taxi driver - both happy to see us and asking how we were.
Off we went to Linda's and got ourselves organised - met Yasmin and Lachie again and started to catch up. Lachie had kept a DVD he had been given for his birthday in January to watch with Peter!! He's been asking the past couple of weeks "just when does young Peter arrive???"


After we'd eaten, the boys settled down to watch a dvd and Linda and i caught up. Peter came thru to let us know what they were watching and Yasmin went out with Alex her boyfriend. 


Linda told me she had an e mail from Keegan to say that he'd managed to get booked into a hotel and would meet us in Portree on Thursday  morning. We'd arranged for Yasmine to get some time off school to help us with the filming. So one Lachie and Peter had been dispatched to bed (about 11) linda and i settled down with another drink and managed to get more chatting and catching up done. I can't remember what time we decided to call it a night, but  as i went upstairs, Linda called behind me to tell me to close the bedroom door, lest John the cat (who is really a girl cat - another story for another blog) get into the bedroom and give us a fright if we got up top go to the Loo in the night!!!! 


Wednesday morning, we did a bit of shopping, came back to the house and then went off to Aros. It's a visitor Centre - local cinema is there and they have a lovely place where you can eat. Oh - and a lovely view out the window!! Had a lovely lunch and a wander and then headed back. 
I texted Keegan to suggest a time we met up the next morning, that was ok and then we got "the boys" settled for and evening of dvd watching and listening to the laughs!!!!


I have to admit, we did stay up and drink a little - mmmm - more like a lot more than we had planned to!! I told her i was a bit worried about this Naidex exhibition that Enable have a stand at and i was a bit worried about my input. Would anybody actually be interested, or would i just stand there and be a gibbering wreck. Or even worse - have a dose of the verbal poop and not be able to sort myself out!!!!


Oh this friendship thing is great - for the price of a bottle of southern comfort and a box of kimble's choccies, i get the best therapy out!!!
And better still, the therapist shares the loot!!!!!


You wouldn't get that kinda treatment at the Priory!!!!!


Yes - i'm still doing it - we have a rule - what's said on the island is kept on the island, but it went along the lines of "you stupid woman - just do it".


 Just think of Rene from Allo Allo when you read that !!!!!


By 1.30 am we decided it prob would be a good idea to get to bed. Keegan's worst nightmare of a day would most likely be to work with a pair of slipping, sliding and screeching towards middle age women who were sleep deprived and hungover!!!!


He would most likely tell Yasmin and Peter to make a run for the car, while he made sure we were locked up and then take them to a place of safety where mad mothers and their shenanigans were banned!!


Or Maybe Yasmin and Peter would have hot-wired the car, drove past him, dragging him in and gone joy riding round the island!!!


Thankfully, neither scenario happened. I was clarinsed and No7'd within an inch of something or other and we headed off down to the Square. 


It was a lovely morning and we managed to get quite a bit done. Some lovely stuff at the Harbour and at the Square. There was a local market on, so we got filming there - Peter and Yasmin buying some choc shortbread for us to take home. There is a lovely shop in Portree called Tippecanoe - we picked up a couple of things to take home and Keegan asked if he could film - when he explained what it was for they said yes. On the way out, the woman who owns the shop was standing there - she was curious as to why we were filming, but when we told her what it was for, she seemed ok about it.


Off to the Well Plaid for lunch - always good for something nice and we sat and chatted. I was glad all the filming was done. Keegan had to head off to Perth and we headed home


Linda had bought some bread from the market. One was Brie and tomato, another had red onions and the 3rd had Stornoway black pudding in it. Now - i am not a black pudding fan. I have tasted it before, but it was the dry mass produced stuff. This BP was LOVELY!! Even if you didn't eat the actual stuff, there was a lovely taste to the bread. I may be converted!!!!!


It seemed that our time had gone too quickly - our last evening, we sat and chatted more. Linda says the best bit was when i told her a story about 2 women when we were stuck at Girvan Station. The nice summer day had turned into a lovely summer storm and there was trouble with the trains. Eventually, a mini bus was summoned to the station to take us to the station at Ayr and from there we could get a train to Glasgow. These wifies were determined that they were NOT getting on a mini bus anywhere, because they were going to Paisley!! For those unaware of the geography, the train to Glasgow has to travel THRU paisley to get to the city.


But try tellin these wimmen that nugget of choice info and they were not for taking it!! I don't now if i'm laughing at the thought of the story, or watching Linda laugh helplessly as she almost slid off the couch!!!!


Friday morning we set off to Portree Square for the bus to Glasgow. Just as well we had booked tickets - the bus was full most of the way down.
To be honest, much as i wanted to stay awake and watch the scenery go by, like Peter i was tired, so spent time snoozing. 


We had our break at Fort William and got some goodies to eat. Peter munched his way thru 2 spring rolls, a packet of grapes, a smarties cookie and a bag of quavers. I went for the "unusual way to get one of your portions of fruit a day" and chose the jammy donut!!


Don't anybody dare tell me it's  not one of my 5 a day - remember that hungover sleep deprived sliding to middle age woman - she does get out you know and lives in a street near you!!


Just as i  munched into the donut, my mobile rang. I had to rummage thru my bag to get it. It was Keegan. Naidex had wanted a bio of the people speaking and was the bit he was going to read out ok?? 


I'm surprised that i didn't 1 scream


and 2 choke on the rest of the donut!!!




THey want to know about me, they want me to speak. Eeeeeekkkkkkkkk!!!!!!!


I think i'm gonna be asking Paul for the advice that the speech therapists use to give him!!


The stuff was OK and almost makes me sound as if i may know what i'm talking about!!!!


I had a good time. Skye makes you slow down, because, mostly people are not in too much of a hurry. On a lovely day there is nowhere else you'd much rather be.
Well - not unless you wanted to buy new underwear and socks cos you have to go to Inverness to buy such things!!!


So, we're back, happy and almost counting the sleeps till our visit in August 


Now, where did i put my diary.......................................

We're on our way (almost!!)

Well, in less than an hour, the taxi will be here to transport us to the bus station!!
I'm really looking forward to the visit to Skye - it'll be nice catching up with Linda. Her dad even got himself to the Barber yesterday to get a hair cut in anticipation of "Young Peter" visiting!!!!


It's so touching that other people love Peter as much as we do!!!


The Taxi is booked at the other end in Portree. Harry the taxi driver - looking forward to renewing our aquantaince  and reminding him how lucky he is not to have fallen into the talons of my neighbour's sister. Yes, only in Scotland can you travel to other places and find someone who used to date your neighbour's sister!!!! Even if i WAS 50 years ago!!! 
Will let you know how things go,


But i have a question first - Who's gonna post bail for me and Linda when we end up in the jail for crimes unknown!?!?!?!?!?!

Off on our travels - again!!!!

Peter and I are off on our travels - again!!!!
We're going to Skye to visit my friend Linda and her Dad Lachie and her daughter Yasmin. We're really looking forward to the break, it'll be good to have a break and some adult conversations!!


Who am i kidding - get me and Linda together and we're a couple of giggly teenagers again and we will do our best to embarrass the hell outta Peter and Yasmin!!! 
Well, it's not only our right as parents, but out duty. We HAVE to get them back for all the lovely things they have done to us over the years.


But before we go, there are some things i had to do. Well - pack for one thing.
And do a raid on Kimbles for choccies!!




http://www.ilovekimbles.co.uk/default.html


Follow the link to feast your eyes on the delights.
It is a family run place - lovely and beats costa, o'briens et al into the ground!!!


Oh and the cake is good too!!!!


Just wish they'd get the fruit sponge with lovely icing in again.
Till then - a Belgian Biccie will just HAVE to do with my cuppa, served in a teapot!!. The tea, not the biccie!!




When we're in Skye, we'll be doing more filming for Enable Scotland. It's to let people know about what they can do with their self directed support budget and how they can plan respite for them and not just take what's on offer.


http://www.enable.org.uk/Pages/default.aspx


THe above link will take you to the Enable website.


And i've been asked to go to the Naidex exhibition with them. Yikes - it seemed like a good idea at the time, but now i'm getting a bit scared - i've got to tell our story and what we get up to!!!! 


Form an orderly queue with the rotten eggs and tomatoes to chuck at me!!!


But before we even get on the bis to get to Skye, Peter has his registration at college tomorrow. We're meeting Nikki, one of his support workers at college in the morning.
And Lilo has a visit back to the vet. Gets the stitches out tomorrow. 
I'm glad to say that Lilo is almost back to normal. She has been running around the house with the collar on and every so often looks at us as if to say "Get this thing OFF. NOW!!"


So hopefully no more collar after tomorrow.


I suppose i should go and get myself sorted, but i think bed is calling so i'm off to sleep. Maybe not to dream, but hopefully have a good rest!!!

Filming, visits to the vet and other things that keep me occupied!

It has been another busy 10 days or so. 
Cat has recovered from her infection and had not one, but 2 visits to the vet this week!!
The first was to check on the patch on her head. Healing well and the antibiotics have worked. We then had to organise a visit to get her neutered and micro chipped.


Who says a cats life isn't fun!!!!


So we managed to get fitted in on Thursday morning.
We had to fast Lilo from 8pm on Wednesday evening. This went down great - NOT!!! Nothing to nibble on overnight, no water to sip. We were mean and cruel and every other name she chose to think of!!! Louise and i went jet skiing down the motorway to Ikea and left Matthew and the boys to deal with the taking away of the bowls. I was NOT being the baddy this time!!! 


So we took her to the vets for 8.30 am. It was a bit like the times we used to take Peter to Day Surgery at Sick Kids!!! Only this time i couldn't stay and there was no hassle about getting case notes to the unit!!!!!


Anyway, we left her peacefully yamming away. 
So i'll go back a few days - Louise had to go for an endoscopy. She has been sick almost constantly for the past few months. The GP and the Consultant are at a loss as to what is the cause. At first they thought reflux. Then something else, eventually a referral to the hospital and bloods. Then a gastric swallow and now the endoscopy. Nothing has shown up.
It's getting to the ridiculous stage - if it goes on much more, she'll end up in a bed beside her patients. She was SOOO bad today that she couldn't go to look after  the kid she usually does on a saturday. This is bad. Normally saturday kid is the one she will GET to thru everything. But today no go  - she wouldn't be any good to anyone. I just wish the docs would find out what is wrong.


On a more positive note, We had our filming for out "bit " for enable. Well, some of the filming anyway!! The guy came out last week to have a chat and sort out a few things. Came back tuesday to do the first lot. It is a bit scary, cos i kept thinking "what if a say the wrong thing, or forget something!!" But it was OK. More filming is being done next week with Emma and Peter and the guy is coming up to Skye to do more filming with us. The end results are going to be on the Enable website eventually, so when they are, i'll post a link! (rotten eggs and tomatoes will be supplied to throw at your laptops when my bit is on!!!) 


Back now to Thursday and the vet. I was told i could phone after 1 to find out how Lilo was. We came back home, tidied and i went to go and get my hair cut. I then had to go into the Enable office to hand in some paperwork to one of the team who deal with Peter. Louise decided that she couldn't stay in the house while the cat was away, so came with me.
Truth be told - she only came for a visit to Kimbles!!! She knew i'd buy a drink and a slice of cake to cheer us up!!!. 


After some shopping, we headed home and called the vets. Lilo was fine - everything went well and we could pick her up after 3.30.


By 3.30 we were sitting in the car opposite the vet's surgery ready to pounce and release said kitty from the clutches of these people who had made her STARVE all night and subjected her to THINGS. Namely DOGS. Dogs - Lilo considers them to be dumbsh*ts!! Imagine voluntarily getting outta bed on a WET and COLD morning to go do poop and pee outside!! 
No thnking you -   lovely comfy basket, a litter tray to hand and some kitty food nearby - this kitten is NOT going out!!!


While the vet Nurse was off checking her out, i was being slobbered over by a big beast of a dog that was as soft as a feather duvet!!! Honestly - this dug was softer than runny treacle!! It was quite funny watching him. He and his human were in to get his brother and every time the door opened, it was like BINGO!! Bruv is coming!!! His face was a picture when he realised it was a cat !!


So Lilo now has the collar back on. She is not in the best of moods with us and has taken to sleeping of a morning on Matthew's side of the bed!! She did have a little chicken on thurday and then some cat food and more yesterday. In fact, yesterdays was wolfed down!!


She's not quite her usual self, but i think she is happy to be home with her battle scars showing and finding the oddest positions to fall asleep in!


Two more vet visits to check the wound and then get the stitches out. Mind you - i doubt the cat will be talking to us much by then unless she has her fill of roast chicken or tuna!!!


We are now in serious countdown mode to our visit to Skye. Will be seriously washing and ironing and packing next week, while Peter goes off with Emma to do filming. I have some supplies laid in to take with us, but a visit to Kimbles to get some chocs is a MUST. If i don't get them, i may as well get back on the bus and head home!!!

Lilo update, exam results, more filming and planning some time away!

Lilo is talking to us now!! But only after loads of tuna to eat and the taking off of  the collar. But Lou has just informed me that it will have to go back on - scratching again!
Less trouble giving the meds now - he he - her love of a little tuna laced with antibiotics - i know, i do bribery on a large scale!!


Paul got his exam results this week. Higher Geography and Higher RMPS he got C's for. And int 2 English he got a C as well. He is thinking iof asking the school to appeal the Geography and RMPS results since the predictions were A/B. So that will get done at some point in the next few days. Luckily, the results did not affect the college place - he had an unconditional to do his Music. So registration is tomorrow.


After our successful try at filming a few months ago, we have now been asked by Enable to do some filming for them!! They wanted a family to tell of their experience with the Self Directed Support and Ashleigh sent them in our direction. The guy came to see us and explained what he wanted to do and we have some filming to do next week. They also want to come with us to Skye in a couple of weeks time to film there as well!!! 



Which brings me to our planning a break!! In 2 weeks, 2 days time, we will be heading to Skye to visit my friend Linda and her Dad and one of her daughters. We went up last october and had a blast and decided another visit was in order. Thankfully, they agreed with us, so we're going off. I phoned Linda this morning about the filming and she was up for it. 


I'm really looking forward to the visit - it will be good to see everyone again and Peter and Lachie (Linda's dad) got on really well. It was so nice to see them together and getting on really well. And Linda's daughters are nice too. Only Yasmin at home this time.


So that's been our past few days - taken up with things and sorting things out. I have been told i have to get goodies from Kimbles to share. A serious task indeed when they have so much to see!!!

Vet 1 - Lilo 0!!!!!

We had a mighty fight on our hands today!!!!
Lilo had to go to the vet. 


Now - this is not usually a big issue. Lilo does not mind the carrier. We bring it down a couple of days before the vet visit and she wanders in and out and falls sleep inside. No worries.


We got to the vet today - she gave the dogs her usual pity party looks that shouts "hey dumbshits, while you were getting dragged out in the rain at 7am, i was ASLEEEEEPPPP!!!!!" (now do you understand WHY i have a cat!?!?! Walk, before breakfast, in the rain - no thanks)
So the vet calls us in - no fleas - our defleaing life, limb and house last month worked. She is putting on weight and healthy. THe only problem we have is a little scab on her head.
Now - to be honest, it WAS there last month, but the vet was hoping that with the flea treatment it would clear up. Alas, not. So she had to get an antibiotic jab, some antibiotic tablets and one of these cone like collars so she can't scratch.


Therein started the fun!!! I got a scratched finger as  i was checking her in the carrier.  Lou got a scratch as well.
So we paid (£30 for the pleasure!!) and scarpered back to the car, avoiding the rain as we went.


We got home, started to plan how the half a worming tablet and the antibiotic were to be given. We tried the tuna. Stupidly i opened a can of Princes stuff. My cat is a fuss pot  - it's John West or zilch. Nada, nil, nothing. (i only have myself to blame!!) 
We tried butter with the antibiotic.
It got spat out.
We swaddled her like a baby.
The claw, nae TALONS came out flying - they were like ginormous carving knives!!!!
Well - maybe not that big, but you get what i mean!!!!


So Matthew crushed the tablets into the tuna and added some John West stuff to it and she has taken some of it - after spending the afternoon in a big huffy sulk!!!


It was even better trying to get the collar on.


By this time the tallons had turned into scud missiles - armed dangerous and were heading to a war zone near you!!!!


We did get it on, but we have one miffed kitty who is not amused.
She is giving us dirty looks, but if it means that she gets better, we don't really care!!


The antibiotic fight, round 2 is sometime this evening!!!!