I mucked up Marmoset's meme! I missed making my muddled replies to the first two questions (yup I gave up on the Ms there; brain ache), so ;
Sorry Marmoset, here they are!
What were you doing ten years ago?
We were moving from West London (Southall) to Sussex, on a severe budget. Lets just say the furniture got transport laid on. So, almost to the day, this time ten years ago, I was heavily pregnant with youngest daughter, had youngest son in a pushchair. Older daughter and son had just begun their teenage years (you can just imagine), and they, I, husband, my cousin (who is more like a sister and God alone knows how I would have coped without her), pushchair, belly, two cats in two cat boxes, six overnight bags, nappies (diapers) and such, and a litter tray, cat litter, tinned cat food, tin opener and cat bowls all in carrier bags because we'd used up all the good ones, were making our way down here by public transport.
The worst bit was the London Underground, which we managed to hit at almost rush hour. Getting on was ok - it was getting back off again that was the lark and I ended up standing over the bags and puschair by the doors, even after being offered a seat, for fear that I wouldnt be able to battle my way off again. Standing on a rush hour train is a real balancing feat when you are up the duff.
We got here about eight oclock at night because of the late time that we had to set off. Everything was closed, the village style buses had stopped running and taxis were nowhere to be seen. Installed cats (and tray and litter and food etc) in the kitchen of our new home (which terrified them) having walked to reach it up a few hills that didnt show on the map, walked back downhill to town and settled in to the B&B to wait for the furniture the following day. We went to bed hungry.
What were you doing one year ago?
Pretty much the same as now, two kids grown and left, two at home, me at home arguing the toss with East Sussex County Council over Son's Aspergers. At least that time we were trying to negotiate an upgrade from Note in Lieu to Statement - this time we have the Statement, just not the wording or the school. According to an NAS questionnaire, I seem to remember, it takes on average about five or six years in this country to win a statement for a child with Aspergers, or on the autistic spectrum, so we're on track by current standards.
See? I enjoyed that. Sorry if you didn't but half a meme just isn't good enough, is it. Sorry Marmoset. At least those that have played so far actually visited Marmoset and got it right first time.
Tags: Aspergers, Autistic
7 comments:
I can remember finally leaving the cockling policeman and him taking me all the way to Lancaster from Barrow so I could get the mainline train from there to Cornwall. What a gent. With a toddler, a pushchair, a six month-old and all our clothes, nappies and essential baby gear that couldn't wait until he deigned to get the house contents sent down (minus the TV, video and kettle) three months later. Not a single B*****D offered me a hand and I think that sense of dissapointment and isolation has made it almost impossible for me to ask for help ever since.
January 7 1991
If I was there you wouldnt even have to ask.
I know what that feels like (minus the heartbreak and indignation at your marital exit being on public transport, but kids and bags and wheels...) so I don't care who looks or if the person I offer thinks I'm a dangerous busybody anymore, I always always ask mums with pushchairs or people with a lot of bags, if they want help.
People get scared of the audience - too scared to stand out from the crowd and risk being nice, so I say sod it - break the ice and make it easier for others in the future.
Hugs for that - that was outrageous.
What about telling a woman walking down the middle of the main street of a town her skirt is tucked in her knickers.
What a marvelous discussion in the comments! I'm trying to think if I was ever left stranded & ignored by strangers. I'm hoping there are more Cheryls in the world if that ever becomes my fate. In the meantime, I'm with She Weevil with the difficulty of asking for help. That goes way back, however, and this isn't the place.
Excellent meme concept. Where have I come from? My answers will be significantly different, I expect, answering these questions a year from now. "Ten years ago, Tom and I were happy & poor, and planning to move in together. One year ago, we were living in a small house with the kids without a clue in the world what our next move would be." I'm depending on a lot more things being settled by March '07.
This was so good for me. Focusing on the progress instead of the uncertain future.
Thank you thank you thank you... My dissertations are getting the better of me, and as a graduation present I'd like a toupe to cover up the patch of scalp that I've been tugging at over the last few days...
but you're lovely and thank you for responding to the tag.
More to come!
*muahahahah*
I hear ya on the asking for help...Twenty three years ago, I was Traveling with my then three year old and six month old son, my dad was flying us from Texas back home so he could see his grandson. We were switching planes and came to a turnstile that required a quarter to get through. GEEZ O PETE, I did NOT have a quarter, I discovered standing there balancing a baby in a carrier and hanging onto the three year old with my leg wrapped around her, so she wouldn’t get snatched or wander off, searching like mad through the huge diaper bag that I had hung/wrapped around my neck. Tears were falling, the line was backing up, people were grumbling at me to hurry up…and this sweet little man dashed over fed the thing a quarter, smiled at me and told me to enjoy my flight, then he walked my little girl up to the plane for me…God love him…
Yep, I can so relate, and I help strugglers too, even at the risk of being thought a weirdo….
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