Living with Autism

If you had asked me this time last year if I would ever go back to paid work I would have said no.

I was comfortable being a stay at home special mum, I had more than enough to keep me occupied mentally with the kid's educational and therapeutic needs, and I actively sought out and made social contacts with other Mums.



I was involved very heavily in campaigning for improved services for kids with autism and I worked actively in my school community to raise funds and negotiate for these.

I also blogged quite a bit, keeping my brain active but open to other thoughts and views from all over the world.



Financially, the tax breaks and carer's allowance we got for being "just poor enough" to qualify made it almost viable; I just needed to maintain a close personal friendship with the credit union to juggle things around each month, and my thrift habit was based on need as well as want.



But cometh the hour, cometh the offer.

I had first one, then the other child accepted by a ful…

Because this is "the silly season" and I am off on my holidays for the next 3 weeks to a world without broadband (imagine) - I will not be able to blog regularly.I've lined up some repeat posts for you. This is a summer tradition in Australian Television as everyone has better things to do, all the good shows go on hiatus and show repeats.(a year round tradition in cable t.v!) So, I am giving you the chance to enjoy these posts for a second time. I will still be able to read comments as I switch on the iPhone every couple of days, so keep the love and encouragement coming, I need it!First up is Episode 33, First published in March 2008:"Excuse Me I think You Dropped Something" or "The one where Hammie fecks up and no one is around to help"
Excuse me, I think you dropped something?

I want to talk about the cult of special needs parenting and motherhood particularly, because I have recently come to understand the danger of doing everything yourself and b…

To K-Line I have been moved to bring this award out of semi-retirement by what can only be described as the best post of the year: "Cue Cleavage", along with it's sister post "Size Doesn't matter" These posts combined all the good things I have learned about blogging in the last 12 months: There was Self Esteem, Making the Most of your Assets, An Appreciation of Diversity, along with a good dose of Fashion Advice and technical support (literally). And to keep all our viewers happy, there were also some pretty pictures of lingerie, to excite both the feminine appreciation of pretty things, and the heterosexual male or lesbitious appreciation of Boobies and more.... K-line is ALWAYS a skillful blogger, in that very female - "I am so good at this you can't even appreciate how hard it is" - way that working mothers often have. Well I know how bloody hard it is. You only have to look at the Hesperus-like wreck of this blog to see what can happen when …

Pat Kenny, host of The Late Late Show and Yours Truly I wasn't fast enough to get down to the Stage and pose with the Boyz, but Pat being a consummate professional let Mr Hammie take my photo with the iPhone. I had a brilliant night. The Boyz performed 7 songs and I was in the back row so I was up dancing and my hands are sore from clapping, my voice hoarse from whooping and hollerin'. Oh my god, I think I am a 40 year old groupie, in Wolford Tights, and Kurt Geiger Mary-Janes. Our Skater didn't win, :( But he was a real honey and I think we will see even greater things from the lovely Brian Ormond. I got to meet him too but that photo needs serious photo-shopping so will post it on the other blog tomorrow. My dress was absolutely fab-ou-lous so I will put it on again tomorrow and make Mr Hammie take my photo again while I still have my good hair on. NEWSFLASH!! I have freebies to give away for Festivus; Some iPod and iPhone cover thingies that we got in the goody bag and a c…

Have just posted on the other blog my plans to follow my own christmas traditions and avoid last years debacle. The other blog is suffering from Commentarexia; Would you be so kind as to visit and let me know what you think? And if I don't hear from you again; Happy FESTIVUS!!! May we all support The Human Fund, this year. xx

Brian Ormond and Merlin



Friday night saw the launch of a week of Celebrity Skating for Charity, I wrote about it already here and here.

For the next 5 days, 4 Irish Celebrities will be taught to skate by professionals culminating in a skate off at the RDS on Friday 19th, to be judged by non other than Boyzone, who I wrote about here, with some fondness. (okay gushing sycopancy then)

The four competing charities are; Children First, Special Olympics Ireland, Down Syndrome Ireland and my own Irish Autism Action.

Every charity has a sponsor who has donated €15,000 already, and the winner will receive an additional €15K.


For Irish Autism this will go to the National Projects like the Diagnostic and Support Centre; Solas.


Solas was established in 2007 as a result of fundraising and O2's corporate sponsorship, and offers comprehensive multi-disciplinary diagnosis within 3 months of referral.



The waiting list for a state provided diagnosis is a minium of 2 years. Minimum.
It is much longer in T…

Happy Birthday Mr Boo!Love Mammy, Daddy and Bratty.xxoo