Living with Autism

Wagamama, South King Street Dublin 2



From my earliest days of attending support groups, I remember quite clearly the lament of the family with typical children and a child with autism: "we can't take him/her anywhere!" Anywhere meaning The Christmas Panto', The Cinema, and those hideously over priced and under serviced "theme" restaurants where the waiters dress like the characters in American Sitcoms, but treat you like prisoners of war.



I'm afraid the complaints got little sympathy from me.



And I gotta say, I am frankly astounded at the willingness of some people to eat badly prepared food in dirty restaurants with bad service;



And to queue and pay extortionately for the pleasure??!!



The only benefit to this exercise in my eyes, seemed to be that Mother did not have to Clear Up and Do Dishes after the meal.



Unfortunately the restaurant staff didn't seem to like doing this either,

(as evidenced by food left on tables and stuck to the bottom of plat…

After the most manic of weeks - we got on the plane to Amsterdam at 6am on Saturday morning, had a smooth flight and changeover at Schiphol and arrived here in Singapore at 6am Sunday, local time.

Boo and I are chilling in The Crowne Plaza Hotel in Changhi - and we even found some time to go check out the Zoo on this rather fine and sunny day.

The hotel is on the edge of Terminal 3 so we are actually heading down now to check in our suitcase (this lady only brings one) and then come back up here to the hotel room to chill a bit more before boarding at 11pm. Very civilised.

Then it's up to the front of the plane! for a points awarded business class sector to Melbourne. Looking forward to that!

I am missing my Bratty and Mr H - very keenly as we didnt get much quality time in the week before we took off. But also looking forward to seeing my sisters and their families in the morning.

Sometimes it is very tough to be living with my heart in two places.....

xx

Grace - RTÉ News Six One from Steven Troughton-Smith on Vimeo.


Grace - Picture Exchange from Steven Troughton-Smith on Vimeo.

Steven Troughton-Smith

Original Artwork by Mary Moroney, edited by me on Picnik.com

App features developed by Grace, interpreted and created by Steven Troughton-Smith

Project supported by O2 Corporate Responsibility - thanks Sinead!

Oh, did I mention this was an iPhone?

xx


consider this a copyright. All rights owned by stroughtonsmith and lisamareedom

Guest Post: Mr Hammie Writes.

Thanks to last minute preparations for the Secret Project;  I have been flat out like a lizard drinking working on that, the Work Blog (yes I get paid to blog) and the website/facebook etc etc. 

So my other half has paused from his regular trolling, posting on Boards.ie and Facebook to step in and keep the blog fires burning. 
Enjoy......




I haven't posted for H before despite being asked to on many occasions. When I texted her this photo on Sunday, she asked again and so here I go.

Firstly, sorry about the dismal title as it is somewhat at odds with the photo. This is Boo enjoying his coke and crab claws on the sushi train at Yo-Sushi Dundrum.

We had a lovely afternoon together, starting with a walk in the Glen of the Downs, then drove to HMV to buy a DVD and lunch at Yo. He likes to try new things as long as some constants accompany them. The constant here of course is his favourite beverage. He doesn't really get the train idea totally. If he sees som…

It's not a puzzle with pieces missing or lost.

It's a high school locker with a combination lock - and we have to find the right sequence to open it up.
Inside we will find the specialty subjects that interest us most, and the ones we find challenging.

But if there is someone there to use the ones we like, the ones we could think about all day long - to make the difficult ones easier, we'll soon catch up.

You might have to learn a bit too - quite a lot to be able to help us.

No one says it's going to be easy, it will be very challenging. But very satisfying.




But just because we know the combination to this one - doesn't mean it will open the next.

Everyone of us is different. Some will open easily, some will take a bit longer, a few more tries.

You might even need to go ask someone else how they did it, and see if it works for you.

But we are all worth it. All we need is the right help.
xx