tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35505428189939571252009-12-19T21:34:52.354ZBeauty is there to be recorded. As is ugliness. For a while there was too much ugliness. But what started out as an internal battle, a sustained attempt to bring beauty to blogging has ultimately moved on. The spirit remains. The lens is sharper.seahorsehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04006649663400552591noreply@blogger.comBlogger227125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3550542818993957125.post-66580244459010207922009-09-12T14:22:00.008+01:002009-09-12T15:12:12.916+01:00

It may seem as though getting my wheelchair heralded the end of my blog. Nothing is further from the truth!I may, when I look back, have experienced that sinking to the floor common at the end of a marathon (though I don't recall any turkey foil). And that may have led me to not blog for a while. But actually I haven't been on the floor all that time, I've found myself adjusting to life being

seahorsehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04006649663400552591noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3550542818993957125.post-80401021592796864582009-05-22T14:59:00.003+01:002009-05-22T16:01:08.782+01:00

I thought I'd leave it a week or so before posting about my new NHS wheelchair. You know, the one that took three years getting to me.Well, it works and boy has it changed things.I confess that at first I felt a little unsure. The way you feel when you've been trapped in a really bad relationship and aren't convinced you can love again. That's how it was with my scooter. I suddenly found myself

seahorsehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04006649663400552591noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3550542818993957125.post-3781339784388407472009-05-16T01:10:00.001+01:002009-05-16T01:10:26.347+01:00

Part TwoI'll be honest and admit that what I needed was something far more soulful, more engaging and rewarding. And because I don't leave the house much, I looked to my garden to provide. And this is the strange thing...why the garden? I was never into gardening before I became ill, so why now, especially now that I can't physically do anything?I don't know. Well, perhaps I do. I think it has a

seahorsehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04006649663400552591noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3550542818993957125.post-91624282508586381172009-05-10T22:43:00.001+01:002009-05-10T22:43:25.954+01:00

Part OneFalling in love is often unexpected. Even more so when a former plant witherer falls in love with gardening...but can't actually garden.Well, I'd like to qualify that statement for starters because since I ejected the word can't from my vocabulary I've surprised myself with the number of things I actually can do.Gardening without moving is about time, patience, imagination and design. It

seahorsehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04006649663400552591noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3550542818993957125.post-38044340917349162622009-05-07T01:06:00.005+01:002009-05-07T01:51:51.161+01:00

I have the good fortune to live very near one of those Tardis-like corner shops which sell just about anything dating from the 50s to the present day.With old stock goes old traditions. So it'll be of little surprise to people that trying to convert my local shopkeeper to modern eco-friendly ways is proving a bit of an uphill struggle.It's not like I go in there banging on about air miles,

seahorsehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04006649663400552591noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3550542818993957125.post-52497879779206217392009-05-03T20:28:00.003+01:002009-05-07T01:04:02.569+01:00

There have been so very many great pieces of writing, artwork and all manner of posts for BADD this year. I've decided to do a roll (to the left) of my faves so far. Bearing in mind I've read about half the entries. It's been like an intensive session with a Sunday paper. Only much, much better.My fave find has to be Rae at A Load of Old SquitHumourous and packing a punch at the same time...(

seahorsehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04006649663400552591noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3550542818993957125.post-13659779239704200262009-05-01T01:38:00.002+01:002009-05-01T02:15:47.197+01:00

We seem to spend a lot of time, as people with disabilities, fighting.Fighting can be tiring, energy-sapping. But it can also be invigorating, life-affirming. Not fighting is invariably depressing, because it usually indicates that we have given up. I’ve yet to meet a person with a disability who hasn’t had to fight for something.We have to fight for things we need, fight prejudice, fight for

seahorsehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04006649663400552591noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3550542818993957125.post-85737405054927091232009-04-17T23:20:00.002+01:002009-04-17T23:26:16.150+01:00

May 1 is when bloggers unite against disablism worldwide for Blogging Against Disablism Day. It's become a truly powerful and inspirational event.Check out the blogroll at Diary of A Goldfish and you'll see who's registered an interest so far.One thing I'm going to set myself for this year is to get to know four blogs that I've never read before in the build up to BADD. So I'll be seeing what's

seahorsehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04006649663400552591noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3550542818993957125.post-28345210039815990402009-04-13T21:28:00.000+01:002009-04-13T21:29:32.070+01:00

I want to tell a story about my garden, but I'm not flowing at present, so for those who've seen the first part of the story, it'll be back soon after some rewriting.

seahorsehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04006649663400552591noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3550542818993957125.post-40567677621542774482009-03-18T00:23:00.010Z2009-03-23T00:21:21.751Z

In winter the garden is alive with ghosts

seahorsehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04006649663400552591noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3550542818993957125.post-87769756266399522392009-03-14T21:33:00.009Z2009-03-15T00:24:24.078Z

Every year they do it. And every year it reinforces false messages. There's a kid called Danny. He lives with his Mum and Dad. Mum has MS and is housebound, Dad suffers with depression and agoraphobia. They never go out. They need Danny to do most of the chores around the house. Danny works so hard that his schoolwork suffers. He has few friends. He is exhausted and lonely.This is the typical

seahorsehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04006649663400552591noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3550542818993957125.post-57360522481446805412009-03-12T00:57:00.002Z2009-03-12T01:01:56.004Z

I have been neglecting this space at a cost recently. Trying to accomodate my brain going from first to fifth gear has resulted in chaos. Some of it good, some of it not so good.I'm now in hyperdrive and desperate to get off. Pitching from days of no sleep to sleepathons where I only seem to get up for breakfast with my son before returning to bed until he gets home from school.The best thing to

seahorsehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04006649663400552591noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3550542818993957125.post-295724363592712632009-02-12T00:53:00.008Z2009-02-15T21:30:31.497Z

I was taking photos on and off, more off than on, through the winter months...but not posting them due to extreme motivational problems and January lethargy.As it's February I can say I'm over that now and treat you to a gallery.None of these are particularly good but they do show what I've been up to recently.Maybe one day I'll figure out how to do one of those funky slideshow things.

seahorsehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04006649663400552591noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3550542818993957125.post-47571800170067565452009-02-12T00:38:00.003Z2009-02-12T00:52:02.681Z

Several things of late have made me feel happy. Simple things like snow, my son's rosy cheeks after hours going AWOL with friends in the park (this'll be a winter to remember I think)...and some serious cooking to brighten up January.I cannot extol highly enough the virtues of a home-made chicken and ham pie. And whilst you're at it, make an apple pie using double the pastry recipe. And, if

seahorsehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04006649663400552591noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3550542818993957125.post-69705889263165943822009-02-02T23:52:00.002Z2009-02-06T01:35:24.446Z

And this happened!Awesome. Update: May I just add that the song title has nothing to do with me posting this...it was far more a case of being blown away by seeing a full orchestra and choir giving an album I have sort of thought about buying the big treatment. I used to play in an orchestra and sing in a choir too, so this was an emotional experience. I've actually never heard Seldom Seen Kid

seahorsehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04006649663400552591noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3550542818993957125.post-32464591572259351682009-01-30T21:53:00.007Z2009-01-30T23:23:23.704Z

This really is too much. The PC brigade has got its hands on The Drunken Sailor. Captain Pugwash will be turning in his watery grave. Along with Seaman Stains and Master Bates. Remember them? Aired on primetime kids' telly throughout the glorious 70s.What Shall We Do With the Drunken Sailor is a fabulous, rumbunctious, hale and hearty shanty which I can remember singing when I was small with a

seahorsehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04006649663400552591noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3550542818993957125.post-13960443662025027332009-01-18T00:32:00.002Z2009-01-18T00:42:24.128Z

I am currently pondering the following:Cold weather payments and the logic or lack of logic therein. Much head scratching.The Marmalade Festival and the possibility, or not, of entering depending on how tomorrow's exploits turn out. Marmalade with cloves, marmalade with cardamom and marmalade with Triple Sec (that's sec...but how I am tempted to change the labels on my entry, should I enter).The

seahorsehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04006649663400552591noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3550542818993957125.post-80639468818808157262009-01-07T15:08:00.002Z2009-01-07T15:37:49.053Z

So the humble light bulb is being phased out. Most people are in favour of switching to low energy bulbs, and indeed already have.Most of us that is apart from those for whom low energy bulbs pose a significant problem. I was pleased to see the BBC's latest on this issue made passing reference to migraine sufferers, who can be triggered after a mere 30 minutes in the presence of one of these

seahorsehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04006649663400552591noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3550542818993957125.post-4097847326213752652009-01-05T00:13:00.004Z2009-01-05T01:45:44.307Z

I confess I entered Woolworths at the weekend with two ulterior motives. The first was pure Schadenfreude. The second was I was bloody freezing.But truth told, it was chilly in Woolworths. Icy cold. Eerie. This was the final weekend of trading for a household name, the King of Pound Shops, Queen of the Five and Dime, or Emperor of All Tat, depending on whether or not you were a fan. Most of the

seahorsehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04006649663400552591noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3550542818993957125.post-85979359370138379972008-12-28T23:32:00.004Z2008-12-28T23:58:22.396Z

And lo, it came to pass. And it passed. And Christmas became bearable, and then quite cheerful. And there was peace on earth and goodwill to humankind once more. And my sister said she needed to think about the very long letter I wrote to her, the one where I spell out that it's okay to be disabled. And that's progress, believe me. She's thinking. I'm very glad.You really have my aunt and uncle

seahorsehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04006649663400552591noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3550542818993957125.post-17991111749654457572008-12-21T22:04:00.004Z2008-12-21T22:24:37.180Z

Right, forget the compilation CDs because this is the only Christmas song you're going to need. To be sung with gusto (or with Shane MacGowan)... Christmas is bollocks!A fa la la la laaaaaaaaa.Christmas! Bloody bollocks.A fa la la la laaaaaaaa. Bollocks to fairy lightsAnd bollocks to wineAnd bollocks to Christmas cardsTo thee and to thine.Christmas is bollocks!A fa la la la

seahorsehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04006649663400552591noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3550542818993957125.post-66827011310307990562008-12-20T17:19:00.002Z2008-12-20T17:43:48.520Z

My sister yelled at me today:"You want to be treated like an invalid, like a, a, disabled person. I'm not going to, you're not a disabled person."I am a disabled person. I screamed it down the phone at her: "I am a disabled person."But no, apparently I'm not disabled because I walked in town last weekend. This 'miracle' proves that I am not disabled. Forget the fact that I was in bed for several

seahorsehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04006649663400552591noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3550542818993957125.post-14540611597538085572008-12-06T18:50:00.002Z2008-12-06T18:55:48.615Z

There's something about it that reminds me of fairytales. Probably because I'm reworking one at the moment. I don't understand this song at all! Is that why I love it?

seahorsehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04006649663400552591noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3550542818993957125.post-68324730607140958132008-11-27T14:12:00.002Z2008-11-27T14:20:48.060Z

Ahem. There's a quiz over at Donimo's Chronic Holiday blog. And so the Monday quiz lives on, popping up from time to time amid assorted postings on DDT wallpaper, Warholian hamburger eating and all manner of strange and wonderful material. It's been some time now since Donimo was turfed out of her home by a large amount of sewage. Blogging from a hotel room is tricky, but she's managed to put

seahorsehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04006649663400552591noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3550542818993957125.post-74658387176008638442008-11-13T16:11:00.003Z2008-11-13T16:19:21.068Z

I am pleased to report that having got over yet another wisdom tooth infection, I have had a few days of general contentment.We have put some curtains up in the front room. This makes us both feel cosy and warm (er). We have been baking cookies and cakes. Watching a couple of good films. Drinking hot chocolate. And last night, because access, so it turns out, is so good at a theatre in town, we

seahorsehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04006649663400552591noreply@blogger.com7