I am me and you are you!
Sometimes you ponder and think and turn things around in your head that you just cannot explain in words. I have been doing that for sometime now, wondering how to write this blog and if it would make any sense. I'm still not sure that it does, but then again hopefully someone will understand what it is that I am trying to explain and the questions that I am asking.
For me, I sometimes let my brain think too much and then I get stuck on a thought process that literally just blows my brain. For example: Death, I just don't get it. I understand it from a religious aspect, from a practical point of view but what I can't complete in my thought process is just what happens to me? Where do my thoughts go? I'm someone who likes hard factual proof and with death we just don't have that.
At the moment what I am searching for is the answer to "what is different about myself and my daughter Bonnie?". I am aware that many autistic people do not like the labels of autism, normal, etc and this blog is not meant to cause offence to anyone in anyway and I appreciate that some of my terminology may seem insensitive but please stick with me and if possible provide as many comments as you can.
This started me wondering what things that my daughter feels and understands as normal for her but that generally in society we would not have not considered. It's a little bit like someone being born with something that causes them physical pain and that that pain stays with them for life, but because they do not know a life without the pain they do not know any other life. How many things does Bonnie have to deal with that we do not even know about and how much is she aware that the rest of us do not have those complexities to deal with.
Recently she said to me "Can you feel the moisture in the air?" So we had a discussion about the moisture in the air. It turns out that she can smell the change in temperature without even going outside. Now I wonder how many others also experience this sense and how it makes them feel. My Bonnie really struggles when it is cold and not a sunny day, we have lots of those where we live, and so is it an inbuilt sense to help her adjust ? For me I too could tell that the temperature had changed because when I went outside I used the senses of sight, I could see that the sun was going down and the sense of feeling because my body felt colder but I did not smell moisture in the air.
So how many more areas are there like this in her life that I fail to understand? How will I ever understand them because they are not even something that I have ever though about. For me the only way to do this is to talk, and then keep on talking. Initially when she would talk to me about how fatigued she became I would say, "well I'm tired too", but then over time after talking about this I now understand that my tiredness is nothing in comparison to hers. I am aware from talking to other autistic people that some count the leaves on trees whilst taking a country walk. That some people deal with busy cities by imagining that the people around them are in fact trees, because this helps them cope with the sensory issues.
I am very much aware that Bonnie is Bonnie, in the same way that I am Kate and that we are all very different in life. I don't want people to judge her for her autism, I want them to accept that she may not conform to what they judge as conventional but that if they spoke to her they would see the amazing abilities that she possesses. Her intelligence cannot be recorded in the same way that other children her age are tested because her understanding of the world is unconventional, not weird or odd or strange but just different. Maybe if we all stepped out of our boxes and took time to see what is around us then we may learn some of these different approaches to life and the world may be a better place.
Author nothingtoseeheremovealongnowPosted on April 1, 2019 April 1, 2019 Categories aspergers, autism, children, colour of bee larkhams murder, differences, family, SAD, weatherTags aspergers, autism, colour of bee larkhams murder, complexities, death, life, reading, sensesLeave a comment on I am me and you are you!
When your daughter takes over your blog….
This blog is not my usual blog, today's blog is written by my daughter Bonnie.
Hey, my name is Bonnie. I am 13 years old and I have Asperger's syndrome. Today with help from my mum I would like to blog about my obsessions and how they make me feel.
I understand that most people have obsessions but for me the obsessions are much more intense. I have recently recognised that some of these obsessions are unhealthy for me, despite the fact that from the outside they may appear to be good for my physical and mental well being.
Take for example my obsession with 'Exercise and Diet'. Everyone knows that in order to be healthy we must take regular exercise and watch what we eat and drink. I started to work out to you tube videos because I wanted to feel better about myself. It wasn't my plan to become a gym freak but I just wanted to spend some time working on my body, maybe toning up a bit and feeling those endorphins flow. My sisters get regular exercise at school but because I am home schooled I am aware that I need to motivate myself to exercise. The problem for me is that I became obsessed with the workouts.
What started as a 10 minute easy work out once a day progressed to 30 minutes of intensive exercise that is meant for more experienced people that have spent months building up to these exercises. I went from the 10 minute workouts to the 30 minute workouts in a week. When I look back I don't know what I was thinking. You see for 13 I am pretty switched on to the downsides of having Asperger's and one of those is that I get really tired. I understand that for most people working out for 30 minutes a day would not be that hard but for me the knock on effect is huge. The other major issue though was the anxiety that this obsession created. For me I was caught in a catch 22 situation. I wanted to work out but my body was too tired, my brain wanted me to full fill the desire to work out but the anxiety of not being able to do so made me feel extremely stressed. I'm literally tired just thinking about it.
At the same time I was increasing the amount of water that I was drinking as this too was something that went hand in hand with the exercise, and so was my diet. Let me explain. So I needed to drink more water, but there is only so much water that your body can physically handle. My obsession meant that I was caught up in inner turmoil with what I wanted to do and yet what I physically should not do. I used to say to myself "I need to drink more water, but I can't". It had been brought to my attention that you could drown from drinking too much water. I know that I was not at that point but you must understand that for me my obsession could have taken me to that place.
I had a similar situation going on with food. I cut out all the processed food, sugar, fat etc but that meant that I left myself on a diet with very few calories. This did not help with the tiredness or give me enough energy to work out. I didn't need to become this obsessive about food, I already have a healthy vegetarian diet.
On the other hand I have some obsessions that I class as healthy. One of the obsessions that I have had for about the last 18 months has been Kanye West.
Obsession makes it sound rather stalker(ish) when you are talking about a person but that is not the case. My interest in Kanye is something that I feel I can control much more easier, and if I spend more time on social media reading his tweets then the consequences are not life threatening in the way that the Exercise/ Diet Obsession is.
He too has mental health issues that mean that some of his tweets cause controversy but I find some of his tweets refreshing and at times inspirational. I find that we think in a very similar way and that we have similarities. For example Kanye went on the Ellen Show and I felt that when Kanye went off on a tangent, talking about his passion for making the world a better place, Ellen gave him a look as though he was crazy. I face those looks too. I'm not saying that Ellen did not understand him or that people do not try to understand how I feel but they do not share the same connection.
It's hard to explain but when I spend time looking at his tweet's and watching documentaries about him etc it makes me feel happy. I find that the world has very few icons who talk about their mental health issues. I find it refreshing that with all that he has to deal with he still manages to be a successful rapper and fashion designer. That gives me hope that I too can overcome my issues to become something. It may be harder for us to achieve things in life but I still have hopes and dreams and it may take me longer and I may have to work harder but I will make something of myself.
Author nothingtoseeheremovealongnowPosted on March 12, 2019 Categories aspergers, autism, bipolar, family, Icons, Kanye West, life lesson, obsessions, sensory overload, tvs programmesLeave a comment on When your daughter takes over your blog….
New York, New York.. a place for everyone ?
I first visited New York when I was in my late teens and I was petrified. I had watched far too many 80's cop shows set in the Big Apple that made me think that I was susceptible to becoming another crime statistic. I remember walking through one of the department stores and a young boy was shadow boxing, watching himself in the mirror when suddenly the old lady with him, I'm guessing his granny shouted out "Somebody's gonna take you out Michael". Oh this place was far more scary then where I came from.
So when one of my daughters autistic interests became New York and my husband decided that I should take her to visit it for a few days I had my reservations.
A lot of things about our trip to New York concerned me. This was at a time when she was going through the diagnosis process for Asperger's and I was only just starting to get a handle on all her sensory issues. I asked her over and over if she was sure that she would be able to make the trip, and she repeatedly replied yes, she was so excited.
Our first issue was the train, Bristol to London, then London to Heathrow. These journeys turned out to work surprisingly well, I had tuned in to the fact that headphones really made a huge difference to her and so she plugged in and away we went. Next up the plane Heathrow to New York, which again went really well. It would seem that the journey was just about the right amount of time for her not to go to the toilet (see my previous blogs on this subject) and the snacks that I had packed for her kept her going.
I had recalled from my previous experience that the taxi situation was quite a difficult one. The journey from JFK into New York is a fair distance and the bouncing of the cabs tend to make you feel a bit sick. I forewarned her of this and yet again no problems. By the time we reached the hotel I realised that a lot of my fears about this trip were not going to materialise. We were lucky enough to stay at the https://www.lottenypalace.com/ A wonderful hotel, with a fabulous bakery, which meant that in the mornings we were able to grab something to eat without the fussiness of having to be seated and the formalities of breakfast being served. We visited just before Christmas and we treated to the most amazing decorations, including a copy of the hotel made out of gingerbread.
Our itinerary for the next few days was extensive. We visited the Empire State building, which meant that my daughter had to tackle her fear of elevators. 102 floors whizzed by as we shot up the elevator like Charlie in Charlie and the chocolate factory, luckily we didn't come out through the roof. She didn't enjoy the experience, she kept her headphones on and closed her eyes, so I am particularly thankful for the speediness of this lift. I too had to overcome my fear of heights to be able to take in the most spectacular views on a beautiful clear crisp day.
The Statue of Liberty, meant not only a long walk to the point of where you catch the ferry but we spent a great deal of time walking around this grand lady. Soaking up both the sunshine (yes it was super sunny) and the history. We stopped and ate and this for me has become a major lifeline, it is very important that she stops and eats, it gives her a chance to get back on track. You do not want to see her if she doesn't get a chance to eat, all I'll say is that it is a bit like the incredible hulk, you don't want to see her angry.
As my daughter was only ten at the time I decided that it would be nice to see some of the sights that were more suitable to a child and this included a visit to Santa's Grotto at Macy's. We managed to obtain tickets to skip the wait in line queue but we still got a chance to take in all the magic. It's a must for all children, big kids too. This particular Santa was very accommodating without me having to point any issues out and he made her as relaxed as he could, after all he may be Santa but he's also a stranger and children with Asperger's don't usual like strangers. We came away with a wonderful photo that I will treasure for forever.
Our trip was topped off by a theatre trip to see Elf at Madison Square Garden, which was planned for 7:30 pm. This was the only time that I had big concerns about how much of a sensory overload my daughter might be having. You see up until this point, due to our jet lag, we had been getting up really early and walking the streets whilst most were still in bed. Yep even in New York they have much quieter times of the day. Our walk through Times Square and down to Madison Square Garden was met with hundreds, thousands, maybe even millions (OK that's an exaggeration, I think ) of people all out walking through the streets off to parties, off to bars, even still off to the shops to purchase Christmas presents. My daughter however sailed through these people as though she was a New Yorker. Whilst I was bumping into people and apologising, something which us British people are very good at, she continued walking through the throng of people like she had no cares in the world.
Once we returned from our trip and the pair of us had told all our tales to the family I spoke to her about how she was on that last day and asked what she was feeling as she walked through those busy streets. "New York" she said " I love it. People there don't judge you. They don't expect you to say sorry when you bump into them, they don't expect you to say Good Morning and make polite chit chat, they just let you be who you are. I think I'm going to move there when I'm older".
Three years later she still has the plan to move to New York, she loves cities, she finds the people much more accommodating. I feel that she has the chance to fit in and she's right people are not so judgemental because they see all walks of life.
As for me, I love New York too, these days I feel more like Carrie Bradshaw when I visit rather than a pending crime statistic and when she moves there guess who will be her first visitor.
Author nothingtoseeheremovealongnowPosted on March 7, 2019 Categories aspergers, autism, children, Christmas, family, humour, life lesson, travel, weatherTags aspergers, autism, Christmas, fitting in, new york, Sensory, specific interestsLeave a comment on New York, New York.. a place for everyone ?
When the 'experts' let you down.
Supporting my daughter through her journey with Asperger's has meant that sometimes I have to put my hand up and say that I do not have the answer. In these circumstances I seek out support from 'experts' but that support is in my experience practically non existent. The problem is that the 'experts' also have short comings and for my daughter she learnt this the hard way. One area of so called expertise is CAMHS (Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services).
These days many people will be very familiar with CAMHS, https://www.nhs.uk/using-the-nhs/nhs-services/mental-health-services/child-and-adolescent-mental-health-services-camhs/ it seems that not a week goes by when I don't have a conversation with someone about CAMHS. Last week it was a grandmother who has a grand-daughter seeing CAMHS for issues relating to self harm and an eating disorder. It should be a valuable department assisting young people with their emotional or behavioural well being and yet I have not heard one positive outcome as a result of an adolescent seeing CAMHs. For us the experience started like this….
My daughter's physical and mental well being greatly improved once I decided to home school her. Everyone that meets her now, some three years later says that they cannot believe the change in her. However, she does suffer from depression at times. I would class this as mild depression and it could possibly be SAD (Seasonal Effective Disorder) https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/seasonal-affective-disorder-sad/ So one day she approached me, she was in a very bad way and I had noticed it building up for some time, and said that she needed help, help that was beyond what she thought that I could give her. She explained that she felt very low and that she could not shake the feelings, often crying and breaking her heart with the sadness. I told her that it was probably worth visiting the GP and that I felt that at her age, she was 11 at the time, meant that they probably would not prescribed anything but that they may have suggestions of help. Their suggestions was CAMHS.
The waiting list to see a professional from CAMHS is several months in our area and so this gave me time to research them and ask other people about their experiences. The feedback was not good, usually met with a comment of "don't waste your time CAMHS are useless". This was not very reassuring.
The time came to meet the counsellor and she came to our house, because I had explained to our GP that my daughter's anxiety was heightened when she went to unknown places. As per previous experience of professionals in the field of autism the CAMHS counsellor and her trainee arrived late, therefore already creating tension, anxiety and unnecessary stress.
My daughter did not want to talk to the counsellors, after all she does have Asperger's and as anyone reading this blog will know it was pretty obvious that I would have to be her voice initially, these were strangers. So I gave an explanation of why she was attending the meeting. I gave examples of when she was really low, explaining that it mostly happened on dark dreary days and that on sunny days she would present completely differently. I had also explained to my daughter that as she was entering her teenage years it was not uncommon to have these feelings of self doubt and not being able to shake that dark cloud overhead.
The outcome of the test provides results that give your approach towards certain areas and so the counsellors took the results of the test and agreed at the end of our meeting that we should all meet again in a couple of weeks.
The next meeting with the same counsellors, one of whom is an autism expert, was spent devising a plan on looking at how we could handle 'The five thing'. I remember thinking, Oh Really?. I mean I know that they have studied and trained to deal with these adolescents but it was not what we wanted them to focus on. I had no choice though other than to run with what they thought was best. The first part of the plan was to write down all the things that she did five times, well that was quite a long list, it included things such as turning light switches off and on, moving objects. She had to list them in order of what she thought would have a more severe consequence ie filling the cup with water and emptying it five times meant that something bad would happen but no so bad as if she did not turn the light switch on and off five times. The second part of the plan was that my daughter would walk to the kitchen with the trainee and fill a cup of water and then tip it away. After she had done this for five times and the counsellors had a brief chat, the trainee then said that she was to now fill the cup but not tip it away. She was to take the cup of water into the lounge and write down on a piece of paper her anxiety levels. Well obviously they were going to be high, two strangers in your house, testing you, observing you! After 10 minutes she was then asked her anxiety levels and the process went on until 20 minutes had elapsed. The counsellors then decided that my daughter needed to practise this several times a day to break the habit and desire. I was to sit and record the anxiety levels and what we had done during the process to try and take her mind off of the task ie reading, drawing. We agreed to meet again in another week, but this time it would only be the trainee.
They left our house and my daughter said "What are they doing ? This is not what I wanted help with, and by the time they run through this process for every area on my list that will take weeks if not months". She was right. I was thinking oh great how do I fit this into the day, I have two other children, two goats, 3 chickens, 1 rabbit, 2 dogs to look after and I knew that the process would take much longer than 20 minutes per task because I knew that I would need time to prep my daughter before and help her cool down after. It was also not the only area of support that my daughter needed help with, and let's not forget it was still not dealing with the issue of her depression which was the one thing that I could not help her with. I was so cross that they did take any time to consider all the other areas that I had helped her with such as her anxiety, sleep and sensory issues. Had they not seen the pile of books that I had bought. The OCD was something that with the help of a book and some internet research that I could have tackled. Keeping these opinions and thoughts to myself I told her that it was a good idea to try it and we would be positive about it and so that's what we did, we tackled it head on.
By the time we next met with the trainee, I was exhausted. My daughter was exhausted. We showed her the outcome of the tests and how the longer time went on the more the anxiety reduced. I thought that she would be ready to move on to the next item on the list. Oh no, we repeated the task again and spent another week recording the outcome.
At the beginning of the next meeting I explained that this process was not what we had expected that we needed help dealing with depression. The trainee said that we had to stick to the plan but that she was also concerned that my daughter was hoarding things and this also needed to be tackled. Now I have an older daughter and I strongly believe that they all go through a phase of hoarding. They don't want any drawings to be thrown out, or any stones that they have collected from the playground to be returned to the outdoors. It is part of who they are. They are free things that they find or make and turn into magical items. So I could understand why my daughter did not want to get rid of some of her items. Even an old chocolate box can have a meaning. Mostly, they grow out of it though, it's a phase. The trainee however was instant that the next time she came she would expect her to remove some items from her room and deposit them in the bin.
My daughter at this point had started to take a huge dislike to the trainee. I have noticed that she does this a lot. She starts off very neutral but once she has made an opinion of you then you are either in or you're out, there is no in between. This lady was on the way out! My daughter knew what she needed to do because you see she is no idiot.
The next week we once again met and presented our findings. The trainee was pleased with the results and then my daughter went and produced the items and put them in the bin. The trainee thought this was amazing, the progress that she had helped my daughter make. I think we can all laugh at the stupidity of this trainee. The trainee was so impressed that she agreed that the next meeting should be held at the CAMHS offices, as my daughter had made such great progress. I mean come on, so what she really thought that suddenly my daughters original reasons for not meeting at the offices had disappeared ? What she really meant was that it was easier for her. My daughter was instant that we move on from the five thing and that during the next two weeks she would be tested on other 'five' issue problems such as the light switch. It was agreed but the trainee felt that it was too quick and that we needed to spend longer on this. She said that at the next meeting she would repeat the initial testing to ascertain if anything had changed in my daughters responses.
Here we go again, another week and another meeting. My daughter as I have already said is no fool. The test was presented to her and this time she answered with answers that she knew would get her out of the situation. So for example if it asked How often have you been bothered by feeling down, depressed or hopeless? she would choose an answer that was not all how she was feeling but what the trainee would be looking for. So not often would be a suitable answer to get the trainee off her back, without being too obvious.
At the start of the next meeting the trainee told us the outcome of the findings and she was super pleased. I bet she thought she was the most wonderful CAMHS counsellor ever. Well she was in for another shock.
We agreed that at this meeting I would leave my daughter with the trainee for the hour session. Progress hey. The counsellor had my number and would call if there were any problems. Fifteen minutes later my phone rang. "You need to come and collect your daughter, she has been extremely rude and she needs to leave". I dashed back to the offices and ran into the meeting room. It transpired that the trainee was talking about Asperger's and the pronunciation of the word was not correct. So my daughter pointed it out. Not horribly but in a matter of fact way. "You said Asperger's wrong". The trainee proceeded to tell me that this was rude and that perhaps my daughter would not want to return to the sessions again.
She was right! No she did not want to return and nor was I prepared for her to return. The stupidity of this trainee, she has been deceived by the results of a test that anyone could tell had been fixed. She felt it was acceptable to call an 11 year child rude because an 11 year child with autism had correctly pointed out that what she was saying was incorrect. Needless to say that we never saw the trainee again. We did receive a letter from CAMHS saying that they were pleased with the work that they had done and how they had obviously helped my daughter with some of her issues. Ludicrous, all they did was confirm to her that she has very little support other than her family and that so called 'experts' do not know what is best.
After all of this I explained to my daughter that the main thing was that we had tried. We then grabbed some books on SAD and did some google research and helped ourselves. We put our own plan in place to help her deal with it and she is in a much better place.
So whenever anyone mentions CAMHS I get a shiver down my spine and I say to them "try it, but you may find it isn't what you think it's going to be".
Author nothingtoseeheremovealongnowPosted on February 22, 2019 February 22, 2019 Categories aspergers, autism, CAMHS, children, family, life lesson, OCD, SADTags aspergers, autism, CAMHS, children, experts, OCD, SAD2 Comments on When the 'experts' let you down.
"Teeth", I laugh out loud every time. I was telling my husband how I had taken our 13 year old daughter to the dentist. She has Asperger's and so everything is very literal to her. So when we recently visited the dentist, she sat in the special chair and he asked her "so what brings you here ?", "Teeth" is what she replied. It tickles me pink and so I said to her "I think I may write a blog about it you know". Her reply was " I think their should be a blog about your driving". She's right, so here's a blog about my driving and bear in mind he who laughs last, laughs longest.
Last week my daughter and I had a couple of road trips. These were not the most exciting of road trips but ones to watch her younger sister run cross country and the following day to watch her play in a netball tournament.
I will confess that I am not an explorer, and I am certainly not a navigator. I lack the skills to read maps and I can barely understand the directions that are provided courtesy of my phone. I have no concept of "250 yards bear right", "100 yards bear right" what is a yard ?? I have not a scooby doo and for some unknown reason my phone has decided to stop giving the directions out loud. It is nearly impossible to drive and look at a phone pinned to your dash for directions so I roped in my daughter to assist me.
"Ok, off we go, map reading, this will be so educational for you", I said rather hypocritically. I should have known that we were not off on a good start when pulling out of the driveway I had to say "left or right?", and was met by a "I dunno, oh left I suppose". The weather forecast was for a small flutter of snow at about 4 pm and so starting off on our trip at 2:50 pm I felt that we should have no problem in reaching the destination, 21 minutes according to my phone, in time before the snow started to fall.
It would appear that with all the technology we have the weather is still unpredictable and so the small snowflakes started at 3:00 pm. The weather conditions combined with my daughter also informing me that we had missed the last 3 right hand turns that we were supposed to make meant that we were not making progress. The time to our destination was still 21 minutes and the snow fell thicker and thicker. A small fluttering ? yeah right. I have a car that is suitable for these weather conditions and I am a pretty good driver but I am afraid to say that I don't have the confidence for snow and ice. In fact my daughter remembers a similar situation last year when she claims that I was going to slide on the ice and kill everyone in the car. Utter rubbish of course, a huge exaggeration but this did nothing for my confidence or her hers and I now I avoid driving in these circumstances as much as possible.
The car park for the cross country event according to my phone was right next to where the event was due to take place at 4 pm, however by the time we arrived I was so fed up, stressed and angry that I practically landed my car outside the very posh school and proceeded to walk for 10 mins to my destination through the big fat flakes of snow. The cross country event was brilliant, but the weather was freezing and in all my frustration I had left my hat and gloves in the car. My youngest daughter had a great run and the snowy conditions did not seem to impact on her placing. Meanwhile the snow continued to fall and I wondered if I should have packed a sleeping bag and provisions in my car. My husband would call this P,P,P (Pi@@, Poor, Planning) and it's not like me to be so unprepared, planning is a huge part of my life these days.
On the return journey my 13 year old daughter did a great job in getting us home. Her directions were much more assertive and confident, it turns out that she had got the hang of the yards even if I didn't. Luckily as we dipped down over the Mendip Hills the snow started to disappear and we rewarded ourselves with huge pieces of chocolate cake. Cake makes everything alright.
This was only a small expedition though and so the next day I decided to test her skills again. This time our trip was an hour each way crossing from Somerset to Dorset, this really was a road trip.
My daughter started the trip by saying that she would just not tell me anything about the yards but just tell me when to turn etc and off we set. With the snow gone it was a bright clear sunny day and I was feeling much more positive about this trip. For some unknown reason any navigational system appears to take you on the most bizarre of routes, don't you agree ? and this was no exception. We made twists and turns down little country lanes, drove up the highest elevations as though I had come to the top of the world, and then drove back down again. I think that my daughters favourite part of the outgoing journey was when she told me to turn left and my brain worked so quickly at reading the 'No Entry' markings on the floor, by the way the No Entry was as if I was coming from the other direction, that I screamed " Ahh, I'm going the wrong way down a (bleep word) one way street". Ok I'll be honest there were lots of bleep words and I am not proud of them. The fear however of something that was out of the ordinary to me caused me such great anxiety. I suppose the ironic thing is that my daughter feels like that all the time. How does she cope with that high level of anxiety all the time ? No wonder she often retreats to her bed after an outing. Or maybe her favourite part was when we entered Dorset greeted by a sign that said ' Dorset, home of the Jurassic coast. "Oh, I shouted out, look home of the Jurassic Park!". My daughter burst out laughing, whilst I realised what a stupid comment I had made and tried to laugh it off with my best dinosaur impression.
We made it. Again the event, netball this time was good fun to watch and everyone headed off before the snow started again. This time I was confident that I knew the route and all would be well. The other annoying thing about navigational systems is that they never take you back the same way that they led you. Why ?? So after 20 minutes I realised that we were going a different way, "oh well" I said it's fine I have my wing-man with me and we can crack this. Until I came to some temporary traffic lights. The person in front of me went left, but my phone directions said to go right. I looked right, but the sign said that the road was closed on a particular date, was that date today ? I don't know, half the time I don't even seem to remember the year let alone the date. As I edged my car out further I realised that the road was indeed open but by this time the other lights had changed and cars were starting to come at me. Quick, three point turn in the road and off we go. I say quick but it seemed like forever with the stream of cars making there way towards us and my children laughing hysterically at me. We made it home and it seems that my wing-man is pretty awesome and is booked for all future journeys.
I suppose that the moral of this blog is that if you are prepared to laugh at others then you must be prepared to laugh at yourself.
The Diagnosis will make it all OK.
When I talk to people about my daughter they usually have two questions that they ask, number 1 ) How did you know she had autism ? and number 2) How did you get her diagnosed? The order of these questions changes depending on who I am talking to. For most people it is question 1 first, but for those who feel that they too potentially have a child on the spectrum it is normally question 2 that comes first.
You see getting a diagnosis is extremely hard, especially for girls with Asperger's and waiting times to see professionals vary depending upon where you live. I was recently advised that in the Bristol region wait times are approx 18 months for the initial consultation. Some people may feel that 18 months is not too long, but for someone going through the process it is a long long time. Especially if your child is at school and they have not recognised your concerns, meaning that until your child has a full diagnosis the school will only provide you with a limited amount of support. The other issue is that 18 months is the time until you get to see the paediatrician not the actual diagnosis. The paediatrician will normally require reports from Speech and Language, Occupational therapy, School, GP etc. By the time you go through the process from start to finish you are talking years! Yep years.
In our case I visited my GP armed with a stack of research and information that I had carefully digested. I had notes of her routine, behaviour, mental state, physical state. You name it I had it. I even made her take online assessments. I walked in armed with books and print outs so my GP could see that I was very serious about the situation. She referred us and our referral date was set 6 months later.
My daughter and I attended the appointment, which was an hour's drive away, great start for a kid with sensory issues, followed by the usual from the receptionist "he's running late." Great for kids that need routine! I am an adult without autism and so I understand that these things happen but the anxiety that was building up within my daughter was not acceptable. I sat there thinking these are places and people that are handling these situations all day everyday, advising on them so why put their patients through this. If they can't get it right how will I ever be able to support her. The other part of my brain thought, well she is going to have to deal with these situations for the rest of her life so lets start preparing her. Come on mum get supportive. Uhh! Caring, emotional parent versus practical tough parent, whilst being supportive at all times.
Here we go again.! How long will it be to get an appointment with these departments, and the answer was 6 months. Another 6 months. All through that time I felt a little bit of contentment that I was perusing the right path for her but at the same time a lot of anger that she was not getting support right away. Where were all the miracle workers who were going to support me, get banners out and fight for my daughters rights… at this point I am in hysterical laughter writing this blog. I'll come back to this later on, bear with me.
Speech and Language allowed themselves an hour to spend with my daughter, with me in the room. The whole process was not too difficult but because my daughter was aged 10 I suppose it was a little more challenging than just observing her play, she was too old for that. They ran through a series of scenarios with her for example, they would show her emotion cards, one I distinctly remember was a man sat in his car with the window down, he had is hand clenched in a fist with a very aggressive look. My daughter had no clue that anything was wrong with this man. These were emotion cards that preschoolers would understand. She also talked, classically she talked too much, about her obsession with dogs and horses. I left the meeting feeling that it was very obvious and the report would back up what I thought. The report however that was provided 4 weeks later left me wondering if the Speech and Language therapist agreed with me or not. I am not an unintelligent person but the report was not easy to digest. It was not a magical report that once opened sang out the words "Yes,Yes you are right, you were right all along, of course she has Asperger's". It was a very clinical report full of technical jargon. My heart was telling me though that what I had witnessed in the session was clear for all to see.
Occupational therapy on the other hand were amazing. They talked to my daughter about the sensory issues, which I suppose at the time was one of the biggest problems. Hair cutting, hair washing, bathing, even cleaning teeth, the basic hygiene problems that were so challenging for my daughter on a daily basis. For me it was also the confirmation that these things which most of us take for granted can cause so much distress for others. I felt like another fist bump in the air, followed by a big sigh. It's a double edged sword, you make progress and get confirmation of what you thought but you cannot loose sight that this is all so hard for my daughter. She explained about how sitting still for too long a period of time was not good for my daughter because it was sending her body into a sleep time state and that horse riding was great because it did the opposite. She provided a report for every sensory issue that had been raised and she provided options of things available to try to relieve the pressure and stress for my daughter. For example exercise balls to sit on to keep the core muscles moving rather than sitting on a chair, sensory toys to chew so that before my daughter brushed her teeth, her teeth would have a chance to become less sensitive, special toothbrushes for her to use that meant she could do the top and the bottom at the same time. Even explaining to me that for my daughter when she has a shower it can be painful as even though it may be the softest spray, the spray hitting her body could cause physical pain. I realised how oblivious I was to so many things that she was going through on a daily basis.
The second date came through to see the paediatrician for April. At the end of our last meeting he explained that he held a clinic a bit closer to our home so that made our journey slighter easier. We walked into the room and within 10 minutes we were out. During the 10 minutes he asked my daughter how she had been, he said that he had reviewed the information from the other departments and that she did have Asperger's. He said it was one the quickest cases ever. 12 months from his initial meeting with her until now did not seem quick to me but when listening to the process that other people have gone through I realise how quick it was.
"So I said to him, what happens now" ? "Well she has a diagnosis, you put that down on anything that ever requires her medical history" he said . I replied "What do you not want to see her again? Ever? Even when she is 16?". "No, that's it she has her diagnosis" he says.
Now you see where the hysterical laughter comes from. Where was the support group, the network of people that were going to provide us with help and assistance and prop us up. Who was going to help me ensure that my daughter received all the support she ever needed. I know that there are groups you can join but they are not specifically tailored for the individual. Every person with Asperger's is different they all have different levels and different needs and for every 100 conversations you have 95 can be disregarded as their child will be different to yours. From the other 5 you can take away snippets of information. It's frustrating, it's a minefield. I hear reports of special schools that fail kids with Asperger's, I hear reports of health departments that fail them and my hysterical laughter turns to a desire and a passion to continue to fight and support my child and I will have days where I cannot be the best but I wont give up because at the end of the day you need more than a diagnosis on paper and hysterical laughter.
I recently found this photo on my daughter's Ipad that she had taken whilst going through the diagnosis process and do you know what she's right it's going to be OK.
Author nothingtoseeheremovealongnowPosted on February 4, 2019 February 4, 2019 Categories aspergers, autism, children, occupational therapy, speech and language, tony attwoodTags aspergers, autism, children, diagnosis, occupational therapy, sensory needs, speech and language, tonyattwoodLeave a comment on The Diagnosis will make it all OK.
So what do you really think about me?
For those of you who have started reading my blogs you will be aware that my main focus is on my 13 daughter who has Asperger's and therefore you may be forgiven for thinking that the title of my latest blog is about how people perceive her, it's not, it's about how they perceive me.Last week I was prompted by a series of events that made me sit down and really think about how my daughter's diagnosis changed me.
The first situation was one where my youngest daughter age 8 was off to sing in a school choir, this meant a 5 hour round journey to go and watch her. Another parent, who has a daughter the same age and who also has a younger son who has autism, age 6, was trying to juggle her world so that she could attend the concert. She had a predicament that meant that the only two other people that her son felt comfortable staying with were not able to get to her house in time for her to make the drive up to the concert. I could sense the guilt that she felt as she told her daughter that she would try her best to get to there. For those parents who do not have an autistic child they would probably ask why she did not take the younger child with her. No way, not an option! 6000 children, plus parents, plus the drive, plus all the sensory issues meant that it was a no go zone. I got it, I understood immediately, so much so that I sent her a message afterwards to remind her not to be so tough on herself. Don't get me wrong I'm not making myself out to be a super hero or Mrs Perfect, it has been a huge roller coaster in terms of learning for me, and I continue to learn on a daily basis. Since the start of the process of my daughter's diagnosis my life has became all about autism, reading books about it, reading articles, watching TV Programme's, going to talks, talking to her teachers etc. I threw myself into it because I was determined not to let her down. It's trial and error. Now though I find myself in a situation whereby all the trial and error has changed me. So how did this mum perceive me? Does she feel that I am a know it all, someone who is rather cheeky to suggest that she should carry on through the tough times? I hope not. She quickly sent back a lovely message thanking me for my support. I hope that I made her realise that she's not alone in these daily struggles.
Spontaneity, it's a word I love, or rather I should say that I have a love- hate relationship with. I love it because I used to be spontaneous, I used to be a bit more free spirited but I have had to adapt. I sometimes feel resentful of the fact that I cannot be as spontaneous as I used to be. For example my daughter's situation has meant that I could no longer go to the shops on a whim, she needed prior notice. Gosh in the beginning of our journey (I call it our journey because we work really hard together to find a life that works for us both) she needed to know exactly how many items I was buying in the shop and boy did I need help if I had said 10 things and then I picked up 11. I still cannot go on a journey without thinking about if she has had enough food, when she will next need to eat, if the shops on the journey or at the end destination will have the right types of food. The toilet breaks, the length of time in the car, her sleep pattern,the sensory issues the list is endless and so being spontaneous is out the window. However, as time has gone on, we are three years into her official diagnosis, a lot of the above has become normal practice for me, so much so that until I actually sat down and thought about it I was unaware of how much of the above I do on auto pilot. Friendships are hard, they require effort and time and I have struggled with both of these things in recent years because parents of Autism have very little support. This makes me wonder though how do my friends view me? Do they find my planning and organisation all rather frustrating? Are they totally fed up of asking me out to social events because they know that 50% of the time I will cancel? Are they fed up of hearing about Asperger's? I hope not. I hope that they understand that as much as I possibly can I make time for them, that I love listening to their stories about their day to day lives because although I have changed I need them around me.
The second thing that happened was that my 16 year old daughter asked if my blogs will ever be about her or will it always be about her sister. I get it, it's tough. Yes, you can read all the Instagram posts in the world that give you a sense of what it is like to be autistic but let's face it unless you are you just do not get it! That is the hard truth. As family members you find yourself treading on egg shells not wanting to say the wrong thing to offend and yet my 13 year old will say, "well try walking in my shoes sometime". For my beautiful 16 year old though she has her own daily life issues to deal with, she's working hard at her A levels and yet I understand where she is coming from because she too has had to change. She has to keep quiet whilst face timing friends and due to our routines she does not have as much freedom as she would like. She probably doesn't realise it yet but the experiences of her family mean that she is more tolerant and understanding of different types of people, that she can see the view point of others in a way that some of her peers have not yet developed how to do. I do not for one moment think that this is easy for her. I wonder how she views me. Does she feel that I am biased towards her other sister? Does she feel that I do not spend enough time with her? I hope not. I hope that she understands that I love her dearly and that my aim is to make life smoother for all of us as a family.
The third thing that happened was that I went out for coffee with some mum's from school. Again this was not without a lot of prior planning on my part to ensure that my 13 year old would have someone watching her and that she had plenty of food in that she liked to keep her going until my return a couple of hours later. I really enjoyed being out and being able to talk about general day to day 'rubbish'. It was fun and it is something that I plan to repeat, they are not close enough to understand my day to day life so I do not feel that they are judging me. I did however find it hard to shut off and found my brain wandering to think about things relating to my daughter, again this is an auto pilot situation. So I wonder did they view me as being a bit stupid? A bit disinterested in the conversation? I hope not, one my mum said it was one of the highlights of her week so I couldn't have come across too crazy. I hope that they saw the positives in me.
The last thing that happened was that I learnt the very sad news that a lady that I worked with had passed away on the Wednesday and her husband had died the previous the Saturday. She had leukaemia and had refused treatment to extend her life to look after him. I found this very upsetting and it confirmed that for our family that we all make sacrifices and for some those sacrifices are really life changing.
Author nothingtoseeheremovealongnowPosted on January 24, 2019 January 24, 2019 Categories aspergers, autism, children, family, friends, me time, sacrificeTags aspergers, autism, challenges, children, coffee, family, friends, meLeave a comment on So what do you really think about me?
Nothing to see here … move along now Blog at WordPress.com.


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Peter Goldstein May 31, 2020
Destini Woodruff, left, and John Woodruff (Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department)
The two Metropolitan Police Department officers arrested last week on child abuse charges hit the child with a belt and had been investigated multiple times before, according to a recently released arrest report.
John Woodruff and Destini Hover, both of whom have worked for Metro since 2016, were arrested on charges of conspiracy to commit child abuse, child abuse or neglect and domestic battery by strangulation on May 19, court records show. Police identified Hover as Destini Woodruff.
Neither showed up in online jail records Tuesday afternoon.
According to the report, Hover's 6-year-old son accused Woodruff of hitting him with a belt and picking him up by his neck on May 9. The boy's father, Derrick, whose last name was redacted from the report, reported the alleged abuse to police on May 14.
Child Protective Services found bruises on the boy's lower back, buttocks, legs and neck on May 15, according to the report.
Derrick told police that he and Hover "share a custody agreement outside of the purview of the Family Court system and relied upon in good faith."
According to the report, Derrick showed police a text message from Hover on May 9 explaining that their son was caught "bullying" his sister and that she was keeping him over the weekend so he can "get it through his head that he cannot lie and bully anyone ever and then just go to your house and get away with it!"
Police believe Woodruff and Hover kept the child longer than their usual custody agreement in "an effort to hide their crime."
Prior cases
When police interviewed Hover on May 16, she admitted to spanking her son but claimed that it was she, not Woodruff, who hit the boy with a belt.
According to the report, Woodruff was investigated by the Henderson Police Department in January 2018 after his 3-year-old, nonverbal autistic son "had bruising to the right upper thigh and right buttocks." Police determined that the boy's injuries were caused by his eczema and "did not appear to rise to the level of child abuse."
Hover said she went to Walmart to buy girls' clothing for her son to wear to school as punishment. She told police that the boy has a "behavior pattern of lying," but police said his behavior is "consistent notwithstanding that he is only six years old."
The couple was investigated by Child Protective Services twice in April 2019 after they disciplined a 5-year-old boy in their care by hitting his bare buttocks with a belt and "making him wear girls' clothing and shaming him," the report said.
The boy wore girls' clothes to school multiple times and said he'd been forced to go to McDonald's dressed as a girl and tell the cashier, "I'm a pretty girl," according to the report.
The boy cried when school ended on April 5, 2019, and "begged the principal not to call his mom because he would be beaten again by his stepdad," the report said.
According to the report, Child Protective Services closed both cases because there was "no known information that the parenting tactics had affected (the boy's) daily functioning and that maltreatment was not identified."
Hover and Woodruff were expected in court Wednesday morning.
Woodruff sued
A Las Vegas man sued Metro and Woodruff on Tuesday, claiming he was unreasonably arrested in November and that Woodruff made racist remarks.
Douglas Seymour, who is black, alleged in the lawsuit that Woodruff knocked on his door around 5:15 a.m. on Nov. 20 and said there had been a complaint of animal abuse. Seymour asked why he had to come outside with the officer and Woodruff told him, "Okay, now you're detained," according to the lawsuit.
Seymour said he was handcuffed and put in a patrol car while Woodruff "made disparaging comments against African Americans" and threatened to come back to the house, the suit said. When Seymour asked to speak with a supervisor, Woodruff arrested him.
Clark County Animal Control picked up Seymour's 8-week-old puppy while he was taken to a police station and held for four or five hours, the suit said.
At the station, Seymour said he spoke with a supervisor who told him he "shouldn't have been arrested," brought him home and got his puppy back from Animal Control, according to the suit.
Seymour is represented by attorney Peter Goldstein.
By Alexis Egeland Las Vegas Review-Journal
Source: https://www.reviewjournal.com/crime/las-vegas-police-report-details-injuries-to-arrested-officers-kids-2036287
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Does Your Apportionment Reflect Your Business Activity?
In other words, does your apportionment result in a fair and accurate portion of your federal taxable income being taxed by the applicable state? If not, then opportunities may exist to utilize an "alternative apportionment method."
Some, if not all, states provide an opportunity to request or use an "alternative apportionment method" when the standard apportionment method creates "distortion" or does not properly reflect the amount of business activity in the state.
I'll be honest, the request for alternative apportionment is not an easy one, but when the apportionment factor results in a questionable amount of your taxable income being taxed in a state where you really have very little business activity, an alternative apportionment method may be the solution.
With the states on the perpetual march to lower the threshold of obtaining "nexus" or a taxable presence in a state, the apportionment factor is a way to help ensure that a state does not tax more than its "fair share" of income.


I can't get enough of traditional American tattoos!
This fun red and blue rose is made out of stained glass with an antique glass as it's background. It has the word "Charm" written on the banner and comes framed in black wood and ready to hang.
It measures 6 1/4" square.


Have you ever wondered how you're supposed to be thankful even when things don't go your way? How can you trust God when your prayers seem like they're just words spoken into thin air? Or when God answers someone else's prayer the way you've been begging Him to answer yours?Join us as we journey through Psalms 73-150 and discover how to praise God in all circumstances.
The Experience Guide includes: Daily study questions to help enhance your understanding of Scripture and make the most of your study Historical and cultural context of the book of Psalms Major moments and themes within each chapter.


for at least a century.
is a testament to their tenacity.
at the base of our oak.
Jone's word today is TRILLIUM.
I love the story of your street, & am amazed by the trillium. Could it really be that old, & to keep returning? Beautiful noticing. I think part of why I bought my place now is a cottonwood that is over a 100 years old, right outside this office window. And I am grateful that it wasn't cut down when the development was built. (I'm in the old Lowry Air Force Base). Thanks for reminding about what's important, Mary Lee.
Love the sense of time in your poem, Mary Lee. And the way you can read the remnants of the landscape to see what might have been there. These are clues, aren't they, to the past. They are all around us, "a testament to their tenacity". How rich is that? Thank you!
My poem may come later this evening...or maybe not? Grades, contract negotiations, building chicken coops have overtaken my life like the garlic mustard I'm pulling in the woods threatens the wildflowers. Ugh.
I just love thinking about what something was long ago. Interesting the way you wove the street names into the past and present of your poem.
Oh, how I adore the way that ? turned into a !
Mary Lee I LOVE your trillium, resolutely coming back year after year as though no neighborhood had grown up, as though no neighbor deliberately doesn't mow. I am currently filled with wonder at the gift of perennials who arrive to fill me with hope wihtout my lifting a finger!


Only 157,331 Miles! Boasts 28 Highway MPG and 20 City MPG! This Toyota Camry boasts a Gas V6 3.0L/183 engine powering this Automatic transmission. Pwr 4-wheel disc brakes (vented front), MacPherson strut front suspension, Front wheel drive.*This Toyota Camry Comes Equipped with These Options *Anti-lock brake system, Washer-linked variable intermittent front windshield wipers, Warning lights-inc: airbag, ABS, seat belts, fuel level, door-ajar, battery, check engine, oil pressure, tail lamp failure, Variable assist pwr rack & pinion steering, Trunk luggage box, Side-impact door beams, Remote releases-inc: trunk, hood, fuel-filler door, Overhead console w/maplights & sunglasses holder, On-glass antenna, Lockable illuminated glove box.*Know You're Making a Reliable Purchase *Carfax reports: No Accidents Reported, 10 Service Records.*Visit Us Today *Live a little- stop by Fred Beans Hyundai Doylestown located at 4465 W Swamp Rd, Doylestown, PA 18901 to make this car yours today!
We make every effort to provide accurate information, but you must verify the information on this page before purchasing. The MSRP price listed is a reference only. All sale prices include freight, dealer prep, any applicable factory rebates & equipment discount packages, coupons, bonus cash and Fred Beans discount. Rebates may be in lieu of special financing, lease and some other offers. Not all customers may qualify. Manufacturers rebates are subject to change. Prior deals excluded. Exclusions may apply. Tax, license & document fees cost extra. Fred Beans' is not responsible for typographical errors." MPG estimates on this website are EPA estimates; your actual mileage may vary. For used vehicles, MPG estimates are EPA estimates for the vehicle when it was new. The EPA periodically modifies its MPG calculation methodology; all MPG estimates are based on the methodology in effect when the vehicles were new (please see the "Fuel Economy" portion of the EPA's website for details, including a MPG recalculation tool). The features and options listed are for the new 2002 Toyota Camry and may not apply to this specific vehicle. Tax, title, license (unless itemized above) are extra. Not available with special finance, lease and some other offers.
This Used Blue 2002 Toyota Camry 4dr Sdn LE V6 Auto (Natl) with a 3.0L engine and 4-Speed Automatic w/OD transmission is for sale at Fred Beans Chevrolet in Doylestown, PA. Contact us online or give us a call at (267) 327-4178 to have your questions answered or obtain a price quote for this vehicle. Fred Beans Chevrolet is happy to serve all Philadelphia and Bucks County residents from our Doylestown new and used car dealership.


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24x7 Live News
Dubai News Channels
قناة العربية بدأت بثها في مارس 2003 وتمكنت خلال فترة قياسية من فرض نفسها كأحد أهم اللاعبين في المشهد الإعلامي العربي
Al Arabiya (Arabic: العربية, transliterated: al-ʿArabiyyah; meaning "The Arabic One" or "The Arab One") is a Saudi free-to-air television news channel broadcast in Modern Standard Arabic. The channel is based in Dubai and broadcasts to a pan-Arab audience; it is regarded as a competitor to Al Jazeera.
Launched on 3 March 2003, the channel is based in Dubai Media City, United Arab Emirates, and is owned by Saudi broadcaster Middle East Broadcasting Center (MBC).
The current general manager of Al Arabiya is Adel Al Toraifi, who took over that post from Abdulrahman Al Rashed on 22 November 2014., who had held the position since 2004 and was outspoken against Islamic extremism.
A free-to-air channel, Al Arabiya broadcasts standard newscasts every hour as well as talk shows and documentaries. These programs cover current affairs, business, stock markets and sports. It is rated among the top pan-Arab stations by Middle East audiences. The news organization's website is accessible in Arabic, English, Urdu and Persian. As of March 2018, the website's number one consumer by country was Saudi Arabia, with 20% of the entire viewership.
On 26 January 2009, American president Barack Obama gave his first formal interview as president to the television channel.
Live News Channels
UAE – Arabic
UAE – English
Tamil Nadu Weather


The Kitchener-Waterloo Kinsmen have over 65 years of history "Serving the Community's Greatest Need" in the Kitchener-Waterloo area.
The K-W Kinsmen recognized the need for assistance to the developmentally delayed early on. As a result we started the Kinsmen TV Auction in 1955, to help raise funds for K-W Habilitation Services. The auction which broadcasts on CTV Southwestern Ontario is the longest running TV show of its kind in North America. Items are all donated from local businesses and corporations and have helped the K-W Kinsmen to help this community in a wide variety of ways.
We also raise funds in the community by running a Charity Bingo at Kitchener Charities Bingo hall, and specifically for Cystic Fibrosis (make this a hyperlink) through our annual BBQ/Car Wash held every May.
Since the club was chartered K-W Kinsmen have contributed to our community and provided leadership training and education to our members through many projects and fundraisers. Every Christmas our club, along with the K-W Kinettes, delivers Christmas Baskets to 8 needy families in our community. We visit our local mall & shop individually for each family, wrap all the presents, and deliver the baskets just in time for Christmas. Each year a $300.00 bursary is awarded to a student from all the local K-W high schools to a student who is going on to a post-secondary education and has shown leadership in their schools.
Our club also reaches out to our your local community through many service projects, including: Adopt-A-Road program, float drivers for the annual Oktoberfest parade, BBQ's for Suddaby School & Meadowlane Public School (to name a few) Our involvement in these projects allow you to get to work with other club members, community leaders and the community at large.
Are you a community minded individual who is looking to make a connection with other like-minded members of our community? Do you want to have fun & fellowship. We invite you to join us to find out what Kin is about. Contact our club @ kwkinsmen@gmail.com today!


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City Council to vote on I-25 funding solution
Trevor L. Davis / Loveland Reporter-Herald file photo
Traffic flows in the north- and southbound lanes of I-25 at U.S. 34 as the sun sets on the Front Range on last fall in Loveland.
By Saja Hindi |
The city of Loveland has committed to contributing money to the expansion of north Interstate 25, and Loveland City Council members will consider the official agreement with Larimer County on Tuesday.
The meeting will take place at 6 p.m. at the Loveland municipal building, 500 E. Third St.
A plan to redirect money collected from the county's road and bridge property taxes, including a portion that would have gone to municipalities, was one supported by municipalities late last year.
The mill levy would raise about $10 million over a five-year period.
Taxes won't be increased and the redirection of money won't have an impact on municipalities' budgets, but the county's general fund monies would decrease by 0.4 mills, which would go to the road and bridge fund.
"The cooperative approach between the county and participating municipalities includes utilizing revenue realized from the temporary redistribution to establish a fund to create matching monies for a partially grant-funded $237 million project to widen a 14-mile stretch of the I-25 from State Highway 14 to State Highway 402," a memo to Loveland City Council members stated.
If council members decide against the approval of the intergovernmental agreement, the memo states that it "would disrupt the regional collaboration the City entered into last year and put at risk $10 million toward matching funds for grant-funded I-25 projects."
Loveland City Council members will also discuss Tuesday the process for naming an interim city attorney after the announcement of City Attorney Tami Yellico's resignation this week. It could also include a possible closed-door meeting if council members vote to go into one.
For more information about the meeting, go to http://bit.ly/2djisV6.
Saja Hindi: 970-699-5404, hindis@reporter-herald.com, twitter.com/BySajaHindi.
Saja Hindi


Modern cloth nappies are widely available these days, but it's still important to take good care of them. Check out these useful tips on washing and drying modern cloth nappies and how to keep them in tip top condition.
Modern cloth nappies are widely available these days, but it's still important to take good care of them.
Check out these useful tips on washing and drying modern cloth nappies and how to keep them in tip top condition.
When you first buy your modern cloth nappies, remove the trifold and soak each nappy and trifold in a bucket of cold water overnight, then put them through a wash cycle with a very small amount of washing powder. This gets the fibres ready for use.
After using a modern cloth nappy, first drop any solids into the toilet then store the used nappy in a dry pail until you are ready to wash.
Separate the inserts from the nappy when placing them into the washing machine.
When washing a load of modern cloth nappies, use 1/4 of a scoop of powder and lots of water. Put them on a rinse first, then add the power and do your normal cycle. A cold or warm wash is fine, but cold is better.
Do not use fabric softener in your wash as this leaves residue on the nappies.
However do a warm wash with 2 drops of tea tree oil fortnightly or monthly to make your modern cloth nappies last as long as possible.
Do not use vinegar in the wash. It's acidic and not suitable for the fabrics.
Also don't ever use bleach!
Wash your modern cloth nappies separately from your clothing and towels.
Cloth nappies, inserts, liners, wipes and wetbags are all suitable to be washed together.
The sun is a fantastic natural bleach and disinfectant.
Peg your modern cloth nappies so the microfleece (inner) side is facing up towards the sky. If you do your wash load and hang it out in the afternoon or evening, then it can be dry by the next afternoon.
If it's raining and wet, you may find using your hot water cupboard helpful. You'll be surprised at how some hot water cupboards can dry cloth nappies overnight!
As hemp and bamboo contain natural oils, it can take up to 10 washes to remove the oils, making the insert/trifold more absorbent each time you wash it.
Inserts can be used from new and washed with your modern cloth nappies, but remember not to use fabric softener.
They can be soaked in a small amount of oxygen bleach for a very short amount of time (2-3 hours). Rinse well.
Source: This article was written by Rarpz Design. The home of Bum Rarpz nappies, Shark Pups, Glow in the dark characters nappies and Rainbow Slices Wipes.
Babies seem to come with a whole lot of gear, but what items are good to keep from your baby's first year and add to their memory box for when they're older? Here are some keepsake ideas for you to consider.


text:
Q: PHP if a variable has duplicate only display first instance? I've created a mysql table that includes these rows & values:
   category | item_name
   =======================
   Dinner   |  Lobster
   Dinner   |  Pizza
   Lunch    |  Sandwich
   Lunch    |  Soup
   Lunch    |  Salad
  -------------------------

I then query the database, the result is placed in an array "$menu_selected".
I loop through "$menu_selected" to display the results.
    foreach($menu_selected as $m):
           echo $category = $m->category . "
";
           echo $item_name = $m->item_name . "

";
    endforeach;

Output:
    Dinner
    Lobster

    Dinner
    Pizza

    Lunch
    Sandwich

    Lunch
    Soup

    Lunch
    Salad

How can I filter the categories in PHP so it doesn't echo each category only the first instance of category? The category row value isn't always going to be "Dinner" or "Lunch", I want to be able to echo the category without comparing it to a constant like if($category =='Dinner'){}. I've spend a week researching and can't figure it out. Anyone's help would be greatly appreciated.
I want the output to look like this:
 **Dinner**
 Lobster
 Pizza
 Sandwich

 **Lunch**
 Sandwich
 Soup
 Salad

A: Make sure you order by category on your query.  Then simply add a $category variable outside your loop, and if that variable has changed, output your header.
$category = '';
foreach($menu_selected as $m) {
     if ($m->category != $category) {
        echo "**$m->category**
";
        $category = $m->category;
     }
     echo $m->category . "
";
     echo $m->item_name . "

";
}

A: Just use 2 foreach method. First one for category second one for items
foreach($menu_selected as $m1):
       echo $category = $m1->category . "
";
    foreach($menu_selected as $m):
       echo $item_name = $m->item_name . "

";
            if ($m->category != $m1->category)
                    {
                      break;
                    }
    endforeach;
endforeach;

A: $cat_item_array = ARRAY();

foreach($menu_selected as $m) {
    if (!isset($cat_item_array[$m->category])) {
     $cat_item_array[$m->category] = $m->item_name;
     echo "found new category: ".$m->category . " (Added item: ".$m->item_name.")
";
     continue;
   }
    $cat_item_array[$m->category] = $m->item_name;
    echo "Added item ".$m->item_name." to category ".$m->category.".

";
}

print '
'; var_dump($cat_item_array); print '
';

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


Andy Cecere, Chairman, President and CEO, U.S. Bancorp said, "As our financial results indicate, we had a good start to the year with momentum continuing across our lending and fee businesses. In the first quarter, our industry-leading returns on assets and equity were supported by solid loan growth, disciplined expense management and stable credit quality. Our balance sheet is strong and growing as evidenced by an 8.6% increase in our book value per share compared with a year ago. During the quarter, we returned 77 percent of our earnings to shareholders through dividends and share buybacks. We are pleased with our results this quarter and remain focused on the long-term success of this company - and the disciplined investment in people and technology that will drive that success. We are launching a number of digital initiatives combining the best of technology and innovation to help make our customers' financial lives simpler and more productive. I would like to thank our employees for all they do to create value for our customers, communities and shareholders."


We are looking for 4 of the best startups in travel to pitch against 2 of the Traveltech Lab's own members. Get feedback on your pitch from mentors, VC's & leading travel tech startups. Practice your pitch in a room of like-minded individuals working at all levels in your sector.
Not a start up? Come to network & meet your fellow innovators. Get inspired by other pitches, provide your feedback & hear expert advice from our mentors.
The format is simple: Each startup has 5 minutes to pitch. This is then followed by 10 minutes of feedback from the mentors and the crowd. The pitches are then followed by some drinks with your fellow travel innovators.
We will be offering a free membership to The Traveltech Lab as well as a host of other prizes for the most impressive pitch, as decided by our panel of mentors.
1st Prize – 1-month free full-time membership to the Traveltech Lab for your team (up to 4 people) + 50% off your second month.
2nd Prize – 3-months of free associate membership to the Traveltech Lab (includes drop-in access).
Sean Seton-Rogers, Partner & Co-founder, PROfounders Capital.
In addition to the impressive PROfounders portfolio, Sean has invested in startups TweetDeck Inc, Leap Motion and Onefinestay. He serves on the board of directors of GetYourGuide & Festicket, and previous to PROFounders, he worked at Benchmark Capital / Balderton Capital.
Joakim Everstin, Head of Innovation & Technology Evangelist EMEA at Sabre Travel Network.
Joakim is responsible for identifying emerging trends and technologies in travel, and overseeing the development of these into value-add products for one of the world's biggest travel tech brands, Sabre. He also features as a frequent keynote speaker and panelist around mobile technology and wearable devices in some of the major EMEA travel trade shows such as WTM, ITB, IFTM and Arabian Travel Market.
Alex Bainbridge, CEO & founder of TourCMS, contributor to Tnooz.
Alex is a contributing Node to Tnooz and writes about travel technology, travel startups, specialist tour operators and the tours & activities sector. He is also the founder & CEO of TourCMS, a web-based SaaS reservation system and distribution platform used by many specialist tour operators worldwide to take online bookings and distribute to 3rd parties. Earlier this year Alex successfully exited TourCMS, a business he built up from nothing to the giant it is today.
Alex Narracott, Co-founder of Traveltech Lab Alumnus, Much Better Adventures.
Co-founder of the Traveltech Lab's first resident business, Alex is part responsible for one of the best ski booking websites in the world. They have recently taken that formula into road cycling with mountain biking, trekking, surfing, diving and other activity markets firmly in sight. Since 2012, Much Better Adventures (MBA) has seen rapid growth, selling over £7m worth of ski holidays and more than doubling customer numbers year-on-year. Since graduating the Traveltech Lab, the company has grown from a team of 4 to 14, been voted one of the UK's top 100 startups, won a national Business Growth Award and were finalists at both HRH's The Duke of York's Pitch At Palace 3.0 and the UK Service Business Of The Year awards.
MBA was recently backed by Europe's leading seed-stage fund, Seedcamp, alongside some of Europe's leading tech and travel investors to further develop the platform.


Since 2002, there has been a steady increase in the cumulative area of the Natura 2000 network. Sites of Community Importance (SCIs) increased in coverage from 450 000 to 810 000 square kilometres and Special Protected Areas (SPAs) increased from approximately 180 000 to 670 000 square kilometres. Ten countries have designated more than 20% of their territory.
Note: This figure includes terrestrial and marine Sites of Community Interest (SCIs). The area and percentage of territory corresponds to the area of Cyprus where the Community acquis applies at present, according to protocol 10 of the Accession Treaty of Cyprus.
Note: The figure includes terrestrial and marine Special Protected Areas (SPAs). The area and percentage of territory corresponds to the area of Cyprus where the Community acquis apllies at present, according to protocol 10 of the Accession Treaty of Cyprus.
Under the Habitats Directive, each Member State shall contribute to the creation of Natura 2000 by designating sites in proportion to the natural habitat types and habitats of species of European interest represented within its territory.
At EU-28 level, around 13% of the terrestrial territory is designated under the Birds Directive, while under the Habitats Directive the figure is around 14%. Many sites are designated under both directives and 18% of the terrestrial territory is designated for both.
Since 2002, there has been a steady increase in the cumulative area of the Natura 2000 network. Sites of Community Importance (SCIs) increased in coverage from 450 000 to 810 000 square kilometres and Special Protected Areas (SPAs) increased from approximately 180 000 to 670 000 square kilometres (Figures 1 and 2). These increases occurred due to the fact that 10 new countries joined the EU in 2004, followed by Bulgaria and Romania in 2007 and Croatia in 2013. A better designation of marine areas also explained this trend (251 000 square kilometres in 2013). Another factor was new designations of protected areas made by the Member States, particularly under the Birds Directive.
As of December 2013, ten Member States had designated more than 20% of their territory as Natura 2000 sites: Slovenia (37.9%); Croatia (36.5%); Bulgaria (34.3%); Slovakia (29.6%); Cyprus (28.4%); Spain (27.2%); Greece (27.1%); Romania (22.6%); Hungary (21.4%); and Portugal (20.6%) (EC, 2014).
This indicator shows the current status of implementation of the Habitats (92/43/EEC) and Birds Directives (79/409/EEC) by EU Member States. It does this by showing (a) trends in spatial coverage of proposals of sites and (b) by calculating a sufficiency index based on these proposals.
Policy relevance: this indicator provides direct evidence of the implementation of the Habitats and Birds Directives. Therefore, it is highly relevant for Member States and EU nature conservation policy.
Established mechanism and methodology: within EU Member States there are already processes in place for the compilation of information on Natura 2000 sites at both national and regional levels. This indicator is clear and shows growth in total area and sufficiency of designation per country over time.
The establishment of designated sites under the Habitats and Birds Directives is a direct response to concerns over biodiversity loss. An indicator on the increase in coverage of these sites is a valuable indication of commitment to conserving biodiversity and reducing its loss.
It is, however, essential that coverage indicators are also combined with indicators demonstrating the extent to which these protected areas adequately cover components of biodiversity.
The EC Habitats and Birds Directives aim to conserve natural habitats and wild fauna and flora within the European Union. Member States must propose sites for protection of the habitats and species listed in the Annexes to the Directive. The indicator shows the trends in total area covered by Sites of Community Importance (SCIs) and in Special Protected Areas (SPAs).
EU action relevant to the expansion of network of protected areas began under the 1979 Birds Directive and was followed by the 1992 Habitats Directive. The 1998 EU biodiversity strategy was designed in accordance with the Convention on Biodiversity (CBD). Commitments made under the CBD have been carried forward into the EU's Sixth Environment Action Programme, and maintain the aim of a gradual and constant strengthening of in-situ conservation in Europe.
Member States have been given six years following the adoption of the list of Sites of Community Importance (SCIs) to develop and enforce the necessary measures to protect and manage identified sites and, in doing so, designate them as special areas for conservation or protected areas.
Upon the adoption of the 2020 EU Biodiversity Strategy, with its six targets, the indicator is particularly relevant to EU Target 1 on Nature.
The sum of the area (km2) of each site is registered in the annual versions of the Natura 2000 database and grouped per year of proposal/designation.
Information is collected from national authorities by DG Environment and processed by the European Topic Centre on Biological Diversity (EEA-ETC/BD). Further improvements on data flows are under discussion.
For each biogeographical region, seminars, which gather Member State representatives of the region and scientific experts, are organised by the European Commission and the EEA European Topic Centre on Biological Diversity. The goal of the seminars is to assess whether each of the Annexe I and II habitats and species occurring in the region are sufficiently represented in the sites proposed as being of Community interest on the national list presented by a Member State (pSCIs). The conclusions of the biogeographical seminars provide data for development of this indicator. The submission of proposals for protected sites is a continuous process until all countries reach sufficiency.
The indicator calculates the sum, by biogeographical region and per country, of the proportion of Annex I habitats and Annex II species that are sufficiently represented in the pSCIs in relation to the number of species and habitats on the Commission's Reference lists of habitat types and species for each biogeographical region. The sufficiency of a Member State is weighted by the proportion of the biogeographical region's area within the Member State. The weighting compensates for the relatively higher burden of a large biogeographical area in the country. This is because it is more demanding to propose sufficient sites for a large biogeographical area than for a smaller biogeographical area in the same country.
The process for the Sufficiency Index is not fully automated at present, i.e. national agencies cannot provide data through an automated procedure. Instead, the process depends on the outcomes of the biogeographical seminars mentioned earlier.
8. Indicator on private protected areas in Europe.
In the end, two indicators are proposed: Nationally designated protected areas and designated sites under the EU Habitats and Birds Directives (a combination of numbers 2 and 5 above). The other indicators proposed were either not ready (e.g. 6 and 8), not nationally recognised (e.g. 4) or are being covered under other Headline Indicators (e.g. 7).
For references, please go to https://www.eea.europa.eu/data-and-maps/indicators/sites-designated-under-the-eu-1/assessment or scan the QR code.


Dollar Saving Diva: More Great Restaurant Deals to Follow Union Square Cafe!
More Great Restaurant Deals to Follow Union Square Cafe!
Following up on my earlier post, thanks to Eater, I have learned that Sunday's deal at Union Square Cafe is just the tip of the deal iceberg! For the following three Sundays, Gilt City will offer deals at Gramercy Tavern and Maialino ($50 for a $200 credit), and at The Modern ($10 for a $50 credit). My stomach will be thanking me this month!


Is possible to do . How do I do it.
Note: You need to change Column1 to your contract expiry date column.
Here is a source for some syntax around calculated columns!
Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged sharepoint-enterprise list calculated-column date or ask your own question.
Automatically add value to column of new list item?
Can MIN and ISBLANK be used together in a calculated column?


IF AN EMAIL CORRESPONDENCE goes back and forth more than three times, pick up the phone. This is advice from Brice Cantrell, Operations Manager and corporate trainer for ClarkMorgan Ltd, who relates a story about an overdue payment and how a simple phone call saved the day.
Choosing the right form of communication, whether that's email, the phone, face to face, or even WeChat, might seem simple on the surface, but many business professionals simply revert to their most preferred form – a habit. Challenging oneself to use different communication tools is part of the Communication Fundamentals program.


text:
Hopewell Area School District is a small, suburban public school district located in Beaver County, Pennsylvania, United States. It serves the townships of Hopewell, Raccoon, and Independence. Hopewell Area School District encompasses approximately . According to 2000 federal census data, it serves a resident population of 19,453. In 2009, the district residents' per capita income was $20,145, while the median family income was $53,197. In the commonwealth, the median family income was $49,501 and the United States median family income was $49,445, in 2010.

Schools
The district operates five schools.

Hopewell Elementary
Independence Elementary
Margaret Ross Elementary
Hopewell Memorial Junior High School
Hopewell High School

The district's facilities include an indoor pool which is made available to the public.

References

External links
 Hopewell Area School District

School districts in Beaver County, Pennsylvania

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


Graduate from the French Institut d'Optique, Marc Rehfeld is one of the best specialists in Building Acoustics. Author of some 40 patents and several publications, he has spent most of his career in the Saint Gobain Group where he has been Head of Department at SG Glass at the Thourotte Research Center and coordinator of R&D for acoustics for the entire Group.
Marc animated breaking research and innovation programs with related applications such as building and ground transportation. In this context, in 1995, he asked Marc-Henri Menard's teams to conduct active technology watches in the field of acoustical comfort in different environments.


Nope, no charge to attend. Just food, and goodies. I have no idea how much to tell you to bring. You can use your credit card at IHOP for breakfast, but food and drinks at the fair grounds are cash. The smaller vendors might not take credit cards either. I sometimes paid cash just because it was faster.
And, no it's not a stupid question.
You will want to bring eleventy hundred million dollars so you can buy everything, and to pay for the "Sleep with a Weener" rental Freydo, Rusty, Trudy, Waldo, Jethro and Otto are charging to be in their presense.
to pay for the "Sleep with a Weener" rental Freydo, Rusty, Trudy, Waldo, Jethro and Otto are charging to be in their presense.
Ummmmm, *raising hand*.... what is the charge to sleep with Jethro? I know that Frey and Trudy are spoken for already.... and I am betting that Otto will stick with mom (unless the price is right :D.
:bigrayz: :bigrayz: :bigrayz: :bigrayz: :bigrayz: That is all tax deductible as mental therapy, right?
By the way, oh spellng monitor, how do you spell presence?
Any G.D.way I feel like since I have the Sleepaweens.
Bring as much cash as you are comfortable carrying, but I do believe there is an ATM machine on site.
Definitely not a bad idea to bring a change of shoes, and a white shirt might not be the best thing unless you hop under the canopies fast! Also though, a 30% chance of thunderstorms means that we are probably pretty safe, but you just never know. Oh, and while I don't think this is going to happen again, last year we got those thunderstorms Saturday and Sunday was COLD and rainy. Bring a sweater.
Last year I spent over $100 and there was stuff I couldnt get too :) The food is fair prices and you can actually find diffrent stuff on Sat and Sun, like they dont put it all out the 1st day.
I am on the look out for a doxie pocketbook and if I dont find one then I will order it from DRNA, I think it is, and I need a new change purse and of course tshirts LOL.
I am rethinking the white tee. Good point. A black tee might make more sense. Just in case. I am packing!!!
$pending $ alone no less then $500. (not including the price at the UPS store to ship back)...the iron store is AWESOME!!!!, and I don't think the Doxie welcome sign will fit in a carry on.


ANKARA - Turkey and the United States have agreed to speed up effοrts to put in place an agreement οn Syria's Manbij by the end of the year, a wοrking cοmmittee between the NATO allies said οn Friday.
Earlier this year, Turkey and the United States reached a deal over Syria's Manbij, after mοnths of disagreement, under which the Kurdish YPG militia is to cοmpletely withdraw frοm the town. Ankara, which cοnsiders the YPG a terrοrist οrganizatiοn, says the withdrawal has yet to happen.
During Friday's meeting the two sides also agreed to cοntinue to wοrk οn joint planning with regard to other areas, as mentiοned in the Manbij rοadmap.
WASHINGTON - The United States has defeated the Islamic State in Syria, U.S. President Dοnald Trump claimed οn Wednesday, adding that it was the οnly reasοn he had kept trοops in the cοuntry.
"We have defeated ISIS in Syria, my οnly reasοn fοr being there during the Trump Presidency," Trump wrοte οn Twitter.
Earlier οn Wednesday, U.S. officials told Reuters that they were cοnsidering a total withdrawal of U.S. fοrces frοm the Middle Eastern cοuntry.


Summer 2018 – how was it for you?
Hey readers! (both of you) Are you still out there? I haven't posted for ages for lots of reasons. Partly this is because I feel like there is too much STUFF around to read and the last thing any of us needs is more STUFF.
Bristol, Liverpool and London, you were all great. Like an Irish Terminator, I'll be back. No really, I'm going to Bristol again next week.
Bringing my total for the year to 28 books read so far. This is what introverts do on their summer holidays. Let me know if you want any reading recommendations.
Weightlifting is my new thing for the Autumn. There are probably quicker ways to get into it than swotting up like it's an A level, but I like to be prepared. More on this later.
OK, so what happened here was – I went to see the world's greatest Elvis impersonator, and in honour of the fact that he was bringing his A game, I decided to make the effort and dye my hair pink. Well, sometimes you've got to bring it, haven't you? And did you know that it is scientifically impossible to have a bad night out when you go to see an Elvis impersonator? Even if they're a bad Elvis, you will still have a good time. I think that Elvis impersonators should be available on the NHS.
Lads, I have to say that this did not do my anxiety any good at all. But I survived to tell the tale so hurrah for all that. Though I still get flashbacks if anybody mentions Chanctonbury Ring.


Virtually all residential properties will have a working boiler on site that is able to provide them with hot water, an important commodity that can significantly raise your standard of living on a daily basis. Smaller residential boilers are not the only boilers that will need servicing on a regular basis however, as there may also be much larger boilers at commercial or industrial complexes that need servicing on a far larger scale. Boiler servicing in Bristol is something that you will need to arrange for on a regular basis as it is unfortunately the case that boilers can encounter a number of complications over time that will need to be dealt with by professionals. When you consider the vast quantity of water that passes through your boiler regularly and also factor in the high temperatures, there are a huge variety of problems that may form that will need to be addressed immediately. Firstly, perhaps most importantly is the fact that running a boiler that has developed a problem can be quite dangerous and may potentially cause an expensive disaster, so paying a bit of money to have it inspected and serviced on a regular basis undoubtedly pays off in the long term. There are a wide variety of additional reasons why your boiler will need to be serviced on a regular basis, and some of these reasons are explored in greater detail below.
Although your boiler may not have developed any particular fault, regular boiler servicing in Bristol is something that can help to increase its life and ensure that it will remain in working condition for many years rather than expiring early. Boiler servicing will help to get rid of any potentially problematic issues that could lower its life in the long run.
If you arrange for your boiler to be serviced and maintained regularly, the professional that carries out the job will be able to spot any problems that are starting to form. Most major problems that occur with boilers do not suddenly happen but form over a period of many weeks and months, meaning that they can quite easily be prevented if they are spotted early. A professional will be able to immediately fix the problem to ensure that it does not become much more severe and damaging in the future.
PJ Bryer Heating & Plumbing Services are an expert team of heating engineers in Bristol that can install and service a wide variety of heating appliances.


Although the real exchange rate - real interest rate (RERI) relationship is central to most open economy macroeconomic models, empirical support for the relationship is generally found to be rather weak. In this paper we re-investigate the RERI relationship using bilateral U.S. real exchange rate data spanning the period 1978 to 2007. Instead of testing one particular model, we build on Campbell and Shiller (1987) to propose a metric of the economic significance of the relationship. Our empirical results provide robust evidence that the RERI link is economically significant and that the real interest rate differential is a reasonable approximation of the expectednrate of depreciation over longer horizons.