Penguin Weather...

Well, it's definately...

Penguin weather here! no wonder they're dancing, it's practically Baltic!!!

We've had a bit of a rough day here.
Coo's been struggling and seizures were coming thick and fast this morning.
Thankfully he's had a bit of a sleep and things seem to have settled a bit so I'm hoping we're over the worst of it now.

Thank God it's a Looby night tonight,looby's our daughter who P.A.'s for us, we use a Direct Payment system so at least I'll sleep even if Coo doesn't and don't that sound selfish!!

Well, I guess you know what I mean!!

On a positive note, it's much easier to stay inside in this icy, wet weather than it is in the lovely sunshine of summer so I suppose that's a bonus of sorts!


Roll on spring!


Bunnies and Easter Eggs!

Now doesn't that make you feel warmer already?

It's working for me!!

maz x

Back in Antibio land again...

Well, I suppose from the title you've guessed it!

It's hard hat and flap jacket time yet again...yes, Coo's back on the Antibiotics!
I kinda knew he would be as he's had an increase in seizures and a cough to boot!

Ah well, at least now things will start to improve a bit and on the plus-side it's too cold to go out anyway!!

I think it'll be homemade soup and keeping cosy for the next few days and with the weather the way it is it'll probably be a bit of a bonus!

Another bright spot!

I'll have time to catch up on some serious DVD watching too.

You keep cosy where you are too!

maz x

Happy New Year & a warm welcome to 2008...

Hi all and a 'Happy New Year'!

Coo and I have had a good time over the last few days visitng family and having a laugh, it's been great!

I hope it's going to be a hale & hearty year for us all this time around and I can't say I'm sorry to see 2007 gone!

So in our own scots way....'Slainte Mhath'!!
You may well ask what the heck's that?

Well, it's an old toast to Good Health and around here it's pronounced...
'slanj-e- vah', isn't our language a bit quirky!

Lastly from not so sunny Scotland, I hope the new year's kind to you wherever you are!

Happy New Year 2008!

maz x

Coughs and Sneezes keeping us down? Oh no they're not!!

Hi all, Coo's had a cold the last few days but we're not letting it get in the way of a family Christmas!

We went to Coo's sister's yesterday and had a brilliant time and today we were out visiting my family too!

Woo Woo that's 2 days out on the trot and not home till after dark....we're turning into what my granny would call...a pair of dirty-rotten-stop-outs!

We've had a nice time and tomorrow it'll be jammies and Chocolates in front ot the Telly to recover.
I hope there's something on to keep us entertained!

I hope everyone's had a good time and it's only been eventful in the way you would want Christmas to be!! LOL

Upward and onward - new year next!

maz x

Edinburgh at Christmas Time...

Hi all, we've been away for a few days.

It was really kind of a surprise for Coo.
We initially wanted to go to the Christmas markets in Germany but he wasn't stable enough to go abroad.
A friend told me Edinburgh had a brilliant German Christmas Market all through December so I secretly booked 2 nights in the capital for us!

I'd managed to get a deal on Travelodge rooms away back in October and took the chance on Coo being well enough to go.
As the time came near I was a bit jittery and we very nearly didn't go on Tuesday morning, as Coo had been real poorly over the weekend but we thought about it and decided to go anyway.

I'm glad we did!

We went up to Edinburgh on the coach and stayed over in the Travelodge for two nights.
It's on a turn off the Royal Mile so it's a brilliant location if you're walking around and I'd booked a family room although there's only the two of us to give him loads of space!
While we were away Coo settled a little bit too so things went well!

Edinburgh is all lit up for christmas, the German Christmas market is set in the Princes Street gardens beneath the Castle and the whole place was fantastic!
The trees were all lit, there was a skating rink and ice sculptures too and an old fashioned carousel.




Aw it was all so very pretty!




The National Museum's good too loads of hands on things to make you smile!
I got my photo taken wearing olden days clothes at one end and a space suit at the other!!

We went to see the Parliament too as Coo had not visited before, I liked the style of the place but Coo wasn't so sure.
I guess you either love it or hate it!

Best of all, we got to see Joseph at the pavilion and he did indeed wear his fabulous coat!!
Coo has always wanted to see it and for once I didn't need to keep nudging him to keep awake as he was spellbound by the whole thing!

Coo has slept and seized on and off all day today so maybe it was a bit much for him but we both did so enjoy it all.

I guess our travelling's done, well for a bit now anyway!!

maz x

Scotlands Health Secretary no less...

Well, I've been busy ...again!

I got the chance to speak to the Health Secretary Nicola Sturgeon yesterday and pose a question about a Carer issue...so I did!!

I asked her about the recent changes to the Direct Payment system in Scotland which are about employing family members.
I explained how our Local Authority seem to be implememting the legislation to their advantage and not to the benefit of the Carers.
Basically they're saying they won't allow it any more and as there's a Local Authority discretion clause they are getting away with it, well for now anyway!

Nicola said it was not the intention of the Government to make employing a family member more difficult and she seemed quite sympatheric to the cause and took my letter back to Edinburgh with her.

I'm hopeful she will look into this as if you live in a rural area or the help you need is a bit taxing for the average care worker, it's probably essential you can continue to employ a family member or chances are you'll never get any respite at all!!

I guess time will tell!

I have enjoyed the hussle and bussle of last week but I'm kinda glad it's going to be a bit quieter next week as I will need to don the hard hat and flap jacket again to cope with the Christmas Shopping run...Joy to the world!

There's always something isn't there!!

maz x

The Conference and the Parliament what next!

Well, the conference in Glasgow went really well!

I found out lots of info particularly about Direct Payments and care services that I didn't know so it was very worthwhile going!

I've been to Edinburgh this week too!
It was Carers Rights Day and I'd arranged for my group go up to visit the Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh.

Our local MSP Irene, had organised a tour of the building and a buffet for us.
So we had parliament pieces and tea!!

It's an impressive building and it turned out to be a really interesting and enjoyable day!

I must admit though, I'm totally shattered!

Coo had a particularly bad night and that coupled with this weeks two days out, especially the three hour travel upto the capital yesterday has left me feeling a bit drained!

I'm glad I got to take part in both events even though it'll probably take me into next week to recover.

It was soooo worth it!!

maz x