THE WEEKEND!

Hiya.  Update of weekend.


Friday went well, although we did get lost in Guildford on the way.  Followed AA route which took us through centre of Guildford.  Awful system that lead us round and round and into many car parks before we eventually found our way out!  Note to anyone planning on going to Dunsford...DON'T GO THROUGH GUILDFORD!!  Phil, of course, started to lose his temper and threatened to turn around and go home which was totally unacceptable to me or Callum.  However, a calming talk and a redirection finally got us there with a few minutes to spare.  Unfortunately that is a problem with Asperger; if something says a time, they have to be there by it or it's a complete disaster.  Callum has learned, being with me all day, that sometimes things don't always go to plan and there is nearly always a bit of leeway to timings.  However, Phil hasn't quite got there yet, but he does calm down pretty quick.


Anyway, back to the day.  There were a lot of people there all booking in and driving off in different cars with families taking pictures or videos so was a bit concerned for Callum, but we managed to find a corner with some plastic chairs and sat down to wait for his dad whilst watching all the different cars come in and out. .

People waiting

A number of cars

He was most impressed with the orange Lamborghini (below) and decided that Lamborghinis should either be in yellow or orange, Ferraris should be red and Aston Martins should be black or grey. 

Unfortunately the Aston his dad went in was red (well Burgundy coloured), but I don't think Phil cared which colour it was.

Phil attempting to get in (bit tight as he's 6ft 3)

Driving off

After the main drive which was four laps round the track (apparently the Top Gear track but in reverse) Callum was able to join his dad for a high speed thrill ride which was 1 lap round the track at mega speed in the car below.

Driving off

Returning (can just see Callum in the back seat)

Returned safe and sound and smiling

Needless to say the boys were on a bit of a high on the way home and I guided us on a different route which avoided Guildford altogether.  Lesson to self:  plan the journey yourself and don't rely on anyone else's directions.

Saturday was a small family BBQ as a belated party for Callum.  He only wanted his sister, Terri; her dad, Dave and his Auntie Teresa and Uncle Stephen (Phil's brother) to come so it was really little.  Oh and Terri's dog, Merlin.  Weather stayed dry, but did get a bit overcast and very windy.  Managed to BBQ the food and have a drink and a chat in the garden before returning indoors and all having a go at making origami boats from the instructions in one of Callum's presents that his Aunt and Uncle bought him.  Was hilarious trying to follow the instructions, but some of us managed to make boats and we decided to float them in the water butt outside.

There were origami paddles to be made to go with them, but we decided that the canoes were hard enough, hehe.

On the subject of Arts and Crafts below is a picture of the pot Callum made at Quex House (unpainted at present) and the Tribal Mask (also not finished) which I promised to post last time.

 


Sunday we were intending to go to Fuse Festival in Rochester, but due to our busy week and weekend, Callum felt that he just wanted a day at home being quiet (which means playing on the computer), so we didn't go.  First year for a while we have missed it, but then there is always next time.


So lots of photos this time.  Rest of week we are supposed to be sorting out his work for his Open Day next month and seeing what exactly we have, what is unfinished and what there is to be started.  Oh well, I'll probably be buried under paper and folders for a few days now. ;-)


Cya

BUSY, BUSY THEN BLERGH!

Hi all

We are still alive, although no so sure on the well. For some unknown reason we haven't been brilliant for a couple of weeks. I'm sure it's just the winter bugs going round, but we are fine one minute, then feel shite, then well, then shite, then well and so on. To be honest I'm getting a bit fed up with it! We are now on daily doses of Echinacea and Vitamin C which does seem to be helping. Callum however, is going into hibernation mode and I'm not far off joining him. Oh well, might get some work done! Hehe.

Anyway. The rest of October was taken up by preparing for our Halloween party. This year's theme was Pumpkins and Skeletons. So, I thought it would be a good idea to start off in the living room as a funeral parlour and then out through the door into the dining room which was the graveyard. The parlour was dedicated to the pumpkin king and so had a brown/orange alter cloth with a twiggy/orange flower cross, pumpkin stained glass window and of course a pumpkin hollowed out as Jack from Nightmare before Christmas. We had lots of candles and a large yellow throw to tie in colours and a Jack blanket hung up to cover the DVD shelves.

The dining room was covered in black bin liners and I made card 'gravestones' for the chairs and made a card statue to cover my unit in an attempt to make a statue.

I then made a skeleton out of card and laid him on the table. The idea being that the food would represent body bits and would be placed on the skeleton in their respective places.

So: prawn and tuna in mayo (prawns used to line bowl) upturned became brains; hard boiled eggs cut in half and painted with edible food colouring became eye balls; a dish of sweetcorn with red pepper strips around the outside became lips and teeth. Placed on the skull.

Celery, carrot and cucumber strips were arm bones. Rolls cut into heart shapes = heart (obviously); hot dogs cut into strips, cooked and mixed with BBQ sauce = intestines. Guacamole = bile dip; tomato sauce = blood; hummus = cholesterol. Then cheese pastry cut into bone shapes were the legs. I also did bowls of lettuce with marmite 'snails' (puff pastry spread with marmite and rolled up) and slime stuffed beetles (dates stuffed with cream cheese and walnuts, coloured green with edible colouring).

Pudding was worms in green jelly (brown jelly worms arranged in half filled bowl of green jelly, another layer placed on top, left to set and more jelly worms strategically placed on top and poked in). Dessicated coconut coloured green and sprinkled on as grass. Plus a variety of ghoulishly iced cakes care of A Zombie Ate My Cupcake by Lily Vanilli (brains, gravestones and mummies) + a concoction of popcorn, M&Ms and melted marshmallows which tasted fine, but looked remarkably like vomit - coooooool!!! Unfortunately, the food got devoured before I got to take photos - hey ho! Must remember to be quicker next time.

Games were equally ghoulish with spider web 'dart board; musical gravestones; pass the coffin; balloon relay; scary story (blindfolded children, one spooky narrator (my daughter) and various bits and bobs to represent the dead man in the story's body bits = suitably freaked out kids); bobbing for worms (more jelly worms in squirty cream and having to be removed without using hands - very messy) and, of course, bobbing for apples! Callum loves bobbing for apples and there is always a bit of family rivallry going on between him and his 22yr old sister! She just beat him this year by 1 second. Watch out Terri, he'll beat you next time!

Callum joined in for the majority of the games this year. I think age has helped and that he has been included in the arranging and ideas. He wouldn't do the scary story though, but one game out of seven isn't bad! He also loved having the trick or treaters at the door (I give out cakes, not sweets or money) and he even wore his costume (see above). All in all a successful and fun party - well I thought so anyway, haha!

The following day we had to go up the high street and Callum took great delight in spotting all the cake cases or half eaten cakes, commenting "one of ours" at every one he saw!

Our next big event was last weekend. We had tickets for Top Gear Live with MPH Show at Earls Court on November 5th. Was a long day, but worth every penny. On booking the tickets way back in whenever I discovered that (in the small print) a carer could go free. I had to fill in an onscreen form and one of the ticket sales team rang the following day to find out more details. To be honest I wasn't holding out much hope as I assumed it would be more for the wheelchair bound rather than ASD Spectrum, but on explaining Callum's problem he stated that we were indeed entitled to a free ticket. This meant that the money I'd put aside for the show would now get me an upgrade to Gold tickets! Am soooooo glad I took that advantage.

The Top Gear show itself was brilliant. Lots of stunt driving, the boys doing silly stuff, etc, etc. At one point during the Cool Wall section Richard Hammond and Jeremy Clarkson came up into the audience and were literally standing in front of us. I was extremely happy and Callum's face was amazing. They also made his day as they did car football which is always his favourite section in the series on TV. He said to me for ages afterwards that it didn't seem real and that he felt like he'd watched the TV prog in 3D. Took him days before it set in that he'd seen it for real.

The MPH show was brilliant too. Loads of cars on show, loads of stalls, lots of stuff to do, but not many places to sit down and it was extremely busy. This is where having the gold tickets came into its own. We were allowed access to a special area where there were tables and chairs and a separate place for drinks and eating. It meant that everytime Callum felt overwhelmed we had somewhere to take him that was quieter and he was able to calm down. Best parts of the show for Callum were the Bugatti Veyron (yep it was really there) - he took loads of photos on his DSi, the Lambogini (don't ask me which one) and the Peel P50. He actually got persuaded to have his photo taken in that one and hopefully that will be coming in the post soon.

We picked up Tshirts, free magazines, posters, pencils and other bits and bobs, so he came home a rather happy, but tired, little chappy. Would definitely go again and would definitely go for Gold (might even upgrade to Platinum).

The following day we went to a firework display and on the Sunday we had our own at home. Callum actually had sparklers this time and went outside!!! Best thing I did this year was buy proper ear defenders for kids. Edx Kids, bright red. Callum loves them. I bought them for Top Gear as the sales guy said it would be noisy and they worked. He wears them for everything now if he feels it may be too much. It has meant he has been able to join in so much more over past couple of weekends, I wish I'd bought them before although I'm not sure if he would have worn them before.

Anyway, since then, as I've already said, we've been a bit up and down healthy wise, but we are getting there. Needed the rest though - haha.

Cya