SNP are bunch of numpties

Lots of people who live in england seem to think that in scotland we get far more than is our share of anything...That we get services or medical treatments that are unavailable down south...I have always said it works both ways...Money for things like the free personal care for the elderly means cutbacks in other areas...Likewise the money to help freeze council tax has been taken from elsewhere...Somewhere very personal to me is one area that the money for that came from...Westminster put aside a 3 figure million pound sum of money to transform services, respite, care etc for families with disabled children last year...Unfortunately this money was NOT ring fenced :o( Wales have spent the money on what is was supposed to be used for...Alex Salmond and co decided to NOT use it for the purpose given but instead to use the £34 million scotland was given to freeze council tax...Now in a totally seperate initiative the scottish govt has announced a plan to increase respite weeks for families over the next 3 years...Unfortunately the money they will give to councils to make this happen is also NOT ring fenced...So the councils can basically do whatever they want with the money...And some will be as unscrupulous as the current scottish exec have been and use it for other purposes...Respite provision in my city has been DRASTICALLY CUT in recent months...Many families of disabled children or disabled or elderly adults have had their respite cut to NIL by our council...Or have been left with barely anything at all...So scotland ain't all it's cracked up to be all of the time by the media trying to whip a frenzy of envy between us and the rest of the uk...Needless to say i am disgusted with what the scottish government has done...Ok most of this is far too late for me anyways but it isn't for others...Freezing council tax has only caused all kinds of financial difficulties for councils anyway...Sounds good but is really just an unworkable gimmick.

Went out and bought K's birthday pressie today but will only describe it or post pics after she has received it as am not sure if she has found this blog yet lol.

Good news

Am going to be a great auntie :o) ...Well i already am a great auntie or at least i like to think i am lol...My eldest nephew who got married 4 years ago is going to be a daddy...Yikes great auntie sounds so old doesn't it...My big sis is naturally over the moon...Long time to go yet though so just fingers crossed my nephews wife has a safe pregnancy

I have a craft fayre evening thingy at a local primary school at the end of nov...It's at the school one of my cousins sons attend...The kids are selling stuff they have made and they have outside stalls in as well...It will be cheap and cheerful jewellery rather than the sterling silver stuff...Doesn't mean design gets compromised just that i will use silver and gold plated components/beads instead of the real thing...It does mean i don't have long to do 101 things to be ready for it...That includes trying out packaging on the cheap andmaking business cards...So i better be 100% soon...I still feel wobbly and now have a cold and left with tickly cough

Oh we did have very light snow that didn't stay yesterday so G told me.

Pics

Sterling silver charm bracelet

Close up...Freshwater pearl, clear AB swarovski crystal and jet swarovski crystal

Bracelet of fine stering silver chain with freshwater pearls and clear AB swarovski crystals.

Close up

Matching earrings...Very bridal i think and there is a matching necklace...I hope to do a tiara to go with the set

Same thing but different colours of swarovski crystal

Again same earrings in different colours...I made these to use up colours i didn't like but they look fine on earrings

Same as before in pinks that is hard to see because of crap lighting on pic

This one is the 'summer' set to add to the 'autumn' and 'winter' from my old AOL journal

Close up of the earrings

Close up of the colours i decided were best for 'Summer'...Clear, light siam (red), peridot and a yellow the name of which escapes me.

This one is the 'Spring' to go with the other 3 'seasons'

I have no idea why this has come out pink but hey ho...Close up of the 'spring' earrings

Close up of the colours of the crystals i chose for 'Spring'...Fuschia, lime, clear AB and light emerald

Adding pics on here and writing bits beside them is much more of a pain than it was on AOL

Designs are my own and not to be copied please

Odds n ends

Before anyone says anything i know i didn't say what the audition was for last week...Am a bit concerned that this being an open to all and sundry blog i could get in trouble...Last year i realised that i had said too much (name of programme) when i really shouldn't have...BUT my AOL journal was private so not many knew...I do know that a group who got slightly further than M last time around had to remove stuff they had written on their website...If you wanna know ask me to email you

Going to Glasgow absolutely killed me...I spent thurs, fri, sat and most of sun in bed or on sofa wrapped in a duvet...I was barely able to go to the toilet let alone anything else...I still feel a bit jittery and wobbly...I have been on but not typing just saving as much as possible from a couple of websites before they disappear on fri...Speaking of fri that is K's birthday...She's going to be 21 this year Time flies a bit too quick these days cos doesn't seem that long ago lol...Tomorrow regardless of how i feel am gonna have to do mass tidy and clean up...Needless to say the boys haven't done much whilst i have been poorly...They have gone to shop or chippy but not cleaned or tidied Also there is a mini mount everest of washing to do...See i hate getting poorly cos chores just mount up...Mind you i hadn't felt like that for a very long time.

It has been bitterly cold here today...We were forecast for snow but we didn't have any...There may have been some snow in the shire though...The city tends not to get as much as aberdeenshire...Maybe the weather knows that aberdeen city is not part of aberdeenshire...That must sound daft but it is true...Since local government reorganisation in the 70's the city is seperate to the shire...Actually the village i grew up in the snow or rain often bypasses as well...It's all to do with the siting of the urban area and lay of the land...My radiator through here in the living room isn't working...The hot water ain't going into it so looks like am gonna have to call on the plumber soon.

Going to attempt to post some rubbish pics of some odd bits of jewellery i haven't posted a pic of before...Really do need to get a better camera but wallet says no can do lol.

Toodle pip tc xx

A real quickie

Ok we went to Glasgow despite me feeling like death warmed up...Actually make that death cooled down to minus goodness knows what...I look awful, sound awful and can barely move...The only reason me and M went to Glasgow was because he was auditioning again...Old readers from AOL will know he auditioned last series and now he's done it again...Is it wrong of me to hope that he doesn't get to be in front of the judges this time????? I just don't think i could hack tootling off to glasgow to sit around for hours again and most exciting thing to happen is you meet titch and titchier aka Ant & Dec...When we came out of the armadillo (audition venue) we saw people we know from up here in aberdeen...Am gonna phone one of them tomorrow to see how they thought they got on...At least M had a backing track this time...Oh and one of the researchers recognised him from last time which was a surprise...Oh well we hear before jan21st as that is when the auditions seen on tv are filmed.

Excuse me if i don't actually comment on anyone elses blogs in the next few days...My whole body was aching before we set off for glasgow and it's worse now...Tomorrow is going to be spent in bed or on the sofa curled up under a duvet feeling cack and probably the next few days as well...I was just kidding about sending this to anyone...I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy as i haven't felt like this for years...Just hope am able to pick up my glass at the weekend...That will be explained in another entry

Toodle pip tc xx

Icky

I had the doctor today for an appointment i booked over a month ago...I've to go back to gynae again ...I've not been feeling too good since fri and my gp insisted in checking me out...So i have a very nasty raging throat infection, chest infection and generally feel ugh...On antibiotics which i hope work...G has similar except he was at the docs last thurs and got steroids and same antibiotics...Steroids because he had upped his inhalers but was wheezing...They've not really kicked in as such yet :o( ...He won't go to docs on his own so if he's no better tomorrow he won't go along...Me and M are in Glasgow tomorrow..Gonna be fun and games with me looking like death and feeling even worse...Can't postpone as if he doesn't go tomorrow then that's it...At least am not having to drive as we're getting the train...Sainsburys have a deal on just now where you get a return fare anywhere in Scotland for £15...Anyways i can't sit here long as i do feel vile...Can i just waft this infection through the internet to you all though After all it's nice to share things :o)

SAAS saga finally sorted

G got a letter on thurs from SAAS about his Disabled Student Allowance (DSA)...It was another mess that would need sorting out and i wasn't about to do it lol...Had enough of getting some numptie on the end of the phone who hadn't a clue...On fri i phoned his disability officer but she had the day off and wasn't going to be in until today...When our post eventually arrived on fri (can be anything between 9.30am and 12.30pm) there was another letter...This time it was a cheque for the amount stated on the previous days letter...Let me explain why it was a mess lol...With the letter from them on thurs there was a list of what was requested by his university...The letter stated he would be getting the amount shown on that list...Said list of equipment being identical to the copy we were emailed before it got sent to SAAS...One thing was missing but his disability officer (lets call her J) explained today the money for the training gets paid direct to the training company...So that makes sense that it would be deducted from the total for G to be given...BUT that still didn't explain why the amount highlighted on the list of items was different to the amount written on the accompanying (sp?) letter...And the cheque was for the amount stated on the letter which was £550 SHORT!!!!!...Which is a pretty large amount gone AWOL...Oh and the other amount highlighted on the list (bits highlighted are paid to student) was £150 for consumables...That's the allowance for printer ink and paper for the year...So J phoned SAAS herself and she only had to be on hold 20 mins (lucky her) and yes they did cock up...So he will be getting the difference sent in another cheque.

I must interrupt myself here and explain to new readers...G is aspergers but he was diagnosed quite severely non verbal autistic when he was just turned 3...He didn't actually speak until he was 5 and he has come on so much over the years...Through some determination on my part, his part and managing to get the appropriate education he is now just started at university...It is a local university as he is still unable to live away from home...The course is a Masters in Electronic & Electrical Engingeering...Old readers from AOL know this already but thought i best explain cos am nice :o) Am pretty damn proud of him actually...In the UK students who have a disability or special need of some kind can apply for a disabled student allowance...It used to be disabled student grant (DSG) and DSA but now it is all classed DSA...DSG was for equipment you need because of your condition in order to participate on the course...You don't get money for anything any student would need as par for the course...G is getting a laptop with specific programmes on it he needs because of his dyspraxia...He's also getting a dictaphone so he can record tutorials, meetings etc...Also a PDA so he can try and be organised...He has a memory like a sieve unless it's academic lol...Now you still get the equipment part but it all comes under same header of DSA...The equipment part you only get ONCE during the duration of your course...The rest which is non medical help, consumables etc you get each year...That can amount to i think around £23,000...That would of course take into account disabled students living away from home who need to be in supported accomodation...As G is living at home then he is getting money paid to his university for a buddy he can meet up with weekly and for support from the NAS (national autistic society)...So hope this explains a bit to new readers.

So back to first chapter am just glad i didn't have to phone SAAS and try and sort it out...Am going to have the dubious pleasure NOT of clearing out G's bedroom in preparation for the company that everything is coming from coming to instal it all lolol...Once the other cheque arrives he can put both into his bank account...Then after the cheques have cleared he can order the equipment and hopefully not have to wait too long.

My connection has been like wading through a quagmire all weekend...Some times the boys were online on the Wii no problem and i couldn't connect with the PC and other times other way round and rest of the time nothing worked...From reading various message boards and some posts on blogs it wasn't just me but happening to lots of people...So either CWP or BT had issues along the lines somewhere...It's late so kip time

Toodle pip tc xx

WOOHOO

WOOHOO i've managed to transfer old AOL journal to here on blogger...It was so simple and easy to do and i think it transfered all the written stuff fine...Will need to do a check and match before 31st like...I won't write in it anymore but only on this one but it is good to have it transfered and not lost...That way i can peruse at my leisure to gather the posts i wish to keep and print them off for posterity...Well at least until i one day decided i may just write a book...At least the last 3 years are on the journal, not all but enough to trigger the memories...The rest isn't as i never kept a diary before i started the journal on AOL...I do often think it would be good to write down the experiences i have had of living and coping with my sons and their autistic spectrum disorders...Old readers from AOL will already know that like.

BTW i did go round to my friends and it didn't turn up...Shame as i wish it had done would have been fun to see his face...I have begged her to go to womans aid as am sure they can give advice even after the violent partner has left the home...He still has a hold over here and she needs advice on how to make that break stick which i can't give.

Am well scary me

The weather has been absolutely minging here all day...Minging i might add is a good old fashioned scots word recently hijacked by the english media after being used on big brother...I've used the word minging since i was teensy little and i like it :o) Minging actually is an understatement i've been drenched several times today :o( It did kinda match my mood though...I said i thought i had fallen out with my best friend...Well she'd left a message on landline answering machine and sent a text when i didn't answer asking me not to be angry with her...Well i am big time angry and tomorrow am going round there at 6pm...See ickle old me must be very very very scary...Well i must be if a grown man runs and hides when a doorbell rings because he thinks it is me at the door...Said grown man being the expleteive deleted ex partner of my best friend...The one who has mentally abused her for the last 6-7 years...The one who has been physically abusing her for slightly less years...The one who i always saw right through...The one who disliked me totally because he knew i saw right through him...HE walked out at beg of sept...Sat was first time he'd been round to see the children, then he turned up on sunday and last night...And he turned up tonight and reason she answered the door was because she thought it was me cos she'd not long phoned the house and G said i was gonna be going round after dropping off M at club...Her doorbell had rung whilst he was round and he said that must be cathy and took off at a rate of knots and cowered and hid...Now i have absolutely no problem whatsoever with being big bad scary dude if it keeps that dickhead away from her and her kids...He's back in control and she needs to wrest that control back and she ain't gonna manage to without help...We've not fallen out am just trying to give her the imaginary kick she needs to let him realise he doesn't control her anymore...And i will get more angry with her and more angry until she sees sense.
Sandra i dunno how to reply to comments individual so gonna leave a reply here to one you left on first post...AOL don't actually get our subscription money, that money goes to and belongs to Carphone Warehouse...AOL has in effect ceased to exist as an ISP since they sold the membership to CWP and are merely a portal to the web...The only way they make money is by advertising...Now closing journals down means they lose advertising space so it really doesn't make any sense...They think they make no dosh from journals but they did because how many advertising spaces did the 1000's of journals give them DUH!!!
Now it would appear i have some lovely new people that i dunno following this madness of a blog so am gonna go have a peek at them :o)
Toodle pip tc xx

Stuff

Forgot to ask in earlier post do you like my new and improved pic???? I love my WeeMee which i created really for using on Facebook...I got fed up being 'hit' on whilst playing poker...I mean am minging looking anyways and am HAPPY being single...So cartoony me did away with that Promise i will post real me pic at some point in the future

I've managed to add some bittys to the side and the bottom...I moved the feeder doo-dah and the archive thingy to the bottom...On the bottom i also added the wild weather pic of the day thingamijig because those who read me for years on AOL will know i lurve weird weather...My dream holiday is not lying on a beach somewhere exotic (would be nice like) but to go tornado chasing and see a T5...My ex husband thought i was nuts but told me i could if i got insured...My children think am bonkers but they're used to it...Everyone else just looks at me with that sad kinda look on their faces and shake their heads :o) On the side i have created and added a slideshow of my jewellery...Well not all but some of my creations...The photos are pants but i will get them changed at some point...Do look forward to slideshows of glass painted bittys, cards and other bits n bobs in the future...Am rather miffed that i cannot seem to get Comic Sans as my font...Very irritating as i have used that font the whole of my internet life which is more years than i care to admit, lets just say i was still happily married at the time and i've been single 10 n half years.

I have a meeting in the morning so suppose i should try out the kip thing...I think i have fallen out with my best friend but not sure lol

Still lost and a wee rant

ARGHHHHH okies i found the bitty where you can add on elements and tart it all up...Problem is my tigger which is supposed to flash between Caffs and Journal doesn't and other things wouldn't work...I tried to add a list at the bottom of links to favourite or useful (IMO) sites...Did that work, did it heck...Does make me wonder if other pics with moving elements in them will work or not...I've been saving stuff out of my AOL ftp space to my HD...I wouldn't have had to if my HD hadn't died a year ago meaning i had to get a new one...Pics i've taken though aren't a problem i never stored them within AOL as such...They're all either on an SD card or as negatives somewhere lol.

G's student loan and bursary stuff has finally come through and as it should be...A week past fri he got letter from SAAS (look it up lol) saying he was getting bare minimum loan...So me being me went nuts and phoned them up...Not too hard you'd think but you'd be wrong it takes forever and a day to get through to that lot...After almost an hour on hold i got some dipstick who was about as much use a choccy fireguard...Oh says he it could take another month before he gets his bursary and loan because we've only just got your financial details and divorce confirmation...Ok says me that we can deal with but what about his disabled student allowance/grant....Oh that's been approved said he BUT it won't be released until the rest is all sorted out...At which point i said 'you what no way'...After trying to get the dipstick to understand that the DSA has SOD ALL to do with student loan or bursary i demanded to speak to someone higher up...This is the bit that proves the male personage i was speaking to is a total dipstick...He said 'there isn't anyone higher than me'...I was like 'really, are you the boss of SAAS'...He laughed and said no to which i politely informed him that meant there was someone higher up the chain than him...As it was past closing time by now he couldn't find anyone for me to speak to and through i wanted complaints anyways...Tell you this bloke was thicker than a peasouper of fog...So last mon and tues i tried to phone SAAS and gave up after over an hour of being on automatic hold...On wed i decided i was gonna hold come hell or high water until someone answered...After an hour i got dipstick again...So straight away i demanded to speak to a superior...At which point dipstick CUT ME OFF!!!!!...Thurs i couldn't get through and fri i was out all day...On saturday G got a letter from them stating full stay at home loan and full bursary and it was dated 1st oct...The day that dipstick cut me off...Am gonna phone G's disability officer and see if she can sort out the prats about the DSA money...DSA is money from the government distributed by whatever student award agency you come under...However much you get in a student loan, bursary or anything like that is totally and utterly IRRELEVANT...How much money either you or your parents have in the bank (or not as case be now) is IRRELEVANT...ALL that the DSA matters on is how you are affected by your condition and what help and support you need to do your course because of your condition...So WITHHOLDING it until anything else you may or may not have applied for to me is WRONG...If it is true that SAAS do this (am not quite sure if to believe dipstick) then i will be writing to my MP...G has met up with his buddy 4 times now and i dunno who has paid for it...He obviously doesn't have his equipment because the money hadn't been released...Luckily what they are doing just now is stuff he did for his highers 2 years ago.

Rant over lol

Toodle pip tc xx

Dazed, lost and confused

Nowt new there i can here everyone who read my other journal shouting at their screens :o) Am totally useless when it comes to technical stuff on here...This is follow on from my upsides, downsides and inbetweens journal on AOL...That wonderful lot who have decided blogs ain't important so we're gonna do away with them...AOL was at one point an innovative and forward thinking ISP...Over the last few years they have receeded more and more to not even being an ISP anymore...What was innovative and people copied is now deemed not good enough for AO and all because it doesn't bring in money...Blogs are something that many people read, tv programmes have them, tv programmes have been made about them (belle de jour or however u spell it) newspapers have them, journalists have them...Hey everyone and their aunt has them apart from AOL come halloween...AOL want money and the only way they can do that in the UK now is from advertising...Well they're not gonna have much to advertise if they do away with every community based element...I can see AOL disappearing permanently soon to be honest

Anyways enough moaning about them am here now and LOST...How do i add pics that aren't one of me to my sidebar???? How do i add anything to my sidebar???? How do i make my own layout as the choices are pants???? Erm how do i do anything on here would sum it all up :o)