The one very good thing about having this month off has been that I’m here when Joe/Frank arrives home from school. I really do think he benefits from having someone here to direct him (no matter how many lists we leave with Things To Do, he starts off enthusiastically then becomes lost in the Information SuperHighway time sink) and just having someone to talk to/interact with.
Last week saw the trial School Certificate (eye-rolling waste of time, now that everyone goes to Year 12) exams and Joe/Frank had an exam-free day on Thursday (but three exams on Friday, the last day of term! The humanity!), so I decided to make the most of it.
First, there were snacks to be considered.
Our shopping budget has increased to ridiculous levels since Joe/Frank came to live with us (and I think you all have some idea of how ridiculously induglent the food budget was to begin with!). Mostly the extra dosh goes toward pre-prepared snacks which Don and I are then also FORCED to consume (because we have no willpower at all).
So, given that we had the time, we baked! Joe/Frank was all about this project – he loves his cakes and bikkies.
Joe/Frank “studies” food tech at school, but works with an aide (lest he hack himself to bits with sharp objects or set himself afire), so it is definitely beneficial to gradually practice cooking techniques with him. This is the method I used with Bessie – who is now the most spectacular cook.
Orange cake
Sultana, cornflake and CraisinTM cookies.
I’ll put the requisite birds-eye view shot and both recipes on the toast blog at some point – probably before I return to work. Hmmmmmmmm … probably.
Then it was time to force him to participate in exercise with me! This was my most ambitious walking project since the surgery – walking the loop over ANZAC Bridge.
iphone does take rather good snaps!
I really cannot convey how much I adore this bridge! I have a frame on my desk at the SaltMinesLimited of photos of the bridge before it became ANZAC bridge (probably 1997?). I am so very, very, very fortunate that I can look over it EVERY SINGLE DAY!!! But I digress …
We walked, we talked (name the five people you admire, name the five things you would like to be able to do given the time and resources), we became very tired (me slightly more so than J/F). It was fun.
All this togetherness has made me determined to Do Something about werk. J/F would very much benefit from someone being here in the afternoons, so thus, upon my return to the SaltMinesLimited I will ask Dishy Boss if I might either:
- start work at some ungodly hour (before I am normally awake) and leave at 3.30pm, or;
- start at normal time and work from home from 4.30pm to 6.00pm (internets & phoneage at my expense).
There is a policy in place for flexibility in terms of parent of Children Under Five (Pubes, for eg, works one day from home), but I think there is surely a case to be made for flexibility for parent of Disabled Child of any age. And I am definitely willing to be that Test Case.
But, we will see.
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