Charity Craft Auction On-line Catalogue

There are 52 Shopping Days until Christmas. Do you still need a present?

Have you taken, or are you considering taking The Handmade Pledge?

Are you looking for a hand crafted gift?

Charity Craft Auction, Friday 25th November, Murray's Vintage Tearooms,

with Special Guest Auctioneer Luke 'Ming' Flanagan

In aid of Irish Dogs for the Disabled & North West Hospice Sligo

The online catalogue for the auction has been updated here:

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.198055683604511.49136.103001289776618&type=1

Keep checking back as items will continue to be added as they are received.

*****We do have limited facilities for bids from interested parties outside of the geographic area, so it IS worth having a look.*****

Many, many thanks to wonderful local artist (and auction contributing artist) Kim Cowley for creating this wonderful poster for the Auction:

We have some lovely pieces pledged so far, but we still need more. - If you could contribute a piece of Art or Craft for these fabulous causes, please get in touch.

Also, lovely contributors, could you please fill out a contributing artist's profile (available on the main auction website) to enable us to start promoting you and compiling a catalogue of all the fantastic pieces we have.

HUGE Thanks again to everyone for helping to shape this into the incredible evening it will be.

Changes to the project

Well now, how time flies!

Unfortunately, just after starting the project, I got hit with complications involving my hands which kept me away from my needles for a while.

However, I am still comitted to the project and to the fundraising, so I've made a few changes to the project in order to make it more achieveable under current circumstances.

So now, I've changed the overall theme to "Home" in order to make it more accessible to a wider group of people and on the advice of other crafters, opened the project to other contributing artists too so that other people can join in. You can find details on how to join in on the "Needed Items" section of the website at http://mrsmouse.webs.com.

In the intervening time, I've also managed to find a venue for the auction. Murray's Vintage Tearoom in Ballinamore have offered to play host to the exhibition/auction on an as yet unspecified date in November of this year (2011).

Meanwhile, the search continues for an auctioneer. The suggestion is we find a "celebrity auctioneer" - I'd love to get your ideas and input on this

Newstalk got me thinking about the big "Quality of Life" question again...

http://www.newstalk.ie/2011/programmes/all-programmes/moncrieff/seans-opening-story-belly-dancing-swindler/

The above is a story covered by the very excellent Moncrieff Programme on Newstalk Radio and while it seems pretty clear that this individual, as the Judge decided, was guilty of fraud, it got me thinking about people's perceptions of what it is to be disabled - especially, what it is to be young and disabled.

I've pasted my response below:

Cases like that can be really complicated though - and can be hugely frustrating for those of us who're genuinely disabled and yet trying to be as productive citizens as we possibly can.

- Obviously, in this case, she's either pulling a fast one or has been badly advised because while they always tell you to strengthen your stomach muscles with long term spine issues, she should have been told that belly dancing (like pole dancing) is extremely high-impact on the spine and so not suitable.

Other forms though, maybe ballroom dancing, done at a low level and carefully and not for long periods, could be very beneficial.

The trouble is, getting the balance right. If you're disabled by an injury like that (I was too, though under different circumstances) and especially if you're young - the prevailing attitude you get from so called "health" professionals, is one that if you're making the best of it and getting on with accepting your lot and doing your best to make life work, the you must not be trying hard enough, which is usually followed up with advice to "just do ANYTHING to get more active"

The problem is, "Health" is more than just the medical side of things. - Yes, it's obvious that if someone is genuinely disabled, they ought to be supported, but those disabled people (like me) who're lucky enough to be granted a pension from the state, then have a civic duty to be as productive citizens as they can possibly be in whatever way they can. (For me that's a mix of volunteering; occasional days working in education; crafting for charity; studying; and keeping my blog (http://mouse-hearthside.blogspot.com/) - which deals specifically with the realities of living with disability and being young.)

Doing things like this, not only allows for occasional contributions back to the state (generally through other means than financial, but hey, every little helps - right?) but helps to keep you sane and feeling useful - like you actually have a role to play.

"Quality of life and emotional/mental health is vital for anybody. - For those of us with a disability it can also mean the difference between having the interest and drive to go out and grab life with both hands and be the best person that we can possibly be, or not pushing so hard, which can result in lower mobility and poorer physical health, depression, frustration and a whole load of negative things that not only affect us, but our families, neighbours and communities as well.

Incidentally, having lived under both the UK and Irish disability pension systems, I have to say, the Irish system is much better than the English one in terms of enabling those on disability allowance to even look into a proper quality of life and being able to at least in part keep up with their civic obligations,

So I can't help but wonder if, beyond any personality flaw that leads to the kind of abhorrent behavior highlighted in stories like this one, whether there's a roll that's played by the persistence by a stupidly large majority of people that if you're disabled you must be a wheelchair user, over 30, who stays quietly out of the way and doesn't get under anyone's feet or slow them down and who's idea of a high time, is being taken out for a run in the car just to the paper shop and back. - It certainly won't help. I just hope that this story doesn't cause even more prejudice against disabled people who're genuinely trying to be as well, as independent and as able as they possibly can!

Disabled Parking and Youth & Disability - a mini rant!

So what is SO difficult for people about disabled parking?

I remember mother and baby (as it was then) parking coming in - I was pregnant when our Tesco first got it ten years ago.

Admittedly, there were teething problems, but within a year or two, it became accepted and normal and now, nobody would dream of encroaching on parent and baby spaces without a damn good reason.

Disabled parking though - a whole other ball game! - We've had it for donkey's years and yet it's still abused and made difficult for people who actually need it continually.

This last few weeks has been SO frustrating driving wise! - Three incidents in particular:

1) There was the instance of the able-bodied woman with no blue badge, who was returning to her car (illegally parked in the only blue badge square on Carrick-on-Shannon High Street) just as I was looking to park, so I did the standard - got her attention, showed my blue badge and indicated I needed to park in the square (yes I know we shouldn't have to but...)

Well! She gave me a look like she'd just scraped me off her shoe and instead of moving off, settled down to read a book!

Fortunately I was able to snap a photo on my 'phone (the final catalyst for her moving) and on the strength of showing that to the Gardai, she's being issued a fixed penalty anyway - the Garda I dealt with incidentally, was incensed (- very impressed by the level of understanding the local Gardai Siochana have over these things - second to none that I know of Globally on disability issues!)

2) I parked in the blue-badge space outside Heatons' store and when I came back, not only had a delivery driver taken the blue-badge space to sit and have his lunch, he'd parked at such an angle that his front end was over into my space and I couldn't have got out without hitting him. - Trouble is, he was quite a big bloke, so I didn't have the confidence to confront him, so instead I ended up doing the cowardly thing and saying to him: "Excuse me, I'm sorry to bother you at lunch, but I'm a learner driver and I wondered if you'd be able to move over a wee bit so I don't damage your vehicle practising my reversing (I'm still disgusted with myself over that one!)

3) Yesterday, coming up Ballinamore High Street, I was hoping to park in the blue badge space near the bank. As I approached, there was a lady half emerged from the side-street so I pulled up with my indicator still on and waited. - It transpired, she was having a chat with some woman who was standing in the road. - Now that I can understand to a point, she could conceivably have thought initially I was turning into the road, BUT a) Our car is covered with stickers the garage insisted on when they adapted our car and they all make it clear the car's a disability vehicle; b) After a few moments, surely it's clear that's not where someone's going.

My feeling was she'd decided I was going to use the blue-badge space illegally and wasn't going to put herself out by moving.

This was borne out when we did cut out round her (into traffic I might add - I have seldom felt less safe but we had to) and park in the space, even though I made a point of letting her see me put my badge out, she still looked C over when he got out (he's able-bod) and looked me up and down to and sneared - until I walked round the edge of the car. When she saw the stick, she at least had the grace to blush and scarper.

So why am I still so ticked off about these things?

Well for one, I'm having a grumpy day about my low mobility, but it doesn't help that again today, I had some able-bod idiot try to turn into the blue-badge square at the same time I was and AGAIN, his behaviour changed only AFTER he saw the stick.

It annoys the heck out of me - well, both things do!

If nothing else ever sinks in about disability issues in the day to day world, then let these three facts be it!

1) Blue-badge squares are there for a reason

- it's not there as an alternative to parking on double yellows (yes, that excuse has been offered)

- and that's not to be convenient for you, even for a "quick dip into..." wherever. Those of us who are lucky enough to be given a blue-badge have it because we NEED that support in able to be anything like normal and independent.

I know a lot of able-bods think that those of us who aren't "lazy" or "scammers" just have too much of a chip on our shoulders about the whole issue, or just like to be loud and objectionable about our rights, but to those I say - they just don't understand the importance of this issue to those of us living on the margins of "normal" society.

For us, it's not just inconvenience - for example, those spaces are wider because we do need a full door's width to get into and out of our vehicle for one thing - even those of us who use walking aids other than a chair. - For example, I like to consider myself fairly fit and sporty for a disabled chick and if I have a bad day, it can take me 17 minutes to get my bad leg into the car - I know, we've timed it! (out of interest and my stubbornness wanting to see if I could do it alone).

2) Our special parking is there because we need it so we don't have to mobilise so much to get somewhere.

- Okay, so this one is a wee bit obvious you'd think? Seemingly not!

Also, the context plays a role with this one. Every reasonably intelligent mind will appreciate that if you as a disabled person go to the supermarket and actually manage to negotiate all the obstacles there and actually manage to get your shopping, you're likely to be pretty tired when you finish - and if you then have to walk (even with an aid) or roll clean across the carpark as some able-bodied idiot without a badge or a reason for being there (obviously it's appropriate to park there if you have granny with you - she's in similar straights, but not solo able-bods popping in for a sandwich on lunch!) - it rankles!

It's not so obvious with social places like theatres and cinemas, but it's just as important.

A lot of us don't get a huge amount of invites to social stuff. - Most of us, if we're really lucky have a very small, tight group of friends who're used to going about with us and whose confidence has grown over time until they're more comfortable to be out and about with us.

If we DO happen to be invited out to a play or a movie lets say, then there's also a fair deal of trepidation on our part too - we don't want to "spoil" the night for our nearest and dearest - okay for most of us, they'd be understanding if something goes wrong, but still, we don't want our loved ones evening disrupted because things go wrong for us.

Okay so it's not an occasion when it's essential for us to be able to have easy access to something, we after all don't HAVE to tire ourselves out going to a play or film, but then it isn't for able-bods either is it? - Again, it's really unfair for us to have to juggle "is it going to be possible to find a badge space near enough to the theatre/cinema?" - especially not after so much time has passed since disabled parking became supposedly "the norm".

3) Not every disabled person is a wheelchair user and not every disabled person is over thirty!

- and those of us who aren't over thirty, or who don't use a chair should not be treated like some weird kind of 'second-class' disabled.

Okay, so human beings make snap judgements based on what they see, it's in our make-up.

Granted, but that's only for the first 9.something so lets call it 10 seconds. - What's the excuse for the rest of the time?

We are fortunate enough to live in a society where MOST prejudices are now getting to be, if not already, a thing of the past. So what's the problem with young disabled people?

We happen to be two things: young and disabled.

We didn't want it, but it either has always been this way or it happened.

****WE ARE NO LESS VALID PEOPLE BECAUSE WE'RE BOTH YOUNG AND DISABLED****

We do not need pity or sympathy - we know life's not meant to be like this, we're not stupid! Neither do we need "a bit of a push" to "try a little harder" or any other twee line you care to think of.

We're just doing like any other person and making the best possible life we can and just like anyone else, we have a right to do that in our own way, making the use of the supports that are right for us (if we chose to) and most importantly, we, like anyone else, have the right to do that without obstruction on interference.

So the next time you're pulling up somewhere remember:

* If you don't have a blue-badge you don't park in blue-badge spaces

* If you're near to a blue-badge space then you need to be aware. - Are you blocking someone getting in/out of disabled parking? Are you parked too close to their vehicle to let them get in/out?

Just use your common - please! So many just don't

Day 3 and the project gets its own website

Just a quick halloo today. Lots has been happening - not least, Dogs for the Disabled Ireland are officially on board.

Also, the project now has it's own website at: http://mrsmouse.webs.com

What do you think? It's still something of a work in progress, but it's not bad for a few hours work.

The project may need a proper name or title. Any suggestions?

Hopefully I'll find a way to get some pics up on there (and here) very soon.

The project has legs! and other real world interactions

Well, half a leg anyhow.

I have my first charity on board!

I'd like to do this in aid half and half of Northwest Hospice, Sligo and Irish Dogs for the Disabled.

I'm still waiting to hear back from Dogs for the Disabled (their Lady was busy today, but hopefully we'll get to speak tomorrow) but I hope they'll like the idea.

In the meantime, I spoke to day with John at Northwest Hospice (John and Anne are the fundraising team there, so I guess there'll be plenty of posts about them in the next six months) and he likes the idea. - He's even going to let me use the Hospice's Logo on related stuff.

The search for an exhibition/auction space is proving a wee bit difficult, but we won't be defeated!

So far, I've drawn a blank, but it's only Day 2 and already, one gallery owner has said that although their space is technically booked, he's going to ask his committee if there's anything they can do to support. - Bless him!

In other news, we're also going to be helping out at a fundraiser this weekend at CG Power Systems in Cavan in aid of the relief efforts in Japan.

I love these occasions. - It's brilliant, as a disabled performer, to get to work in person with children and families in particular.

- I always like real life encounters anyhow - for example I once got stopped in a Pizzahut with the family and asked by a little girl why I have the stick.

The parents were mortified, but I have the attitude that kids will ask what they need to know when they need to know it. Now obviously there's different levels of information you give to different age groups - this little girl for example, I believe the response was "well, you know how Mammy and Daddy say never to play on stairs in case you get hurt? Well, I ended up going down some stairs (note the not using "falling" - obviously wasn't going to tell the kid a bad man threw me down the stairs, but the parents got it I think) and now my back and legs don't work so well and the stick helps me walk.

Another time, just before last Christmas, right after I broke my scafoid and busted the ligaments in my ankle, so wasn't allowed to walk at all, we'd borrowed a chair to do the Tesco run. (See I really love my C so I'd never expose him to a pre-Christmas Tesco alone for anything!)

Well, have you ever tried to keep a self-drive wheelchair with one hand in plaster? - It's hilarious! So-and-so painful, but hilarious!

We'd developed this technique where I did the bits near the middle aisle while C went up and down, which is how I came to be stuck doing loops round the bottom of the fruit and veg gondola on my own. Anyhow, I'm kind of suddenly aware of this small boy stood (thankfully) just outside of running-over range clutching a bunch of bananas.

So I came to a stop and he came up to me and dropped the bananas in my lap saying "I got these for you - I don't think you can get to them. Can I get you anything else?" - I was absolutely gobsmacked - such a nice kid! All I could think of to say to him was "thank you - how did you know that's what I needed" - he just shrugged and hopped off down the aisle on one leg.

Fortunately, we were able to find the kid's mother before we left the store and let her know what a great guy she was raising, so that was okay.

and how exactly does this relate to performing I hear you ask?

Okay, well, how many disabled clowns have you come across? - Come to that, how many disabled people do you see day to day in a working context? (Even including volunteering/therapeutic work context) - it's not many is it?

So it's a really good thing, as a disabled person with permission to be doing therapeutic work, not only accomplishing something by working (and for those of you who aren't crip, believe me, it's such a sanity saver some days!) but also to experience those real life moments - especially with the child with a confidence problem, that's just an amazing level of job satisfaction! - and you know what they say - always do work you love and you'll never work a day in your life. - So yeah, big tick in that box this weekend - the double hit of a gig for a good cause (which we both really enjoy) AND we'll be working hard doing what we love!

I haven't forgotten about those photos incidentally - it's just that cable I found doesn't fit my 'phone so, once I can stand a bit longer again, I'll just have to turf out the "random cables" drawer and try to find it. - Or sweet-talk C into taking some more on his 'phone.