A week since I wrote a post. February continues with relentless heat. Our lives are revolving around staying cool and keeping our garden of pots alive. We have also been staying up later to open Station House to catch any hint of cool, hence our sleep routine is a bit higgledy-piggledy. And my temper has been rather short of late. Sorry, Michael.
Our feline fops have taken to sleeping through the day and becoming active at night. Chop has decided he is a dog, whereas Suey knows he is a god. Chop plays with Stella, adores Stella, harasses Stella. Suey parks himself between our feet whilst we are on the loo and demands attention. Michael gave up reading the paper this morning when Suey sprawled across Saturday's West and nipped Michael for stroking to commence. Stuff the news of the world, Suey's desire for worship was infinitely more important!
Meanwhile, the canine clowns are almost as listless as us. Walking to the oval has been postponed as we are never up early enough to enjoy the dawn cool and the evenings are too hot. Every now and then, Pip, who is on pain relief for his arthritis, launches forth into a chasing and dodging game with Stella, accompanied by lots of fake growling. Stella could easily outrun Pip, but she enjoys these impromptu play dates as much as he does. Afterwards, they retire for the duration.
The doom and gloom that is currently considered newsworthy is giving me the pip. COVID 19, the threat of a war in Ukraine, the pathetic efforts of our parliament, the lack of any definitive action on violence and the ineptitude of the NDIS grinds me down. Luckily, this last week had been filled with good, and reminders that random acts of kindness are all around us.
Jan George, multi-talented artist, singer, musician, poet, sculptor, maker and diva has taken me in hand and gives me fabulous clothing unsuited to her. Today, I am in a vibrant pink patterned frock, perfect for this Front-of-House at the East End Gallery, kindly donated by her on Wednesday. The dress washes like a rag, is non-iron and today is its second outing.
Fellow artist Pat Steele, absent mindedly chose some random bras that turned out to be the wrong size, so she promptly asked me if I'd like them. What a woman! Out of four bras, only one didn't fit me, which I donated to a wonderful entity called Fifth Avenue, a frock shop newly opened by Michelle in York. She distributes donations to those who can't afford clothing or undergarments. Some of my readers may remember I had a bra, crop tops and a dress nicked from my clothes line in December. One of Beverley's locals was going to buy some new bras for me, gratefully accepted, which I ordered through Cadd's in Northam. Unfortunately, Cadd's never called me to confirm my over-the-shoulder-bolder-holders had arrived, so I was delighted to accept Pat's generosity.
Ian and Lindy Kay, innovative artists from the Perth Hills and supporters of numerous galleries, previously gave us plinths of various sizes on long term loan. These are marvellous display units as our eyes tend to drawn to the different heights. They had also lent two big cabinets, two impressively large plinths and a glass see-through unit which is ideal to showcase jewellery to Steve and Di for their gallery in Pingelly. After falling in love with a café named Chatterbox in Williams, Steve and Di now intend to run that enterprise with Di's art as their chief creative feature. So, instead of retrieving the loaned items, Lindy offered them to us. Take a bow, Belinda Kay!
Steve delivered these items last Sunday afternoon, enjoyed a drink with us, then set off for home, fifty kilometres back down the Great Southern Highway. Due to Steve's alacrity, I was able to begin the process of cleaning, placing and filling our additional storage straightaway. Needless to say, this exercise turned into a job bigger than Ben-Hur and I only completed another overhaul of the Gallery and Giftshop on Wednesday night. However, we are thrilled with the result, just in time for our Sundowner on Saturday 5 March.
Back in December, we encountered Edward, a canny Egyptian-by-birth, who was searching for local Avon Valley artworks. Edward played his cards very close to his chest and I have needed time to suss out even the most basic of details about him. He explained that he, along with two other blokes Daniel and Dirk, along with Daniel's wife Annette, was leasing the old York Courthouse from the National Trust and hoped to transform it into a centre of stories, art, history and education. We were able to supply him with paintings by Pat Lane, Shirley Gillis and John Kaye, for which he bargained hard, but fairly as he was buying multiple works by each of them.
And blow me down, Edward, Daniel and Dirk have made their dream come true. On Friday, we attended the opening of the Courthouse Galleries, Museum, Gaol and Education Centre on Avon Terrace in York. Their enterprise just blew us away. They have restored the old cells, protecting original drawings. There are information panels everywhere. Art, artifacts and signage both amuses and informs. We were particularly thrilled to view the Avon Room, which houses paintings by our artists, along with a glorious tapestry of York. A wonderful Welcome to Country was performed by several members of the Kickett family. Aboriginal art is displayed hand in hand with all the other works. This is a fantastic achievement and an amazing addition to York and the entire Avon Valley. These blokes mean business. This has not been set up for them. The Courthouse aims to unite us all through art, culture, history and stories. Add this attraction to your must-visit sites in the Avon Valley.
Lastly, I'd like to make special mention of those tirelessly working to make the NDIS a more fair and equitable system. I am thoroughly fed up with the negative opinions aimed at participants - "You people are one of the reasons the NDIS is going broke" - a unsolicited comment made to Michael and me. Conceived by the Labor Party and full of good intentions, hopelessly run by the Liberals, the time has come to shout ENOUGH.
We have this structure in place, so let's make it work. It's time to fire all the useless bureaucrats, the pencil pushers and poor service providers. The NDIS deserves educated and dedicated staff, including those with lived experience of disability. The National Disability Insurance Scheme's primary focus should be its participants. There needs to be no discussion about clients' expected life spans or their quality of lives unless the participant and their families wish that. We go down that path at our peril, inviting eugenics into the conversation. Yes, I chose to end my dying baby boy's life back in June 1987. However, I would fight for anybody's right to their own self determination. Otherwise, what are we?
Our Autistic Superstar has spent his entire life wanting to be ordinary. He has endured the disappointment of short, dead-end administrative contracts (filing) and multiple tryouts in hospitality venues. His one chance at open employment in an inclusive café was squashed by a political lack of will. I will never forgive that action. Yet, we are still struggling for support from the NDIS. His latest Local Area Coordinator (his fourth in two years) has admitted his needs are too complex for any LAC and he requires an adequate Support Coordination allowance . Yet, our latest request for Support Coordination funding of thirty-nine hours a year (yes, less than one hour a week) was met with a counter offer of sixteen hours a year. Go figure.
Having vented spleen, I would now like to thank, from the bottom of my heart, those who continue to get up, get dressed and get pro-active for people like Alex. In no particular order -
Shannon - District 360 support coordinator
Evan and Kathryn - Your Choice Plan Management
Amanda and Mel - Connect Case Management
Jeanette - I'm Online Advocacy -
and I look forward to continuing to fight for Alex's best interests with the assistance of this group.
As a result of constructing this post, I am determined to remain hopeful. All these who have been mentioned here are just the tip of the iceberg of those family and friends who Michael and I hold dear and who continue to love and support us.
Until next time...
Fierce February...
Hot, hot, hot...
Let's do this!
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