Tearoom 25 - Benvenute a Venezia!

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YOu find us this time in a glorious palazzo in Venice, near to St. Mark's square, and on the water. With gondolas and vaporetti in abundance to transport us around to the various sights etc.

The palazzo itself of course has marble floors and fabulous murano chandeliers but aside of that we have the usual distressed chintz comfy sofas, assorted animals, bishops in their corner, priesthole for emergencies and a single solitary aspidistra in a bomb-proof glass cage to protect it from the ravages of a certain Canadian.

All are welcome - drop by for a cuppa, a glass of something stronger and a chat and relax in the safe and kind surroundings here.

Cin cin!

Ugh and yuk to Amber's experiences. Sadly, there still seem to be a lot of 'spiritual' (yeah, right) people who see any sort of disability as the mark of Cain and something to be despised. ::Rolls eyes and gets angry::

I see your Barry Manilow and raise you . I'm a believer. Yeah baby!

::Throws slightly arthritic shapes::

And I raise you - jump around to this !

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::Busts some moves::

Breakfast anyone?

yes please, just bopping along to Maud's final choices that I missed after I threw in the towel last night... what's on offer? pancakes?!

Yes please to breakfast.

(to answer the question re how being autistic is anything to do with going to church, we often have buildings access needs the same as wheelchair users or those who are Blind would have - because of sensory issues, so we need to know if they're planning loud noise/tons of incense/flickering lighting effects. And this combined with our need to be able to predict what'll happen next means that we need a church leader who will spare us a few seconds (literally that) to tell us what they're planning for that service. Most can't be arsed and respond with silence, which means we can't risk attending and not being able to cope (as not coping is hugely embarrassing etc and means we can't participate or enjoy the service at all). Responses have ranged from "the Holy Spirit tells me that I don't have to help you" to "it's not my job" to "I have too much to do already to spare those few seconds" to "you might be a danger to our other members" etc. Er, what danger is that then? Might I arrange their hymnbooks in too neat a way? Smile cheerfully in the wrong places? Blimey...

But the fear of disability issues is so great that it's easier to scapegoat us and hate us than include us. I have no answers right now. Just trying to pray and be with my friends and with God and get through my treatment.)

Amber - Just surprised SBoy with my sharp intake of breath re "the holy spirit tells me I don't have to help you" in particular. You're absolutely right about the scapegoating. Horrible. Sending you some virtual hugs if you want them and a big bundle of general goodwill if not.

ps as you can see, inspired by thumbbunny have gone for a seasonal name change

::Staggers in on aching feet::

So this is what 8am on a Sunday looks like.

::groans::

I'll go and think about an Easter name change.

Breakfast sounds wonderful! In a bit I will be making French Toast avec Hot Cross Buns and Streaky bacon. Anyone want some?

Amber I am also stunned by this. Is Autism not covered by the disability discrimination laws?

::twirls::

Stunningly original, doncha think?

Yes please to the breakfast, Tee.

I do love watching my boys play.

Ooooohhhh, Tee, I'll be there in about 10 minutes for breakfast! Just need to find some un-Toddlered clothes to throw on.

Finally got Toddler a new sun hat that fits. We're off to Ipswich today (I think).

(oh yes, all disability is covered by the Equality Act but the view is "who gives a toss" alas. They're cancelling all central funding for disability work and removing the adviser, which is a clue. "Cutbacks". Except we've just made a stonking profit on investments for the year. But there again, it's a faith that is largely anti gay, largely anti women being Bishops etc so it kind of makes sense that they're often anti disability as well. After all, if you can wake up and announce the Holy Spirit has told you not to give a toss, why should you? ).

I do wish there was a [jawdropped] emoticon but I'll have to make do with several of these
instead. Am stunned at those email responses and those people should be utterly ashamed of themselves.

I see that in the end you decided not to go, amber? I hope that you are generally ok though, and not too tired. Have a non-invasive pat on the shoulder. :)

Love the name, LeLapin! Maud, very original

Part of the "problem" with autism, is that we "look normal". And often we've learned to function "normally". So people don't believe us when we say we are struggling or if we don't understand something, when we do so well in other areas of our lives. They don't understand the adjustments we have to make in order to be "normal".

Hello all!

Just skim read a bit there, how shocking that churches behave like that!

Lovely day here! Hoovered up the sofas, baked some flapjack and going to do my ironing before my mum comes over!

I went to yesterday's one - just not today's service as I'm too wibbly from the lowering of the steroid doses. At least some churches and some leaders are wonderful. I've had excellent support from one or two senior people over the years, so can't begin to say it's all bad. And other denominations have been fantastic. But it's pretty dire as a national picture in that one denomination.

Anyway, sun is shining, DS is playing in the rugby national semis this afternoon and I intend to sit in the shade and enjoy a nice glass of something from the bar whilst we watch.

PKM, you've hoovered up the sofas?? Oh my! That must be a hugely big hoover you have!

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Ha ha amber!! :o

Good morning!

Oooohh, I hurt from yesterday's teacher training! Really great practice, great day, but man, my muscles are complaining.

Hi all

Another quick weekend. Where do they go?!?

How come I always miss the disco! I go to bed too early, obviously.

LCT took a 10 minute nap today. That was bad. He fell asleep by 715. This was good.

Blink

you missed the weekend.

We went for a big walk yesterday, up our nearest hill. despite it being the easter hols, nice weather, nearly the 10 tors event etc we saw almost nobody else up there. one group of DoE kids, one couple walked past us while we had a snack on teh summit. otherwise, nobody.
I suspect this is because its a big hill you have to walk up, no roads going half way.

Today- a somewhat chaotic church service. clergy trying to fit too much in to one service, lots of young kids in church, clergy refusing to use radio mic, half of congregation not being regulars at that church... one thing and another it was a bit messy. suspect the communion may not have been "legal" missed the creed and prayers of confession.

Then Cricket. which was fine. boy is throwing a ball quite straight, hurrah, but hes throwing not bowling, boo hiss. He did acquit himself well in the face of provocation from younger girls. He did not push back and she did let go of his bike wheel when I told her too.

But the joy of a tea room disco, Tee, is that it's still there the next day/week/month/year for anyone who wants a re-run.

anyone?

I just saw my friend's neice on BBC Look East!