Odd thing said by woman last week. What did she mean?

[StarlightMcKenzie]

We have been looking at potential houses to buy and had kids in tow. On arrival Ds talks to lady of the house obsessively about whether she has a tape measure. She indulges him both in conversation and by providing one

Upon leaving I thanked her for entertaining Ds and she responded 'my pleasure. I have a son who likes trains'.

Now Ds is still young and though I feel like I've been in the SN all my life I am actually fairly new. Is this 'code', a bit like a password to let us know she'd recognised ASD and has experience herself?

Or does it simply mean her Ds likes trains - end of!?

[StarlightMcKenzie]

Thanks.

[MammaTJ]

For those who like trains, a reasonably ok Thomas the Tank Engine and Percy cake on my profile.

I do think maybe she has a son with SN and wanted to acknowledge it in a small way.

[moosemama]

Star, I remember that clip. Dh and I think it's great, but ds1 just ran out the room screaming "Turn it off, I can't cope! It's like a million voices all singing inside my head - aaaaaargh!".

Mamma - lovely cakes. You are very talented.

[MammaTJ]

Thanks you Moose. It is a hobby that is funded by my friends.

[StarlightMcKenzie]

Ooh, coukd you do a tape measure cake by erm, Thursday!?

Or perhaps just make some suggestions how I coukd do a DIY thingy with shop bought (I thought perhaps chocolate Roland cake with walnut whips on their sides as feet and then slices of mars bars in a line, but I have no artistic talent and woukd no doubt decide soon enough that the mars and walnut whips looked much better in my stomach).

[StarlightMcKenzie]

Wtf is a Roland cake? . I typed ROUND

[moosemama]

How about something like this or www.sugaryexpressions.com/tag/tape-measure/?

Pretty simple to do. Get a large cake and trim it to the shape you want. Then if you aren't confident with fondant icing, slather it in buttercream or chocolate. Then just roll out a single piece of icing to be the tape, get an icing pen (both available in supermarkets) and write on the markings and numbers. Leave it to dry overnight so that it will stand on it's side and then just slot it into place. You could either slice the cake and insert the icing slightly - or just stick it to the chocolate or buttercream.

Bobs yer uncle, tape measure cake.

[joanbyers]

www.nytimes.com/2011/08/14/nyregion/children-with-autism-connecting-via-bus-and-train.html?_r=2&hp&

[ouryve]

Definitely tipping a nod. 1 in 100, remember. We've been talked down a few times by symathetic supermarket staff who have family members who give them the understanding to sit on the periphery and chat calmly and neutrally without jumping in a boy's face and really help to bring down a fraught situation.

For safer tape measures, btw, there's always ones for crafters and dressmakers. Either the traditional 60" cloth and plastic or fibreglass ones or ones like these (all shops I've used and trust - I even "know" some of the owners):
www.getknitted.com/cgi-bin/sh000001.pl?REFPAGE=http%3a%2f%2fgetknitted.com%2facatalog%2fsearch.html&WD=measure%20tape&PN=Blocking_Wire_Kits___more.html%23aLM_2fTM_2fAN#aLM_2fTM_2fAN
www.paviyarns.co.uk/shop/415/442/1153/index.htm
www.loopknittingshop.com/product/3943/Sajou_Wooden_Tape_Measure (expensive!)
www.knitandsew.co.uk/Animal+Tape+Measures/0_CAHA144_CAHA408.htm (these actually look fab!)
www.atomicknitting.co.uk/ourshop/prod_1679101-Designer-Cupcake-Felt-Tape-Measure-amp-Pin-Cushion.html
addicted2knitting.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=2592

[AmberLeaf]

I think it was a secret handshake.

My son doesn't like trains, but he is partial to a retractable tape measure!