Winter LG Camp 2015

Hi folks
As you'd of gathered from last weeks entry I was scheduled to be away for several days with my friends being ourselves as we find us so this weeks entry is kinda about that.
Although thankfully there are an increasing number of littles events popping up from munches to pre-schools for adults(!) to have fun playing and general socialize, the big one for many of us is the residential get together where we interact and generally play called Camp and specific to my circle it's the LG (adult  little girl) Camp of which are held in the United States and over here in Great Britain although some  folk cross National borders and oceans to attend both.
As with any kind of going away you need to pack things like toiletries, your clothes and bits and bobs such as  creams, pens and camera and this time I got it all done super quick by actually focusing on it thanks to the help I've been getting this year helping doing just that.
I took Charlie Bear, Amy the Hollyhobbie and Debbie dolls with me.
For me the journey began getting up at  6AM to get myself washed, dressed and fed ready to catch the the first bus off of our estate to the nearest main bus to the North-west Midlands leading rail station to catch the 09:19 to GHS Central to meet with the Head Girl of GHS.
She took me to GHS for a period where we talked about various things over cawfee(tm) and had a bit to eat before setting out to the Camps location in Southern England, a big listed building with humongous secluded grounds which is a great idea as we can just play and stroll out of doors.
The weather was a bit bad meaning speeds had to reduced  because of visibility and we had a few minor delays but we got their for just after 16:45 as the organizer has to do things with the person who we book it from first  so didn't want us in before 17:00.
Most people decided to order various Indian takeaway foods  and have a few folks go collect them but the Head Girl of GHS and myself like more traditional food so we had meat pie and vegetables,  she kindly cooked for both of us  that was done before everyone else's food arrived! The evening was more a free for all with people chatting as few people who hadn't been for a while were present this time and making a start on a big jigsaw on the table in main lounge.
On the Friday "The Bear" laid on a ballet class after breakfast where people could go through some gentle ballet moves and exercise, freeing up joints after spending time travelling although a couple had to stop partway through as they felt something 'twitch' but were okay afterward.
Two terrific members  of the group laid on a meat and cheese buffet for two days for our midday meal which was both very healthy and  scrumptious.
Slight detour in this report for a bit about me.
I wrote reams and reams about presentation several entries back how that ties into how I see me, that uniformed schoolgirl and we discovered what kind of works well on me at last years GHS party.
Well, here's the last dress I bought (I have a spare of it) as actually worn and as you may notice for the first time ever I'm actually wearing a tie, which is a very close relative of the one I had to wear at my junior school.
Newsflash! I did eventually learn to tie it reasonable well even with my amazingly bad co-ordination all by myself wearing all the time I was there.

I felt great wearing it and think it looks better.
Take a look at my avatar on this blog (and at certain sites) and look at the picture and the other thing you'll notice is on the right.
That's right a shield shaped Junior Prefect badge. I did quite a bit this camp to help out without having to be asked so maybe it's appropriate? I did feel stronger, able to deal with being responsible while having fun, laughing a lot and a bit more independent too.
I also played Frustration several times with the Head Girl
Anyway back the scheduled program where on Saturday afternoon one of number from the Netherlands, organized a super Treasure Hunt with lots of clues and other activities based around the story of Mary Poppins with us cast the children, that involved us drawing up a job advertisement for a Nanny, some drawing and flying a kite out of doors as well as running around a lot! Reading the clues soon gave away some clues to where we're from with two North American ac-cents mingled in with others(!!) and one puzzled about mine but hey seasoned readers know it's infamous in real life as it is forum posts.
Later on in the afternoon, the Head Girl treated us to a gen-u-wine all analogue film show of 'shorts' from the Turn of the wheel Rank organization film from 1964 about the changing nature of the railway (Steam being replaced by Diesel  locomotion) and replacing trams and older buses by new buses to the Laurel  and Hardy Towed in the hole comedy  via Ferdinand and the Bull and Le Pig-Al Patrol 'The Inspector' cartoon from 1967.
During a  break in the program for changing the reels delicious icecream  was served just like it was at our local movie theatres and a part of that whole experience.
I changed afterward for my pastel pink blouse and a Asos black crocodile print  skater skirt with tights for the reminder of the day.
Friday's evening meal was mainly a traditionally British things, namely Fried battered fish and chip (large wedge like things not to confused with fries some of us grew up with) although some had sausages and other things that like with that other 'takeaway' one person took the order which was phoned through for collection by two of group.
After a suitable period for food to go down, tidying up and loading up the dishwasher we had Disco set up in a big room until it was time for bed.
Saturday's activities started with a Arts and crafts session where with lengths of chain, beads and other craft kits you could drift in and make something so I made photo frame one that had my head attached to a female golfer with lots of stars.
Later on we had a couple of quizzes punctuated by the evening meal one being a rather hard but fun general knowledge quiz with even some photo id questions and a music quiz based around songs from movies mainly Disney related that involved play bits of music and identifying them. The team I was with for the general knowledge took top prize!
The home made Cottage pie with vegetables and rice pudding with jams we had on Saturday was amazing.
Sunday being the final half day was more a relaxation after getting ones bags packed for return watching the likes of Princess Sofia the First, Sponge Bob Square pants and Tom & Jerry before having a salad from the leftover food before leaving.
We left at quarter of 12and with a few minor delays and awful weather across much of the Midlands we arrived at GHS Central at 15:30 for me to catch the train back home.
As it was a Sunday and the local bus network don't run, I came out of the rail station to the Taxi rank to get a cab passing through our town to my estate so was back for 17:05.
I'd personally like to thank the Head Girl for fixing my meal on Thursday and taking me to and from camp.
I'd like to thank everyone who did things like put on activities, co-ordinate them, set tables, cleared up, made food as well collecting the monies and booking the venue.
Things only happen cos we actually make them!
Regards, Jo, Form 1EB

Life on the hoof

Just before I'm orf this week here's this weeks post.

View image | gettyimages.com

You know this is so me as I just adore horses and ponies spending hours petting and talking with them to the point of begging folk to stop the car so I get out to them in the fields.
My brother was wild about horses, still is, taking part in gymkhanas and other competitions spending hours on horseback and subscribing to the Horse and Hound magazine and has a fair bit to do with the Arab Horse society, doing photography for some big cheeses.
I spend quite bit of my time with him and share the same love of country life and its routines.

Going forward

Not long before next weeks big event here so here's the post before the last which in some ways at least is connected .

 I recently saw this motivational piece of art a few weeks back and I feel it's kind of apt really not least with me, working with one person to assist me and having a bit to do with others who are working on things that hold us back be it unhelpful attitudes, perhaps learning the 'wrong' lessons from our past experiences or struggling with organizing life.
 Sometimes it's easy to go with easy, to think that the only things to do are just fun things and rely perhaps more than is good for you on others, ignoring the things that others may have gotten their heads around.
But it's never a all or nothing situation as being 'on the move' puts you ahead of those who aren't and as hard as the last two months have been for me making changes, living with rather more accountability than I'm used to, I am making progress which makes it all worthwhile, not least feeling calm enough to do things that have bad memories for me.
Thanks.

Charlie

As you might recall, something unexpected was given to me at Christmas (and I'm still overdue one present!) but it needed shall we say a bit of work to give it some life.

That's right the Grafix build your own teddy bear  that needed some groan up assistance with it  as I don't do sowing and so on with my amazingly bad hand to eye co-ordination.
Well at least he's alive is Charlie Bear having been named, having his birth certificate filled out and quite huggable too.
Tis a good life to be a teddy bear of a little.
Before I forget, I'd like to thank some new acquaintances  from one site some littles, others people who've been helping littles in their lives who are reading this blog.

The needs of littles part II

This entry is a more personalized follow up to the original from August 2013 where I looked at  the role of routines and structure as it applies to the lives of a good number of littles, not all obviously.
Since writing it, It has become clear to me through conversation and observation much of that rings true to differing degrees to a number of us which I suppose kind of validates it but for some of us, additional disability related matters do come in.
For some of us, the limitations are such that what might (cos we're all different) be more a relaxing way to live outside of the demands of work say for some merges more in with in many respects is the limits of our everyday functioning.
It's never the easiest thing for me to say but with the combination of physical disabilities as well as developmental issues that leave me struggling at times with what most past their mid teens can cope with, such considerations as having some fixed routines and structures are critical for getting the best out of life as we can and some sense of independence.

For me, such everyday tasks like going shopping are impacted when you find it hard to recognize what you're looking for, working out how much things cost, handling money and then trying to communicate with the assistant take a lot out of me so I'm feeling quite stressed so if then add things like fresh multiple upselling offers at the tills when I can't process verbal communication particularly well (not least to respond to), words being delivered quickly completely lose me and I'm stood there... Well, lost is the best way to describe it.
You feel like stomping your feet too.
 The first time I became aware of this was about a year after after the playground accident that left me with additional brain damage having been drifting in and out of consciousness on top of that from birth, when out with a  friend while physically disabled using a wheelchair that I was meant to helping him with, it became obvious he was needing to help me rather more with all of that. He could do everything other than physically handling items far better than I could.
I find situations like that very very stressful to the point I could easily snap cos there's too much going on for me to process which is why if I have to engage with such things having fairly common routines and expectations help. You may need to calm me down.

Similarly you could be busy going around people in an unannounced way and I may have no idea that you are and even if you do talk in passing, there's no guaranteeing I've made any sense of it so you do really need to ask me face to face and check I've understood.
I may only know you have from being told much later on!
That was something I found very painful during actual childhood, being the last to know anything.

I do find very necessary to have structures in place to ensure the needs I have such as knowing what I am to do, what I need to do to do it, who is doing what are met to avoid anxiety and do respond much better in situations where I'm told effectively this is what were are going to do next rather than just by trying make sense of what's not directly said.  Cos I won't.

I find keeping to and following plans difficult either by distraction or just not getting around to doing them which is why I'm getting some one on one help with it and other associated issues around accountability and responsibility, for while there are very real limits on what I can be expected to do, I do need help to meet those even.
When you're not in any kind of for want of a better word, a more formal care structure, you're very much left on your own including any programs to help you with such things.
For me it can include both rewards, positive  reinforcement in a more child like way that for some may come in a relationship such as "That's a good girl" to deal with insecurities I may of tackled well or the completion of an assigned task as well as anything more discipline if say I'm on the edge of losing it in again more child-like way as anything very wordy just gets lost completely in a fog of words with me which either results in 'switching off' or getting more frustrated with you.  That's the best use of twenty minutes with me-NOT!

It's also one reason I do say in all sincerity, in a very real sense when I'm out remember  whatever number might be on the birth certificate, you do need to 'look after me' more like you would a child of 12 as I can lose track of you easily and when I'm lost I get very worried plus I'm useless with directions too.

I cannot say learning to come to terms with my needs never mind be honest about them to others has been easy but being able to accept them and prepared to work on those areas I have some potential for improving on is of more help than just flat out denying them.

Littles dress patterns

I'm in great frame of mind right now so I thought I'd post this set of dress patterns from May 1950 looking a Mother and Daughter dresses and especially the aprons.

Third from the left just feels so me had I'd of been around back then.

One reason I'm feeling so great is a person whose name I shall not say said at a place you'd least expect it - paraphasing as something to the effect 'this blog is the one that really gets what it means to be a little'.
Yes, this one girl publication of many out there is apparently is it!
I'd like to think it's cos it authentic coming direct from 'the little girl within', it doesn't push any one form of being a little and encourages you to be the little you are, as you come to it.
To the person who said that, I am most moved, really I am.