Hiya guys. I want to start this posting off by both apologising and also asking for your patience. I know this sounds a rather strange start but then again they don’t come much stranger than me as you all know, but I hope all will become a little clearer as it progresses.

Recently, say around the last 3 or 4 weeks it seems to be, although the feelings have reared their head over the last 3 years or so, I have found myself becoming more and more depressed and generally upset all the time. I have written about the issues I have been having with the Local Council and Social Services etc I know and it would seem by the general overtones of the posts that I am quite enjoying the ride. This is quite so in some respect however the underlying problem is that “Why should I bloody have to keep fighting for these things and also, WHY ME”? I guess there is a limit to how much fight someone has “in them” so to speak and I have probably used up more than I had in the first place. The upsetting part of it is that I seem to constantly be banging my head against a brick wall. What with the, completely ignoring you even exist, not returning Emails/letters, blaming other people, condescending shop keepers who are oblivious to how it is they are discriminating against disabled people by making them sit outside and shout in and beg for some assistance like your unclean or something, you get the picture, I suppose it has all come to a head recently. I don’t want you to think that I’m on the verge of ending it all, as you wouldn’t be further from the truth, but it is all getting a bit too much to deal with in one go and I need a rest or at least for things to start going my way for a change. Is it too much to ask for people to be honest and upfront and also not pass the buck.

Let me tell you this example. On the estate where I live there is an estate management committee which we all contribute too as being Ex-Military accommodation not all roads and paths etc are covered by the Council and obviously require maintenance etc etc, Anyhow, the I contacted the Maintenance Company as they have retained a seat on the board as part of the arrangement, asking if they could Email me the list of Directors (all Local Residents) and addresses as I wished to make contact with them regarding an issue on the estate. It was to do with the state of the pavements etc etc although I did not tell them that. They answered the Email within 15 Mins of me sending it as I have a reply to prove it. “IT TOOK THEM A BLOODY WEEK TO SEND IT TO ME”. I got it today a week later. Now I don’t think it would even take 5 minutes to get this information and it is not subject to any data protection laws, so why make it so frustrating for me?? I could have, I guess asked any of the neighbours for there addresses and most of them would know but that is besides the point as I asked them and they just messed me around. “BLOODY INCOPETENCE” I can’t stand it!!

I expect by now you are getting the general picture as to why I am feeling like I am. Although I have some wonderful family and friends etc who are always there for me I guess in things like this they are probably quite helpless although they do help. What I mean is that what I really need is someone to grab these people and box their ears a bit, or in some cases A LOT!!

It’s at times like this that in some ways I wish my mind wasn’t so active as it is now as until recently I have not been concerned with trying to sort out these things, but I soon wake up and realise that in a lot of ways I need to do this for myself and not just others.

Ah!!!! Harvey’s!!!! My Old Mate. Well a little won’t hurt will it??

See Ya!!

Argggggg!!!! This blinking tight / itchy skin caused by the GVHD is really getting on my nerves at the moment. Apart from the odd wheeze from my chest I guess the only “Health Problem” I’m having at the moment is this skin thing but it’s more than making up for all the rest. I have a number of sores on my legs and stomach etc caused by it breaking down in places and the steroids etc stopping it heal properly and although they are very good the skin underneath them, and some of them are about 6”x3”, is extremely itchy and no amount of rubbing relieves it. I will have get back on Merlin’s case when I see him in a couple of weeks, to try and get him to hurry up who he needs to hurry up regarding the extracorporeal photochemotherapy treatment I have been waiting to hear about as in am I having it in Birmingham or are they buying the machine and giving me the treatment here. He is, at the moment convincing himself and others too that the GVHD is actually burning itself out slowly and spreading further down and out of the bottom of my feet so to speak, but I’m afraid I don’t fall into this group of people, as living with it daily, with the tightness and the constant itching it is nowhere near giving up the goose. Besides he did say before Christmas that he should have a decision for me in January and it’s now rapidly heading towards April.

Maybe he is related to “You Know Who”, who also seems to have a problem with dates and stuff. Now Now John!!!!! I really must learn to not be so sarcastic!!! Nah!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

On a much lighter note then I thought I would let you know my experiences yesterday when I decided to do my little part for the Local Economy as we are always being bombarded with requests from the local council and shop keepers etc to “Buy Local”. Well I went into Barry, a medium sized town centre where they are currently spending millions of pounds renovating the roads and pavements etc and although there are some horrific, dangerous obstacles for the less mobile person like myself to overcome at the moment I can envisage the end result being quite impressive. Okay then after hanging around a while to try and get into one of the Disabled Bays which as per usual 3 of the 5 available are taken up by that breed of “Lazy Arse Gits” who need to park there because the packet of fags and bottle of bud they are buying from the shop is so heavy to carry they need to be close to there. Tara put the chariot together and she headed off with her mate to do a bit of shopping for her “Girly Stuff” and left me and my chariot free to “Ride The Wild Wind”, well do what I came into town to do. I only wanted to go in 2 different types of shop although the 2 shops would probably end up costing me a fortune as I know what I’m like when I start. They were a Butchers and a Green Grocers not much to ask is it? For those that don’t know the area and I guess that’s pretty much all of you, Barry Town Centre is pretty much one road with smallish type shops on either side. There is an area of it that has been pedestrianised with the slightly larger shops like Peacocks, Boots etc etc which is paved but annoyingly they have this like really steep 2” high sloped curb either side of the middle section so that it sort of defines the pavements for when vehicles are allowed down there in the morning. In this area I found the one and only Green Grocers in the Town Centre. It looked well stocked and the staff looked like they would be really nice and helpful. All those bright coloured Veg and fruit looked so inviting from where I was sat. “OUTSIDE ON MY BLOODY SCOOTER” because there was this huge step into the shop and when I asked or rather shouted into the shop from outside to one of the “Lovely Assistants” to enquire if they had a ramp or maybe another entrance that was flat and I could use I got a resounding “NON”

Okay then deep breaths, calm down, you know what you get like when you get all flustered!!! I travelled on past all the shops which I would have been able to get in like Herbalists, Cards and toys, Banks etc even a bloody tattooist!! In search of a Butchers. After going all the way up one side then the other there was only one Butcher too. I’m sure there used to be about 2 or 3 along there?? Never mind. I must say the meat looked really nice and fresh and well presented. The stereotypical Old Butcher shop handed down from father to son etc “BLOODY HUGE STEP AGAIN” so I enquired/shouted from the door which thankfully was left open as I wouldn’t have even been able to do that if it was shut, “do you have a ramp”?? “Why”? Was the reply. Ummm now let me see?? Could it be something to do with what I’m sitting on and the Mount Everest of a step standing between me and you??? Oppps there goes the sarcasm again sorry!! “No, sorry we don’t get much call for it round here. What do you want I can bring it out for you”? For one I want to see what looks nice and makes me want to buy it, so if you start on the left and work your way round bringing me ALL of your product to look at outside in the street we might just about be done by next Tuesday sometime. He couldn’t quite understand that he had to make arrangements for people like me “BY LAW” and not just because he felt like it, so I promised to send him a copy of the Disability Discrimination Act highlighting the points I was making. Aren’t I a nice man?? With that, Oh and the old “2 Finger Salute”, renown world wide I headed off back to the car to meet up with Tara to go to the Huge Out Of Town Supermarket to buy the stuff I was hoping to buy from a Local Supply. Instead I am having to eat this week, Chicken from China, Liver from New-Zealand, but the Beef is British although it does come from Scotland.

These supermarkets are all geared up for us wheelie dude’s, well pretty much anyhow, and I guess as a result of this they must be taking complete advantage of the market share that includes the disabled and elderly etc etc as the Local Shops sure as hell are not doing anything to stand in their way. In fact I would go as far as to say that they are handing it to them on a plate and all for what, in most instances, at least the 2 I mentioned today about £50 to sort out. Not much is it?? Think of all the extra business and therefore profits you WILL GET!! As I’m sure that a lot of people like me would support your local businesses much more regularly if they were to at least try and help themselves.

There you go then, rant over for today. I can go back to sleep now!!

See Ya!!

Hi there folks. I’ve just realised that I have been naughty and not blogged for a while now. I’d like to say it was because I have been so busy or even, heaven forbid that I’ve been so ill that I haven’t turned the computer on, but it would all be a lie.

I’ve been just plodding on doing pretty much the mundane things in life like, breathing, eating and the obvious side effects caused by eating as in, by product disposal if you get my meaning?? Oh yes you will be pleased to know that I have kept up, well intensified actually, my confrontation with all the various agencies that are responsible for providing a suitable service for disabled people etc. and not just the Lip Service at best that most of them are guilty of.

I think it’s very much like the Train situation I was talking about and which “A Fellow Crip” had commented on too as in the service you can expect is very much down to individual areas / councils, MP’s even and their approach to such issues. My small experience of just some of the problems faced by Disabled People in particular, although I am aware that they are sadly not the only discriminated section of society, has really opened my eyes to the wide spread, blatant even at times, Non-Compliance to the current regulations contained in “The Disability Discrimination Act 1995” and subsequent revisions since then also. Its not as if everyone has had this sprung on them, although I must say that a fair bit of tinkering has been done up till around 2005 but nothing too major, nut even so there is absolutely NO EXSCUSE why people are not complying with the various aspects of the Law. Businesses were given a couple of years to make changes for example to make there business / service provided etc, accessible to Disabled People yet 2 years on there is still Blatant abuse of this almost to the effect that they are sticking two fingers up to everyone and as well as that they are happy to miss out on the business they may get from all those dodgy geezers in their wheelchairs and their huge circle of family and friends all of which will not be using their service etc. Good Business Sense?? Mmmm!!!

I guess in my own small way, by harassing the various people I need to harass to try and bring about change I at least feel in myself that I am doing my bit to improve things, although I am under no illusion that I will make much of an impact into this huge problem. I cant help thinking at times though if I was say, a Muslim or maybe from the Middle East, and played the Racism Card that things might get done quicker, which although I can’t even begin to think what such people have to face on a daily basis in the way of abuse and discrimination I cant help but feel the my voice and that of the Disabled Community is not heard.

On an interesting point too, I have actually had contact with Guess Who?? Yep, you guessed it; the illusive Mr John Smith MP had stuck his head up over the parapet. It was just a coincidence mind you that he happened to write to me 4 or 5 days after I had written to not just his, Chief Whip, Party Leader, Party Chairman, Welsh Secretary, Health Secretary, Social Service Committee Chairman etc etc but also the Opposition’s equivalent too, by mistake I must add, but interestingly enough it is the opposition MP’s that have mainly responded and most of them are appalled surprisingly with the conduct of my MP and offered to have a word with him which I have interpreted as to mean “Take him round the back and rough him up a bit. Maybe break a few fingers, or better still the Horses Head in the post usually does the trick ha ha ha” Well as for the letter from Mr Smith it just said that he has passed the matter on to the relevant department at the local council, which incidentally I have done myself, whoopee dooo!! He also did say that he has no record of receiving the previous Emails I had sent. Well Mr Smith, I DO!!! And find it some what strange that you had replied to an email sent to you at that same address I had sent all the previous Emails. Just call me Mr Cynical I guess. So I will have to wait and see what help, IF ANY??? I am going to get from him. I am hoping to meet my local councillor in the next week or two to discuss the serious problems with the paving around my area too which hopefully should be fun. There are absolutely no dropped curbs within about ½ mile of my house so getting around on the scooter is impossible unless I break the law and drive on the road. Well that’s another subject for another day I guess.

Okay then I am off. But before I do just a little note to those that may be interested. My mum’s not too good at the moment, in fact she is in the Local “Miners Hospital”. She has some pretty serious problems including Fluid around the heart and blood clots on both lungs making breathing really difficult let alone anything else. The condition is quite serious although she is quite stable and comfortable. It all stemmed from a chest infection she has had for a number of weeks. I think they never helped the matter by moving her via ambulance from one hospital to another knowing she had 2 blood clots and the risks involved, in fact her heart did stop on the return journey and she had to be resuscitated, sort of proving my point really. Anyway she is comfortable as I said and would appreciate yours thoughts (and prayers if you are that way inclined) that doesn’t quite sound right does it but you know what I mean don’t you?

See Ya!!

Question Time!!

Well did you watch it then??? I hope so. Last night was the filming of Question Time and as I had said earlier myself and my Little Sis had been invited on as Panellists, Only joking, wouldn’t that be a laugh?? No, we had been invited on to the audience.

After picking up my Sis we headed off to Newport, just as every man and his dog were coming out of working and simply getting in my way on the road, inconsiderate buggers, don’t they know who I am?? Well we arrived all flustered and having pretty much debated every current political issue and my favourite MP of the moment of course. It was here that I came across the first problem. When I rang earlier they informed me that I would be able to park right outside due to the wheelchair etc so when I was confronted with a barrier and a rather nice lady on the other end of the intercom telling me that I will have to park some ½ mile away you can see that I was in for some fun. Anyway I explained the position as in I had rang to sort this out and that her offer of letting me get dropped off at the entrance, but my Sis would have to move the car to the other car park was not possible as she was not insured to drive as is no one but me and Judith. So she asked me to drive up and someone will meet me. So as she had said a nice man was waiting to try and explain things to me face to face but to be honest he had no chance from the beginning I was going to park there if he liked it or not. Well he did actually say that it was okay for me to park there anyway which I thought was a good start to the evening. Inside after a short wait we were all ushered into a queue to be searched etc which again could have been a problem but went as smooth as could be, in fact they never checked me at all and I must have been the only person who had managed to take a drink into the theatre as they appeared to be taking bottles off people when they were searched. The main problem I guess would have been “how do you use one of them portable scanners on someone who is sat in a wheelchair surrounded by metal”? After a short wait I was given the “Royal Treatment” again and was led in first to the auditorium due to me having to manoeuvre a bit to get into place which I must say Ruth did with great style and poise. Much to her relief too they had put me almost right at the back on the left and not in the front as we were thinking it would be. By the way if you were watching I was the one right at the back as I said on the left in rather loud to say the least Lime Green Shirt, just so that I blended into the background you see. They do this sort of warm up before hand which they say is help relax people before the actual filming which incidentally to my surprise is not edited at all and is shot straight through. Well I happened to come up with a few maybe controversial comments which I think resulted in my not being chosen to have my say during the filming despite me sitting there with my had up pretty much constant throughout, not that I’m bitter at all as the whole experience was great and that would have just been a small part of it, besides my little Sis Ruth got chosen to actually ask one of the questions. It was the one about Blair’ intervention in Zimbabwe or rather lack of intervention.

We were both rather impressed with 2 particular panellists who were, Lembit Opik Lib Dem MP and Clare Short Independent MP. They both had pretty much the same opinion on the matters debated throughout the show and I found myself agreeing vehemently with them both on many occasions. Poor old Mike O’Brien Solicitor General, Labour MP was determined to make a right fool of himself most of the evening and to be honest he over succeeded completely in that department and to be honest I think that Labour had probably made a huge mistake in putting him forward for the show last night in the first place. The Conservative representative so to speak was actually pretty much a nobody. Priti Patel (not an MP) had actually stood and lost the seat for Nottingham North in 2005 so is not an MP as such although she is involved in the Tory party somewhat although she did have a change of heart between 1996 – 1997 when she went to head up the Press Office for The Referendum Party, a great thank you for being put on the A-List don’t you think? That just leaves Mail On Sunday columnist Peter Hitchens who can be a bit of a loose cannon at times. He is strongly of the opinion that we, as in “Humans”, are not responsible for Global Warming. HUH????? He does have a few opinions that I vaguely agree with such as the stupidly over the top Political Correctness that is becoming normal and accepted these days. Things like an English Church School renaming the Children’ Story Book Classic, “Three Little Pigs” to “Three Little Puppies” because some Muslim people for example might get upset with the reference to Pigs and Pork. Jeeeeeezzzzzz. I guess the Animal Rights will spout up next and complain about the reference to Poor Little Puppies.

Well if I start on that subject this will be an extremely long blog, Hell it already is so I just noticed.

Just one more little thing, I actually received a Letter from you know who in “The Commons” this morning, in fact I received 2 from him and one from Cheryl Gillan Shadow Secretary Of State For Wales, not that they tell me much mind you, only that he has started to investigate on my behalf and will be in touch soon, Ha Ha Ha pull the other one. Isn’t it strange that when just after I wrote to his Chief Whip and Party Chairman, Leader, Welsh Secretary etc etc he suddenly responds? Maybe I’m just a cynical old git???

If you managed to miss Question Time last night you can watch it again by clicking HERE

See Ya!!

They Don’t Know What They Are Letting Themselves In For!!

I had a rather interesting phone call yesterday afternoon from “The BBC” of all people. It appears that they want me to be in the audience this coming Thursday Evening for the “Question Time” programme being filmed just up the road in Newport. I had applied a couple of weeks ago and never for the life of me thought they would allow me loose on poor old Mr Public. Although I have always quite fancied taking part in this particular programme I have been finding that through one reason or another I have become more politically aware over the last couple of years, maybe as because of the whole disability thing I can see the more direct impact these people (or Alien’s in the case of the ever elusive Mr J Smith) have on me and my family etc..

They had asked me what my position was regarding a few matter that are “Hot” so to speak at the moment e.g. Iraq, Trident etc and also was there any questions that I would like the panel to address. Well, how long you got??? I said. I made my point about the lack of accountability of Local Mps quite strenuously I think along with the lack of action on behalf of councils to enforce the workings of the The Disability Discrimination Act such as the appalling lack of access to business in a wheelchair etc.

What’s needed I think is a big news item to do with disability over the next 24 hours, that way I might get my chance to shine. In saying that though I will also have my say regarding the other issues being discussed too after all what’s the point going if you don’t take part?? I’m dragging along my Little Sis too so she can have her say as well as maybe push me around a bit in the chair that is!! She’s quite political too so will no doubt enjoy the whole thing as much as I will.

So people look out for Jonny5 “Super Star” on Question Time on BBC 1 Thursday 22.35 (10.35pm for the thickies like me). You won’t be able to miss me. I will be the bald bloke in a wheelchair sat in the front next to a stunning blonde. My sister will probably be near there too Ha Ha Ha!! Sorry Sis!!!

See Ya!!

It’s all in the mind!!

I can’t help but notice that I seem to have a bit of a spring in my step of late. Well that sort of feeling if you understand me. I think it is down to no end of different things that have all seemed to fall into place, more of their own doing rather than any intervention on my part.

I seem to be a lot more positive than I have been in quite some time, but in a number of ways there’s no reason why I should be that way. I mean, my chest has not suddenly cleared up and I can actually breathe properly, and my skin has not overnight turned me into Mr Bendy, although Merlin did say the other day that he thought the GVHD was diminishing and maybe even burning itself out, although the jury is out on that one as I am not totally convinced. My heart has not started pumping my blood around at warp speed, need I go on? I think you get the picture. It’s predominantly I think a mental attitude reaction brought on by a number of recent events. They would be things like “The Train Journey” obviously, the lack of visits to Heath Towers which would indicate that all is well and they don’t want to see me, the weather has been pretty good of late too, with lots of sunshine. Don’t you find that waking up in the morning with the sun flooding in through the window, filling the room with its invisible “Happy Rays” makes you glad to be alive? I know I do. Then there is the matter of the Local Council agreeing to give us some Home Support at last which will make such a difference and the fact it will be free is a great bonus. My appetite is rampant again and I’m cooking like there’s no tomorrow especially the House Special, Bacon Sarnie’s, and I think all the talk in certain quarters, who shall remain nameless, of the delights to be found in devouring one is merely making me want even more. There’s also the fact that I have over the last couple of days started to get out and about on my scooter, just around the immediate area and to the shops and so on. I have however come across some major obstacles that are stopping my from going much further, well in fact some quite literally stop me getting further than about 100 yards from my door without breaking the law and driving on the road, but I will save that thought for another time.

So you will see that yes, I do have a lot to be happy about and I do strongly believe that it does make a difference if you can think positively. It proves to me that the mind really is a powerful tool that you can use to your advantage when you need to and it pays to smile and be happy and positive.

So I ask you all to do just one thing to brighten up your day every day. You can start right now in fact, when you’ve finished reading this Blog, SMILE like you’ve never smiled before, I promise I won’t look honest!!

See Ya!!

My Day Out!!

The First Obstacle A Rather Steep Ramp To The Platform.
A Bit Slow But No Problems.

Llantwit Major Station. 1ST Stop On My Adventure.

No Turning Back Now.

The Man Who Can.


If You Look Closely You Can See My Legs Trembling.


My Favourite Shopping Haven.

See I Did Get There.

George Thomas Hospice's New Home. Isn't It Nice!!

You Know You've Made It When They Name A Railway Carriage After You!!

There you go then. I hope you enjoy them as much as i did when taking them.

See Ya!!

Well I did it!!

I was up bright and early yesterday morning to set off on my adventure off into uncharted territory, well Cardiff anyway!! As I was saying the other day I was a little apprehensive to say the least having not used the train for what must be about 15 years or so as an able bodied person let alone in a wheelchair/scooter. I arrived on the deserted platform 10 mins or so before the train was due and found just one other person waiting. Well they must have all been waiting in their cars or something as about 2 mins before the train was due you couldn’t see the platform it was so full. A really nice man came up and started chatting to me asking if I had been on with the scooter before and after telling him no he said “don’t worry son, it’s really easy. When the train arrives I’ll go tell the driver and he will come out with a ramp and you can get on and park it up in your own special area in the carriage”. What a nice man I thought. Well he kept his word because no sooner had the train arrived but the ticket collector was standing there ramp in hand. He put it down and on I went. All the other passengers moved to make room for me to get the scooter in position, or maybe they had just seen my driving before, ha ha. After asking where I was getting off he went and rang Central Station to get them to have the ramp to hand when we arrive. Off he went and left me busy nattering away to a few people around me who were all nice and chatty considering it was an ungodly hour of the morning for me as I’m usually still asleep now. When he came back to sort out a ticket for me he was having a right time of it getting the right discount which incidentally is a whopping 50% off if you remain seated in your wheelchair etc. He found it eventually after lots of playing around just in time to arrive in Cardiff. As planned the man with the ramp was there ready for me. After helping me off he showed me where the lift was to get downstairs and I was off into town to met up with sis and a bit of retail therapy and of course a bite to eat in the shape of a bacon buttie obviously. For research purposes you understand. Bearing in mind up till now I have had the best treatment possible by all the staff at Arriva trains, but it sort of stopped when we went into Maddisons in St David’s Centre Cardiff sadly. Oh, they were great at taking your money, well actually my little sis’s money, but when the Bacon and Mushroom Sarnie’s turned up it was not a pretty sight at all. Between us we had no more than one small mushroom, that’s 2 slices each, and 1 ½ rashers of Bacon. Well if that wasn’t bad enough it was absolutely stone cold. Well after complaining I sent mine back demanding at least a warm one. Well it duly arrived a few minutes later 2 nice big rashers of Bacon and Heaps and Heaps of Mushrooms and it was nice and hot, much to my sister’s annoyance as she had gone ahead and ate her’s ha ha!!! At least the coffee was nice I guess. I tell you what I found driving around on the scooter in Cardiff is the state of the pavements are horrific and downright dangerous in places. Every crossing they have put the obligatory ramps but there is still a step of around 2 inches to get up or down making it very difficult to negotiate. The other thing which in some ways is a bit more serious and that’s the number of shops etc that are absolutely not accessible by wheelchair at all due to steps etc. How are they getting away with it still since the introduction of the revamped Disability Regulations?? It’s disgraceful and I have told the local council amongst others today of exactly that fact today. If Mr Smith is anything to go by though I won’t get any replies.

Okay it was back on the train now to continue on my way to Coryton to George Thomas Hospice for my Relaxation Session. Yet again this went as smooth as clockwork. Ramps ready staff really helpful etc etc the only thing missing was physically having the Red Carpet to drive on but I sure as hell had the service. I had a bit of a nightmare when getting out of the Station at Coryton because of the state of the old paving etc but that was not within the realms of Arriva Trains and was soon overcome. I arrived just a little early for my session but was going to have a cuppa while I waited. Well I’ll be buggered!! The session had been cancelled HA HA HA!!! After all that I stumbled at the last hurdle. They had attempted to ring the day before apparently to let me know but I had changed my phone the other day so they had the wrong number. So back to the station to start off on my way back home after ringing Judith to let her know the good news that I will need picking up a bit earlier. The return trip was actually even better, if that’s possible. I guess it felt a bit better just because of the fact of staying in the station in Cardiff for the connection to get me back home to Llantwit Major. The last ticket collector actually sat down and had a natter pretty much most of the way back as the train was quiet. Another very very nice man!!!

So back at home and in 2 minds as to how to feel the day went really. On the one hand the service from Arriva Trains and meeting up with my little Sis and the eventual hot Bacon Sarnie was all great but the overall state of trying to negotiate my way around the obstacle course that is Cardiff Town Centre was to say the least a huge let down. After the fact that they are seen to be a very progressive, forward thinking council this was completely unacceptable. I think though it was a great adventure all in and I know that it won’t be another 15 years before I use the train again, in fact I was thinking on the journey back of all the places I could go even locally and at 50% discount would probably work out cheaper than putting fuel in my Gas Guzzler and also safer if I was to use Tesco’s or Morrison’s filling stations.

I will try in a while to post a few piccy’s of the journey, but I need a bit of a rest at the moment and you probably do too after reading this mammoth post yet again!!!

See Ya!!

p.s “Arrive In Style, Arrive By Train” my new motto.

Helpful Chappie!!

Remember I was saying that I had recently written to my really helpful Local MP, well I have posted a copy of it here for you to read if you like. You will notice that my usual blend of subtleness flows throughout the message.

===================

Dear Mr. Smith,

I have Emailed you now on 2 occasions, they being 10/01/2007 and 15/02/2007 regarding a problem i am facing in regards to a Disabled Facility Grant application with the Vale Of Glamorgan Council. I enclose a copy of this letter at the end of this Email.

I am quite disgusted and annoyed that although you are supposedly my Local MP you have not even so much as acknowledged receipt of these Emails let alone actually done anything in relation to looking into this matter. I find it hard to not think that if it was a matter to do with, say, the RAF Base across the road from here you would be all too willing to fulfil your obligations as my MP to look into this matter for me. Seeing you over the recent weeks and months raving about the welcome new Training Academy has just added fuel to the fire sadly. In the scheme of things my problem is insignificant although to me it is very dire.

Thankfully the local Councilor Mr. John Thomas and Mrs. Jane Hutt MP are both trying to help me with this issue as you seem to not be interested.

Unfortunately i am not able, due to mobility problems, to get along to one of your Local Surgery Sessions to see you face to face so am reliant on other ways such as Email etc to contact people.

Well, as i said i will attach at the end of this message another copy of the original letter that was sent out to you back in the beginning of January just in case you are remotely interested.

Yours

John Eidmans-Ford

P.S A copy of this letter has been forwarded along with an explanation of your total incompetence to:

The South Wales Echo

The Western Mail

The Barry & District Gem (Free Paper)

The Cowbridge Gem (Free Paper)

The Daily Mirror

The Sun

The Star

The Daily Telegraph

The Guardian

The Daily Express

The Independant

The Observer

The Times

Prime Minister Mr.Tony Blair MP

Rt Hon Patricia Hewitt MP (Health Secretary)

Mr Ivan Lewis (Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Care Services)

Mr Rhodri Glyn Thomas (Chair of Health & Social Services Committee Welsh Assembly)

Mr Brian Gibbons (Health Minister Welsh Assembly

Pope Benedict XV1

Rt Rev Archbishop Of Canterbury

Mr George Bush Jnr

ANY ONE ELSE WHO IS A LOT MORE LIKELY TO RESPOND TO MY E-MAIL THAN YOURSELF!!

Oh Yes, I have also posted a copy now on my blog for anyone else that might be interested.

Yours,

John Eidmans-Ford.

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So there you go, you an see for yourself exatly what has been said, lets see whether I get a reply, YEAH Right!!!!!

See Ya!!

"Every Little Helps" And I Don't Mean Tesco's

Just a small rant I think today as to be honest not a lot has happened in the 15 hours or so since the last post.

I have a bit of good news today though. I had a visit from a Financial Assessor from the Local Council, to do with the Application I have made for help around here, not just for me but for Judith too, as she needs some respite at time too after all. The main reason for her coming was to see whether I was going to at least have to pay something towards having the service, despite one of the governments manifesto pledges was to make this service free at the point of need, as they called it. I seem to think that the devolved Scottish Parliament has actually introduced this and they are having the service paid for. Well the upshot is that according to her assessment of my income (well lack of it to be more precise) minus the odd few outgoings they take into consideration such as water, gas, electric etc we are actually entitled to help “FOR FREE”. I was gob smacked actually when she told me as I was thinking of at least having to pay something towards it. On the other hand though if you saw what we actually pay out versus what we have coming in we are left after paying all the bills etc with around £100 a month to pay for food, petrol, clothing etc, so I wouldn’t know where they would have expected me to get the money from.

So a bit of help from them for a change, which is more than I can say for my Local MP John Smith. I have been emailing him along with others for the last 2 months to see whether he can give me any help in trying to if nothing else, speed up the assessment process for the Disabled Facility Grant I have applied for as they have told me that I will not even be assessed for probably around 10 months or so and that is only the first hurdle I need to overcome as there are a number of assessments involved in the process. As for John Smith he hasn’t even had the decency to acknowledge receipt of them let alone do anything about it. all the others I have asked for help have all started the ball rolling thankfully as if it was left up to him, who as he is my LOCAL MP should be acting on my behalf, then I would still be here 3 years time. The grant is actually going to be used to build a much needed single story extension comprising of a Bedroom and Bathroom on ground floor level as I have not and will not be able in the future to get upstairs. A stair lift is unfortunately out of the question and other than this we just don’t have the room to adapt the floor plan to accommodate the extra rooms downstairs as it is. The other option I guess is to move to maybe a bungalow. Well why should I have to move from where I am happy living and besides we would want to stay in the area and the bungalows are around £50k dearer than our house and that would mean a new mortgage which I wouldn’t get anyhow due to not being able to work. So I guess you can understand the need to get this grant sorted out for all our sanity. I have written AGAIN to Mr Smith today this time, shall I say that I was pretty up front and pulled no punches in what I felt about his lack of support and help in this matter and wait eagerly for his reply although I have the impression that I will not receive one, what do you think??

Okay I better get my beauty sleep as I want to look my best for Merlin tomorrow don’t I?

See Ya!!