The Future Happens Here and Now
So I'm please to report that my meeting yesterday morning with Charlie's case manager went well and was productive. (After my heavy duty emotional display at the last meeting with the school district, no fireworks were strictly in order). The case manager had typed up all the information about services, staff-to-student ratios, school calendar, behavioral … Read more
The Future Happens Here and Now
So I'm please to report that my meeting yesterday morning with Charlie's case manager went well and was productive. (After my heavy duty emotional display at the last meeting with the school district, no fireworks were strictly in order). The case manager had typed up all the information about services, staff-to-student ratios, school calendar, behavioral … Read more
Contentious Topics
Charlie woke up before 6am on Tuesday morning (or maybe it was more like 5.15am). He hung out on in the living room wrapped in a big yellow fleece blanket and then asked for his pants and a shirt and socks. Jim and I tried (groggily) to talk him into going back to bed; we … Read more
Fortes Fortuna Adiuvat, Fortasse
Having been told that we were to meet with the director of the big autism center on Wednesday at 10am, and wanting to get the transition process started, I cancelled my Wednesday 9am Elementary Latin class (and provided them with some extra homework to practice the imperfect tense of verbs). After Monday's class was over, … Read more
Back Into It All in New Jersey
Ngin Ngin's seven great-grandchildren—Charlie is the second youngest—were a big focus at her funeral. Five of them (the youngest is a toddler) all came up to the lectern at the funeral home and read a biography of her life. As I listened to them, I thought of what Charlie might have done had he been there: … Read more
Sunlight and Rain
After flying into San Francisco at 10.30pm on Friday night, I stayed up till 2am talking to my parents. Saturday the sun shone warm (temps in the 70s) on a beautiful day in Oakland. I want to say more about the service for Ngin Ngin. I've just a few more hours visiting my parents here in … Read more
Back to the Old Gold Mountain
Charlie has been accepted into the big autism center. We will be meeting with the director and Charlie's case manager next week. I learned about this when I checked the voice mail on my office phone as Jim was driving Charlie and me for a quick diner dinner. I was due at the Newark Airport … Read more
Home & Mom & Dad
It never rains but it pours: This was the case for us yesterday, and not only because it rained rained rained cold hard & steady for most of Thursday. It's been a period of much too much with the imminent change in Charlie's school situation sending ripples and tremors throughout us all. My, um, extreme … Read more
About My Big Little Boy
Count 'em: There are eight pairs of shoes in this photo. (Lined up by me, the better to give you the full effect of how much Charlie has grown, and how constantly, over the past two years.) The smallest pair, a 7, 7 1/2 is on the right and Charlie's current pair of shoes (size … Read more
The Big Autism Center
We toured the large out-of-district autism center yesterday at 10am. It's only about a mile from our apartment—in fact, I've mentioned it before when I was writing the autism blog at Change.org. Charlie and I used to swim at the center's pool, as our YMCA was renting the space (they aren't any more). The pool … Read more
