2018
January
Our first outing with Stephen started with the park, then I'm not sure if we tried the flea market or the mall first, but they were both awesome experience's.
Raynham Flea Market
Though the first flea market visit started out rough, Beth was in the bathroom for over 30 minutes helping clean Stephen's read-end, staff were checking him after bowl movements and he was very uncomfortable. When you talk about about going above and beyond for someone, Beth did everything possible for her son and I noticed it all the time.
After she cleaned him up, he was the happiest kid in the building, he was looking anywhere and everywhere. I purposely walked 15-20 feet away from them both, I wanted him to feel comfortable and free to explore whatever he found interesting, I didn't want to be all in his face and I wasn't concerned about any issues, even though I knew Beth was nervous, and I really wanted
On our way out of the building, Stephen grabbed the door frame and indicated that he wasn't ready to leave. Personally this moment filled me with so much joy and pride, I was so excited to see Stephen trying to communicate that he wanted something. So Beth and I encouraged him to search out whatever it was that he was focused on, and he found his way back to a candy table that he had been eying. Both Beth and Stephen looked like they just had the greatest time in the world and all we did was walk around and buy candy. I'm pretty sure I bought a GI Joe figure that day as well. lol I can't help it, I've loved toys all my life and have wanted to collect for longer than I can remember, I also tried to get Stephen interested in stuff too.
The Mall
I think I had more fun walking around the mall than Stephen, he may have appreciated it more, but I allowed my excitement to flow freely and I was all over the place looking at and touching whatever my heart desired. I tried to let Stephen know that it was okay to touch things and explore as well. I talked to him all the time, I never left him out of the conversation.
They had a model and candy store, I love that Stephen would take extra time exploring this store. I would encourage Beth to walk away from Stephen, just to see how curious he was and how comfortable he felt exploring, especially while I was around. I was curious if Stephen saw me as an authority figure that he had to obey or as guide that was willing to help him navigate the world around him. Beth and I tried as hard as we could to get Stephen to express him owe ideas and allow him freedom of choice.
I don't know how great of a job I did, but he always acted happy, yeah sure, maybe he pretended to be nice to shut me up. lol I'll never know for sure, but I can pretend the smiles were because he was happy was I came around.
We even used the massage chairs there a couple times, though I have issues sitting still, so it wasn't something we did often.
Bumblebee
I'm pretty sure it was January, Beth and I took Stephen to go see Bumblebee, the Transformers movie and this was the first movie that he had been to since he was a child and I was so happy to share something that I loved with him. We even bought him a Bumblebee figure, along with Scooby doo figures and a van for Christmas. lol I was clearly trying to get him interested in the same things I love.
Beth was so happy that they we were getting Stephen out to do normal human things, like the Mall and park, she loved that I was encouraging him to do more, because Crystal Springs was refusing to do anything that they had agreed to do.
We had IEP meetings or ISP and they would lie to us, they said that they were going to make home visits happen and they said they were going to take him to the mall and go to parks.
Rich Mancini shook my hand and lied to my face about home visits.
All they did was take Stephen to Dunkin Donuts a couple times right up the road and raced right back to the facility. They had swings and slides at the facility and they hardly ever took him out, he was there for two years (I believe) and they went outside maybe 10 or 15 times.
January 26th
Beth had these plastic mulch containers and we put them over by the brook and then we started putting food on them and we left a trail-cam and there were a whole bunch of pictures of that We got pictures of dogs and cats eating the food and there was a possum hissing at a raccoon that looked like it couldn't care less.
3-9 DR Adler -right wrist cyst removal
Saturday April 21st at the Westfield Wildwater Canoe races I raced with my brother we came in second and a bunch of his friends raced as well again
I always laugh when I read these brief notes. I had surgery in March and my body still felt like garbage, but I still entered the canoe race, I still gave it my all and we even got second place, but for what?
I have always felt like I've had to prove myself or I needed to be the best at some
thing, plus I didn't feel disabled mentally and I still love community events.
April
Garden Arbor
On May 23rd
I built a little archway for the garden (in the picture below). this event started a fight with Sue, she thought she should be included in everything, even though I had asked my father about building it.
Beth loved composting and gardening. She'd like to take care of all the flowers outside of our porch and we did some gardening until Sue complained about the Arbor,
Sue came over to yell, but I turned it back on her, I also had Beth record the incident, I didn't want anyone claiming I said something I didn't.
Then Sue stopped talking to my nephew, she wouldn't say hi to him when I brought him over and it really bothered me, I thought that even if she had an issue with me, that doesn't give her the right to ignore my nephew. But I honestly think she was jealous of the attention Dom got. lol
which led to me trying to talk to my dad about Sue's behavior. lol big mistake.
I asked him to talk out buy the firepit and as soon as I spoke, my dad got pissed and started pointing his finger in my face and I felt like he was trying to ignore the issue again and put the blame all on me. lol
and then we just stopped going outside as much because Sue was annoying as hell
My divorce with Laura was finalized August 20th, I feel like that date has some kind of meaning to me, maybe I was married on that day my first marriage I want to look that up.
I felt like an idiot at our divorce hearing, I know I probably should have said something, but I didn't.
We had our hearing and then i just left without saying anything. It's not like
8-31 Dr Adler hand or elbow?
September
September we took Stephan to the- Christopher Robin movie, I thought it was awesome. This movie really got my imagination going, it's one of those moments in time where I realize I still think like a kid and I'm still a dreamer.
I surround myself with things from my childhood, I love revisiting my old stomping grounds and seeing how they've changed.
The idea of an old friend, that people thought was imaginary, coming back into my life, and then helping save my relationship with my family and help us see us see each other for who we truly are, really struck home.
Beth bragged for months about how happy Stephen seemed at this movie, and how he expressed his own opinion. This theater had food, so we got meals for the movie. He picked chicken tenders and I got a burger.
September 5-Took drone to Wallamannumps Falls with Dom.
September 22 Freetown State forest with Beth and her son, took drone to rock quarry and looked for frogs. we went for a hike up the road.
It's hard to speak for other people. I always say Stephen appeared to have a good time, since I don't actually know how he feels. but I get the idea he was really happy to be around us this day, but I think he found the drone annoying and didn't appear interested in it the way I was.
This was one of those times where I wondered if I was over-stimulating him, along with the sound of the blades, were things i would want to document.
October
Richard Lynds sent me a weird Facebook Message about same sex marriage, lol I ignored it and didn't hear back from him for another year.
He's Tammy's father, the girl who was found on Fox Rd.
https://hellsacres.blogspot.com/2012/06/18-year-old-fox-road-murder-mystery.html
November
November 21st I found this cool intact Coke bottle in the woods behind my dad's house. It had some moss growing in it. I thought this was the coolest little eco systema and kept this alive for years.
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