'Fortune Smiled Favourably Upon Me.'

Diane Mulligan - Speaker at RADAR's Glasgow Developement Day.

Liz Sayce Chief Executive of RADAR

www.radar.org.uk/ the UK's leading

pan disability organisation.

This afternoon, I attended my son's six monthly, Social Services review. In addition to myself, my son, both his foster parents and his class teacher, the usual Local Authority representatives were present, and I met my son's new Social Worker for the first time. Sadly, whilst welcoming her, I also said goodbye to my son's foster parents link worker, who I understand provided much needed support, supervision and advice for my son's foster parents. She will be a hard act to follow. Fortunately the reviewing officer, who has been involved in my son's case for quite some time, will remain. In fact she was warned, by my son's foster parents and myself, not to leave.

As has been the pattern for some time now, the review went well. During today's discussions, my son expressed his contentment, my son's school teacher expressed her satisfaction with my son's progress, My son's foster parents mentioned their happiness with my son and I praised my son's foster parents for their progressive, consistent, holistic and constructive approach to my son's wellbeing.

Tomorrow, I will be spending the day in Maidstone, Kent, participating in some media training with Rethink www.rethink.org/ who's work involves working together to help everyone affected by severe mental illness, including schizophrenia, to recover a better quality of life.

Just for today, I will spend this evening watching the 'For the Bible tells me so' documentary.

'For The Bible Tells Me So'

I am now, after a thrilling eighteen hours of sheer pleasure in Glasgow, well ensconed in London.

I am overjoyed to have the d.v.d 'For the Bible tells me so' a film by Daniel Karslake, which features amongst others, Bishop Gene Robinson, and is a winner of 9 awards.

'For the Bible tells me so' is publicised thus:

"Does God really condem loving homosexual relationships? Is the chasm separating Christianity from gays and lesbians too wide to cross? Is the Bible an excuse to hate? These questions and more are answered in this award winning documentary, which brilliantly reconciles homosexuality and Biblical scripture - and reveals that religious anti-gay bias is based almost solely upon misinterpretation of the Bible.

Through the experiences of five very normal, Christian, American families - including those of former House Majority Leader Richard Gephardt and Episcopal Bishop Gene Robinson - we discover how people of faith handle the realization of having a gay child or family member.

Offering healing, clarity and understanding to anyone caught in the crosshairs of scripture and sexual identity, this landmark film 'boldly takes on a loaded topic and examines it both intellectually and emotionally: the result may well leave you blinking away a few tears' (Seattle Times)"

I can hardly wait to see this documentary.

By the way, I am also delighted that Rev Sharon Ferguson MA Chief Executive of The LGCM (Lesbian and Gay Christian Movement) www.lgcm.org.uk has confirmed that I can volunteer as an Usher for the LGCM Carol Service at St Botolph's Church at 6pm on Sunday 14th December 2008.

Glasgow.

I arrived in Glasgow Central, minutes ago. This is my first trip to Glasgow. Second time in Scotland - the country of my mother's paternal grandfather's birth.

Since my arrival, I have momentarily pondered what David Stewart - My mother's father, would have thought of his father's country.

On the punctual and efficient Scotrail train, I thought about my grandfather and his life with his younger brother Arthur and older sister Sarah, growing up with his mother and father in Jamaica. David Stewart, a landowner, was baptised in the faith of the Seventh Day Adventist and spent some time employed in the Police force in Jamaica, dedicating himself to being a farmer. He like me, was a first generation child, born in the country of our parents' travels.

Easy Does It.

For the past two days, I have not exactly been 'duvet diving' but, I have been nurturing myself with some much needed rest.

Whilst I am not 'whinging', I acknowledge that at present, I do have a common cold. So I am employing the 'easy does it' strategy.

Earlier today, when collecting my anti-psychotic 'Stella' medication, I met Wendy Douglas for the first time. Wendy started working with the team yesterday and has taken on Grace's clients while Grace is on her ASW course.

I observed a one minute silence, whilst on a bus, this Armistice Day.

On my return home, I found that I had received a 'Mother Goose' flyer for a Hackney Empire www.hackneyempire.co.uk pantomine. Last year my son and I went to see the excellent 'Dick Whittington' at Hackney Empire, plus the sensational 'Cinderella' at the Old Vic www.oldvictheatre.com/

One administrative action that I will take before leaving for Glasgow, will be to post my sign of support for the 2008 Women and the vote. This is the anniversaries of women winning the right to vote and to stand for elections. Although in 90 years we have only had 291 women elected to the House of Commons out of 4654 MPs altogether.

www.womenandthevote.com

My little 'Lewis Hamilton'

www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lewis_Hamilton

This image of my son was taken one year ago. I use this image of him as a screensaver.

I am on day two of my three weeks of my annual leave. Later this morning I will be collect my anti-psychotic 'Stella' medication.

This evening I will be travelling to Glasgow, to attend the RADAR Developement Day workshop.

Mayor Of London

www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boris_Johnson

I am delighted that the www.wiki.pinkpaper.com Pink Paper www.en.wikipedia.org/Pink_Paper has published news that Boris Johnson, Mayor of London, has been instrumental in securing a 2012 International Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual event for London.

www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ken_Livingstone

In A Direct Line From The Suffragettes

www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suffragette

The last time that I saw my son, he seemed pensive. On investigating this further he verbalised his sadness regarding our Queen www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elizabeth_II_of_the_United_Kingdom by saying that "I am very sad because the Queen is quite old, and is going to die soon. I don't want that to happen. I have started to collect coins, notes and everything that I can get with her face on because, when she dies there will only be men on the coins"

Whilst I would also be deeply saddened, I believe that the occasion is not for some considerable time to come. With regards to my son, some time ago, I gave his foster mother and father, a selection of books, one of which was a childrens book purchased from the 'Quaker Bookshop' in Euston Road, when he was much younger, and deals appropriately with the theme of death. So in his review later this week, I will ask them to read it with my son. This Xmas, I will also present my son with the animation film 'Charlotte's Web' based on the Children's Classic by E.B. White.