Yule & 2009 Message

Goodbye 2008 Hello 2009

Well what a 2008 and for those who have followed our high and low points on my blog site ( www.sisterdm.blogspot.com ) you will know exactly what I mean!

The low point but not without it’s moments of enlightenment, support and help in coping with change, was the sudden death of my Mother (29th August). While her health has been problematic for a short while, the home nursing support, admission to hospital and her passing was so quick. I am thankful for that as I know Mum would have been very unhappy if she had to rely upon others for her daily care needs! So to cut a very long story short and moving on we now have a country home which we hope when the time comes and our health permitting will be somewhere for us to end our days!

The year started off so promising with the most memorable time in Australia, staying with Robin but travelling around to Cairns and also the Blue Mountain area. Mardi Gras was of course a highlight but could not topped being with Robin and Andy and doing the Sydney Harbour Bridge walk!

I continued to make regular trips to Austwick and after the sunshine of Oz had to cope with the Easter snows! I have to say the village looked a picture but it took half an hour to get our of the village on to the A65! While back in Kirkcaldy the salted air had kept the snow at bay and I return to the usual dull and damp of the Scottish climate! Oz being the main trip this year we have not had an opportunity for getting a sun-fix!

Reflecting and going through the pages of the diary I find it’s a mix of work, travels and generally good time so the nasty times are put into some perspective and generally we have had good health, so that’s a valuable element to our lives.

Most certainly a highlight was a trip in September to stay will Bill & Barrie and visit the Theatre Royal Newcastle to see Michael Bourne’s “Picture of Dorian Grey” it was brilliant, so booked another trip in February to see “West Side Story” which should bring back some London memories of the 1960’s for me!

In other people’s lives we shared some moments with Derek and Jaki and their lovely new addition to the family, Lucy. What a treasure she is for them and so much loved.

Sadly we said our goodbye to Anne’s partner Fiona. Nearly a year “legally” together Anne and Fi were a “great” couple in every sense of the word. Equally a former client of mine but a cousin to Derry, Dawn left us with so much admiration for someone who embraced “disabilities” and transcended any stereotype of what might be expected! Irene Kidd who worked with me at the Forward Centre recently passed away and although we had not seen each other of recent times, I have some good memories of Irene’s “coming out”!

Trauma time has been the attack on Arthur’s aunt, Doreen. Her time in hospital and now her home move and court case in the New Year! A really terrible time but with better times in 2009!

Representing Unison Scotland at ILGA Europe & World Conferences in Vienna was a real honour, although a demanding one! I learnt such a lot, especially at the World Conference which had to be changed from Toronto to Vienna – but they did us proud in Vienna – and I know some are fed up hearing about meeting the President of Austria, being wined and dined at the Austrian Parliament and City Hall – twice – then taking for a night tour of Vienna by the tourist board and given a brilliant night in the local winery! So when I mention Vienna I’ll also talk about making a difference to people’s lives world wide where prejudice and oppression really does manifest itself in the death of our brothers and sisters. Hence being honoured to play some part in making humanity better!

For me 2009 will present it’s usual crop of challenges and there will of course be a great void in my life one filled with sadness, regret but a little lighter by reflecting on the times when things were brighter. The development of the community training company “MAJAK” will be interesting to see if we can really get a community interest project off the ground and enable people to learn from the skills and experience the members of the company have; to get a balance between life in two homes; working in the project and consultancy but more especially keeping what Frank and I have together for each other will be my 2009 resolutions!

FRANK’S BIT NOW
My recent accident, falling on the icy steps at South Fergus Place and sustaining a broken rib have been a major inconvenience of late but I hope on the mend and ready for the festive holiday. Trying to give up smoking from 1st April, but as a result of the climb on Sydney Harbour Bridge, where I realised that I needed more breath than the menthol’s would allow, has been a real focus for me with a Lochgelly lads determination I’m sure I will succeed!

The project continues to encounter difficult financial times and from next year I will not be working Saturdays which will help with resources there but also allow Alec and I time to get down to Austwick as much as possible. “Highfield” is a big home and will take a lot of looking after. I feel I have already made a good start with the decorating nearly completed but I suspect Alec will have other plans, as he always does and I wish he would slow down!

THEN FINALLY
So to start 2009 we are having house guests at “Highfield” and hope for a balanced home life with a little work to keep us going! Keep an eye on the blog for more up to date wandering and life’s ups and downs,

We wish all you wish for yourself for the coming year, so from us, peace, goodwill, health and happiness to you all!

Alec & Frank

Snow that fell!

We (in Kirkcaldy) have escaped the worst of the forecasted snow but I was reflecting on last March when Austwick had a major covering and must be like that at the present! I've had a couple of calls from neighbours looking after the house for us and it does seem to be like the picture here! I'm working on a "welcome" pack for visitors when we are not about. So much to tell folk that we just get on and do!

Broken Frank & Tales of Vienna

Afraid Frank slipped on the icy stone steps of the project last Tuesday and gave in to my nagging yesterday, so we spent nearly five hours in the casualty department of the Victoria Hospital. He was not the only person who has slipped on the ice! To result is that he has a broken rib and a touch of pneumonia - which i put down to all the years of the ciggies addiction catching up on him! Off work the rest of the week and I hope back on Monday but we will wait and see how he copes with very strong medication!

So memories of better days thought you might like to see the "group" of Unison delegates from Scotland who attended ILGA Conference! Will be finishing the report this week and publishing it on here! From left to right - me - Liz - David - Lynn - Raymond & James - a formidable group of LGBT activists!

Travels and Reports

Well back from Vienna - a lot more of that in due course and Bristol! Unison business so reports need and I should say so as these conferences are not done on the cheap but neither are the decisions we help make!
So last on first:

UNISON LGBT National Delegates Conference –
Bristol 14/16th November 2008
http://www.unison.org.uk/out/
UNISON’s 2008 lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender members conference took place in Bristol last weekend. Over 250 LGBT members travelled from all over the UK to discuss how to take forward the union’s work for LGBT equality. Sadly owing to administration problem in West Campbell Street the Scottish Region LGBT Committee were prevented from having delegates at our conference, a point that was made in an Emergency Motion ruled out of order as it directly criticised Unison staff. However, a new emergency motion was submitted and although ruled to be outwith the scope of standing orders did appear in the report presented by standing orders to the conference. It was noted similar situations have occurred elsewhere in our organisation and I suspect there will be a very interesting motion presented to the 2009 conference in Cardiff!
UNISON holds an annual conference for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender members. The conference consists of the debate of formal motions, guest speakers, discussion groups and side meetings for particular groups of members, such as black LGBT members, disabled LGBT members, bi members and trans members. The conference elects delegates to other national UNISON conferences and agrees motions to the union’s key decision making bodies. We were pleased that Scottish delegates from branches were elected to important positions within Unison’s structures.The 44 motions in front of the 2008 conference covered recruiting and organising, negotiating, campaigning and international issues. Issues include coming out at work; gender reassignment and workplace stress; addressing the needs of rural LGBT people; tackling homophobia, biphobia and transphobia in education; ramping up the fight against the far right; tackling hate crime and building LGBT equality internationally. I was pleased to present motions on behalf of the Scottish LGBT Committee:

36 Unison participation in ILGA

37 Criminalisation and enforced testing of people suspected of being HIV+ in Egypt

Other Scottish motions presented were:

16*B Supporting LGBT members in the Highlands Scotland

UNISON’s LGBT conference is probably the biggest gathering of LGBT trade unionists anywhere in the world – UNISON has led the global trade union movement in placing LGBT rights firmly on the union agenda. Guests at the 2008 conference include sisters and brothers from the Philippines, Poland and our global union body Public Services International.Members were welcomed to conference by Rosie MacGregor, UNISON Convenor for the South West and addressed by UNISON President Sue Highton; with Keith Sonnet, UNISON Deputy General Secretary giving a very well informed and though provoking as well as amusing start to conference; Ceri Goddard of the British Institute of Human Rights; and Bi activist Marcus Morgan whose address caused come controversy in terms of the language used and some of the concepts expressed. Members were briefed on developments towards new equality legislation by UNISON’s Liane Venner, who is a member of the Government Equality Office Senior Stakeholder Group.

In addition workshops and discussion groups were held on

Keeping ourselves healthy – emotional and mental health for Lesbian Bi and Trans Women (women only invited to attend)

Promoting Bi Equality at Work and in the Union

Transphobia effects children too – promoting trans equality in education and other children’s services

Around the world in 90 minutes – training session on Unison’s international work and how to use the Foreign & Commonwealth Office toolkit

http://www.unison.org.uk/file/A4297%20LGBT%20Annual%20Report%202008.pdf

Socially a Civil Reception was hosted by The Rt Hon The Lord Mayor of Bristol, Councillor Christopher Davies and the South West Regional members organised a less informal soiree at the Conference hotel.

Conference decisions will be posted on the Unison UK website in due course.

Off to the bank today to arrange a morgage for our Scottish home!

In good and bad times..

So the phrase goes and as you may suspect the readers that know me, I could let domestic issues rest for long before sorting them or setting on the road to being sorted! Sunday afternoon Frank "escaped" to the bingo coming home with no win but a lingering smell of the ciggies - so I flipped. Needless to say he tried to blame everyone else for his actions instead of seeing that he had to take responsibility and it was only he who started people talking. Equally I don't think he appreciated that it is not the smoking that I really object to, although slowly killing himself, well perhaps not all that slowly, if you hear his chest wheezing and morning coughing, it's the behaviour that has gone on. He says he did not tell me that he has the occasional one because I would have gone on and on about it - he's right about that!
So we are on the mend, Frank saying he will not smoke, I'm hoping that will be right! Time like with everything will tell, but honestly I don't know how I am coping with this and everything else going on!
Marie, Karen and John coming around for a "MAJAK" company meeting - we four directors look like getting the show on the road at the turn of the New Year! Now that should have go you wondering!

Supporting & Caring

Well my latest blog seemed to have moved some folk into action and being the kind of folk I value have been in touch and offered their support! Thanks Derry was much appreciated. The good news is that Frank has a GP appointment for 13th November and I hope that will help him through his addiction.

Marie's 60th Birthday party was a bit of a casuality of the on going issues and neither of us was really in a party mood, with me being over-tired from a demanding meeting in Glasgow! However Arthur in his unique way entered into the spirit of the event as you can see! Marie gave us a couple of songs and the "family" band did their stuff - Kevin can really use that fiddle! So having a visit from the valuer to get EMS sorted and see how much the place is worth. Thanks again for the phone call and hope to see D & M in Yorkshire on their way to and from Kirkcaldy.

Conference season is here

Well it has been awhile since I took up the PC and started to think what to right after the most difficult 7 weeks ever. However getting there but its a lonely place to be and while some folk find giving easy others avoid you and pretend my bereavement is not real. It has not helped at all that Frank is back on the cigarettes, I suppose I can cope that that and avoid the smells and being a victim of passive smoking but its the deceit and lies that go with it that I find unacceptable. He must know folk have been forming a queue to let me know but my sense of smell got there first, together with hyperactivity post fix and depression prior to nicotine fix!
So I'm off to Vienna next week for the ILGA Europe and World conferences come back on 6th November and go to Austwick until 12th then busy until the winter holiday and intend to be there from 20th December until 3rd January. I hope Bill and Barrie are coming over for the New Year. Fitting in Bristol for UNISON delegates Conference 14/16th November!
Our last visit to Austwick was via Newcastle and we had a great weekend crowning moment seeing Matthew Bourne's "Picture of Dorian Grey" wonderful! Have "booked" in for "West Side Story" on February 17th! So all for now because the allotted area is full of words!