A Bite of the Big Apple? Maybe Soon...

I have always wanted to take my family to New York City. I think Ashley would love the lights and action of Times Square, and I would love the shopping! But knowing that I have two people in wheelchairs has kept me from attempting that trip. I worry about the normal accessibility issues like wheeling through large crowds of people or navigating store displays which seemed designed to prohibit wheelchair travel. But, since driving our car in the city would probably be lunacy, we would be at the mercy of taxis, and the majority of the taxis in New York cannot accomodate wheelchair users.

But that is about to change. City officials announced a legal settlement Friday mandating that at least half the city's taxi fleet be wheelchair-accessible by 2020. The details still need to be worked out, and of course there is the question of who is going to pay for the new taxis, some of which can be upwards of $15,000 a vehicle.

Right now, 231 of the city's 13,237 yellow cabs can accommodate wheelchairs. Transit buses are accessible but not always available. The city's costly paratransit system, Access-A-Ride, requires advance reservations and can turn short trips into marathons.

The agreement requires the Taxi and Limousine Commission to propose rules that would phase in the new, accessible cabs by attrition. No cars on the road would be required to undergo upgrades, but half of all new vehicles brought into service would be required to accommodate wheelchairs. The average city cab has a lifespan of three to five years.

And I am sure that passengers are going to see higher fares, a rationale for having to make the changes. Will it be worth increased fares to the wheelchair users who can finally move around the city? I know for my family it would be. So maybe by the time I retire in 5-6 years, that trip to New York City just might become a reality!

I Got Nothing

We had quite a laid back weekend. Saturday, we went to see the movie, Frozen (excellent family movie), and Sunday we watched frozen outside our windows.

Sunday was a day of rain/sleet/snow/freezing rain - kind of like Mother Nature was shopping for shoes and just couldn't make up her mind. The weather forecasters had been telling us for a week that a weather event was approaching. And because Chip very graciously got our normal weekend errands done in the middle of week, we were able to stay indoors and enjoy watching the precipitation fall.

It was a pajamas all day sort of day, with movie watching and snuggling on the couch. I turned off my brain, and have decided to not turn it back on until Monday morning at work. So as this blog post title says, I got nothing....

All I Want for Christmas!

YEA, it's December and I get to share one of my favorite Christmas songs with you again this year! There are many, many versions of this on YouTube, but this is my favorite. The man in the video seems rather sedate at first, but as he sings and signs, he gets more and more animated! Enjoy!

Body Diversity

I was having a really rotten day at the office. Too much work, not enough time, too many top priorities... But on my (very short) lunch break, I found this video. Now I am smiling...



Pro Infirmis, an organization for the disabled, created a series of mannequins based on real people with physical disabilities. The beautiful process was documented in a video (watch it above), capturing the joy of the models seeing their own unique figures recreated for the first time. But the best part of it all is that the mannequins were actually placed in store windows, filling the shopfronts on Zurich's main downtown street, Bahnhofstrasse, in honor of International Day of Persons with Disabilities today.

Now tell me you aren't smiling also.

Special Exposure Wednesday

Someone seems very proud of his muscles!

Gifting With Memories

I love everything about Christmas except one thing - the struggle to find appropriate gifts for Ashley. One of her favorite things in the world are Lego blocks. So, there's that. In the past, I struggled with buying her non-age-appropriate, but developmentally appropriate toys, but I moved past that. Unfortunately, so has Ashley. Even the loud, obnoxious light-up toys don't hold her attention very long. The girl has more than enough clothes, and shoes, oh vey, the shoes...She has 15 pairs of Converse hi-tops in every color and pattern under the rainbow. So, I knew I had to come up with something new and exciting this year.

As I thought about what things make Ashley the happiest, I realized that it's new experiences. She loves trying new things, going new places, meeting new people. I just need to remember that when I am in search of gifts, and realize that the best gift for her is based on experiences not things.

If you are in the same boat as I, here is a list of experience gifts I have come up with. Some are free, some are inexpensive, and some are not. I would love to have you add to the list!

• Rent a convertible and tour the countryside. Ashley loves the wind on her face and the sun on her shoulders. I looked into the cost of this and in my area, I can rent a lovely convertible for about $175 a day.
• Stay a night in a cabin in a state park. Most are very cheap, especially in the winter. Look for one with a huge fireplace, then sit in front of it all day and read books, snack, and nap. Sounds like heaven to me and should cost in the neighborhood of $75.
• Go to a museaum or aquarium that you've never been to before. The best ones would have some interactive displays. A zoo is also a good idea, even in the winter. You just have to bundle up a bit, and several of the zoos and museums not far from us offer free admission to anyone using a wheelchair as well as for a companion. Average cost - $20.
• Go to a movie, or multiple movies, at a Regal theatre. They also offer free admission for a companion to a person with a disability. Sneak in some treats in your purse if you dare! Cost of an average movie ticket during matinee times - $7.
• Go bowling. Sign up for emails from bowling alleys and you will receive some great coupons that make the bowling trip not so expensive. We usually don't spend more than $30 for four of us to bowl for as long as we want.
• If your loved one likes plants and flowers, visit an arboretum. If you can get to Washington, DC, the National Arboretum is spectacular. The scents, the colors, the glory of all things growing is just almost overwhelming. And the cost is the best thing - FREE.
• And while you are in DC, visit the Smithsonian. Again, all museums are FREE.
• Take a train ride. If you live near an Amtrak station, take a short round trip ride between two cities. Amtrak is very accommodating of people with disabilities, and fare is still reasonable. Average cost for 4 people = less than $100 for a short trip.
• Find a cupcakery in your area that offers cupcake making classes. Even if they don't offer classes, a little sweet talk will probably get the owner to arrange a visit and a decorating session. Best thing - cupcakes are usually free or very low cost.
• Tour your state capitol and your Governor's mansion. This time of year especially when things are decorated for the holidays. You might even run into the Governor or his family! Cost - FREE!
• Take a ferry ride. There are so few ferries left and going for a ride on one will be a memorable experience. You might even get to feed some seagulls (remember to take crackers). In most places ferry rides are free or very, very low cost.
• Get all dressed up and go to a really fancy restaurant, but just for dessert. So what if you child or family member is not used to such fancy places and may not follow all the 'rules'. You probably won't go back because a full meal there is ridiculously expensive. Probably cost - $40 for a family of 4.

So that's the start of my list. Just remember that experience gifts are often more appreciated for our family members with disabilities - for anyone, for that matter - because it means you are spending time together and building memories!

What would you like to add to the list?

All Nestled Snug In Their Picture Frames

Sorry I was MIA last week. Besides the hustle and bustle of the Thanksgiving holiday, Ashley had (successful) ear surgery on Monday to remove a tumor and I was sick as a dog most of the week with a sinus infection AND an ear infection. I did figure out that the best time to go to our local doc-in-the-box is a holiday. There was no one, and no wait, when I went on Thursday night. Besides checking me out and writing some prescriptions, the doctor and I had a nice chat about the holidays and our children.

This past weekend, as is our normal custom, we got the Christmas decorations from the attic and started spreading festive cheer throughout the house. Something I always display are the pictures of my kids with Santa throughout the years. Since my kids joined the family at varying times, and since they weren't all small at the same time, I don't have one picture with all 5 children in it. But, I do have pictures with groupings of children...or so I thought.

I realized when setting out the pictures that I had none, NONE, of Ronnie sitting on Santa's lap. He was 15 years old when he joined the family, and sitting on Santa's lap was probably not something he was wild to do. So, it just fell through the cracks. But, I decided this year, 18 years old or not, I was going to have a picture of Ronnie with Santa. So we went to the mall, endured the strange looks from the parents of sweet darlings making their annual visit to Santa's knee, and Ronnie had his picture taken!! Here is the result:

So now all is right in my 'pictures with Santa' world!!