Independence

All posts tagged Independence

Problem Solving

Published November 10, 2025 by helentastic67

Problem Solving

I’ve been trying to solve a problem in my new home since moving in last November. It’s such a mess.

There are so many moving parts and potential solutions but more people to ask permission from before implementing solutions to the problem. So, the work around feels like a real fuck around.

Sometimes, I wish a clairvoyant or divine entity would just point you in a direction and narrow the field for you.

Here’s a real estate example which has been the perfect example whenever I’ve been on the hunt for a new home. I gave this example to a friend earlier:

If you wanted to only live in Ivanhoe and you had a set budget, and you wanted a certain number of bedrooms, bathrooms, car spaces, etc, etc. And if you couldn’t budge on any of those parameters. Maybe money wasn’t a limiting factor and you absolutely had to live in Ivanhoe; you would spend what you needed to spend. 

If budget was important you would start to compromise on different things depending on what you could live with. Maybe less bedrooms, or whatever, but eventually you didn’t even live in Ivanhoe.

Maybe a clairvoyant could point you in the right direction and suggest Ivanhoe. Yes! But start looking for something a little smaller, or …..xyz. Then you wouldn’t waste your time trying to find all these other solutions.

Just an FYI, I didn’t have Ivanhoe money so I’m just giving that as an example. People that live in Ivanhoe have Ivanhoe money. You can’t hate them. You just appreciate them.

This is one of the major things on my list I’ve been chipping away at and made all the worse by a “friend?” suggesting I needed to get on my issues, like I was being lazy? Who needs enemies when you have friends like this? 

So, the problem? I feel a part two coming on 

I’ve had my mobility scooter AKA Hellonwheels for the last 15+ years and every time I’ve moved, I’ve had varying degrees of storage and weather proofing, security, etc in storing my Hellonwheels.   

Some places I’ve lived at were easier than others for scooter storage alone. One house I rented didn’t have room to put my shed up for the scooter, so I ended up putting a BBQ cover over the scooter in the backyard close to a power supply and using locker straps around the cover to secure the cover and waterproof my scooter. It was a fuck around solution. 

At my last rented home, an apartment, my car space didn’t have power so I was able to swap with a neighbour so I could erect my shed, park my scooter inside and charge it. I also stored my gardening supplies, and at one point my oversupply of pasta and tinned tomatoes, and my panettone.

I am such a Nonna!

My landlord queried what I was storing in my shed and I suggest Owner Corp and landlords do not have a sense of humour. Don’t say what I did? I responded to their original query that I wasn’t cooking meth or anything. My shed wasn’t big enough for that and I ended up using the lights on the front of my scooter to illuminate the inside of the shed to show them the contents. Seriously!

And while I was living there, I could go in and out of the only entrance to the garage on my scooter, I could go straight into my shed or go up on my scooter in the lift without causing damage. Parking near my apartment door and transferring items gathered into my apartment one item at a time before returning my scooter down to the shed to store and recharge. When I had more to take up and less time, I’d unpack items into a market trolley I stored in my shed and take that up. 

Every pedestrian entrance to that complex had zero access for a scooter, and therefore no access for a wheelchair, except the B1 level or the carpark, just to give you a bigger picture.

Good thing I only have used my scooter for solo shopping missions locally as well as prompt local appointments where I get to maintain a level of independence. 

So, when I moved to my forever home, the real estate agent showed me the apartment. My car space, the lift, the direction of the closest power supply to my car space and basically gave advice on both my disability and access to things he had no working knowledge on and directed everything to be sorted by the owner Corp when the time came.

I don’t know if anyone else has had to deal with an owner Corp, or had to solve problems of access for someone with a disability? And under the NDIS I have people for that right?

I prompted my support co-ordinator if she could get on that and sort things so when I moved, I wouldn’t lose my independence around needing my mobility scooter. After multiple prompts I was provided with a company name and the comment that they were expensive.

You might imagine the title of that person, being a Support Co-ordinator would mean they um, Support and Coordinate? 

But it often means THEY DO NEITHER OF THOSE TWO THINGS!

So…

Thursdays

Published November 22, 2021 by helentastic67

Thursdays

Thursdays is a rather quiet day ideally for me at home. I usually run around like a bare assed rabbit Monday – Wednesday. Friday is another long day of hunter-gathering and it’s the day my apartment gets its once over with a vacuum and mop. I try to do my admin but even if it’s 40 degrees in the shade, I might venture out on hellonwheels to do some of the things to get ahead of the demands on my one shopping/food prep shift each week.

It’s a great feeling of independence, power and achievement to get out and get things done.

Yesterday I got to the post office. Tick! Tick! Tick! Got to the Pet Shop. Tick! Tick! Tick! Chemist Tick! And the eco-green shop. Tick! Then home.

One of my regulars questioned why I was not there on the Friday?

The woman at the Greek deli gave me good advice. I had explained I was trying to get ahead of the following day and she said “Never worry about tomorrow. It’s going to happen anyway”

Smart Arse

Published February 5, 2018 by helentastic67

Smart arse

Smart Arse

People who have known me over the past 10+ years, they have commented on my sharp wit and that I’ve got the quickest wit of anyone she knows.

Sharp wit

Hello! Compliment. Right here…

There are people who treat me like I’m an idiot because I have a brain injury. There are many ways people comment on my disability. One particular consistent ‘opening’ is – “You look like you’ve been through the wars!” Which I received most recently today. I was a little wet from having to walk a short distance in the rain. So everything else is my base-line already and I didn’t feel the need to comment.

Through the wars

First time ever I came up with the best response, but not on the spot.

So, here’s how I will respond to that line in the future.

“Not a war, a battle! I won!

I won

Yeah! This is what winning looks like and then imagine what loosing would have looked like.”

I generally follow comments like this with a sharp look and a smile. So they know I do mean it, but that I’ve also accepted it.

Smile

Another older lady sat in the waiting room to wait for her taxi. She also had a walking stick, now she commented to me; “That’s the thing with stroke, it takes your independence!” I’m sure I’ve encountered this woman before, her name is also Helen.

Independence

I respond swiftly with ‘Ah, but it doesn’t take our sense of humour.’

I think I even put a little Scottish brogue on it in the tone of “But they will never take our freedom.”

Sense of Humour