Kathleen Jowitt

"Very successful Artisan/Collectables MARKET on Saturday" says the Rochester City Centre Forum (apparently a joint effort of the council and the High Street traders) on their FB page.

To which I replied: "Very successful, except for those of us who are wheelchair users and find ourselves barred from the footpaths. What you can't see in that top picture is that it is the exit from the disabled car park and the pavement is blocked in both directions, as is the kerb-cut directly in front of that stall - to use the kerb cut safely a wheelchair user needs to start/finish at least as far back as the orange box visible in the picture. In fact it was significantly worse than that when I was in Rochester about 4PM on Saturday as the stall had boxes down the side that meant there wasn't even space to squeeze a narrow wheelchair like mine between the lamppost and stall, taking the unsafe approach down the side of the kerb-cut. For anyone in a wider chair or a powerchair, forget it. Remember, the space in front of the stalls is going to be occupied by customers, so there is even less space available. I ended up having to hop off the kerb, which nearly threw me out of my chair and didn't even try to use the entrance on my return, despite that being my normal route back to the car.

The steep camber of Rochester High Street makes it difficult to wheelie from road to pavement without risking tipping - I can't do it at all if I have the anti-tip protection deployed on my chair - and many people have chairs, powerchairs or scooters which are completely incapable of kerb-climbing. The reality of the choice of stalls which block the full width of the pavement is that they completely block wheelchair users from accessing the shops between them, or even safely exiting the disabled car park.

Rochester High Street is an obstacle course to wheelchair users at the best of times due to paving, camber, and cobbles, but these stalls leave it completely inaccessible. I raised the issue with the Council after their previous appearance, and was assured my concerns, particularly with respect to the kerb cut would be passed on, but this time things were even worse. To use the space in front of the disabled car park, blocking wheelchair users from exiting, really shows a careless contempt for the needs and rights of disabled people."

I had a reply within about an hour from the chair of the Forum. He did promise to do something about the kerb-cuts, but did not impress by first launching into a rant about cyclists on the pedestrianised High Street (why yes, I did know it's pedestrianised on Saturday, that's beside the point, the road doesn't help if I can't get from road to footpath) and then protesting "It's only 12 times a year," and "it's for the community". Do I not count as a member of the community?

Grrrrrrr!!!!

Me earlier.

I need coffee. Where's my coffee mug?
Oh, there it is on the floor by the sofa.
On its side, with its complete contents from last night (mocha, so nice and gooey) spread out all over the carpet next to it

Fortunately it lifted after some vigorous scrubbing with a damp towel, but if I thought I'd needed cofffee before that....

The only positive in this is it pooled next to the two external drive also sitting there, not in them,
 

As I've been seeing this from all sides:

Tattoos No. Historically I've been fairly squicked by them, and my response to a lot of them is still "What were you thinking?", but that's a quality/composition reaction nowadaysand I've seen ones that were utterly gorgeous.

Surgeries  Prior to a couple of years ago, none. Since then, had a cholesystectomy (gall bladder removal) and had an infected toe nail removed. Theoreticallly both day surgeries. but the first they kept me in overnight due to pain levels and living alone, and the second I was fine to go home minutes after surgery, but it took me four hours to convince them being a wheelchair user made not being able to stand on one foot less of an issue, not more (and I could stand on it anyway). Trying to give them up.

Broken bones Broke my wrist when I was in my teens, but made such a poor job of it they didn't even cast it. Dislocated a toe without realising it was dislocated, and took so long to notice it's still like that 40 years later. Did bony damage to all my left-side lumbar facet joints in the fall that triggered my hypermobility into high gear, but it took a bone scan with radioactive tracer to find that, which meant not until months later (of course this means there was still active damage months later, so I guess I did a number on them).

Shot a gun Air rifles, at fairs and indoors with friends who owned one (which once led to a two-way ricochet in which the dart I'd fired at the dartboard in front of me skittered along the top of the frame of my glasses - not down the leg, across my forehead). OTOH, every time someone in a Tornado fires the guns or drops a bomb, they're using bits of my code. Possibly, in fact probably, Storm Shadow and Brimstone missiles too, but I'm not 100% certain on those, where I am on the guns and  the bombs.

Quit a job No. In fact only ever had the one job. Spent 4 years trying to avoid being forced out of my job for being disabled, yes.

Flown on a plane My first flight wasn't until 2001 (when I was 38), but that was in a glider, so I got stick time the first time I ever flew., Have now flown to various European destinations, plus the Canaries (technically more African than European)

100+miles in car Every time we went on holiday as kids (Torquay most often, but also Wales and Scotland). Up to my parents from here is 300 miles, but I've only done that as a passenger. The couple of times I've driven more than 100 miles myself I've pretty much fallen out of the car at the other endm so I avoid it. Longest trip in motor transport, a 28 hour bus journey from North East England to Venice.

Gone zip lining Probably in fairly trivial format when I was in the Scouts. Not in the extreme sports style. OTOH I have done white water rafting in glacial water, though I wimped out of the parascending off the top of the Hahnenkamm that was the other half of that trip.

Watched someone give birth No

Watched someone dying No

Ridden in an ambulance Yes, had to dial 999 when I came down with acute pancreatitis. Don't think I warranted the blue light.

Travel
Been to Canada:

... to Europe:

... to Washington D.C:

... to Florida:

... to Colorado:

... to Mexico: .

... to Las Vegas:

.Been to France: Yes, one trip to Paris and a few cross-channel day trips.

... to America: No

... to London: 40 minute train trip. I usually pass through at least three times a year, I used to go in regularly for shopping trips until mobility became an issue.

... to Blackpool: A few times, oddly never got there when at university in Lancaster, which isn't that far away.

... to Scotland: Once as a kid, and to Intersection, Worldcon 9?

... to Spain .Mainland no, Canaries three times (for sailing school).

Sang karaoke A few times. The less said the better.

Had a pet growing up: Only goldfish won at fairs. Actually managed to keep one alive for quite a while..

Been downhill skiing No. Nowadays it would have to be a sit-ski (which I would quite like to try, if my body actually did cold anymore), and my hips were already too far gone for standard downhill by mid 20s. Plus acrophobic.

Gone snowboarding With my balance?

Ability to read music Technically taught how, but it didn't take.Never able to envisage the sound. And never a musician.

Ridden a motorcycle Legally not allowed too. The standard UK car license includes a provisional motorbike license, mine doesn't. The conversation with the examiner post car-test went:
"So, do you think you could hold a motorcycle up if you were stopped at a junction?" 
"No" 
"Okay, no motorbikes for you".

Ridden a horse Seaside donkey on Blackpool beach. I was small enough you can't really see my face in the pics because of how far down the riding helmet had slipped. Would like to try it sometime for writing research purposes (one of my friends with the same disability is a dressage rider, so it's possible)

Stayed in a hospital 8 days with acute pancreatitis, having fluids pumped in at one end and out at the other.

Driven a stick shift Standard in the UK. But after failing my umpteenth driving test, my instructor said "I think you should try automatic". He was right, the clutch pedal was one thing too many for dyspraxic me to handle, take it away and my control of the car got much better.

Ride in Police Car No. Don't think I've even talked to an on-duty police officer more than once or twice..

Driven a Boat Canoes, a canal boat, a whiter water raft, various yachts. Did actually apply to joint the Universities Royal Naval Unit, but had to withdraw due to scheduling issues with my degree. A friend once rowed at the Olympics (British Women's 8, Moscow).

Eaten Escargot Not that I can recall. Lots of shelled seafood though.

Seen a UFO If it flies, I can usually identify it. I have exchanged forum messages with someone responsible for one of the more noteworthy black aircraft sightings.https://www.secretprojects.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,2868.0.html He's now an aviation writer/publisher. I did once see one of the 'doughnuts on a rope' contrails supposedly associated with Aurora, but as I was in my back garden and the contrail was clearly headed for Heathrow, probably not Aurora.

Been on a Cruise Flotilla'd* around bits of Greece a time or three. * ie in a yacht, with other yachts.

Run out of Petrol No

Eat Sushi Only had it from a Marks and Spencers taster pack that I can remember, would willingly eat it again.

Seen a Ghost No.