A Parent's Dream

Last year as I was listening to a very long legislative hearing for work. I heard a parent of a young man with disabilities testify to the legislature that he worked hard for his son to have a good life, living in a house with other young men and he cried as he said that he was never so happy when his son told him he was ready to go home on a weekend visit.  For parents of adults with disabilities our dream is for our children to live in a place they can call their home and that place is not their parents home.  His fear was that what he had worked with his son for so long to live in a place where he calls home may change. That parent wanted to make sure the place where his son calls home would remain the same after changes in Medicaid.  I was thinking as he was testifying, that his dream for his son is like my dream for Brandon.  I want Brandon to have a home he can live in for the rest of his life and feel like his house is his home. For the last few years I have referred to my house as "the house in Dripping Springs" and his condo as "his home", so he can start thinking about his own home and what he wants from his own home.  But Brandon still wanted to come "home" to Dripping Springs even with my not so subtle hints.

About 2 months ago Brandon started living with his new roommate.  His name is Nathan.  Nathan attended A&M and has learned to work with people with disabilities.  His dream is to one day run a group home.  His personality is as sweet as Brandon, he is so eager to help and in 2 months he really has become part of the family.  The first day Brandon was going to stay with Nathan all night, he called me about every 30 minutes using Facetime asking me to come get him.  I came and had dinner with the guys and Nathan in his sweet manner starting talking to Brandon and asking him about the Beatles.  The next day only a few calls and the third day no calls.  This week (2 months later) I went over for dinner.  I needed to go to the grocery store.  We made a list of items needed at the guys house, and I asked Brandon if he wanted to come.  He said no.  I asked him if he wanted me to check on him on the video camera when he was about to go to sleep and he said no.  This was while Brandon and Nathan were sitting around their dinner table eating Pizza they had fixed.  They both looked very happy and comfortable with one another.  I still have my dream, like the father who testified above.  But, for now a little rejection feels pretty good.

Nathan and Brandon

I also have been thinking about what all young adults want when they move out from their parents, start jobs, begin to build their own lives.  What really makes a full life is having friends.  But this can be a major challenge for adults with disabilities.  Sometimes they become isolated and frustrated as a result.  So I decided to start the Dripping Springs Friendship Club.  I started a Facebook Page and invited anyone in the community to join.  The group is just starting to catch on.  We have had some great events, the highlight was Art day.  The group gets together each Friday for some activity, lunch and friendship.  So far it has been great.  Many more ideas to build on, but for now we are just getting the group out to the community, setting events each week and communicating to those participating. I have been so lucky to have people volunteer time, their services and space.  I am not sure where this will go from here but having friends is worth the effort.  More to come.

 Dripping Springs Friendship Club out for lunch

Art Day

All for now and all is good.  

Leah

Beatles Beatles Beatles LIVERPOOL

After a few days in London we headed to Liverpool.  Brandon had recovered from jetlag and the medication adjustment and feeling really good.  Tony Maddalone did a great job getting us from the hotel to the train, then from the train to the hotel in Liverpool.  We stayed at the Hard Nights Hotel. Nice hotel right around the corner from the Cavern Club.  The hotel has Beatles music playing all the time which Brandon loved and each room has Beatles themes.  The drinks were even named after Beatles songs.  Brandon loved the hotel.  I forgot to mention that Brandon has developed a liking to "bangers" each morning in both hotels.  Once again I want to say that London and Liverpool train stations really made the trip so much easier.  They both have accessible stations and will help people get on the train.

Brandon, Mary and me being shuttled to the train with out bags.

We started our evening after arriving in Liverpool walking around the Cavern Club area with our tour guide Jackie Spencer.  

On to the Philharmonic Pub where the Beatles often hung out by the Art school.

Art in front of the Art school you will see Beatles names on some of the pieces. 

Houdlings Pub another frequent of the Beatles and Art students.  

The Dissenters etched in the bar mirror in the pub listing John Lennon and Stu Sutcliffe as one of the 4.  Lots of Beatles history here and where we met with Freda Kelly. 

 Brandon and Freda (Beatles Fan Club).  If you havent seen her documentary you should it is really great.  Good Ol Freda

Freda Kelly with the gang (Brandon, me, Kurt, Mary and Karen).Great evening talking to her about her experiences with the Beatles.  A highlight of the trip.  

The Jacaranda Club was owned by Allan Williams, who became the Beatles' first manager. The Beatles often played, rehearsed and hung out at the Jac, where Stu Sutcliffe's murals can still be seen on the basement walls. The Blue Angel was another club run by Allan Williams and was the scene of the Beatles' 1960 audition for impresario Larry Parnes which landed them their first tour outside of Liverpool, backing singer Johnny Gentle on a tour of Scotland. 

Back to the Cavern Club where we met the "Fab Forever" and they took a picture with Brandon.  

Back out with Jackie the next morning and started where John Lennon was born. 

Then where Paul (and Jackie) were born. 

Off to the Casbah Club where the Beatles had their start and played with the owner's son Pete Best.  

 These are in the garden area.

Our guide Roag Best (Pete's brother). Brandon was soooo excited in this part of the tour. A tour highlight.  Owned by Mona Best in 1959 in the cellar of the family home. The Casbah, as it became widely known, was planned as a members-only club for Best's sons Pete, his younger brother, Rory, and their friends. Mona came up with the idea of the club after watching a TV report about The 2i's Coffee Bar in London's Soho where several singers had been discovered. She decided to open the club, which was located in her cellar, on 29 August 1959, for her sons, their friends and young people to meet and listen to the popular music of the day.

The Quarrymen—John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ken Brown—went to the club to arrange their first booking, to which Mona agreed, but said she needed to finish painting the club first. All four took up brushes and helped Mona to finish painting the walls with spiders, dragons, rainbows and stars. The group often played at The Casbah.

Another highlight of our time in Liverpool.

Penny Lane 

At the Hall where the Beatles first met - we were able to meet some locals, buy some books and pictures and saw the Brian Epstein dedication.  

On to Strawberry Fields

Brandon was particularly moved by Strawberry Fields where there once was a children's orphanage.  The new plans are for this location is to be a place where young adults with learning challenges have work opportunities.  Something Brandon is very interested in.  So it was really great to visit and learn.  Brandon wants to write Ringo and Paul and ask for support. 

"The Salvation Army have announced plans for a new training centre and cafe at Strawberry Field, the former children’s home run by The Salvation Army since 1936 and which closed in 2005, and the focus of the now legendary Beatles song, ‘Strawberry Fields Forever’.  The Church and Charity seeks to develop a training centre for work skills at the site, including opportunities for young people with learning disabilities to develop valuable skills which can enable them to gain entry to the workforce.

Alongside the training programme, Strawberry Field will also for the first time play host to visitors – with areas of the grounds and a café open to the public. Alongside the café will be a heritage exhibit which will explore the history of both The Salvation Army’s provision of child services and Strawberry Field.

There were many other sites we saw on this day such as homes where John, Paul, George and Ringo lived.  That evening we started the Beatles Festival (Beatles week) listening to Donovan.  

Donovan

We started the next day with a tour of the Beatles Story.  These next pictures are from this exhibit. 

On to Alma de Cuba Beatles Festival (lunch and music).

Where we met

Yea they look real but they are not.

But Mark Hudson is at the Beatles Fest

May Pang

Peter Asher

Around the cavern club 

We also went to the homes of John Lennon and Paul McCartney now in the National Trust then back to the festival for the Quarrymen and a tribute to John Lennon.  

On the ride back to the train station we met another relative from the Sliver Beatles.  They are everywhere

Brandon feeling good after a great time in Liverpool.  

We can't thank Tony Maddalone enough for such a great trip.  You can reach him at the Beatles Pilgrimage  Tour http://www.beatletour.com/  Brandon loved loved loved Tony.  He was so sweet with him and talked the Beatles talk.  

Loaded up and ready to go back to Austin.  What a fabulous 12 days.  Thanks to everyone who supported Brandon in his dream.