Who Inspires You?

Post Reply New Topic

Last day of school, yeah! End of school year.

This was on my daughter's 5th grade classroom all school-year-long. At the beginning of the school year, each student had to bring in a picture of an inspirational figure, and write a short note. Then, all the pictures and notes were posted on the wall of the classroom, and stayed there throughout the school year. For obvious reason, it was not appropriate for me to post the picture of the wall during the academic year. Now that the academic year has ended and the wall postings have been dismantled, here is the picture. (I've done some blurring where appropriate.)



Yep, my children belong to a new generation where autism is discussed openly, and they are proud to be who they are. It was quite a daring move on the side of my daughter, and I am proud of her. She is 11 years old, and already a champion of autism-related causes. (The music is her own composition, and recorded from her live performance on stage.)

And here is a funny essay from my son. This has been another fun school year for my children ... they always make me laugh!

Nice pig. Pigs are nice. Never kept a pig due to all the regulations, but my parents used to keep goats, which do need a lot of know how and looking after in the British climate as many catch pnemonia and die due to being out in the rain, or they eat a poisionus plant and die. We were expert at knowing what plants were poisionus and eemoving them from the land as kids. We had one neighbour who we kept telling not to throw weeds for them as some weeds he used to give them were deadly nightshade. He was an elderly man who wouldn't believe us. The problem is it is said "Goats will eat anything" which is true, and that is where the problems start!
There are hardy goats in the UK like mountain goats which have thick skin and lots of furr. The main breeds found in the UK are not hardy and should not be outside in the rain. A light drizzle in the summer is fine.. The basic rule is what would we be out in? We kept two breeds.

Who inspires me. My Mum.

Quite a few people inspire me. Cyndi Lauper.

My inspirational favorite tennis player is the subject of my user name, Denis Istomin. At 14, he was in a car accident in Uzbekistan. Doctors said he would never play tennis again, but he proved them wrong.

I was more a bird person. We raised all sorts of birds: chickens, ducks, geese and turkeys. We also had a horse, and all too many dogs. Chickens and ducks don't really relate to humans (when they grow up). But geese and turkeys do. Some geese and turkeys were really smart and affectionate. I still miss them.

We had birds as well. The first year when my parents were married they had a budgie. He was pure white and his name was Simon. He was hatched at my auntys house as he came from an egg.
The next year my parents had a dog... A sealyham terrier, which in the 1920's to 1930's was the UK's most popular breed. They are an endangered breed today. I am alive today because of that dog.
the next year I arrived! "Look out world, here I am... Waaaaah". Well. I cried so much that my mum nearly threw me out the window! I habe since ceased crying. My first words were when I was six weeks old and I plainly remember saying them as I copied them from the television advert for Rice Crispies. My parents later told me that the words were very clearly pronounced. They made such a fuss that I thouhht I had done something wrong, so I kept quiet until normal speaking ae for babies where I played along with the usual babytalk to act normal...
Simon, the budgie died when I was 16 years old, so he would have been 18 years old. Trixie the dog died when I was about nine or ten? Trixie was amazingly intelligent. The next sealyham was Tag. She was named after the breeding line which they called "Rag-Y-Muffin", so she became "Tag-Y-Muffin" (In Wales Y is pronounced "Errr").
Tag had all the sealyham characteristics of Trixie and while Trixie was all white, Tag had a small black patch over one eye. She did differ in one small way in that she didn't seem to share Trixies intelligence. Compared to Trixie she was thick, but to be honest Tag had about an average or there abouts intelligence as dogs go. But both dogs were brilliant with the family and very good guard dogs.

How my parents had Trixie. My mum used to work at the local kennels when she was about 16... Taking dogs for a walk over the golf links, trying to pretend she hadn't noticed when one of the dogs grabbed someones golf ball... Usual stuff... The kennels specialized in breeding staffordshire bull terriers, but they also would take in any dog whose owners would want to be away for the holidays... My mum got the job of salking the dogs (Which was promotion) pretty quick as when she first was there there was a dog fight and my mum quickly rushed for the hose and was able to seperate the dogs. The kennel owners were impressed.
Now a few years later my parents were married and they wet back to the kennels to get a staff. However, a dog got out and was covered in coal, muck and anything else, and came bounding into the room and my mum said "I want that one!"
The kennel owners were so embarissed as they said "You can't... She hasn't had a bath or a clean! She's not ready for sale yet!"... But no. That was the one she fell in love with... That was it! Decision made!
Sealyhams often used to win best in show at places like Crufts. However, I remember them for being the opposite of that. The first dog to get black straight after having a bath... The first house Trixie used to run to the coal house after a bath and turn from brilliant white to black in a few seconds... Boy did sealyhams hate baths and protest! The smelliest things they could find to roll in the better! Badger poo was the dogs favourite! Badger poo matted into the dogs furr on its back... The smell! It would be those dreaded word "BATH" time again...
My dad had a motorbike and Trixie would climb into his kitbag (Like a rucksack but more like a tube blocked off at the bottom) and the dog would turn herself around, pop her head out and the bag would be on my dads back with my mum and dad going places on the motorbike. It would be "Yap, yap, yap" all the way! So much so ghat my dad could bearely hear the noisy engine, and everyone walking in the streets would come out to look what the noise was! One excited dog!
Now Simon used to be in his cage and would really wind Trixie up. Trixie would be pining for my dad patiently waiting for him to come home from work as she liked my dad. Then she would hear the gate squeek on its hinges and get excited... So excited that one would expect a puddle of water on the floor! (Tag did this I can confirm). Anyway. My dad would open the door and have such a fuss from the dog...
Simon was watching. He would see the dog waiting... and as if he would raise his eyebrows (If he had any) as if to say "Watch this!" and he would make the same noise of that squeeky gate... The dog would suddenly get up with excitement while Simon would act all innocent... The dog then would jump up on the windowsill where Simons cage aas to look. No one there! When the dog caught on... It is a good job Simon was in his cage! The fights Trixie had with his birdcage! Mind you. Trixie could have easily ripped open his cage as Sealyhams have big teeth and powerful jaws. Such a small dog... My dad used to show people with Tag and Trixie by lifting the dogs lips and people just couldn't believe it! But for Trixie she wanted to tell Simon off rather then kill him.

Three years after I was born I had a brother (A human... Yes... Er...Yes. He is human! Haha! He has grown to be a tallented man with nine (Or eight... One is his ex gf's but part of the family) children. Shame he has a crumbling back as his skills in life witn anything electrical or mechanical.. Electrical wize from a past job wiring big things like windmills to small micro electronics... Is a shame he is often in pain with his back. Officially he is not classed as dissabled but at the same time his doctor has said he is not allowed to work, so he is caught in an inbetween world...

Well. Other birds ad animals. We have ad plenty of goats. Chickens. One chicken we had reached 16 years old and laid ever day right until she died, and when she ate the cats food, she was like Popeye with spinich. She would chase the cats and even put a few foxes to go. She had a nice cokerel to keep her company along with other hens we had. When he died a few years before she did (As they were the last hens in that batch, she took over from him crowing... We would hear "Cockadoodledoo!" but she never did seem to get the timing right like her husband used to!

We habe had ducks of various breeds, chickens, a bantum which when she had chicks flew straight upwards to attack a bird of pray which was in a dive after her chicks... The little bantum saw it off!
We also had a turkey... Boy was he fun! A totally thick bird! He was huge. He thought he was a chicken. We daren't tell him! He would try to follow the chickens and ducks through the holes in the fence. Yet his head would go through and he would be stuck. He didn't think to go backwards. We would often have to pick him up and turn him round! He and the chickens and I believe the ducks used to live in the back of our long barn which was a leanto off the main barn. My parents used the coalbunkers and a fence above them to corden off a large area about three quarters of the way into the long barn. Lengthwize of this barn.. One could probably store a complete lorry in it if one had a little extra height, so it was a large area at the back for the birds. We had a door right at the back of the barn. The turkey! Well. The hens would be perched for the night. It was a little dark back there. The turkey.... He would get up, but every morning he coudn't get back down. My mum would have to pick him up off the perch every morning!
Oh.. The coal bunkers! Well. When we had the turkey we forgot to tell the coalmen. You know how loud turkeys can be? Well. One coal man had a big sack of coal. In those days the sacks they carried were huge. Not allowed that size today. Well, he went into the barn to put the coal in the bunkers, and he could see the unkers left open in the darkness, and was about to tip the coal in and the turkey saw him... He gae an enormous noise! The coalman jumped in fright into the air with the coal, and... Well.... On te way into the barn his face was black with all the coal dust... He came out with a face white with fright! Poor man!

Yes, we've had many a moment living on a smallholding or two over the years... We may have not had much... I didn't have the latest toys or clothing, but I had such a brill upbringing... Other kids missed out!

I love the pet stories.

For me, my favorite animal was, is and always will be the cat. Siamese, tabbies and Calicos are my favorite breeds because they are the breeds I have had.

JROTC cadet Peter wang

My dad inspires me.

Mmmm nice bump of this thread so this song would come up again. I remember hearing it a couple of months ago and I have had it on my mind from time to time since then. My "special interest" is music and the pattern pictures that comes up in my head when I listen to it. Really nice composition.

My mother was my greatest inspiration. Sadly, she died very young.

DW a Mom