The actor gets into character.

While Jon’s been doing the trick-or-treating thing since he was two or three, we didn’t seriously start decking out both him and his entire wheelchair until about eight years ago. (We made up for the late start with some pretty decent costumes). But this year was the next big Halloween transition for the whole family.

Last year (and to a lesser amount the year before that), Jon’s deepening voice was causing some neighbours on our streets – the ones who didn’t know Jon, anyway – to lift an eyebrow a bit before shelling out. Admittedly it is a bit weird to give candy to a dude who says “trick or treat” in a resonant baritone, even if he is in a wheelchair.

Combine that with the fact that most years Jon didn’t want to go for marathon candy runs; he was content to make it three-quarters the way down our block (on one side) before declaring that it was time to head home. We’d stall a bit by dropping by some of the homes on the other side of the street, but generally had to motor home pretty fast because once Jon got tired of socializing, he let everyone know it. He’s not too candy-driven; to him a little is as good as a huge amount.

So this year Jon agreed to dole out candy on our front porch, as long as he still got to wear a costume. And got some candy on the side.

So he shelled out the rest. We expected him to last only a few minutes; he happily stayed on the porch for almost 90 minutes! As he always does, Jon picked his costume; this year he decided he wanted to be a mad scientist!

Mad scientist Jon! We were amazed the wig stayed on his head the whole time. You can’t see them very well, but he has goggles slung around his neck along with his askew tie.

Most of the costume had to be sourced rather than constructed, so it wasn’t nearly as labour-intensive as in other years. This worked well as Toronto was getting quite a bit of the after-effects of Hurricane Sandy, especially in the rain and colder-weather department. Because there was no sewing involved Mom didn’t have to do much more than make brightly-coloured gelatine to fill the beaker, flask and test-tubes. (We used gelatine to prevent spills in case anything got knocked over by Jon or any trick-or-treaters).

Some cleverly-placed lights under the equipment and we had a nice spooky glowing effect. Dad whipped up a bit of 3D animation of a cartoony arcing Van de Graaff generator projected on the front window.

How it looked on our window.

Who can say where the next costume will take us next year? Maybe Mom and Dad have to get in on the costume theme fun!

We haven’t even blogged about Jon’s fun at various day camps and already he’s back from his 10-day overnighter at Easter Seals Camp! Until we get that blogged—we’re still awaiting images (long story)—what we can say is he had a great time and it’s a well-deserving charity, folks.

He was picked up looking scruffy and tanned, as you can see:

Before:

After:

Peter’s milquetoast against Jon’s rugged tan.

I apologize for our lack of blogging. Things have been busy—not nearly busy as we’d like in the freelance world, but that means trying to come up with new projects and getting them going, while keeping all the other balls in the air. Anyway, to the blogging at hand. Here’s a little thing that developed through March, April and May.

Jon doing elementary backstroke with his instructor. He’s becoming a stronger swimmer–Note: no floaties!

Jon goes to swimming lessons at Holland Bloorview Kids Rehab Hospital at various times during the weekends, depending on which class time we manage to get via the lottery. We pretty much always follow the same routine: While getting ready to swim doesn’t take too much longer than for most kids, getting dressed again does. Jon’s usually the only kid at his scheduled time who’s wearing orthotics and in a wheelchair. (Yes, Bloorview is nominally for disabled kids, but not all kids with disabilities are confined to wheelchairs, and to boot the pool & recreation programs are integrated with regular kids in the community.)

So when it’s time to go, we’re usually the last ones out. And what with getting all of Jon’s gear packed up, he usually gets a head start on me out the door. Sure he’s a bit tired, having just done 30 minutes of work in the pool, and he may have to dodge other people in the tight surroundings of the changeroom doorway. But once he gets out of the changeroom, it’s a wide-open space to the elevators back up to the lobby. And what with his new school and hormonal teenage attitude, he’s got a little more confidence: He makes a break for the elevators. And if he gets lucky, in the 20 or 30 seconds it takes me to pack up, he’s found himself a ready elevator and he leaves without me.

It’s happened four or five times now, and he’s pretty much figured it out. By the time I get to the main floor, he’s waiting for me, or just getting out (I tend to be moving fast by that point; he’s in less of a hurry). There has been one time that I got to the main floor and he wasn’t there; I waited about 45 seconds before an elevator opened and voila, there he was. I figure his delay was probably that he didn’t press the elevator floor button hard enough. But who knows? Maybe he went on a reasonable short adventure. We can’t begrudge any teenager that.

Jon’s braces began yesterday. What more to say? (Hint: I’ll find something)

Post-orthodontic casting, Jon thinks he’s Bono!

He wasn’t used to a lip protector, which held his mouth open abnormally wide.
Aside from a couple of short bouts of quick-breathing—not quite to the point of hyperventilating—he stayed calm and got through it just reasonably well. Nothing like the time he had a filling put in, and then replaced some months later, to correct previous errors. Both those times he turned into a BEAST. Seriously feral.)

Break time. Some of the anchors are bonded, but no bumpers or wires yet.

At the end of the three hours.

We’re due in next week to complete the top set—a couple more back anchors and a pair of bands on the back teeth. Meanwhile today, the morning after, Jon wasn’t exactly delighted to wake up with them. Nor with the cheery dad saying “Nope, they’ll be on your teeth for a couple of years, probably. I had mine on for longer.” He remained disgruntled. Heck, I didn’t even tell him about the crazy headgear I had to have!

Well, we’re well into Jon’s first week at his new school and so far we like what we see.

We were told mid-day last Thursday that Jon’s equipment would be moved to his new school the next day. Jon had a couple of orthodontic x-rays taken at Sick Kids on Friday morning; and as he was going to be without his computer, CCTV, stander and trike it wasn’t really worth him being at school in the afternoon. Jon said his goodbyes Thursday afternoon. And that was it for Jon’s 1-1/2-year career at Danforth CTI.

Hello, York Humber and a week of surprises!

On Monday, as Peter and Jon were suiting up for the drive to school the phone rang with the first surprise. It was the transportation company, telling us the time they’d pick Jon up that morning! I told the dispatcher that Jon was being driven by his dad that a.m. because the teacher wanted him at school early (8:30) the first day, but we were stunned: We assumed it would be at least a week before transport got its act together.

After driving Jon to school, Peter came home with the second surprise: York Humber has school uniforms! That was totally unexpected, as well as faintly embarrassing since we visited the school and never noticed the uniforms on the kids! The uniforms are realistic—no jacket and tie nonsense; instead, pullover zip top, polo shirt and sweatpants. Variations on what Jon wears anyway. Colours are a bit drab—black or dark green. At least dirt won’t show too badly.

The third surprise: Jon’s bus trip is actually 15 minutes shorter in duration than the one to his old school! This says a lot about the ridiculousness of his old route: Jon’s old school is 3 km away from our house and the bus took about 70 minutes each way. Really—we could’ve walked to his old school faster than the old bus ride took.

The last surprise wasn’t one for us, but it may have been for Jon: He’s getting regular homework again—the first time in many moons! You can almost hear the rusty gears grinding in his head as Jon gets back into border collie work mode. But he’s really enjoying it and looking forward to going to school each day. This is a big change, and makes it all worth it!