Gin & Lemonade is a disability lifestyle and parenting blog, sharing my adventures fighting ableism, promoting accessibility, and picking up all the toys in my house. I’m Lorna, and I started this blog in 2010, after moving to Edinburgh. More recently, after experimenting with country living for 4 years, the family and I are back in Edinburgh. I’ve always written about my life as a disabled person. And now I write about what it’s like to be a disabled mother.…
‘Happy Birthday, baby!’ ‘Go to sleep, Mummy.’ ‘Aren’t you excited?’ ‘Sleeep, Mummy.’ Isla crawled into bed between us, then well, went back to sleep. ‘What time is it?’ ‘Five o’clock.’ ‘Well, shit. G’night,’ I said. Two hours later. Stickers and balloons in bed. ‘What, no penguins?’ Isla asked. ‘C’mon, guys!’ Her favourite thing of the early morning was a helium balloon that we bought in Inverness (more on that shopping trip later. Because it was indeed a trip.) Back to…
‘I don’t want to go.’ ‘Yes, you do.’ ‘What are you going to do for me in exchange for going out and speaking to people?’ ‘I’ll fix your phone screen.’ ‘Good deal. I prefer messaging to speaking. Actually, I hate people.’ ‘No, you don’t.’ ‘I don’t. But how bout reading? Can I stay home and read?’ ‘No.’ ‘Harsh, dude.’ But I left Neil in the kitchen with my phone, working on his end of the bargain. I got in the…
I’ve been writing for longer than you think. I’ve been writing for longer than I think sometimes. I used to write fiction, had five novels on the go. Used to write short stories longhand. On my bedroom floor. When I was 25. I used to draft things, even when people said to leave that shit in. I used to type my writing at 3 in the morning, while blasting music I found on Napster. That’s how far back we go.…
Yesterday was our wedding anniversary. If you’ve been following along you may know that Neil wasn’t actually home for it, but he’s back today. And the house is happy again. Now. I’m quite fond of complaining saying my husband is decidedly unromantic. Today, this happened. 12.30ish. ‘Mumma, what are you doing?’ ‘I’m calling your father. And if he hasn’t left yet, you’re gonna learn some new words.’ And then this happened. ‘Please tell me you’ve left?’ ‘Shall I tell you where…
