Conquering the Vowels

August 27, 2008 · Filed Under Dyslexia, Go Play in the Sand, John Tipping, Phil Beadle · Comment 

A E I O U. You can throw them at me in any order and I can now SOUND THEM! Why is after 42 years I can now do it. I have practised and practised and they nowmake sense. You see, before they were just shapes. I knew what they were called – I could say their names – but I couldn’t sound them out. Now I can! Dare I believe that this is the start of a miracle? I have just had the one lesson because my teacher has been on holiday but bless her, she kept emailing us on her Blackberry to make sure I was OK. She knows how difficult it is to concentrate on something that seems so simple to everyone else but can seem like a mountain to climb to someone who is dyslexic.

I has been an interesting week. I have been busy doing all sorts of things. One minute I am at a networking meeting promoting my book (I sold 18 in one day on Friday!). It is weird because as I pass the book over I look at that person and think, ‘ooops, they are about to find out about some of my most inner thoughts and feelings’. But so what! What is the point of writing your life story but only putting in half of the story. There may well be a few people who are a but upset by things I have written and I am sorry about that, but it forms part of my life and I am just writing about my own feelings. If they want to, they can write a book about their feelings too – no one is stopping them!

So, one minute I am in my suit at business meetings and then the next I am in my U V Shield T shirt

The U V Shield Teamputting up Security Film on some windows and then I am digging a hole putting in road signs. Never a dull moment! Here is a picture of me and Sam, my Step-son who comes out to work with me. He is only 15 but has loads of practical sense so is a great asset. We have a good laugh when we are out working. He’ll be back at school soon so I will be back on my own again.

This week I am swapping between putting up window film and helping my mate Colin put in my Mum’s bathroom. Challenging! I would never make a plumber that’s for sure.
Last Wednesday we went up to London to meet Phil Beadle for dinner and a catch up. It was a really nice evening. Phil is really interested to see how I get on with my reading. He is convinced that I can do it as long as I find the ‘key’. He is helping us to promote the book. He and Jill did a lot of talking and I did a lot of listening. The thing with a dyslexic brain is that it takes longer to process information, so once you have worked out what has been said and then thought of something sensible to say, the conversation has moved on to another topic, especially if you are trying to keep up with Jill and Phil!! That’s why everybody thinks that I make random comments – I am always a couple of topics behind! I don’t mind. I think it makes me ‘mysterious’!

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