Renée R-J

House buying in England is bananas and needlessly stressful. Somehow we’ve managed to survive the process and on Friday we’re moving to a new house with a BIG GARDEN and space for an actual dining table and a safe shower for me and it’s gonna make my often-housebound life so much better!

I’d be so interested!!

@mizhenka.bsky.social I think it’s your birthday?? If so happy birthday!!!

Thank you so much!! I owe you an email xxx

Transit by Anna Seghers

🚨 BREAKING: Young PIP claimants challenge Wes Streeting for backing cruel disability cuts.

We’ve been denied care, stuck on waiting lists, and left to fight for survival in a rigged system.

#StopTheCuts - this is life or death. We won’t let them get away with it ⬇️ #GuardianLive

Coincidentally I am currently waiting for the decision letter on my PIP renewal so what a great week!

All the admin that comes with being disabled is a nightmare and even though applying for PIP was too (incredibly dehumanising), it at least helps once you get it, and not just financially.

It also comes with other benefits - because I qualify for PIP I get a freedom pass (as I can’t walk far), a blue badge, access card, accessible access to places, motability etc.

I work part-time because I cannot manage f/t with my MS, I would simply collapse. PIP covers the gap in salary and allows me to go places (ubers, also driving lessons!) and live in such a way that I can be as productive a worker as possible.

Could barely sleep from anxiety around the Green Paper that Labour will publish tomorrow. I rely on PIP, my lovely housemate is too disabled to work and relies on UC and PIP.

Emily and I got a third aquarium… this one was scaped by Harris at Pond Life and we couldn’t resist, it’s so beautiful. Once we make a lid we’ll add a Siamese fighter fish! It’s lovely to have a fish tank in the bedroom now as I spend so much time recuperating/hiding there.

a cartoon character with a blue hat with a cross on it ALT: a cartoon character with a blue hat with a cross on it

Depression & MS have completely paralysed me but I have accomplished one thing this week: I finally made it to episode 1000 of One Piece (on 1003 now). V grateful for this excellent distraction.

Mooi!!

As the expected Christian Nationalism EO came in, I’m seeing a bunch of “this isn’t real Christianity” noise in my mentions.

Nope.

Christian friends. 1/x 🧵

This is 💯 part of the history of Christianity, dating to Constantine, to the Holy Roman Empire, forced conversions, Inquisitions, +

Swish

Boop

Mlep

Yes! It’s just the filter is a little strong which we know they don’t like. This is our first 180l tank so we want to play it “safe” and get fishies that will hopefully settle in easily.

Daisy, a tabby cat, lying comfortably on a bed with polkadot bedding. She has her eyes slightly open and looks adorable and soft.

Daisy, our foster cat, is the sweetest and loveliest girl who despite having gone through hell is SO loving. She is 3 or 4 years old and will be adoptable from the RSPCA in the next month or so.

Live fish, that is, in our fish tank. I cannot wait to have tiny lil corydoras shuffling around jn there. Emily and I fell in love with a beta we called Mr Asshole, but unfortunately we’re not quite set up for him. Still, will get lots of other cuties.

Depression + deleting accounts from my usual online haunts means I don’t know what to write online anymore. Everything from me feels too uninteresting and pointless in this world that is on fire. Except for our foster kitty who will adoptable soon, and the fact that we’re getting fish next week.

But in good and bizarre news : my fave musician/conductor/composer is following me on instagram! Do I need to pretend to be cool now?

9.5 hrs in the hospital for my sixth-monthly infusion today. Think I’ll need 9.5 days to recover 😩. Somehow felt more taxing than usual, my body could only tolerate a super slow drip while still allowing me to (literally) breathe. Urgh. MS is exhausting y’all.

I caught COVID for the first time, it has not been fun. Symptoms are getting better, so I think the Paxlovid is working but it sure does leave the absolute worst taste in my mouth. Also I hate having to hide away from my wife and cat 😭.

Dat is The Heat voor mij 💜

With the latest Bluesky rollout, your skeets are now visible to anyone on the web. If you want to change this, you need to go to the Moderation tab in user settings and, confusingly, toggle the “Logged-out visibility” button ON.

So excited to be teaching another Leo Baeck Lehrhaus course in 2024; lbc.ac.uk/lehrhaus-jew...

I am fascinated by the amount of fake Esa-Pekka Salonen fb profiles. Have started accepting all their friend requests just to see what type of scammer they are.

One more session to go in my course on Jacob Taubes at Leo Baeck College. It’s been such a pleasure to teach, and I’ve been asked to do another course in the summer!