Happy fifth birthday to my loveliest little Smorklepuss! 🥰 #Smorky #Caturday #CatsOfBluesky #CatsOnBluesky

The absolute gall of The White House to fabricate a narrative about the killing of Alex Pretti that didn’t happen. As with Renee Goode, they were executed, on the street. Their murders by ICE are on video, we can see what happened, neither were a threat. 1/2

I tried to complete Action for ME’s Big Survey, but I’m struggling with their severity scale. I’m somewhere between moderate and severe, but neither description is accurate for me, and I’m simply too autistic to choose an answer that’s not correct. So, that’s that I guess. #PwME

Look how cute! 😭 #Smorky #CatsOnBluesky #CatsOfBluesky

“The head of a leading disability rights charity turned down an MBE in the New Year Honours over what she described as the “simply intolerable" situation facing disabled people in the UK.“ 👏 👏 👏 #Disability #NewYearsHonours #TressaBurke #UKGov www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Thick as mince and thick as thieves. A column about the absolute idiots European legislators have made of themselves over the naming of food, at the behest of meat lobbyists. You laugh and then you weep. www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

The UK is going backwards. It would send a pretty powerful message if people were to boycott these organisations. #GirlGuiding #WomensInstitute #TransRightsAreHumanRights

I adopted my lovely cat Smorky from Holly, who she rescued as a tiny kitten when Smol Paul was a few months old, and they quickly became friends. I enjoyed watching their antics on Twitter, never knowing I'd one day get to be Smorky's forever human! 1/2 All photos taken by @hollyqueenofspayeds.com

This pen holder doubles as a Smork holder. #Smorky #CatsOfBluesky #CatsOnBluesky #Caturday

Thanks to chemical menopause (to treat endo) I’ve been averaging 3-6hrs sleep/night, but last night was a first, I didn’t sleep at all. I turned the light off at 2am, then I lay awake all night. It’s kind of ironic, given so many people assume that having ME means I sleep all the time. #Insomnia

I just learned that there was a Westminster Hall ME debate yesterday. I remember feeling excited and hopeful about the debate in January 2019. I live tweeted as I watched it and I expected something to change, but nothing did. 1/2

I received my ADP (Scottish PIP) review determination letter today and I’ve kept my enhanced daily living and mobility awards. Phew! They made their decision without needing to see/speak to me, and I won’t be reviewed again until 2030. Very relieved! #Disability #ChronicIllness #PwME

I’d prefer not to use Amazon, but I have a severe energy impairing disability and I’m predominantly housebound. I can’t shop locally. I rarely have the energy to search online for alternatives. I don’t want to rely on my mum/carer for… 1/3 #Amazon #Accessibility #Disability #ChronicIllness #PwME

Many of the struggles faced by disabled people are also faced by abled folk. But they don't have the added issue of being disabled on top... Which makes every issue harder to deal with, and sometimes impossible.

Happy Gotcha Day to my sweet little Smorklepuss. Three years ago today! 1/3 #CatsOfBluesky #CatsOnBluesky #Smorky #GotchaDay

This happened last night as I attempted to liberate one of Smorky’s mice! I eventually managed to persuade mousey to scamper off into the night, and while we do now share a bond, I hope it finds a new home far away from Smorky the Huntress.

White woman puts Mexican flag on her truck to waste ICE’s time.

A short new blog post. Ten years ago today I had to leave my beautiful flat in Edinburgh because of ME. I thought I’d be back, but I never stepped foot in it again. puffsandpens.substack.com/p/40-ten-yea... #PwME #MyalgicEncephalomyelitis #ChronicIllness #Disability

I spent ten weeks writing my answers for my ADP (Scottish PIP) review. Then I waited to feel well enough to fill in the online form. I spent today doing it bit by bit, because I can’t use my laptop for more than 5 mins at a time. I pressed submit, and then this happened… I am FURIOUS. 🤬

I’m almost 7 weeks into my ADP review (Scottish PIP). I’ve completed 13 out of 18 questions, and I’ve written 11,000 words so far. So basically I’m writing a dissertation on everything that’s wrong with Phoebe. 🥴 #PwME #Autistic #ChronicIllness #Disability #DisabilityBenefits

I have a melty Smorky. #Smorky #CatsOnBluesky #CatsOfBluesky #Heatwave #MeltyCat

Bear in mind that if you held up a sign saying "I support genocide", you would not be arrested under the Terrorism Act.

Smorky wishes everyone a happy and safe Pride Month. 🌈 #PrideMonth #HappyPrideMonth #PrideMonth2025 #Smorky #CatsOnBluesky #CatsOfBluesky

A small drawing I recently completed. According to some, it looks like a carnivorous plant. I see plants, insects, octopuses, music, and one tiny giraffe! #Drawing #DoodleArt #DoodleDrawing #DisabledArtist #AutisticArtist #PwME #Autistic

I had my first Decapeptyl injection 16 days ago to treat my endometriosis. It works by shutting down my remaining ovary and inducing chemical menopause. Typically, someone will experience perimenopause (with fluctuating hormone levels… 1/2 #PwME #Endometriosis #ChronicIllness

A lovely sunny day for Smorking in the garden. #CatsOfBluesky #CatsOnBluesky #Smorky

A new blog post, on the reality of Labour’s proposed changes to the PIP Daily Living eligibility criteria. It makes no sense. #DisabilityBenefits #Disability #ChronicIllness #PwME puffsandpens.substack.com/p/39-what-th...

Short new blog post! How I Feel on a Normal Day With ME. “I promise you, living with this every day, it’s no holiday, it’s literally one sick day after another.” Link below… 👇 #PwME #MyalgicEncephalomyelitis #ChronicIllness #Disability

Short new blog post! The government believe they will be able to incentivise (force) disabled and chronically ill people into work with their proposed cuts. The government however are not operating in the land of reality. #DisabilityBenefits #PwME puffsandpens.substack.com/p/37-the-gov...

“Almost no ME/CFS patients return to work.” As with most illnesses that are left untreated (there is no treatment for ME), people won’t get better. #PwME #MyalgicEncephalomyelitis #ChronicIllness #Disability www.sciencenorway.no/chronic-fati...

Here’s a Smorky. #CatsofBluesky #CatsOnBluesky #Smorky

Short new blog post on Labour’s proposed benefit cuts. I’m on PIP and ESA, they are the entirety of my income, and I’m facing losing my entire ESA award. #PwME #DisabilityBenefits #Disability #ChronicIllness #LabourParty #KeirStarmer #LizKendall puffsandpens.substack.com/p/36-labour-...

I have never been so scared. ESA and PIP are the entirety of my income. #DisabilityBenefits

I’ve started seeing comments from people saying they wouldn’t have voted for Labour in July 2024 had they known they were going to target people who are unable to work due to disability/chronic illness. The thing is, Labour did make it clear, they were quite open about it. Here are a few examples.

ME has given me a lot of food intolerances, some common, and some a bit more random. Now, the one I’ve always dreaded the most has happened - ME has taken coffee from me. I’m sad, my afternoon coffee used to be the highlight of my day. I can only hope it won’t be permanent. #PwME

After over 7yrs of having severe ME and not attending any concerts, I’m unsubscribing from all my live music newsletters: Gigs in Scotland, Bandsintown, etc. No point being notified of concerts I’m unable to attend. Not sure why it took me so long, hard to let go, I guess. #PwME

How adorable is that dopey smile. She’s just the cutest. 🥰 #Smorky #CatsOfBluesky #CatsOnBluesky

Today is my eleventh ME anniversary. I always try to make a cake for these anniversaries so I have something to look forward to on an otherwise depressing day. This year it’s a carrot cake with cream cheese icing (vegan and gluten-free). #PwME #MEAnniversary #ChronicIllness #Disability

Pretty Smorky. 🥰 #Smorky #CatsOfBluesky #CatsOnBluesky

It’s funny how the government aren’t willing to put any money behind the ME Delivery Plan considering how desperate they are to cut the welfare bill and get chronically ill people into work. They just can’t put two and two together. #PwME

Sometimes I think that non-disabled/healthy people believe that chronically ill people who are unable to work are basically having a nice long stay-at-home holiday, doing lots of lovely resting and maybe feeling a bit unwell from time to time. It’s not. 1/3 #PwME #ChronicIllness

The attitude that chronic illness is a moral failing is the one that hurts me the most. People seem to feel it more strongly since Covid. Those who know me know how healthy I was… until I wasn’t. Disability can & does strike everyone - it does NOT mean you failed or “deserved” it.

democrats won’t admit it, but my family’s economic outlook has gotten a LOT better since Trump took office. but what do i know? i don’t have a fancy economics degree, i’m just a regular guy who runs an airplane scrapyard

The birthday girl. Four years old today. 🥰 #Smorky #CatsOnBluesky #CatsOfBluesky

New blog post, on days lost to ME. puffsandpens.substack.com/p/35-lost-days

If my ME were to improve in any significant way, I’d probably share that along with my thoughts about why it might have happened, which may include “I have no idea why it happened”, and I’d make clear any privileged circumstances that could have contributed. 1/2 #PwME

I don’t know what Liz Kendall wants from me. I have severe ME & my GP told me that I shouldn’t think about working in any capacity unless I’m able to manage all the tasks associated with daily living for at least a year with no consequences to my health. I can’t even manage one day of that. #PwME

The drive home from my birthday outing yesterday afternoon. My mum took me to one of my favourite spots for a very chilly birthday cake and tea picnic. This was my first outing of the year. #PwME

From yesterday's @thetimes.com. I find this news from the Labour government far scarier than anything the Tories did. Losing my ESA won't cure me and allow me to work. It will make my life significantly harder, and my physical and mental health will suffer as a result.

➡️ January 20: FAA director fired ➡️ January 21: Air Traffic Controller hiring frozen ➡️ January 22: Aviation Safety Advisory Committee disbanded ➡️ January 28: Buyout/retirement demand sent to existing employees ➡️ January 29: First American mid-air collision in 16 years Making America Great Again!