Walk Faaaaaaaaar
Today was the NAAR walk; for the first time, it was at Jones Beach, which was Too Long a Walk, IMO. Primera started whining very shortly after take-off, to my irritation, but she lasted a pretty long time and there was no crying or tantrumming, not bad under the circumstances. It was chilly and overcast: upper forties to low fifties, and it was windy, too, right there by the shore. If they're going to have it there next year, moving up the date might be an idea (though this is Long Island, and I suspect running into Jewish holidays was a concern).

Carolyn McCarthy was there: she said something about "finding a cure for autism," which brought me up short. While I don't agree with the autistic adults who see autism as a difference, not a disability (tell that to my friend whose child will never be toilet-trained or speak), I can understand feeling that the language of "curing" sounds a lot like rejection (and a lot like naivete). Cures come too late for my family, anyway, and I'm partial to the kid I have, in all her infinite variety. Remediation, yes. Better coverage, please. More trained service providers. And bring on the science! But cure? Maybe not exactly.

OTOH, there was a man at the parking lot exit with a big sign saying "Autistics Are Intelligent. NAAR Isn't." Which didn't impress me much as a slogan, or a statement.