Being careful with the doors

This is one thing that I must be careful with at all times. For if I am not then guess what? I'll simply bang into them and then I would often run the risk of hurting myself. Taking enough care and I am home free!

So how do I do this? By making sure that I close all cupboard doors and closets after leaving said cupboard or closet. By making sure that if I am in an unfamiliar place that I determine where doors are and asking if there are any opened doors. Then if I am unable to ask someone that I make sure to use my cane and instinct to help me stay away from opened doors.

Now, these strategies almost often work but there are times where they do not. Call it Murphy's law and this is what I put it down to. At the end of the day, I just need to be paying enough attention.

I'm Donna J. Jodhan, your friendly accessibility advocate, wishing you a terrific day.

Follow me on Twitter @accessibleworld and @author_jodhan.
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This is a personal message from author Donna Jodhan
"If you either are or have been a victim of crime, violence, abuse, or bullying, and if you are simply tired of being bombarded with audios and scenes of the above, then I am asking for your support. I have written and recorded audio mysteries that are completely void of vivid descriptions of sex, crime, and violence because I firmly believe that it is time for us to use the spoken word to help influence our kids to start listening to content that is clean and healthy. By doing this we can all do our part to tackle crime in a positive and meaningful way and it only costs pennies per day. Visit my online store at www.donnajodhan.com/store.html.
I thank you and your kids will also thank you!"

At the plant shop with Mom

A few months ago I had the very unique experience of going to a plant shop with my mom. It was great and oh so refreshing. I thoroughly enjoyed this particular experience, and on a very hot and sticky day. We accomplished what we had set out to do.

Mom and I walked lazily among the plants and as we did so, she gave me a running commentary of descriptions of the various plants and flowers. I know that many folks paid close attention to us as we walked. The service reps for sure were very curious and impressed with how we interacted with each other and they even joined in to give me descriptions.

I touched and felt many of the plants running my hands over their leaves and petals. I used my imagination to help me visualize as I am no longer able to see what they look like. I gently touched the petals of the flowers and was as equally gentle with the leaves. There were leaves and flowers of all shapes, sizes, thickness, and fragility. The plant shop was fragrant and fragrances from various flowers intermingled with each other. Many of the aisles were a wee bit narrow but that was okay for me as I was able to hold on comfortably to Mom's arm as we walked. A wonderful experience for me.

I'm Donna J. Jodhan, your friendly accessibility advocate, wishing you a terrific day.

Follow me on Twitter @accessibleworld and @author_jodhan.
Like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/author.jodhan

This is a personal message from author Donna Jodhan
"If you either are or have been a victim of crime, violence, abuse, or bullying, and if you are simply tired of being bombarded with audios and scenes of the above, then I am asking for your support. I have written and recorded audio mysteries that are completely void of vivid descriptions of sex, crime, and violence because I firmly believe that it is time for us to use the spoken word to help influence our kids to start listening to content that is clean and healthy. By doing this we can all do our part to tackle crime in a positive and meaningful way and it only costs pennies per day. Visit my online store at www.donnajodhan.com/store.html.
I thank you and your kids will also thank you!"

Reaching out for objects

Careful now! This is one of the most challenging things for me these days, reaching out for objects. First off, I need to be careful when I reach out for objects. Don't reach out far enough and I run the great risk of missing it altogether and my hands may just crash into it sending it flying somewhere beyond my reach. Reach out too far and then I could possibly either grab something else or nothing at all.

I need to ensure that I am pin point when reaching out for an object. That I can judge precisely where it is and if I happen to miss it then I am close enough to it to be able to grab it without too much difficulty. It often requires a very focused and concentrated effort to be bang on the money but sometimes this does not really help. I need to be able to judge where the object is before reaching out. Reaching for objects from others may be a bit easier as in general you have the person who is handing you the object to guide you. However, if the person is blind then there is another hurdle to overcome.

Another challenge may be banging into the object sending it flying and spilling its contents if, for example, it is a glass, cup, plate, saucer, bowl, or jug or mug. It sure makes life very interesting when you have to reach out for an object.

Grabbing for something is probably not the answer for me. Mounting a gentle search is what works.

I'm Donna J. Jodhan, your friendly accessibility advocate, wishing you a terrific day.

Follow me on Twitter @accessibleworld and @author_jodhan.
Like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/author.jodhan

This is a personal message from author Donna Jodhan "If you either are or have been a victim of crime, violence, abuse, or bullying, and if you are simply tired of being bombarded with audios and scenes of the above, then I am asking for your support. I have written and recorded audio mysteries that are completely void of vivid descriptions of sex, crime, and violence because I firmly believe that it is time for us to use the spoken word to help influence our kids to start listening to content that is clean and healthy. By doing this we can all do our part to tackle crime in a positive and meaningful way and it only costs pennies per day. Visit my online store at www.donnajodhan.com/store.html.
I thank you and your kids will also thank you!"

On the lake in Montreal

This is yet another very precious memory that I have carefully preserved in my memory bank. It was great and it was lasting and it was one where I was able to sit in a small boat and look up at the mid-blue skies with puffy white clouds sailing gracefully by.

The picture was a perfect one for me. Sun, skies, and clouds above me. The surface of a peaceful, rippling lake around me and boats loaded with others all around me. This was it and this is what I was able to see in those days.

As I write this blog, I can still remember this particular day with all of its fun and glory and those handsome guide dogs belonging to my friends Chris and Ron taking part in all of the activities. Everyone was so happy and helpful and I was in my very own little world enjoying all of my surroundings. Little did I know then that so many years later I would be retrieving this memory from my memory bank to help keep me going. You would be amazed to know how memories such as these can help me to keep focused now that my vision is almost zero.

I simply love to remember and recall and I love to use these memories to help keep on imagining and creating.

I'm Donna J. Jodhan, your friendly accessibility advocate, wishing you a terrific day.

Follow me on Twitter @accessibleworld and @author_jodhan.
Like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/author.jodhan

This is a personal message from author Donna Jodhan
"If you either are or have been a victim of crime, violence, abuse, or bullying, and if you are simply tired of being bombarded with audios and scenes of the above, then I am asking for your support. I have written and recorded audio mysteries that are completely void of vivid descriptions of sex, crime, and violence because I firmly believe that it is time for us to use the spoken word to help influence our kids to start listening to content that is clean and healthy. By doing this we can all do our part to tackle crime in a positive and meaningful way and it only costs pennies per day. Visit my online store at www.donnajodhan.com/store.html.
I thank you and your kids will also thank you!"

The Toronto Harbour boat cruise

Yet another memory for me to cherish! Memories of a Toronto Harbour boat cruise of so many years ago. This, too, was a gorgeous summer's day as I ventured out with my co-workers to enjoy a great outing. I can still picture this in my mind: the boat and everyone wearing colourful necklaces and all kinds of various shirts.

The breeze was a fresh and cool one and as I stood with my group on the deck, I looked out towards the harbour and one of my friends gave me a running commentary of the various buildings within visual range. I loved it all! The gorgeous sun, the breeze, the water lapping gently against our boat, and good company.

The shirts of those around me flapping in the cool breeze. Hats and caps bobbing in the wind, and glasses filled with liquid of various colours in the hands of those around me.

I don't think that anyone would or could fully appreciate how I felt that day. Being able to see what was around me was really a gift for me and one that I have managed to carry with me for so many years. You see, these are the memories that keep me going now that my vision is almost zero.

I'm Donna J. Jodhan, your friendly accessibility advocate, wishing you a terrific day.

Follow me on Twitter @accessibleworld and @author_jodhan.
Like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/author.jodhan

This is a personal message from author Donna Jodhan
"If you either are or have been a victim of crime, violence, abuse, or bullying, and if you are simply tired of being bombarded with audios and scenes of the above, then I am asking for your support. I have written and recorded audio mysteries that are completely void of vivid descriptions of sex, crime, and violence because I firmly believe that it is time for us to use the spoken word to help influence our kids to start listening to content that is clean and healthy. By doing this we can all do our part to tackle crime in a positive and meaningful way and it only costs pennies per day. Visit my online store at www.donnajodhan.com/store.html.
I thank you and your kids will also thank you!"

At Wild Water Kingdom

Ah yes! This was so many years ago, when I first went to Wild Water Kingdom with my friend Gabriella and her nephew, Rick. What a day for me and one that I shall never forget.

The day was one of the warmest of that summer and as the sun blazed down on us, I took in all of my surroundings. In those days I had enough vision to appreciate my surroundings, all of the colors and shapes and sights and sounds to go along. I was literally blown away! The various colors of people's clothes. The various shapes of their bodies. The stalls loaded with food and the kids literally bowling over each other to get to the various water rides and pools.

Gabriella took Rick and me to the lazy river, the wading pool, and some of the various other rides. Rick wore a bright yellow hat and this made it easy for me to find him. We had so much fun, and at the end of it all I returned home having enjoyed another side of life! One where I got to be a kid once more for a few hours and one where I could see enough to enjoy the big world with all of its shapes and colors.

These memories shall be forever tucked away in my memory bank and at any given time, I can recall them and cherish them.

I'm Donna J. Jodhan, your friendly accessibility advocate, wishing you a terrific day.

Follow me on Twitter @accessibleworld and @author_jodhan.
Like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/author.jodhan

This is a personal message from author Donna Jodhan
"If you either are or have been a victim of crime, violence, abuse, or bullying, and if you are simply tired of being bombarded with audios and scenes of the above, then I am asking for your support. I have written and recorded audio mysteries that are completely void of vivid descriptions of sex, crime, and violence because I firmly believe that it is time for us to use the spoken word to help influence our kids to start listening to content that is clean and healthy. By doing this we can all do our part to tackle crime in a positive and meaningful way and it only costs pennies per day. Visit my online store at www.donnajodhan.com/store.html.
I thank you and your kids will also thank you!"

When the crabs came out

I'll never forget that fateful night when the crabs came out! It was a moonlit night of so many years ago and the family was indeed expecting them to run as it is a common belief still held today that crabs almost always run on moonlit nights.

I, for one, was bound and determined that I would not let them pinch my toes because I was told that if you were to somehow get in their way as they ran then they would pinch your feet with their sharp pincers.

These were the blue back crabs as they were called. Large, fast-moving creations of nature that came out of their holes in the sand on moonlit nights to run around in their own domain. They would run on the beach. They would run along on dirt paths, and they would even run on grassy slopes and banks. I was never really able to see what they looked like but based on descriptions from Granny and Dad, they were quite cute in their own way. They were of all sizes, from quite small to being quite large. Large being the size of the palm of an adult. They had large pinchers, large claws, and their backs were blue. Blue ranging from light blue to very dark blue.

Such memories for me are so precious and I am really glad that I have them forever.

I'm Donna J. Jodhan, your friendly accessibility advocate, wishing you a terrific day.

Follow me on Twitter @accessibleworld and @author_jodhan.
Like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/author.jodhan

This is a personal message from author Donna Jodhan
"If you either are or have been a victim of crime, violence, abuse, or bullying, and if you are simply tired of being bombarded with audios and scenes of the above, then I am asking for your support. I have written and recorded audio mysteries that are completely void of vivid descriptions of sex, crime, and violence because I firmly believe that it is time for us to use the spoken word to help influence our kids to start listening to content that is clean and healthy. By doing this we can all do our part to tackle crime in a positive and meaningful way and it only costs pennies per day. Visit my online store at www.donnajodhan.com/store.html.
I thank you and your kids will also thank you!"

Learning to cook

I still remember the very first day when I was put in the kitchen at school and cooking lessons had started for real. I think it was my baptism to the stove and not having been able to see too much at that time enabled me to conjure up all kinds of imaginations of the poor old big bad stove.

Truth be told, almost all of these imaginings turned out to be very false. The stove was not as bad as I had imagined it would be. The pots and pans were quite harmless. The gas flame was not as huge as I had imagined and the heat was not nearly as hot as I had first thought it to be.

Slowly but surely I became comfortable with the kitchen and its various objects, implements, and everything else and today I simply enjoy cooking. I may not be able to see what I am cooking or stirring but that's quite okay.

I am very comfortable interacting with my pots and pans. I have absolutely no difficulty controlling my heat and maneuvering my pots and sauce pans, and hot pots and dishes are not a problem for me.

My stove top is like second nature to me and my microwave and toaster oven are like parts of my extended arms.

I'm Donna J. Jodhan, your friendly accessibility advocate, wishing you a terrific day.

Follow me on Twitter @accessibleworld and @author_jodhan.
Like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/author.jodhan

This is a personal message from author Donna Jodhan
"If you either are or have been a victim of crime, violence, abuse, or bullying, and if you are simply tired of being bombarded with audios and scenes of the above, then I am asking for your support. I have written and recorded audio mysteries that are completely void of vivid descriptions of sex, crime, and violence because I firmly believe that it is time for us to use the spoken word to help influence our kids to start listening to content that is clean and healthy. By doing this we can all do our part to tackle crime in a positive and meaningful way and it only costs pennies per day.Visit my online store at www.donnajodhan.com/store.html.
I thank you and your kids will also thank you!"

Memories of a bathtub

Sure! There are many of us who often take our bathtub for granted and that's okay, but for me memories of a bathtub have so many wonderful recollections.

The first time that I was really able to see my bathtub was after I had my first cornea transplant. Like a kid in a candy store! I filled my bathtub with clear sparkling water then I carefully inserted frothy bath bubbles from a large bottle of the sweet smelling stuff. Then I sat and watched for a very long time as the bubbles formed and then floated gently and gracefully on the surface of the water. I was absolutely mesmerized and could not take my eyes away. The water grew cool and still I continued to sit and watch.

Then, when finally I returned to reality, I took my fingers and began to play with the frothy water. The bubbles quickly dispersed but then they came back together and continued their circular journey around the tub. Then I refreshed the water with some more warm water and made more bubbles then sat and watched in pure fascination.

I took my fingers and tried to form shapes out of the bubbles. I do not think that I did too badly for a first time. I loved the feel of the froth. I loved the sight of the fluffy froth and most of all! The sweet smell of everything!

That was then and this is now! I can no longer see the bubbles in my bathtub but I sure have dozens of memories.

I'm Donna J. Jodhan, your friendly accessibility advocate, wishing you a terrific day.

Follow me on Twitter @accessibleworld and @author_jodhan.
Like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/author.jodhan

This is a personal message from author Donna Jodhan
"If you either are or have been a victim of crime, violence, abuse, or bullying, and if you are simply tired of being bombarded with audios and scenes of the above, then I am asking for your support. I have written and recorded audio mysteries that are completely void of vivid descriptions of sex, crime, and violence because I firmly believe that it is time for us to use the spoken word to help influence our kids to start listening to content that is clean and healthy. By doing this we can all do our part to tackle crime in a positive and meaningful way and it only costs pennies per day. Visit my online store at www.donnajodhan.com/store.html.
I thank you and your kids will also thank you!"

My beloved sand castles

This was always one of my favorite family things to do: building sand castles whenever we were at the beach. I would say that it was Granny and Dad who really showed me how to build these and boy did I have fun doing it. Then the brothers and cousins joined in and we used to have competitions to see who could build the biggest and nicest ones.

I don't think that I ever expected to win the competitions; all I ever wanted to do was to use my imagination to create shapes of all kinds and sizes. Castles of all shapes and sizes and anything and everything else. I would even create my own inventions and hold them in my hand or just simply build them on the surface of the lovely sand.

Sometimes castles turned into mountains or at other times they turned into houses. What joy it was for me and I shall never forget!

I'm Donna J. Jodhan, your friendly accessibility advocate, wishing you a terrific day.

Follow me on Twitter @accessibleworld and @author_jodhan.
Like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/author.jodhan

This is a personal message from author Donna Jodhan
"If you either are or have been a victim of crime, violence, abuse, or bullying, and if you are simply tired of being bombarded with audios and scenes of the above, then I am asking for your support. I have written and recorded audio mysteries that are completely void of vivid descriptions of sex, crime, and violence because I firmly believe that it is time for us to use the spoken word to help influence our kids to start listening to content that is clean and healthy. By doing this we can all do our part to tackle crime in a positive and meaningful way and it only costs pennies per day. Visit my online store at www.donnajodhan.com/store.html.
I thank you and your kids will also thank you!"

Watching the water flow

I used to love to do this when I had enough vision to do it. To sit and watch the flow of water in my bathtub, in my kitchen sink, in the sea, and anywhere I could find flowing water.

The water sparkled and moved! It flowed noisily and it flowed quietly. It flowed lazily and it flowed gently.

I could still remember going out to watch the water flow in a drain on a rainy spring day. There I would stand quietly looking down at the water hustling down the drain. Sometimes the water was clean and at other times it was murky. Or I would stand on a semi-deserted beach watching the water flow in circles in the sea. The water sparkled as the face of the sun beamed down on it.

These were some of my favorite pastimes when I had enough vision to see, but now without the benefit of sight I can use my memories to remember and pretend that I am watching.

I'm Donna J. Jodhan, your friendly accessibility advocate, wishing you a terrific day.

Follow me on Twitter @accessibleworld and @author_jodhan.
Like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/author.jodhan

This is a personal message from author Donna Jodhan
"If you either are or have been a victim of crime, violence, abuse, or bullying, and if you are simply tired of being bombarded with audios and scenes of the above, then I am asking for your support. I have written and recorded audio mysteries that are completely void of vivid descriptions of sex, crime, and violence because I firmly believe that it is time for us to use the spoken word to help influence our kids to start listening to content that is clean and healthy. By doing this we can all do our part to tackle crime in a positive and meaningful way and it only costs pennies per day.Visit my online store at www.donnajodhan.com/store.html.
I thank you and your kids will also thank you!"

Remembering my favorite page

This was not an easy choice for me but I'll have to choose the one that bore the headlines in the Montreal Star in 1979 that announced that once again the Montreal Canadiens hockey team had won the Stanley Cup!

This was one of the first set of headlines that I was able to see after my first cornea transplant and what a memorable moment for me! I shall never forget, and as I sit here writing this I can still feel the chills going up and down my back.

Below the bold headlines were pictures of the cup and players jumping for joy as they jostled each other to touch the prized trophy. There I was, sitting next to my dad on the couch as he gleefully held out the page to me and allowed me to read it aloud! As I read I could feel him starting to share my excitement but not for the reasons that I was excited! He was ecstatic because I was now able to read the headlines of a newspaper! My first cornea transplant was working!

I'm Donna J. Jodhan, your friendly accessibility advocate, wishing you a terrific day.

Follow me on Twitter @accessibleworld and @author_jodhan.
Like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/author.jodhan

This is a personal message from author Donna Jodhan
"If you either are or have been a victim of crime, violence, abuse, or bullying, and if you are simply tired of being bombarded with audios and scenes of the above, then I am asking for your support. I have written and recorded audio mysteries that are completely void of vivid descriptions of sex, crime, and violence because I firmly believe that it is time for us to use the spoken word to help influence our kids to start listening to content that is clean and healthy. By doing this we can all do our part to tackle crime in a positive and meaningful way and it only costs pennies per day.Visit my online store at www.donnajodhan.com/store.html.
I thank you and your kids will also thank you!"

Memories of my teddy bears

Each of these furry ones shall forever stand out in my mind. There was Rolly Polly. There was Andy Pander. There was Oswald, and then there was Teddy!

Rolly Polly was a huge, fat, golden teddy bear that my parents bought me when I was about five years old. He lived on my bed for many years. Then there was Andy Pander who was a black and white bear with nice ears. My brother, Robert, had won him at a fair. I always remembered Robert telling me that he would bring Andy Pander home to me just before he went out to the fair with Mom, my aunt and cousin, and her friend. Robert did not disappoint me and I immediately loved him, putting him to lie right next to Rolly Polly on my bed.

Oswald came a bit later on and he was a small yellow bear. He was a tough little guy but I still loved him, nevertheless, and found a space for him on my bed.

Teddy was the last to come and by that time I was beginning to outgrow teddy bears, but he, too, had a special spot on my bed. He was small but very furry.

Ah yes! Memories of my teddy bears forever.

I'm Donna J. Jodhan your friendly accessibility advocate wishing you a terrific day.

Follow me on Twitter @accessibleworld and @author_jodhan.
Like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/author.jodhan

This is a personal message from author Donna Jodhan
"If you either are or have been a victim of crime, violence, abuse, or bullying, and if you are simply tired of being bombarded with audios and scenes of the above, then I am asking for your support. I have written and recorded audio mysteries that are completely void of vivid descriptions of sex, crime, and violence because I firmly believe that it is time for us to use the spoken word to help influence our kids to start listening to content that is clean and healthy. By doing this we can all do our part to tackle crime in a positive and meaningful way and it only costs pennies per day.Visit my online store at www.donnajodhan.com/store.html.
I thank you and your kids will also thank you!"

Giving the dogs a bath

I used to love to do this when I was growing up and we had three huge dogs: Yella, the mom, and her two handsome sons, Lion and Tiger. Sometimes there was Boyo and Brownie, too, and they were Yella's other kids.

This momentous event usually took place on a Sunday and seemed to be a family affair. I never refused to help with this chore and our dogs never disappointed me. I would even venture to say that somehow they knew when it was going to happen and they never made a fuss.

They would stand absolutely still and allow me to bathe them. First I would take the hose and wet them down. Next came the soap and finally the rinsing. They never moved! They never complained and I never missed a beat!

Those dogs were always so well behaved and I was so proud of them. Moreover, I was always so happy that my family allowed me to bathe them and they never made me feel that I could not do it because of being blind.

I'm Donna J. Jodhan your friendly accessibility advocate wishing you a terrific day.

Follow me on Twitter @accessibleworld and @author_jodhan.
Like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/author.jodhan

This is a personal message from author Donna Jodhan
"If you either are or have been a victim of crime, violence, abuse, or bullying, and if you are simply tired of being bombarded with audios and scenes of the above, then I am asking for your support. I have written and recorded audio mysteries that are completely void of vivid descriptions of sex, crime, and violence because I firmly believe that it is time for us to use the spoken word to help influence our kids to start listening to content that is clean and healthy. By doing this we can all do our part to tackle crime in a positive and meaningful way and it only costs pennies per day.Visit my online store at www.donnajodhan.com/store.html.
I thank you and your kids will also thank you!"