Daddy, I still remember the butterflies

These memories are still so very fresh in my mind, as if they only happened yesterday and they are ones that will probably always be with me.

The mornings were almost always sunny, with the sun beating down on Daddy and me as we walked hand in hand around our yard. I was just a wee one then and so proud to be walking with my strong but gentle Daddy.

The air was fresh and cool, for the most part, and as we walked Daddy would describe things to me. The almond tree, standing tall and proud, loaded with green leaves and lots of fat juicy almonds. The red roses bowing gracefully on their long stems, and then there they were!

Those tiny butterflies flitting effortlessly around from leaf to leaf and Daddy sneaking up on them.

He would say softly to me that he wanted me to stand very still while he sneaked off to catch a butterfly for me and I did just that. I would stand there waiting and within a minute or so he would be back with his prize.

Daddy would tell me to open my hand and I would. Then he would place the tiny butterfly in the middle of my palm and then with the utmost of gentleness and care he would take the index finger of my other hand and place it gingerly on the butterfly's back.

Oh, how I loved these precious moments with my beloved Daddy. I would stand there for minutes on end with the tiny butterfly in my hand. Daddy would describe the little butterfly to me and, for the most part, it would be a yellow butterfly.

You see, Daddy knew that my favorite color was yellow and I am almost sure that he went out of his way to catch a yellow butterfly just for me.

I would do my best to be as still as possible and I would allow my index finger to rest as gingerly as possible on the butterfly's back, making sure not to squeeze too hard. Then, after a moment, Daddy would tell me to remove my finger so that the butterfly could fly away.

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/authordonnajodhan.
Visit our online store to either purchase or subscribe for unlimited access to our library at www.donnajodhan.com/store.html and you can even take advantage of our free downloads! Or subscribe to our free monthly newsletter at www.donnajodhan.com

This is a personal message from author Donna Jodhan
"Each time we raise our voice at someone else we are engaging in bullying! Each time we raise our hands to slap or punch someone else we are also engaging in bullying and each time we engage in actions to either manipulate or force someone else to do what we want we are also engaging in bullying!
There is no room in this world for bullying and each day we fail to take action against bullying it is another day that we allow others to bully us and our kids. Our heroes and role models are the ones who have made us proud; those brave young men and women who gave their lives for us in past wars and those who continue to do so. They are not the ones who choose to be racists and those who believe that their bad behaviour in public is acceptable.

I write and record audio mysteries that are being used at such events as murder mystery evenings as well as at public awareness and team building events. I promote understanding, tolerance, and problem solving and my audio mysteries continue to be broadcasted around the world and you can listen to them anywhere! On the plane or train! In the car or right there in your home! On your i device or computer!
Please join my campaign against bullying (CAB) by supporting my efforts to keep on writing and recording!

If you truly care then you will certainly dare!"

Bike races on the beach

This is yet another precious memory that I shall forever hold close to me. It was all about Dad and me racing our bicycles on the beach.

Maybe I am wrong but it always seemed to me that my dear dad allowed me to win those memorable races. He never seemed to mind each time I won but there was the odd time when he was victorious.

I used to marvel at how he never seemed to be afraid whenever we raced along the sand. The sand was so firm and we usually raced whenever the tide was out so that there was more room for us to speed along with the sea breeze pounding on our backs.

Most times it was Dad who called for a race and I never backed down. We would start with a nice easy ride and then his call would come. Gosh! He never seemed to care that I was blind!

I never seemed to care if anyone was watching. All that mattered was that Dad and I would be racing along. What wonderful memories and who knows! I may some day get to race him along that long stretch of sand in the next world!

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/authordonnajodhan.

Visit our online store to either purchase or subscribe for unlimited access to our library at www.donnajodhan.com/store.html and you can even take advantage of our free downloads! Or subscribe to our free monthly newsletter at www.donnajodhan.com

This is a personal message from author Donna Jodhan

"Each time we raise our voice at someone else we are engaging in bullying! Each time we raise our hands to slap or punch someone else we are also engaging in bullying and each time we engage in actions to either manipulate or force someone else to do what we want we are also engaging in bullying!

There is no room in this world for bullying and each day we fail to take action against bullying it is another day that we allow others to bully us and our kids. Our heroes and role models are the ones who have made us proud; those brave young men and women who gave their lives for us in past wars and those who continue to do so. They are not the ones who choose to be racists and those who believe that their bad behaviour in public is acceptable.

I write and record audio mysteries that are being used at such events as murder mystery evenings as well as at public awareness and team building events. I promote understanding, tolerance, and problem solving and my audio mysteries continue to be broadcasted around the world and you can listen to them anywhere! On the plane or train! In the car or right there in your home! On your i device or computer!

Please join my campaign against bullying (CAB) by supporting my efforts to keep on writing and recording!

If you truly care then you will certainly dare!"

Remembering Dad's playtime

I guess that almost every girl in town will tell you that theirs is or was the best dad that they have or had and I am no different. No, he was not perfect but almost so!

How well I remember playtime with my beloved Dad. He never hesitated to play with me: games that he made up as we went along, playtime on the beach and in the botanical gardens, but most of all those games that we always played in the ocean.

Dad would toss those large colorful balls to me as we frolicked in the sea and then he would tell me to throw them back to him. It was up to me to ensure that I could catch the ball and throw it back as accurately as possible. Then he would have me jump the waves. He would tell me when to jump as a wave approached.

Most of the time I managed to jump in time but there were those occasions when I missed all together and then I would end up face down on the beach as the wave would toss me there. Or I would find myself inadvertently accepting a mouthful of salt water and there was Dad, chuckling in a low voice!

Playtime on the beach was especially memorable for me. Dad and I built so many sand castles of all shapes and sizes and then we would build those high mountains and towers. I can still remember these wonderful times.

Then there were the times playing in the botanical gardens where we ran, jumped, flew kites, kicked balls, and rode my scooter. Nothing could ever erase these wonderful play time memories of playtime with Dad.

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/authordonnajodhan.

Visit our online store to either purchase or subscribe for unlimited access to our library at www.donnajodhan.com/store.htmland you can even take advantage of our free downloads! Or subscribe to our free monthly newsletter at www.donnajodhan.com

This is a personal message from author Donna Jodhan

"Each time we raise our voice at someone else we are engaging in bullying! Each time we raise our hands to slap or punch someone else we are also engaging in bullying and each time we engage in actions to either manipulate or force someone else to do what we want we are also engaging in bullying!

There is no room in this world for bullying and each day we fail to take action against bullying it is another day that we allow others to bully us and our kids. Our heroes and role models are the ones who have made us proud; those brave young men and women who gave their lives for us in past wars and those who continue to do so. They are not the ones who choose to be racists and those who believe that their bad behaviour in public is acceptable.

I write and record audio mysteries that are being used at such events as murder mystery evenings as well as at public awareness and team building events. I promote understanding, tolerance, and problem solving and my audio mysteries continue to be broadcasted around the world and you can listen to them anywhere! On the plane or train! In the car or right there in your home! On your i device or computer!

Please join my campaign against bullying (CAB) by supporting my efforts to keep on writing and recording!

If you truly care then you will certainly dare!"

When the doctor almost forgot me

Every time I think of this incident I have to smile to myself. Some time ago I visited my family physician for a regular check up and as customary the receptionist escorted me into a patient room and asked me to wait for my doctor. She told me that it would not be too long.

So I settled down to wait but after a half hour had gone by I began to worry because my doctor is always on time. I allowed five minutes to go by and then I decided to take action.

Thank goodness for my iPhone. I pulled it out of my purse and dialed my doctor's office number and bingo! As soon as the receptionist heard my voice she sprang into action and soon enough I heard her running down the hall towards the room in which I was sitting, followed by my doctor.

My iPhone sure saved the day for me because if I did not have it with me I would have been in great difficulty to find my way to the receptionist's desk.

The receptionist had made a small error but that's okay. She is always so very conscientious with 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/authordonnajodhan.

Visit our online store to either purchase or subscribe for unlimited access to our library at www.donnajodhan.com/store.html and you can even take advantage of our free downloads! Or subscribe to our free monthly newsletter at www.donnajodhan.com

This is a personal message from author Donna Jodhan

"Each time we raise our voice at someone else we are engaging in bullying! Each time we raise our hands to slap or punch someone else we are also engaging in bullying and each time we engage in actions to either manipulate or force someone else to do what we want we are also engaging in bullying!

There is no room in this world for bullying and each day we fail to take action against bullying it is another day that we allow others to bully us and our kids. Our heroes and role models are the ones who have made us proud; those brave young men and women who gave their lives for us in past wars and those who continue to do so. They are not the ones who choose to be racists and those who believe that their bad behaviour in public is acceptable.

I write and record audio mysteries that are being used at such events as murder mystery evenings as well as at public awareness and team building events. I promote understanding, tolerance, and problem solving and my audio mysteries continue to be broadcasted around the world and you can listen to them anywhere! On the plane or train! In the car or right there in your home! On your i device or computer!

Please join my campaign against bullying (CAB) by supporting my efforts to keep on writing and recording!

If you truly care then you will certainly dare!"

Those illusive nutshells

One of the most difficult things for me to find after they have fallen out of my hands or they have spilled out of a bowl or plate are nut shells.

Just try finding these little things after they have done so and you're in for a game of patience. Yes, pack your patience as you go looking for them. Due to their makeup, they are light and somewhat slippery because of their lightness; they can easily be dislodged if you move too quickly and then they go flying and skidding elsewhere.

So how do I catch them? For me, I have to go gently and slowly. I have to start by having an idea as to where they have fallen and this is not always easy to determine, especially so when they have fallen on carpeted floors. If they have fallen on my counter then I need to ensure that I do not knock them onto the floor, bare or carpeted.

I also have to ensure that I do not send them skidding elsewhere for who knows where they will end up and it is not easy to find them then. So, at the end of the day, I need to be careful whenever I deal with fallen nut shells.

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/authordonnajodhan.
Visit our online store to either purchase or subscribe for unlimited access to our library at www.donnajodhan.com/store.html
and you can even take advantage of our free downloads!
Or subscribe to our free monthly newsletter at www.donnajodhan.com

This is a personal message from author Donna Jodhan
"Each time we raise our voice at someone else we are engaging in bullying! Each time we raise our hands to slap or punch someone else we are also engaging in bullying and each time we engage in actions to either manipulate or force someone else to do what we want we are also engaging in bullying!

There is no room in this world for bullying and each day we fail to take action against bullying it is another day that we allow others to bully us and our kids. Our heroes and role models are the ones who have made us proud; those brave young men and women who gave their lives for us in past wars and those who continue to do so. They are not the ones who choose to be racists and those who believe that their bad behaviour in public is acceptable.

I write and record audio mysteries that are being used at such events as murder mystery evenings as well as at public awareness and team building events. I promote understanding, tolerance, and problem solving and my audio mysteries continue to be broadcasted around the world and you can listen to them anywhere! On the plane or train! In the car or right there in your home! On your i device or computer!

Please join my campaign against bullying (CAB) by supporting my efforts to keep on writing and recording!
If you truly care then you will certainly dare!"

Using my cane to verify

It sure helps whenever I can use my cane to help me verify things. I do this whenever I am not sure of my surroundings and I want to get a handle on what is around and close to me.

If I am uncertain then I stick out my cane in a gentle manner and start probing. This is how I found the unexpected rolled up carpets in my hallway one day. After being alerted by the smell of new carpets close by, I took my cane and began to explore.

If something falls out of my hand and onto either a bare or carpeted floor, I use my cane to help me verify where the said object has fallen. I do this in a measured way, moving my cane back and forth in small strokes and in a circular motion.

The strategy for me is to go slowly and gently. To move my cane around in small and narrow strokes so as not to miss anything. This is the method that sure works for me. It works like a charm and when I have located what I am looking for, the rest is easy.

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/authordonnajodhan.
Visit our online store to either purchase or subscribe for unlimited access to our library at www.donnajodhan.com/store.html
and you can even take advantage of our free downloads!
Or subscribe to our free monthly newsletter at www.donnajodhan.com

This is a personal message from author Donna Jodhan
"Each time we raise our voice at someone else we are engaging in bullying! Each time we raise our hands to slap or punch someone else we are also engaging in bullying and each time we engage in actions to either manipulate or force someone else to do what we want we are also engaging in bullying!

There is no room in this world for bullying and each day we fail to take action against bullying it is another day that we allow others to bully us and our kids. Our heroes and role models are the ones who have made us proud; those brave young men and women who gave their lives for us in past wars and those who continue to do so. They are not the ones who choose to be racists and those who believe that their bad behaviour in public is acceptable.

I write and record audio mysteries that are being used at such events as murder mystery evenings as well as at public awareness and team building events. I promote understanding, tolerance, and problem solving and my audio mysteries continue to be broadcasted around the world and you can listen to them anywhere! On the plane or train! In the car or right there in your home! On your i device or computer!

Please join my campaign against bullying (CAB) by supporting my efforts to keep on writing and recording!
If you truly care then you will certainly dare!"

When I discovered the carpets in the hall

I practically smelled them before I almost stumbled upon them and I have to say that it was my sense of smell that saved the day for me.

There I was, coming out of the elevator on to the 12th floor in my building, pushing my shopping cart ahead of me and voila! The strong smell of new carpets hit me in the face like cold water being thrown across my back!

I stopped in my tracks and quickly took stock. I pulled my shopping cart close to me and then with my cane I went exploring. There they were, all stacked along the edge of the wall. New carpets rolled up from large pieces just waiting to be put down. Luckily for me they were going to do this in my neighbor's condo and not in the hall.

I took a few minutes to make sure of my footing and landscape and then returned to my shopping cart and with the utmost of care I rolled it down the hall towards my condo. All was well that ended well.

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/authordonnajodhan.
Visit our online store to either purchase or subscribe for unlimited access to our library at www.donnajodhan.com/store.html
and you can even take advantage of our free downloads!
Or subscribe to our free monthly newsletter at www.donnajodhan.com.

This is a personal message from author Donna Jodhan
"Each time we raise our voice at someone else we are engaging in bullying! Each time we raise our hands to slap or punch someone else we are also engaging in bullying and each time we engage in actions to either manipulate or force someone else to do what we want we are also engaging in bullying!

There is no room in this world for bullying and each day we fail to take action against bullying it is another day that we allow others to bully us and our kids. Our heroes and role models are the ones who have made us proud; those brave young men and women who gave their lives for us in past wars and those who continue to do so. They are not the ones who choose to be racists and those who believe that their bad behaviour in public is acceptable.

I write and record audio mysteries that are being used at such events as murder mystery evenings as well as at public awareness and team building events. I promote understanding, tolerance, and problem solving and my audio mysteries continue to be broadcasted around the world and you can listen to them anywhere! On the plane or train! In the car or right there in your home! On your i device or computer!

Please join my campaign against bullying (CAB) by supporting my efforts to keep on writing and recording!
If you truly care then you will certainly dare!"

Fighting with my scanner

Oh well, as they would say, that's life! If I am not fighting with my printer then it is my scanner but I'll hasten to tell you that these fights do not occur as often as you may think. However, whenever they do occur, it is almost always I who ends up losing the battle.

Fighting with my scanner usually happens whenever I place either unopened mail or a sheet on the surface of the scanner. I stand patiently and wait for it to tell me what the text is and then guess what?

Sometimes it may choose to read the text accurately but at other times it would either tell me that there is no text or it would simply have a mind of its own and read the text in an incomplete manner.

So, what do I do? There are a few courses of action that I can take. First, I can repeat the process hoping for my beloved scanner to get things right. Next, I could seek sighted assistance, and finally I could simply walk away from the insufferable scanner and return later to try once more.

In defense of my scanner, however, it may be I who is simply not placing my mail or documents on the surface of the scanner in the right way. For example, placing the wrong side of the text on the surface so that the scanner's camera is being presented with a blank page or envelope.

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/authordonnajodhan.

Visit our online store to either purchase or subscribe for unlimited access to our library at www.donnajodhan.com/store.html and you can even take advantage of our free downloads! Or subscribe to our free monthly newsletter at www.donnajodhan.com

This is a personal message from author Donna Jodhan

"Each time we raise our voice at someone else we are engaging in bullying! Each time we raise our hands to slap or punch someone else we are also engaging in bullying and each time we engage in actions to either manipulate or force someone else to do what we want we are also engaging in bullying!

There is no room in this world for bullying and each day we fail to take action against bullying it is another day that we allow others to bully us and our kids. Our heroes and role models are the ones who have made us proud; those brave young men and women who gave their lives for us in past wars and those who continue to do so. They are not the ones who choose to be racists and those who believe that their bad behaviour in public is acceptable.

I write and record audio mysteries that are being used at such events as murder mystery evenings as well as at public awareness and team building events. I promote understanding, tolerance, and problem solving and my audio mysteries continue to be broadcasted around the world and you can listen to them anywhere! On the plane or train! In the car or right there in your home! On your i device or computer!

Please join my campaign against bullying (CAB) by supporting my efforts to keep on writing and recording!

If you truly care then you will certainly dare!"

What if I could see once more?

In January 2004 I lost my vision due to a huge retinal detachment. My poor old retina gave up the fight as it had somehow managed to detach itself in three places and according to the surgeons it was one of the worst detachments that they had ever seen.

Since then, my vision has been reduced to light perception but this has not stopped me from dreaming and, as I often say to myself: what if I could see again?

I know that the world would be different today from the day when I lost my vision. There would be oh so much for me to see and discover. Colors would be amazing! There would be many more devices and gadgets for me to discover and explore! There would be a new way for me to take pictures, via my I device as opposed to those now-defunct cameras.

I would need to get used to looking at photos on my I device. I would need to learn how to read using an I device and also learn how to use my fingers to tap my way through messages when composing them.

I would have so much fun in the malls, clothes shopping, browsing in the toy stores, and treating myself to materials for crafts. I would literally find myself going crazy over everything around me.

Oh, but these are only dreams and nothing more! It does not hurt to dream, does it? For who knows! I may just have this dream become a reality some day in the not too distant future.

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/authordonnajodhan.

Visit our online store to either purchase or subscribe for unlimited access to our library at www.donnajodhan.com/store.htmland you can even take advantage of our free downloads! Or subscribe to our free monthly newsletter at www.donnajodhan.com

This is a personal message from author Donna Jodhan

"Each time we raise our voice at someone else we are engaging in bullying! Each time we raise our hands to slap or punch someone else we are also engaging in bullying and each time we engage in actions to either manipulate or force someone else to do what we want we are also engaging in bullying!

There is no room in this world for bullying and each day we fail to take action against bullying it is another day that we allow others to bully us and our kids. Our heroes and role models are the ones who have made us proud; those brave young men and women who gave their lives for us in past wars and those who continue to do so. They are not the ones who choose to be racists and those who believe that their bad behaviour in public is acceptable.

I write and record audio mysteries that are being used at such events as murder mystery evenings as well as at public awareness and team building events. I promote understanding, tolerance, and problem solving and my audio mysteries continue to be broadcasted around the world and you can listen to them anywhere! On the plane or train! In the car or right there in your home! On your i device or computer!

Please join my campaign against bullying (CAB) by supporting my efforts to keep on writing and recording!

If you truly care then you will certainly dare!"

Finding the nozzle with my cane

And this is exactly what I had to do when the nozzle to my kettle fell from my hand and rolled away from me. I had a general idea as to where it fell but after spending some time searching around on the floor my efforts proved fruitless and I had to call in additional help.

I rose unsteadily from the floor and sauntered over to where my cane was standing in the corner. I took the cane and returned to my kitchen floor and with measured, ginger-like steps, I began my seek and find process.

It did not take me very long to locate the nozzle. It was stuck between a wall and the side of the stove. I placed my cane at the far end between wall and stove and proceeded to come at the nozzle in the manner of someone batting a ball. It worked!
I managed to bat the nozzle from its spot and it rolled harmlessly out into the middle of the kitchen floor and there I grabbed it. All in a day's work.

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/authordonnajodhan.
Visit our online store to either purchase or subscribe for unlimited access to our library at www.donnajodhan.com/store.htmland you can even take advantage of our free downloads! Or subscribe to our free monthly newsletter at www.donnajodhan.com

This is a personal message from author Donna Jodhan

"Each time we raise our voice at someone else we are engaging in bullying! Each time we raise our hands to slap or punch someone else we are also engaging in bullying and each time we engage in actions to either manipulate or force someone else to do what we want we are also engaging in bullying!

There is no room in this world for bullying and each day we fail to take action against bullying it is another day that we allow others to bully us and our kids. Our heroes and role models are the ones who have made us proud; those brave young men and women who gave their lives for us in past wars and those who continue to do so. They are not the ones who choose to be racists and those who believe that their bad behaviour in public is acceptable.

I write and record audio mysteries that are being used at such events as murder mystery evenings as well as at public awareness and team building events. I promote understanding, tolerance, and problem solving and my audio mysteries continue to be broadcasted around the world and you can listen to them anywhere! On the plane or train! In the car or right there in your home! On your i device or computer!

Please join my campaign against bullying (CAB) by supporting my efforts to keep on writing and recording!
If you truly care then you will certainly dare!"