Childhood memories: Remembering our family's bathroom

I always considered my family's bathroom to be my second bedroom.  It was big, comfortable, and had lots of things to keep me occupied.  It was not just my bedroom away from my bedroom, it was my play room, my living room, and a place to hang out whenever I wanted somewhere to sneak off to.

In many ways, our family bathroom was not your ordinary bathroom.  In addition to the regular wash basin, toilet facilities, and bathtub, there were so many other things.  The wash basin and bathtub were absolutely huge.  There were lots of shelves packed with all kinds of cosmetics, skin care, and a lot more and then there were the usual bath towels and wash cloths.

My favorite was that there was so much space for me, as a kid, to lie on the spotlessly clean tiled floor. There I would take time to simply relax and meditate.  The floor was cool to the touch and felt so good beneath me.

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

If you would like to learn more about me as an author then I invite you now to visit
http://www.donnajodhan.com

There you will not only learn about me as an author but you will also gain insights into my campaign against bullying and why I strongly believe that you need to consider joining me in order to insure that the future of our kids with their wide-eyed smiles and infectious laughter is secured forever.

And now my weekly podcast!
From recipes to apps, and 5 minute mysteries to tips for entrepreneurs and scam alerts!
www.takeanother5.com
And available for download from iTunes and Google music play

Follow me on Twitter @accessibleworld and at author_jodhan
And like me on Facebook at
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An unusual experience: When my cane died

This was quite an interesting experience for me but thank God that Sue was with me.  I did not really have much warning but truth be told, my beloved cane had started to struggle of late in that it had started to wobble a bit.

So, on this day in late fall, as Sue and I were walking through a  busy mall in downtown Montreal, my cane did its last dance.  One minute it was wobbling along with me and the next I felt it quickly begin to fold on me and when I checked, the elastic had given way.

My cane died a very quick death and there was absolutely no hope of even trying to revive it.  Sue found a trash bin and there is where I left it.  A very fitting place for its burial but just think of what could have happened to me if Sue was not with me?  I refuse to contemplate!

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

If you would like to learn more about me as an author then I invite you now to visit
http://www.donnajodhan.com

There you will not only learn about me as an author but you will also gain insights into my campaign against bullying and why I strongly believe that you need to consider joining me in order to insure that the future of our kids with their wide-eyed smiles and infectious laughter is secured forever.

And now my weekly podcast!
From recipes to apps, and 5 minute mysteries to tips for entrepreneurs and scam alerts!
www.takeanother5.com
And available for download from iTunes and Google music play

Follow me on Twitter @accessibleworld and at author_jodhan
And like me on Facebook at
www.facebook.com/donnajodhan and at www.facebook.com/authordonnajodhan

A crazy experience: Seeking the mustard bottle

This was yet another amusing experience for me: when I went searching for my bottle of mustard. 

Here I was, opening up my fridge and directing my search towards the door.   I knew exactly where the bottle of mustard should be but there was one piece of the puzzle missing.  I could not remember what the bottle felt like so I had to call on my sense of smell to help me out. 

I had a fair idea as to the size of the bottle, but alas!  There were several other bottles with similar sizes so there was no getting away from having to sniff the contents of each bottle that fit the size as I perceived it.

It took me a wee bit of time to find my target but at the end of it all it worked out just fine.

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

If you would like to learn more about me as an author then I invite you now to visit
http://www.donnajodhan.com

There you will not only learn about me as an author but you will also gain insights into my campaign against bullying and why I strongly believe that you need to consider joining me in order to insure that the future of our kids with their wide-eyed smiles and infectious laughter is secured forever.

And now my weekly podcast!
From recipes to apps, and 5 minute mysteries to tips for entrepreneurs and scam alerts!
www.takeanother5.com
And available for download from iTunes and Google music play

Follow me on Twitter @accessibleworld and at author_jodhan
And like me on Facebook at
www.facebook.com/donnajodhan and at www.facebook.com/authordonnajodhan

Such meaningful times: Memories of a Frisbee

It was a bright orange Frisbee that Mom and Dad had bought for me shortly after I received my first cornea and they had taken me to the park to play with it.  We spent countless hours tossing the bright orange Frisbee back and forth and I had so much fun. 

Mom and Dad never seemed to tire of tossing it to me and I was ever so excited that I could see it coming towards me, let alone being able to catch it.  I had such fun and was so grateful for this great experience.

So many years have gone by and I still have this precious Frisbee among my possessions.  I'll keep it forever and remember it forever.  This is a memory that could probably never turn into reality, except for in my dreams!

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

If you would like to learn more about me as an author then I invite you now to visit
http://www.donnajodhan.com

There you will not only learn about me as an author but you will also gain insights into my campaign against bullying and why I strongly believe that you need to consider joining me in order to insure that the future of our kids with their wide-eyed smiles and infectious laughter is secured forever.

And now my weekly podcast!
From recipes to apps, and 5 minute mysteries to tips for entrepreneurs and scam alerts!
www.takeanother5.com
And available for download from iTunes and Google music play

Follow me on Twitter @accessibleworld and at author_jodhan
And like me on Facebook at
www.facebook.com/donnajodhan and at www.facebook.com/authordonnajodhan

Cherished memories: Remembering the trains passing by

I would always enjoy watching the trains passing by as I stood at the window of my apartment in Montreal.  Each evening I would stand for minutes on end watching the trains, loaded with homeward-bound passengers, going by.

Sometimes I would go to the park and there I would sit on the cool grass and watch the passing trains.  It was my time to simply relax and meditate and as I did so I would hear the birds singing in the trees, kids playing and laughing as they splashed around in the nearby pond, and there was the fresh, cool Montreal air filling my lungs and mind.

Those were such treasured memories for me.  Such special days filled with carefree thoughts and amazing imaginings.  They were some of my very special times, never to return but for always in my memory bank.

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

If you would like to learn more about me as an author then I invite you now to visit
http://www.donnajodhan.com

There you will not only learn about me as an author but you will also gain insights into my campaign against bullying and why I strongly believe that you need to consider joining me in order to insure that the future of our kids with their wide-eyed smiles and infectious laughter is secured forever.

And now my weekly podcast!
From recipes to apps, and 5 minute mysteries to tips for entrepreneurs and scam alerts!
www.takeanother5.com
And available for download from iTunes and Google music play

Follow me on Twitter @accessibleworld and at author_jodhan
And like me on Facebook at
www.facebook.com/donnajodhan and at www.facebook.com/authordonnajodhan

A childhood memory: Remembering the jellyfish

They were all large and if you ever got too close to them they would simply use their threads to reach out and sting you with them.

Some were blue and some were pink and they hung out on the beach after having been washed up on shore by the waves.  So we had to be super careful when walking along. 

Most times Granny and Mom would spot them and use a stick to burst them as they were usually very puffy and when struck they simply burst and disintegrated.  I do remember once being caught by their threads and, boy, did it ever sting!

I also remember having been able to see them floating along in the calm sea, pink and blue and quite large.  Easter time was their time to make their presence felt.

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

If you would like to learn more about me as an author then I invite you now to visit
http://www.donnajodhan.com

There you will not only learn about me as an author but you will also gain insights into my campaign against bullying and why I strongly believe that you need to consider joining me in order to insure that the future of our kids with their wide-eyed smiles and infectious laughter is secured forever.

And now my weekly podcast!
From recipes to apps, and 5 minute mysteries to tips for entrepreneurs and scam alerts!
www.takeanother5.com
And available for download from iTunes and Google music play

Follow me on Twitter @accessibleworld and at author_jodhan
And like me on Facebook at
www.facebook.com/donnajodhan and at www.facebook.com/authordonnajodhan

Such cherished memories: Learning to ride a bike with Dad

I can tell you straight up that memories of Dad teaching me how to ride a bike are some of the most precious ones.  Dad taught my brother Jeffrey and me how to ride a bike but for me it was extra special.  How so?  Because as a vision-impaired kid it was simply awesome that my dad never hesitated to teach me how to ride.

Dad took me through the various stages of being able to ride on my own. First it was him putting me on a bike and then holding onto me as he told me what to do.  It was a two-wheeler bike and we spent countless hours riding around the large yard.

I would pedal slowly and then pick up speed and there was Dad, hanging on to me as we rode.  He never tired of doing this with me and I often felt guilty that I made him work so hard.

Then Dad slowly let go of of me but he made very sure that the bike I was riding had stabilizer wheels on it.  This did not last for long and soon I was on my two wheeler all by myself with Dad close by, watching very intently to make sure that I got things just right.

These were such fun times.  My dad was the best teacher!  Patient, always encouraging me, and if he had any nervous moments he never let me know.  The yard was my first riding area and then we went riding on the beach.  Dad bought a bike for Jeffrey and me when we turned 7 and then I graduated to using my elder brother Robert's bike later on.

Dad and I rode so many times on the beach.  We rode side by side and up and down the sandy beach with the sun shining down on us in the mornings and the cool sea air surrounding us in the evenings and sometimes we raced each other. It never really mattered to me who won, just that Dad and I had lots of fun!

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

If you would like to learn more about me as an author then I invite you now to visit
http://www.donnajodhan.com

There you will not only learn about me as an author but you will also gain insights into my campaign against bullying and why I strongly believe that you need to consider joining me in order to insure that the future of our kids with their wide-eyed smiles and infectious laughter is secured forever.

And now my weekly podcast!
From recipes to apps, and 5 minute mysteries to tips for entrepreneurs and scam alerts!
www.takeanother5.com
And available for download from iTunes and Google music play

Follow me on Twitter @accessibleworld and at author_jodhan
And like me on Facebook at
www.facebook.com/donnajodhan and at www.facebook.com/authordonnajodhan

I could not have desired a better teacher: Learning to swim with Dad

He was probably one of my best teachers.  He was patient, generous, and so willing to teach me. Next to my granny he, too, taught me so much.

My swimming lessons started off with Dad placing water wings around my waist and showing me how to use my arms and legs to move through the water.  This was all done in the calm sea where there were no waves, just the sea as smooth as glass.

Next came Dad gingerly removing my water wings and then showing me how to support myself on my own.  This next step took a bit of getting used to but I knew that his hand was always close by to support me if I were to falter.

At first Dad stayed very close to me but as time moved on he would move further and further away from me until one day when I discovered that, indeed!  He was swimming beside me but about five feet away from me.

Dad taught me the butterfly, breast, and back strokes.  Then he taught me the crawl and then he taught me how to do backward and forward somersaults. Oh, what fun I had with my dad!

We had so much fun together during my swimming lessons.  Most of the time we swam together and sometimes he would challenge me to a race which he almost always won.  Occasionally he would give me a head start and allow me to win the race.

Dad also taught me how to float on my back, surf the waves by jumping over them and he also showed me how to dive under the large breakers.  Sometimes, however, I would misjudge the height of the wave and then I would end up being caught in it and would then be tossed onto the sandy beach.

These were such happy days for me with my dad teaching me all kinds of great things in the sea.  He never tired of teaching me and I never tired of learning from him.

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

If you would like to learn more about me as an author then I invite you now to visit
http://www.donnajodhan.com

There you will not only learn about me as an author but you will also gain insights into my campaign against bullying and why I strongly believe that you need to consider joining me in order to insure that the future of our kids with their wide-eyed smiles and infectious laughter is secured forever.

And now my weekly podcast!
From recipes to apps, and 5 minute mysteries to tips for entrepreneurs and scam alerts!
www.takeanother5.com
And available for download from iTunes and Google music play

Follow me on Twitter @accessibleworld and at author_jodhan
And like me on Facebook at
www.facebook.com/donnajodhan and at www.facebook.com/authordonnajodhan

She was one of my best teachers: Learning to tie a bow with Granny

She was probably one of the most patient teachers that I have ever had and that was my beloved Granny.

Granny taught me so many things but learning to tie a bow was probably one of the hardest lessons for me.  Yet, through it all she was patient and never gave up on me.

We spent so many hours doing this and the thing about it is that she was never impatient with me.  She spent as long as I wanted her to and she showed me so many different ways as to how to tie a bow but along the way there was so much more to this particular lesson.

Granny taught me perseverance, patience, and creativity.  She taught me humility and reality and at the end of everything, she was my beloved Granny.

I sure remember all of this and shall forever take this particular lesson with me as I travel through life.

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

If you would like to learn more about me as an author then I invite you now to visit
http://www.donnajodhan.com

There you will not only learn about me as an author but you will also gain insights into my campaign against bullying and why I strongly believe that you need to consider joining me in order to insure that the future of our kids with their wide-eyed smiles and infectious laughter is secured forever.

And now my weekly podcast!
From recipes to apps, and 5 minute mysteries to tips for entrepreneurs and scam alerts!
www.takeanother5.com
And available for download from iTunes and Google music play

Follow me on Twitter @accessibleworld and at author_jodhan
And like me on Facebook at
www.facebook.com/donnajodhan and at www.facebook.com/authordonnajodhan

Looking back: When Mom misplaced the roll of foil

It's a good thing that our kitchen is just the right size: not too small but just right.  This makes it easier to find something when it is lost and this is what happened in the case of the lost roll of foil.

Mom did not remember where she had put it so I volunteered to help find it. I started in a methodical way by going from cupboard to cupboard and from shelf to shelf and from drawer to drawer and before long my methodical search had paid off.

Of course, for someone with sight it would probably have been much easier as they would have used their vision to spot the roll of foil much more quickly than me, without vision.

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

If you would like to learn more about me as an author then I invite you now to visit
http://www.donnajodhan.com

There you will not only learn about me as an author but you will also gain insights into my campaign against bullying and why I strongly believe that you need to consider joining me in order to insure that the future of our kids with their wide-eyed smiles and infectious laughter is secured forever.

And now my weekly podcast!
From recipes to apps, and 5 minute mysteries to tips for entrepreneurs and scam alerts!
www.takeanother5.com
And available for download from iTunes and Google music play

Follow me on Twitter @accessibleworld and at author_jodhan
And like me on Facebook at
www.facebook.com/donnajodhan and at www.facebook.com/authordonnajodhan

A funny experience: Looking for the piece of rubber for my step stool

Looking back on this incident now, I can probably smile a bit more.  What happened here is that the piece of rubber had fallen off of the edge of one of the legs and I did not catch this until I picked it up from the bottom and noticed the missing piece of rubber.

I did not know that it had fallen off because of course it did not make any sound when it did.  So I had to retrace my steps and think hard as to where I had used it.

This strategy worked and before long I found the missing piece of rubber lying on the floor in my coat closet.  Truth be told, this is probably one of the more interesting challenges for me as a vision-impaired person.  That is, when things fall down or off and there is no sound to tell me that they have.

So I need to be extra careful whenever I pick up things.  I need to make sure that all of it is intact.

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

If you would like to learn more about me as an author then I invite you now to visit
http://www.donnajodhan.com

There you will not only learn about me as an author but you will also gain insights into my campaign against bullying and why I strongly believe that you need to consider joining me in order to insure that the future of our kids with their wide-eyed smiles and infectious laughter is secured forever.

And now my weekly podcast!
From recipes to apps, and 5 minute mysteries to tips for entrepreneurs and scam alerts!
www.takeanother5.com
And available for download from iTunes and Google music play

Follow me on Twitter @accessibleworld and at author_jodhan
And like me on Facebook at
www.facebook.com/donnajodhan and at www.facebook.com/authordonnajodhan

Overcoming a challenge: My smoke detector

She was so very good while she lasted, that is, my smoke detector. But when she finally died it was quite a challenge to replace her.

I knew that she was going when she started to beep intermittently.  Then I had to ask my Super to help me dismantle her because I was unable to remove her cover in order to remove the batteries.

After this was done my Super told me that my smoke detector was no longer able to work because it was written on the back that once the battery was removed the smoke detector was no longer operable.

So you see, I would never have known this because of being vision-impaired and accordingly I could not have known because of not being able to see this text.

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

If you would like to learn more about me as an author then I invite you now to visit
http://www.donnajodhan.com

There you will not only learn about me as an author but you will also gain insights into my campaign against bullying and why I strongly believe that you need to consider joining me in order to insure that the future of our kids with their wide-eyed smiles and infectious laughter is secured forever.

And now my weekly podcast!
From recipes to apps, and 5 minute mysteries to tips for entrepreneurs and scam alerts!
www.takeanother5.com
And available for download from iTunes and Google music play

Follow me on Twitter @accessibleworld and at author_jodhan
And like me on Facebook at
www.facebook.com/donnajodhan and at www.facebook.com/authordonnajodhan

One of my favorite passions: Is ice skating still for me?

This is a question that I am constantly asking myself and one that has a very ready answer for me.  The final answer is a definite yes!

Ice skating is one of my passions.  It is one that I chose to follow from childhood and, as any true Canadian, one that has filled my heart and mind with so much fun, pleasure, and so much more.

Ice skating has helped to build my confidence.  It has helped me to become more certain of myself and it has sure helped me to conquer and overcome a bit of the unknown.  Ice skating has taught me how to pick myself up after a fall and how to deal with uncertainty: not knowing when I am going to encounter such things as cracks in the ice, water on the ice, and crazy ice skaters darting in and out of my path.

I wish that I could devote a bit more time to my ice skating but I also hope to rectify this in the coming months.  Ice skating has done so much for me and it is a passion that I continue to foster.

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

If you would like to learn more about me as an author then I invite you now to visit
http://www.donnajodhan.com

There you will not only learn about me as an author but you will also gain insights into my campaign against bullying and why I strongly believe that you need to consider joining me in order to insure that the future of our kids with their wide-eyed smiles and infectious laughter is secured forever.

And now my weekly podcast!
From recipes to apps, and 5 minute mysteries to tips for entrepreneurs and scam alerts!
www.takeanother5.com
And available for download from iTunes and Google music play

Follow me on Twitter @accessibleworld and at author_jodhan
And like me on Facebook at
www.facebook.com/donnajodhan and at www.facebook.com/authordonnajodhan

So much to learn and laugh about: Learning lots with Robbie, my knitting teacher

Like my pottery classes, I have been attending my knitting sessions for some time now, about two and a half years.  I can tell you that I have absolutely no regrets.  I decided to take up knitting in order to build my ability to be more patient and it sure has paid off for me.

First I had Miko as a teacher and she was absolutely wonderful. But when she went on maternity leave about a year ago I got Robbie and what a fantastic teacher and person he has been to me.

Robbie has taught and continues to teach me so much, not just knitting skills but other things as well.  I have learned how to persevere in a more efficient way and how to focus more clearly.

I have learned how to not give up too easily and how to better analyze problems before coming up with suggested solutions. I have also learned how not to panic too easily.

My sense of touch has increased and gotten better.  My problem-solving skills have improved noticeably, but above all, Robbie has taught me that there are no barriers to learning.

Once you put your mind to it, the outcome will be what you desire and being vision-impaired is no excuse.  You just need to find ways to overcome.

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

If you would like to learn more about me as an author then I invite you now to visit
http://www.donnajodhan.com

There you will not only learn about me as an author but you will also gain insights into my campaign against bullying and why I strongly believe that you need to consider joining me in order to insure that the future of our kids with their wide-eyed smiles and infectious laughter is secured forever.

And now my weekly podcast!
From recipes to apps, and 5 minute mysteries to tips for entrepreneurs and scam alerts!
www.takeanother5.com
And available for download from iTunes and Google music play

Follow me on Twitter @accessibleworld and at author_jodhan
And like me on Facebook at
www.facebook.com/donnajodhan and at www.facebook.com/authordonnajodhan