Always a pleasure: A visit with Char's cat, Henry

I will be the first to admit that I am not really a cat person and now that I have precious little vision I have become very wary of them.

No, I do not mind playing with them but when it comes to having them in my bed the answer is a firm no.

Whenever I visit my best friend, Char, in Montreal I am always delighted and happy to see her cat, Henry.  He is quite friendly towards me.  He climbs onto my chair and proceeds to squeeze in beside me on the chair.  There he lies purring happily and he allows me to pet him and talk to him.

Then, whenever we have our meals in the kitchen he climbs onto the kitchen table and starts to inspect everything.  I think that he feels that this particular table is his and that he is only doing me a favor by letting me share it with him or should I say he allows me to share it with him.

Whatever it is, Henry is a really enjoyable cat to be around.  He is so attached to Char and is always seeking her attention.  He is constantly talking to her in his own way and simply loves his food but Char needs to give it to him in small amounts so as to avoid accidents.

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

Just another strategy: Tracking the spills

Whenever someone asks me how I go about cleaning up my spills, this is what I say in response. First, I find the spill. Next, I do my best to estimate the size of the spill. Then I mark where the spill is so that I can go off and find something to clean it up with.

My job, however, is not over.  I make allowances for the spill being bigger than what I originally considered it to be.  Because it could get bigger while I am off to find something to clean it up with.

This may sound like a complicated strategy but it is what works for 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
www.facebook.com/donnajodhan and at www.facebook.com/authordonnajodhan

Oh, my beloved Granny: Memories of Granny's home

I always used to revel and smile so broadly whenever Mom told us that we would be visiting Granny's home.  To me it was my second home and even after all these years I can still bring back so many happy, vivid memories despite the fact that in those days my vision was so limited.

The fence was red and the front steps were painted in red, as well.  From the gate, there were two steps down to a short paved path that lead to the front steps.  There were about four steps up to the front gallery and on each side of the steps there was a nice fat banister adorned with plants.

The gallery was big enough and there was a window on either side of the front door.  There were nice, comfortable rocking chairs in the gallery which I loved to sit in.  Then came the living room with so many other chairs, two couches, and lots of ornaments sitting on tables.  Granny always used to polish the floors of the gallery and living room and, boy, did those floors shine!

At the back of the living room there was a large door that lead to Granny's kitchen and my favorite memory was Granny's kitchen table with six chairs around it.  The table had drawers where Granny kept her cutlery.  I do not really remember the color of the kitchen floor but outside of the kitchen were steps that lead down to the back yard that was huge.

There was a coconut tree in the back yard and then there was the train line at the end of the yard. Granny's home also had a huge front yard with lush green grass where all of the cousins used to play all kinds of games.  We would play hide and seek, ball games, and even have concerts among ourselves.

I always loved to walk round and around Granny's home with my cousins.  We laughed, we talked, and we dreamed.  We always got along with each other and I was always so sad to leave each time we had to say goodbye to Granny and the family but I always knew that we would be back again and again.

Such wonderful memories forever.

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

My perspective: Hotel rooms

As a regular traveler who is vision impaired, I believe that it is so important for me to ensure that I am able to navigate my hotel room easily and quickly.  The one thing that I would say is that it is helpful to know that the majority of hotel rooms seem to be laid out in the same way; now it is up to me to decide what I need to find and know.

First, to make sure that I locate wall outlets so that I can plug in my iDevice and computer.  Next, to find the clothes closet so that I can hang up my things.

When I enter the bathroom, I make sure to locate the wash basin, towels, toilet bowl, and bath tub and shower.  I check out the various cosmetics on the counter of the wash basin but nine out of ten times it is not very easy to decipher what is in each tube so I make use of the soap and bring my own
cosmetics along.

There are two other things that I make sure to do before settling in.  The first is to obtain the password for the hotel’s wi-fi and the other is to ensure that I am able to decipher the number on the door of my room.

I usually put tape on the door of my room.  This after I have asked the porter to tell me how many doors I am away from the elevator and then I put masking tape on the door just above the handle.

I recently bought a set of luggage locator tags and I plan on using one of these to hang on the inside handle of my door when next I travel.

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 very sorry: When the jasmine died

For those who know me well enough, they will quickly tell you how much I enjoy the smell of jasmine. So, when my jasmine plant died I was really not too happy and, as a matter of fact, quite sad!

My florist had given me this beautiful plant and for a while it had fulfilled my dreams by filling my home with its lovely, fragrant smell.  Each morning I would stop by my jasmine and bend down to touch her.  I always enjoyed being able to play gently with her flowers.

My jasmine was abundant in flowers and leaves.  She was quite large and she had spread out quite a lot, but alas!  One day she had suddenly begun to wither and from there on it was downhill for her.

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

Memories forever: Some favorite memories of Dad

I always find it a joy, pleasure, and a delight whenever I can drum up some of those favorite memories of my dad!  Of course, there will be always so very many to choose from but here is a sample.

Riding my bicycle with Dad on the beach!  How much I enjoyed those times with Dad and me riding along the beach and enjoying the afternoon’s fresh air when the tide was out.  Going swimming with Dad and my brothers or so many times when we did it together with Dad teaching me the back stroke, the butterfly, and the crawl.  The sea was so very calm and as the sun shone down on us, there we were with me, the student, and Dad, the patient teacher.

Then there was Dad teaching me how to fly a kite in the savanna and playing ball with my brothers and me.  Oh, how I loved those precious times.

Then how about the time when we traveled to South America and there was Dad sitting next to me, holding my hand and making sure that I was not scared as the plane bobbed up and down.  He explained to me that we were going through air pockets and this is why the plane was bobbing up and down like this.

Then those cherished times when he would read to me.  There I was, lying in bed, and he would be in his chair reading all kinds of news articles to me. Or those childhood nights when he told me stories that came straight out of his head.

Finally, this one: Dad and I walking in our garden and my holding onto his comforting hand as he caught butterflies and placed them in my hand and told me not to close my fingers around the butterfly because if I did so I would kill the butterfly.

I could go on and on but these are just a few and I thank my darling dad for having brought me all of this.

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

Special memories: Radhica's flowers

I shall forever remember Radhika's flowers.  They have always been so very special to me.  I first got to know this wonderful lady and her daughter in 2011 and since then she has been my regular florist.

I have sent flowers through Radhika to my mom and friends and in turn my mom has used her to send flowers to me.  Radhika has always been a very cheerful person: laughing, joking, and filling my days with humor each time I phone her to place an order.  She is always filled with ideas and never hesitates to share her brightness with me.

There are not too many people like Radhika around today.  She loves her work and her clients.  She aims to please and satisfaction is her top priority and now that I can no longer see those wondrous flowers it sure helps whenever I receive an arrangement from Radhika. 

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

Forever close to my heart: The treasured letters

These are those precious letters that kept me going when I first left home.  The ones from Mom, Dad, and Granny along with my other friends.  They were the ones that I could not read for myself in those days and I had to depend on sighted assistance to read them.

Alas, I had managed to keep some of them safely tucked away in my briefcase. When I had enough vision to read I sure as heck read each of them several times to ensure that they remained firmly implanted in my memory bank.

Now that I can no longer read them, it does not mean that I do not remember them.  Yes, I remember each of them but I do not know whether or not the print is faded.  That does not matter to me; the print in my mind burns brightly on!

Yes, my treasured letters forever.

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: Mom, Granny and me

Yes, we were a team!  When I was growing up this was my primary team!  Mom, Granny and me!  They were my primary teachers, my supporters and my most important critics!

We ate together for the most part.  We listened together to the soap operas on the radio.  We used to sit on our patio spending quiet times together on countless evenings.

Of course, the rest of the family was there, too, but Mom, Granny and I were always together!  Who can forget those happy times spent digging for clams and having fun in the sea.  Or times spent shelling peas together and walking with our dogs! Or going to church together or going for drives with the rest of the family!

Yes, that was Mom, Granny and 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
www.facebook.com/donnajodhan and at www.facebook.com/authordonnajodhan

Great times: Getting better with my knitting

When I made the decision to learn how to knit in the fall of 2014, my objective was to use this activity to build my perseverance for patience and I am happy to report that I have more than met my objective.

At first I was very skeptical as to how a vision-impaired person could learn to knit.  Especially me, who at that time was just a bit short on my patience.  When I started out I already knew that there were people who were vision-impaired and who were good knitters.  However, I needed to convince myself.

My first teacher was Miko, a very patient young lady with tons of patience and a willingness to help me get over my hesitation.  The first few months were very trying ones for me as I struggled to get familiar with casting on and casting off and then knitting rows.

I often ran into great difficulty trying to control my spiraling but Miko persevered with me and by the time she left on maternity leave in early April 2016, I felt as if I was finally beginning to crawl but I knew that I had a very long way to go.

Then in came Robbie!  A dynamic young man with tons of ideas, the patience of Job, and someone who was not going to allow me to give up!  He persevered, encouraged, pushed, and filled my lessons with stories and lots of mugs of delicious English breakfast tea!

Today I am much better at controlling my spiraling.  I can cast on and off without much difficulty and I am much better at knitting multiple rows at a time.  I am working with both thin and thick wool.  I can troubleshoot much more easily now and get myself out of trouble without too much panic.

I give a huge thanks to Miko, Robbie, and folks at the Purple Purl knitting store!

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