Bitter sweet memories: Memories of my roots

As I always say: I have been blessed to have been given the opportunity to enjoy both sides of the world.  My roots lie in a tiny Caribbean island and I like to call it the crown jewel of the Caribbean.

I spent many of my formative years on this tiny island!  I learned to walk and talk there!  I cut my first teeth there!  And I learned to count, read, write, spell, and say please and thank you!

Those days were so very long ago but I can tell you that I'll never forget my roots!  My perfect little island called Trinidad!  Where everything was so very uncomplicated in those days!  Where one could swim so freely in the ocean, sit on the beach and enjoy the fresh unpolluted air, and walk through the botanical gardens and enjoy the greenery!

Those were my roots and I shall forever remember!

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
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.donnajodhan.com/takeanother5.html.

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

A challenge: Haircuts and hairdos

This is what it is like for me now that I no longer have the vision to see myself in the mirror.  I need to depend on those that I trust to tell me how things look for me after I have had a haircut. 

For the most part I trust my hairdresser, but like anything else she sometimes goes a bit off track.  Sure, I can feel the length of my hair at the back and my bangs, but there will always be things that I would miss: evenness around my head, too short or not short enough, the shape, and so on.

This is how it must be for the rest of my 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
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.donnajodhan.com/takeanother5.html.

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

A funny experience: I did not know that he was there

So much for not knowing and this is what happened a few months ago when an air conditioning man came to have a look at installing AC in Mom's home.  Here I was thinking that he was on his own, but guess what?

After he had left Mom told me that his son was with him.  I never heard the little guy walking around and I never sensed another person close by. 

This sure made me a bit concerned for as a person who is vision impaired, I need to be aware of what is around me and who is around me at all times.

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 
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.donnajodhan.com/takeanother5.html.

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

A cherished memory: Auntie's birthday party

In August 2017 my family celebrated the 80th birthday of one of my aunts and it was one where I had to depend exclusively on my hearing to help me enjoy it all.  Now that I no longer have the vision to see around me, I need to depend on others to tell me what's going on if I am unable to hear what is going on.

The day was very special for me as I got to sit next to Auntie and chatted with her as she enjoyed the celebration.  It was quite a noisy occasion as everyone wanted to get caught up and the crowning moment was when Auntie asked little 4-year-old Mateo to stick the cake with her.

As Mom later described to me, Mateo did very well and acted like a perfect little gentleman!

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
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.donnajodhan.com/takeanother5.html.

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

I am now used to it: Mom's cell phone

It is a very simple one and one can say that it is very old fashioned in its make up.  Just the necessary buttons.  No tapping in order to get to anything.

This is the way that Mom likes it. You just need to get used to the small buttons and you can only dial out, receive calls, and check your remaining balance.  Music punctuates the turning on and turning off of the phone and then notifications are punctuated by the normal audio notification.

Mom's cell does not talk but I am used to this.  In other words, there is no voice-over to guide me but I can hear the buttons emit a sound as I press them and all of the other things I can deal with through sound.

It took me a bit to get used to this little gem but now I am okay.  That's Mom's cell!

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
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.donnajodhan.com/takeanother5.html.

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

Not my favorite things: Remembering the balloons

Truth be told, balloons were never my favorite things to be around. But I have to admit that I used to love to toss them into the air and then watch as they came floating back to the floor.  I used to like to see the different colors, but what did I not like about them?

I was always afraid that they would explode or burst in my face if I either touched them or ran into them. I would try to admire them from afar and that was it.

Even today, I am still very much skeptical about balloons.  At best, I put up with them.

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 
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.donnajodhan.com/takeanother5.html.

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

Special times: At Jaffa's with the family

This is probably one of my favorite restaurants to visit whenever I am in Trinidad.  It is a very pleasant restaurant and the staff is extremely friendly to me and render assistance so easily to me as a vision-impaired person.

My family also likes going there and it is always so nice whenever I can spend some time with them.  Just to sit and relax and to catch up.

Truth be told, I do not see my family very often but when I do it is always so great. One of my favorite things to do is to just simply sit there and try to imagine what they look like.

Of course, I do remember what the adults look like. But as for Faith, my niece, it is a bit more difficult because the last time I saw her face was when she was about 3 years old!

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
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.donnajodhan.com/takeanother5.html.

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

Forever in my heart: Oh my Sweet Saint Lucia

Since 2011, Mom and I have made it an annual must-do to travel to sweet Saint Lucia for our summer getaway and each year I feel as if it is the first time that I am going there.

This lovely little unspoiled island is probably one of the most accessible for a person with a vision impairment, and why is this?

In my humble opinion, it is the people who make this so.  They are so accommodating, so helpful, and so aware of customer service.  They go way beyond and above the call of duty.  They aim to please and the customer always comes first!

Sweet Saint Lucia is definitely a must-visit for anyone who wants to check out not just the tourist aspects but the accessibility features.  Not just the beautiful beaches and fantastic cuisine but the overall accommodations for persons with special needs.

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
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.donnajodhan.com/takeanother5.html.

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

Placing my blind trust: At the therapist

In the summer of 2017, I took the time to look after my poor right shoulder and over the course of two months I visited a therapist several times.

This was quite a new experience for me as I literally had to place my blind trust, so to speak, in someone that I did not know.  I had to trust her to help me with the various exercises and I was not disappointed.

Christy was very good and went beyond the call of duty.  She was helpful, extremely accommodating and did not seem to mind working with someone with a vision impairment.

She took the time to show me what to do, kept close watch over me, and always told me what she was going to do with me.  Hats off to Christy!

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 
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.donnajodhan.com/takeanother5.html.

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

A great new experience: Exploring the lion

In the summer of 2017, I accompanied Mom downtown to do some banking business and after completing it we walked out to wait for Mom's driver to arrive.  We were standing quietly when Mom decided that she wanted me to explore something quite new: a huge sculpture of a lion which is the main centerpiece of the Royal Bank's logo.

Indeed!  It was quite a new experience for me as I explored this huge sculpture.  I felt its head, touched its mane, and then ran my hands down its vast front and down its legs.  At the end of it all I sure did have a better idea of what a lion looked like.

Just another experience for me to store 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
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.donnajodhan.com/takeanother5.html.

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

A precious Montreal memory: Remembering the Big O

O yes, indeed!  This used to be the pride and joy of the City of Montreal, the Olympic Stadium, at least when I lived there in the 80s, and I can remember the two occasions when I visited.

First with Char and Ray and then with Char, Joan, and Heather. Then there may have been a third time when I went with Joan and Heather.

Everything was so very clean!  The seats were so very nice and comfortable and, my, how big the place was.

Char and I took radios so that we could follow the game and I can say that this strategy worked very well indeed.  We sat beside each other and relaxed as we enjoyed our snacks and Coke.  Joan and Heather also seemed very relaxed and we all chatted so amiably as the games progressed.

Those were such happy times, probably never to return as baseball no longer graces Montreal with its presence.  It was such a great way to bond and just be friends for some precious moments.

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
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.donnajodhan.com/takeanother5.html.

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

Forever in my memory: Remembering the doll house

Oh, my special little doll house!  The one that I improvised just for me.  The one with three little rooms and a front yard.  It was the one made up of a board that stretched over 2 small wooden cartoons.  Thus we had a center room and two outer rooms.  Or so I imagined it to be.

I used the rooftop as my kitchen and there I had set up all of my dishes, appliances, and everything else.  Then, venturing down to the rooms and the center room where my dolls slept.  The two outer rooms were for laundry and then the bathroom.

The front yard was big and there my dolls played and had lots of fun!

I spent countless hours playing by myself and during this time my dolls came to life and played with each other.  I entered into my own little world where I could make everything possible; to imagine, create, and dream a little.

Oh, yes!  That was my doll house!  A treasured memory forever.  It did not matter that I could not really see the faces of my treasured dolls!  They were in my imagination and there they shall remain forever and a day!

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 
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.donnajodhan.com/takeanother5.html.

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