A great resource: Using the Apple phone number

This is one phone number that is always close at hand for me.  It is the phone number for the Apple support line and I have to say that the call takers on this line really know their stuff.

They are very thorough, polite, respectful, and are always willing to go beyond the call of duty.  They do not seem to be inhibited or uncomfortable in the least when dealing with me as a vision-impaired person.  There is so much that other companies can learn from these fine folks.

They know their products.  They are superbly trained.  Their phone manners are beyond the call of duty.

I'm Donna J. Jodhan, your friendly accessibility advisor, 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
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Happy childhood memories: How the tiny toys helped me

So, what am I referring to today?  Well, they are the toys that belonged to my twin brother, Jeffrey, and I have such great memories of playing with them. Jeffrey allowed me to play with his tiny cars, trucks, buses and vans, and planes, boats, and soldiers.

In those days I had enough vision to see the colors of all of his toys and I remember not having too much difficulty identifying the various vehicles.  I used to drive them around on Mom's carpet and then I would pretend all kinds of things.  I would even take the toy soldiers and line them up ready for battle.

Some of my favorite tiny toys included the news van, the flat bed truck, the model Mercedes, and oh yes!  The red ship and the yellow boat.  I also loved the jeeps with the spare tire at the back.

I firmly believed that having been able to feel the shapes of these tiny toys fully enabled me to identify them by sight when I received my functional vision years later.

I'm Donna J. Jodhan, your friendly accessibility advisor, 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
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Memories of good old England: Easter in England

Looking back on this particular time, I can honestly say that it was one of the finest experiences for me.  I had the opportunity to learn so much more about my religion.  I got to understand and learn so much more about the meaning of Good Friday and I was privileged to have been able to take part in those special Easter celebrations.

The nuns at the Grange were very kind to Celia and me.  They included us in all of their events and we were treated so very well.  It was a quiet time but I truly loved it and I am grateful for having had this opportunity.

The weather was a typical British springtime and the temps were just right. The birds were singing and the flowers smelled so heavenly.

We got more Easter eggs than we ever hoped for, from Uncle Lance and Georgie to Pat Quinn, Miss Chambers, and the nuns! I shall always remember!

I'm Donna J. Jodhan, your friendly accessibility advisor, 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
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Thank you cousin Susan: Making mats from palm leaves

Looking back on this now it was something very special to me because I was just a child then, probably around six or seven years old.

It was cousin Susan who taught me and she was so very patient then and such a good teacher.  She painstakingly showed me how to place the leaves and then to weave them in and out of the spaces.  The first few tries were difficult and cousin Susan was not daunted by my lack of sight.

I did learn how to do it and she was so encouraging; constantly egging me on and congratulating me each time I did something right.  We sat on a bench facing each other and she and I spent so many wonderful hours together.

Cousin Susan was older than me and treated me like her little sister.  We went for walks together and she taught me a bit of Spanish and she always made sure that I went swimming among the rocks.

Great memories for a lifetime.

I'm Donna J. Jodhan, your friendly accessibility advisor, 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
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A very important part of my life: How the apparatus helped me

These were different learning tools that our teachers at primary school used to help us learn so many things. I personally thank my beloved teacher, Mrs. Mondey, for having introduced them to me.

There were the boards where we had to fit the right shapes into the right grooves.  Boards where we had to count the holes in the pieces of plastic and then fit them over the matching holes.  Pegs that we used to make Braille letters.  Blocks, Legos, and one of my favorites!  A board where we had to fit the right printed letters into the right grooves.  There was no way that we could either think of cheating or even get away with not matching things.  Oh no!  Everything had to be precise and perfect.

Then there were the pieces of apparatus that we used to build things. Apparatus that were meant to help us strengthen our fingers.  Village sets where we used components to create villages.  Little train sets, step builders, fitting mini barrels into each other based on size, and so much more.

Images of these pieces still dance vividly in my mind whenever I let them. These were such happy memories and there was so much more to go along with these pieces of apparatus.  The games that Mrs. Mondey devised, playing shop every Friday, and the mini competitions that she devised for us to remain engaged and active.

We were extremely fortunate to have had her as a teacher and I shall forever remember her!

I'm Donna J. Jodhan, your friendly accessibility advisor, 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

Funny and humorous: The mystery of the tamarind seeds

I can tell you that this specific experience still gives me a chuckle each time I think about it.  I'll do my best here to reproduce it.

I had just finished eating a tamarind ball and had gathered the seeds in my hand but then I was too lazy to leave my chair and put them in the garbage.

Soon enough I was falling asleep in my chair and I must have put my clenched hand with the seeds in it close to my left cheek.  Some time later I woke up and felt something on my cheek.

I brushed them away and my first reaction was that they were some kind of insect.  So what did I do?  I called for Mom's help and soon enough she solved the mystery!

No insect!  Just the tamarind seeds that fell out of my clenched hand and onto my cheek.  I woke up to feel them and brushed them away! My smile for the day!

I'm Donna J. Jodhan, your friendly accessibility advisor, 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 for me: What does my haircut look like?

This is where I need to be totally dependent on what others tell me. I counter this with depending on the ones who I trust to tell me: Mom, my sister-in-law Gayle, and very close friends.

Although I trust my hairdresser, Sophie, I am always anxious that she may not always do as I want and sometimes in her attempt to do good she may stray a bit.

It is extremely difficult for someone who is blind or vision impaired to know exactly how they look after a haircut. They cannot see themselves in a mirror and I, as a vision-impaired person, cannot use my sense of touch alone to help me.

I can certainly feel the length of my hair but it is never quite enough. Just another challenge for me to deal with.

I'm Donna J. Jodhan, your friendly accessibility advisor, 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

It sure made me laugh despite being frustrating: When my rack of clothes fell

I need not tell you how very upset, unhappy, and anxious I was the day that my rack of clothes fell and I can only say thank God that Mom and Nick, my Super, were there to help me.

The one thing which I believe saved me from going off the track was that my clothes were all arranged in logical order, according to me, so it was not too difficult to put them back in their rightful spots.

Nick was very good when it came to making sure that everything was done correctly.  He made sure to strengthen the brackets holding up the rack and then he even offered to help put back my clothes.

Here is where Mom came in.  She patiently helped me to rearrange and she checked to make sure that I had done everything correctly.  What a day and good thing that it does not happen very often.

For someone with little vision it is so important to be able to know where things are.

I'm Donna J. Jodhan, your friendly accessibility advisor, 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

My friend forever: Boyo is still in my heart

He was my favourite dog: gentle but social, a bit of a coward but so very loyal.  I loved him the minute he was born; he was my darling Boyo.

As a puppy he was mine.  As a full grown dog he was the same.  He lived with Granny but I never lost my bond with him.  Boyo was always the preferred one and I think that he knew this.

I remembering rushing home from school to play with him when he was a puppy and then always having him beside me whenever we went to the beach.  We played in the sea, ran on the beach, and had such fun in the house.

I was never able to see what he really looked like but when I received my functional vision, his was one of the first pictures that Mom showed me.  I never got to meet him after gaining my vision because he passed away before I could.

Boyo, my dearest, I shall forever remember your bark, your soft fur and your large head.  Your ability to always make me smile!

Don't go anywhere!  I'll see you some day and we'll once more be together! Until we meet again!

I'm Donna J. Jodhan, your friendly accessibility advisor, 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

Precious childhood memories: Remembering Maracas Bay

Oh, beautiful Maracas Bay!  How could I ever forget you?  With a beach so sandy and air as fresh as a breeze in a bottle?  I'll never forget you!

How well I remember those family outings to see you!  The cold sea water lapping against my body and then swimming with Dad and my brothers beyond the high breakers!  Then I would sit in the surf and there the family would dig in the sand for clams, which were so large.

So many times I would share happy moments with Granny, who was always content to sit in the surf and let the waves roll over her.   Mom preferred to remain on the beach, watching over us and reading her magazines.

On many occasions Mom and Granny packed a sumptuous lunch for us and we would either sit in the car with the doors opened or stand around eating, drinking, and enjoying each other's company.

Our days at Maracas Bay were filled with such memorable moments.  It was always an all-day affair and at the end of it we would return home refreshed but tired and just dying to go to bed.

I thank my parents and Granny for having made all of this so very possible!

I'm Donna J. Jodhan, your friendly accessibility advisor, 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
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So near and dear to me: Collecting clothes for my Thanksgiving box

I have to admit that this is probably one of my most favourite things to do and I do this at around the time of our Canadian Thanksgiving.

I am always so very happy when I am able to choose exactly what I wish to part with and now all I need to do is to ask Mom to review my choices.  This she does and together I pick out my clothes, she reviews my choices, and then we pack them away neatly and carefully in a box.

Next, I tape up the box and then we put it aside for Nick, our Super, to take to the clothes depot.   Then Mom does her thing and after both of our boxes are securely packed and taped, our Thanksgiving deed is complete.

I know that our clothes will be received by very worthy recipients and this really makes me very happy.  We have been doing this for at least the last decade and beyond.  In addition to giving I also get one last chance before giving away to remember my clothes.

I'm Donna J. Jodhan, your friendly accessibility advisor, 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'm just so very proud: The gingerbread house

This is probably one of the most difficult pottery projects that I have done and I am just so proud of it.  I completed it just after Christmas 2017 and now my friend, Sue, is decorating it for me with all of the handmade candy ornaments that I also made at pottery.

The Life Savers are in colors of red, yellow, and green and I made Kisses and candy canes to decorate the house, as well.  There is a chimney, a really great roof, and even a door and windows.  I can't wait for Sue to complete the finishing touches.

This is what I like about pottery: the ability to create and complete.

I'm Donna J. Jodhan, your friendly accessibility advisor, 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

She is just so refreshing: My new knitting teacher

She is bubbly and she is simply a going concern.  She is exciting and she is a people's person.  Her name is Rochelle and since October 2017 I have been continuing my knitting lessons with her.

She came to me after my previous teacher, Robbie, left his post at The Purple Purl knitting shop and took another job.  It was Robbie who recommended her to me.

I feel that I need to re-commit myself to my knitting as I have not spent enough time with it and I am committed to doing just that.  I am going to spend more time concentrating on what I need to do in order to be a good knitter.

Last Christmas I won a knitting basket in a raffle and then Robbie sent me a ball of wool with which to make a hat.  So I am on my way.

I'm Donna J. Jodhan, your friendly accessibility advisor, 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

Exercising my imagination: Synchronizing the colors

This is something that I continue to do and I believe that it all has to do with the fact that having had functional vision until 2004, I was able to see colors. Now, each time I encounter an object, especially if it is new, I go through the process of synchronizing the color to the object.

Colors shall forever remain in my mind.  Roses will forever be red, skies forever blue, floating clouds always white, and sunrises and sunsets forever yellow and pink, respectively.

I have found this to be a terrific reference point for me because each time I encounter new objects I am able to quickly put color to object.  Most times I ask what color something is and after being told I do the synchronization. But if I do not know, then I put my own color to the new object and this sure helps me to cope.

I try to have fun doing it and most times it puts a smile on my face. Truth be told, though, it also often makes me sad because it makes me realize how much I miss being able to see color.

I'm Donna J. Jodhan, your friendly accessibility advisor, 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