Wonderful times with special folks: At the top of Helena's back deck

This was yet another experience that I continue to cherish. A treasured memory courtesy of Helena and her family.

On a bright summer Saturday afternoon, after we had all had some nice cool drinks and a lovely dinner, Helena egged me on to jump from the top of her back deck into the swimming pool.

Her husband Wil was not really too keen on this and I will add that he was more concerned and tried his level best to dissuade me.

For her part, Helena wanted me to show her friends how fearless I was. So onwards to the task at hand. She wanted me to show them that as someone with a vision impairment, I could be unstoppable.

So I climbed to the top of the deck, escorted by Wil. There I stood with the sun shining down on me, a nice pleasant breeze, and Helena waiting in the pool for me.

I took my sweet old time. Thinking, gathering my courage, looking down at Helena, and listening to Wil's words.  Maybe it was the mellowness of the libation playing across my mind, or maybe it was just a simple desire to try

something new.

Whatever it was, it really did not matter at the end. I made the jump and I will never forget the feel of the pool's fresh cool water and the sound of my splashing down as I completed my jump. And there was Helena, waiting to

gather me in her arms, give me a huge hug and a kiss and it was a moment when the world stood still for those few split seconds.

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 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.

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A crazy but memorable experience: With Nick on his motorcycle

This was probably the ride of a lifetime and even though it took place so many years ago, I can still remember it very clearly. My friend Helena had asked her son Nick if he would be willing to take me for a ride on his

motorcycle and he said yes.

So, on a warm summer evening I put on the proffered helmet and Helena, and her husband Wil, helped me to get on the back of Nick's motorcycle.

Nick was so very careful with me. He took me around the block several times, driving slowly and then speeding up a bit. I wrapped my arms around him as tightly as possible and off we went.

Helena and Wil stood on the sidewalk watching over us so very concernedly. Each time we rode past them I would wave and smile. Helena and Wil would clap their hands and cheer us on.

The wind in my face, blowing my hair, and simply treating my body to its freshness was simply exhilarating!

A very treasured memory for me, and some friends later remarked: what you don't see, you don't know. Meaning that I probably missed any cues of danger. Thank you Nick!

I'm Donna J. Jodhan your friendly accessibility advisor wishing you a terrific evening!

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.

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No more, no more! That horrible flu shot

There is nothing worse than feeling badly because of the flu. But when it happens because of a flu shot, then it is even worse and more unbearable.

This is how I felt after my flu shot in November 2019. I was laid up for four days and even refused Mom's treats and delicacies. She went out of her way to make some delicious soup but, unfortunately, I just could not take advantage of it.

I guess that by now I have enough experience to know what to do when the flu bug strikes. But every now and then this bug gets out of hand and here is when I call on dependable and reliable sighted assistance: Mom!

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 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.

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Lots of fun and laughter: Having fun with Mom and Stephanie

And boy, do we have lots of fun! Stephanie is always so very willing to go anywhere we ask her to. She is careful, watchful, alert, but above all she is cheerful and always trying her best to meet our needs.

From the supermarket to WalMart and from the pharmacy to the restaurant! We have lots of fun wherever we go.

Stephanie is always checking and looking for things for us. She seems to know where everything is and she is always there to assist me whenever I need guiding assistance. She never says no and she is always up for an adventure! Thank you Stephanie!

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 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.

Follow me on Twitter @accessibleworld and @author_jodhan

And like me on Facebook at

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A sweet kid: Walking with Tyler

How I enjoy walking with this wonderful little kid! He is always so pleasant, ever so helpful, and so very chatty and always asking questions.

I need to use a bit of a different technique when walking with him. He reaches me just under my shoulder so it may not be a good idea for me to take his arm. So we hold hands!

Tyler does not seem to mind. He has a running commentary on everything around me and tells me whenever I need to know if there are bumps or curbs coming up.  When he opens the car door, he tells me exactly where the door is and guides me very carefully around everything. That's my little friend Tyler!

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 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.

Follow me on Twitter @accessibleworld and @author_jodhan

And like me on Facebook at

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Going back in time: Card games

It's funny how sometimes you seem to forget about some of those childhood games that you used to love and cherish while growing up. Or you simply do not have any time now for them.

This is how it is for me; unfortunate but true. When I was growing up, I used to play card games with my brother and cousins.

We used cards marked with Braille so that I could participate fully. I loved playing with my dad as well and he taught me so many games and tricks. So good was his coaching that I was even able to hold my own with my brother and cousins.

Then I grew up and it all went away, or I should say it disappeared on me. I still remember those happy days, however, and I have promised myself to return to my beloved card games some day soon!

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 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.

Follow me on Twitter @accessibleworld and @author_jodhan

And like me on Facebook at

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Wonderful times: Bathing the dogs

You would think that bathing 3 huge dogs would have been lots of problems, but no! They never gave any problems. They would stand quietly and allow us to give them their baths.  Most of the time the water was quite cold but they never complained and never tried to run away.

I loved to spend time bathing them. I would call them and they would come willingly. I would turn on the hose then proceed to make sure that they were well watered down from head to foot.  Then I would soap them with tender love and care and finally I would make sure that they would be rinsed off thoroughly.

Tiger was flat-coated so it was much easier to bathe him than it was for Lion who was very furry. Yella was also flat-coated but smaller than Tiger and Lion. Each dog probably loved being bathed in their own way. It was always so very refreshing when we were done bathing them as they smelled so very fresh and clean.

Just some more childhood memories forever.

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 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.

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2 loving little boy cousins. Playing with Stephen and Robert

They were just two little playmates, my kid cousins who were always so willing to play at anything and with anything. Most of all, they never seemed to care that I was vision impaired. It simply did not matter to them.

They were just two very willing playmates who loved to laugh, sing, and run up and down our corridors. At the beach they loved to swim, build sand castles, and collect shells. 

They also loved to take naps after lunch and never gave too many problems when it came time to eat their food.

Just some memories of 2 precious little cousins!

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 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.

Follow me on Twitter @accessibleworld and @author_jodhan

And like me on Facebook at

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Wonderful times: Playing with the dolls

I thank God that as a child I had the privilege and pleasure of having been able to play with dolls. There were so many of them and I remember most of them.

They each had names and although I could not see their faces I found ways to conjure up images of them in my mind. To this day I still have a few of them hanging around in my drawers. They are safely tucked away in plastic bags.

Dolls, dolls! And now I collect them! I have over 54 of them from all nations plus a special cabinet of dolls. I bought this cabinet a few years ago after my friend Gabriella and her late husband Randy had given me a small collection of dolls from Randy's late mom.

I have three cabinets of dolls proudly displayed in my condo. So I am still surrounded by dolls!

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 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.

Follow me on Twitter @accessibleworld and @author_jodhan

And like me on Facebook at

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A cherished childhood memory: Playing office

I don't think that I should seem too surprised when I share with you that for as long as I can remember, I used to play office. That is, as a child my brother and I and our cousin played office and then it all came to pass when I grew up and became an entrepreneur.

We would have desks in our play office. We stacked our little shelves with books, papers, and lots more. We made paper cigarettes out of old newspapers; cutting paper and rolling it into cigarette-like shapes. Then we would pretend to sell them.

I always imagined that we would be running our own business; anything from selling all kinds of things to having a restaurant and so much more. There was a radio always playing in the background.

I always pretended to write with a pencil, but of course no one could read my scribbles. I even brought in my own Braille papers and books.

Our office was clean, orderly, and everyone got along. Ah, yes! Those were the days!

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 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.

Follow me on Twitter @accessibleworld and @author_jodhan

And like me on Facebook at

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In my heart forever: Oh, my beloved Scottie

He was easily my best bird! A handsome canary with a crown on his head and lovingly referred to as King Scottie!

He came into my life in 1996 and left me in 2004; a day that shall always remain in my heart! I welcomed him into my home on a gentle fall day and I said goodbye to him on a sombre spring day.

I was extremely fortunate to have been able to see him! A bright orange canary with a white tail and black eyes. I still have his picture on a shelf in my office and his angelic voice remains forever as part of my recorded phone message.

Scottie was unique! He sang whenever he felt like it, which was most of the time! He loved to hear the sound of running water and loved it all each time the kettle was on. He loved to bathe in his tub and adored the taste of delicious apples. Most of all, he never fussed about his seeds and enjoyed looking at himself in the mirror.

You shall always be remembered, my beloved one!

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 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.

Follow me on Twitter @accessibleworld and @author_jodhan

And like me on Facebook at

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Two different personalities: Missy and Grey Billy

Just two very interesting family cats with very different personalities. However, the one thing that they had in common was that they were both very pretty females!

Missy was an all black cat with fur that shone like the sun and was oh, so silky to the touch! Grey Billy was a lovely grey and white girl with fur as soft as down. Both she and Missy had tails that looked like fans. They were so very pretty to the eye and I am so very happy that I was able to see what they looked like.

Missy loved her privacy and whenever she wanted to get away from the noise she would clamber up the vines to her rooftop chamber, as we called it. There she would stay for most of the day, returning to us in the late evening. I had managed to hang a bell from her collar so that I could tell where she was at all times.

On the other hand, Grey Billy would stay with us for a great part of the day, lying quietly under a chair and snoozing happily. I would say that Grey Billy had the gentler and more playful disposition.

I simply loved to powder Missy and wrap a very damp, warm towel around her which she enjoyed. But for Grey Billy, she simply enjoyed posing for photos with me.

Those were two of our family cats and they shall forever remain in my memory!

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 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.

Follow me on Twitter @accessibleworld and @author_jodhan

And like me on Facebook at

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My very special childhood friend: Remembering Pidge

He was my little yellow budgie! He was my little childhood friend and he was always ready to play with me each time I stuck my finger through the bars of his cage and placed it onto his perch.

Playful Pidge loved for me to visit him. He would climb onto my finger and peck gently at it. He was a wonderful little friend who loved to sing, do summersaults at the bottom of his cage, and he loved to socialize with the

family.

Pidge lived for 7 years and when he finally left us I cried all day for him. I always looked forward to greeting him each day when I came home from school. Mom would always joke that he was waiting for me and maybe, just

maybe, he was.

We took him with us on holidays to the beach and made sure that his cage was placed on a window sill so that he could see outside during the day. He simply loved it all, especially being able to enjoy having the sun shine into

his cage and cover his little body with warmth.

That was my buddy, Pidgie!

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 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.

Follow me on Twitter @accessibleworld and @author_jodhan

And like me on Facebook at

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Now I can laugh about this! Afraid of president

No, not any president! We called him president because he was simply our childhood president! Just another guy who loved to scare us!

Each time we saw him we would run and hide and each time he saw us he would begin his display of funny gestures.

He would often walk by our yard looking for us and when he saw us then the fun would begin. My siblings and cousins would shout, "Look! Run! President is coming for us!"

Then we would run as fast as we could, rushing up the stairs to our house. More often than not, my brother Jeffrey would take me by the hand and literally drag me behind him as he ran. We would both be shouting, laughing, and I would put all of my trust in him to help me get away from president!

In truth, president was as harmless as anything else. I believe that he just wanted to scare us as kids and he really did not mean anything. His gestures were only meant to scare us a bit and he, too, would be laughing as he pretended to chase us!

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 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.

Follow me on Twitter @accessibleworld and @author_jodhan

And like me on Facebook at

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