Such a treasured childhood memory: Daddy's dance with Yella

She was his favourite dog and he was her favourite person and every evening when Dad returned home from work, he would treat us to his dance with our fat, chubby yellow Lab, Yella.

It always seemed as if she knew what time Dad would be coming through the gate to our home.  There she would be, excited, wagging her tail back and forth and up and down and barking happily.

Dad would take her two front paws and dance with her! Yella would bark happily while the rest of us looked on. As long as both Dad and Yella were happy, then so was I.

This is a memory that shall forever be imbedded in my memory: Dad and Yella dancing when he returned home from work!  What a dad and what a dog!

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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She never complained when I made a mistake: When Yella listened to me play my piano

She did not come very often but whenever she did she would come quietly into the living room and there she would lie and listen.  I could hear her coming, her little feet tapping gently on the floor.  Then she would squeeze through the half-opened door and walk past me and take up her position. There she was, lying on the floor not too far from the side of the piano.

Many a time I would finish practicing my piano pieces and then I would leave her there snoozing happily away.  Some time later she would realize that I had finished and left her there and then she would come sluggishly out of the living room.  She was neither happy nor sad; she was just Yella listening to me play.

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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She was quite a dog! Yella's likes and dislikes

I can honestly tell you that this dog of ours sure had a personality.  She was her own dog and she marched to her own drum. 

As a puppy she was short, round, and a pretty little girl.  She was a golden lab who simply loved our family; in particular my dad.  She could be serious and she could be playful.  She could be sociable and she could be a loner.

Then one day she became a mom and after that she simply became an adult and never looked back.  She asserted herself as the madam of the Manor.  She did as she pleased and did it in style.  She barked when she had to, played on her terms and hid from us whenever she wanted.

This was our Yella, with her likes and dislikes.  A dog who enjoyed whatever she wished with no one to stop 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
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Great memories: Happy times in the Savannah

hey sure were such happy times for me and they are times that shall always remain in a very special corner of my heart.

I can still remember learning to fly a kite with my dad and playing all kinds of ball games with him and my brothers.  I remember racing around on Jeffrey's scooter with him running alongside me and laughing at the top of his voice.  I remember running as hard as I could with Jeffrey and Nancy and enjoying it so much as the fresh, cool air blew gently through my hair and across my cheeks.

Then there were the times when Dad and I would take our dog, Yella, for walks and she would just go off and roll around in smelly dirt and then Dad would scold her before taking her home to give her a bath and another scolding.

Then Dad would take Jeffrey and me to see the race horses and we would stand there watching them do their morning exercises and Dad and Jeffrey would describe everything to me.

Then there were the more quiet times: walking with Mom and Dad in the Savannah, feeling the cool grass under my feet, listening to the sweet singing birds,  inhaling the fragrance of nearby flowers, and sitting quietly on the benches while Dad read and Mom and I chatted.

Ah, yes!  Those cherished memories for a lifetime.

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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Childhood memories: Coming home to the puppies

Yet some more very cherished memories to share with you.  Yes, coming home to the puppies.

There were six of them to start with as our dog, Yella, had given birth to her first litter of happy little puppies.  How I remember rushing home every day to play with them.  My parents had decided to let them have the run of the laundry room and there they were, playing, scrapping, and then trying to climb out of the room.

I would lift each up in turn, pet them, play with them, and speak softly to them.  They were all fat, happy, and oh so friendly.

All six stayed with us for about a month but sadly enough we could not keep them all and one by one they were given away to happy homes.  Then we were left with just two: Lion and Tiger, the favorite ones out of them all.

Then these two little gems started to grow and quickly fitted into our family.  They were the pride and joy of us all!  Everyone loved them. Friends loved them and family simply melted each time they came to visit.

Lion and Tiger became my fast friends and I had a decade of their friendship but then one day it all ended when these two happy dogs left for good, passing on to that dreaded big C disease!

Ah yes!  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  jodhanmysterybook.club/about-the-author
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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The four-legged greeters

Yes indeed! They were my four-legged greeters and they were always there to greet me when I came home from school. Each dog had their own way of greeting me and I am almost certain that they each knew in their way that I was blind.

First there was Yella, the grand dame of them all and mother to her two handsome boys, Lion and Tiger. Yella was very reserved and extremely ladylike but there was one very true thing about this lady dog! She never failed to come out and greet me whenever I would come home from school. That is, whenever she felt that she should do it. Indeed, she did whatever she wanted, whenever she wanted, and on her own terms.

Then there was Lion! A handsome retriever, gentle, clumsy, and who always came out to greet me, that is, most of the time. He would come up to me and then jump all over me with sloppy kisses and sticking out his paw for me to take. Lion had his own way of expressing himself to his loved ones.

Then there was Tiger! The leader of the pack; strong. Mr. Muscles, as I liked to call him, and he just loved to jump all over me and nip at my hands and feet.

Dogs with their very own individual personalities. Each dog in their own way always letting me know that they were there for me. They probably knew that I was blind but that was just okay with each of them.

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

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This is a personal message from author Donna Jodhan
"Each time we raise our voice at someone else we are engaging in bullying! Each time we raise our hands to slap or punch someone else we are also engaging in bullying and each time we engage in actions to either manipulate or force someone else to do what we want we are also engaging in bullying!

There is no room in this world for bullying and each day we fail to take action against bullying it is another day that we allow others to bully us and our kids. Our heroes and role models are the ones who have made us proud, those brave young men and women who gave their lives for us in past wars and those who continue to do so. They are not the ones who choose to be racists and those who believe that their bad behaviour in public is acceptable.

I write and record audio mysteries that are being used at such events as murder mystery evenings as well as at public awareness and team building events. I promote understanding, tolerance, and problem solving and my audio mysteries continue to be broadcasted around the world and you can listen to them anywhere! On the plane or train! In the car or right there in your home! On your i device or computer!

Please join my campaign against bullying (CAB) by supporting my efforts to keep on writing and recording!
If you truly care then you will certainly dare!"

Giving the dogs a bath

I used to love to do this when I was growing up and we had three huge dogs: Yella, the mom, and her two handsome sons, Lion and Tiger. Sometimes there was Boyo and Brownie, too, and they were Yella's other kids.

This momentous event usually took place on a Sunday and seemed to be a family affair. I never refused to help with this chore and our dogs never disappointed me. I would even venture to say that somehow they knew when it was going to happen and they never made a fuss.

They would stand absolutely still and allow me to bathe them. First I would take the hose and wet them down. Next came the soap and finally the rinsing. They never moved! They never complained and I never missed a beat!

Those dogs were always so well behaved and I was so proud of them. Moreover, I was always so happy that my family allowed me to bathe them and they never made me feel that I could not do it because of being blind.

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

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This is a personal message from author Donna Jodhan
"If you either are or have been a victim of crime, violence, abuse, or bullying, and if you are simply tired of being bombarded with audios and scenes of the above, then I am asking for your support. I have written and recorded audio mysteries that are completely void of vivid descriptions of sex, crime, and violence because I firmly believe that it is time for us to use the spoken word to help influence our kids to start listening to content that is clean and healthy. By doing this we can all do our part to tackle crime in a positive and meaningful way and it only costs pennies per day.Visit my online store at www.donnajodhan.com/store.html.
I thank you and your kids will also thank you!"

She was my attentive listener

She never asked for anything. All she ever wanted was to sneak into the living room on her chosen afternoons to listen to me practice my piano lessons. Most of the time, she probably laid there and slept, snoring lightly at times. Nevertheless, I always enjoyed having her as my devoted audience.

She never complained whenever I played a bad note nor did she cheer whenever I played things correctly. Sometimes I could hear her coming, her feet pitter-pattering softly into the living room. Sometimes I did not even know that she was there as she somehow managed to sneak in. I would only discover her presence when I either heard her snoring lightly or I could smell her close by.

Yes, that was my dog, Yella! A fat golden Lab with a somewhat quiet disposition. She was not the most sociable of dogs but she was loyal to the end. She played on her terms. She dictated how things were to be and she showed me who the boss was. She, however, seemed to have a soft spot for me as she always seemed to move out of my way whenever she saw me coming. She knew that I was blind.

Yes, that was my Yella, my most attentive listener!

I'm Donna J. Jodhan, your friendly accessibility advocate, wishing you a terrific day and inviting you to go out there and share my stories with others. Come by any time and visit me at www.donnajodhan.com where you can listen to my audio mysteries at no cost.

My Dogs and I

First there was Yella; a fat and happy Lab.  Then came Lion and Tiger, her huge and handsome sons.  Then finally there was Boyo and Brownie, the grand children of Yella.  My treasured ones, my best companions.  These are the ones that gave me so much comfort during my formative years. 

 

Yella's happy and go lucky spirit enabled me to create and imagine all kinds of kid-like things; writing poetry and essays about her.  Gosh, I even won first prize in an essay competition for my composition about Yella.  By the time Lion and Tiger came along I was approaching the difficult adolescent years and these were the two that helped me the most.  I would often lie on my stomach and bury my face in their thick coats of fur.  There I would tell them all of my fears and fantasies and you know what?  They never turned a deaf ear on me.  They would always listened attentively and would often reward me with either a kiss on the nose or a paw on my shoulder.

 

By the time that Boyo and Brownie arrived, I was well into my teens and these two were a constant source of comfort to me.  I played robustly with them.  Loved them to bits, and in turn they helped me to cope with my adolescent years.  Each dog was special in his/her own way.  Each brought me special moments of glee and happiness.  Each broke my heart when they departed this world.

 

My heart broke with grief when I left home and left them behind but I still carry them in my mind.  When I was able to see enough, I captured their faces in my mind and now they are tucked away forever.  Their personalities will always remain a constant source of consolation for me.  Rest in peace wonderful furry friends!

 

I'm Donna J. Jodhan your friendly accessibility advocate inviting you to go out there and share my blogs with the rest of the world.  Visit www.nfb.org to learn how blind persons use guide dogs as part of their daily lives.