Anticipation awaits! Getting ready to play in the sand

 

Oh, how I dream of being able to play in the sand!  To dig my toes into the cool sand!  To pick up thousands of grains in my hands and then to let it trickle through my fingers.

To build sand castles, dig pools and shape them into all kinds of different things.  To build mountains, houses, forts, and so much more!  

And while I am sand-building, the sun shines down on me bringing warmth and enjoyment to me.  Ah, yes!  Playing in the sand!

I'm Donna J. Jodhan, your friendly award-winning sight-loss coach and accessibility advisor, wishing you a terrific day.
 
If you would like to learn more about me as a sight-loss coach and author then I invite you now to visit
http://www.donnajodhan.com

There you will not only learn about me as a sight-loss coach and 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 at author_jodhan
And like me on Facebook at www.facebook.com/donnajodhan and at www.facebook.com/authordonnajodhan

Important notice from Donna J. Jodhan
If you're looking for a quick and easy way to share news and or info about yourself or about others, then please read on!
Donna J. Jodhan can help you reach a rapidly growing list of over 12,000 readers and listeners and counting!
All you need to do is to give a listen to her monthly shows and if you like what you hear then here's how it works!
For the very affordable price of $25, Donna will feature your info and news on 2 of her monthly shows.
Once on the Ask Donna show and once on the Dining with Donna show.
Both of these monthly shows run weekly.
This means that your info will be featured twice for the month.
No more having to worry about posting to Facebook!  
You'll be able to engage with ready made readers and listeners!
Your payment of $25 will be prorated as a monthly payment.
So you can either pay monthly, or you can pay as you go.
Just send your info or news to Donna at askdonnaonblindlife@gmail.com
No more than 150 words.
Donna will then post your info or news as soon as you remit payment to her at paypal@donnajodhan.com
To give a listen visit https://www.donnajodhan.com/askdonna and https://www.donnajodhan.com/dwd
Take advantage of this very quick and easy way to reach a ready made audience!

Favourite childhood memories: Playing with Nancy

There are so many childhood memories of Nancy and me to cherish forever. She and I were so very close until we parted ways; she to Venezuela and I to England.

We were just teenagers then but it never stopped us from staying close across the miles and each time we met in person it was so very special to me.

Nancy read to me. She played with me. We walked arm in arm along the beach on so many sunny occasions. We spent countless holidays at the beach and she stayed at our home so many times.

Nancy and I used to dream of traveling the world together. We talked about boyfriends, our girlhood thoughts, long hours spent going through Mom's magazines and cutting out pictures, and then Nancy making those scrap books for me.

I'll never forget you, cousin Nancy! I think of you often and wonder when next I'll get to sit next to you and reminisce quietly about our childhood days. Keep well now until I see you 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 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

www.facebook.com/donnajodhan and at www.facebook.com/authordonnajodhan

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

www.facebook.com/donnajodhan and at www.facebook.com/authordonnajodhan

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

www.facebook.com/donnajodhan and at www.facebook.com/authordonnajodhan

It's good to be back! Back to blind tennis

It is so very good to be going back to playing blind tennis. Over the past few years I have been extremely lax and remiss in keeping up with this wonderful game, but in the fall of 2019 I promised myself to make a better effort to do so.

I am extremely grateful to Alan Ma for having started blind tennis in Toronto in 2012 and, as things stand today, blind tennis is still going on but with much fewer players than before.

Alan’s volunteers have been so dedicated and I want to thank them for having stayed the course. Now we need to give our support to Jerome as Alan’s replacement.

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

www.facebook.com/donnajodhan and at www.facebook.com/authordonnajodhan

Putting a smile on my face: Playing chess via Skype

Over the past few months I have made a concerted effort to play chess on a more frequent basis. This has included playing chess with Mark Kirkham who lives in England.

I met Mark at the Windermere event at the end of January, 2019, and he was kind enough to play me some friendly games when I had to withdraw from the tournament due to illness.

Since then we have been playing via email and a few months ago we tried a Skype game but I have to admit that it was not one of my favourite experiences.

Mark is very patient and a great teacher and I do my best to keep up with him. However, I need to develop more patience and confidence in my chess skills. Just another hobby for me to work on.

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

www.facebook.com/donnajodhan and at www.facebook.com/authordonnajodhan

A cherished memory: The Botanical Gardens in Trinidad

As I write this I can still vividly remember so many wonderful childhood memories of times spent frolicking with my family in these Botanical Gardens.   How well I remember running and playing with my siblings and cousins.  Playing ball with my parents.  Running and chasing our beautiful dog, Yella.  Walking along the various paths, riding the scooter, and so much more.

I always used to cherish those times when my parents would tell us that we were going to the Gardens and then I would race to get ready.  It was almost always a family outing with my parents, brothers, and granny getting into the family's car.  We often went there on late evenings but there were the morning outings, as well.

Then, whenever my cousins came over to spend time, my parents would take us to the Gardens.  Yella often came, as well, but sometimes we left her at home and I can tell you that she was not a happy dog!

Those wonderful fragrances of blooming flowers, birds singing in the trees, lush green grass and laughter of other kids around us shall forever remain in my mind.

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

Cherished times: The playing cards

I still have memories of those childhood playing cards when I used to play with my brother, cousins, and Dad.  For me there was Braille on them so that I could play and then there were the special ones that my beloved Tanta Julie bought for me when she went on her trip to the United States.

The backs of those cards were red and I guarded and protected them so vigorously.  The only time that I played with them was when I was involved in games with the others.  Otherwise they stayed safely tucked away in my toys' cupboard.

Fast forward to so many years later and I seem to have lost track of them. They probably disappeared from my grasp without my even knowing it.  It sure bothers me that I cannot even remember what happened to them.

I have since had several other sets of playing cards. Some were bought at stores that sell stuff for the blind and vision-impaired while there was one particular set where my cousin, Brenda, helped me to put Braille on them thus making them available for me to play 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 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

Happy memories: One of the most pleasant kids

Her name was Tobi Nielsen and in my books she was probably one of the most pleasant kids that I ever met.  She was just nine years old when I first met her and from then until she left home to marry and settle down in Austria, I had the privilege and pleasure to know her.

Tobi was a very gentle little girl; always pleasant and always smiling and laughing.  She was filled with warmth and whenever I visited her home she was always there to give me a huge hug and play all kinds of games with me.

I don't think that Tobi really cared that I was vision-impaired.  She did not treat me with kid gloves but on the other hand she was always ever so careful to ensure that I did not stumble and fall or run into objects.  She was helpful but never overdid it.

I always loved giving her Christmas presents, all kinds of girls' toys.  She appreciated each with such delight that it often almost made me cry.

Now Tobi is all grown up with 3 daughters of her own and her youngest is vision-impaired.  She has RP.  I know that this will be a great challenge for Tobi and her little girl but I can only hope that somehow my having known her when she was a kid would help her in some way as she watches her little girl grow up.

You can do it, Tobi, and I am here for you if ever you need to reach out.

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

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

An experience to remember: At the chess club with Nadia's young students

In February of 2017, I visited my chess coach's class to talk to her young students and the topic was to be: I play chess as a blind person.

Nadia had been asking me to do this for a while and I finally got around to it.  I can tell you that I fully enjoyed my time with these smart and intuitive young ones.  Their questions were right on the money and they were very intuitive questions.

They wanted to know how I played chess; how did I go about identifying the pieces from each other.  Whether or not I used a special board, how did I identify pages in my book, and how did I know what the teacher was writing on the blackboard.  Were Braille page numbers different from print page numbers and did I like playing chess?

These questions were but just a few and as they ate their lunch their questions kept coming, fast and furious.  The youngest was about six years old and the oldest was about 12 years old.  Nadia did not have to encourage them to ask anything and everything.

At the end of it all, as I walked out of the school with Sue, I could not help but muse to myself as to whether one of these smart youngsters could one day become Prime Minister of Canada?

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 meaningful times: Memories of a Frisbee

It was a bright orange Frisbee that Mom and Dad had bought for me shortly after I received my first cornea and they had taken me to the park to play with it.  We spent countless hours tossing the bright orange Frisbee back and forth and I had so much fun. 

Mom and Dad never seemed to tire of tossing it to me and I was ever so excited that I could see it coming towards me, let alone being able to catch it.  I had such fun and was so grateful for this great experience.

So many years have gone by and I still have this precious Frisbee among my possessions.  I'll keep it forever and remember it forever.  This is a memory that could probably never turn into reality, except for in my dreams!

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

Fond memories: Growing up with the cousins

I can honestly say that memories of growing up with my cousins were ones of cherished and never to be forgotten times. There are so many memories for me to look back on but I'll tell you honesty that if you ever wanted to talk about equality, then my cousins showed how it was done.

They never differentiated against me!  They always treated me without any semblance of being afraid to play with me, talk with me, and have so much fun with me.

They walked with me, talked with me, swam with me, played hide and seek with me, plus so much more.  They even played football and cricket with me and never grumbled whenever I asked for help.  They even played cards with me and taught me so much.

They were mainstream kids who adapted so well to playing with a kid who was vision impaired.  We were close and saw each other so very often.  My, how I loved each of them in their own special way and even today we still manage to stay connected.

We love reminiscing about the good old times: building sand castles and water pools on the beach, running with the dogs, and cutting out photos from Mom's magazines, plus so much more! These memories will be mine forever and my cousins will be mine 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 ttp://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

Remembering Dad's playtime

I guess that almost every girl in town will tell you that theirs is or was the best dad that they have or had and I am no different. No, he was not perfect but almost so!

How well I remember playtime with my beloved Dad. He never hesitated to play with me: games that he made up as we went along, playtime on the beach and in the botanical gardens, but most of all those games that we always played in the ocean.

Dad would toss those large colorful balls to me as we frolicked in the sea and then he would tell me to throw them back to him. It was up to me to ensure that I could catch the ball and throw it back as accurately as possible. Then he would have me jump the waves. He would tell me when to jump as a wave approached.

Most of the time I managed to jump in time but there were those occasions when I missed all together and then I would end up face down on the beach as the wave would toss me there. Or I would find myself inadvertently accepting a mouthful of salt water and there was Dad, chuckling in a low voice!

Playtime on the beach was especially memorable for me. Dad and I built so many sand castles of all shapes and sizes and then we would build those high mountains and towers. I can still remember these wonderful times.

Then there were the times playing in the botanical gardens where we ran, jumped, flew kites, kicked balls, and rode my scooter. Nothing could ever erase these wonderful play time memories of playtime with Dad.

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

Follow me on twitter @accessibleworld and @author_jodhan Like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/authordonnajodhan.

Visit our online store to either purchase or subscribe for unlimited access to our library at www.donnajodhan.com/store.htmland you can even take advantage of our free downloads! Or subscribe to our free monthly newsletter at www.donnajodhan.com

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!"

Remembering the playground

Ah yes! One of my favorite memories, remembering the playground at my grade school. It was big and airy. It was outdoors and oh so grassy. There was so much space for us kids to jump, run, hop, and skip. It was like Heaven to me and I just loved to go out at lunch and play.

I used to just enjoy walking in the thick grass and how I remember those cool mornings when we used to go out and practice for sports day. Us girls would walk arm in arm to the playground and there those with functional vision would help to coach those of us with not too much vision. I fell into the second category and so I had coaches, so to speak, to help me out.

There was a flat part and then there was a bit of a hilly part. There was a sandy part and then the large grassy part. There was the jungle gym for us to climb and swing on and then there was the swimming pool! There were no obstacles in our way for us to run into and hurt ourselves. The boys played cricket and soccer and the girls ran and played.

Ah yes! Memories of my playground!

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

Follow me on Twitter @accessibleworld and @author_jodhan.
Like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/author.jodhan

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!"

When the cousins were babies

I still have very vivid memories of when these little ones were babies. Oh how I used to love to play with them. Listening to them laugh, listening to them try to talk, and being so touched whenever they were able to say my name. I used to play all kinds of games with them. Mainly the ones where they would point at things and then I would ask them to tell me what they were.

I was never really sure if they knew that I was blind but that was okay. We played ball and I crawled around on the floor with them. They never tired of my company and I never tired of theirs. We played with boats in the bath tub. We swam in the sea under the very watchful eye of my dad, and then we played in the warm golden sand of the beach.

Their toys were my toys and my toys were their toys. I rocked them to sleep and as I did so I imagined them smiling up at me as I could not see their tiny expressions. I even got to dress them sometimes and give them their bottles. Then I would sing to them at bedtime, and tried teaching them how to count. They were lovable little ones and I shall forever cherish these memories.

I'm Donna J. Jodhan, your friendly accessibility advocate, wishing you a terrific day. Just go out there and learn more about the world of blind persons by visiting www.acb.org.

Follow me on Twitter @accessibleworld and @author_jodhan.
Or you can chat with me on Skype at habsfan0526.

Memories of a savanna

When I was growing up, the wide lush green savanna was often my playground. My parents would often take us kids to the savanna to play on a Sunday morning or afternoon and sometimes we would even be taken there during the week after supper.

The air was fresh and cool. The birds were always out there singing their little hearts out, and the fragrance of flowers was almost always present. Oh how I used to love to play in the grass. Run, jump, and skip along with my brothers and cousins. We played hide and seek. We ran foot races, flew kites, and chased each other around and among the trees.

Sometimes we would take our golden Lab, Yella, along for the fun and she, too, enjoyed it all and rewarded us with her resounding barks. Once or twice we took along our scooter and I would ride up and down the paved track and then onto the grass.

We also used to play cricket and football and Dad never forgot to spend time reading to me as we sat on benches under the large trees. I loved those times and as he read, Mom and I would listen and I would be looking up into the trees to admire the smiling face of the sun.

Those were the days when my lack of vision was never a barrier to me. No barriers existed whenever I set out to play with the others. The other kids were always careful to make sure that I was safe from obstacles and at that time it never seemed as if they cared about my being blind. Could I possibly venture to say that as a kid barriers to blindness seemed so far away then? Ah yes! Memories of my precious savanna.

I'm Donna J. Jodhan, your friendly accessibility advocate, wishing you a terrific day and inviting you to learn more about the world of blind kids by visiting www.acb.org.
Follow me on Twitter @accessibleworld and @author_jodhan.

Memories of ball games

Ah yes! Those cherished memories of those ball games that I played in my childhood with Dad, my brothers, and my cousins. From football to cricket, catch, and throwing the ball around in the ocean. Dad and I had a special ball game that we played; we would bump the ball to each other and try to see who could keep the ball bumping the longest.

I usually played with a large ball of a bright color, usually red but sometimes a multi-colored one. It was so much fun. I played in the hallway of our home. I played on our patio, and I played on the beach and in the savanna and park. I played in the sea and I loved it all. I used my sense of hearing to help me play and my limited vision enabled me to see the large colored ball.

Ah yes! Those memorable ball games! Forever embedded in my memory.

I’m Donna J. Jodhan, your friendly accessibility advocate, wishing you a terrific day and urging you to go out there and tell others about my memories. Visit www.nfb.org to learn more about how blind persons play with balls.