Combining it all: Fixing Mom's angel

 I need to make sure that I get the entire picture before I embark on these types of tasks. Fixing stuff for Mom is normally routine but every now and then I need to concentrate a bit more.

Especially so when I need to combine my fixing skills along with reference points to visual cues. Most of the time this works but sometimes I need to go a bit further. I needed to bring her angel back to Toronto for Imad to take a look at it.

At the end and good news, the angel did not need fixing.

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

Happy times: Turning on Mom's Christmas tree

 

This is one event that almost always bring a smile to me. Whenever Mom asks me to turn on her Christmas tree, I tell her to wait and watch as I do this.

As a vision-impaired person, I would probably never know if the lights are on when I turn the switch. Someone would need to let me know.

So, If I turn the switch and Mom tells me that there is no light, I first check to see if the tree is plugged in and then if it is I try the switch again because I may not have pressed the switch hard enough.

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

Family gathering: Christmas lunch 2024

 It was fun, and it was relaxing! Family coming together to break bread together. Delicious food, good conversation, and great entertainment!

Got to keep on enjoying every Christmas lunch because we never know if it would be the last!

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

On the 12th day of Christmas

 Thanks
It’s time for us to give thanks and to say thanks for all that we have and all that we can share with others!
Thanks! Thanks!
Thanks for friends and family! Thanks for good health!
Thanks for happiness, love, and all that we have been given from up above!

I'd like to wish everyone a very merry Christmas!  Happy holidays!  But most of all!  A 2025 that will bring us lots of blessings, good things, and hopes and dreams to be fulfilled.
Merry Christmas!
Happy Holidays!
Joyeux Noèl!
Feliz Navidad!
Buon Natale!
Happy Hanukkah!
Please take a moment to give a gift of accessibility to families with children with a disability!
Visit https://donorbox.org/author-donna-jodhan
Would love to hear from you as well.
You can reach me at donnajodhan@gmail.com

On the 11th day of Christmas

 Laughter
And what would Christmas be like if there was no laughter?
Ah, yes! Laughter and lots of it, and our little friend here is probably laughing in his dreams!
So should we all, not just in our dreams but all year through!
Laughter is what makes the World go around!

I'd like to wish everyone a very merry Christmas!  Happy holidays!  But most of all!  A 2025 that will bring us lots of blessings, good things, and hopes and dreams to be fulfilled.
Merry Christmas!
Happy Holidays!
Joyeux Noèl!
Feliz Navidad!
Buon Natale!
Happy Hanukkah!
Please take a moment to give a gift of accessibility to families with children with a disability!
Visit https://donorbox.org/author-donna-jodhan
Would love to hear from you as well.
You can reach me at donnajodhan@gmail.com

On the seventh day of Christmas

 Love
No time like the present for us to make an extra special effort to love each other and one another!
To love those far and wide!
To spread love and to share love!
To love our family, our friends and oh, yes! Our enemies if we have any!
To love and cherish each and every moment each day throughout this holiday season and beyond!

I'd like to wish everyone a very merry Christmas!  Happy holidays!  But most of all!  A 2025 that will bring us lots of blessings, good things, and hopes and dreams to be fulfilled.
Merry Christmas!
Happy Holidays!
Joyeux Noèl!
Feliz Navidad!
Buon Natale!
Happy Hanukkah!
Please take a moment to give a gift of accessibility to families with children with a disability!
Visit https://donorbox.org/author-donna-jodhan
Would love to hear from you as well.
You can reach me at donnajodhan@gmail.com

On the fourth day of Christmas

 Happiness
 

My wish for everyone is a whole lot of happiness.
May your holiday season be filled with loads of happiness.
May your new year be blessed with a lot of new happiness from every one and from everywhere!
This is my wish for you and the world!

I'd like to wish everyone a very merry Christmas!  Happy holidays!  But most of all!  A 2025 that will bring us lots of blessings, good things, and hopes and dreams to be fulfilled.
Merry Christmas!
Happy Holidays!
Joyeux Noèl!
Feliz Navidad!
Buon Natale!
Happy Hanukkah!
Please take a moment to give a gift of accessibility to families with children with a disability!
Visit https://donorbox.org/author-donna-jodhan
Would love to hear from you as well.
You can reach me at donnajodhan@gmail.com

On the third day of Christmas

 Family
May we find time to celebrate with family far and wide!
With family who are near and dear to us!
With family who we have not seen in a while!
With family! Bringing family together to smile and share with each other!
This is my wish for the third day of Christmas!

I'd like to wish everyone a very merry Christmas! Happy holidays! But most of all! A
2025 that will bring us lots of blessings, good things, and hopes and dreams to be
fulfilled.
Merry Christmas!
Happy Holidays!
Joyeux Noèl!
Feliz Navidad!
Buon Natale!
Happy Hanukkah!
Please take a moment to give a gift of accessibility to families with children with a
disability!
Visit https://donorbox.org/author-donna-jodhan
Would love to hear from you as well.
You can reach me at donnajodhan@gmail.com

On the second day of Christmas

 Peace
And on this second day of Christmas I wish Peace for us all!
May we see a new year of 2025 where wars come to an end!
Where world leaders come together to end not just wars but strife, disagreements, and a
lot more!
Where we can all live in a somewhat perfect harmony!
Helping each other to enjoy life!
Complaining less and solving more!
This is my wish for the second day of Christmas!

I'd like to wish everyone a very merry Christmas! Happy holidays! But most of all! A
2025 that will bring us lots of blessings, good things, and hopes and dreams to be
fulfilled.
Merry Christmas!
Happy Holidays!
Joyeux Noèl!
Feliz Navidad!
Buon Natale!
Happy Hanukkah!
Please take a moment to give a gift of accessibility to families with children with a
disability!
Visit https://donorbox.org/author-donna-jodhan
Would love to hear from you as well.
You can reach me at donnajodhan@gmail.
 

On the first day of Christmas

 Hope
I’d like to share my wish for hope and a lot of it!
For the world! For our unborn kids and our kids already in this world!
For our teens, young adults, moms, dads, grandparents, and those living in long term care
homes!
For everyone!
I wish that we will join together to hope for a 2025 that is better and brighter!
A year where we can look forward to hoping more and fretting less!
May all of our hopes and dreams come true!
This is my wish for the first day of Christmas.

 I'd like to wish everyone a very merry Christmas! Happy holidays! But most of all! A
2025 that will bring us lots of blessings, good things, and hopes and dreams to be
fulfilled.
Merry Christmas!
Happy Holidays!
Joyeux Noèl!
Feliz Navidad!
Buon Natale!
Happy Hanukkah!
Please take a moment to give a gift of accessibility to families with children with a
disability!
Visit https://donorbox.org/author-donna-jodhan
Would love to hear from you as well.
You can reach me at donnajodhan@gmail.com

The gift of hope

 

(Hands hold up a heart-shaped stone with the word Hope inscribed on it. Ocean in the background.)

As we speed towards the end of 2023, I can only say that my gift to those around me is the gift of hope.

I pray fervently for hope for a better and brighter future for our kids.
For starvation, war, and other man-made hardships to be greatly reduced.
For natural disasters to be less destructive.
Above all! For mankind to be kinder and more generous to each other.
To be more considerate to each other and to hope for a happier, healthier, and more positive world!

I'd like to wish everyone a very merry Christmas! Happy holidays! But most of all! A 2024 that will bring us lots of blessings, good things, and hopes and dreams to be fulfilled.
Merry Christmas!
Happy Holidays!
Joyeux Noèl!
Feliz Navidad!
Buon Natale!
Happy Hanukkah!
Please take a moment to give a gift of accessibility to families with children with a disability!
Visit https://donorbox.org/author-donna-jodhan
Would love to hear from you as well.
You can reach me at donnajodhan@gmail.com

Time to bake and cook with family and friends

(On top of a wooden table covered in sprinkles of white flour are cinnamon sticks, pine fronds, raspberries, star anise, eggs and cookie cutters all arranged in a circle.)

It’s one of the most wonderful times of the year and I just love humming that song sung by the late Andy Williams! A song that will be played over and over each year.  A Christmas song forever!

Ah, yes!  The smells!  The tastes!  The chatter and laughter in the kitchen!  Everyone just ready to pitch in and do their part to make those cookies, cakes, pies, and so much more!

Never mind sitting down to eat all of these yummy goodies accompanied by glasses of hot drinks: hot chocolate, cider, and more.

Then the turkey, ham, pork, duck, goose, chicken, all being cooked and baked!
Ah, yes!  Those wonderful smells intermingling with each other.

Yes!  This is the time to enjoy.
Time to bake and cook!

I'd like to wish everyone a very merry Christmas! Happy holidays! But most of all! A 2024 that will bring us lots of blessings, good things, and hopes and dreams to be fulfilled.
Merry Christmas!
Happy Holidays!
Joyeux Noèl!
Feliz Navidad!
Buon Natale!
Happy Hanukkah!
Please take a moment to give a gift of accessibility to families with children with a disability!
Visit https://donorbox.org/author-donna-jodhan
Would love to hear from you as well.
You can reach me at donnajodhan@gmail.com

 

Exchanging those precious gifts

 

(A stack of gifts sit in the foreground with bows and ornaments all around. There is a Christmas tree and even more gifts blurred in the background.)

For me, I truly believe that the most precious gift is the gift of giving!  Nevertheless, there are other gifts for me to reflect upon.

The gifts of peace, love, joy, happiness, best wishes, and more are all ones for me to give to others.  In addition, to share with others who are less fortunate: food, clothes, toys for the kids, and whatever I can give.

The gift of giving is definitely the most precious gift for me!  

I'd like to wish everyone a very merry Christmas! Happy holidays! But most of all! A 2024 that will bring us lots of blessings, good things, and hopes and dreams to be fulfilled.
Merry Christmas!
Happy Holidays!
Joyeux Noèl!
Feliz Navidad!
Buon Natale!
Happy Hanukkah!
Please take a moment to give a gift of accessibility to families with children with a disability!
Visit https://donorbox.org/author-donna-jodhan
Would love to hear from you as well.
You can reach me at donnajodhan@gmail.com

Time to start celebrating

 

No time like the present for me, with my cat by my side, to start celebrating the Christmas holiday season. It’s funny how our pets really enjoy listening to a musical instrument.  Chester is no different and he simply loves it whenever I or anyone else plays the piano.

Thank goodness that he never comments on my piano playing but just having him hanging out with me is so much fun.

He does not know the words to the songs that I play but that’s just okay with me.  He does not know the melodies but it does not matter to me.  I am just happy to have him with me and he seems to enjoy it all.  Even my humming does not seem to affect him.

I'd like to wish everyone a very merry Christmas! Happy holidays! But most of all! A 2024 tthat will bring us lots of blessings, good things, and hopes and dreams to be fulfilled.
Merry Christmas! Happy Holidays!
Joyeux Noèl!
Feliz Navidad!
Buon Natale!
Happy Hanukkah!
Please take a moment to give a gift of accessibility to families with children with a disability!
Visit https://donorbox.org/author-donna-jodhan
Would love to hear from you as well.
You can reach me at donnajodhan@gmail.com

Enjoying the Christmas tree

 (A beautifully decorated and fully lit Christmas Tree reflects off of a polished wooden table.)

I dare say that no Christmas is ever Christmas without 2 very important things for me! First, there must be a manger with Baby Jesus, Mary, and Joseph and all of the accompanying figures. Then, my beloved Christmas tree adorned with all of the lights, ornaments, traditional figures, and yes! The star atop the tree.

Oh, how I love to just sit there and take it all in. To see the lights! To smell the fragrance of pine! To imagine myself as a child when I used to crawl under the tree and quietly inspect all of the wrapped presents. To imagine good old Santa Claus sneaking into my home and placing presents under the Christmas tree.

For me, this is what it is all about when it comes to enjoying the Christmas tree. To enjoy it today and to remember it yesterday. Most of all, to keep on enjoying it!

I'd like to wish everyone a very merry Christmas! Happy holidays! But most of all! A 2024 that will bring us lots of blessings, good things, and hopes and dreams to be fulfilled.
Merry Christmas!Happy Holidays!
Joyeux Noèl!
Feliz Navidad!
Buon Natale!
Happy Hanukkah!
Please take a moment to give a gift of accessibility to families with children with a disability!
Visit https://donorbox.org/author-donna-jodhan
Would love to hear from you as well.
You can reach me at donnajodhan@gmail.com

 

Time to relax and enjoy

 

Ah, yes, and it is probably one of the things that I truly enjoy at this time of the year. To relax and enjoy!
To clear my mind and imagination of cobwebs and clutter!
To enjoy the sights, smells, sounds, and tastes of Christmas!
Cups of hot chocolate! Christmas cookies and cakes!  Minced fruit pies!
Skating on an outdoor rink!
Going shopping and buying gifts for friends and family!
Stuffing backpacks with goodies for a less fortunate family!
Listening to those favourite Christmas carols and songs and singing along.
Then bringing out my keyboard and playing along.
Looking forward to celebrating Christmas mass with my family!

Ah, yes!  Time to relax and enjoy! Time to just say that all of my troubles are miles away!
Must not forget to dream of Santa riding on his sleigh!

I'd like to wish everyone a very merry Christmas! Happy holidays! But most of all! A 2024 that will bring us lots of blessings, good things, and hopes and dreams to be fulfilled.
Merry Christmas!Happy Holidays!
Joyeux Noèl!
Feliz Navidad!
Buon Natale!
Happy Hanukkah!
Please take a moment to give a gift of accessibility to families with children with a disability!
Visit https://donorbox.org/author-donna-jodhan
Would love to hear from you as well.
You can reach me at donnajodhan@gmail.com

So very thankful for what I can share and give

 

I know only too well that Christmas in my homeland of Canada is one of great honour, privilege, and so much more.

I have so very much to be thankful for and my dearest and only wish is that I can give, share, and spread my good fortunes to others in other corners of the world.

To those in Ukraine!  To those in Gaza, and to so many others in Africa and other parts of the world! I have so much to give, share and spread!  

Canada is blessed with an abundance of food, water, has freedom of speech, and I so very wish that all of this could help others not to go hungry, thirsty, or without warm beds!

Yes! I am tremendously thankful!  Yes, I can only do my little part to promote peace, love, joy, good cheer, and happiness to the less fortunate.

Yes! When I attend Christmas mass on Christmas Eve, I’ll thank the Baby Jesus for all of my own personal blessings for me and my family.  I’ll think of those who are hungry when I sit down for my Christmas meal and I’ll ask the Good Lord to bless them and keep them safe!

Finally, I will not only think of the less fortunate at Christmas but all year through. As a very popular Christmas song says: “The secret of Christmas is not the things you do at Christmas time but the Christmas things you do all year through.”

I'd like to wish everyone a very merry Christmas! Happy holidays! But most of all! A 2024 that will bring us lots of blessings, good things, and hopes and dreams to be fulfilled.
Merry Christmas!Happy Holidays!
Joyeux Noèl!
Feliz Navidad!
Buon Natale!
Happy Hanukkah!
Please take a moment to give a gift of accessibility to families with children with a disability!
Visit https://donorbox.org/author-donna-jodhan
Would love to hear from you as well.
You can reach me at donnajodhan@gmail.com

Christmas is not complete without those wreaths

 

Oh no. Those wreaths are a vital part of my Christmas. There they are, adorning my walls with their beauty. All made up of leaves, holly, berries, bows, and all kinds of other things.  All sizes but they are all round in shape.

All combinations of colours, but red, green, gold, and silver are the main colours. One hangs over our front door. Others adorn walls around the home.

Ah yes! Christmas is not complete without these wreaths.

I'd like to wish everyone a very merry Christmas! Happy holidays! But most of all! A 2024 that will bring us lots of blessings, good things, and hopes and dreams to be fulfilled.
Merry Christmas!Happy Holidays!
Joyeux Noèl!
Feliz Navidad!
Buon Natale!
Happy Hanukkah!
Please take a moment to give a gift of accessibility to families with children with a disability!
Visit https://donorbox.org/author-donna-jodhan
Would love to hear from you as well.
You can reach me at donnajodhan@gmail.com

I am starting to dream

 

It does not really matter how old I am! Each year the dreams are almost the same. From my earliest days as a child and now as an adult! Each year I dream the same dreams.

I  dream of a tall stately Christmas tree loaded with lights and ornaments. I dream of oodles of presents under the tree. I even dream of Santa and Rudolph somehow opening the door to our home and silently slipping in to leave all kinds of goodies! But most of all!  I dream of going to church with the family to celebrate Christmas Mass. To visit the manger and pay homage to BabyJesus, Mary, and Joseph! 

Then sitting in the pew with Mom, Dad, Granny, and my brothers and cousins and listening to the priest’s sermon and then to join in the singing of those Christmas carols. Then to smell the scent of the lit candles.

Ah yes! I am starting to dream!  The happiest time of the year for me! Not long now and it will all play out once more.

I'd like to wish everyone a very merry Christmas! Happy holidays! But most of all! A 2024 that will bring us lots of blessings, good things, and hopes and dreams to be fulfilled.
Merry Christmas!Happy Holidays!
Joyeux Noèl!
Feliz Navidad!
Buon Natale!
Happy Hanukkah!
Please take a moment to give a gift of accessibility to families with children with a disability!
Visit https://donorbox.org/author-donna-jodhan
Would love to hear from you as well.
You can reach me at donnajodhan@gmail.com

New opportunities: Using pottery to promote?

 

Thanks to my pottery instructor, Shaun, this is exactly what I am going to do.  I will be working with Shaun to use my pottery creations to promote my Dining With Donna show.

I started producing podcasts of my Dining With Donna show in September 2022 and thanks to my good friends Victor Gouveia, Shaun, and my trusty developer Aaron, it is all coming together.  

I’ll be selling on Etsy.  I’ll be offering spice pots and matching spoons, sets of dinner, bread, and sandwich plates and salad bowls. And most exciting: Christmas ornaments!

I can’t wait to see how this all goes for me!

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!