I have been out and bought two large French sticks at the
bakers for dinner tonight. One a salt and pepper one and the other what is
called a tiger stick. Bread I’m talking. They are huge so I thought I would
make some home-made soup to go with them. Our Son can’t eat the salt and pepper
one as that has milk in but the other, he can. I made a large pan of leak and
potato soup. And from that to more paint…
yep, I’m going to decorate again. This time our bathroom. I have bought a very
pail blue.
Gosh the wind was so bad. Over 89 kilometres per hour about
55 mph.
It really is like the devil is on his way if not arrived
already, and then I read the headlines that there has been a shooting in a
school in Brazil killing at least five children. For goodness sake, this world
is getting out of control. Who will press the stop button? Who will be able to
talk to the world and make them understand what we have and how lucky we are?
Some say God will but how and when as if another being comes to earth or if
someone calls himself Jesus for example, do you think we are going to hang
around and listen to what he has to say? No, we will shoot him too. Unless he
has some kind of numbing power that will frees us until he has his say then
leaves safely.
I spent some time with a great person today and life has
been fabulous.
Sitting with a coffee now I’m shattered. Emptied the dish
washer twice so, obviously filling it again to empty for the second time…
cleaning the floors, ironed and cooked. Went shopping too and we walked for
almost two hours. I bought plants and flowers. Calling into Waggatail favourite shop, the pet shop where of
course I had to buy our dogs some new toys… and a couple of treats. There was a poor cat meowing as it was taking
to the vet which is in that shop. Poor baby must have known where it was going.
In the shop were rabbits and hamsters. The poor girl on the till I felt for.
the doors were broken and they had to stay open, well, the wind was blowing a Gail
but I smiled as she told me she had a heater by her legs, so her bottom half
was hot and her top half was cold.
The second shop I went in, I can tell you I was glad to get
out. The ceiling was lifting. If that roof stays on, I shall eat my hat…. Not that
I was wearing one, or that would be no more…
Tomorrow I have a busy day in the office. So much work to
do, I doubt Waggs will get out further than the end of the road as there’s just
too much work. And she has had a busy week, so I think she will be glad of the
wrest.
Reading comments today about people with RP driving. Most people
who have the same eye disease as me, dream about driving but are filled with
some kind of anxiety. My friend said he is afraid he is going to get caught as
he obviously can’t see well enough to drive. He used to drive though. I dream
of me driving and I have never seen enough to drive, even when I had really
good sight, it wasn’t enough to drive safely. In my dreams, it’s always dark
and I can never find the indicator and there are always a queue of cars behind
me. I wonder if this is a common phenomenon amongst people who can’t see or is
hard of seeing, that they are pressured in some way? Why can’t we just drive?
Rachael from Australia asked me to write about going to
public places like parties if you can’t see well, or at all, so here goes. Well,
when I had sight it was more difficult for others than it is now, I’m totally
blind. When I had sight, people just didn’t get it. Where as if you are blind,
then they seem to at least understand that you are not being ignorant by not
smiling back at them or making eye contact with them. And they tend to come to
us, rather than us having to try to go to them. It’s kind of black or white for
most people. Either you have sight or not. If you have sight, then why can’t
you read the menu or get your own food? There
really isn’t enough knowledge out there about vision. So, I hope you share the
word to make it easier for yourselves and for others in the same boat as you.
People ask how to approach people at parties? Well if you
can see, but not enough to walk around and socialise, then a white cane is a
great indicator for others to realise that, as if you are like what I used to
be like, then sometimes at a party, you can see someone’s face so clearly, then
you are almost blind. It can be so confusing for us, let alone sighted people.
You don’t want to wear a badge telling the world you are
hard of seeing or blind, an yet you need people to know, so you feel a part of
their conversation at least? And when everyone else is going to the food table
at a buffet for example, don’t do what I used to do and tell people you are not
eating because you are either on a diet or you have eaten before you left the
house. Be honest. I spent most of my sighted life being afraid of what people
may think. Well I learned the hard way if you are honest from the start, people
really do except you for who you are and if you are never afraid of answering
questions, they are never afraid of asking them and knowledge is power. Before you
know it, you will be the bell of the ball invited to all parties as you are so
interesting the fact you have been to whatever country or done what ever or
simply you are just you, and maybe you make people laugh? When you relax, they will relax and your old
and new friends will soon forget the fact, that you can’t even see. Most of my
friends forget when we are just talking, it’s only when I get up to leave, they
remember and then the odd thing is, they will feel the need to tell you, that
they forgot you can’t see. Not ever sure what response you are meant to give
them in that situation…
If you have a plate of food using a knife and fork start
from the edge eating inwards, then there is less chance of knocking your food
off your plate and try to teach yourself to put the glass or cup in the same
place so if you use your plate as a clock and straight ahead is 12 o clock,
then put your drink may be at 1 o clock, so slightly to your right if you are
right handed and 11, if you are left handed. Now, how do you go for your
glass/cup? Well I used to lift my hand up as I did when I had sight and go to
grab the glass/cup. But I learned that is the best way to knock it over, so if
you place your hand on the table in front of you at the side where your glass is, and slowly
slide your hand towards the glass keeping it on the table so you feel the stem
before the bit where there is a drink in or the bottom of your glass or cup,
then you will not knock it over. Same when putting it down, if you place it on
the table and push it in position, rather than gliding your hand above the table
and guessing where to land your cup/glass then you may place it on a spoon for
example and it will tip as it’s not level on the table, or worse, you may put
it on top of something else, where as if you push it along, slowly, even using your
finger to slightly stick out from your glass, as if to feel your way, then
whatever may be in the way, you will
know about it and if your hand is low, again, you won’t knock anything over.
Sometimes we look ahead as if we are looking at someone,
this way, we may look like we can see, again, confusing people. So, what I do
is, look to the left, then straight ahead then to the right, and then down, so
never long enough to be classed as looking at anyone as then they will smile,
and we won’t, so we look unfriendly. In my old days, I have been asked if I’m
bored. Answer, was probably yes, but what did they expect, I was sitting there
alone so much noise, nothing making sense.
Just loud sounds a bit like a car crash. Or a nightmare you can’t make
sense of!
Just be honest with people, don’t be ashamed or embarrassed,
why, it’s not your fault you can’t see. We probably make a much bigger deal of
it than they will or do. We are the ones who feel self-conscious. We are the ones who don’t socialise or mix as
we should, because of how we feel because of their reactions. If you understand
yourself, they will understand you too. It’s all about communication and if you
come across people who just don’t want to know you because you can’t see, believe
me that is just an excuse as if you had sight, those would be the people who
wouldn’t want to know you for whatever other reason.
And on that note, I shall go for now I have just heard from
my Son, he has had some great news from work, his boss has put him forward for
a pay rise, another boss,, not his, has put him forward for a bonus and he has
been told there may be a permanent job going doing something he is loving right
now. he is filling in for someone who is in hospital, and my boy loves it. He is
working with the managers and they are really impressed with him. I’m so glad
things seem to be coming around for him, I pray they continue, as he is a hard
worker, has worked since the age of fifteen. He has studied hard in the work
place too to get to management level in his two previous jobs. This job he
started at the bottom, but the bottom was a great job and now he has found
ladders and will take his first step soon. Hub is so proud of him as, am I. he
deserves good things and those who deserve good, don’t always get it in this,
life.
He has also told me that he is going with his girlfriend and
two friends out. This is great, as he mainly has gone for food or for a drink
but since he has started to go out with his friend and his girlfriend, he has
started to do things he used to like to participate in. again, about time. So,
tonight he is going go carting. Last week he went ten pin bowling.
I’m happy when he’s happy.
And finally loads of love to Carrie Ann, hope your eye has
started to behave. Jan, please let me know about your hand? Sheila, thinking of
you, hope you are feeling better. Vicki, get well soon, Lisa, you are amazing,
Terry, enjoy your holiday and finally, a very happy birthday to Patsy and
Catherine
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