October 24 - White Cane Practice

Instead of White Cane Practice, I possibly should have titled this post White Cane OUT of Practice. Over the past eighteen plus months, Lyle and I haven’t really gone anywhere, and so I haven’t been using my white cane much either. Instead, when I have walked the familiar river trail in our local area, I have often used a pair of walking sticks. The sticks are just like the poles used for cross country skiing. The sticks are good for arm exercise and balance. Also, when my sticks hit the dirt at the edge of the asphalt, I know that I have ventured off the trail itself.

The downside is that being blue the sticks don’t alert anyone else to my vision issues.  This is when I need a white cane – not just to alert other walkers on the trail but also to give myself a heads up if there are obstacles in my path.

I was reminded of all this last week when Lyle had an appointment in the city and I decided to go along for the ride. When we arrived in the parking lot, and as it was some distance from the office building, I had half thought that I might use my walking sticks. However, I had only taken a few steps away from the car when I realized the error of my ways. What had I been thinking! The walk in the city was definitely not my familiar trail by the river.

The parking lot had those cement blocks separating parking spots. On the street, there were fire hydrants and sloping driveways. The sidewalk was also obstructed by little decorative trees and the latest horror for someone with limited sight – electric bikes or scooters parked at random intervals and not necessarily pushed off the sidewalk. I always have my cane with me in the vehicle, and boy was I glad that I had it with me that day!

So now I had had an instant refresher course in white cane use. The experience has reminded me that I should continue to practice using my white cane. I am looking forward to the time when I will once again be able to travel beyond my own familiar area and for that I will need the use of my cane. Hopefully, next time I write of this, the title, White Cane Practice will be a legitimate subject line.

 

 

 

October 15 - Spaghetti and Meat Sauce

One of our favorite “go to” meals while Lyle and I are travelling is spaghetti and meat sauce. It is a relatively simple meal and the ingredients seem to be fairly easy to come by wherever we happen to be. Together we have cooked this particular meal in various spots around the globe – Stuttgart in Germany, Nice in France, Inverness in Scotland, Darwin in Australia, Reykjavik in Iceland, Sorrento in Italy, and so on. I smile as I remember the different kitchenettes in all these places. Some have just provided hot plates, such as the ambulance style RV we rented in New Zealand, and other have had combined stoves and ovens that have been far beyond my sight capabilities.

Last week at home, Lyle and I cooked up a batch of spaghetti and meat sauce. No biggie, you might say. Actually, for me it is always a biggie. It has to do with frying the meat first. I simply don’t see when it is done. This is why I say that it was the two of us doing the cooking. I nearly always call on Lyle to check the doneness of the meat.

When I think back, I know that Lyle and I have made a number of accommodations in the kitchen. For instance, I like to prepare meals that I can time in a casserole dish in the oven. I also like to use a slow cooker. Lyle and I both like the taste of barbeque meat and it usually falls to Lyle to stand outside at the barbeque and to me to prepare the vegetables. Learning from another friend who is totally without sight, I have found that I can tell when a potato or a carrot is peeled by running my fingers over the outside. The original skin is usually rough to the touch while the peeled vegetable is smooth.

I am fortunate in that Lyle is willing to accommodate my visual challenges. I have also learned that for me to be successful in the kitchen I should take my time. Even with simple meals like spaghetti and meat sauce this is important. I do remember the surprise on our granddaughter’s face when, in a rush, I broke the spaghetti over the boiling water only to miss the saucepan altogether.  Most of the pieces landed on the floor, but some managed to get between the rings of the burners. It was another lesson learned!

For someone with partial or no sight, the kitchen can be a dangerous place – cuts, burns, spills, etc. even when the meal is simply spaghetti and meat sauce.

October 8 - Happy Thanksgiving

Last Thanksgiving, Lyle and I ate our Thanksgiving dinner out on our back deck. Our family from Calgary had come for the weekend. Because of the restrictions that were in place at the time, Lyle and I camped in our motor home on our driveway and our kids stayed in the house. We ate all of our meals outside. That included the turkey dinner. Fortunately, our daughter and son-in-law are very adept in the kitchen and Lyle and I simply waited outside at our separate table waiting to be served. Fortunately also, the weather was mild, although I seem to recall that we were wearing our jackets while we ate. None of us dreamed that there could be a similar situation one year later.

Still, here we are again! At least this year the adults are all vaccinated. We will continue to be cautious and to look for responsible ways to celebrate Thanksgiving 2021.

My best wishes to all of you for a happy, safe and healthy Thanksgiving weekend.