August 12 & 14 - Smiths Falls & Ottawa, ON

Smiths Falls was hopping with activity when Lyle and I arrived there on Sunday afternoon. It was a summer festival day. We had arrived a little early for our walk and were in time for the final contestants in the annual soap box derby to come rattling and racing down the hill of the main street through town. From there, Lyle and I were drawn by the sounds of music in the park by the Rideau Canal. Stalls were set up and a band was playing. Lyle did a short tour through a schooner docked by the side of the canal while I sat on a bench chatting about the white cane journey to a fellow tourist.  I found it interesting that it was my companion who initiated the conversation.  Although my cane and the vest I wear do attract attention in the walks, few people have stopped to ask more about my walk.

 Our walk on Tuesday began at the Ottawa CNIB office and we received a warm welcome from Mike and the CNIB staff there. I am always appreciative of the opportunity to talk about the White Cane Connections project and so I was pleased when I was able to chat with a number of the staff in the reception area. Although these staff work on a daily bases with clients who are blind or partially sighted, they listened attentively while I shared some of the experiences of my journey and gave some of my own perspectives as a white cane user. Ontario has been good to us and Lyle and I have had many interesting and varied experiences in the province. However, Ottawa was also our last Ontario walk and from here on we will be headed further east. I will be posting the next set of dates very soon. 

Thank you again for checking out this blog and for following the progress of the White Cane Connections Walks.