Category Archives: braille

September 4, 2013 · 6:32 pm

Awesome Teaching Tool for Blind Children

I’m getting closer to writing all the promised posts, promise. Today was a much dryer day here and I felt a lot of relief. Unfortunately there’s still rain in the forecast. Lots of typing just causes some nasty nerve pain in my arms and shoulders right now. I had to share this though.

I read about it this morning. It’s a toy that combines braille with the shapes of words a child reads, like four blocks that make up the shape of a fish and have the braille dots for f, i, s and h on them. How amazing is that???

Go read about it here. I think it sounds pretty amazing!

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Filed under braille, cool blinky stuff, cool product, spoons, weather

November 8, 2011 · 5:27 pm

#NaBloPoMo – The Cats’ Room

I had another post in mind for today but I got busy and then I got a link on Twitter that I want to write about but I’m too fatigued for that either so I’m just going to write about why I was busy and this will be fairly pointless except for my own memories in a year when I look back on cleaning the cats’ room. How’s that for a run-on? Future self, I want you to ask yourself a question right now. How’s the cats’ room? Have you been keeping up on it? Please, oh please, tell me you have.

I might have mentioned the spare room here recently since it is included in all the cleaning I’ve been doing. Basically it’s been the catch all room since B and I moved in here February of ’08. I haven’t tackled that room since going blind. You can imagine the clutter and dust, I’m sure. Add to that the fact that before I got Jayden, we moved the litter boxes in there so I could put a baby gate up. It was already pretty much the cats’ room, since there was an old chair from B’s old apartment in the corner, with an old comforter over it which created a nice little cave behind it. Spinelli had also enjoyed an old robe on top of a cabinet thing in the closet for a long time.

When L gave me a couch to replace the old and battered one I’d had forever, I decided to put that in the cats’ room as well, since they had already clawed it to high heaven and well, I spoil my animal kids. It had just gone into the room in front of the growing pile of clutter and eventually, there was just enough space in there to get to the litter boxes for cleaning. The closet wasn’t arranged in a way most conducive to space. Old clothes and scrubs from my days in medicine hung there, collecting dust and providing a medium for smells to cling to.

In a word, the room was gross. I was mortified at the thought of anyone seeing it and when B’s dad visited here the first time, I couldn’t believe B actually showed him the room. Why, oh why, would you purposely point out that room?

Now that I’ve begun work on it, and made a huge dent, I think what that room symbolized for me was the last of my sighted world. I put things in there when I could see, when I had plans for the room. Combine that with my tendency for pack rathood and what’s left is oh no, don’t go in there. Close the door. Don’t let anyone see.

It’s been liberating to clean out that room. Carol has been offering to help me with it for over a year now. I decided to make a start on it on my own though, to decrease what dust and clutter I could before allowing her to inhale that air. I’ve thrown out so much stuff. So much had been ruined by being left untouched and so much junk had been kept by the old sighted and sentimental me. I wish I had counted how many pens I threw away. Pens? Why did I keep so many pens?

The last time I worked in there I managed to move the couch along the wall to get it out of the way so I could get at what was behind it. I knew I needed to move the chair in the corner over a bit so the couch could move towards the corner and give us more than a six inch path between it and the wall so that was my goal today.

I found the Harry Potter braille book Georgie got me when I was about four months blind. That, along with a braille labeler, extra tape I had lost, which I also found today, and my white cane, was how she pushed me into action and put me on the road to learning how to live blind.

The book was in a cardboard box, the top volume covered in dust. I retrieved a plastic zipper bag, the one my bum cushion came in. It was perfect to store the book just in case I ever learn contracted braille. Maybe that will be a project after the room is done, to sign up for Grade 2 braille at Hadley.

Long story short, I had to kill Spinelli’s den behind the chair so I could vacuum. I hope she forgives me; it had to be done. I’m vacuuming every bit of carpet I end up freeing. There’s only one more corner left to tackle in the room, and then I can have Carol go through the stuff I’ve set aside. Most of it for possible donation, some of it because I can’t quite remember what it is. I had moved the bookcase that was taking up room into the closet, so now it’s perfectly set up for storage once I clear out the “Carol pile”, as we’ve been calling it.

Today I was able to reach the window. It was like a long awaited destination, to be able to straighten the blinds and scrub the glass. The room hardly even smells dusty now. What a hard job, but it’s leaving me with such an incredible feeling of accomplishment and liberation that I’m not even embarrassed to write the details of just how bad it was anymore. Look all you want! I think we might even be able to do away with the baby gate once I’m done. B found an igloo style litter box that seems pretty impossible for a dog to get to the contents.

After I met the goal for today I showered off the muck and finished reading ‘Carri’. That might be another post. It’s amazing how much I related to that book. I had to finish it because since I listened to music on the iPhone while cleaning, I lost my place in the book and it was just easier to find my place on the laptop. The book had been burned from CDs, so the iPhone doesn’t hold the place like it does an Audible book. Such a luxury problem. 🙂

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Filed under accomplishment, Adjustment to blindness, Audio books, braille, cats, fellowship, gratitude, iPhone, Jayden, NaBloPoMo 2011, Spinelli, white cane

October 19, 2010 · 10:45 am

ACB – Braille alphabet bracelet gets an award

Natalie, if you’re reading this, is this the designer that made that necklace?

Check out the youtube video to watch the designer of the braille alphabet bracelet get a design award. I’ve wanted this bracelet but it always seems to be out of stock. That must be a good thing. 😉

The designer talks about the importance of braille. Maybe it will get me to jump start my braille learning again.

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Filed under ACB, braille, cool product, youtube

March 13, 2010 · 3:08 pm

Baseball and tank tops

Normally twice a year, I enlist Georgie to take me shopping for seasonal apparel. Really in Arizona, I only need tank tops for summer and then some light weight sweaters for winter haha.

This morning I got an email from L^2 telling me about a sale at Cafe Press’. If you want some cool stuff, check out her shop. Her store is hosted at Cafe Press and is accessible. She has a wide variety of her photographs on all sorts of stuff from clothing to bags to cups to magnets. It’s a really fun shop.

I needed a hoodie, so I ordered one from her with a photograph of a braille book laying open illuminated by sunlight. I had seen the photo on her blog, and her photos all have great descriptions, so I was really happy she put that photo in the shop. I’ve also ordered some of her prints which came in really nice frames.

So aside from the hoodie, I got a few tank tops. She’s got some really fun non-photo stuff and you can choose the thing you want in that style. So I got all the same tank top, which will be really fun because I don’t usually mark my clothes, so it’ll be the collection of mystery tank tops hehe! I got one that says “I’m blogging this” which she had recommended awhile back, one that says “I am away from my computer” and one that says “Property of a labrador retriever”. I might not have those word for word. Oh and I also got one that says “What are you looking at?” in braille hahaha! Not raised dots, just dots. Love it!!

So then I remembered that mlb.com has the Gameday Audio Player Lite and since I selected to automatically renew my subscription this year, I’d have access to spring training games. So I listened to a bit of my Tampa Bay Rays play the Florida Marlins and lose. In case you’re wondering, Gameday audio, which was recently renamed but I can’t remember what it’s called now, is only $14.95 a season. You get access to radio broadcasts of all the games no matter what market you’re in. It’s really cool. Last season I was able to listen to any game I wanted no matter what B wanted to watch, and radio broadcasts are so much more descrptive than tv, obviously.

Last year I ordered a Tampa Bay Rays tank top and cap from the shop at mlb.com and it was my first online purchase since using a screen reader. So I decided to go back and get a few more. So I got another Rays tank as well as an Angels tank and a Cubs tank. I just got the cheapest ones they had. Yay baseball!!

So I suppose that’s my “treat for me” purchase for March and April lol. I haven’t ordered anything since January, so I was due tee hee!

And now I’m all stocked up on tank tops. Unfortunately I can’t buy jeans online, and I’ll need those since all mine are too big now. Fun stuff.

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Filed under accessibility, baseball, braille, cool product, plugs, screen reader, treat for me, weather

March 11, 2010 · 3:13 pm

I will not throw electronics

I’m not sure if I’ve told the story about the murder of the cell phone. I’m pretty sure I mentioned before about wanting to put the laptop in the freezer, though.

A few years back, I got a sweet deal on a phone upgrade. I opted for a sleak Samsung slider phone and was thrilled that it took pictures and video. It was a Christmas present I had bought for myself; my first Christmas in my nice new apartment.

Five months later, I was diagnosed with MS after my right eye went blind. I was trying to apply for disability and was calling Social Security for something. I had been having problems with the phone dropping calls in my apartment and had spoken with T-Mobile about it. The day I murdered the phone, I was sitting in my bedroom making my phone calls.

I can still picture the scene. At the time I had a light green feather comforter, a bargain I had found at a thrifty store. The blinds were open and the room was bright and cheery. My back faced the window and in front of me across the room, was the solid oak dresser my Gamma had gotten for me as a house warming. It stood tall and proud with five roomy drawers.

I dial Social Security, get through all the Silicone Sally speak, enter in all my information, tell Miss Sally I’d like to speak to a human please, and get placed on hold.

Tick tock. Your call is very important to us. Your call will be answered in the order it was received. Tick tock.

I’m pretty sure that was in the days before it told you how much longer you had to wait. I stayed by the window, because it seemed I had better reception and less chance of dropped calls if I stayed by a window.

Tick tock.

I know it was about thirty minutes because I remember thinking that was the longest I had ever been on hold.

Tick tock.

A cheerful voice comes on the line finally. How may I help you?

Dead air. Dropped call. Phone goes flying before I can think, hits the proud solid oak dresser and shatters.

I sit stunned. Then I laugh. I go inspect the remains. It’s dead all right. Gutted. I could have called the time of death but I don’t think I was in a morbid mood. At that point all I could do was laugh.

Luckily I still had the old flip phone and T-Mobile runs on sim cards, so I just swapped them back and was not out a phone. I put the crumpled and shattered remains of my viciously murdered phone into a Ziplock baggy. I took them to the store where they informed me there was nothing they could do. I didn’t have life insurance on my phone, so I was just out the fifty bucks I had spent after rebates.

I never threw an electronic device after that. I could have today.

I’ve been listening to Stephan King’s ‘Duma Key’ on my nifty iPod nano 5g, which doesn’t need headphones. It’s really great for listening to books. Last night I was laying in bed listening when the battery died. No, I did not almost throw it. Remember I said I could have thrown an electronic device today, not last night. Plus, I had been expecting the battery to die. When I charge it, I lose my place in my book and then have to go hunt for it, so I just play it until the battery dies, keeping it paused at night. I can just hear all the Victor users screaming at me to get a Victor. I’m sure you don’t lose your place with Victor. Anyway, this isn’t about Victor.

So today I decide to find my place in the book in iTunes on my laptop while the iPod is charging. I didn’t feel well this morning and into the afternoon and was nursing a migraine which eventually took it’s leave.

I’m listening to my book for awhile and it’s just riveting. One of King’s best I think. It’s getting really good. It’s nearing what I can tell is going to be a climax, a snapping of the rubberband with all the tension going on. My two writer friend’s will appreciate that.

It definitely reached a climax and then took a turn. A turn that was making me nauseous. A winding road, no make that a narrow winding road, on the side of a mountain with nothing but jagged rocks and seething wild water below. Yeah, that’s how it felt. Then it felt like the car was about to plummet. All it took were about ten words penned by Mr. King. They weren’t even scary words. Nothing gross or rotting or ghostly or even supernatural was happening yet. It was that foreshadowing that he is just such a master at. A very obvious piece of foreshadowing that he had been alluding to but which I kept pushing away, hoping he wouldn’t go there. And then he did. At least he sure made it sound like that’s where it’s going.

I thought I’d vomit. I couldn’t pause it fast enough. Had it been the iPod, I might have thrown it. Had it been an actual book, it might have gone in the freezer. All I could do was scramble to hit pause and keep my mouth covered and Call Carol. She didn’t answer so I took Jayden out after texting B and telling him the book almost made me vomit. He’s the one who bought it for me after reading it himself.

So what’s with the freezer, you might ask. I’m a big fan of ‘Friends’. In one of the episodes, Joey is reading ‘The Shining’. Coincidence that it was a Stephan King book? Hmmm. Anyway, Rachel walks in and Joey is shoving the book in the freezer because it scared him. Later when he’s reading Little Women and a death occurs, Rachel asks if he wants to put the book in the freezer, to which he mumbles “yes” in a choked sob.

So until I can read braille well, I don’t think any of my electronic devices will rest easy. I can swear that I’ll never throw one, or put one in the freezer, but there are no guarantees, especially when it comes to the likes of Stephan King.

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Filed under apple Inc, Audio books, braille, cool product, Gamma, humor as coping skill, iTunes, Jayden, random stuff, Silicone Sally, silly girl, spoons

February 4, 2010 · 1:49 pm

Doggy Countdown – Oops

Yeah. Oops. I’ve been frustrated this week because all my preparations came to a screeching halt with this fatigue. So this morning I was feeling better and the bedroom really needed vacuuming. So I attempted that. But the stupid thing isn’t working well, so it was a waste, and it wore me out. Oops. I did mange to move some stuff around though, to clear the space for the bedroom tie down. I just needed to move my hamper so I can use the dresser leg. It really is the perfect spot. So that’s done.

Then I needed to roll up and secure the duffel bag Georgie lent me to pack in case I need an extra bag on the way home. So I got that done, and that was making my arms ache. Before that, I had looked at my travel computer speakers, re-learning how to fold them up, and looking to see what size batteries it takes. Then I checked out the batteries in my talking alarm clock. I know the dorms have clocks, but I’ve heard horror stories about them. My clock is something that Miss A had, that her son gave me after she died. So I want to take it. Plus, it’s super easy to set.

Then I wanted to check out the text cd that has class lectures on it, to make sure they’re the same ones I already listened to and they are. But I’m really rusty at braille, so trying to read the labels made my brain mush lol!

So I’ve just got guest speakers and the clicker training cd to listen to, and I’m done with those. I like that they send the lectures ahead but, well, most of it doesn’t make much sense haha. I’m sure it will make more sense hands on.

So that’s all I’ll do today as far as any work goes. This is driving me nuts. Sometimes I can get right back to work when a fatigue is letting up and other times it just sets me right back. Tomorrow is planned as a fairly busy day, which I will cancel if I have to.

Ok, back to doing nothing 🙁

12 days!

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Filed under braille, Doggy Countdown, Doggy Diaries, pooch preparation, She loved her salad dressing, spoons

January 31, 2010 · 5:44 pm

Doggy Countdown – A nurse, a writer, and trash, oh my!

Man today has been busy. I got back a little while ago from Gamma’s, did some chores and got caught up on email and now I’m finally getting the doggy countdown post in for today. There are days where I’m almost afraid I won’t get it posted.

Anyway, this morning while I was in the shower getting ready, I missed the call from the GDB nurse. Everyone on the list said it gets even more real when you start getting the phone calls! I was really shocked to get one on a Sunday. I called her back, but she was on the phone. So I was getting ready and she called back. Sweet! Man, they think of everything! She started going through the information she had and she said, “multiple sclerosis made you blind?” So I had to tell that story. Then she said, “but you’re not on any medication?” I explained that no, I’m not. I used to be on injections that I gave myself every other night. I decided to stop taking them. They didn’t stop me from going blind. I didn’t want to inflict pain on myself anymore, and the morning after, I always felt like I had the flu. So I stopped them. You think I have bad spoon days now? It was nothing compared to when I was on that stuff. I felt like hell all the time. I decided quality of life was more important. If I have another attack, I’ll deal with it. But there’s no guarantee those injections will stop an attack anyway. I could hear in her voice that she thought that wasn’t a good idea. And, if I get any comments scolding me, guess what? They won’t get published. It’s a personal decision, one I often think about. But, they didn’t stop me going blind, so I stopped them. It might not be the right decision, but it’s a decision I made. I’m going to be seeing a new neurologist and I’ll be discussing alternative treatments with her. So the nurse seemed to understand this after I explained it. She went down a possible list of ailments and when I told her that sometimes my knees realy hurt in the rain, she paied extra attention to that, recommended good shoes, which I have, and asked what I take for that. I told her ibuprofin. She asked if I have chronic headaches and I told her I get migraines if I’m low on caffeine. I said it wrong. What I meant was, caffeine helps the migraines when I get them. She asked if I was on medication for those. I told her no because I really only get one severe one a year, if that, and I pop ibuprofin the second I feel a twinge. I was starting to fear she’d tell me I couldn’t come because I’m not on any meds lol.

She then asked about balance and fatigue issues and I explained that it happens, but I’ve really noticed a difference since exercising regularly and eating better. She asked if I was active and I said yes. So, I guess I passed lol. It was rather intimidating. She also recommended travel insurance, since medicaid usually isn’t transferable state to state, so I’m gonna get that.

Beyond that, she really didn’t tell me much I didn’t already know. Oh, she sounded like I drink too much caffeine. Wow. Carol, if you’re reading this, I totally related to how you felt at the dentist.

I was really impressed when she said, “I see you’re in recovery. Will you need to get to meetings while you’re here?” I told her I was going to look up contacts in the area, and she said they already have them. They already have them. They already have numbers of people in the fellowship who have come to take students to meetings. Wow. That. Is. Cool.

So B and I left as soon as I was off the phone to go to Gamma’s. We had a nice visit. It’s my last Sunday before I leave, because we’re going over on Saturday for my Uncle’s birthday. And the Sunday before I leave, I’ll be packing. So the next time I’m at Gamma’s on a Sunday, I’ll have Insert! Wow!

Ok, so the writer part of my title. You’re probably thinking I mean an author type writer. Nope. I totally have not blogged about this little piece of news, ops. And because of that, I’ve kept it from Carin. I almost slipped on the list but caught myself.

So Friday when I got home from being out with Dave, there’s a knock at my door.

Hello?

Hi, it’s the post lady!

Hi!

I open the door.

You have a package.

I’m not expecting one, is it addressed to me?

Yeah, it’s a big one from…

She tells me who it’s from.

Oh! It’s my braille writer!!

So yay! I got the Perkins braille writer that Carin found for me on one of her lists. These things are way expensive and I got a steal on it. The guy went blind 6 years ago, learned braille, and then lost sensation in his fingers. So he sold me the brailler. Carin had found out that I was looking into buying one and she put her feelers out and got a hit at once. So, now I’ve gotta play with it. I’ve only used one sparingly. I want to wait until I have a good chunk of time to sit with it to play. Wooo hooo! I have such amazing friends. L literally gave me the cardigan off her back last week to wear with my dress for grad. Wow. And Carin has never met me and she immediately ran to find me a brailler. Sweet.

And now trash. You know, something about doing the laundry yesterday had me wanting to go everywhere today haha! So when we got home I had some groceries and needed to clean out the fridge. I filled the trash can and told B I was walking it down. He always takes care of the trash, so I just always let him. But I wanted to do it. So I was walking to the trash when a neighbor said quietly, “I don’t want to startle you…” I stopped and said hi and she went on to explain that her little shihtzu rescue dog is amazed by me. Usually the dog runs when anyone is outside, but when she sees me, she stands at the door and watches. So I knelt down and put my hand out palm down, and felt the slightest brushing of whiskers. She was sniffing me timidly. I guess she never gets close to anyone but her person. Awwww. I told the lady about Insert and she said that’s so wonderful. We stood chatting for a bit and then I said I’d better get back or my boyfriend would worry. So I dumped the trash and went back to the apt.

Then B made out our checks for the electric bill and I was like, I want to walk that down. Haha! So I took it down to outgoing mail. Part of why I wanted to do that was to scope out a potential relieving area. Plus, it was so lovely out! There was a light, playful breeze tossing my hair about my face a bit. My skin could feel the slightest bit of chill in the air. It was warmer today then it has been in quite awhile, and it just felt so good to be outside.

So, that was my day! Now it’s time to edit and publish and return a call I couldn’t answer this morning. Yay for busy days!

15 days!!!

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Filed under Adjustment to blindness, braille, cool blinky stuff, Doggy Countdown, Doggy Diaries, dogs, family, fellowship, Gamma, GDB, gratitude, Insert, pooch preparation, sobriety, spoons, weather

January 23, 2010 · 4:39 pm

On this date

Ok so I’m bored.

I decided to take a page out of Carin’s book and look up posts from this date. since my blog isn’t very old, I looked at the 23rd last month but that was boring. So I looked at the 23rd of September since I started the blog in September and I hadn’t even started the Doggie Diaries yet haha! It is kinda fun to look back. I had been talking all about how I was slacking on my braille homework. I mentioned how I needed to start the diaries before things really picked up haha! There weren’t even any comments on that post. It really doesn’t seem like that long ago since I started this blog, but things sure have changed.

I’ve started adding more labels again. Which means more going back and applying the new labels. But I know I’ll be grateful in 5 years when I want those labels haha.

My attention span is terrible. I don’t even want to commit to a post. Real quick, Alex through a tantrum earlier and reset himself and I’ve mentioned before about how he slows his rate down and says meow meow kitty wants a croissant. So I always have to adjust the rate back up. Well I accidentally adjusted the intonnation so now he sounds somehwat excited lol. I can’t wait to record Alex when I get my new iPod.

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Filed under Alex, braille, on this date, random stuff, silly girl

January 19, 2010 · 2:48 pm

Doggy Countdown – The Latest

Did I mention the first package I received from GDB? Now that I think about it, I don’t think I did. I know a lot of the puppy raisers are finding it interesting what all happens on the students’ end, so I’ve really been trying to capture everything.

Anyway, maybe a week and a half ago, I got my acceptence package from GDB. There was a welcome cd inside and a bunch of forms I take with me to sign. The cd was just going over code of conduct type things.

Then, I got an email from one of the admissions people and it had all my flight information. I’ll be leaving early on February 15th and I have a connecting flight, and then will land in San Fran sometime after noon. Same thing goes for the return and I’m happy about not leaving the same day as graduation. Did I mention this? I get confused about what I write on the email list and what I post here. Anyway, I’m glad to leave the day after grad so I don’t have to rush around that day.

In that email, I was also told who my instructors will be. So I shared that on my email list, and one of the girls mentioned that one of my instructors is on the lecture cds, which I had yet to receive. She mentioned that he sounds stoned, and she and her roommate were cracking up over it. Apparently this guy gets teased a lot haha!

Today, I got the second package. It has 8 lecture cds (labeled in braille and I read it and was all excited hehe), my flight info and luggage tags. So I popped in the cds, greatful, because I’m really exhausted again today.

There’s one guy on the cds that cracks me up. A different guy than the stoned guy. His voice sounds normal for the most part until he gets to the end of a sentence. Then it goes all low. Kinda like a radio announcer hahah! It sounds all dramatic.

So then it came around to the guy who is one of my instructors, who they said sounds stoned. He didn’t sound stoned to me necessarily, but really disinterested, or like he’s delivering bad news.

Class schedule is as follows.

You’re really gonna hate this.

You will feed and water your dog upon awakening.

We are out of that product.

You will feed and water your dog after the pm lesson.

I really don’t feel like talking right now, but they’re making me.

You will relieve your dog after feeding.

Your flight has been delayed.

You will relieve your dog in the afternoons.

We are out of mashed potatos.

You will relieve your dog before bedtime.

This doesn’t hurt you as much as it does me.

You might relieve your dog up to 6 times a day.

After reviewing your bloodwork, I have some bad news.

It seriously cracks me up when he delivers a lecture. All the other people are pretty animated. But this guy sounds like all this is the most boring stuff ever. Like the professor in Ferris Beuller haha!

So when I meet him I’m gonna be like, hi, I know this will be a really depressing 3 weeks, but I’m up for the challenge.

The material is pretty interesting. It’ll definitely make more sense when it’s hands on. Like, they explain how to put the harness on and I’m like, huh?

Aside from the cds, I’ve gotten some stuff done in preparation. I cleared space off my iPod and downloaded two books. Might get some more. I called the airline, and my laptop is just fine as carry on, so that’s good. I called my apartment manager and told her I’m getting a guide dog. I was worried she might say something and I’ve have to pull out a can of ADA law, but she just said oh congratulations! So, she must know the laws. Phew. She did thank me for telling her. Our lease is up next month, I’m shocked. Feels like we just signed a lease. She sounded like she wasn’t sure we would re-sign and I’m like, well we’re not moving, and she sounded relieved lol. Don’t know why she would think we’re leaving.

I made plans with L to go to Target on Monday, so that’ll be good. Once I get the stuff I want, I can start packing. Packing? You’re not leaving for 27 days. I know. I like to be prepared =D

I also started asking questions on my list about the dorm rooms. I was just curious what they’re like. They sound pretty awesome! I’ll have 2 beds since they’re still built for roommates. They are double beds, score! A sink which will be good for my instant coffee, and a little water spout down near the ground for the doggy water. There’s a desk and chair. Oh yeah, I got the wireless passwords off the first audio cd they sent and stored them in a text file, so I’m good to go there. I’ll have my own bathroom right in my room, which is good. I was worried about stumbling in the hall. Basically it sounds like a hotel room. There are 2 doors, again from back when there were roommates, and a patio door with a fenced in patio, which will be nice for sipping decaf in the evenings.

There’s a lot of social activity in the dorms, but I need my quiet time, so I imagine in the evenings I’ll be in my room with poocher on the computer updating the blog.

So, I’m getting much more informed and closer to being prepared and it’s quite relaxing now, thinking about the whole thing.

Hopefully I’m getting my low spoon days out of the way now. I’m feeling really run down and my legs are really achy. I’m gonna go workout tomorrow and hope it helps a bit. Today I’ve just been relaxing.

I did manage to hang out with Carol and Chupa yesterday and I’m so glad I was able to push through it.

27 days, but who’s counting?

13 Comments

Filed under braille, coffeeholic, Doggy Countdown, Doggy Diaries, fellowship, funnies, GDB, guide dogs, pooch preparation, puppy raisers, silly girl, spoons

December 26, 2009 · 10:32 am

Treating myself

My family is quite generous for Christmas and my birthday, which is this Wednesday. For years now, they’ve just done money because they don’t know what to get me. Usually, I use the money to get caught up on bills, or get things I desperately need. I rarely treat myself. I am quite frugal. My idea of a treat is a bottle of body spray or a candle. So I’m kinda shocked at myself this year haha!

Call it retail therapy, or just call it treating myself, but either way, I can finally admit that I deserve to splurge and be a little irresponsible. So I hit Amazon 🙂

I got a new bed set, which I’m taking a gamble on, as there were no customer reviews. I’ve always wanted a down comforter with one of those douve covers, however you spell it. Well, Amazon had a crazy sale on an imitation down comforter with douve cover so I ordered it. I’m praying it’s good, since I usually rely on reviews for product descriptions. But the retail amount was high so I doubt anyone wanted to spend the money before it was on sale, so I’m glad I caught the sale. The only thing I’m not happy about is it’s a full/queen and those usually just barely fit a queen bed. It also didn’t include a bed skirt. The color is chocolate and my bed skirt is chocolate, so hopefully it’ll be ok, not that it matters all that much.

this morning I shopped for all new bathroom stuff. When I moved in here over 2 years ago, I had plans for the bathroom that never came to be. I had this framed puzzle that my mom had done of an Anne Geddes picture of a baby in a sunflower outfit, matted in sage green. So I was gonna do the bathroom in green and yellow. I also have this green heart shaped thing my mom gave me years ago. But it just never happened. I use a clear shower liner and old ratty towels. So today, I went shopping hehe!!!!

I decided on green and purple. So I found a sage green bath sheet with glowing reviews, and I built off of that. I got a purple bath towel for my hair, and a sage green and a purple hand towel to layer on the opposing towel bar. Then I found a sage green fabric shower curtain so I can actually just use the liner as a liner. Unfortunately no purple shower curtains. Then I found a plum bath rug. I don’t keep rugs on the floor, so I’ve been using an old beach towel to lay down on the floor to soak up water. Then I thought hmmm. Maybe they have purple curtain rings. I found a set of lilac shower hooks! Then I got a brushed stainless steel wastebasket with a lid. I’ve been using my dad’s insanely old lime green plastic wastebasket from the seventies haha! So I’m so excited to redo my bathroom. I haven’t placed the order just yet; waiting for monies to clear so I know where I’m at.

The third present I bought myself is the one that really shocks me, that I allowed myself to buy it. Years ago, my mom gave me an opal ring that had been in her family for years. She had hidden it from my aunt because she wanted me to have it. Well, my ex-husband took it. And out of all the things I lost back in the day, I mourn that ring the most.

So I was browsing silver rings on Amazon yesterday, just gonna buy a really cheap silver ring, but I decided to click on gemstones and long story short, found an absolutely ridiculous sale on this one brand of jewlery. I found 3 styles of opal ring in white gold with diamond accents. I shopped around and looked at all of their opals but these by far were the best deal. Seriously, if I owned a business and I was doing a sale, I think I would be afraid to mark things down eighty percent, even if only for 4 days. Yep, eighty percent off for 4 days only. Wow. So I started comparing the three different rings and poor B had to try and describe them. I had to look up what the heck a “pave setting” is, since I don’t know much about jwelery. I found out it’s like a mosaic type setting, where the jewels are much closer together than with prongs. So that’s the one I ordered. I’m so incredibly happy to somehow sort of replace that opal ring. So that’s what I bought myself for my birthday.

I shared about what B got me briefly yesterday. The angel necklace. I just love it! I was feeling it up yesterday and had B describe it better. The angel is in profile, in white gold, holding a yellow gold heart. Her halo serves as the thing the chain goes through. There are tiny diamonds making up her skirt. I can’t wait to show Georgie and get a girl to describe it.

B also got me the Susan Boyle cd and the Duma Key audio book. He is very much enjoying his monitor, and is going to get a desk shair today.

I’m also going to be getting a used Perkins braille writer that Carin found. So that will be sweet. It’s another incredible deal! I’m also hopefully going to get some kind of purple and/or green picture from L^2’s gallery for the bathroom.

I’m so enjoying treating myself rather than just getting the necessities for once this year. None of it is all that extravagant, but actually believing I deserve it is a pretty big deal 😉

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