Monday 29 December 2014

New Year New Adventures

2014 is almost over and 2015 is fast approaching. There has been a lot that has happened over the past year and I am looking forward to 2015. I am not making any New Years Resolutions because they are always the same and I can never seem to keep them so what the heck this year I am not making any then there is nothing to feel like I have failed at. So I am going to go into this year with a open mind and enjoy what it brings my way.

I do know that I am hoping for warmer weather in the New Year. It is -40c right now here. I am not shocked as we do live in Saskatchewan and well it just wouldn't be winter if it didn't get so cold you want to move. When it is this cold I hate going out but I go stir crazy if I don't so it is a catch 22 on that one. We did venture out with my husband today to go to the city and do some errands and some returns from Christmas and it was very very cold. Rick was not loving the weather today that is for sure but he is figuring out that he has to go out and do his business with less sniffing for the right spot if he doesn't want to freeze his paws.

My husband got me a colour identifier for christmas and I was so excited and then we started playing with it to see how well it worked and I was disappointed to be honest. It was not even right 50% of the time so that is not good. So I am going to return that one and see what I can find for something a little more accurate. As my vision gets worse it can be hard to accept the changes and the things that I can no longer see. But I have started finding people that are also VI (visually impaired) or blind so that I can connect with others going through the same things that I am and hopefully not feel so alone sometimes.

But back to the New Year ! It is going to be awesome and I am really looking forward to it. I am looking forward to the few things I have planned. I am trying to figure out how to make you tube videos and how I will be able to edit them which has proven to be a little challenging as I have never done anything like that before so I am hoping to have a video up in the next few weeks and see how it goes. I also have a few ideas for some blog posts which I am excited about writing. I have also started trying to promote my blog so hopefully I can get my view out there a little more.

Hope you all have a great New Year !!!!!!!
Until next time !
Ashley and Rick

Monday 22 December 2014

Merry Christmas !!

Christmas is fast approaching and everyone is excited for Santa's arrival at our house. The kids are defiantly counting down the days and hours until christmas morning, and I have started the list of TO DO before I can have my christmas supper on Christmas Day for my family as well as to get ready for a family Christmas at my Grandma's house. So the days are not long enough lately but it will all be worth it in the end.

Rick and I have been getting out and going for our walks which is great and I really look forward to them I have been avoiding going to the city and doing any shopping after our last horrible trip (check out the previous blog post if you are wondering what that is about ).  In doing that I have been in a much better mood I think I will wait to go out to the stores until some of the business has subsided a little.

I left Rick at home the other day when we delivered some stuff to my grandma's he was at home for about a hour and that is the longest I have left him. I would leave him for a few minutes at a time working up to a little longer just to have him used to it in the event I need to go somewhere that it just isn't ideal to take him too. He does really well when I leave him but this time when I got home and let him out of his kennel you would have thought I was gone for 6 months he was so excited to see me ! Sure makes a girl feel loved at how excited he was to see me and he would not leave my side for the rest of the day as if to say "don't you dare leave me again".

I won't be posting until the new year so I hope you all have a fabulous christmas and all the best in the new year !

Until next time
Ashley and Rick

Sunday 14 December 2014

Ignorance runs high !!!

We all I believe have those days that you just need to vent and get something off your chest, well today is one of those days so if you don't want to read any further I fully understand. There is nothing up beat about what I have to write today but a frustration that needs to be out there for all to see,

I love my guide Rick and would never go back to a cane, but with that comes some challenges and sometimes those challenges can be very hard to deal with on a regular basis. There has been a few days lately where I have not even wanted to go out shopping with my husband and kids or when I have let them run in and Rick and I wait in the car it is just easier ! How sad is that because the freedom that I feel with Rick is amazing yet there is that part that just doesn't want to deal with the ignorance and the rudeness and down right stupidity that is out there every where we go every time we go.

Every place I go in public I feel like the 3 ringed circus is in town. People are constantly "oh a dog, she must be blind ", "oh wow it is a seeing eye dog", "such a beautiful dog", "you are so lucky to have a dog", "puppy puppy awe you are so cute hey puppy ", (petting Rick ) "oh my god your dog is amazing can I pet him ", "she is blind", "awe poor girl is blind and she has kids", "that dog must have cost you a pretty penny" and the list goes on !!!!!! and on !!!!!! And along with all the comments comes the petting him and when I say please don't pet him he is working they begin talking to him and getting in his face ! LIKE REALLY ! I didn't say you can't pet him because he will bite you it is because you are distracting him and talking to him does the same. And as for the comments they are not always directed at me but really keep your voice down if you are going to talk about someone as they walk by blind does not mean I am DEAF ! I hear quite fine intact !

I wish people would take something into consideration I love my guide but I just want to be able to go shopping or out for a meal or where ever with my family and enjoy what we are doing or maybe I just want to get in and out of Walmart as fast as the next person. Would you like it if I came up to you and looked in your cart and said "Oh wow super tampons hey ? must be that time of month again hey ? so how is that treating you ? how long is your cycle. My brothers cousins wife's friend that I met 3 years ago buys the same tampons same strength and everything do you know her ? Like is there a group for people like you ? " I am sorry but you would want to punch me in the face ! Privacy and Respect is all I want ! Yes Rick is amazing I am sure you have many questions but there is a time and a place. There is also many other ways to find out what you are wondering about guide dogs example a blog or the web site for guide dogs for the blind heck google and youtube ! But being inconsiderate and rude when I am with my family is not the place or the time !

Now I am not saying that I don't love to brag about Rick and where he came from and all of that but do it in the right way ! I have had a few people stop me and say can I ask you a couple questions about your dog . Why yes you may, or if I am busy I have had to say I am sorry I am in a bit of a hurry but I can give you my e mail and you can contact me if you would like. Just be respectful please !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

There is defiantly a learning curve for me as to how to deal with this and also coping with it ! I don't like to be the centre of attention but I also have a tendency to tell you where to go in a hurry so it has been a huge struggle and I needed to get it off my chest !

Until Next Time !
Ashley and Rick

Saturday 6 December 2014

Update ! and pic of Rick !

We had quite the cold snap there for a while, but it sure is much nicer out now. Rick and I like to get outside daily and go for a walk or play in the back yard. I enjoy getting out he defiantly helps when I am feeling down and don't want to go anywhere because he gets antsy and won't stop bugging until we go out even if it is to the back yard. The fresh air makes me feel better even on the bad days. 

Living with a disability can be challenging not only for the obvious reasons like challenges it poses to day to day life but just trying to feel normal and make the best of the situation that you are in. It is very easy to isolate yourself and not let people in. Sometimes it is hard to know if people are genuine or do they just pity my situation. I want to surround myself with people that don't treat me differently and can ignore my disability and see me for me. It is hard to find true people sometimes that really want to spend time with me because they truly like spending time with me. Being in a small community does not make this easy. It is also hard to do some of the things that you want to do in a small town as well, especially when you have a disability. The odds of me gaining employment in the town I live in are next to zero, people just can't look past my disability. I am no longer Ashley Nemeth I am the blind girl with the dog and I don't say that because I am throwing a one man pity party I have heard people say oh that is that girl that went blind and went to get a dog. 

I have like to think that I have pretty thick skin and that I don't let things really bother me all that much. But I do feel defeated some days. I am really looking for my outlet, because when I am feeling defeated and down I tend to take it out on the people around me and well that is not fair to them. 

So what am I going to do about it, well I am going to focus my time and energy into something I want to do. I have nothing but time so why not have a little fun. I was thinking of doing a you tube channel, I don't really care if I get any subscribers just like with this blog. But it gives me that outlet that I need and I really enjoy writing so here I am writing to you ! Maybe I will try and do a little writing on the side as well some short stories or something. 

I have been getting involved in some blind communities online through Facebook and other social media outlets and it is nice to connect with some people that are going through the same struggles as I am. 

Thanks for listening !
Until next time ! 
Ashley and Rick