BLINDSIMMING LADY
However, some time after the events described on the previous page, Chris found the details of a similar week-end course.
This time on Global Warming and its effect on British wildlife, especially birds. Similar Friday to Sunday timing, this was somewhere near Peterborough. No attractive golf courses in the vicinity as far as we could see, even confirmed as such by my husband. Both our spouses again seemed glad to see the back of us for the week-end.
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Chris, who you will have realised, enjoys our occasional outings together as much as I do, spending time acting as an escort to his blindfolded sister, did the planning in his usual efficient manner. It involved a longish drive and spending two nights at a local hotel – again separate rooms, naturally. We decided that we would stay a little way away from the conference venue to avoid certain complications that might arise and instead found a Travel Lodge out in the Fens rather than in the centre of Peterborough. All will become clear. I will simply describe what happened rather than detail the plans before we even start.
So. On that particular Friday, I didn't have my normal routine at all. No piano lesson for Lucy, no blindfolding at all in the morning. Husband came back fom London early in the afternoon to see me off as Chris came to collect me as soon as he could finish in his office after lunch. Actually, I suspect husband returned to see that I left with Chris and not some secret lover!! Or, more likely, he came back to make sure we were out of the way before before he cleared off to the Golf club or to see his secret lover!! Off we went then in Chris's car.
After a few miles he pulled into a lay-by and we checked that we were ready. My darkened-out glasses and folding cane were in my case and my special bird-watching (!) raincoat was on the back seat. I got out, put this on and returned to my seat. Was I ready then? asked Chris, to be blind until Sunday afternoon? Of course I was. For car trips with him, I like to be blindfolded with my doubled up silk scarf and this he tied carefully on me. I had taken a Kwell pill which deals with the car-sickness I suffer from through not being able to see whilst in motion. I put the hood of my coat up to avoid curious stares from any adjacent cars and off we went. I have a small personal radio with earphones on a lead long enough to keep the radio itself in the pocket of my raincoat. I can listen to talks on Radio 4 or music on Radio 3 as well as keep up a conversation of sorts with Chris. Like my ex-office large keyed mobile, I can cope with both these very well when blindfolded in fact I'm proud to say I can dial my phone without taking it out of my pocket. Around the M25, he told me, under the Dartford river crossing, he told me although I could sense that and then more motorway until he pulled into a Services centre with a cafe near Stansted airport and suggested we go in for a cup of coffee. I found my handbag and the darkened glasses in it and, keeping my eyes firmly closed, untied the blindfold and replaced it with the glasses. As I've explained before, these are not as effective keeping out all light, but are the best solution when I'm in public view. I am almost as good as totally blind in them. Chris wanted us to practice a bit as I hadn't been out with him as my guide for some time, so I unfolded my cane and climbed out of the car, waiting for him to lock up and come round to help me. My morning bird-watching experiences down in Sussex with my friend there paid dividends and we were soon doing okay making our way through the noisy shopping area to a cafe at the back. It was very crowded and just as noisy though, being a Friday afternoon of course. I was quite relieved when we eventually got back to the car and started off again. I kept my darkened glasses on now for most of the rest of the week-end.
After a couple of hours more driving, we arrived at our destination. I was very nervous. But it was certainly not as noisy here at the reception for the course. Just subdued conversation and rattle of teacups. And, unlike the motorway cafe where, Chris told me, no-one seemed to even notice me as being blind, here they were all only too helpful. At a hint from Chris, my tea arrived in a delicate mug rather than a cup and saucer. Very considerate. There were 20 or so others who introduced themselves and I heard Chris say more than once that 'Jane here is totally blind but manages very well with her stick, thank you, and she is excellent at birdsound recognition'!
Ha! Me – totally blind! It gave me a curious feeling inside but, of course, at that time he was perfectly correct.
I won't bore you further with these sort of details. Sufficient to say that after many Friday lunch times at home and with the occasional lunch out with my bird-watching friend, I was now accomplished at eating at meal times. As long as I know in advance what is on the plate and have a knife and a fork, and with the judicious use of my fore-finger alongside the knife and my middle finger alongside the fork, it becomes very easy. Chris might suddenly whisper something silly like 'sausage at 3 o/clock' but I don't really need such hints.
After the reception, there was an introductory talk and then Chris and I decided to go back to our hotel for the night.
We had adjoining rooms and, as I wished to remain blind for as long as I could manage it, there was the question of what I did overnight. I couldn't sleep in my dark glasses of course and Chris thought that if I wore a blindfold or a sleep mask overnight, it would easily become dislodged and I would awake to find myself no longer blind. So Chris, being keen to help me in this matter, had been to a chemists and purchased some self-adhesive eye-patches! We had experimented with adhesive eye-patches some time ago for my use at outdoor outings in public and had fabricated our own to be a shape that wouldn't be noticed by others when I was wearing my dark, wrap-around reflective and closefitting sun-glasses (the Madonna look- see previous page here on our website.
On this occasion though, I was a little doubtful about wearing them overnight thinking that I would never find my clothes and so on in the morning. Knowing what the time is doesn't worry me as I have a type of walkman that receives broadcasting stations with fairly frequent time checks – I use it when 'working' in the office Wednesday afternoons.
Chris persuaded me to use them, needless to say, promising to knock my door half-an -hour before we need make a move to give me time to orientate myself and get dressed. This was not long enough, I said and we eventually agreed on 45 minutes.
So, we made the change from dark glasses to eye-patches in the car park, although I replaced my dark glasses in case we met anyone on the way up to our rooms. Then I had an interesting half-hour or so, blindly exploring my room for the first time, with its en-suite, while Chris sat there watching my gropings without saying a word. Even in our young days, I soon came to realise that Chris enjoyed watching me, blindly fumbling my way helplessly around, outstretched arms, particularly if I felt so uncertain that I would get down on my hands and knees just like, in fact, the blindfolded girl in that video clip.
[ google----'dogstooth blindmans buff' at 1 minute in----www.youtube.com/watch?v=eiohQOCHfcc-- Chris ]
I got to bed eventually but didn't sleep too well at first. At some time during the night, however, I got up, groped about and eventually made sure that I knew where all my clothes etc. were and put them at a spot I could easily locate in the morning. Then, no longer worried over the matter, I did sleep quite soundly until Chris tapped on the door to get me up. It turned out to be quite easy to get and dress and make myself respectable, all without seeing. I kept the patches on over my eyes, of course, even when opening the door to Chris's second knock and, with my dark glasses and white stick in my hand, let him lead me to a dark corner outside in the corridor to change from the patches to the dark glasses before going down to breakfast. At this hotel, breakfast was across the car-park in a cafe.
So there I was, another of my silly wishes granted, getting out of the bed already blind and ready for the whole day unable to see.
Heaven! (am I quite mad?!) All went well after that, even a second night at the hotel and eventually home on Sunday having been blind for two whole days. Jane.