Last time, I described my blindsimming visit to Ashdown Forest to see (ha!) a wild Eagle. I didn't see it of course but heard it and know now where to go. As my bird watching 'guide' was going away on holiday the next week, I decided to go myself and see it, which I did, after ringing him on his mobile to make sure he had gone. As I got his message reply service which (unusually) said he was unavailable until a certain date, I guessed it was reasonably clear for me to drive myself there (not blindsimming, of course) without any risk of him also deciding to go there again. So I did and found the car-park we had been to the previous week and, after a while, my trip there was rewarded. There were plenty of people there with binoculars and telescopes and it wasn't long before the eagle flew into view. It was a marvellous experience to see a wild eagle in our part of England and I watched it, fascinated, for some time. I have since heard that it did return to France, or somewhere else anyway, just the following week. No blindfolding news this week – sorry- but certainly some next week! Jane

October 2014 (2)

One small incident during the past summer may be of interest. You will have  gathered that I enjoy blindsimming outings, travelling by myself to a bird watching reserve next to a reservoir, involving a train and bus journey, and there meeting up with another bird-watcher who believes me to be blind – as I am, of course, when I am with him. We had roughly monthly dates over the summer with him ringing me on my mobile the day before to discuss the weather prospects and confirm the arrangements. During July then, he rang me to ask if I had heard that an Eagle (very exciting event in our part of the country) had taken up temporary residence at Ashdown Forest, moorland about twenty miles away. He was going off on holiday the following week and wanted to drive over and see it, before he went, in case it decided to go elswhere while he was away. Would I like to go with him that next day? Of course how I could I refuse, even though I wouldn't see it. It did apparently come quite close to (sighted!) observers being a Short Toed Eagle that flew lower than other eagles even coming down onto the ground for periods. Normally this variety never strayed North of Central France. I said that although I wouldn't be able to comment on the lengths of it toes!, how could I miss such a chance?

So I made my way as usual, blindsimming from a quarter of a mile before the bus stop, on the bus, help offered all round, as I've described before, to be met at off bus, helped into his car and off we went. I had taken my Kwell, just as well for a three-quarter hour journey (as far as I guessed) ending bumping along some rough roads to a car park which he knew of and eventually found. I gathered it was called Gills Lap and was somewhere near Winnie the Poo country. Well, we (he, of course,) located the Eagle itself quite quickly, mainly by asking other people there apparently for the same reason and I soon picked it out by its call which was different from anything else I knew and I impressed him and one or two others by being able to point to it as it called. These others gratifyingly realising I was blind without being told by my dark glasses and white stick of course. What impressed me more directly was the smell of moorland and the background bird song of that type of country. Quite different from our usual waterside area. Certainly no Canada Geese or ducks of any sort but curiously, many more aircraft flying over and quite low. We were near Gatwick airport as my companion explained before. After an hour or so wandering about, he took me back to my bus stop, again sharing the cost of lunch in a pub on the way. I don't carry a handbag on these occasions, money being kept in a zipped pocket in my coat with a ten pound note hidden away on me in case even my coat might go missing. It never has, thankfully.

More next week probably, Jane

Oct 2014 Back from summer break

October 2014

Here we are back after the summer break

Background to these blogs is at my website :-meblindfolded.wix.com/blindsimming-lady

Here I am, in my brother's office, for my more regular blindfolded session, looking after the office 'phone and making the tea! Standing in as a Secretary for the afternoon

On the other hand, I am disappointed to see my favourite video clip has apparently disappeared off the web!

That Axel Saenz 'blindfolded' that I really liked.

It must be lovely to have your eyes bandaged in such a careful and thorough manner to fix a nice secure blindfold as that on that video clip. I really envied the lucky lady and her feeling around afterwards was nice to watch – and she found a key-board to play even, just as I would love to be able to do. Does anyone know where to find it now – even Axel himself perhaps.

The other one that we found earlier is still there though as a consolation. ' Dogtooth blindmans buff' so I've watched that this afternoon.

Next time, I'll tell you about an interesting bird watching (!) outing this summer. Jane

Chris here - just adding a few words before I send this off on behalf of my 'temp' who is now blindfolded, sitting in the back office, dealing with any phone calls that might come through, although mostly e-mails nowadays of course, which she can't see to deal with. She will make the tea shortly ( there is a kitchen unit in that back office ) otherwise listen to her Walkman, keeping an eye (!) on the time – tea just before Choral Evensong at 3.30 if I'm lucky.

The blindfold video clip she referred to is at

http://youtu.be/eiohQOCHfcc ,

- highlight this reference > Ctrl + C > go to URL address entry bar, click > Ctrl + V and click again and it should come up!