Faster than mom and dad. More powerful than a sharp beak. Able to lift tall boxes with a single oomph. It’s a bird. It’s a plane. No, it’s a bird! #sisterrain #alittlesightalotofheart #piper #birdmom #conure #parrot #bird #conuresofinstagram #parrotsofinstagram #birdsofinstagram #parrotlife #instaparrot #adoptdontshop #ahelpingwingparrotrescue #itssuperpiper
As we drove around the Beverly Hills and Los Angeles area, I told my husband to be on the lookout for the Hollywood Sign. I imagined it to be a North star in a city of stars. Sure enough, when we turned onto one road, there, straight ahead, it was….
“The only thing common about the cold is that it always sends me to my bed for a week.” —- Sister Rain #sisterrain #alittlesightalotofheart #legallyblindwriter #writer #writersofinstagram #humaninterest #life #lifeisgood #lifestories #commoncold
I realize that many of my stories involve me comparing my life now to when I had full sight. I felt it important to clarify that while I do not live in the past nor do I pine for it, the comparison does, unconsciously, happen all the time. Having lived…
For Part 1, click here. For Part 2, click here. As Dan, the tattoo artist at Atomic Lobster and the slip of paper he had given me had explained, my new tattoo beneath the clean dressing began to smear and run. Well, that’s what it looked like. What was really…
Upside down or right side up, Piper is always 100% Piper. Whether he is playing or cuddling, squawking or sitting quietly, in every moment of his life he is authentically Piper. Even though he can still surprise me, I can directly tie any new action back to who he is…
Opening its doors in 1927, Grauman’s Chinese Theatre in Hollywood, California has been the site of many movie premieres and three Academy Awards ceremonies. Hundreds of celebrity handprints, footprints and autographs are cemented in the concrete of its forecourt. Even a famous landmark such as Grauman’s, however, cannot escape sponsorship,…
Do you know what the item in the picture above the title of this story is? I pride myself on knowing where everything is in my house and this particular trait (or quirk?) has served me well since my vision loss. I can find it not because I can…
As my husband and I walked to our car after an event, I heard a man behind us say to whomever he was with, “It sucks being like this but there are some good things that come from it. People are generally nicer, there’s handicap parking.” “Is the person behind…
For Part 1, click here. While I kept busy on the big day until we had to leave for my appointment to get my first tattoo, my Sister Rain logo, designed by Justin at Nowak Creative Studio, I did take a moment to ask my husband, “Should I really…
Whenever we plan a trip, the first thing we do is secure a sitter for Piper. We have a handful of wonderful women who take great care of Piper. It is still difficult to leave him but it is only because I will miss him, not because I am worried…
Leaving Santa Monica, my husband and l followed the Pacific Coast Highway south to Beverly Hills. I have always enjoyed pop culture and was excited to see some of the sights in person. The Beverly Hilton The venue of the annual Golden Globes Awards ceremony, The Beverly Hilton has been…
Do you remember when soap operas 1) existed and 2) were called “stories”? My mom had quite a few “stories” she watched every afternoon. When I was in my 20s I watched As The World Turns, one of mom’s favorites, every night, recording it on my VCR (oy!) to watch…
“If you spend your life wondering how something happened, you will miss out on what is happening right now.” — Sister Rain #sisterrain #alittlesightalotofheart #legallyblindwriter #writer #writersofinstagram #blind #lowvision #visuallyimpaired #visionloss #blindness #blindnessisaspectrum #legallybiind #sightloss #vision #opticneuropathy #nownothow
When my talented web designer, Justin, created a new logo for Sister Rain, I knew as soon as I saw it in its completed form that one day I would have it tattooed on the inside of one of my wrists. I spent a decade trying to determine what my…
As I wrote about in “Spoiled Water” (click here), my husband occasionally takes Piper on a car ride when he goes to our favorite farm stand or a location where he doesn’t have to leave the car and Piper alone. At a McDonald’s drive-through to get coffee for him and…
As my husband and I arrived in Santa Monica on our drive south on the Pacific Coast Highway, we were two days away from flying back home after a tremendous week in California. As had been our practice the entire trip, once we had an idea of which town we…
Needing a headshot for a few freelance articles I was writing, I looked for a place in our house with a blank wall that could be used as a backdrop. My husband was helping me, moving different height chairs and stools into our home office to position me properly against…
Since my vision loss I have occasionally put a shirt on backwards or inside out, especially if I am trying to get dressed in the dark. I have reduced my odds, though, due to a trick I learned. I am about to blow your mind. Did you know that if…
Our house was built in 1907 and much of it, I am happy and proud to say, has remained unchanged. Of course additions have been made in order to align with the times. One of those updates is a large mailbox affixed to the brick wall on our porch. The…
I have been told by a veterinarian that when Piper sidles up close to one of his toys, lifts one of his legs to rub his neck and head with that foot, it is a form of self-soothing. When we first brought Piper home from A Helping Wing Parrot Rescue…
I had driven through Malibu, California over a decade ago. It looked just like I had seen on TV, with the base of a mountain on one side of the road, right at the edge, while across the two-lane Pacific Coast Highway were homes, also very close to the road….
“You know you are with a great friend when you never run out of things to say. And yet you sit silently anyway.” —- Sister Rain #sisterrain #alittlesightalotofheart #legallyblindwriter #writer #writersofinstagram #humaninterest #life #lifeisgood #lifestories #friendship #thefriendshiptoremainsilent
I sometimes wish I could have a scheduled amount of time where I have my full sight. For example, five minutes every week. Or an hour every month. When you have an aspiration such as this it is usually not developed, it is ethereal, its only absolute characteristic being that…
The Rim of the World in Stanislaus National Forest is a beautiful vista point located near the entrance, or in my case, the exit, to Yosemite National Park. On Highway 120, it provides panoramic views, including, in early May, snow-capped mountains in the distance. This east coast girl will never…
Even though I want my house to be neat and clean at all times, sharing your life and home with a parrot does not align with this objective. My rigidness about the house’s tidiness has lessened way beyond what I would have thought possible. Every night when Piper goes to…
While my husband and I drove to Morro Bay from Big Sur, I did a little research, learning that Morro Rock is a 576-foot tall volcanic plug that was formed about 23 million years ago from a long-extinct volcano. It is part of a chain of nine volcanic peaks known…
I met my husband on a blind date 22 years before I became blind. If he was not right for me, I could have never seen him again. I had to find a new dentist when mine retired. If I didn’t like the new one I chose, I could move…
I have been told by friends, in the way that only friends can deliver news such as this, that my pupils are always big like a Kewpie doll’s. With my visual impairment, it always seems like the lights are turned down low, therefore, my pupils are always dilating, trying to…
My husband and I have always traveled in the spring and fall as opposed to the summer. First of all, I hate the heat. Secondly, we have never had the constraints of having a child in school, affording us the opportunity to avoid the months when crowds are at their…
Things wear out. It is a fact. Talk to my knees if you require confirmation. Sometimes, though, the weardown process gets a little help. In 2019 I bought a small light blue recliner for $100 from Amazon to be positioned in our living room close to the TV, its purpose…
While there may be no greater “sure thing” image to capture when along the coast than a lighthouse, no two of their stories are the same. Pigeon Point Lighthouse Pescadero, California Perched on a cliff 50 miles south of San Francisco, the 115-foot Pigeon Point Lighthouse is one of the…
At the bird store we go to for Piper’s food and toys in Burlington, New Jersey, Bird Paradise, those of us with feathered friends find a sense of community in a world that is slanted towards cats and dogs. Waiting for my husband to look around, I noticed a woman…
“If you think the biggest, most difficult thing that has happened in your life is the biggest, most difficult thing you will go through, you are wrong. That distinction belongs to the period after.” — Sister Rain #sisterrain #alittlesightalotofheart #legallyblindwriter #writer #writersofinstagram #blind #lowvision #visuallyimpaired #visionloss #blindness #blindnessisaspectrum #legallybiind…
The Yosemite Valley Chapel was built in 1879 at a cost of between three and four thousand dollars. The wood chapel was originally located in another part of Yosemite National Park, it was moved to its present location in 1901. Restored in 1965 after a flood the year before, it…
This is the Piper story of the week so you may be wondering, Where is Piper? We needed a new bird feeder for our backyard, the existing one has been in use for many, many years. I am tempted to say we got it right after we were married but…
Traveling south on the Pacific Coast Highway to Los Angeles, I knew that there was a road closure coming up due to landslides and other weather-related issues. As we got closer to this area, my husband began to see signs warning that the road would soon be coming to an…
After several years of wearing the same sneakers, it was time for a new pair. Going to a local running company where I get all my sneaks, I worked with a woman there to find the right fit and functionality for me. I have bad knees and feet issues, and…
A very peculiar thing happens since I became legally blind, I see things that others don’t. That’s right, I, who can’t see much of anything, can spot a spot on the floor that someone else would not notice. The reason for this, as best as I can figure out, is…
I had been to Yosemite years ago on a day excursion. In planning an upcoming trip to California in present time I was looking forward to returning. Even more so I was excited for my husband to experience this absolutely incredible National Park for the first time. All of Yosemite…
Piper loves a bottle and immediately ran to the container of Tylenol that my husband set on the table where Piper was playing. Of course he can’t read the label (Piper, not my husband) but knowing he was hanging out by the headache medication got me wondering. What does Piper…
The stretch of the Pacific Coast Highway between the California towns of Carmel and Big Sur is one of the most stunning parts of our beautiful America. The coast here is what we all think of when we picture Monterey, when in fact this area is south of that city….
Although we have a wall calendar in the kitchen, that is more for my husband than me. I cannot see it plus I keep pretty much my every move on my iPhone anyway. He does not, relying on wifendar and the monthly pages hanging in our kitchen. I love always…
What do you put on your hot dog? I am a mustard and relish gal. How about a hamburger? I use only ketchup. I remember when I was young relish was sold in a jar, like grape jelly, and Ketchup came in a tall glass bottle. But, of course, now…
Galen Clark, a conservationist and writer, was born on March 28, 1814 in Canada. He is credited with discovering the Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias in Yosemite National Park. Galen joined the westward migration as a youth and moved to Waterloo, Missouri in 1836. After his wife died in 1854…
It is true that Piper can be playful and rambunctious but it is also a fact that he likes to sit with me on my shoulder or hand for long periods of time. On this particular day he climbed down my body from my left shoulder, stopping on my upper…
Monterey Having visited Monterey, California quite a few times beginning 30 years ago, I have always thought of it as an elevated tourist town, its major claims to fame, in my mind, being its costal location, its famous aquarium and the legend that was created in the pages of a…
As I write this story I realize that this is the third tale I have posted about soap. I don’t know what that means but it seemed worth mentioning. For as long as I can remember my husband and I have used Lever soap. Recently I have felt that it…
I will preface this story by assuring you that although the only color I see is certain shades of blue, there will be no Fifty Shades of Rain ahead. Ever since eating fresh strawberries from Swanton Berry Farm (click here) in California, I have been on a fruitile search to…
I had only previously visited Yosemite National Park for one day, driving around to the more popular rock formations. It was long ago and the main memory I have is of seeing El Capitan. Fully sighted at the time I remember my binoculars revealing two climbers in a tent on…
Even though I have a home office I mostly write at my dining room table adjacent to the living room. Some mornings when I come downstairs to start my day, due to weather conditions, closed window blinds or the early hour, it can be quite dark in both rooms. In…
During our trip to California my husband and I decided to spend a night in Pacific Grove. Googling for lodging I found that the charming Lighthouse Lodge & Cottages had availability. Painted blue with a large lighthouse outside the office, it seemed to be waiting just for us. When you…
Eleven months after my vision loss my husband went into congestive heart failure, the cause of which was an attack on his heart by an unknown virus. I suppose that quantifying terror is similar to pregnancy – you either are or you aren’t – but our terror was exacerbated by…
Do you like reading books about something you have gone through? Or would you rather not hear how other people have dealt with the same thing as you? Lately I have been reading books written by people with vision loss. I find that I have to read some lighter fiction…
When my husband and I made the decision to go to California in the spring, we knew that Yosemite would be a priority stop. Although we began to look into lodging in the park at the end of last year, we discovered that people book their rooms there a year…
It is difficult to find a souvenir for a small parrot when you travel, but my husband and I, after almost 30 years of parronthood, have finally figured out the perfect gift for Piper. #sisterrain #alittlesightalotofheart #piper #birdmom #conure #parrot #bird #conuresofinstagram #parrotsofinstagram #birdsofinstagram #parrotlife #instaparrot #adoptdontshop #ahelpingwingparrotrescue #latimes…
I first visited Pacific Grove, California 30 years ago, passing through the town after leaving Monterey on my way to the 17-Mile Drive and Pebble Beach. At the time, when there was no GPS, I assumed that I was still in Monterey. Driving along the coast, the Pacific Ocean on…
There was a joke with my in-laws when they were still with us that my husband not be allowed to have any power tools for fear of doing harm to himself while using them. Ok, maybe it wasn’t a joke. Mister Rain has accrued quite a few tools over the…
I just tore the kitchen apart looking for the lid to my coffee mug. Found it. #sisterrain #alittlesightalotofheart #legallyblindwriter #writer #writersofinstagram #blind #lowvision #visuallyimpaired #visionloss #blindness #blindnessisaspectrum #legallybiind #sightloss #vision #opticneuropathy #visionlosscanbedraining
Driving in pitch blackness from our hotel to Tunnel View in Yosemite, 5 am was unexpectedly beautiful. The surrounding barely visible ancient massive rock formations seemed to cradle us as we moved through the valley thousands of feet underneath them. When my husband and I pulled into the parking lot…
Piper loves a plastic bag so a 310″ long , 7″ wide strip of plastic packing material sends him into a frenzy. I wrap it all around his play area (aka most of the living room) so that he can push and pull it until it falls to the floor….
Capitola, California is a small seaside town located 40 miles north of Monterey. In the 2024 census its population was 9,456. Capitola’s Venetian Court consists of two rows of 24 multicolored pastel townhouses sitting beachside. Built in 1924 the complex was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in…
I try to keep up with things the kids are dong and saying. I didn’t think I was the only one. The other day my husband was poo-pooing something I had done and I replied with an expression I thought was part of the general lexicon, “Don’t yuck my yum!”…
I wash and cut the fruit in our house every week during the summer months. My husband often cooks dinner, he is no stranger to the kitchen, but somehow I ended up with this job regardless of my visual impairment. The irony is we never really bought much fresh fruit…
You know that feeling of entering someone’s house, being greeted by the host or hostess? Or how wonderful it is to welcome someone into your home?
I read a quote that said “The reason why you feel so connected to your pets is because they were originally meant to be your children but there were no human bodies available when they incarnated so they came through in the form they could, just to be near you…
Arriving in Santa Cruz, California in the early evening we found a hotel for he night, asking the gentleman at the front desk for a dinner recommendation. On the way to the restaurant we drove around a little, passing the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk with its roller coaster and ferris…
As I got ready for the day in the darkness of 5 am, I opened my jewelry box to retrieve my wedding rings which I never wear at home. Choosing some simple stud earrings, I considered a ring for my right hand. I wanted to be as unencumbered as possible…
The SS Palo Alto was a concrete ship built as a tanker in 1919 during World War I. An unconventional shipbuilding material, concrete was used due to the steel shortage. She never served as the war ended before her construction was finished. On her maiden and only voyage in 1929…
Born and raised a Philadelphia Phillies fan, I was in elementary school when the Phanatic moved from the Galápagos Islands to become the mascot for the team in 1978. Many people have pointed out that Piper has the same coloring as the Phanatic, green feathers with blue on their heads….
As my husband and I reconnected with the Pacific Coast Highway in California after landing in San Francisco and going to Yosemite where we spent a few days, we began our long, exciting journey south. One of the first sights on the itinerary I had created was Shark Fin Cove,…
Very good friends of mine, a married couple, attended a wedding one afternoon, a funeral the following morning. I am sure that this happens more often than we think but when my friend told me that she and her husband were going to be present at these back-to-back events I…
One of the stops my husband and I wanted to make during our California adventure was the Santa Barbara Courthouse. While doing research for the trip I discovered that you can go to the tower atop the building and get a 360 degree view of the city. Also, there is…
Muir Woods National Monument is located a half hour north of San Francisco in Mill Valley, California. Established in 1908, it is named for conservationist John Muir. I will initially describe this place in one word: REDWOODS. More park than monument, once you set out on the path, you almost…
“Sometimes you are a big fish in a little pond. Sometimes you are a 12” bird in a 40” box. Either way, it is up to you to decide how long you remain where you are.” —- Sister Rain #sisterrain #alittlesightalotofheart #piper #birdmom #conure #parrot #bird #conuresofinstagram #parrotsofinstagram #birdsofinstagram…
Despite having been on the great Mississippi via a cruise ship as well as having viewed the mighty Colorado River from a helicopter high above the Grand Canyon, I have come to realize that I have been a snob when it comes to rivers. Give me an ocean or lake…
My husband spent a few days debating what to do when he could not find a bin to replace the one we have used for recycling for many years. Going to Home Depot for several items he needed, I heard the sound of a struggle at the front door when…
When planning a trip, it is often necessary to make some hard decisions. Time, after all, is usually a consideration when on a vacation. As much as you want to see everything, you must accept that you will, instead, see as much as you can. When my husband and I…
In the story “Atop A Horse, A General. On Bended Knee, A Man.” I wrote of my love of depictions of General George Washington kneeling in prayer at Valley Forge. There is something so profoundly moving to me about this man, who we have elevated to a height not reached…
I never had a human child but as a youngster myself I remember being warned, more than once, about never putting a plastic bag over my head. Piper loves plastic bags. Always supervised, I sometimes allow him to play with them. And so when he climbed down my arm to…
One of the best things about travel is experiencing elements of everyday life that are completely foreign to you. As we drove from San Francisco to Yosemite, my husband kept me posted on what he was seeing. There were long stretches of enormous hills and resting atop them were what…
I will begin this story by saying that I received permission from my husband to share it. He feels that if he can help just one person . . . Deep breath. Wow, I didn’t expect this to be so difficult for me to say. Here we go. Mister Rain…
When I first lost my sight I was more fearless than I am now. I have only fallen once as a result of my lack of vision but that one instance certainly made an impact. I am never concerned about what I look like when I am out and about….
When September 11th occured I was working for a global company and all of the US regional managers were in for a quarterly business review. We had just returned to the conference room from a “bio break” (gosh, isn’t corporate America quaint?) when someone shared that the first tower had…
It is always something special when someone you love stretches themselves to new heights. #sisterrain #alittlesightalotofheart #piper #birdmom #conure #parrot #bird #conuresofinstagram #parrotsofinstagram #birdsofinstagram #parrotlife #instaparrot #adoptdontshop #ahelpingwingparrotrescue #thiskndofstretchwontleaveamark
Swanton Berry Farm, located off the Pacific Caost Highway in Davenport, California is said to have out-of-this-world-good pies. Stopping there, I was a little disappointed to find that the pies they had that day all required refrigeration and I would not be near a refrigerator for quite a few hours….
Although I didn’t think about it at the time, in retrospect when I was young I knew that I would change a lot before I became an adult. It is only now that I realize that back then I thought that is where the transformation would end. Once I hit…
A few weeks after I woke up blind in both eyes (one day at a time), my husband bought me a small stationery bike from Walmart. Up until the day before the vision loss I walked for exercise, religiously, in all kinds of weather. I have always hated working out…
Swedesboro, New Jersey’s Trinity Episcopal Church’s current building was constructed in 1784, replacing an earlier log church that was damaged during the Revolutionary War. Its minister, Reverend Nicholas Collin, kept a journal detailing the war’s impact on the church and the town, including his own capture by militia. Across the…
Piper loves to throw things on the floor. Knowing mom or dad will pick them up, he only does it when we are close by. With that in mind, I thought it would be a good idea to dump a box full of packing peanuts on the table for Piper…
When I think of the song, “I Left My Heart In San Francisco,” I immediately picture the Golden Gate Bridge in my head. As I stood looking at the iconic symbol of this city by the bay it struck me that I cannot possibly be the only one. I am…
My husband and I have been faced with extremely difficult times in the 30+ years that we have been married including each of us suffering an extremely serious health issue, the death of our parents (two of which were sudden and tragic), money troubles, the loss of our beloved first…
Spending a week in California, I was the recipient of two similar acts of kindness, both at the hands . . . the arms . . of two different men. You have probably never noticed but when you are walking on a jetway to board a plane, there is a…
Delighted to become a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution last year, I ordered some merch: a Christmas ornament, pin, scarf and baseball hat. At the time, I took a photo of them all to accompany a future story. Inspiration did not come; I removed it from my…
If you think Piper is not excited and proud to be perched in his new carrier, you are mistaken. Purchased specifically to make it easier for his veterinarian to remove him to be examined at his annual check-up (the old one presented some challenges), Piper liked his new travel gear…
The Iron Door Saloon in Groveland, California is the longest continuously liquor-serving establishment in the state of California. It began in 1852 as “The Granite Store” built by Peter King, operating as a general mercantile while also serving liquor to thirsty miners. In the 1860s Postmaster Jim Tannahill bought the…
When I was a kid I checked out a book from the public library about how to do magic. I remember that interest and curiosity waning quickly when no rabbit appeared out of my hat and my parents wouldn’t allow me to have a saw to cut my stuffed animals…
“The fact that I am unable to see your face enables me to quickly see your heart.” —- Sister Rain #sisterrain #alittlesightalotofheart #legallyblindwriter #writer #writersofinstagram #blind #lowvision #visuallyimpaired #visionloss #blindness #blindnessisaspectrum #legallybiind #sightloss #vision #opticneuropathy #iseeyoueventhoughicant
A new business is being constructed in the area where I live; rumor has it that it is going to be either a Chick-fil-A or a bank. If your town is anything like mine, and I am willing to bet that it is, you know without me saying it that…
Some days you just want to hide from the world. #sisterrain #alittlesightalotofheart #piper #birdmom #conure #parrot #bird #conuresofinstagram #parrotsofinstagram #birdsofinstagram #parrotlife #instaparrot #adoptdontshop #ahelpingwingparrotrescue #oneofthosedays
A few years ago, I finally got on the packing cube train, admittedly in the caboose in coming to this travel tool. I have used the cubes on a handful of trips since their purchase, yet I continued to be unsure of their effectiveness. In conjunction with the burrito method,…
“I’m missing a black sock,” my husband said As we folded and put laundry away I realized then that I too was one short How could we both have lost socks in one day? Weeks later the two have yet to show up They have become part of our history…
Living with a visual impairment causes you to use your memory a lot more than you normally would. I have to remember that one particular shirt in my closet is green, another black. If I set something down, my iPhone for example, I have to remember where it is as…
The Death Of The Fox Inn was built in 1727 in Clarksboro, New Jersey. Its name came from what it did: provide drink and sustenance to members of the Gloucester Fox Hunting Club after their hunts. Founded in 1766 by a group of Philadelphia gentlemen as a coffeehouse, it was…
Piper is a rock star when it comes to keeping his feathers in good condition. Sure, we give him a shower each week, “Wet Wednesdays” (not that kind of website, people), but Piper spends a good part of his day preening the feathers all over his body. He is so…
You know how it’s often the little things, the small moments, that mean the most? As my husband and I waited for winter to end and our spring vacation to arrive, we began to take day trips from home, exploring places up to two hours away that we have never…
When I broke my ankle in three places 25 years ago, requiring three surgeries, it was a difficult time. Titanium parts were implanted, they remain to this day. For years I carried a 4” x 6” photo of my ankle x-ray in an envelope when I went to an airport,…
Sitting in a chair out of the way in the Eyewear Department at Costco, I waited for my husband to find new frames he liked. Although I can’t really see his face, I am able to take photos of the options he selected for both of us to look at…
Driving through the town of Mullica Hill, New Jersey, I noticed two structures of the same height side by side. With my visual impairment, I am not always sure what I am seeing. “Was that the Twin Towers?,” I asked my husband. “I didn’t see it,” he replied as he…
Drowned rat? Porcupine? A fire-breathing dragon? No, it’s a conure after his weekly shower, sporting his springtime pin feathers as new plumage grows in. It’s an itchy, slightly uncomfortable, tiring process for my little man. While he natures, I nurture, giving him extra cuddle time and reminding myself not to…
J, my thoughtful and supportive friend of over 30 years (we met on the playground, of course, ahem), sent me a New York Times story about packing using the 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 Method. J knows of my great disdain for packing but my love of travel; she sent…
While having a very late lunch at an Italian restaurant during a day trip, two older women sat at the table next to my husband and me. One had her back to me, the other her side. Their table was tucked in the corner, above them was a television set…
Stopping at a candy store I had read about online, Damask Candies in Swedesboro, New Jersey, my husband and I selected a few chocolate treats to take home. The smell inside the shop was divine, the greatest advertising campaign there ever was. Given that it was a few weeks before…
Fourty-four year old Bodo Otto, Sr., his wife and children moved from Germany to the English Colonies in 1755, he ws 44. He opened a medical practice in Philadelphia; it quickly became prosperous due to the large German population in the city. Dr. Otto, Sr. believed in American liberty…
Although eating chocolate would kill Piper, an empty Reese’s box is perfectly safe. The irony? I can eat chocolate at no risk but this little guy’s sweetness just may be the death of me. #sisterrain #alittlesightalotofheart #piper #birdmom #conure #parrot #bird #conuresofinstagram #parrotsofinstagram #birdsofinstagram #parrotlife #instaparrot #adoptdontshop #ahelpingwingparrotrescue #reeses…
I recently paid a visit to Dalton Farms in Swedesboro, New Jersey. Family owned and operated since 1790, it was covered in vibrantly colored tulips for as far as the eye could see. Or in my case, as far as the photos I later enlarge can capture. Using my trekking…
Although I try to live my life with a positive attitude, there are times when being negative is exactly what you want. Like when your mammogram and Cologuard test results come in. #sisterrain #alittlesightalotofheart #legallyblindwriter #writer #writersofinstagram #humaninterest #life #lifeisgood #lifestories #positivelynegative
Did you know that if you are a US citizen and have a permanent disability you can apply for a free National Parks Access Pass? The process is quite simple: upload your ID and documentation of permanent disability and pay a $10 processing fee. My pass arrived not long after,…
Up until my 40s, the “#” symbol represented the word “number.” Now, it is best known as a hashtag. I, of course, was aware of hashtags, but I did not understand them as I do now. When I decided to relaunch Sister Rain almost two years ago, I spent the…
Every Saturday after grocery shopping for the week, my husband and Piper sit on the floor by the open refrigerator, cleaning it out and reorganizing before new groceries are put away. On one particular weekend, Mister Rain placed a loaf of stale bread on the step stool next to the…
Driving through the town of Jim Thorpe, Pennsylvania, I was able to make out an interesting building at 330 Center Avenue. I asked my husband to go around the block so that I could get a picture of it, to be able to enlarge it to better see it. As…
While we sat in the waiting room at a doctor’s office, my husband filled out the forms they had given me. All of a sudden, I felt him shaking with quiet laughter next to me. “What?,” I asked. “I just checked “Single” instead of “Married,” he said. Too bad the…
During the 50th anniversary of Saturday Night Live show, at one point they showed different performers in a montage. I sit close to the TV to help me see the screen a little better, but it is still difficult for me to tell who people are. Trying to use all…
Our house was built in 1906 along with ten other identical dwellings spread across our block. We have a detached garage in the back, with an alley running behind it. Of the ten homes, ours is the only one with the original garage. Needing to replace the garage floor, we…
As children, many of us played with dolls and stuffed animals, hoping that we would have an actual living baby or a breathing dog one day. As adults, like Dorothy opening the door when she lands in Oz, things change. The Easy Bake Oven becomes a real appliance in your…
Country Junction in Lehighton, Pennsylvania calls itself “The World’s Largest General Store” and after experiencing it for myself, I cannot dispute the claim. Selling items ranging from flowers to jewelry to furniture to pet supplies to fudge to prepared food to hardware equipment to building materials, well, oh, my indeed….
I recently heard a photographer say that you don’t want to crop too much out of a photo, that the subject in its element is important. This made me think about our lives. We are all made up of so many components; it is very rare that any of those…
My eyes have been itching so badly due to allergies that I wanted to pop them out, lick them and put them back in. Rather than going to Philadelphia to one of my physicians there, I returned to the practice close to my home where I went prior to my…
Here at Sister Rain Airlines we offer our passengers in-flight information, honesty and humor. We encourage you to bring all your baggage at no extra charge. Committed to keeping the flight smooth, any turbulence we experience will be resolved as quickly as possible. What you, our precious cargo, doesn’t know…
Parrots have monocular vision, they process images from each eye independently. This means that they can see in front as well as the sides, allowing them to have a wide field of vision and view two large areas at once. Parrots see a broader spectrum of colors than humans. We…
Not only do I live close to Philadelphia, the birthplace of a nation, I also am not far from Bethlehem, where Just Born is located. They are the company that makes Peeps. It has been a long time since I ate a Peep but last year I added a few…
Love her or hate her, Kathy Griffin has been through it. ⊗ Trump Mask Photo ⊗ Canceled ⊗ PTSD ⊗ Lung Cancer ⊗ Mistake Made By Surgeon Causing Permanent Paralysis Of Her Left Vocal Cord ⊗ Drug Addiction ⊗ Attempted Suicide ⊗ Divorce At her recent “My Life On The…
Entering the outpatient center of my local hospital for my mammogram, I went to the iPad stationed by the registration desk for sign-in. Moving my face close to the screen, I could make out the fields “Last Name” and “First Name.” I filled them in and hit “Submit,” the next…
In 1792, Alexander Hamilton established Paterson, New Jersey as America’s first planned industrial city, centered around the Great Falls of the Passaic River. The mills there created industries that changed the face of the newly formed United States and Paterson became the national hub of manufacturing. I recently visited Great…
Piper had his annual checkup with his veterinarian last week and in order to prevent him from flying around the room, the vet used a towel to wrap him up so that he could be examined and placed on the scale. When Piper was released, he looked slightly disheveled but…
Is life a mountain or a beach to you? The age-old question, right? What about summer and winter? Which do you prefer? I hate being hot so I am not a fan of summer. I love when it snows. Wanting to experience more of winter before spring arrives, my husband…
Working with a new therapist after your previous counselor of twelve years retires is like being on one of those shows such as Married At First Sight. Here is a stranger to whom you have to divulge your innermost thoughts and feelings to with the intention of spending the foreseeable…
I have never had a colonoscopy, instead I have done Cologuard testing. My primary care physician, who is very conservative, approves of this practice. I am not afraid of a colonoscopy, but if I can do this testing instead, that is what I choose. I won’t go into the details…
The Dey (pronounced “dye”) Mansion, located in Wayne, New Jersey, was built in the 1770s and was the home of Colonel Theunis Dey and his wife Hester. Twice it served as General George Washington’s headquarters during the American Revolution, once from July 1 through July 28, 1780 and again from…
When our new bed arrived via Federal Express from Home Depot, the box was too heavy to take upstairs. My husband laid it on the dining room floor, cutting it open with a box knife. Each part of the frame and headboard were individually wrapped in plastic and that is…
Did you know that there are two castles 16 miles apart in the northern New Jersey area? One is Lambert Castle, perched on Garret Mountain overlooking the city of Paterson. Built by Englsh silk magnate Catholina Lambert in 1892-93, he named it “Belle Vista.” Lambert continued to expand the building…
My husband and I are huge The West Wing fans (“The West Wing”). In the last 20 years we somehow learned that the late actor John Spencer, who played White House Chief of Staff Leo McGarry and sadly passed away during the last season of the TV series, is buried…
I gravitate towards the color blue because it is the only color I can see, but sometimes its darkness makes it hard for me to find things that I have purchased in that color. The iPad case I have been using is dark blue. I often have difficulty locating it…
I keep a list of ideas for stories I want to write. Up until recently I had many options but my travel ideas have begun to dwindle. We usually take trips in the spring and the fall, hunkering down in summer and winter. I asked my husband if we could…
Piper is the only one I know who will wear out his sneakers without ever putting them on. #sisterrain #alittlesightalotofheart #piper #birdmom #conure #parrot #bird #conuresofinstagram #parrotsofinstagram #birdsofinstagram #parrotlife #instaparrot #adoptdontshop #ahelpingwingparrotrescue #soledestroyer
The world of skiing, any winter sport really, is foreign to me. I have never tried skiing or snowboarding, neither ever appealed to me. I attempted to ice skate once as a child. It did not go well. But I love watching the Winter Olympics and am amazed at what…
Recently driving through Jim Thorpe, Pennsylvania, my husband and I reminisced about the last time we were there, over 25 years ago. We had gone whitewater rafting with a bunch of my co-workers who had turned into friends, the 12 of us filling two rafts. After changing into our green…
I have a friend who is blind and her name is the same as our next door neighbor. For the first few years after meeting the woman with the visual impairment, I called her Blind Denise to differentiate her from Neighbor Denise, when speaking of her to friends and family….
The evening before Wreaths Across America Day, I was texting with my good friend, Donna, from my hotel room in Arlington, Virginia. She asked what time we had to head to Arlington National Cemetery the next morning. The above texts followed. Most Saturday mornings I am home checking the pantry…
I remember how much fun building a fort with the sofa cushions and some blankets was when I was a kid. I know Piper loves to explore any opening, always cautious but infinitely curious. Working in the dining room, Piper climbed down my arm to the table, looking for something…
On Main Street in a town with a population of over 5,000, an hour west of where I live, there is a funeral home across the street from the hospital. I have to wonder who made this decision but an even bigger question is does their close proximity go into…
Recently acquiring yet another streaming platform, Paramount+, I have been watching the shows and movies that have been on my list for some time. One of them: all the season’s of MTV’s Real World. My husband and I watched them when they originally aired, the earliest running in the first…
Sitting under the hair dryer at the salon, giving my highlights their five-minute boost before the foils were removed and my hair was washed, I couldn’t hear the music that was playing in the large room nor the stylists and other customers talking. This must be what it is like…
Built in 1774, the Ford Mansion served as George Washington’s headquarters in Morristown, New Jersey from December 1779 to June 1780 during the American Revolutionary War. Washington’s army was stationed at Jockey Hollow, five miles south. Its proximity allowed General Washington to keep apprised of activities in the American capital…
As I explain in “My Son Is A Beaky Eater”, Piper showing any interest in human food is rare. We never have cereal in the house but a recent three-week long bout of bronchitis for both myself and my husband had us looking for something we could have without much…
“The only thing better than a full travel journal is an empty one.” — Sister Rain #sisterrain #alittlesightalotofheart #legallyblindwriter #writer #writersofinstagram #legallyblindtraveler #travel #travelgram #travelwriter #adventure #wanderlust #explore #travelblogger #vacation #instatravel #traveler #journalism
When I moved into my apartment at the age of 23, my mom gave me some dishes she never used. Over time I added Tuppperware plates and bowls, in those days being invited to a Tupperware Party was as common as receiving an LOL today. For my wedding shower I…
Do you Iove Kohl’s? There was a time when I would frequently go to one of two nearby stores to shop, waiting for a coupon to arrive in the mail before I went. If my mother-in-law received 30% off and I only got 20%, she would give me the code…
I will never be a Kardashian, nor will I ever have much in common with them. I am, however, not against shameless plugging. When my husband gifted me with Sister Rain t-shirts for Christmas, “A Little Sight, A Lot Of Heart And A Bunch Of T-Shirts“, I was so excited….
Have you seen the documentary, Free Solo, about rock climber Alex Honnold’s quest to perform the first-ever free solo climb of a route on El Capitan (“El Cap”) in Yosemite National Park? I absolutely loved it and watched it several times. What Alex did is truly remarkable. Piper, too, has…
I once again have led my long-suffering husband to new treasures along the highways and byways of this great country. I never tell the poor man where we are going, I navigate us to the address, telling him to be on the lookout for anything “unusual.” Mister Rain is not…
For over 30 years I spent a lot of time at the beach with my mom, laying on the warm sand for hours. As soon as we approached the bridge connecting the mainland to the island of Ocean City, New Jersey, even in winter, we rolled the windows down to…
It has been difficult to come to terms with all the things I can no longer see. I was going to list a few of them here but once I would get started, it might not end. Nothing looks the same to me as it did when I had my…
When I decided to take Sister Rain to the next level, to elevate her from hobby to business, I knew not what I was doing. All I did know was that I wanted to get my stories out to as many people as possible. Becoming an LLC, re-branding, marketing and…
Something you may not know is the amount of time you spend on the floor when you are sharing your life with a parrot. One of Piper’s favorite things to do is throw his toys on the ground. If he is alone he won’t do it but once we are…
This pillow was a gift from one of my dearest friends. She said she thought of me as soon as she saw it. Travel has greatly impacted my life and shaped me. I am who I am because of the places I have been. The period directly following my vision…
As I make my way to start my day In the winter months for years With the morning sun, high in the sky This shadowy snowman appears. #sisterrain #alittlesightalotofheart #legallyblindwriter #writer #writersofinstagram #humaninterest #life #lifeisgood #lifestories #snowmanshowers
I quickly learned how to work the TV remote by feel when I lost my sight. I never look at it, I would only be able to see the buttons if I brought it very close to my face and even then, the printing on the device is too small…
This post is the first of the second year of the Sister Rain relaunch which occurred last February. Every Monday through Friday for the past 52 weeks I have shared a new story, even while on vacation; a few were published from my seat on a plane. Just like on…
As I previously shared in “Love Is Love”, Piper has had a girlfriend for many years. She happens to be a Dirt Devil hand vacuum. I recently knocked her off the table and she popped open upon impact with the floor, revealing the filter and the canister that would normally…
One of the places we always go to when in the Seattle area is the iconic Pike Place Market, located downtown. Although it is a tourist destination, you will find locals there as well, shopping for produce, flowers, spices, chocolates, crafts, artwork, cheese, meats and, of course, fish. When we…
Your marriage will never become boring when your husband of 30 years thinks this is how you hang up a clean hand towel after it is newly laundered. When you have been together a long time, it is the little things, whether they be clean or messy, that can make…
“Seeing is overrated. It is the things that we cannot see that deserve our attention.” — Sister Rain #sisterrain #alittlesightalotofheart #legallyblindwriter #writer #writersofinstagram #blind #lowvision #visuallyimpaired #visionloss #blindness #blindnessisaspectrum #legallybiind #sightloss #vision #opticneuropathy #seeingisoverrated
Going to Philadelphia from the suburbs when I was a young girl to shop was a common occurrence. A trip at Christmastime was an annual tradition, Strawbridge & Clothier and Lit Brothers did it up beautifully, adding special attractions for the holiday season. But nothing compared to the John Wanamaker…
You never know when something new will catch Piper’s attention. This time it was the groceries that needed to go upstairs after just being brought home from the store. Nobody puts Piper in a corner, but as long as it is safe I will put him anywhere else he wants…
While out to dinner during a long weekend trip, my husband and I sat at a table overlooking the attached enclosed patio. The floor to ceiling windows separated us from another diner seated at a table out there. Mister Rain told me that he had a dog. A woman joined…
I think it is a great milestone in your life when you know yourself. Its arrival time varies among us, prompted often by life’s events instead of age. I think I am at a good place with me, in so far as I know my flaws and my potholes. As…
There are many physical things that we do all day long that are memory-based. One that happens all the time to me is that when I am handed a menu in a restaurant, I accept it, usually opening it as if I can still see it, which I can’t. I…
From the time that I was a young girl until my thirties, my mom and I would frequently take the train from the suburbs into downtown Philadelphia for shopping. She was born and raised in the city, living there until my father’s company built a new facility “in the country”…
They say that after awhile couples often look like each other. Piper and his girlfriend, the Dirt Devil hand vacuum, (“Love Is Love”) have been together for twelve years. They are practically twins! #sisterrain #birdmom #adoptdontshop #parrotsofinstagram #conure #ahelpingwingparrotrescue #piper #dirtdevil #twopipersinapod
It has become less important, but I always imagined that I would visit all 50 states before I die. You would think as the clock continues to tick this desire would become stronger, but for me, it has diminished. It would still be a great accomplishment but as I continue…
I am a Tammy Texter. I stand in my truth. Texting is my method of communication with the people in my life. I don’t keep the ringer on on my phone, no one is calling me and vice versa. If I am expecting an voice call it is usually of…
Everyone says they can’t tell that I am legally blind. I am able to track your eyes fairly well if we’re speaking. There is, however, something that several close friends have noticed that is different about me from before I lost my sight: I blink more frequently. I never realized…
One package remained under the Christmas tree. My husband handed it to me, I removed the wrapping paper, adding to the pile scattered between us on the floor. Two pieces of tape held the previously cut flaps closed, I easily pulled them open. Immediately I saw the only color that…
Have you ever hosted a foreign exchange student in your home? Or, perhaps you’ve been one yourself, spending a semester in another country, fully immersed in the culture and the language. Your answer is probably no. However . . . do you share your life with a bird, cat or…
A few days before Christmas, my husband brought in a package that had just arrived on our porch. I was upstairs in our home office and he came up with the cold box, instructing me to open it. I had no clue what could possibly be inside nor why it couldn’t…
“Yes, the rising of the sun holds a promise of a new day, a fresh start. But it is the sunset that paints the sky and the sea with gratitude for the day that is done.” —- Sister Rain #sisterrain #alittlesightalotofheart #legallyblindwriter #athankfulsetting
One of the things someone with a significant visual impairment must adapt to is the routine activity of putting toothpaste on a toothbrush. I have no depth perception and holding the brush and tube close to my eyes doesn’t help. Some mornings, if I am feeling lucky, I will attempt…
Being as enamored as I am with the events that occurred when we fought for our independence from England, I have seen my fair share of paintings of George Washington, as well as mannequins (shudder – “Unhidden Figures”), busts and massive statues of him on his horse. There are multiple…
Piper can’t come to Sister Rain right now. He’s on the phone. #sisterrain #birdmom #adoptdontshop #parrotsofinstagram #conure #ahelpingwingparrotrescue #piper #busybird
Have you ever gone on a tour to see where your favorite chocolate is made or the pretzels you have loved since you were a kid? My husband and I are huge Seattle Seahawks fans. We have been fortunate to attend several games in Seattle over the last 30 years….
A personal question, please. How do you manage your passwords? I know, I know. Touchy subject. Everyone seems to have their own process, either keeping them in their head, storing them in their phone, entering them in an app developed just for this purpose. And then there is the approach…
At Sea-Tac International Airport for my return flight home after a idyllic week in the Pacific Northwest, I was told to surrender my white mobility cane at the security checkpoint. I have it on good authority that I am permitted to keep it with me so I always push back,…
We are all familiar with the Washington Monument, the Lincoln Memorial, the White House and the Capital. There is the Vietnam Veterans Memorial with its two black granite walls engraved with the names of those service members who died or remain missing as a result of their service in the…
It is NEVER a good idea to bring a feathered or furry friend into your family by way of an impulsive decision. There are many horror stories about the novelty of the new addition wearing off. One that comes to mind is bunnies purchased at Easter, only to be dumped…
You probably know that Starbucks originated in Seattle, but you may not be aware that that whole area is the land of coffee. They take their hot beverages made from beans from a tree very seriously, but are also playful with it. My kind of people. I previously wrote about…
“Just because you can’t see it doesn’t mean it isn’t there.” —- Sister Rain #sisterrain #alittlesightalotofheart #legallyblindwriter #portorchard #visibility
There is a great irony in the fact that I cannot see very well yet sometimes I see things that no one else does. The latest optic-neuropathy illusion occurred in my home as I came down the steps early one morning. We keep a night light on for Piper and…
At Crystal City Sports Pub in Arlington, Virginia, I listened to the Army – Navy game’s second half being shown on large televisions mounted on every possible wall space throughout. Being played 15 miles away, an equal amount of cheers and groans could be heard from other patrons. I always…
I am often asked what I get Piper for Christmas and the answer is nothing. Believe me when I say he has everything he needs and then some, all provided throughout the year. This does not mean, however, that Piper doesn’t get to participate in Christmas. He loves wrapping paper….
The massive ferries that I have encountered in my travels (“A Ferry Different Way Of Life”) remind me of cruise ships. Especially when all lit up at night, they bring to mind Puerto Vallarta (to a girl growing up in Pennsylvania “The Love Boat” and Mexico might as well have…
People don’t seem to be able to talk about New Year’s without bringing up resolutions, whether they believe in them or not. And although one thing most people agree on is that you should look ahead and not back, I offer a different approach to the next 12 months. I…
My husband does not hover since my vision loss, he knows that I will ask for help when I need it. That said, he is very considerate of my visual impairment, always thinking ahead to make travel and events as easy as possible for me. While in Washington state, we…
This tree at Arlington Nantional Cemetery has been witness to countless military burials, as our brave men and women in uniform’s caskets, draped in the American flag, are lowered into the earth in this extraordinary location. It has been privy to personal grief, public ceremony, scorching heat and snowfall powdering…
Have you ever seen a bird hold a shoelace in his beak, while balancing on a sneaker, and rubbing his own neck with his foot? #sisterrain #birdmom #adoptdontshop #parrotsofinstagram #conure #ahelpingwingparrotrescue #piper #neverhaveiever #neverhaveieverpiperedition
If you think about it, your path crosses with so many people in the course of a lifetime, fleeting interactions that leave no trace of the individuals who held a door for you, waited on you at a restaurant, sat next to you on a plane. But sometimes what should…
A few weeks ago, my husband and I, along with our friend, Linda, made our annual pre-Christmas trip to Lancaster, Pennsylvania. We have been doing this for several years, it has become a treasured tradition each December. Mister Rain and I go out there a few other times each year,…
I am not nor ever have been a girlie girl. But there was a time early in my career when I wore dresses, heels and pantyhose to work everyday. The thing I find most ironic is that in those days, in my 20s, I plastered my face with liquid foundation…
In going through some boxes of items that belonged to my mom after her death, I found many of the things inside were actually my nana’s, who had passed away in 1996. I wish my mom had shown them to me when she brought them home from my nana’s but…
*Zygodactyl is the definition of a bird’s feet having two toes pointing forward and two backward. When I cleaned out the basket I kept for when our nephew visited, long after he had outgrown its contents, I donated the bat and wiffle ball, the children’s books in good condition…
“If only, on the ground, just a thin curtain separated us from more leg room, larger seats and free drinks.” —- Sister Rain #sisterrain #alittlesightalotofheart #legallyblindtraveler #travel #sheerclass
Where is your happy place? The beach? The mountains? Somewhere in between? Maybe it’s your home or a particular football stadium in Seattle. Mine is a little location called The Container Store. My belief is that it is what heaven will be, that the smell of hard plastic bins will…
I have always enjoyed cooking and am grateful that it is something I am still able to do with my vision loss. There are more steps in the process, additional tricks and Tom foolery needed to compensate for, you know, not being able to see. One recipe that I make…
When Mister Rain was a boy, he had a GI Joe. Some forty plus years later, he still plays with dolls. And I have the pictures to prove it. My husband is the Chief Photographer here at Sister Rain LLC. In “From Hubby To Business”, I share the challenges he…
Piper fascinates me in many ways. It makes sense, after all, he is a parrot, I am not. Piper can sometimes be territorial over his favorite toys. For example, he may attack your hand if you are replacing the sticks he has pulled out of his hanging wood toy. At…
Do you recognize when you are content? Like me, I bet you are often too caught up in the logistics of a life, the balls in the air that must not fall, the speed of juggling always needing to increase. When do any of us have time to take a…
I took 5 years of Spanish in school but there is another language I spoke that no one talks about anymore. I doubt if my 19-year-old nephew has ever even heard of it. It is the language of lines and squiggles: SHORTHAND. My mom took it in the early 1950s,…
Although my tagline is “A Little Sight, A Lot of Heart,” it really could be “I Loves Me Some Technology.” I have written many a story about my iPad and its features, what I am able to do because of them. There are so many apps to assist the blind…
Sister Rain’s Note: This is the twelfth story in a series about my search for an ancestor who was a Patriot in the American Revolutionary War. To read the previous posts, click on the following: “Historical Society Of Pennsylvania“ “The Search Heard Round The World” “The Son-In-Law Of Liberty” “This…
It is no secret that Piper is a little angel. And he’s got the wings to prove it. #sisterrain #birdmom #adoptdontshop #parrotsofinstagram #conure #ahelpingwingparrotrescue #piper #piperssecret
I once again have led my long-suffering husband to new treasures along the highways and byways of this great country. I never tell the poor man where we are going, I navigate us to the address, telling him to be on the lookout for anything “unusual.” Mister Rain is not…
I have never used a meat thermometer, although I do have one that was provided to me by Blind & Visual Services when they came to the house about a year after my vision loss to see what tools and gadgets they could offer me to assist with daily living….
For many years, I attended Philadelphia Flyers games at the Wells Fargo Center, although back then it had a different name. I shared season tickets with a friend and my mom and I would cheer on our hockey team there often. When I met my husband we would attend games…
Sister Rain’s Note: This is the eleventh story in a series about my search for an ancestor who was a Patriot in the American Revolutionary War. To read the previous posts, click on the following: “Historical Society Of Pennsylvania“ “The Search Heard Round The World” “The Son-In-Law Of Liberty” “This…
Although the end result is worth it, air travel is never easy and always exhausting. Recently at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport for a flight home, the TSA PreCheck line was the longest we had ever seen it, causing my husband and I to wonder had everyone caught on to this time…
Sister Rain’s Note: Happy Thanksgiving, friends. Piper, Mister Rain and I are so grateful for your support of Sister Rain and offer you this old joke we heard many years ago. Given the times that we live in, I need to preface the below by saying that you should NEVER…
I have been thinking a lot about loss lately, we have attended several funerals this year, lost others whose loved ones chose not to hold any service. My world seems to be getting smaller and it is very upsetting. As we age, it is natural that we lose our parents…
I am unable to see myself very well in a mirror, not because I am a vampire but because of my visual impairment. From time to time, I take a selfie to check my hair and makeup, since I can enlarge it. Interesting fact: the magnification level I would need…
Sister Rain’s Note: This is the tenth story in a series about my search for an ancestor who was a Patriot in the American Revolutionary War. To read the previous posts, click on the following: “Historical Society Of Pennsylvania“ “The Search Heard Round The World” “The Son-In-Law Of Liberty” “This…
As I have previously shared (“Love Is Love“), Piper has a girlfriend who just happens to be a hand vacuum. Occasionally, he will climb atop his gal, just because. Piper is living his best life and nothing makes me happier. Even though I want to be his #1 girl, I…
During our recent trip to Washington state, we went on a whale watch out of Port Townsend with the company, Puget Sound Express. Although I hoped we would see some whales, I am always happy to be on the water. During the safety talk before we left the dock, the…
My husband is in charge of our polling location. It is something he has felt passionately about and committed to for 20 years. It is an incredible responsibility and I admire and respect him greatly. The Saturday before each election, the materials needed are delivered to our home, the Monday…
As I finished up at the Feinbloom Low Vision Center in Philadelphia, my husband and I both used the restrooms in the lobby before heading to the car for the drive home. As we were almost out the door, Kerry, the Director of the Low Vision Rehabilitation Program, called my…
Sister Rain’s Note: This is the ninth story in a series about my search for an ancestor who was a Patriot in the American Revolutionary War. To read the previous posts, click on the following: “Historical Society Of Pennsylvania“ “The Search Heard Round The World”http://www.sisterrain.net/becoming-a-daughter-in-my-fifties/ “The Son-In-Law Of Liberty” “This…
On occasion, we will let Piper play on the floor. We only do this when we are there to supervise but while watching him, he has the run of the living room. He likes to push his toys across the wood floor, or toss his ball to us and have…
During our first trip to Seattle in 1995, a friend and his wife met us at the airport to show us around. They were from California and very familiar with a coffee place that first started in this, the Emerald City. We went to the original, the first store of…
I never want to be someone who gushes about their spouse on social media, who complains about them all year until their birthday or anniversary rolls around. That represents everything I detest about the form. What I will offer, from time to time, are true stories of my life with…
As you would probably imagine, I have most of the visual accessibility features turned on on my iPhone and iPad, the most obvious the large font. I was on a plane recently and being in such close quarters made me think about how someone with full sight could easily read…
=Sister Rain’s Note: This is the eighth story in a series about my search for an ancestor who was a Patriot in the American Revolutionary War. To read the previous posts, click on the following: “Historical Society Of Pennsylvania“ “The Search Heard Round The World” “The Son-In-Law Of Liberty” “This…
A little bird, a lot of energy. #sisterrain #birdmom #adoptdontshop #parrotsofinstagram #conure #ahelpingwingparrotrescue #piper #alittlebirdalotofenergy #piperstagline
On our last night in Port Orchard, Washington, we ended our wonderful week-long stay by going to Carter And Company for ice cream. It was a lovely night, so we took our cones outside. Two young men approached, one carrying flowers and a sign. They discussed a plan of some…
Other than getting back to Piper, I am never ready for a trip to be over. That said, like everyone, once the time comes, if I gotta go, I just want to get there. And so I found myself on a Monday night at Philadelphia International Airport, sitting on one…
While waiting for my husband to go get the rental car upon our arrival at SeaTac International Airport, I sat on one of our suitcases. It was a beautiful October morning, I was so happy to be there. Funny how the second time you arrive at an airport in a…
ISister Rain’s Note: This is the seventh story in a series about my search for an ancestor who was a Patriot in the American Revolutionary War. To read the previous posts, click on the following: “Historical Society Of Pennsylvania“ “The Search Heard Round The World” “The Son-In-Law Of Liberty” “This…
Having a bird in the family before Piper, when he adopted us in 2012 we knew a hand vacuum was mandatory. After doing some research, we purchased a Dirt Devil. Every night before bed, Piper and his daddy would clean up around his mansion (we never call it a cage…
Although we are flawed as human beings, it occurred to me the other day that there are perfect moments. Your child snuggled up against you in bed as you read them a story. Locking eyes with your soon-to-be husband waiting for you at the altar. There are perfect places too….
I am very afraid of falling and hurting myself as a result of my limited vision. Every time I leave my house, it is a big concern for me. I have only fallen twice in the 12 years since waking up blind. Tempting fate much, Sister Rain? Last week I…
Unpacking from a trip, I placed a half used pack of bathroom wipes in the corner cabinet by the toilet, ready for action. A few days later, I finally needed to put makeup on, the first time since I had returned home. Emptying my travel makeup bag, I found a…
Sister Rain’s Note: This is the sixth story in a series about my search for an ancestor who was a Patriot in the American Revolutionary War. To read the previous posts, click on the following: “Historical Society Of Pennsylvania“ “The Search Heard Round The World” “The Son-In-Law Of Liberty” “This…
They are prehistoric. Dinosaur -like. Reptilian, even. They are zygodactl: two toes in front and two in the back. They are amazing, my boy’s little feet. When Piper eats, he holds the food with one foot while balancing on the other like Simone Biles on the beam. He can climb…
What is it about preparing for a trip that causes us to go a little retail crazy? All of a sudden the socks and underwear – don’t even get me started on the bras – you have had for far longer than is civilized all need to be replaced. Not…
Since computers first became a normal staple on our desks, when experiencing a technical problem, that age-old question from the Help Desk, “Did you reboot?” has become a joke. I no longer use a computer (iPad User On Mother Board) nor do I I have an in-house IT Department. I,…
At my recent annual visit with my neuro-ophthalmologist at Wills Eye Hospital, even I could see the thickness of my file as it lay on the desk while a technician did my initial examination. It made me wonder: would you rather have a thin or thick folder? Immediately you would…
Sister Rain’s Note: This is the fifth story in a series about my search for an ancestor who was a Patriot in the American Revolutionary War. To read the previous posts, click on the following: following: “Historical Society Of Pennsylvania“” “The Search Heard Round The World” “The Son-In-Law Of Liberty”…
There is no doubt that our pets rely on us for everything. Because of this, even when we don’t feel like stopping what we are doing to fill their water bowls or we are too comfortable on the couch to take them out, it is not an option to stay…
I once again have led my long-suffering husband to new treasures along the highways and byways of this great country. I never tell the poor man where we are going, I navigate us to the address, telling him to be on the lookout for anything “unusual.” Mister Rain is not…
“When light breaks through the darkness, there is nothing more beautiful.” — Sister Rain Sister Rain’s Note: This photo was taken by Mister Rain at 11:47 pm from our rental home’s bedroom in Boothbay Harbor, Maine. He thinks it may be the best photo he has ever taken. I…
While watching the Paralympics, during a visually impaired race in the pool, the announcer told us that the swimmers are unable to see their competition in the other lanes, so they don’t know how they are performing comparatively. Once they complete the event, someone has to tell them where they…
Sister Rain’s Note: This is the fourth story in a series about my search for an ancestor who was a Patriot in the American Revolutionary War. To read the previous posts, click on the following: “Historical Society Of Pennsylvania“ “The Search Heard Round The World” “The Son-In-Law Of Liberty“ …
Piper can sit on my shoulder for a long time. Any weight I had felt there before he settled in, gone, exchanged for 100 grams of feathers and love. #sisterrain #birdmom #adoptdontshop #parrotsofinstagram #conure #ahelpingwingparrotrescue #piper #shoulderdislocation
I have visited lighthouses before going to Maine, but in that state they are as common as CVS, there is one on every corner. I am exaggerating, of course, but their prevalence is not a tall tale. Although our rental house was in Boothbay Harbor, we traveled north one day,…
We have all heard of muscle memory, most of us have experienced it, most likely without even knowing it. One of my examples is writing, by which I mean holding a pen and putting it to actual paper. I cannot see what I am writing, I can only get a…
Sister Rain’s Note: I will preface this post by saying that I do not condone any deplorable behavior the actor who played the character I am about to reference may have conducted against women. I love Mr. Big from “Sex and the City.” I was upset when he died…
Sister Rain’s Note: This is the third story in a series about my search for an ancestor who was a Patriot in the American Revolutionary War. To read the previous posts, click on the following: “Historical Society Of Pennsylvania“ “The Search Heard Round The World“ Once my husband had…
Piper ain’t afraid of no ghosts; he loves bottles of all shapes and sizes. And his Mommy loves emptying them . . . #sisterrain #birdmom #adoptdontshop #parrotsofinstagram #conure #ahelpingwingparrotrescue #piper #abootifulteam
You know how music can transport you back to a time and place? How we know where we were when a significant personal event occurred, or one that was as far reaching as it can get and still be on this planet, like September 11, 2001. I am NOT comparing…
My husband is known as “Mister Rain” on this website and he loves it. Whenever he tells someone new about Sister Rain, I am thankful that he is spreading the word, that he is proud of me. But then he immediately tells the person of his online moniker. My gratitude…
The day before the Purple Heart was supposed to pick up items I had for donation, I realized that I had not received a confirmation since scheduling the appointment. I began Googling “confirm Purple Heart pickup”. I glanced through the results then chose one to learn what it suggested. There…
Sister Rain’s Note: This is the second story in a series about my search for an ancestor who was a Patriot in the American Revolutionary War. To read the previous posts, click on the following: “Historical Society Of Pennsylvia“ I have had a dream for many years to find…
When we brought Piper home from the rescue where he had been for two years, I still had my full sight. As we prepared to leave with him, we decided to place him on the passenger seat in his travel carrier while my husband drove, with me in the back…
My husband does not eat seafood of any kind. This can be a challenge when we travel to places like Maine, when I want as much of it as I can possibly get. We were relieved to find that Mister Rain would not have to live on chicken fingers off…
I love you, Weather App. But after “Tornado Watch”, is the “& 1 More” really necessary? #sisterrain #alittlesightalotofheart #legallyblindwriter #auntiem #wwdd #whatwoulddorothydo
When I was a corporate meeting manager, I oversaw a team of meeting coordinators and administrative staff, as well as outside vendors such as audio visual companies, translators, entertainment, production crews. I loved doing site visits at multiple hotels to pick the perfect venue for an event, then months later…
In the years that my husband has been researching our ancestors, we have become intimately acquainted with old cemeteries and genealogy organizations. We have made several trips to the Historical Society of Pennsylvania in downtown Philadelphia, it being our first foray into a place like this. Part library, research, educational,…
Sister Rain’s Note: In 2015, I published 9.5 parts of “Piper & Me: A Love Story.” Beginning in March 2024 I reposted them weekly. I have since written new chapters and will continue to do so. If you would like to read any of the parts, type “Piper & Me”…
It is always nice to bring home a memento from a trip, it used to be t-shirts and newspapers (my husband loves out-of-town papers) but over time, we began to look for items we could display in our home. We have also begun to collect radio stations in our travels,…
Books and interviews by Anderson Cooper, as well as his podcast, “All There Is,” have taught me to ask someone who has told me a loved one has passed away what the deceased person’s name is. When I first heard this, I committed to the inquiry from that point forward….
Growing up, our neighbor two houses down had an in-ground pool, I spent most weekdays each summer there. Once I was in junior high, I joined my friends at the community pool until I began working at age 16. The Junes, Julys and Augusts of my youth were spent in…
This is my dining room table, the papers scattered across it are proofreading notes and edits to be made on stories I am drafting. If I need to handwrite something, I use a sharpie, printing very large. I am slightly embarrassed to tell you that most of what you read…
Sister Rain’s Note: In 2015, I published 9.5 parts of “Piper & Me: A Love Story.” Beginning in March 2024 I reposted them weekly. I have since written new chapters and will continue to do so. If you would like to read any of the parts, type “Piper & Me”…
On the Upper East Side of Manhattan, my husband and I met a couple from the UK. Our tables at the diner were very close together, their distinctive accents left no doubt about where they were from. Over scrambled eggs and pancakes, we struck up a conversation. On a two-week…
I started seeing a therapist a few months into my vision loss, when no one knew if my full sight would be restored. I had made a visit to my primary care physician a few weeks after my sudden blindness, and she gently made the suggestion that I might want…
Although my husband and I have our annoyances with each other in the normal way that 30+ years betrothed do, we are good partners in the daily duties of life, as well as when the big things occur. We have very different personalities and dispositions, yet our interests and values…
As I have shared on this website, I have visited sites where significant events in US History took place. I also have had the privilege and honor to lay wreaths at Veterans’ graves at Arlington National Cemetery on Wreaths Across America Day. I have seen the end. Recently I had…
Sister Rain’s Note: In 2015, I published 9.5 parts of “Piper & Me: A Love Story.” Beginning in March 2024 I reposted them weekly. I have since written new chapters and will continue to do so. If you would like to read any of the parts, type “Piper & Me”…
My husband and I recently cracked open our PF Chang’s cookies to find the above fortunes inside. If one had said, “You will choose to never leave your house again,” the other’s would have read: “You will get a divorce.” #sisterrain #alittlesightalotofheart #legallyblindtraveler #travel #pfchangs #fortunately
I am relatively fearless which has served me well. I am, however, scared of mannequins. Now I am not talking about the bald, faceless fiberglass and plastic models you would find in department stores (remember them?) wearing clothes and accessories perfectly. I am specifically referring to the life-sized figures found…
In the previously published story, “Hats Off To My Hats,” I mentioned that a baseball hat brim is a useful tool for the visually impaired, as sunglasses often add to the darkness we are already living with. A ball cap cuts down on any glare we may be experiencing. It’s…
On this day in Sister Rain history, I may lose some followers. I hope you won’t go, but if the boot were on the other foot, who is to say I would not also head for zee hills? In the previously published “I Spy Setauket, Long Island,” “Fraunces Tavern,” and…
In the previously published, “I Spy Setauket, Long Island,” I share the true story of General George Washington’s Spy Ring, comprised of a group of childhood friends who became a network of spies during the American Revolutionary War. Setauket, New York is where Abe, Anna, Ben and Caleb lived, it…
A few months ago, I published the story, “Such A Fine Sight To See,” about Roadside Attractions. On a recent trip to Maine, I was able to direct my long-suffering husband to new treasures along the highways and byways of this great country. I give you the latest fine sights:…
For over 30 years of my life, summer meant one thing: the beach. That all came to an end when my mom died in 2012 of stage 4 gall bladder cancer. F CANCER. Sure, I could have continued to go without her, but then I lost my sight five months…
On the one year anniversary of an incredibly large, random act of goodwill having been bestowed upon me by a complete stranger in Sedona, Arizona, (“An Iced Vanilla Latte With An Unexpected Shot Of Kindness“), on the other side of the country, kindness strikes twice. Returning to our car in…
Did you watch the Paris Parrotlympics? My husband and I did, we recorded them every night, viewing them from our DVR the following evening. We also sought out more thorough coverage on Peacock for those sports we are particularly fond of. We, of course, loved cheering our boy on as…
SISTER RAIN NANTUCKET WEEK X2 10 / 10 “And all I got is tortured with this Nantucket light for the Christmas card.” — Piper #sisterrain #alittlesightalotofheart #birdmom #adoptdontshop #parrotsofinstagram #conure #ahelpingwingparrotrescue #nantucket #nantucketmassachusetts #sisterrainnantucketweekx2 #nantucketislandchamberofcommerce #barnabystoyandart #momanddadwenttonantucket
SISTER RAIN NANTUCKET WEEK X2 9 / 10 Per the calendar it was time to leave Nantucket. My heart said something different. But we packed our bags, followed the instructions for closing up the rental house. We had time to kill until our 2:45 pm ferry so we drove around,…
SISTER RAIN NANTUCKET WEEK X2 8 / 10 Even though it was October, we had to go to the beach before we left Nantucket. On our last full day, we walked down the path next to our house, allowing the pounding surf of the south shore to guide us. The…
SISTER RAIN NANTUCKET WEEK X2 7 / 10 Today’s piece, as well as yesterday’s, will share with you all the things I did while on Nantucket. Twenty years of reading about thee places was the most extensive research I have ever done before a trip. Nantucket is Elin Hilderbrand and…
SISTER RAIN NANTUCKET WEEK X2 6 / 10 Today’s piece, as well as tomorrow’s, will share with you all the things I did while on Nantucket. Twenty years of reading about these places was the most extensive research I have ever done before a trip. Nantucket is Elin Hilderbrand and…
SISTER RAIN NANTUCKET WEEK X2 5 / 10 There are no chain eateries on Nantucket. Although my husband and I are not fancy people, especially when it comes to food, we were not looking for fast food anyway during our time there. Mister Rain is a meat and potatoes guy,…
SISTER RAIN NANTUCKET WEEK X2 3 / 10 I had read about the Sconset Bluff Walk months prior to our trip, learning that it is on a public footpath along the east shore’s high bluffs behind private houses. The trail is very narrow at times and is not level. While…
SISTER RAIN NANTUCKET WEEK X2 4 / 10 I may have previously shared with you that my husband loves to go to grocery stores when we travel. Upon arrival at our lodging, he unloads the car and as he says, “Gets out of her way,” so that her (me) can…
SISTER RAIN NANTUCKET WEEK X2 2 / 10 I have spent the last 20 years reading books about Nantucket, written by Elin Hilderbrand and Nancy Thayer, both residents of the island located 30 miles off the coast of Cape Cod. They write of fictional people in a non-fictional place, every…
SISTER RAIN NANTUCKET WEEK X2 1 / 10 “Nantucket is an island located 30 miles off the coast of Cape Cod, Massachusetts. The only ways to get there are by plane or ferry. Or by reading Elin Hilderbrand and Nancy Thayer books.” — Sister Rain #sisterrain #alittlesightalotofheart #legallyblindtraveler…
I am not a birder. I live with a bird, I consider myself a Piper expert, but I know nothing about other of his kind. Two friends told me about the app, Merlin Bird ID By Cornell Lab. It will identify birds you see and hear; I have only used…
My husband and I travel well together, including navigation, which can be a challenge for some couples. It may surprise you to learn that I am the navigator. I am in charge of entering our destination into my iPhone, then aiding and abetting Siri to get us where we are…
Despite loving to visit many different places, I have doubted that I could move from the area that I have called home my entire life. Others do it and I admire them for it. While on a whale watch in Maine, as we passed one of many islands, the narrator…
Sister Rain is hitting the slopes! No, she’s not. Never has, never will. Sister Rain is sporting the latest sunglass trend, recently debuted at Paris Fashion Week! No, she’s not. Never has, never will. Then what the heck are these goggles all about? Prior to testing at the Hospital of…
“Every morning I am reminded of how grateful I am that George & Co. won.” — Sister Rain #sisterrain #alittlesightalotofheart #legallyblindwriter #ushistory #theonlyteaformeistheoneinliberty
May we all be as curious about the world around us as Piper is, even about the simplest things. And may we not let the trepidation of something new, something big and scary, prevent us from exploring it further. Lea Black Beauty products are my skincare of choice, but to…
While on one of our many cemetery trips for history’s sake, my husband and I found ourselves walking around the beautiful East Cemetery in Litchfield, Connecticut. Mister Rain immediately noticed that many gravestones had plants surrounding them, something we had never seen before. Speaking to a man visiting his wife,…
A few years ago, my husband purchased a new suit in preparation for the upcoming wedding of a dear friend’s daughter. He is not a man who has had to wear a suit often, these days, who is? He has only ever had one at a time. Last week as…
As I settled into a chair in the foyer of my hair salon, my stylist greeted me from the desk in the main room. She immediately asked me if that was my baseball hat hanging on the peg rack across from me. I said, no, that it wasn’t and she…
In an empty field in Tappan, New York, they have begun a touching tradition of honoring their own. Each flag represents individuals currently serving in our active-duty military, fallen servicemen and women, first responders, veterans, hometown heroes, frontline workers, 9/11 victims and COVID-19 victims. There were 16 rows of 16…
Sam The Eagle #sisterrain #birdmom #adoptdontshop #parrotsofinstagram #conure #ahelpingwingparrotrescue #muppets #samtheeagle #pipertheconureassamtheeagle
I hate to pack. HATE it. Always have, even when travel was as routine to me as driving a half hour to my office every day. I used to have Excel spreadsheets for packing, both personal and business. Now I have the list on my Apple devices. You would think…
“Cloudy or sunny, it’s a day.” —- Sister Rain #sisterrain #alittlesightalotofheart #legallyblindwriter #aday
It is not easy to always be a passenger, even when running local errands with my husband or going to lunch with a friend. I LOVED to drive before my vision loss so there’s that, plus the fact that a huge portion of independence comes from being able to operate…
At The Ice Cream Shoppe in Highland Falls, New York, 1.2 miles from the United States Military Academy West Point, we waited for our turn to place our order. My husband called me over to some shelving near the window, then read me the sign that you see at the…
Sometimes when I am cleaning the grate that goes in the bottom of Piper’s mansion, he likes to “help”, climbing up its rows to hang out for a bit. It slows me down but how can I feel that way with this cuteness? There are many times when Piper just…
At 7:12 am on the first morning of vacation, my husband and I heard the loud sound of machinery being operated close by. He investigated, reporting that there were landscapers mowing and weed wacking the yard of our rental home. I was enjoying my coffee and a mimosa on the…
I am a woman of a certain age so sleep is no longer my friend. Correction, I love sleep, always have, but it is now unrequited. I often wake up at 4 or 5 am, after an hour fully alert, I fall back only to end up dreaming some craziness…
In the never-ending irony that is my life, and possibly yours, since losing my sight even the most routine functions require me to jump through hoops. Hoops that I cannot see. #sisterrain #alittlesightalotofheart #legallyblindwriter #blindnessisaspectrum #opticneuropathy #visuallyimpaired #blind #hoopswhereitis
Whenever I take handwritten notes, instead of using my phone or iPad, I use a Sharpie, writing very large so that I can see it later. I always end up with black Sharpie ink all over my hands. I joke that I feel like a child with finger paint under my…
Sister Rain’s Note: In 2015, I published 9.5 parts of “Piper & Me: A Love Story.” Beginning in March 2024 I reposted them weekly. I have since written new chapters and will continue to do so. If you would like to read any of the parts, type “Piper & Me”…
As we crossed the bridge into Cape Elizabeth, Maine, I was transported back to an early morning last December. My husband and I were at Arlington National Cemetery, waiting for the gates to be opened for the start of Wreaths Across America Day. We had only been home from Washington…
When we are very young, we cling to our parents. Once we have entered double digits, it does not take long before the battle for independence begins. By our teenage years, this fight makes the Revolutinary War seem like a discussion with your spouse about what to binge next (although…
How is it, do you suppose, that blue became the poster child for sadness? It doesn’t seem fair that this one color bears the burden of unhappiness. “Blue Christmas” is the anthem for the melancholy during their least wonderful time of the year. If I had been given the choice…
When you live with a disability, you spend your days adapting to a world created and operating for anatomically correct people. Sorry, Ken. I have never liked the word “accept” but “adapt” is something I can get behind as it is necessary to survive when something goes wrong with your…
During the first weeks after a vacation, I am always thinking about what I was doing at that same day of the week and time while I was away. Friday, 2 pm: Whale Watch, Boothbay Harbor, Maine. Sunday, 4 pm: Seahawks game, Lunen Field, Seattle, Washington. Wednesday, 7 am: Pink…
Piper waits his turn with our other founding feathers to sign the Declaration of Independence. #sisterrain #birdmom #adoptdontshop #parrotsofinstagram #conure #ahelpingwingparrotrescue #fourthofjuly #foundingfeathers #piperhanco
Most of what I write about here has already occurred, a trip or an experience I have had, and, therefore, photographs have been taken organically. When an image is needed, I will figure out what that is, often asking my husband for assistance as documented in the story, “From Hubby…
In December while traveling to the Washington, DC area, my husband and I went across the Chesapeake Bay Bridge (not to be confused with the tunnel). I thought about the places Mister Rain and I have been in the last few years. The water beneath us, I realized, is the…
Sister Rain’s Note: This is the fourth story in a series about Wreaths Across America. To read the previous posts, click on the following: Wreaths Across America – The Day Wreaths Across America – The Person Wreaths Across America – The Essay As I passed by the Christmas decorations…
Sister Rain’s Note: In 2015, I published 9.5 parts of “Piper & Me: A Love Story.” Beginning in March 2024 I reposted them weekly. I have since written new chapters and will continue to do so. If you would like to read any of the parts, type “Piper & Me”…
I could never be a server at a restaurant. I don’t have the temperament for it, what I do have is tremendous respect for those who can do the job. Demanding customers, workload, hot kitchens, mercurial chefs, there is an endless list of challenges to be endured while I enjoy…
There is a small photo in our home office of my husband and me taken a few months after we started dating. While we were both in that room recently, I picked up the framed image, showing it to Mister Rain. “Who are these two kids?,” I asked. He laughed….
As I licked the last envelope for a mailing to promote Sister Rain, I picked up the pile of 50, pushing together both sides and the top with my hands, the bottom cradled securely by the desk. Something in the back of the stack brushed my thumb so I investigated….
Sister Rain’s Note: This is the third story in a series about Wreaths Across America. To read the previous posts, click on the following: Wreaths Across America – The Day Wreaths Across America – The Person On the morning of Wreaths Across America Day, as soon as the alarm…
Sister Rain’s Note: In 2015, I published 9.5 parts of “Piper & Me: A Love Story.” Beginning in March 2024 I reposted them weekly. I have since written new chapters and will continue to do so. If you would like to read any of the parts, type “Piper & Me”…
“For the past thirty years, I have returned to the same home after every trip. But I have never come back the same person I was when I left.” — Sister Rain #sisterrain #alittlesightalotofheart #legallyblindtraveler #travel #amigoingtoneedanewpassport
Hindsight is 20/20 but what about looking ahead? When talking about the future, the acuity is as black as my vision was those first few weeks after waking up blind. We can plan, we can use our past experiences to anticipate specific outcomes, creating the optical illusion that we can…
Walking around a store in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, sitting on a couch in a beautiful vignette of outdoor furniture, was a large wooden Tic Tac Toe board. It stopped me short, taking my breath away a bit. Most games are no longer possible for me, or if they are, they are…
Sister Rain’s Note: This is the second story in a series about Wreaths Across America. To read the previous post, click on the following: Wreaths Across America – The Day My husband and I took photos of every Veteran’s stone whom we placed wreaths for on Wreaths Across America…
For years I was asked if we were having children. Boy, or girl, I do not miss that question! I always replied that it was not our plan, that my husband and I wanted to travel as much as possible. I always ended by saying that if it happened, we…
Every time I retire a pair of sneakers, I like to think about all the places they have been during their tenure with me. Especially now, when I wear my Brooks or New Balance 95% of my waking hours. If you think about it, our shoes are what make contact…
How many times have you wondered, “Whatever happened to so-and-so?” Maybe it’s an old classmate or neighbor, a former love or colleague. It’s relatively easy to track someone down these days, many people do. While riding my spin bike the other day, “Midnight Blue” by Lou Gramm came into my…
The empty photo at the top of this post is not a mistake, it is full of emojis. However,I cannot see emojis. Certainly not the end of the world in the grand scheme of life in vision loss, but it is worth mentioning because of that fact. It is something…
My husband and I had been in Washington, DC in November of 2021. We always visit Arlington National Cemetery when in the area. We don’t have anyone in our families buried there, but we both have relatives who have served. It was during this visit that we saw some information…
SISTER RAIN SEDONA WEEK 5/5 “And all I got is this fake photo of me there!” — Piper #sisterrain #alittlesightalotofheart #birdmom #adoptdontshop #parrotsofinstagram #conure #ahelpingwingparrotrescue #sedonaarizona #sedonaweekatsisterrain #momanddadwenttosedona
SISTER RAIN SEDONA WEEK 4/5 The last time I was in Sedona was a month before going blind in late 2012. Returning last May was a milestone for me which I documented in the post, “Red Rock, Paper, Scissors, Past, Future.” Here, however, I want to share with you my…
SISTER RAIN SEDONA WEEK 3/5 Sedonuts in Sedona, Arizona! I mean, COME ON!!! In all my travels I have not found any other company moniker that comes close. If I had a gold statue to present to them, I would deliver it personally, not because I would find donuts and…
SISTER RAIN SEDONA WEEK 2/5 On our last full day in Arizona before flying home, we spent a leisurely morning on the deck of our rental house, enjoying our coffee and the magnificent view. I also had my traditional vacation morning mimosa. We finally headed out a few hours…
SISTER RAIN SEDONA WEEK 1/5 A little more than a month before I woke up blind, my husband and I returned to Sedona, Arizona for a week. I have been fortunate to have traveled often, and I would say Sedona is at the top of my list. Ever since my…
As we get older, we tend to want to relax, reap the rewards from a life spent raising children and contributing to society through our careers. It’s only natural to be ready to exhale, perhaps our first since adulthood became our own, no longer belonging just to our parents. There…
I have never understood how it is that a plane can fly. At the height of my air travel for work, when I flew several times a month, I read books about it. I felt that if I was spending so much time at 40,000 feet I should educate myself…
So much of life is temporary, yet for the most part, we live as though everything is permanent. Jobs, relationships, homes and driver’s licences may not be forever, however, we think, we expect, that they are. Life itself is a temporary condition. We all know the truth of the matter,…
Low vision means having impaired vision that cannot be corrected by glasses, surgery or medication. I don’t use the term often, I usually say that I am visually impaired or legally blind. A low vision center provides advice, techniques and devices to make the most of your remaining vision. If…
Going to a concert at a venue close to home in 2008, the opening act was a local singer-songwriter, Dan May. I was so moved by his music that I went home that evening after the show and purchased four of his songs on iTunes. I looked him up as…
People ask us all the time if Piper talks. Honestly, it drives me crazy. Of all the parts that make up Piper, it is the very last characteristic I would think of. I want to ask the person posing the question if their dog or cat converses? But I don’t,…
Born and raised outside of Philadelphia, my husband became a Seattle Seahawks fan when they joined the NFL in 1976. At the time, their quarterback was left-handed Jim Zorn. Southpaw Mister Rain, age 9, had his team. His fate was sealed; fourteen years later when we met, so was mine….
I first met Rick at the New Jersey shore point my mom and I frequented, not long after I obtained my driver’s license. Every summer until her death in 2012, we would go stay at the beach for five days at a time, three times each summer, as well as…
Remember that picture (above) where you might see a young woman but someone else will look at the same drawing and spot an older woman instead? Being visually impaired can be like that every day. I shopped for this lamp online, shown at the top of this post. I purchased…
I am terrible with measurements. For example, I was recently looking for a new birdbath (for the outside birds, not Piper) as our old one broke last fall. The online listing would say 22”, prompting me to get a tape measure to see what that looked like. Of course I…
Most parrots have an oil gland that drains into the base of their tail, however, this organ is absent in Amazon parrots, which includes Piper. Technically he was hatched in Florida, but his species hails from the forests of South America. The gland performs many functions, including waterproofing and keeping…
I have had the great fortune to have visited some beautiful places the last few years, lodging in rental homes with spectacular views. As I sit on the couch looking out the floor to ceiling wall of windows of the current temporary property, the waters of Rich Pass in Port…
As the people in our lives pass away or we part ways, portions of our past go with them. Everyone in my family is gone, I am not in contact with anyone from my childhood. The person in my current life whom I have known the longest is my hair…
My friend has a senior cat named Ruffy with extreme vertigo. I knew he had the condition, but the first time I saw him I was upset. I have a real soft spot for any feathered or furry soul, it was sad to see him having to walk with his…
From 2010 – 2019 this website was a pastime for me. I took it seriously, the perfectionist in me allowing nothing less, but it was easy, it was fun. When I made the decision last summer to start creating new content after four years away, it stopped being a hobby…
Sister Rain’s Note: In July 2015 I began a series of posts about Piper, my now 17-year-old orange-fronted conure (a type of parrot) who adopted Mister Rain and me when he was 6. I don’t intend to republish previous content on this site but I think the story of Piper…
Mount Rainier You are 14,411 feet in elevation. You are the highest mountain in Washington. You are elusive, visible only 60% of the time. You show yourself best in summer. In the 30 total days we’ve spent in the Seattle area, all during football season, you have revealed yourself 10…
I have slept in the same bed for 36 years. I purchased it with a dresser, bureau, living room set and dining room table with 4 chairs in 1988 when I moved out of my parents’ home and into my first apartment. A few years later, I would meet my…
As I sit looking out the familiar oblong airplane window, I am able to make out the sky, its clouds and Iowa below. I have sat in this same scenario over a hundred times, enjoying this view. It is a duplicate of previous sightings, however, I am not a match…
I have been to the Pentagon and Flight 93 Memorials and they are absolute perfection. I wrote about them in “Flight 93 National Memorial” and “National 9/11 Pentagon Memorial.” We had visited Ground Zero in New York City in March of 2002, six months after that day, viewing the incomprehensible…
Sister Rain’s Note: In July 2015 I began a series of posts about Piper, my now 17-year-old orange-fronted conure (a type of parrot) who adopted Mister Rain and me when he was 6. I don’t intend to republish previous content on this site but I think the story of Piper…
Do you remember Fotomat, the drive-thru photo development kiosks in the early 80’s? The shopping center near my home where one once stood is still in operation, although the stores have changed 20 times since then. There is no trace of the little building, no chalk-drawing outline of a company…
We have all heard that when someone’s time on this earth is in peril, their life can flash before their eyes. I’m guessing that when the term “life” is used, it encompasses the good, the bad and the in-between. There is a fun way to see just the good in…
Dear Friends, I have a favor to ask, please, no Go Fund Me account involved. I want your eyes. Be My Eyes is a free app that can be used with iPhones and Androids. Here’s how it works. You become a sighted volunteer by downloading the free app from the…
My mom’s dad, Pop-Pop to me, was born in 1898. He died when I was 7 so I don’t remember him very well, although I was extremely close to my nana until her own death, 25 years after her husband’s passing. When she died, her memorabilia, including photos, was handed down…
Sister Rain’s Note: In July 2015 I began a series of posts about Piper, my now 17-year-old orange-fronted conure (a type of parrot) who adopted Mister Rain and me when he was 6. I don’t intend to republish previous content on this site but I think the story of Piper…
I love to fly. It never ceases to amaze me that you can traverse the country in five or six hours. I always find myself thinking about the wooden puzzle I had as a kid, where all the pieces had a little nubbin handle that you used to place the…
Our home was built in 1906. We have lived here 31 years, recently completing a multi-year renovation, as I wrote about in “Restored.” As we brought our ole girl back to life, we couldn’t help but wonder about her inhabitants throughout the years. In the 86 years prior to us…
As you may get tired of reading, I miss driving terribly. Aside from the independence it affords, I LOVED getting behind the wheel, radio on; driving could be considered a favorite hobby of mine. I had a heavy foot, I liked to go fast. For me, no highway was too…
On Thursday, December 4, 1783, General George Washington received the officers of the victorious Continental Army to say farewell in the Long Room of Fraunces Tavern in New York City. Major Benjamin Tallmadge recounts that day in his memoir, as well as General Washington’s words. “With a heart full of…
Sister Rain’s Note: In July 2015 I began a series of posts about Piper, my now 17-year-old orange-fronted conure (a type of parrot) who adopted Mister Rain and me when he was 6. I don’t intend to republish previous content on this site but I think the story of Piper…
I used to travel quite frequently to the west coast for work. My colleagues there always teased me about my reaction to their snow capped mountains. They called me a cheap date but what I was is a Pennsylvania girl not used to their unfamiliar landscapes. Where I come from…
I recently reached a milestone that I share with you not to toot my own horn but to encourage you to get involved in the causes that resonate with you. The first company I worked for after I graduated held an American Red Cross blood drive at our office location….
It is human nature to want what we can’t have, at least right now, but I think this concept often relates to a bigger house, fancier car, more money in general. What I have realized recently is that this applies to the little things in life as well. During the…
I first learned of the Culper Spy Ring via the AMC TV series, “TURN: Washington’s Spies.” Based on the book, “Washington’s Spies“, by Alexander Rose, it tells the true story of a group of Long Island childhood friends who became a network of spies during the American Revolutionary War. The…
Sister Rain’s Note: In July 2015 I began a series of posts about Piper, my now 17-year-old orange-fronted conure (a type of parrot) who adopted Mister Rain and me when he was 6. I don’t intend to republish previous content on this site but I think the story of Piper…
Have you heard of rail biking*? It’s a specially-designed bike that you pedal along abandoned railroad tracks. I first saw it on Instagram, then a local morning show. I was intrigued, taking to Google, no wheels required, searching for scenic opportunities near home to give it a try. I discovered…
Among my grandmother’s costume jewelry of pearls, pins and clip-on earrings (she was mortified when I got my ears pierced in junior high), I found a bank envelope folded over, rubber banded, with “Cameo” written on it in her cursive writing. It is a different motif than we are accustomed…
I sort of did not understand To me ’twas no big deal The way that people carried on It seemed almost unreal. Yes, day, it turned into the night It happened after noon Is that the sun or could it be Instead that it’s the moon? I realize that for…
The National 9/11 Pentagon Memorial is a memorial to the 184 victims who died in the building and on American Airlines Flight 77 on 9/11. It is made up of 184 illuminated benches, arranged according to the victims’ ages, starting with a 3-year-old and ending with a 71-year-old. Also, a…
Sister Rain’s Note: In July 2015 I began a series of posts about Piper, my now 17-year-old orange-fronted conure (a type of parrot) who adopted Mister Rain and me when he was 6. I don’t intend to republish previous content on this site but I think the story of Piper…
You are pronounced suh-waa-row. You are astounding. You are not to be believed. You are majestic. You are vast. You are magnificent. You are visible as far as the eye can see. You are unique. You are odd. Your arms wave. Your arms raise in triumph….
In a fairly empty bin in the attic, amidst yearbooks and old job mementos, is my Girl Scout sash, adorned with pins and badges I earned over 40 years ago. I don’t use Braille but the round discs with a sewn graphic allowed me to trace the raised icons to…
For those of you new to this site, let me review this blind girl’s archenemies to date. Bread / Twisty Ties Electrical Outlets Bobby Pins If you want to read about the above nemeses, click on their names above, you’ll be taken to their posts. Before you go, allow me…
On September 11, 2001, four commercial airliners were hijacked in a planned attack against the United States. Two airliners were flown into the World Trade Center Twin Towers and a third aircraft into the Pentagon. A fourth aircraft, United Airlines Flight 93, crashed into an open field near the small…
Sister Rain’s Note: In July 2015 I began a series of posts about Piper, my now 17-year-old conure (a type of parrot) who adopted Mister Rain and me when he was 6. I don’t intend to republish previous content on this site but I think the story of Piper and…
We met in Port Orchard, Washington. I don’t know how long you hung from a branch or how recently you fell to the ground. I do know that you did it gracefully; look at you – how could anything else be possible? I understand the edicts about nature, “leave no…
My mom died five months before my vision loss. She always wanted her ashes to go to her beloved New Jersey beach. She and I were the best of friends, traveling to this coastal town many times together for over 30 years. She died at home. I leave there that…
In layperson’s terms, something attacked my optic nerves. They are a group of nerve fibers that transfer visual information from the eye to the brain. Mine swelled, when the inflammation went down, the nerves were damaged beyond repair. The result is optic neuropathy. My eyes, ironically, are perfectly healthy except…
I have been to Gettysburg National Military Park several times, it’s less than three hours from my home. In recent years it has become personal. My great-great-grandfather was a Union soldier as was his brother. My great-great-grandfather was not at Gettysburg, his brother was. On a previous trip we located his…
Piper had his annual checkup with his veterinarian last week. He got an A+ and although his mom and dad didn’t have any concerns, the news of his excellent health was a relief. You may wonder what a yearly examination of a bird involves. First, while Piper is still in…
This site will never be political and although you may associate the subject of this post as a politician, I assure you it is about a man. My husband and I have tremendous respect for John McCain. We went to see him at a rally near our home when he…
I am not a child. I do not have a child. I do not have a grandchild. And yet I recently visited the Please Touch Museum in Philadelphia, a collection of interactive exhibits encouraging, no, demanding, that children explore and learn. The reason for my visit was to view artifacts…
Since my vision loss I have loved the idea of an arrow as a symbol of going forward. Several years ago I put a wooden arrow over my bedroom door so that every time I exit I am reminded to keep moving ahead. Recently I heard the arrow being described…
I love to visit where history has occurred, to be in the room where it happened. But what if you were able to actually bear witness to the moments that birthed this nation, to be present when the United States received a proverbial smack on its bottom and let out…
Piper loves jars and bottles, with far greater interest in the outside than what’s inside. That makes him the perfect spokesparrot for skincare, an industry all about exteriors. #sisterrain #birdmom #adoptdontshop #parrotsofinstagram #conure #ahelpingwingparrotrescue #agedefyingpiper #nobodylikeswrinklyfeathers
I had never flown Alaska Airlines until a few years ago. Our 14-year-old nephew was with us on a flight to Seattle and he realized his wallet was missing when we arrived at our hotel. He was convinced it was stolen in the men’s room at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. My…
They say that a house is made a home by the people who dwell in it; I believe this is true. I also have come to learn that making a house a home requires tender loving care. My husband and I weren’t always the best at that. Blame it on…
In the past 11 years, I have not been able to see my own face in detail nor anyone else’s features. It’s a very peculiar way to go about life, for the obvious reasons and some not so apparent. A stranger smiles or nods at you in a store or…
While we waited for our ferry to Nantucket, we drove around Hyannis Port, parking our car when we could go no further then walking down to the Kennedy compound. No one was around, the driveways were all uninhabited by cars. “The Big House” looked the same as when seen on…
While mom battled the enemy on the bed, pairing clean socks, executing search and rescue missions for AWOL deserters, Piper Doodle Dandy bravely kept watch . . . until he fell asleep. Being a patriot is exhausting! #sisterrain #birdmom #adoptdontshop #parrotsofinstagram #conure #ahelpingwingparrotrescue #piperdoodledandy
We have been to Washington, DC many times and were heading there again for Mister Rain’s beloved Seahawks coming east to take on the Commanders. What could we do while there that wasn’t PAR for the COURSE? A golf cart tour! There are several companies offering similar excursions…
It would be remiss of me not to address the pandemic in the room in one of my first posts back. It was an unexpected, everything comes to a full stop, oh my god people are DYING, there’s a monster outside the house horror we’d only seen in the movies….
I haven’t operated a desktop or laptop computer since I lost my sight, something I used to be rather adept at. Now I do everything on my iPhone and iPad, both of which I have the larger sized models. Vision accessibility features are turned on, set to both bold and…
When I stopped writing four years ago, “cancel” was something done to appointments, TV shows and memberships, not people. As I return to publishing my experiences, being careful as to not be cancelled is a concern. I find myself wondering about the decade of archived posts. If someone were to…
Before adopting my husband and me, Piper spent two years at a wonderful rescue, A Helping Wing Parrot Rescue. They took excellent care of our little guy until we asked him to be our forever family. He’s only got two feet but he can have and chew as many shoes…
I live in a town of 5,000 residents, surrounded by other comparably sized boroughs. We have a grocery store and a McDonald’s four minutes from our house. Our favorite pizza place is 10 minutes away as is a Wawa, Home Depot, CVS – always a CVS – Staples, several dollar…
Like any self-respecting Type A personality, each day I make a To Do List for the next day. My first stop is always my calendar, then I fill in other projects and tasks that require my attention tomorrow. I had gotten a haircut the week before and somehow both my…
When I was growing up outside of Philadelphia, the Spectrum was an indoor arena where the Sixers and Flyers played. When I was very young it meant Ice Capades and Ringling Brothers Circus. As I got older, it was the venue for many of my first concerts. Quite a…
Working with a web designer on renovating Sister Rain, we talked about my brand and identity. I am a wife, a bird mom and a friend. But when asked about my intention for Sister Rain, I answered off the cuff. It sounded good to my own ears and the designer…
It was all zygodactyls* on deck to prepare for Sister Rain’s first week back. Piper, Chewing Executive Officer, put in some long hours with the marketing team, aka mom. It takes a flock! *a bird’s feet with two toes pointing forward and two backward) #SisterRain #birdmom #adoptdontshop #parrotsofinstagram
In the last couple of years, my husband and I have returned to exploring the country after a decade of sticking close to home. Travel for both business and pleasure was such an enormous part of my life before my sight went on a permanent vacation of its own. One…
On a frigid January night, my husband and I walked to our car after visiting a friend. I looked up at the 5:30 p.m. east coast sky and inquired if the dot I thought I saw was the moon. Mister Rain said that it was, followed by a request for…
I am often asked what can I see? In this post, I will do my best to describe it to you. The first thing I will say is that prior to my vision loss, from the age of 14, I wore glasses for mild nearsightedness, then eventually contact lenses. To…
I have a saying amongst my friends, that sometimes you live a lifetime in one day. It’s usually not some big event but rather the minutiae of a 24-hour cycle that starts out as kindling and is a full-blown pep rally bonfire, minus the marching band, by the time your…
After four years away, six months of brand discussions,web design and development, Sister Rain is back! New logo. New look. New content. Monday we begin again! #SisterRain #alittlesightalotofheart #legallyblindwriter
