These Bells Should NOT A-PEAL!

I've lived in the same building for almost 21 years now. For the most part, I like the neighbourhood. It’s an eclectic mix of businesses and people. It can get congested at times but has great bus service.

It can also get noisy. Most of it is incidental noise from traffic and people out and about. Of course there are also the late night reveller's making their way home from local watering holes seemingly oblivious to the nearby residents trying to sleep. There are also the sirens of emergency vehicles that fade in and out as they rush to their calls. These are all part of any densely populated neighbourhood though and at least to a degree, one generally adapts. 

However, there are times that I wish I could live somewhere else. Somewhere quieter! Finances and mobility issues prevent that. Barring unforeseen, I'm here for the long haul.

Shortly after I moved here, a bell tower was built at the end of my street. Nearby residents were promised that it would ONLY ring between 10AM and 10PM.  

Unfortunately, it didn’t take long for that promise to be broken. 

Almost from the start, the bells malfunctioned. The chimes were out of sync. Some didn't chime at all. Other times they’d chime nonstop! I detailed some of the bell issues in a July 2010 post called "Will Someone PLEASE Stop Ringing The Bells!!" (Scroll down to the pic of the bell tower and read from there.) 

To be honest, I've NEVER liked them. They grate on my ears – and nerves – like fingernails on a chalkboard! They always sound loud, harsh and tinny to me. As someone who is visually impaired, I rely on my hearing to get me from A to B safely. The ringing of the bells never fails to disorient me. They overwhelm my senses and leave me feeling vulnerable till I can regain my bearings after they've quit ringing. This isn't a safe feeling - especially if I am attempting to cross the intersection when they happen to ring!  

Carrying on a conversation anywhere near the ringing bells becomes a shouting match! There are two bus stops within a few feet of the bell tower - one going north (services 5 routes) and one east (services 3 routes). Many buses have a pre-recorded route number and name that is announced when the front door of the bus opens. If the bells are ringing, it is next to impossible to hear it - let alone if a driver is trying to call out info to me or other enquiring riders!  

Whenever possible, I try to avoid the intersection if the bells are ringing as it leaves me unnerved and felling vulnerable to the elements. Unfortunately avoiding isn't always an option. 

Admittedly, there are those who think the bells are charming. However, the ones who claim to like them don’t tend to live within earshot of them. They also weren't aware of how the sound could affect the visually impaired or those with auditory sensitivity. I've heard more than a few otherwise calm infants start to scream as the bells chime! (Not to mention a few howling dogs!) I've also had several people tell me that they (and others nearby) have covered their ears! 

It should also be noted that when the bells have rung in the last few years, not all of the chimes have sounded. Only 3 of 4 chimes per 1/4 hour actually sound. (A common occurrence through the years!) 

The worst though, is when they ring during the night. It’s happened several times! For those of us who live within earshot of the bells, it is a torturous way to spend the night – especially if you are a light sleeper like myself! 

I've always slept with the window open at least a bit at night – even in winter unless there is a strong north wind. I don’t have, nor can I afford, AC so I can’t close the bells out if they are ringing. I've tried earplugs, but that blocks too much sound out and I am unable to hear the building fire alarm (checked that method while alarms were being tested) so that is NOT a safe option. 

Over the years, I've made several calls to the neighbourhood BIZ to voice concerns, complaints and lack of permanent resolution to the issues. The various BIZ reps that I've spoken to haven't always been appreciative of my opinions and concerns. Then again, most people aren't reliant on audible cues for safety/orientation.

I've had varying degrees of success and speed of temporary resolution through the years. 

I've also heard a number of explanations for why the bells aren’t ringing as they were intended to:

- timer malfunction

- mechanism tampered with

- weather effected (too cold or too hot and humid setting them off)

- inadvertently left on after a performance at the adjoining stage (almost always happens during Canada Day Festival)

- hydro is working in the area and required the power box be left on

- the locked box to the power has been broken into 

Whether any or all of these explanations were actually true or used to pacify an unhappy caller doesn’t change the fact that there are hundreds of apartments/homes – many with light sleepers) within a block of the tower that are having their sleep disrupted by the untimely ringing of the bells. 

The bells rang for a couple days in January. A tweet to the BIZ got no response. I finally called and was assured it would be turned off within the day. It took two days before finally being silenced.  

Just over two weeks ago, the bells began ringing at odd times - the 1/4 hour chimed (3of4) at 5 past the hour, the 1/2 hour (6of8) at 20 past, the 3/4 hour (9of12) at 35 past and the hour (12of16) at 10 to the hour!  

Oh and the actual hours? They started at 3:50AM – chiming for 10:00 and finished at 3:35PM! 

SERIOUSLY?  

The first night I heard them, I didn’t have a number handy to call so in an attempt to block some of the noise, I turned on one of my large fans that I use to try to cool the apartment on the hottest of summer nights – even though the apartment was cool enough to sleep without it! It was the only way I could get even a little sleep! I used the fan again the next couple of nights. On the Monday, I tweeted to the BIZ but got no response. I made a note of the phone number.

At 3:50AM on the Tuesday morning I was awakened by the bells. I grabbed the phone and dialed the BIZ office number fully expecting to get a machine so I could leave a message. 

A woman’s voice answered. The conversation went something like this:

I inquired if this was the BIZ and when confirmed, asked why the bells just chimed 10:00.

The bells?

The bell tower in the village.

Oh, why are you calling me?

The bells are a responsibility of the BIZ aren’t they?

Yes but why call now?

Well, thanks to the bells I’m awake. 

Well, she wasn't impressed but neither was I. She said the lock box had been broken and she’d take care of it in the morning. I asked why they were even allowed to ring at all given that they’d never worked properly in 20 years. She said they trying to get them fixed. I said they should be permanently disconnected. She claims that can’t be done. I said that was ridiculous and hung up. 

Okay, I’ll admit, I could have been more polite and I don’t recall if I apologized for waking her – sorry. But if you are going to be that devoted to your job and technology that you answer a BIZ line in the middle of the night, you should also be that diligent in resolving the issues! 

The bells continued to ring.

On Wednesday, I tweeted the BIZ again – along with the city councillor and the police twitter account. 

No response from any of them!

Not to mention little sleep for me – even with the fans running.

I tweeted again on the Friday morning and finally got a response from the councillor. She contacted the BIZ and learned a new lock had been purchased and was being installed. 

The bells were finally silenced during the noon hour.

That should settle things down for now, but it is only a matter of time till that lock is broken or some other reason is given for the bells ringing at all.

As to the possibility of the bells actually being fixed? Given that they haven’t worked properly in 20 years despite numerous attempts to fix and who knows how much money spent – the odds of them EVER working properly are about as good as winning the lottery and being struck by lightning - on the same day! 

The claim that they can’t be permanently disconnected also seems absurd. Yes, they may well be connected to the sound system of the nearby stage, but any electrician or audio technician worth their salt could reset that panel in no time.  

So why continue to throw good money after bad in an attempt to fix the unfixable auditory blight? Surely there are better things to spend the money on and better ways for the BIZ representatives and politicians to spend their time.

We’d all be able to move about more safely and freely,

And heaven knows we’d all sleep a lot better! 

dn

Cocoa Piggies

A few years ago, I started seeing a number of cookie recipes with bacon added in. I thought the concept was interesting but just never got around to tasting or trying it.

I don't eat a lot of bacon but do enjoy an occasional BLT - or versions thereof. I also like it as a topping on a pizza, done crisp and chopped to add to a salad or on top of Mac and Cheese.

Generally, I don't buy a lot of bacon as it can get rather pricy - especially if you are trying to find packages that are more meat than fat!

However, a few weeks ago I hit a good sale on bacon and managed to find a few packages that looked relatively meaty.

I looked at a number of bacon cookie recipes and also checked out reviews. There were two specific types that piqued my interest: 1) the chocolate, chocolate chip and bacon cookie and 2) the peanut butter, chocolate chip and bacon cookie. Both sounded good and I contemplated making both varieties.

Then it hit me. Why not literally combine both types into one cookie recipe! I could make both recipes at the same time in the same bowl! I redid my search and looked for recipes with almost identical ingredients and similar quantities. They also had to be ones that baked at the same time and temperature. The only major differences would be that one would call for peanut butter and the other for cocoa powder.

I do have a chocolate, peanut butter chocolate chip cookie recipe already in my collection and I suppose I could have just added crispy bacon to that (I will try that eventually) but I really wanted to attempt to combine two recipes. I hadn't done that before.

I finally settled on two recipes: Chocolate-Chocolate Chip Bacon Cookies (which I would cut in half except for the cocoa powder) and Peanut Butter BaconChocolate Chip Cookies. The ingredients, quantities, methods and baking were similar enough that I figured it would work fairly well. I eliminated the salt from both recipes as there is more than enough salt in the bacon, peanut butter and even the margarine! I also upped the bacon slices from 6 to 8.

The batter came together quite well - even though it was a bit greasier than I anticipated it would be once all was said and done. I contemplated adding a bit more flour but decided to bake up a pan first to see how they came out.

Thankfully, I didn't add the extra flour as it definitely was NOT needed! The dough was easy to work with and baked up beautifully on the parchment paper lined pans! The second time I made this recipe, I let the bacon drippings cool a bit more and the dough was not nearly as greasy.

I hadn't flattened the first dough balls as I wasn't sure how much they would spread. In fact, they spread very little so for the remainder of the pans I rolled the dough into balls and flattened them slightly once I put the dough on the sheets.

Needless to say, the aroma in my apartment as these baked was amazing! Waiting till they cooled enough to eat wasn't easy! Would they taste as good as they smelled?

Yup! These were delish! Very chocolaty thanks to the cocoa powder and the chocolate chips. The crunchy peanut butter added flavour and texture. The bacon wasn't overwhelming but just about right! A taste in pretty much every bite and thanks to the drippings in the batter, a hint of bacon flavour in every bite.

Everyone who got a taste of these thought they were fantastic! I asked for name suggestions from the taste testers and my online friends and finally chose this one!

Cocoa Piggies

8 slices bacon, chopped (you will need 1/4 cup of the fat/drippings reserved after it is cooked)

3/4 cups white sugar

3/4 cup brown sugar

3/4 cup softened block margarine

1/2 cup crunchy peanut butter (I use Skippy!)

2 eggs

1 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup whole wheat flour

2/3 cup cocoa powder

1 1/4 teaspoon baking soda

2 cups chocolate chips

In a pan, fry bacon over medium heat until very crispy. (Note: that while it easier to cook bacon in the oven, for this recipe, it is advised to cook on the stovetop as you are also using the drippings) Reserve the brown drippings and fat - allow to cool completely before adding to the dough. It does not have to solidify but must be cool. You will need 1/4 cup. (If you have a bit more, you can discard or save the extra for another purpose. If you have a bit less than 1/4 cup add a bit more peanut butter)

Chop or crumble cooked bacon and set aside. (I got 1/2 cup once crumbled)

Pre-heat oven to 350F.

Line cookie sheets with parchment paper.

Combine the flour, cocoa powder and baking soda in a medium bowl and set aside.

Beat together butter, peanut butter and bacon fat (*note if you don’t want to use bacon fat, you can just use 1 cup of margarine and omit the bacon fat all together but it does give a better flavour with the bacon fat/drippings in it).  Add sugars and beat for an additional minute or two.  Add eggs and vanilla then beat for an additional minute.  Add flour mixture and beat until almost combined.  Lastly, fold in chopped bacon and chocolate chips. Dough may seem a bit greasy/oily at this point but it bakes out nicely and does not taste greasy in the end.

Form dough into medium walnut-sized balls, place about 2 inches apart on parchment paper lined baking sheets and flatten slightly. Bake for 10-12 minutes (depending on your oven and size/thickness of cookie). DO NOT over bake!

 Allow to cool in pan for a minute then slide the parchment paper with the cookies on it to a cooling rack to finish cooling.

Makes about 7 dozen cookies. They can be frozen - assuming they last that long!

Note: The cookies will harden up a bit as they cool and set. If you want a slightly softer cookie while eating, place them in a single layer on a plate in the microwave for a few seconds before serving.

Enjoy!

dn

Spring Has FINALLY Sprung!

This past Winnipeg winter was the coldest in over 100 years. It also felt like the longest!

If you believe the calendar, it has been spring for the past two months. Yeah, right!

Spring has been trying to come for weeks but winter has tried to thwart it's every attempt to proceed.

Oh, the snow was ever so slowly melting and the temps seemed even slower getting warmer. Even April was several degrees cooler than normal. More than a few of us were starting to wonder if our beloved prairie landscape had somehow been transported to the land of Narnia! Every time we'd start to see bare ground, the Wintery White Witch would send more of the white stuff to cover it - if only temporarily!

By early May the tides seemed to finally be turning towards spring. It was cooler than normal, but a glimmer of hope was on the horizon as the daylight hours grew longer. Even city street cleaning crews began the annual spring cleanup!

Sadly, we were not yet fully there, For the most part, temps remained a bit below normal. Then, just over a week ago (Wednesday May 14) we were disheartened to wake to wet flurries and a dusting of the white stuff!

Thankfully that was mostly gone within a few hours! We've since been inching closer to more seasonal temps.

It now seems that it may truly be safe to finally put the winter things away!

 Actually, I put the heaviest outerwear and boots away May 1. I never do it before then - regardless of the weather as that just feels like daring Mother Nature to throw more winter at us! That being said, I have always kept out a heavy spring jacket that can be layered with a heavy fleece for the really nippy days.

Alas, I was still wearing that heavy spring jacket till about a week ago. This past week, I finally decided it was time to move the summer clothes to the front of the closet and the winter clothing to the back! Fingers crossed I won't regret that decision!

Last weekend was the Victoria Day long weekend - or as we here in Manitoba call it "May Long"! That is traditionally the weekend when people open up the cottages for the summer season and/or start planting the gardens. Now, that doesn't mean that we won't still be getting some frost. That can still happen - it's just a calculated risk as to when and what you plant. It also means that you may be covering baby plants at night in the coming days/weeks to prevent them being killed/damaged by frost.

I've never been a gardener. I can't keep plants alive no matter how simple the care is. Despite coming from generations of a farm family and talented gardeners on both sides of the family - I have always had a brown thumb. I can't even tell the difference between the weeds and most things that were intentionally planted. Oh wait, odds are the weeds would be the ones that would thrive if I had a garden!

So, I wisely leave the gardening to those with the patience and the green thumbs to nurture.

Truth be told, I don't tend to notice much of the spring growth. Well, at least not until it truly gets green. My low vision doesn't allow me to really see those baby buds on trees or the tiny sprouts shooting out of the ground. I've seen pics from friends showing the tiny bursts of green and heard tales of their beloved gardening this season but hadn't really noticed the true greening until this past week.

We got a good dousing of rain on this past Monday of the long weekend (rain almost always happens on a long weekend in these parts!) and the rain continued well into Tuesday.

That rain has truly set the spring growth into full swing! The leaves on the tress of my street are starting to open. Lawns are greening up and I expect to hear lawn mowers and smell the fresh cut grass almost any time now. Even the temperature has been above normal the last few days!

On Thursday morning, I took my camera with me when I went for a walk.

The wind was light. The sun was shining warm and bright with not a cloud in the beautiful deep blue sky! The signs of spring were everywhere! Lots of people out walking, cleaning yards and working in their gardens! The baby leaves on the trees, bushes and hedges were opening and reaching for the sky - preparing to give us a canopy of shade through the coming heat of summer. The plants - both perennials and the newly bedded were lush and green in the freshly worked soil. I didn't take a lot of photos but I thought I would share just a few:

 Happy Spring! And as this lovely little message says: 

dn

I Am A Work In Progress

A few weeks ago, a long time friend made a comment along the lines that they were impressed that I was always reinventing myself.

Really? Hmm.... I'd never thought of my life in that way.

When I think of reinventing - I tend to think of a physical product being reformulated, repackaged or renamed. Something being marketed in a new way.

In human terms, I think of a complete makeover in appearance to better reflect the person inside. Or perhaps to reflect ones personality or maybe a career change. Such as someone taking on a new persona to achieve success in another genre or walk of life. And sadly. in some cases, to avoid or escape from their own reality.

Personally, I think of myself as a continuous work in progress.

I don't like being pushed or forced into change. Whenever possible, I prefer to make a gradual adjustment. Somehow it feels more natural and not nearly as stressful or disruptive that way.

Unfortunately, we don't always get a say in when or how the changes in our lives happen. Circumstances can force us into change in a heartbeat. Those tend to be the hardest and most challenging changes we make.

Looking back, I think the hardest thing I ever had to adjust to, was losing so much of my eyesight in 1990. It forced me to relearn many skills using more of my other senses to get me through daily life situations safely.

Learning to use a computer was a challenge that I delayed for many years. I knew it could potentially improve parts of my life, but I just wasn't ready to commit the time to learn about it or the money to buy one. When a friend of a friend offered me a free used computer, I realized it was an opportunity to expand my horizon and embrace the ever growing world of technology. There are days, I barely touch the computer (or the tablet) but learning to use this particular new fangled technology is one I will never regret! It has opened new worlds and possibilities to me that I had never dared to dream!

Truth be told, I tend to overanalyze or research the heck out of something before I even go near something new! Not just the big purchases or changes! I even research and compare small items and products before I try them! I'm not cheap, but my income is limited so I want the best value for the money I do spend.

It's not that I am set in my ways. Well, not completely anyways. I adapt as needed. Sometimes it is a bit more grudgingly as some things are harder to change than others.

I am not one to jump on bandwagons or fads without considering the pros and cons. I tend to wait a bit and see the reaction of the masses before I take a dip into the latest in trends. I like to learn about the newer options and make a careful decision as to whether whatever this new thing is would be a good fit for me or if I want to adapt to it.

Under certain circumstances, I will try new things. However, I have to ask questions first. Such as: Does the product contain anything I may be allergic to? Will this improve the quality of my life? Can I afford this change - and the upkeep that may go with it?

I moved numerous times in my young adult years - some were financially motivated and some were pure circumstance. I always researched the area before I chose a new place. Some moves worked out better than others but each offered new experiences and the chance to meet new people.

There are also parts of my life that I am quite comfortable with and have seen no real need to make major changes.

For instance, I've never walked into a salon and given carte blanche to the first stylist I see. My hair styles changed a few times in my younger years, but I now love having a short "wash it, comb it and ignore it" style!

I've never done a total 180 on fashion. My fashion sense has changed little. I still prefer comfortable classic pieces that don't really go out of style. The basic designs and solid colours that can be mixed and matched as needed - then dressed up or down with jewellery or other accessories.

For the most part, the changes I've made are more in lifestyle and on the inside.

Changes in eating habits (healthier), daily stretches and workouts were key to getting in better shape, My physical health is still not great but it is far better than it was 15 years ago! My mind and heart have been opened to new ideas, opinions and beliefs. The friends and relationships that are part of my life now are stronger and more mutually supportive than those from my younger years.

There are more areas of my life that will inevitably evolve. Some areas, I know could use an overhaul of sorts - and I'm working up to making those adjustments. I'm just not ready to act on them yet!

As we grow from childhood to youth then adulthood and into our later years, it is inevitable that our lives evolve. We learn to adapt to new circumstances, surroundings, technologies and people. If we don't, then our lives become stagnant and one dimensional.

Failing to adapt and evolve, also means missing out on new experiences and so much of what life has to offer. We don't necessarily have to "like" or "love" all the new things but we have to at least acknowledge that there is more to life than our own little world.

The strength and resilience of the human spirit that allows us to evolve and adapt never ceases to amaze me.

Life is full of opportunities as we adapt and evolve!

To survive and thrive in this world, we must each continue to be a work in progress!

dn

Lemon Dream Supreme

If you ask me, nothing says Spring and Easter flavours like chocolate and lemon! It's a tangy bittersweet taste of heaven that leaves you wantig MORE!! Whoever came up with the idea of combining these two ingredients was a genius!

Truthfully, I'd serve this dessert any time of year but there is something about this combo that just says fresh and satisfying! It feels like a Spring treat! And, after the winter that we have all just been through - every bit of Spring feeling helps!

With this recipe, I used the same Brownie base that I used for my Cherry Brownie Dream recipe which I posted back in February. I knew I wanted the second layer to be lusciously smooth and lemony! Believe it or not, it was created completely off the cuff! I just looked through my pantry, fridge and freezer to see what ingredients I had and what might work well together! Thankfully, I made notes as I went along and the mixture worked beautifully on the first try!

As with the cherry version, please don't skimp on the quality of chocolate used! A poor quality can totally ruin an otherwise great recipe! I've been buying my white chocolate from Morden's of Winnipeg for many years and always use it in my Christmas baking. You can find good quality bittersweet chocolate at most bulk food stores.

As usual, I offered samples of this dessert to several friends and the reviews were all positive! Everyone loved it and thought it was a perfect combination of flavours!

I hope you'll enjoy it as much as we have!

Lemon Dream Supreme

Brownie Base

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cups white sugar

1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 cup margarine

1/2 cup water

1/4 cup light/reduced fat sour cream

1 egg, slightly beaten

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/3 cup chopped almonds, lightly toasted

Second layer and garnishes

2 medium lemons

6 ounces white chocolate, divided

1 8oz/250g light cream cheese, softened to room temp

1 can light sweetened condensed milk

1 4 serving instant lemon pudding mix (not light)

1 teaspoon lemon extract

yellow food colouring, if desired

1 litre/4 cups container light whipped topping, divided

1 ounce bittersweet or dark chocolate, grated

Directions:

Prepare a 9 or 10 inch Spring-form pan by ensuring the base and ring are properly aligned and the lock is secure. Spray the inside of the assembled pan with a non stick coating such as Pam.

Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, sugar and cocoa powder in a medium bowl.

Place the water and margarine in a microwave safe dish and heat on medium power to melt the margarine. Allow to cool slightly. While it is cooling combine the sour cream, egg and vanilla. Stir the water and margarine into the dry ingredients mixing to combine. Add in the sour cream, egg and vanilla and combine thoroughly. Stir in the toasted almonds and stir to combine. Pour into the prepared spring form pan and spread evenly.

Bake in preheated 350F oven for 20-25 minutes or till toothpick test shows done. (With my oven, it takes about 22 minutes.)  Place the pan on a cooling rack and cool completely before continuing. (at least 1 hour!).

When the brownie is cooled, zest the lemons and set aside 1-2 teaspoons of the zest for garnish. Juice the lemons and remove the seeds. You should have 1 - 1 1/2 tablespoons of zest and 1/2 cup lemon juice. Note: I zest the lemons almost to the white pith which creates much more zest.

In a microwave safe dish, melt 3 ounces of the white chocolate on medium power (about 60-90 seconds). Stir to smooth and set aside.

In a medium bowl, cream the softened cream cheese with the sweetened condensed milk. 

Add the instant pudding mix, lemon juice, lemon extract and the zest. Mix thoroughly. Add in the cooled melted white chocolate and combine till smooth. If desired, you can add a few drops of yellow food colouring at this point. (I added about 5-6 drops) Mix in thoroughly. Fold in about 2/3 of the whipped topping and blend completely. Note, that it is much easier to blend in the food colouring before adding the whipped topping. Adding the whipped topping lightens the colour considerably but adding colouring is purely cosmetic and I think adds to the overall look and appeal

Spread the lemon filling evenly over the cooled brownie - smoothing to the edges and across the top. Chill for 15 minutes.

While chilling, melt the remaining 3 ounces of white chocolate in the microwave and let cool slightly. Fold the cooled chocolate into the remaining 1/3 of the whipped topping. Then spread evenly on top of the lemon layer. Garnish with the reserved lemon zest and grated bittersweet/dark chocolate.

Chill at least 3 hours or overnight before removing the spring ring and transferring the dessert to a serving plate.

Cover any leftovers and store in fridge.

Makes about 14-16 servings

Enjoy!

dn

Kindle Fire HD - Freedom To Read, Game And Surf!

Before losing so much of my sight, I was an avid reader. After that loss, I accessed talking books through the local library and the CNIB but I often fell asleep while listening despite excellent reading voices. The books played on as I dozed, so keeping track of where I "zzz'd" off was an inconvenience to say the least. There were also numerous books in large print and some hardcover books with decent fonts that I could read with relative ease. The disadvantage with these, is that they can get quite heavy if you need to hold them within a few inches of your eyes.

However, over the ensuing years, I found myself reading less and less as the selection of books that interested me weren't always accessible to me visually or audibly. I missed reading but didn't have a lot of other options until the advent of ereaders.

I did quite a bit of research to make sure I'd be able to adjust the text to a size and font that would be reasonably easy on my limited vision. Though many brands and options were available, I went with Kindle.

I bought my first Kindle in November 2011. It was a basic 7" WIFI 3G. I had managed to amass a decent collection of ebooks through various sources so there would be lots of reading ahead. The books that were not in the MOBI format were easily converted with Calibre. (There are apps on Amazon that allow epub access through Kindle but I haven't tested any of them) For the most part, I found it easy to read the books with the enlarged font, but the book lists, index and any text that I needed to add, was extremely small and a challenge to see without using both my powerful reading glasses and a magnifying glass. The only time I turned on the WIFI was to download additional reading material or for updates - otherwise the WIFI connection was of no use to me and a waste of power.

Over that first year, I read at least 25 books! It was a joy to be reading again! It was also a relief to be reading a book in a form that wasn't heavy to hold! Though the Kindle does have an audio option for reading, I found it to be more frustrating than useful as the function tended to disregard pretty much every grammatical pause and sounded like one never ending sentence. Speech formatted books are available, however there is usually an additional cost for the feature.

Another disadvantage for that Kindle version was that it didn't have browser access, email or allow any game apps. (Actually there are 2 hidden games on that version but they are rather difficult for a visually impaired person to navigate/play) I may be visually impaired but there are still several games I enjoy in my down time or as a break from reading. I also wanted the internet access for travelling as I don't use a cell or laptop.

When the Kindle Fire HD became available in Canada in 2013, I checked it out for ease of navigation and whether I'd be able to see various items with or without the zoom feature in Silk. It seemed relatively easy to navigate so I bought one when it was the Showstopper at The Shopping Channel in late June.

It took a bit of time and effort to customize. As with my first one, the menu items were rather small, but once I got used to the layouts and what features I used the most, it was relatively easy to navigate. The home display carousel of recently used items also made finding things easier.

I wasn't too impressed with Silk at first as there were horizontal rows of suggested and trending sites when you open it. However, once you bookmark your favourites, they will replace those annoying selections and it acts more like a regular browser. Being able to zoom in on web pages is awesome! However, this feature doesn't work for Twitter. I activated the Twitter app which does allow some customizing in font size but even the largest font is a bit small for my sight so I sometimes use a magnifier with my reading glasses rather than strain my eyes.

I've added several free game apps via the Amazon Store. Some are more user friendly than others. I've also found that some are power hogs and will drain your charge much faster than others.

As with my first Kindle, I only turn on the WIFI if I need to connect to the internet. Most of the time it is turned off so I can just enjoy reading or playing a game. Another advantage to playing games with the WIFI off is that you aren't being bombarded with ads for other games/apps!

Having a camera on the Kindle Fire HD is a nice bonus. You can even take screen shots with a simultaneous press of the volume down and power buttons! Would be even nicer if it was a front/back camera. That would be a lot easier to take some pics but it is also easy to delete the ones that you don't like. It isn't the greatest quality but does come in handy for a quick upload to social media! However, it should be noted that although the Amazon Store does offer several photo apps, it does NOT offer the actual app for Instagram that allows uploads. To get that, you will have to allow 3rd party apps and get it via 1Mobile or other android app sites. (The Google apps store is not accessible for Kindle products.) Note, that once you install the 1Mobile app and the Instagram app, it is highly advisable to once again block 3rd party access. I only allow future access long enough to install updates for the outside apps.

My Kindle Fire came with USB and electrical power adapter. For some reason, the adapter didn't function as well after a few months. The Kindle wouldn't hold a charge. Once I filled out the required info via Kindle Support, I was on the phone with a very helpful rep within minutes. He arranged for a new charger to be sent overnight. He even followed up after I'd received the charger to ensure the problem was resolved!

At that point it was, however a couple months later the sound quit working. Granted the sound quality for music/video isn't fantastic but it is also frustrating not to have it for notifications or for at least a bit of sound effects in games! I contacted customer service again and was sent a new replacement Kindle within a few days. The damaged one was returned with a prepaid label sent by customer service.

From reading various comments on Amazon, I know that not all people have been satisfied with customer service but overall, the service I received was prompt, polite and informed.

Choices in accessibile ereader brands have improved greatly in the last couple years. In particular, those that support Google Play such as models from Samsung and Kobo, tend to get very high ratings. That being said it is a personal choice of what works best for your needs.

Overall, I love my Kindle Fire HD and the accessible freedom it gives me to read or play games whenever without the internet. There are countless hotspots for WIFI (many are free) so I can also connect when I want to surf! I would highly recommend it to anyone wanting to get an ereader. There are 1,000's of free and low priced ebooks and apps available through the Amazon store.

dn