Clare and Mabel

When I first started orientation and mobility training, I couldn’t understand why I needed to learn to use a white cane before getting my Seeing Eye Dog.

I get it now.

Today is cold, wet and miserable. Mabel could have come to the gym with me, but a wet Labrador lying on the gym floor isn’t always practical.

Instead, Candy Cane came along.

If I hadn’t been taught how to use a white cane, every rainy day would mean one less option. One more reason to stay home.

But having different mobility tools gives me something incredibly important.

Choice.

Some days Mabel is the right tool for the job. Other days my white cane is.

Independence isn’t about doing everything one way. It’s about having options and being able to choose what works best for you, your environment and your day.

For me, that’s what good orientation and mobility training gave me.

Not just skills.

Choices.

Image/Video Description:
Video filmed from my perspective walking along a wet footpath using my white cane. The cane sweeps from side to side across the damp pavement while autumn leaves are scattered ahead. The second image shows my white cane resting on the gym floor beside a workout machine, in the spot where Mabel would normally lie while I train.

I stopped playing pool years ago when my eyesight deteriorated.

But pool (and snooker) can actually be a pretty good game for someone with tunnel vision. With only about 5% vision remaining, I can often focus on one ball at a time without too much visual clutter getting in the way.

The first photo was a miss. The second is a video of me actually potting one. Admittedly, it was an easy shot, but I’m still claiming it!

I wouldn’t normally have played, but the fourth person dropped out of a doubles game. Before I could talk myself out of it, I heard myself say, “I’ll play.”

Lucky I couldn’t see everyone’s faces. 😆

Hubby and I teamed up, and to my surprise I got a few balls down. Unfortunately, I also potted the black before its time, which meant we lost the game.

Still, it didn’t matter.

The best part wasn’t winning or losing. It was being included, having a go, and proving to myself once again that there’s usually another way.



Image 1: Clare leans over a blue pool table in a shed-style games room filled with classic cars and racing memorabilia. She is concentrating on a shot, cue in hand, while friends watch nearby. This attempt misses the pocket, but she’s fully committed to giving the game a go.

Video: Clare lines up another shot on the same pool table. Taking her time to aim, she strikes the cue ball and successfully pots a ball into the pocket before celebrating the achievement. Clare has approximately 5% tunnel vision due to retinitis pigmentosa and had stopped playing pool years ago as her eyesight deteriorated. She joined this doubles game when another player dropped out and surprised herself by potting several balls throughout the night.

Spent yesterday at Flinders Truffles.

What an amazing day of fabulous food, wine and long-time friends.

Truffle season starts this weekend, and we were lucky enough to get a sneak peek of the property.

Tony and Jane have done an incredible job, hand-planting 1,150 oak trees on their beautiful property on the Mornington Peninsula.

From truffle soup, to truffle and mushroom risotto, to truffle ice cream (yes, really!), every course was a reminder of just how special this place is.

This is just a small glimpse of the amazing truffle feast and the passion that goes into producing these little black treasures.



Image description

Collage of photos from a visit to Flinders Truffles. In the main image, Clare walks through rows of oak trees with Seeing Eye Dog Mabel on harness, holding a glass of white wine. The tree-lined avenue stretches into the distance beneath a moody grey sky. Additional photos show the function room, a bowl of truffle soup, truffle and mushroom risotto, and a serving of truffle ice cream, highlighting the truffle-themed feast enjoyed during the visit.

Work hard..
Play hard. 🐾

People often see Mabel in harness, guiding me through the world with incredible focus and responsibility.

But when the harness comes off, she’s just a dog.

A dog who loves running, playing, making friends, and generally causing a bit of mischief.

This is Mabel and Maggie, a gorgeous mini St Bernard doodle, making the most of some off-duty time together.

Working dogs work incredibly hard, but they also need time to switch off, play, sniff, zoom around, and just be dogs.

I think that’s one of the reasons they do their jobs so well. ❤️

Work hard.
Play hard.

assistanceDog workingDog labrador disability

Video description: Mabel, a yellow Labrador Seeing Eye Dog, plays happily with Maggie, a light-coloured mini St Bernard doodle. The two dogs run, chase, and interact playfully together in an outdoor area. Both dogs appear relaxed and excited, enjoying some off-duty fun and showing that working dogs still love to play when the harness comes off.

Gloomy day in Bendigo, but that just means it’s a perfect day for a road trip.

Mabel has claimed the back seat, packed her blanket, and appears to be supervising 😍

Destination: somewhere fun.



Image description:
Mabel, a yellow Labrador Seeing Eye Dog, is curled up on a soft blue-green blanket across the back seat of a car. She is looking toward the camera with gentle brown eyes while resting comfortably, ready for a road trip on a grey day. 🚗🐾

After 9 weeks off harness, Mabel and I finally did our usual walk again today.

I’m slower at the moment, and without hesitation, she adjusted right along with me. ❤️

We reached the railway crossing and found brand new tactile markers installed beside the tracks.

Now before anyone comes for me 😆… I LOVE accessibility infrastructure.
I’ll always support things that make the world safer and more inclusive for blind and low vision people.

But this one genuinely made me stop and think.

It feels like it may have been designed for blind people… without actually consulting blind people.

The tactiles run alongside a very short crossing, fenced on both sides, with one rail line to cross.
Whether using a white cane or a guide dog, I honestly can’t imagine becoming so disoriented in that space that I’d wander onto the tracks.

To me, accessibility works best when lived experience is part of the conversation.
Sometimes resources could probably be used in places where blind people are actually facing bigger barriers.

Just my thoughts while out walking with my very adaptable girl today. ❤️



Image description:

Three photos from a walk with Seeing Eye Dog Mabel. In the first image, Mabel stands in harness at the entrance to a footpath, looking back toward the camera. In the second image, newly installed bright yellow tactile markers line a short railway crossing between fenced sections beside train tracks. A worker in high-vis pants and work boots stands nearby. In the third image, Mabel walks steadily ahead in harness along a concrete footpath bordered by green grass, with sunlight casting shadows across the ground.

Axe throwing… while blind… in a moon boot.
Honestly, why make life easy for myself? 😆

With only about 5% tunnel vision, I wasn’t sure how this was going to go.
But once I locked onto the target, I could really narrow my focus and concentrate on that one small point.

It definitely took a few tries.
A few very average throws 😅
But I was determined to get that bullseye… and eventually I did 🪓🎯

What made the experience even better was how inclusive everyone was.
The team at the venue were amazing. They explained everything clearly, encouraged me, and never once made me feel like I shouldn’t be there.

And of course, hubby and my son backing me the whole way helped too ❤️

Turns out determination, tunnel vision, and a little stubbornness are quite the combination.



Video description:
A video filmed inside an axe-throwing lane in Bendigo. Clare stands facing a wooden target while wearing a white top with large black angel wings printed on the back, black pants, and a moon boot. She carefully aims and throws the axe toward the target. After a few attempts, the axe lands directly in the red bullseye. Clare immediately turns around cheering with excitement and disbelief. The lane is surrounded by wire fencing and woodchip flooring, with coloured lights glowing in the background.

Image description 1:
An edited image simulating Clare’s vision with retinitis pigmentosa. Most of the image is covered in dark, moving grainy static, similar to television noise in a dark room. In the very centre is a tiny, narrow circle of clearer vision showing the axe target and red bullseye. The rest of the scene is not completely black, but filled with textured, shifting darkness that obscures almost everything outside the central point of focus.

Image description 2:
A selfie of Clare inside the Bendigo axe-throwing venue. She is smiling in the foreground wearing pink glasses, while behind her are bright yellow walls, fenced throwing lanes, and an illuminated sign reading “TAP IT INN.” The venue has a fun industrial atmosphere with dark ceilings, timber details, and warm lighting.

Yesterday we had some very special visitors ❤️

SED Zeeba and SED in training Jake came over for a play date with Mabel… and somehow story time happened too 😆

These photos are of me reading The Naughtiest Guide Dog by Casey Hyde, about her previous guide dog Bridgett.

The book has beautiful pictures and large print, which actually made it possible for me to comfortably enjoy reading it too ❤️

Honestly, the dogs looked genuinely invested in the storyline 😂🐾

Mabel had the best time playing, and it was so lovely catching up with the girls. There’s something really special about spending time with people who just get guide dog life.

And yes… apparently guide dogs enjoy a good book.

assistanceDog workingDog

Image description:
A series of warm, candid photos taken in Clare’s living room during a guide dog play date and story time. In the first image, Clare sits on the carpet in a cream knitted lounge set and black boots while reading a children’s book called The Naughtiest Guide Dog by Casey Hyde. Overlay text reads “Blind girl.. story time…” The book cover features a black guide dog, and the large print and colourful images are visible.

In the second image, three Labradors gather around Clare as she reads. A black Seeing Eye Dog named Zeeba lies closest to her, while yellow Labradors Mabel and Seeing Eye Dog in training Jake watch nearby. Overlay text introduces the “story time guests” along with the dogs’ ages.

In the third image, Clare smiles while reading another page of the book as the dogs remain gathered around her like an attentive audience. Overlay text reads “Reviews by the audience… Very positive ❤️”

The final image shows two yellow Labradors rolling and wrestling playfully on the carpet after story time, capturing the joyful chaos of playtime after the calm reading session.

Apparently carrots are good for your eyesight…

Although I also heard that was partly wartime propaganda used to explain why pilots could suddenly “see in the dark.” 😆

Either way, Mabel seems very committed to the cause 🥕🐶

assistanceDog workingDog labrador disability

Video description: A yellow Labrador Seeing Eye Dog named Mabel stands on a paved outdoor area covered in red autumn leaves, happily crunching on a carrot. The video has playful text overlays that read, “Mabel, my seeing eye dog taking one for the team” and “Apparently carrots are good for your eyesight.” Mabel nudges the carrot around with her nose and chews enthusiastically while leaves scatter around her.

I know I don’t “look blind” to some people.
But when I’m standing there with my white cane, my disability isn’t exactly hidden.

So why hand me a form to fill out before my test?

I shouldn’t have to announce it out loud… but I still had to say:
“I can’t do that, I’m blind.”

I’m not angry. Honestly, I’m just fascinated by how often people see the cane… without actually understanding what it means.

My white cane is actually a very simple piece of equipment.
For me, it helps me navigate through feel. I can feel the ground, the change in surfaces, the obstacles, the drop-offs… it gives me information about the world around me.

But for people who can see, the white cane SHOULD ALSO be information.

It’s a pretty universal sign that the person using it is blind or vision impaired.

People often treat accessibility as something you only provide after someone asks for help, instead of noticing the information already in front of them.

Image description
A close up picture of a questionnaire on a clip board.
In large writing it says
Blind girl problems..
I’m blind
I can’t to that
Why?