About Me

I have been reading ever since I can remember. Dr. Seuss, Nancy Drew, Hardy Boys, Paddington Bear, The Borrowers. You name it, I read most of it. As I got older my taste in books only grew wider until my husband would go to a garage sale and bring home a box of books for me and I'd read almost all of them, mostly regardless of whatever genre they were in. If it weren't for being able to get the books inexpensively, I'd be totally broke.

I was born in Calgary Alberta, but now live in British Columbia. I attended the University of British Columbia and received a Bachelor of Education (Elementary) degree and a Diploma in the Education of Visually Impaired Children. That wasn't enough schooling, so while I worked full time as a teacher of visually impaired children with students from kindergarten to grade 12, I got my Master of Arts in Special Needs, with the focus of Orientation and Mobility (that would be teaching blind and visually impaired persons how to use a white cane and navigate in the community).

I've been working with disabled children and youth for 27 years. That sounds like such a long time, but it's not time to retire yet. Unfortunately a couple of years ago I started getting a lot of headaches until for the last year and a half I have had migraine headaches every day, all day long. I stopped reading books a couple of years ago because of the headaches. For me, that's a long time without a book, but reading books just made the headaches worse. I have spent the past several months off work because of the headaches and it got rather boring, not being able to do much.

Then I discovered books on the iPad. I used to take 30 or 40 books with me when we went camping (we were usually gone for a month or so). Now I can just take my iPad. I love it! The ability to change the background to black, lower the brightness and enlarge the print gave me back the ability to read again. Nothing wrong with my vision, it's just the headaches. Then I was asked to review a book for a friend of a friend. That's when I started blogging. I love it. It makes me feel useful again.

I live with my husband, two children and three miniature dachshunds. I am a Christian, with a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. If I could be as active as I would like, I would spend a lot more time hiking, biking, kayaking, and camping. My husband loves photography so I often accompany him on long walks when I feel up to it. I have done all kinds of crafts too, from quilting, needlepoint, cross-stitch, sewing, card-making, quilling... but my favourite thing to do is read. And when I can't read... listen to books.

6 comments :

  1. Sorry to hear about your migraine headaches.have you found your 'triggers'? For my husband, it was mainly food sensitivities. He had tests done, cut out the foods and rarely has a migraine if he eats carefully.
    Hope they ease off for you soon.
    Christine
    cicampbellblog.wordpress.com

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  2. I have unusual triggers such as riding in the car. The headaches never really go away, they are just better or worse. None of the regular "normal" things that trigger them are my triggers, but I avoid them anyway.

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  3. Hi Kathryn - Oh, my, how awful. I can't imagine functioning with headaches! I feel bad for you!

    I just sent you my book to review and decided to take a peek at who you are. Love your cute little blog here! Thanks again for reading SCATTERED LINKS. I hope you enjoy the read.
    And I hope your headaches stop. Soon!
    Best,
    Michelle Weidenbenenr

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  4. Thanks Michelle. Don't feel bad for me. I just do what I can and my family does everything else. It all works out. I figure God knows what He's doing.

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  5. It was so nice to read a bit about you Kathryn! I was brought up between Maine and New Brunswick, Canada, which was the setting of my books. I love to see how active you are as exercise has been a big part of my own life. Thank you for having me on your blog and know I will be praying for your headaches. My husband suffers with those and it is not easy for him. I am glad you are relying on God for help. Have a great day and nice to read a bit more about you!

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  6. Kathryn,
    So interesting to read about you! My writing peer, Crystal Thieringer, pointed me in your direction! It seems we have a lot in common! And by the way, I've written a book that sounds like it would be right up your alley to review if you have time. It's about regaining independence through Orientation and Mobility training from a completely blind mobility instructor. I am vision-impaired. I will send you a longer message via contact me! So excited to find you and your site!

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