Monthly Archives: July 2022

Moose Coffee

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Hello world,

How are we all?

At the moment I am rather tired. So having to work only one day this week is great.

Something which I have been trying to do lately to try and reduce my tiredness is going out and seeing friends a bit more.

Often I really am too tired to be able to do this. Due to sensory overload and the general overwhelmingness of life doing things can be very exhausting for me. So I am trying to go out and do more of the things I enjoy. Like seeing friends.

Last week I went to Moose Coffee and we had a lovely time. Normally I struggle trying new places, but I thought it might be nice to give it a go.

The menu looked interesting and I had seen a delicious stack of pancakes on there so that was a win. While waiting for my friend I checked she would like to go there and she said yes so I booked a table. 

When we got there it was quite quiet, this was perfect for me. Trying new places can be too intense, so the fact it was quiet was a plus.

The space was open and airy and the lighting wasn’t t too bright. We got a window seat so we didn’t have to worry about people passing us on both sides.

The menu was quite small so my friend read it aloud to me. We chose drinks and ordered some water too. When it came to ordering food I chose the pancakes with Nutella and bananas with some syrup. The pancakes  were huge! There were three of them! My friend laughed as I put the Nutella on and asked if I had enough.

They were very soft and fluffy. There was plenty of Nutella, so I caked the pancakes in that. Once I had arranged my bananas I was happy to drizzle the syrup all over the top, lifting some of the pancakes to ensure the syrup went on the ones below.

A stack if pancakes, covered in Nutella, bananas and syrup.
Soft and Fluffy


The service at Moose Cafe was very nice, they brought it all in a timely manner and I did not feel rushed. If you have never been I would highly recommend it. We are absolutely going back.

When choosing somewhere new I tend to like places which will be quiet, or we go at times when we expect it to be quiet.

Being Visually Impaired I tend to rely on others to read my menu. Or I will look at the menu before we go so I know what I want. I did that with Moose Coffee, I saw the pancakes and knew that’s what I wanted.

It was nice to catch up with my friend and spend some time with them. I need to try do this more because it makes me happy. Doing more of the things you love gives you energy. I enjoyed my day. It was great to catch up and we did some shopping as well.

If I have not said already, you should go.

This week I am just relaxing and I am off to London on Friday to visit my brother. I am really looking forward to it.

Anyway, I am off now because I am tired thinking about those pancakes.

See you soon.
Philippa B. 

Enjoy the Sunshine Responsibly

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Hello all,

The past few day have been rather hot. When the weather is like this it can be quite nice for a short period of time. However because we are not used to it in the UK the temperatures can be very uncomfortable.

Our houses are not designed for keeping cool. They are designed to stay warm. Which is not ideal when the thermometer is saying 45 degrees C outside.

During the hotter months of the year it is important that we stay cool and look after ourselves in the heat.
It is nice to be outside but we need to enjoy the hear responsibly.

If you have a heart condition it is especially important to take care of yourself. The British Heart Foundation has some amazing resources on their website. Remember to stay hydrated, drinking plenty of water. You should also wear a hat and spend time in the shade.

If you keep your curtains pulled closed during the day you will stop the heat from warming your house. This is probably why in warmer countries they have small windows and shutters. To keep the heat out.

Anyway that’s it from me, I am far too warm and I have just had some lunch meaning I am now rather tired.

Enjoy the sun, but be sensible.

Philippa B.

A thermometer outside in the sun showing 41 degree C.

Busses and Cycle Lanes

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Hello All,

I hope you are well.

The topic for todays blog is around street layouts.
Normally I get the train to work, however the other week I had to get the bus.

When getting off I was unaware that I was getting off onto a small area of pavement which divided the main road and a new cycle lane. This meant that when I stepped off there was only enough room for single file people to walk on. If you use a guide cane and do not know that there is a cycle lane a few feet in front of you, you are not safe.

The reason you are not safe is that the pavement you have to walk across does not have adequate tactile paving.

Tactile paving exists to tell a Blind or Visually Impaired Person that there is a a curb, a step, or any change in their surroundings coming up which they should be aware of. 

Given that there is only tactile paving on the zebra crossing between the island of pavement and normal pavement, divided by a cycle lane, this is not safe at all.

See photo below of a crossing with a tactile paving then a cycle lane, then a small strip of pavement to get onto a bus. Notice in the photo the bus does not need to stop near the tactile paving.

Cycle lane


Blind and Visually Impaired People have tried to raise concerns about these issues in the past and I wanted to write about my experience with this.

Whilst I understand cyclists need somewhere safe to access the roads this should not be at the expense of Disabled Peoples safety. I cannot begin to image how wheelchair users navigate this issue.

I love that we have more green alternative to travel by making cycling more accessible. It will allow more people to maybe feel like cycling is an alternative option for them. Meaning less cars on the road, meaning less pollution and greener city spaces.

It would be good to hear if you are Disabled and have had similar issues to the ones I have described above.

Thank you,
Philippa.

Please take a look at the following article which addresses concerns from RNIB regarding New Street designs to encourage more cycling and walking https://www.rnib.org.uk/more-cycling-and-walking-good-as-long-as-streets-are-accessible

Please take a look at Street Design Guidance from Guide Dogs https://www.guidedogs.org.uk/about-us/what-we-do/research/policy-and-guidance-for-businesses/street-design-guidance-for-local-authorities/