Treat for Valentine's Day 2021

 

What can we do on Valentine's Day to have that little extra to enjoy the spirit of love?

So here we'll give you a culinary idea how you can spoil yourself and your loved ones.

 

Chocolate Fondue.

A bit messy sometimes, but a lot of fun and extremely yummy. Lots of calories though. But what … It's Valentine's Day.

What do you should know…

1. The better the quality chocolate bars, the better the taste. Chocolate chips do not work well for this. You can mix milk chocolate and bitter chocolate to you liking.

2. Make sure the fondue pot, and all dishes the chocolate might come in contact with, are absolutely dry and free of any water, since water will change the consistency of the chocolate and ruin the fondue.

3. Fresh fruit is fun: strawberries, blackberries, raspberries, bananas, apples – basically any fresh fruit you like and you can get hold of. You might want to cut fruit like banana in slice of approx. 0.5 inch. You may as well use dried fruit like apricots, etc.

4. Cookies or even white bread, if it is not too soft, also cut in approx. 0.5 in cubes can be served.

What do you need for 4 servings…

1. 400 g chocolate semisweet chocolate (or bitter, if you like), chopped into small pieces

2. 200 gmilk chocolate, chopped into small pieces

3. 200 – 30 ml  whole milk (depending on thickness preference, I use 1/2 cup)

4. 1 and 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter (optional, if you prefer a more mellow chocolate flavor)

5. 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

6. 1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt

7. 500 g fruit

How you prepare the fondue …

1.  Prepare all of the ingredients/treats you will be dipping in the fondue. The preparation of the fondue takes only very little time, so you want to have all the treats and skewers (if using) ready!
   

2. For the fondue, use a small bowl and combine the chocolate, 1/2 cup milk (or cream), and butter (if you want) and melt gently in a barely simmering water bath.
   

3. Stir until completely smooth.
   

4. Add more milk if desired. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla and salt.
   

5. Serve the warm fondue immediately with whatever you've chosen to dip into it.
   

6. If the fondue gets too thick (or starts to harden), reheat in the bowl in barely simmering water until it's melted and smooth again.

Now sit down and enjoy!!

 

And just in case you want to share with others, you are welcome to share this post, and even share some Valentine's spirit using the Donation button 😉

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World Braille Day - 04 January

Braille is not a language. Braille is a tactile reading and writing system that is used by blind and visually impaired people and was named after its creator, Louis Braille.

Braille is very important to the lives of visually impaired people, because the ability to read and write in braille opens the door to literacy, intellectual freedom, equal opportunity, and personal security. Even though Braille is mainly used by blind or deafblind people, teachers, parents and others who are not visually impaired tend to read Braille by sight rather than by touch. 

Louis Braille, who became blind at the age of 5 years after an accident and a subsequent infection of his eyes, was an educator and the inventor of a system of reading and writing for the blind or visually impaired. His system, simply known as "braille", remains basically unchanged until today. Braille was inspired by the military cryptography of Charles Barbier and built a new method specifically designed for the needs of the blind. He presented his work to his peers for the first time in 1824.

Braille developed a code for the French alphabet. He published his system in 1829. The second revision, published in 1837, was the first small binary form of writing developed in the modern era. Braille's system was not used much in education until, many years after his death, it was recognized as a revolutionary invention, and it has been adapted for use in different languages.

The Braille System consist of raised dots. The basic braille alphabet, braille numbers, braille punctuation and special symbols characters are made up from six dots in a "cell". Picture the side of a dice with the number 6. Three dots each in a grid of two parallel vertical lines are the basic setup for braille. Different combinations of the dots represent different letters, numbers, and symbols. Nowadays, the braille system includes also  mathematics and scientific characters, music, computer notation and foreign languages. 

Blind and visually impaired people communicate via braille in various ways.  Most known probably is "reading" braille with one's fingers and writing by means of manual braille machines which resemble old-fashioned typewriters - just with only 6 keys - and "emboss" the dots. Today braille writing devices come in a vast variety: from old-school slate and stylus approaches to electronic braillers with built-in screen and speaker that provide instant visual and audio feedback. "Braille printers" are more accurately referred to as "braille embossers", since they render text as tactile braille cells, and therefore require heavyweight paper that won't be punctured by the embossing pins. In general, braille also requires more pages for the same amount of information compared to regular paper print with ink. 

Modern technology also offers options like braille readers/keyboards for computers as well as applications for reading and writing braille even on smartphones.

 

 

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Good Bye 2020, Hello 2021

We don't really know what we can expect from this coming year, but maybe from the experience we gained during 2020, together we can keep up our vision for a better future and move further ahead. For some of us, I also wish that we can get out of our - also emotional - isolation and use whatever is in our power to stay connected with our families, friends and other people around us who care about us.

Even though everything was basically very limited for most of us, the Malta Society of the Blind kept working behind the scenes for the blind and visually impaired in the Maltese society. And some nice things happened, which we hope will continue and extend in 2021.

Let's just mention a few highlights:


MSB in the Comunity
The committee officers have been in touch with the members many more times than before.
Calls for assistance, guidance or buying of talking gadgets increased this last year; all this to the members and to all other blind/visually impaired persons requesting our attention.


MSB in the Media
Besides Facebook, we have been live on the radio and TV stations.
In near future, on Tuesday 4th January 2021, one of the officers will be on TVM on "Illum ma' Steph" at about 5.30pm and on "Popolin" at about 7.30pm.


The Banknote of the Senses. Touch with your eyes, look with your hands.
The Central Bank of Malta gave MSB members the oportunity to have a "hands-on" experience with this exciting book for blind/visually impaired people and will order a copy to be available in Malta.


Xmas Activities
Xmas 2020 had to be different, without the usual Xmas Lunch. Therefore MSB organized a Raffle for its members and their families/friends to keep the spirit of the season up. The draw of the raffle will be on 20th January 2021.


Fundraising
MSB got quite a nice amount of donations, also via PayPal generated through an unusual video, specifically produced for MSB by a German YouTuber.
MSB needs your help to keep up with the expenses mainly postage, stationery and printing resulting from our activities.



Happy New Year
and
Stay Safe! 

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Santa came from Germany. What was in his bag?

Santa came from Germany. In his bag: "The Maltese Falcon" in 11 minutes. Playmobil-ized video version (with English subtitles) of the famous crime novel by Dashiell Hammett, produced by the popular German YouTuber Michael Sommer. 

With this video Michael supports our fundraising via PayPal which started this month.
Please share with your friends.

Michael Sommer is a philologist, dramaturg and creator of "Sommers Weltliteratur to go" [English charnel: "Sommer's World Literature to go"], and winner of the Grimme Online Award 2018.

 

 

@sommersworldliterature @sommersweltliteratur #sommersweltliteraturtogo @maltasb #maltasocietyoftheblind

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Don't Miss This on 20th December at 8pm

Ġulbiena – A Radio Panto in the Dark

 

By Teatru Malta

Time:    8PM

Date:    20th December 2020

Location:   XFM
                   Calypso

                   Magic Malta 

                   Malta's Heart

 

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Merry Xmas 2020

 

 Dear Member / Friend,

This year has been a very difficult one for everybody, but most so for the blind/visually impaired persons. Many refrained from attending the Day Centre and many were unable to be taken out for a walk or sit on their porch and talk to all passers by. All had to wear the mask which made it so much painful. And we had to live with the thought that the risk for us to get the virus because of our intrinsic vulnerability was at a high rating. The Society had to refrain from organizing get together groups, outings, the Annual General Meeting and above all had to cancel the Christmas/New Year buffet lunch.

The committee has been busy in making contacts with many of you and assisting you where at all possible; giving advice and getting talking gadgets from UK for all but especially newly blind persons, etc. 

We had to boost your morale somehow this Christmas. We are therefore organizing a raffle with so many gifts for the winners. This will help us to renew our contacts and get to talking with each other again. It will unite us again as a group who believe in giving support to each other, whoever you are and whatever the disability that you have.
So we encourage you to join in and participate, speak to your friends and share your love with each other.

At the same time we remind you to please not forget to renew your membership.
You will get two raffle tickets for your Eur 10 membership. You can get more tickets for your self or for your friends at Eur 5 each.
You can find more information in our Raffle post.

We take this opportunity to give you our love and a big hug for Christmas.
Yours sincerely,

The Committee,
The Malta Society of the Blind.

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Malta Society of the Blind - Xmas Raffle

 

The Malta Society of the Blind will have a New Year's Raffle for their members as well as families and friends of members.

 

What is in the raffle?

1    Espresso machine	|        6    Mini pandoro
1    Toaster	|        4    Mini pandoro
1    Cup level indicator	|        1    Paper money detector
1    Cup level indicator	|        1    Women’s watch
1    Cup level indicator	|        1    Man’s watch
4    Mulled wine	|        1    Man’s watch
5    Proseco/Spumante	|      10    Mini Panettone
4    Proseco/Spumante	|        8    Mini Panettone
4    Gluten free Pandoro	|        6    Gluten free Pandoro
6    Marrons Glaces	|        3    Assorted toffee jars
1    Christmas tin set	|        4    pkts Farsons soft drinks
€40  Car petrol/diesel	|        1    Chivas Rigal whisky
€30  Car petrol/diesel	|        2    Wine bottles
€30  Car petrol/diesel	|        2    Wine bottles
€30  Car petrol/diesel	|        2    Wine bottles

What are the conditions?

The conditions are as follows:

1. Those who pay the EUR 10.00 fee for a new or renewed membership will receive two (2) tickets for the raffle.
2. Additional tickets can be bought by members and non-members for EUR 5.00 per ticket.
3. The raffle will be until 15th January 2021.
4. Fees for membership and tickets are to be paid by cheque to
   
        Malta Society of the Blind
        81 Brighella Street
        Santa Venera SVR 1135
   
   
5. Persons need to phone Ms Grace Tirchett at +356 21665247 after sending in the cheque in order to be given/select their tickets.
   Please note that tickets will not be sent out by mail, just registered with Ms Grace Tirchett.
   

 

 

Good luck! 

 

The Malta Society of the Blind

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White Cane Day Celebration 2020

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

White Cane Day 2020 is different... 

 

Talk instead of Walk.  

We do not see the White Cane Day walk this year, but its message is nevertheless present. 

For many years, the Malta Society of the Blind (MSB) together with the Malta Guide Dog Foundation (MGDF), which was founded by the Malta Society for the Blind (MSB), the Gozo Aid for the Visually Impaired (GAVI) and the Torball Society for the Blind, organized  a walk through Valletta's Republic Street. A group of visually impaired persons walking with their white canes or guide dogs to mark the International White Cane Day, aimed to create more public awareness for the obstacles blind or partially sighted people are facing in their daily life and striving for more solutions to improve accessibility, integration and inclusion.

This is not only about more accessible infrastructure, which already saw some improvements over the last years, but it is also about understanding, acceptance and integration of VIP (Visually Impaired People) in social, educational and work environments.

This in mind, the two organizations, while constantly asking the authorities to provide solutions, give their advice in solution finding processes, and provide training in independent living skills including household tasks and inner city maneuvering.

This year, as gathering for the annual White Cane Day walk is not possible, MSB and MGDF want to take another route to and reach out and encourage more people to seek advice and learn skills for independent living.

 

Talk about White Cane

 And Orientation & Mobility  (O&M) Training 

During the O&M training, a professional O&M trainer will teach the blind or visually impaired various techniques to safely and independently orient themselves and move/travel around.

Learning to use the white cane is one aspect of the training.

One of MSB's members, who asked for this training, will - coincidentally - have her first lesson in the week of the White Cane Day. She would like to share her experience and impressions in an (audio) blog to help others to learn more about this kind of training and overcome potential hesitation to ask and learn new skills.  

Find the introduction (audio) post on SoundCloud (https://soundcloud.com/jutta-miroiu-dunker/sets/)
or on the  Malta Society of the Blind Facebook page. 

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