Blind man with a backpack - Chris and Guide Dog Chester

22/01/2026

I think Guide Dogs UK Chester is telling me he is a highly trained professional and wearing a stupid birthday rosette is way beneath his status. Especially considering he got absolutely soaked on the school run this afternoon.

Hardly the most appropriate way to celebrate a birthday. But all was forgivenn with his new hippo teddy from IKEA.

Anyway, Happy 4th birthday Chester!

Close up photo of Chester, a sunburst amber golden retriever x lab wearing a blue “it’s my birthday’ rosette and looking haughtily at the camera

15/01/2026

Happy 5th birthday to our big old gentle giant, Oswald

Image descriptions
1 Oswald, our light yellow golden retriever is laid on his be by the fire wearing a birthday rosette
2 As a puppy, Oswald has squished himself into a tiny cat bed
3 Oswald in his natural habitat - a huge muddy puddle
4 A closeup of Oswald with his chin rested on my knee as he looks at the camera with deep, soulful eyes as if he hasn’t eaten in weeks

13/01/2026

Check out Guide Dogs UK Chester skillfully navigating the troublesome ice.

Video filmed using GoPro with hand grip showing my sunburst amber gr x lab Chester walking along icy footpaths. I slip on some ice and then it shows us returning home on the same route and Chester picking a wider route to make sure we don’t slip and then we carry on our way.

11/01/2026

Exceptional customer service, or business as usual?

This type of support when trying to checkout really isn’t the usual experience and more often than I’d like, the behaviour of others pushing in front of us and assistants not being available are sadly the norm.

Massive thanks to the team at but such a shame that this is the exception rather than the rule

Video description: Starts with other customers pushing in front of Chester and I as we wait patiently for support at the self-checkout and then the assistant comes across to support, leading us to a free till and then supporting as we pay for our groceries. Finishes with Chester leading me out of the shop

07/01/2026

Chester absolutely adores the snow so rather than doing any work we decided to take advantage while it lasts and head over the woods for a free run.

He was so excited as we got closer to the field that we had to stop a few times to get him centred (and to remind him that, even though he was only on lead, I still had hold of the other end of the lead and was in danger of slipping on the snowy road). Once we got there though, his lead was off and he had a whale of a time rolling in the snow and then trotting through the woods.

It can be tricky to know whether it is safe to take the dog out in such cold temperatures but Chester is perfectly built for these conditions with his thick retriever top coat and waterproof Labrador undercoat but even so, as soon as we got home he had a thorough dry-off and his paws cleaned just in case of any residual snow or salt from the roads.

As suspected, the snow has completely gone but we still need to be careful because anything remaining may well have turned to ice overnight so Chester will most definitely have to concentrate when we go out later.


Image descriptions
1. Chester, my sunburst amber GR x Lab is stood in a snowy woodland path looking back at the camera with mouth open wide in a cheeky grin
2.My long cane with hooked tip, almost invisible against the snow
3. A long snaking trail along a footpath from my cane, tracing the path we have been
4. Chester stood in a field flanked by trees with the winter sun poking through wispy clouds

03/01/2026

There are days when the world feels relentlessly loud.

So much of adapting to sight loss has been about sound — screen readers, audio descriptions, alerts, voices — all invaluable, but sometimes overwhelming when they arrive at once. Learning when to lean into that noise, and when to step away from it, has become part of daily life.

I’ve written a new blog post reflecting on auditory overload, adaptation, and the ongoing search for quiet in a world that rarely pauses.

I’d be really interested to hear from others — whether you live with sight loss, another disability, or simply the general noise of modern life — how do you find moments of calm when everything feels too much?

You can read the post here:
https://blindmanwithabackpack.uk/2026/01/02/auditory-overload/

Chris

A personal reflection on adapting to sight loss, auditory overload, and the ongoing search for quiet in a noisy world.

01/01/2026

30/12/2025

The art of the queue - Blind edition

30/12/2025

The art of the queue

26/12/2025

Merry Christmas all


Oswald and Chester sit calmly on the kitchen floor in front of a decorated Christmas tree. Oswald, the larger, lighter-coloured golden retriever, is on the left with his eyes closed, looking relaxed and content. Chester, the darker and slightly slimmer golden retriever, sits upright on the right, looking directly toward the camera with a calm, attentive expression. The tree behind them is decorated with warm white lights and a mix of ornaments, including a small blue TARDIS and festive decorations. The kitchen is bright and modern, with white cupboards to the left, a dark floor beneath them, and a dining chair beside Chester.