August 3, 2026 
The Pond Photo…
Hi Friends.
This morning’s walk was also a bit of an experiment! I was trying out my new lightweight, wide-brim sunhat to see if it would help stop some of the bright sunlight drilling straight into my retinas. It didn’t perform miracles, but it definitely made a small difference. When you’re registered blind, though, a small difference can be a massive improvement, so I came away really pleased with it.
I also attempted to take a photo of the pond with me standing in front of it wearing my new hat. As always, I have absolutely no idea how it turned out, but I’m hoping it came out alright! One unexpected bonus was that I seemed to get more friendly greetings than usual. I heard quite a few “Good morning!” and even a cheerful “Morning, mate!” Perhaps the new hat makes me look like a park ranger, lol! 🤣
My 2nd attempt at a Panorama…
I also had another go at taking a panorama this morning. After some helpful advice from my lovely Wife Sarah, I tucked my elbows into my sides and rotated my whole body instead of just moving my arms, hoping to keep the phone a little more level throughout the sweep. It certainly felt steadier, so I’ll let you be the judge of whether it made a difference! There was another encouraging moment on the walk too. I accidentally jolted my recovering knee a few times on some uneven ground, and each time I instinctively waited for the pain… but it never came. There was no pain during the walk and none afterwards either, which feels like another small but significant milestone on the road to recovery. Tomorrow, all being well, I’ll be attempting my first two-lap walk since the injury, so today’s outing has given me plenty of confidence that things are continuing to move in the right direction.
motivational Quote…
Never underestimate a small improvement. When you’re walking by faith instead of sight, even the smallest step forward can change the whole journey.
Let’s ‘FitBlitz’ 2026 Together! 💪🏼
iChristian 
Wonderful, Steve, that you had no pain while walking. The hat looks great. Those greeting you probably thought you looked approvable.
Thank you so much, Hazel! Thankfully the knee seems to be behaving itself at last, which is a real answer to prayer. As for the hat… perhaps it does have some hidden superpowers after all! 🤣 Either that, or people just thought, “He looks like he knows where the ducks are!” 🦆😂
Thank you again for your lovely encouragement. God bless you! 🙏
God bless you! It is my pleasure to encourage you.
Love the hat, Steve. Looks great! Similar to my Tilley hat. It’s not lightweight, but belonged to my dad. I wear it in honor of him. Blessings and glad that you’re doing well.
Thank you so much! That’s really special that your Tilley hat belonged to your dad. What a lovely way to remember him every time you wear it.
Mine is actually a Pro X, which is a much cheaper version that I bought as a bit of a trial run to see if a wide-brim hat would help with the bright sunlight. Now that I know it does make a difference, my long-term goal is to buy a genuine Tilley. This one is incredibly lightweight too, which is a big bonus as I overheat very easily! 😄
Blessings to you, and thank you again for your kind encouragement. 🙏😀
You’re welcome. Blessings back your way.
Hello Steve, nice to meet you. Thanks for stopping by my blog and leaving your comment. God bless you and keep you.
Hello Ellen! 😊
Thank you so much for your kind words and for stopping by my blog. It’s lovely to meet you too.
I’m glad we found each other’s blogs, and I look forward to reading more of your posts. May the Lord richly bless you as well and continue to strengthen and encourage you each day.
Have a wonderful week! 🙏