Hi there folks and loyal readers. I think I should give up a hobby or two. I'm trying to learn how to draw with crayon (believe me, it looks awesome if you can pull it off), write short stories and children's stories, bake for local cafes and set up child care for next year (that's me providing the care, not requiring it). I also have some other stuff going on, and there's not much time for blogging. Anyway, here's the next seven:
165: I went over to sit with my friend's son because her father in-law got hurt and had to go to the hospital. It was pretty easy, considering he was asleep and I had a book, but she still appreciated it and I'm so glad I was able to help them out.
166: I donated two dollars for the Tim Hortons Camp Day.
167: I handed out cookies at the park again. There were seven children in total and four parents who shared in my homemade oatmeal cookies. Next time I'll take more because I didn't get any.....
168: The kids and I took some of the leftover cookies (saved at home) to our favourite bus driver. He used to drive our regular bus, but due to seniority and preferences and all the rest, he hasn't been able to get this route for a year now. So we occasionally knock on bus windows at the terminal to find him and give him baked goods or home grown tomatoes.
169: I took care of the mail for a neighbour who was going away for a couple of days.
170: I bought a CD from a local musician a while back, to support local talent. I really enjoyed the music so I made sure I told him. He seemed genuinely surprised that I would seek him out to tell him that, but he was also pleased. He thanked me again for buying it in the first place.
171: I scraped some dog poop off the sidewalk. Most people pick up after their pets in this neighbourhood, but there are the odd few who don't. This particular pile was on the sidewalk where over fifty kids catch school buses every day. I thought it best for everyone if it was gone, so I got my rubber gloves and started scraping. I also poured some soap on it and hosed it off, just to be sure. I don't want it coming into my house on the bottom of shoes.....
172: Continuing the spirit of community, rather than pick up dog poop, today I cleaned up a broken beer bottle on the same corner. A rather misbehaved child smashed it when he got off the bus the other day, and in addition to being rude and irresponsible, it also puts all the younger children at risk with a broken pile of glass by the school bus area. So I cleaned it up.
Wednesday 26 June 2013
Kindnesses 160-164
Just for the record, I hate anything technology-related. Computers top the list. My computer specifically.
Moving on:
160: I donated food to the local food drive. I even picked food on sale so I could donate more of it.
161: I tipped the girl at the coffee shop and was especially polite to her, because she looked like she'd seen better days. I hope it made her a little happier in the end. I remember being a coffee shop worker and having nice customers make my day a bit easier. Eight hours can be a very long time behind a cash register...
162: I took the kids to pick up garbage on the side of the road. It was fun and lots of people honked at us. A few even gave us thumbs up and shouted things, although I couldn't understand them. I choose to believe they were nice things. Maybe they thought we had community service.
163: I moved Heaven and Earth in the past few weeks to ensure I could go with J on his class trip to the zoo. This was the day of the trip. I had to organize a speedy police check, a babysitter for E and a lunch that wouldn't spoil in the heat, not to mention packing a very full bag in a way that wouldn't make J tired to carry it all day. I also carried one of the other kids bags for half the day because he brought bricks to the zoo. Not really, but two bottle of water and four bottles of juice is almost the same thing.....
164: We took some homemade cookies to our favourite bus driver today. He was driving a bus we weren't going on, so we had to run to his window and run back to our bus, but the cookies were successfully delivered. J even warned him that, "these ones aren't as good but it's something, right" That's a direct quote. Why do I bother?
Moving on:
160: I donated food to the local food drive. I even picked food on sale so I could donate more of it.
161: I tipped the girl at the coffee shop and was especially polite to her, because she looked like she'd seen better days. I hope it made her a little happier in the end. I remember being a coffee shop worker and having nice customers make my day a bit easier. Eight hours can be a very long time behind a cash register...
162: I took the kids to pick up garbage on the side of the road. It was fun and lots of people honked at us. A few even gave us thumbs up and shouted things, although I couldn't understand them. I choose to believe they were nice things. Maybe they thought we had community service.
163: I moved Heaven and Earth in the past few weeks to ensure I could go with J on his class trip to the zoo. This was the day of the trip. I had to organize a speedy police check, a babysitter for E and a lunch that wouldn't spoil in the heat, not to mention packing a very full bag in a way that wouldn't make J tired to carry it all day. I also carried one of the other kids bags for half the day because he brought bricks to the zoo. Not really, but two bottle of water and four bottles of juice is almost the same thing.....
164: We took some homemade cookies to our favourite bus driver today. He was driving a bus we weren't going on, so we had to run to his window and run back to our bus, but the cookies were successfully delivered. J even warned him that, "these ones aren't as good but it's something, right" That's a direct quote. Why do I bother?
Friday 14 June 2013
The next seven
Wow, I'm sorry it's been a whole week. I didn't know time could slip away quite that fast, but here are the last seven. And as a fitting bonus, at the end I'll prove that karma is real and this is paying off. As an aside: I jot these down every day, so I'm not writing from memory here. I'm being eaten alive by sticky notes, actually.....
153: I returned the bins for our neighbour, who used our lawn for garbage collecting. Then I delivered some more bins to their houses, possibly saving them from the construction machines that have taken over our neighbourhood.
154: I donated a couple of dollars and some cans of food to the local food drive at the grocery store.
155: I took some old books to the library, so they can sell them and buy new books. I don't know why they don't just put the books in good condition on the shelves, but I guess some people like to do things the hard way....
156: I baked some cookies and muffins and delivered them around the neighbourhood with the kids. With the rainy weather, we needed a good excuse to get out.
157: I took E to the park and gave out some more cookies to mommies and kids.
158: J is grounded. Yes, he's six, but he's grounded all the same for a week. Don't ask. We had to stay home today, so I emailed an old friend and got back in touch. We live pretty close now, but I haven't seen her since high school. I wrote about my favourite memories when we were best friends and arranged to get together soon.
159: Our neighbours have free use of our driveway for the next week or so, because the trucks are digging right in front of their house for the next while and this way they don't have to park on the road.
That's seven. Here's a funny little story about karma: Last week I helped the neighbour clean the house out for the new tenants moving in next door. I washed the windows. Every time I pass those windows I notice how shiny they are, but that's not the point. To thank me, she left a gift card for the Beer Store in our mailbox yesterday. My husband and I don't drink, but the gesture was very sweet. So here we were wondering what to do with this Beer Card when a coworker of my husband gave him a whole bunch of fishing gear today, to help him start fishing. So we are using the gift card given to me for helping someone out to buy a present for someone who helped out my husband. I for one think it's pretty neat, although I tend to appreciate the small things......
153: I returned the bins for our neighbour, who used our lawn for garbage collecting. Then I delivered some more bins to their houses, possibly saving them from the construction machines that have taken over our neighbourhood.
154: I donated a couple of dollars and some cans of food to the local food drive at the grocery store.
155: I took some old books to the library, so they can sell them and buy new books. I don't know why they don't just put the books in good condition on the shelves, but I guess some people like to do things the hard way....
156: I baked some cookies and muffins and delivered them around the neighbourhood with the kids. With the rainy weather, we needed a good excuse to get out.
157: I took E to the park and gave out some more cookies to mommies and kids.
158: J is grounded. Yes, he's six, but he's grounded all the same for a week. Don't ask. We had to stay home today, so I emailed an old friend and got back in touch. We live pretty close now, but I haven't seen her since high school. I wrote about my favourite memories when we were best friends and arranged to get together soon.
159: Our neighbours have free use of our driveway for the next week or so, because the trucks are digging right in front of their house for the next while and this way they don't have to park on the road.
That's seven. Here's a funny little story about karma: Last week I helped the neighbour clean the house out for the new tenants moving in next door. I washed the windows. Every time I pass those windows I notice how shiny they are, but that's not the point. To thank me, she left a gift card for the Beer Store in our mailbox yesterday. My husband and I don't drink, but the gesture was very sweet. So here we were wondering what to do with this Beer Card when a coworker of my husband gave him a whole bunch of fishing gear today, to help him start fishing. So we are using the gift card given to me for helping someone out to buy a present for someone who helped out my husband. I for one think it's pretty neat, although I tend to appreciate the small things......
Friday 7 June 2013
Kindnesses 149-152
I apologize for the delay in posting, but I think my computer hates me more than I hate it. While I am able to use it, I will update you on my last four acts of kindness.
149: I went to the house next door because the tenants moved out (were evicted with police assistance, actually) and the landlord (landlady?) was cleaning. I imagined the house was in quite a state, because they had three big dogs that never got out and I went to offer to help with the cleaning. My husband stayed home from work that day and E was napping and J was at school, so I cleaned windows and walls and door knobs and sinks for a couple of hours. She was very appreciative (such a nice change) and gave me all the "easy jobs." I will go over again if I have the chance while she's there. As a side note, she mowed our front lawn that same day, but I didn't ask her to. It was refreshing to meet someone so positive in general, but I wasn't expecting a favour in return.
150: I gave someone bus fare, because she got on the bus and found out she'd left her wallet at home. Anyone familiar with Peterborough buses knows that would mean waiting another forty minutes for the next bus if she had to go get it, so I just gave her the change. She took it readily, but wasn't at all grateful. She didn't say thank you or even acknowledge me, really, until J informed her loudly that it's only "appropriate to thank someone when they're nice to you please, lady." That's a direct quote from my six-year old. She turned red and sat down, but she seemed to be having a bad day anyhow, so I wasn't offended that she didn't appreciate it.
151: It was raining all day today, so there wasn't much chance to get out. I still managed to deliver some baking to my neighbour, who always appreciates banana bread.
152: Today was garbage day with a twist. There is construction on our street and the other side of the street is dug up. I offered some neighbours across the street the use of our lawn for garbage and recycling pick up, since our side is still intact. I also offered the use of half of our driveway if they can't use their own, and gave away some very delicious, homemade peanut butter cookies.
149: I went to the house next door because the tenants moved out (were evicted with police assistance, actually) and the landlord (landlady?) was cleaning. I imagined the house was in quite a state, because they had three big dogs that never got out and I went to offer to help with the cleaning. My husband stayed home from work that day and E was napping and J was at school, so I cleaned windows and walls and door knobs and sinks for a couple of hours. She was very appreciative (such a nice change) and gave me all the "easy jobs." I will go over again if I have the chance while she's there. As a side note, she mowed our front lawn that same day, but I didn't ask her to. It was refreshing to meet someone so positive in general, but I wasn't expecting a favour in return.
150: I gave someone bus fare, because she got on the bus and found out she'd left her wallet at home. Anyone familiar with Peterborough buses knows that would mean waiting another forty minutes for the next bus if she had to go get it, so I just gave her the change. She took it readily, but wasn't at all grateful. She didn't say thank you or even acknowledge me, really, until J informed her loudly that it's only "appropriate to thank someone when they're nice to you please, lady." That's a direct quote from my six-year old. She turned red and sat down, but she seemed to be having a bad day anyhow, so I wasn't offended that she didn't appreciate it.
151: It was raining all day today, so there wasn't much chance to get out. I still managed to deliver some baking to my neighbour, who always appreciates banana bread.
152: Today was garbage day with a twist. There is construction on our street and the other side of the street is dug up. I offered some neighbours across the street the use of our lawn for garbage and recycling pick up, since our side is still intact. I also offered the use of half of our driveway if they can't use their own, and gave away some very delicious, homemade peanut butter cookies.
Kindnesses 146, 147 and 148
146: I let J have a friend over for the whole afternoon, which was a kindness to both him and his friend. It also helped out his friend's mom because she had to work on the weekend, so it gave her less to worry about knowing he was here having fun.
147: I made a really special dinner for my boys today. It hit me that one of the most fun dinners is also one of the healthiest. I cooked up some spicy beef and chopped up some veggies and we had tacos. J and E designed their own, which made quite a mess. It was really fun though, and instead of complaining about eating vegetables, J piled lettuce, carrots and cheese on his taco shell and couldn't wait to have seconds. I think I'll make it a weekly affair. It counts as a kindness because I think it's important for the people you love the most to get the best of you. And vegetables. They need vegetables too.
148: Since I dedicated 146 to J, 148 is for E. I took him to the park for a special day with Mommy while J was at school. We had a picnic and splashed in the water, climbed some tree stumps (his legs aren't long enough for whole trees yet) and made some friends. I also brought along a load of homemade granola bars to share (nut-free, of course) among the other families there, in case anyone thinks I'm getting lazy about my kindnesses.
147: I made a really special dinner for my boys today. It hit me that one of the most fun dinners is also one of the healthiest. I cooked up some spicy beef and chopped up some veggies and we had tacos. J and E designed their own, which made quite a mess. It was really fun though, and instead of complaining about eating vegetables, J piled lettuce, carrots and cheese on his taco shell and couldn't wait to have seconds. I think I'll make it a weekly affair. It counts as a kindness because I think it's important for the people you love the most to get the best of you. And vegetables. They need vegetables too.
148: Since I dedicated 146 to J, 148 is for E. I took him to the park for a special day with Mommy while J was at school. We had a picnic and splashed in the water, climbed some tree stumps (his legs aren't long enough for whole trees yet) and made some friends. I also brought along a load of homemade granola bars to share (nut-free, of course) among the other families there, in case anyone thinks I'm getting lazy about my kindnesses.
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