RANDOM ACT OF KINDNESS ADVENTURE 2015 ~ Week 4

This Friday is the last Random Act Of Kindness week in the series of four for 2015, hosted by the lovely Betsy at My Five Men.

This week I have not been in the position to display a significant RAK because I have been quite busy with bus driving, helping a lady friend gardening on Wednesday and of course looking after baby Peter today and tomorrow.

However, there are three little ones which might add up to a whole. I hope.

One is almost a carbon copy of last week. On Monday whilst driving the bus I was scheduled to pick up a 90 year old lady from an opticians. When I arrived at 12 am at reception, asking for her the receptionist said she had already gone and was worried about how she was going to get home so they rang for a taxi.  She had forgotten she had booked Dial-a-Ride for the return journey and they said she was getting very absent minded.  They were most apologetic and asked me for some leaflets and application forms for our service, which was nice.  On my way home I called in to see if she had got home safely but this time there was no-one there, so I rang the office and they had not heard anything either so they rang her to see if she was ok and I am pleased to say she was. Naturally I was a bit concerned but there was nothing more I could do personally as she obviously did not hear the front door bell.

Also, whilst waiting for a passenger at a supermarket an elderly gentleman stopped me and asked me about our service and said he could do with us next week.  I said, "No problem, sit in the car out of the cold and I will explain everything to you - if you fill in this application form I will take it to the office and fast track it through for you and then as a member you can just ring the office and book the ride." Needless to say he was a happy bunny.

Today, a nice neighbour knocked on my door and I invited her in to see Peter.  She said she and her husband were going on holiday for three weeks, would I look after her house and make sure all the mail and newspapers are put out of sight.  I usually do this for them every year.  I have their key and they have mine just in case I lock myself out . . . 

Today a lovely act of kindness was shown by a good blogging pal, Penny at Alias Jinksy to grandson Peter.  She crocheted a beautiful blanket for him, shown here.  Thank you Penny, you are very kind.

And here is the proud owner, sitting in Grandpa's chair with his cuddle blanket.  I'll be posting about him again soon.


I enjoyed these RAK weeks and reading about kindnesses shown by my fellow blogging friends.


I am linking up with Betsy's RAK week 4 post HERE

RANDOM ACT OF KINDNESS ADVENTURE 2015 Week 3

This is the third RAK week, hosted by Betsy at My Five Men.

I have had few opportunities this week for any RAK activity but fortunately I was able to do two last week, plus a little one this week.

During my Dial-a-Ride job on Monday afternoon, I noticed an elderly lady I was scheduled to pick up, not there from a bus stop near our local Post Office.  This could have meant either someone else had picked her up and not let me know or she had decided earlier that morning she was staying at home and forgot to let the office know.  We always get a little concerned when one of our passengers is missing because in a way we are responsible for them and we all care about their well-being and would hate to see them stranded somewhere. This uncertainty caused me to wonder and worry a little so I drove to her house and knocked on her door.  She was surprised to see me and said she had decided not to go out that morning and had omitted to let the office know.

She seemed genuinely appreciative of my concern and I was rewarded with a cup of tea and a piece of cake, remarking I was one of her favourite drivers.  There is nothing special about me I can assure you and I still do things which are wrong sometimes, which makes me sad ~ conversely a RAK to someone makes one feel glad.

I have been looking on-line for examples of RAKs and found some really good ones.  However, I found a truly inspirational example on you tube, which I think captures the spirit of what this is all about.  So I thought this week I would share it with you.  This guy has a heart of gold, and she is truly deserving so it worked out well for both of them.



Of course not everyone can afford to give $500 and the amount does not really matter ~ it is the thought that counts and the kindness can be given in so many non monetary ways. 

However, that $500 probably did not mean a great deal to that kind guy, but it meant so much for her.

Yes, the Lord is good, he really is, just as she said.

Now, did you all do a cartwheel after your RAK ?  . . .  lol

Link your RAK to Betsy so others can share and you can read and comment on their stories.  Press HERE to register your link at the bottom of Betsy's post.

RANDOM ACT OF KINDNESS ADVENTURE 2015 WEEK 2

Welcome to the second RUK week, hosted by our own lovely Betsy at My Five Men.  The idea of Random Acts Of Kindness is to spread a little love to anyone by treating them to a gift or a service ~ Betsy suggests several ideas HERE.  Last week was very successful with an encouraging number of friends participating, showing kindnesses in a variety of ways.  At the foot of Betsy's post we are invited to link back to our own RAK post so we can read participating friends' posts, HERE.

This week I was fortunate to help two people, both during the course of my voluntary Dial-a-Ride driving, or relating to it.

The first RAK concerned an elderly lady who I took to a doctor's surgery.  She was a little late coming out from her appointment and I was getting a rather concerned the delay might mean my late arrival at a Nursing Home to pick up two people, a lady and a gent, both visiting their respective spouses.  As it turned out the lady emerged from her appointment and I helped her into the bus, explaining I would be picking up two more passengers on the way.  She held her chemist prescription and was rather concerned that she would not be able to get it to a chemist.  I said I would deliver it to a pharmacy on the way after we collected the others and to ask for it to be delivered to her.  I picked up the other passengers and then reached the chemist, leaving all three in the bus.  A very nice lady pharmacist said she could make up the prescription in just two minutes and was surprised I could remember the lady's address.  Anyway I managed to give the lady her prescription and got them all home.

My second RAK centred on a ladies hairdresser salon in town.  I had got to know two very nice ladies who owned the salon, Lizzie and Nickie. Every week I took an 85 year old lady to the salon and over the weeks and months I got to know them and we are good friends.  This week I explained about RAKs and asked how much they charged for a lady's shampoo and set and they said around £20 so I said I would like to donate that amount anonymously to pay for someone they might have in mind deserving a free hair appointment. Lizzie in particular had tears in her eyes and said she knew the exact person who could use this gesture. The lady she had in mind had drawn the short straw all through her life and in fact had a dreadful time in terms of nearly all aspects of her life and her daughter had tried to take her own life a while ago.  I was very touched when she was telling me this.

I called in the other day with baby Peter, as I do sometimes when they are not busy.  Lizzie explained that the lady was totally gob-smacked saying she could not believe anyone would do something like that for her in this day and age and it had caused her to restore her faith that there was at least some good still in this world.  Lizzie, in fact broke down crying and put her hand on my shoulder saying, "God will repay you when you get to Heaven, Ed".  I then learned that she is a believer, which gladdened my heart.

I am almost ashamed to say I did get an inner glow that I had helped someone, albeit in a small way.

RANDOM ACTS OF KINDNESS 2015 ADVENTURE Week 1

Each year my good friend Betsy at My Five Men runs a Random Act Of Kindness Adventure where RAKs are posted on a Friday once a week for a month, and we are encouraged to spread a little kindness and treat someone in a special way with a little love, totally out of the blue.  It is a wonderful idea to make someone happy and brighten their day.

This year, 2015, the first RAK is scheduled for 13 Feb, followed by 20th Feb, 27th Feb and 6th March.  For examples of RAKs Betsy has listed many suggestions on her blog.  If any reader of mine would like to participate . . . see HERE for the suggestions and the instructions about linking blogs to share what we have done, to inspire each other.



Week 1
We have a saying here in England that a Friday 13th is unlucky for some, in fact at the boarding school I attended the ghost of it's founder was rumoured to haunt the school, roaming the dormitories, thus frightening all the new little boys, including myself once.

I hope this Friday 13th is a lucky one for some and it puts a smile on people's faces. 

My first Random Act Of Kindness is to an 18 year old Rumanian girl with two young children.  I am not the only one in my town helping her, there are several of us, and it is not just this week ~ it is continuous. 

Anna is a delightful young lady, likeable, intelligent and very friendly, but she is in rather difficult financial circumstances until she is able to find a job, and before she can find one she needs some education.  She is determined and trying her best to improve her life and is learning to read and write, assisted by a retired teacher who actually taught both my son and daughter.   I had lunch with the teacher today in fact.

While studying, Anna sells newspapers, called "The Big Issue", on the High Street for £2.50.  She gets up at the crack of dawn, leaves her two children with her mother, calls in and queues to buy her papers, taking a chance that she can sell them all ~ if not she loses money.  Then she faces a long journey by bus to my home town where three days a week she is out in all weathers selling her papers, and then of course she faces the journey back where her work starts again with the children.  

Several of us just give her the £2.50 so she can sell the paper to someone else ~ if we can afford it we give her more. Also people give her nappies and things for her children, including clothes and toys, and food. People like her and she usually sells out of her papers, and returns home with a little hope in her soul.  

Eventually she hopes to get a well paid job when she gains some qualifications.  I admire her immensely for her attitude and her willingness to work hard to better her life and it is a pleasure to give her something now and then when I can afford it.

Once a month our church organises a Parish Meal for widows and widowers and anyone else who wants to come along. As a widower I always attend and it is run by a very good Christian friend of mine, Pat, who also runs the residential care home where my wife used to work.  Anna is always invited to the meal and we take turns to pay for her meal.

So it is not just me showing Anna RAKs ~ several of us do so and it is on-going.

Anna shows great interest in my grandson, Peter, and I was quite touched this Christmas when she handed me a Christmas Card from her and her family.

My next RAK for week 2 will be  shown on Friday 20th February.

Please link back to Betsy HERE 
To see what she and others participating have been up to click on the links set up at the foot of her post and read the comments.