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.

SOON TO BE GRANDPA AGAIN

Today I am pleased to announce some wonderful news, which I have had to keep secret since Christmas ~ a very difficult thing for me to do because I am so excited about it. 

In mid August I am to be a grandpa again; this time to Selina's and Matt's baby. Selina is my beautiful daughter who is a school teacher.  

Peter is son to Jonathan, Selina's younger brother by 10 years, and Lisa.  So Peter will soon have a little baby cousin.  I told him today he must look after him/her.

August will be a very special month for us because Jon and Lisa are getting married, so not only will they be husband and wife, they will be aunt and uncle, all in August.

I took all five out for a meal today so Selina could break the good news to Jon and Lisa.  They were delighted and we celebrated in style.

I have a photo of the 12 week baby scan recently taken and the medical people seem very pleased with the progress of baby bump so far.

Here he/she is no doubt planning how he/she can twiddle grandpa round his/her little finger.

Meanwhile big cousin Peter goes from strength to strength. He is walking and running so I have to be on my toes on Thursdays and Fridays, when I look after him.

Here he is, having found an interesting cupboard in the kitchen.  He immediately started a stock taking audit ~ the nosey little thing . . . lol

Ah . . . he seemed particularly interested in those tins of baked beans and handed me one, making very enthusiastic noises.  So I duly obliged and he tucked into one of his favourite meals.  So he was soon full of beans.

Earlier in the day he was seated in his high chair after breakfast.

Doesn't that melt you hearts, ladies?

Here he is giving his Fireman Sam a little cuddle. Such an affectionate little boy.  Just prior to that he tried to feed Sam with a piece of apple.

I expect my dear departed wife, Maria, is looking down from heaven with a smile.  I am sure she sprinkled a little stardust into Peter's soul, and no doubt she is having a say in making Selina's baby a little beauty as well.  Nothing but the best for Maria.

And here are the proud soon to be parents, photographed on their wedding day in September 2013  when baby bump was just a twinkle in father's eye.

I am so proud of all of them and treat Lisa just like a daughter and Matt just like a son.  Matt's mother has three grand children by Matt's two brothers and she is looking forward to her fourth, parented by our respective children.  Sadly, she lost her husband six months after I lost Maria.

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.

BABY PETER RETURNS

Hi folks . . . 

It has been a while since baby Peter blessed me with his presence.  Many of you will know he and the whole family have been sick with this horrible flu. I am pleased to say that the entire family have recovered and today I heard a little ring of the doorbell, by Peter himself, and my heart jumped to see his beaming face and outstretched arms.  Altogether . . . awww!

The first thing I noticed was that he seems to be lighter somehow which means he is, or I am much stronger.

Anyway it was not long before he saw his favourite biscuits in the jar and made very enthusiastic sounds that he wanted some.. So I got his high chair, he switched the radio on, Classic FM no less, and sat him down to give him some and his breakfast.

He seems quite a bit more patient these days waiting for his meals and it looks rather like he is practising his piano technique on this one . . . lol

Yum . . . . he did enjoy his Cornflakes followed by Marmite on toast and cheese cubes and a beaker of milk. . . . . . and afterwards we had a little play with his favourite toys.

It belonged to his father, all those years ago and he loves me helping him to post 6 animals into their holes.  If I position them right he 'clobbers' them and they go in.

I said to him, "Peter, put the animals into the house".
I could see his little gearwheels going round and he promptly opened the door and put them all in . . . . . then he  closed the door and started laughing.  Oh I did laugh.

We then got another puzzle which is a bit easier, also his dad's when he was a baby.

He can manage the cylinder shape and the square and sometimes the triangular shape . . . but not the others yet.

Then I got him out of his chair, checked his nappy, and had a little play with him.  He still shuffles but can take a few unaided steps and I notice each time a little triumphant look on his face.

He made a beeline to the Tower I built for him and swiped it so hard at the base the pieces went all over the kitchen and he got all the pieces together and gestured me to build it again and he gleefully demolished it again.  I was rather surprised that once or twice he arranged the pieces so all the yellows were together, all the reds and all the blues.

A great day of fun, and I am pleased to report he was not sick ~ thank goodness.  He came to me when he was tired and put his head on my shoulder and fell asleep, and so did I for a while.  It is very therapeutic holding a sleeping baby, but eventually I put him in his cot and covered him with a blanket.

He is back again tomorrow ~ I wonder what surprises that will bring ~ bless his cotton socks

WINTER FLU BUG

Hi folks!

So sorry for the last rather depressing post . . . . . . . not like me at all really and I am pleased to say I am much improved and looking forward to getting out and about when this awful weather finally relents and begins to radiate warmth, sunshine and happiness.  I always feel so much happier when the weather is good.  My genes tell me I should be nearer the equator . . . lol

I have been suffering from the dreaded flu bug which has been doing the rounds here,  smiting all before it rather like the Greeks and Trojans in fierce battle .  . . . bodies all over the place . . .  lol.   I don't know any family here who has not been affected and everyone keeps re-infecting everyone else so it goes on and on.  One poor lady next door was so ill she had to be admitted to hospital for a while.

The flu hit me just after Christmas and I can honestly say it is the worst short term sickness I can ever remember.

I am slowly climbing back to a recognisable and functional life form, from having just the tip of my nose peeping out from beneath the bedclothes for days.  But I am a lot better now, albeit with some coughing and spluttering, but I feel the worst is over.

Peter and family were still not quite right a few days ago but he was sick just once yesterday over his poor dad ~ that's a sign of affection for you . . . . . lol

I am looking after him tomorrow for a few hours so I hope the weather improves so I can take him to the park and the swings which he loves.

The weather has been nearly as dreary as watching paint drying, and today it is tipping down, which hardly inspires one to go for a nice walk . . . . or jump in the air and shout, "Alleluia! ~ lol

. . . . so I have been doing crosswords and having a go on the piano to stave off boredom and since there is no-one here to object to the frequent discords of an out of practice pianist, I am striving to re-train my fingers to hit the right notes at the right time in the right order, like they used to.  It can't have been too bad because no bricks have been thrown through my window as yet . . . . . lol

Before that I had a good Christmas with the family.
I enjoyed that so much.

I hope to get on with some writing in the new year ~ I have a lot of ambulance stories to tell, plus lots of other bits and pieces currently formulating within my cerebral hemispheres, so please bear with me.

Happy New Year to one and all and may 2015 be a very kind one to us all.

SOMETHING FUNNY TO START 2015

Life has been rather sad and negative of late so I thought I would share one of my favourite TV sketches with you.

It always makes me laugh

Morecombe and Wise were a favourite comedy team, sadly both no longer with us.

HAPPY CHRISTMAS

Hi Folks!

I have been away from BlogLand for a while but wanted to return tonight to wish you a very Happy Christmas.

Cheers to you and good health.  

I forget what that drink was but it tasted much better than it looks . . . lol  . . . either that or I was drunk . . 

I am blessed with a lovely family and I shall be visiting my daughter, Selina, and hubby, Matt, for Christmas Day.  He is doing the cooking ~ all three brothers are very good in the kitchen, taught by their mother, and the youngest, Richard, actually made the semi finals in a well known TV programme, "Professional Master Chef" last month.

On Boxing Day I shall be visiting my son, Jon, and his lady, Lisa and their son, baby Peter . . now 14 months.

Peter is a gift from God and most know I look after him 2 days a week:

He is watching with interest an animated Advent Calendar that a very kind bloggy friend gifted me . . x

He kept pointing at the computer screen and making an enthusiastic  "play more" noise.

I plan to return to BlogLand soon.

Enjoy your Christmas and don't eat too many mince pies . . .