Random Acts of "Kindness"

Archive for February, 2017

AN UN-ORDINARY DAY

The day began normally enough, except I overslept. In fact I arose an hour later than normal which put everything behind. I didn’t mind too much when I saw the outside temperature was in the teens. Robin didn’t want to get up either. If I’m honest, I didn’t push her. We finally went outside to SUNSHINE two hours later than normal.

I opened my bible to Sirach 23:19. “Gorge not yourself, lest you give offense.” No problem, I planned to eat breakfast at home. And God must have laughed. When my husband got up, (late also), he invited me out to breakfast saying that he would pay. Coat on! Let’s go!

And so began a not ordinary day. We frequent a restaurant where my husband LOVES their biscuits and gravy. The woman who is normally found at the cash register looked horrible. I soon learned why. Her 39 year old son died in January from a heart attack. Thankfully except for miscarriages, I haven’t had that experience but I can imagine that it would be extremely hard to lose a child – no matter the age. As a parent, we are supposed to outlive our children.

I really didn’t know what to say other than the normal “I’m so sorry.” EXCEPT — “I walk to a different drummer.” I had to tell her a very short story of “Pap and The Pancake Turner.” She said it helped. She was in my vision at the booth we sat at and she looked very unwell. I thought of printing a copy of the story for her. One thought lead to another. I decided I would give her a copy of my book: Journey With Me. It is a grouping of stories that have made me AWARE of interactions of “my friends in high places” with me.

Needless to say, we returned home so I could get book and sign and deliver. Next stop on my un-ordinary day — we stopped at AT&T to get a smart phone for my husband. He has wanted one for a very long time and it seemed like a good birthday present. Ordinary day EXCEPT a young man was training in the store. I have no idea how old he was — young but I’m not a good judge of age. What I knew for sure was that he was VERY OVERWEIGHT. I tried very hard to KEEP MY BIG MOUTH SHUT. It didn’t happen! I apologized but I had to share my experience of the morning. I mentioned that I walk to a different drummer and since he was there, he must have some friend in high places that wanted me to pass on the message.

Another un-ordinary day!

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HIDE AND SEEK

By now, if you read many of my thought rambles you know that our family loves dogs. I have had quite a few in my lifetime. In fact, Robin numbers #14. We have had many dogs, of many different breeds, so it is easy to say Robin is definitely unique. That description is an understatement. Now her breed is probably also unique. I like to say that her mother was a lady of the night and her father was a traveling salesman — an explanation if any was needed. We have determined that she has some rat terrier, and possibly border collie. A number of people think she has blue heeler also. The rat terrier explains the digging for moles and chasing squirrels. The border collie explains her need to know where her family members are. Her genes do not explain her need that we accompany her to the back yard or take her for walks on three to four times a day basis. Maybe that is explained by her being a rescue. She also won’t eat by herself, needs to be kept company while eating and DON’T give her plain dog food. It must at least have shredded cheese.

I have written that she seems to be a specialty dog. Taking care of our needs — exercise, sleep, companionship. She seems to know when my husband’s sugar is low. She takes it upon herself to interrupt our son when she feels he is working too hard. Needs some exercise — her walk, or needs to play. Our son plays an extremely important part in her life. Since she only likes fresh water out of the downstairs toilet, he is very obliging when he is up on the third floor and she is thirsty.

Robin was LOST when he was gone for a week. She spent many hours perched on a warm radiator cover watching for him out the window. She sat on the landing guarding the stairs. She went out into the yard during the night accompanied by one of us just in case he was coming home. In fact, the night he came home she must have known since she was more nervous than usual. Happy is to small of a word to describe her joy. Crying, trying to melt into his body, running like a crazy dog through the house and of course, making the extreme effort to share his food.

Robin sleeps in the back bedroom, where she has taken many of her toys. Our floors are as littered with toys as when our children or grandchildren where small. When I get up, she likes to join my husband in bed. Sometimes I have a hard time getting her up to go for a walk in the morning. If I’m not successful, she will decide that my exercise time needs to stop. As soon as she gets home, she runs upstairs to keep my husband company again.

Hide and Seek — Robin DID NOT want to get up when I called her. Since I was a pest, she finally gave in. More rest WAS NOT an option. Lovely morning for a walk. Reaching home, she ran upstairs to go back to bed. Something was WRONG! My husband was not in bed, nor was he in the bathroom, nor was he in his office, nor was he in the back bedroom. We heard her running back and forth — WHIMPERING, CRYING! My husband was hiding in the downstairs bathroom. I finally called her downstairs when she didn’t hear his call to her. She finally FOUND HIM! There is no way to describe the joy of that dog.

Wishing you peace and love — a belated Happy Valentines Day.

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I MADE IT

I shouldn’t brag. In fact, it is something I really didn’t want to do. I wasn’t even trying! But evidently I made the list. What am I talking about? Somewhere there must be a list of people who are gullible or rich or ? I will admit that I’m gullible, and I am rich but not in money — I’m rich in blessings.

What list? There must be a list of people who are vulnerable, ready to be scammed. I was trying to think of what might have put me on that list. I used to friend anyone who wanted to friend me. That was until I accepted a man — who was so proud of his endowments, that he sent me a photo. I must admit that I wasn’t impressed. I immediately took him off of my list and have become more discriminating about accepting male friends. I have a husband who I love and who loves me.

If that wasn’t the cause, I don’t know what was. I’ll admit that I don’t remember how many times in the recent past I have been given the opportunity to part with our hard earned money. If I went through my notes, I’m sure I would have many examples. Recently I received a phone call from my grandson. ?? A couple of questions proved he wasn’t. I’m always receiving the opportunity to lower our interest rate. Are they legitimate or a scam. I don’t play along long enough to find out.

In my thought ramble SCAMMED I detailed how a phone call and an e-mail almost had me convinced that our credit card or bank account was hacked. Thankfully in those cases I was protected by “my friends” or my experience to avoid danger. Recently I responded to an instant message on Face Book from a “friend”. She wanted to know if I heard the good news. I thought she heard that there would be a change in the election results. NOPE! She had received 150,000 dollars and had seen my name on the list of folks who were also going to receive money. Thankfully I asked her a couple of personal questions which would have proved who she was. She disappeared.

I would love to be tossed off of the list. Hopefully, if that can’t happen I’ll keep my smarts about me to stay out of the traps. I’m sharing with you so you will have more knowledge to avoid the scams.

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HIDDEN TREASURES

I thought the appropriate title for this thought ramble was BURIED TREASURE. Oops, I already have one of that title. This title is just as appropriate. It just dawned on me that the anniversary of the fire is in a week. Both my mother and my brother passed over, I would have also except I guess I needed to stay here for my father.

“My friends in high places” are very good at what they do. A whole day can go by and I don’t become aware of their help. One day this week, I PLANNED to exercise — I changed into exercising clothes and put the dvd on the TV. Robin came downstairs, wanting to go out. I tried to get her up early, so we could go for a walk. She ignored me. I have to admit that she got me up at 5:00 AM, went outside, did her business and returned to the top of the porch. The pond of water on the sidewalk had turned to ICE. At 9:00, the pond of water was covered by snow. The snow seemed to be gritty, I thought if I was careful I could take her for a walk. Exercise plans went on hold. I put on my boots, hoping that their traction would keep me upright. I found a penny on our walk. “In God We Trust” it reminded me.

When we came back, it was too late to do the exercise that I planned. I did a fast Tai Chi and continued with the day. I had planned to make soup. I’ll admit that I didn’t follow the recipe, but the results were delicious. Of course, neither my husband nor my son wanted to try it.

Trying to salvage the day, I examined the contents of the drawer that holds our check books. I had many, many check registers and many, many unused deposit slips. I didn’t want to put the check registers back in the drawer. They moved to the filing cabinet, except there was no room. I had to pull out a handful of assorted paper. Looking at it, I have no idea why it was in the filing cabinet until I came across a couple of gems. I found the notice of a good friend of mine that passed away in 2003 at the age of 97. She is still often in my thoughts. I also found a letter from a friend of mine with a comic strip that gave me a good laugh. The person in the comic strip joined shopping anonymous and when she was tempted to go shopping, she call me and we went out to drink. I have to admit that I phoned my friend and arranged for a shopping trip.

Now I’ll admit that I realized that “helping hands” had influenced the day. I could detail the many things that have occurred this week, but I’ll try to keep this ramble on the short side. I was scammed this morning by a friend on the I-pad — only it wasn’t her. I asked a couple of personal questions that only she would have had the answer too and the person disappeared. I didn’t fall for the promised money. This afternoon, the mail brought prescriptions for my husband that I hadn’t ordered. One he would need in the near future — the rest, I’m puzzled. Knock knock — is anyone home? That is when I realized that an important anniversary is close.

THANKS EVERYONE.

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