Dresses

Wow a week past since I’ve done my grats. I still am so grateful for many things. Middle daughter has started a new hobby (sewing) and has made her first dress- looks impressive. Had quite a few lunches out with past friends and new - good catching up with news. Gave some Betty Blush chocolates to 92 year old saxophonist called Betty - the delight on her face was priceless. Met up with new band friends at their inaugural concert. Went to first Carol Service with new friend which was good. Lovely friend who is such a good support to me is so much better which is a real blessing - also given me books to read, new Netflix series to watch - she’s a star.

Friends

Haven’t been posting for a while mainly because I’ve been seeing a variety of friends which I realise I may have taken for granted - more effort required to be thankful and appreciative - acts of kindness don’t hurt so let’s try a few. Lovely phone call this week from a 90 year old I know to see how I was so have got her a box of chocolates (Betty’s Blush) that she had commissioned a long time ago. Been out to several places to lunch over past week - so grateful there is so much choice in Northumberland.

Presents

Lovely friend giving me more presents - ink stamping thingys for my sister in law teacher and a robust gin glass for me - cool. Met a new friend (well hope they will be) for a coffee and then lunch - gave them a Christmas tree stand - just what was wanted for the recently cut down tree!! Went out with band friends for two glasses of wine in our usual hostelry - good laugh and catch up.

Party time

Fantastic meeting up with ex work colleagues at their Christmas party- went incognito and loved the reactions- food and drink good - some acrobatics and nice free Eton Mess stall. Enjoyed buying a half price cat tree for youngest daughter Christmas present even though she hasn’t got a cat - proud of her wanting to foster cats short term before an owner can be found. Nearly joined an acting group for a play next July but they found someone slightly more experienced - still glad I was going to go through with it. Met an interesting man in a charity shop who talked to me about going out to Saudi Arabia for Christmas period to stay with a wealthy sheikh - really pleased I took the time to listen to his story.

Conversations

Grateful to have wide range of conversations with friend on messenger. Great coffee with band leader  and clarinetist- only place that does a tea cake in Alnwick - grateful they give you butter not flora. Had great chat with youngest daughter about life and that she may be getting a boyfriend soon - no particular explanation on this one!! Took her to our favourite local restaurant near her and also had a Montepulciano. Managed  a two 30 minute and a 45 minute drive today with not too much back trouble. Super that a pile of postcards coming my way for charity from that lovely friend again

Beach

What a lovely walk on the beach (twice) with a friend after lunch, coffee and cake - graced by darting sanderlings darting next to us. Same friend gave me a dumortierite stone to help with sleep and anxiety and some more metal folder racky things - she is good to me. So pleased that daughter Sarah was so chuffed at telling me she had finished her 3000 word nursing essay - sharing on her joy and relief was a delight. Great to meet up with a work colleague in a pub tonight to catch up with health news but also to reminisce.

Virtual hugs

So glad I have a friend who knows how to give virtual hugs and encouragement at exactly the right time. Pleased I have band friends who have missed me and wanted me to join them in the pub for a catch up. Love a song by Casting Crowns “Just be held” given to me by a caring lovely friend - I cried which I think I have needed for a while. Good outcome at urology meeting - monitoring of cancer is agreed rather than any intervention - miraculous/ God is good. Nice to share the news with a church friend who gave me a lift - went out for late lunch/early tea.

Health

Good to know MRI results are classified as non-urgent even if I do have to wait until December 17th to discern a plan with consultant. I have three days of broccoli soup I can freeze - looking forward to next recipe. Glad to be part of an exciting church meeting thinking of plans for the future and how the church can be involved in helping our community. Love reading my friend’s blogs because they help me and I can also pray sensibly.

Soup

So glad I’m using my soup maker again - broccoli and cauliflower tonight. Starting using super foods to keep nasties away - walnuts, raspberries, blueberries, porridge, carrots, broccoli, cauliflower. Enjoyed visiting friends new council house - he was so pleased to show me round as I had lent him some money to pay deposit. Excited to be part of a group looking for new church premises - I may have to rein some of the keenies in but great to be part of an enthusiastic bunch.

Week away

So grateful that I’m free to go away for days at a time and spend time with close family. Family are so supportive and make no demands of me and I feel safe and secure and loved. Love my three adopted children more than they can ever know - hopefully I tell them and show them enough. So good to have friends who can show me other perspectives on life - met someone today who taught me sign language alphabet and how to lip read - great fun but really difficult - makes you more appreciative of how deaf people can struggle. Love social media - well the bits I can do - keeps me in touch with family and friends. Great to meet up with a university mate from decades ago and it’s as though we’ve never been apart - he was a mathematician (someone has to be) and now a mental health counsellor. Glad I can start doing a little more driving now that back starting to improve (all seemed to start after prayer from church leaders although very much aware of other folks good wishes and potential alternative “therapies”) - and anyway who needs a fancy car when you have a brother who will drive you anywhere lying flat in the back of his car. Grateful to have spent some quality time with my mum - love her. Love some (but not all) sayings on Facebook that can sometimes really help “focus and be thankful for the good things that you have rather than what you don’t have”. I have a good bunch of folk in local church - most of whom I don’t really know - one lady while I was away said she had been praying and a specific verse came to mind from John 13v7 which felt was for me “You don’t understand yet the meaning of what I’m doing, but soon it will be clear to you.” Friend of mine who has been homeless/wandering for nearly 10 years has now got a flat of his own - he is overjoyed and his excitement/enthusiasm is so infectious. What a lovely friend I have who has a bag of books ready for me - I am so grateful that she has helped me gain a joy of reading !!

Pubs

Great to have twin brother up for the weekend - dragged me out on several occasions to pubs I haven’t been in for a very long time. Folk in Alnwick are very chatty - met with owner of pub in Chinese restaurant (nice food!!) who offered us a free port if we turned up later on - well why wouldn’t you. Love my houseplants- dead headed them before brother arrived because I know he would do it otherwise!! Friend found out about a new job for husband and a move in the future - really really pleased but will miss her although most of our talking is virtual!!!!!

More coffee

Good meeting up with ex boss from work - great catch up and both glad to be free from work pressures. Grateful that I can lend a church friend some money so he can secure a flat in Alnwick for himself. Glad Amazon prime was easy to set up on my smart tv - hate installing new tech things.

Coffee

Coffee breaks with folk are always good for me - Met up with my previous church minister friend - he seems to be a bloke I can share a lot with. Great lunch with a church friend in a newly renovated hotel/pub - chickpea and avocado smash really was a smash.

Family

Brother coming to stay for the weekend and really pleased he can take me to urology appointment on Monday. Grateful for only spending five minutes in fracture clinic for youngest daughter - normally it’s about one hour - must try and make sure we get evening appointments - it’s deserted then!! My Armenian alphabet books have arrived - let’s get stuck in. Friend came round and did another two hours gardening - win win as I pay him as he is unemployed at the moment and garden desperately needs a tidy up before winter. A lovely friend has offered me some books to have and to lend - get reading !!

Daughter

Great to have youngest daughter back home for a night- has takeaway together (so good that they deliver) - she was too tired to stay up for a film together. After having a bad morning on her placement at a toddlers day care centre, she said she had a brilliant afternoon (answer to one of my prayers). So good to have recorded TV - watched two Mazerunner films. Pleased to have got date today for biopsy results and even more pleased that I have actually lost too much weight since being laid flat for about four weeks (3lb loss only even though I feel thin).

Houseplants

Looked at my houseplants and even though autumn has set in some are still flowering - they look good. Have started learning Armenian as going to Armenia May next year - determined to learn at least one word a day - so grateful can look on internet while my books are being delivered - my first word is ayo (=yes) - I’m gonna go far.

Driving

Managed to do a bit of driving which is good to co-op for a shop and then filling car with petrol. Really glad I’ve got a small car for parking etc. Also managed to drive to church and a few people prayed for my health (so kind of them). Got an invite to dinner with Head of Manufacturing work colleague and his wife and also an invite to a surprising 60th birthday in December which unfortunately I cannot make. Pleased to have good online conversation with friend.

Contribution

Friend online said something like “you have a contribution to make” which uplifted me so much. Got up early to watch England lose to South Africa but still pleased that I got up early! Managed to go to pub with band friends and stayed for three hours! Have decided to start something new - learn Armenian (going there next year) do really pleased that amazon has a selection of potentially useful books

Computers

My IT man came round day after I reported problem with printer - had a great chat about life’s ups and downs and he solved it - the computer that is not life. Great chats with two daughters - eldest daughter I think is now debt free and youngest daughter has started a finance management book!! Rugby and good remote chat with friend kept me going for the evening - friend is going tablet free - grateful I can pray remotely for her.

Multigrain cereal

Started having supper before going to bed - Thankyou Kellogg’s for rice crispie multigrain shapes - crunch crunch. Met up for lunch with friend hadn’t been in contact for a while - good chat about work and things. Chatting on what’s app video more and more with eldest daughter which is great even though she has major financial problems to sort. Very grateful for lovely friend who is supporting me remotely while I’m incapacitated with health problems.

Now TV and Netflix

So pleased I can get Netflix and Now TV while I’m resting back - watched Chernobyl- very good but depressing insight into human manipulation of the truth. Friend from church took me to hospital appointment even though time brought forward. I was well cared for by competent and sympathetic NHS staff. Had while big bar of chocolate - we’ll done Cadbury’s even though now you’re American owned.

The pub

Went to the pub and met with some band members for a drink - said I was sorely missed - very nice of them. Earlier had gone for a drive (first after three weeks lying flat) and managed a thirty minute shopping trip in Sainsbury’s- really chuffed. Twin brother’s PSA result nice and low which is a relief as mine high - not genetic. Brother and wife coming to see me weekend in November which is great. Got invite to pub to celebrate colleague at works happy day - just a life celebration !! Also new work boss invited me to lunch and to come on site sometime - all good stuff. Loved watching a friend’s soup making skills on messenger !!

More rugby

Enjoyed yet more semi final rugby today but really looking forward to next weekend when England beat South Africa!!! Love microwave meals - only takes about five mins and you can be tucking in to a lovely Indian or Chinese meal. Back specialist has authorised an MRI for 17Nov - not too far away now - thankful for NHS once you’re in the system. Someone from 35 years ago Facebook messaged me and have reminisced about university life - I’m sure we’ll soon try and meet up. Puppeteer friend has sent me a book written by someone at same university and uses Durham as a backdrop for their story - hope to read it soon. A lovely friend has sent me a picture of her cakes - gosh I was hungry!!!

Hospitals

Really happy that NHS wheels are now turning for back and urology investigations. Unexpected MRI done on first visit to urology specialist at local hospital - great no need to wait. Friend has offered to take me to biopsy even though it was 7.30am - but now has been changed to 11.30am - what a relief!! My church mid week group are all praying for my health and well being - so grateful. Went for meal with a lady from church and had a good chat. England beat New Zealand in rugby World Cup semi final - very unexpected but fantastic!! Happy to have a lovely friend who is always at the other end of a message to encourage and cheer me up despite their own difficulties.

Rugby

Don’t know why but I really love watching rugby so really good today watching England beat Australia and New Zealand beat Ireland. Nice having a load of microwave meals in the fridge - so easy to grab heat and eat. Band leader rang today to see how I was - what an unexpected surprise. Friend from church came round from church and reminded me I had a back appointment next Tuesday not Thursday !!
Another different water leak in daughters flat but friend’s husband came round and spent two hours mending in - what a star.
Really great messenging a lovely friend talking about science fiction, monsters, philosophy, dating site - loved it!!

Joy of mobile phones

Love having a mobile phone where friends are just there when you need them for a quick message. Good having new folk round from a puppet theatre who are touring locally. Really grateful that two daughters what’s app voice and videoed me today to see how I was. One particular friend shows me their colouring on messenger - love it.

Lunch

Another work colleague took me to lunch and had a good conversion about their depression and bereavement experiences which were very helpful. Neighbour came round today and said they will take me to Berwick medical appointment in a weeks time. Someone from church who I’ve only met up with two or three times has volunteered to mow the lawn and cut the hedges (when the weather is fine!). Younger daughter has just ordered another pizza and watching film with her again - good stuff.  

More coffee

Another coffee with three work colleagues was good - bit early though at 10am as the cheese scones were still in the oven, daughter has offered to take me to hospital appointment in her car which has front seat that folds totally flat so I can lie down, people from church sending me messages of support and prayer for all upcoming medical appointments

Coffee and Cake

Really grateful for a Coffee and tea cake and another cake with friend and chatting and chilling out together made my day - plus a few hugs thrown in for good measure, rugby on the tv even if it wasn’t England and it was on the dreadful itv hub channel, mattress in the lounge so I can get out the bedroom, meal brought round by friend at church, daughter back for one night from college 

Food

Nice variety of freshly cooked food especially in the company of close family who did all the cooking and serving and washing up and putting away.
Offer from family to actually stay with them longer and to stay with them anytime I wanted.
Social media is good for staying in contact with folk even if it’s not face to face which would be better but almost impossible with some folk.
Offer of healing help from a lovely friend.
Some drugs are good - thankful that Amitriptyline might be working on my back/leg pain.

Family and Friends

So grateful for family who know how to cook, cars that can get you to doctors appointments and friends on the end of a message.

Walking

Really great having coffee and bacon buttie and then walking along beach - chatting, then beer with a lovely friend.
Night before with two other new friends celebrating a birthday with cocktails and a film.
Real friends make the world go round.

Friendship

Reminded by a friend today to start writing about what I am grateful and thankful for.
So:-
Reading a friend’s heartfelt thanks via Facebook to all her friends reminded me that I too am grateful for all the friends who support me especially in times of hardship.
It was great that I made it on my own to a Lake District trip and glad to meet new folk there who were supportive and understanding and fun to be with.
Glad I have a church community to share with who can empathise with some of my hurts.
I have some friends and family who are always there at the end of a message  - I love them.

Ladybird

that hitched a ride into the house on my neck.  I released it into the garden.

Not just Coffee

• Bought two coffees for my band leader at new coffee shop
• Cooked Jamaican Rice ‘N’ Peas for a friend
• Helped daughter with ideas for her Nursing Improvement dissertation
• Suggested tree planting expedition for a friend 

Key

Offered to keep a spare key for a friend in case she ever gets locked out of her house.

Sad cat lady

I offered to go the vets with a neighbour, & I told her to let me know if there was anything I could do.

More Driving

Drove daughter and two friends to Flamingoland as part of daughters birthday treat

Driving

Drove 35 miles to collect daughter to go to routine fracture clinic even with my back giving me jip!!

Eating

• Talk daughter and friend to a nice lunch
• Bought a bottle of Vlod cherry mead for a friends party
• Received a ticket for an open air Shakespeare production of Much Ado About Nothing 

Prayer

Prayed for my mum today as she has still pretty bad stomach pain - she says she knows God is in total control and that He always always hears our prayers but often we are confused about His response or His apparent lack of response

Smiles

exchanged (initiated) smiles & hellos with a couple of people I met while walking today.

More cricket

• Friend at church invited me to a T20 cricket match - excellent as my home team Lancashire playing
• Drove someone to find their car after they left it in town after a good night out!!!
• Said a cheery hello to at least three people as I walked into town

Invaluable Friendship

• Told a friend that they really were a friend and am there to help if needed - actually prayed for them
• Bought lunch for daughter and her friend after they enrolled for college
• Let a car cross the carriageway on busy A1
• Volunteered to help someone with their gardening - haven’t fixed a date yet though !!
• Gave daughter a £20 pound (that’s a purple one) !! 

Prayer

Although lying in bed all day resting my back I could still pray. Prayed for my mum’s health (enough strength each day to do the things she likes) and for a friend who has started her short cancer journey (that the peace she’s experiencing now would continue)

Pop

I put bottles of pop in the fridge cos husband forgot & he likes his drink cold.

cleaning up

I cleared the cutlery, plates, & rubbish from the table at lunch.

Pizza

Paid for all three pizzas for me, daughter and her friend - nice to have pizza and wine together

Books and Boats

• Two writers who live on a canal boat gave me four of their books 
• Got given free Creme de mures (blackberries, red wine, sugar, gin)
• Graciously drank my coffee with oat milk when offered - actually it was very nice
• Listened avidly to cousins explanation of her daughters experience of their first gong bath in a real bath
• Allowed Dexter a cross between a yorkie and a chiahuahua to sit on my lap !! 

Drugs

• Brother gave me his supply of tramadol to take away my sciatic trapped nerve pain - what a relief!!!
• Volunteered to drive to Manchester to clean brothers flat 

All a bit alcoholic

• Brother took me to a local brewery where we ate and drank as much as we wanted
• Took a bottle of Malbec round to a friend of brother
• Friend of brother allowed us to taste a bottle of Estonian liqueur  - 40% and rather nice it was too
• Bought a bottle of gin for someone who is leaving work

Pet Time

• Looking after hamster for a friend while away for two weeks holiday
• Another coffee from daughter this morning!!
• Drove 4 hours to see my mum 

cake

I went for a knife to cut cake, & got napkins too.

Also cleared the plates & cutlery at lunch.

Theatre

• Person I’ve never met bought tickets for an outside performance of Shakespeare’s The Tempest so went with three others - even though drizzled a bit - a fun evening
• I took three chairs, a rug and quite a few beers which were all appreciated

Easy

A friend was concerned about her flat tyre, I offered her my inflator, & a lift from the garage if she wanted to go to one at lunch.

I also carried a computer back to my desk to save the IT a journey, & volunteered for something that other people are trying to avoid doing.

Walk and Swim

• Took lady from church on a walk next to a burn and then a swim in a waterfall (her first wild swimming) !! She returned the good deed by bringing an unexpected picnic
• Another hug from younger daughter !!! 
• This was way before I gave her extra money for a takeaway 

A quiet word

I'm hoping it counts as a good deed.  It was had with good intentions.

The proper good deed was checking the new person has my number so he can get in touch on Saturday when we're all going out for drinks.

More Books

• Friend of brothers recommended James Corey sci-fi book series that went on to be made into The Expanse TV series - should buy first book to try out especially as I now like Isaac Asimov 
• Youngest daughter brought me another coffee in bed !!! 

Food and Beer

• Invited to an Armenian lunch in anticipation of visit in May 2020 and took another person along to see if interested
• Gave away ten tickets for Greatest Showman Singalong (huge outdoor full cinema screen) to people I know
• Invited to pub for an evening drink where I had my first blackberry gin
• Man in pub from Rio de Janeiro gave me a 10 reias note (worth 80p) !! 

Bye

I took a leaving card to a dept that tend to get forgotten about.  I'll also collect it & take it to my building.  I was considering offering anyway.

Lunch and Jellyfish

• Bought lunch for my brother and his wife at a nice cafe in the town and thanked the waiters and waitresses profusely as their boss seemed a little bit of a slave driver
• Friend gave me some invaluable advice about purchasing swim wear to protect from attacking jellyfish - it can happen!! 

Driving

Did all the driving to allow the family to explore the coastline and its hostelrys

shopping

Took husband to the shops.  I even offered to take him further afield.

Family Time

• Took brother and his wife to lunch and paid 
• Not sure if this counts but dead-headed all my plants in the kitchen - I know the plants appreciated it because they told me so 

Driving

I stopped so someone could swing round the corner in a carpark easily.

Cricket

Took five people to a cricket match in Durham - Durham lost but good time out

Resupply

Took husband for the seemingly obligatory trip to the supermarket when he came home (his wish, not mine).

Receiving End

Really good to be on the receiving end of friends “good deeds” and acts of kindness:-

• Friend from ex. work took me to pub lunch and paid for it - great catch up and useful insights in getting more structure in my life
• A dear friend sent me a very helpful link about managing and accepting grief as part of the normal healing process
• Gave my Passion Translation of the bible to friend who has just been diagnosed with cancer - she said that she was praying that I too would be “wrapped in God’s love”

Perky person

Someone who regularly says hello & smiles at everyone.  Tonight I told her how great that is.

Courtesy

Responded to someone who'd emailed me an article to tell them I'd enjoyed it, & to provide info they'd requested.

TLC

Drove two hours to stay a night with daughter as she needed some tender loving care and cooked her broccoli and cheese (exactly what she wanted)

Little acts

Someone walking by dropped an item & I asked if she'd like me to pick it up.

Market Day

• Let a car pull in to busy A1 traffic from side road - they could have been there for ages 
• Bought good friend a gorgeous hot chocolate before going to an interesting Sunday market 
• Gave a small bottle of mead as a gift to lovely friend
• Received a book to read from friend 

Lazy Sunday

Took husband to Maccy Ds for breakfast.

Shopping

Even though I shopped in my worst nightmare shop Ikea - still managed to experience some acts of kindness and did some good deeds:-

• Took daughter and two friends to Ikea to shop for bedding for daughters new flat
• Bought bottle of Ikea Öl Möl dark lager beer for my brother as it has a crown top that he hasn’t got (mad collector)
• Showed a lady on Ikea where to find the milk and she said “bless you”
• Told one of the Ikea staff that three glasses had smashed over the period I sat in the restaurant as people were tidying up their trays. She said she would put a suggestion to the management to make the gaps on the tray collector bigger as the glasses were too big. I suggested that she should go for employee of the month and ask the management to consider making the glasses smaller - cost saving exercise as folk would drink less - and anyway they can’t have many of the tall glasses left as lots were being smashed each day
• Sent photo of wild water swimming pools in the sea at low tide in north east area as she didn’t know of any (no idea who she was but she thanked me)
• Got unprompted hug from my daughter - rare event but it was really nice

Driving

It's easy to be a knob driving.  Remember people pull over on dual carriageways & motorways to let people on slip roads join in - it's easy to do & makes a massive difference.

Said thank you & smiled for everyone who served me today.

paperwork

I got document holders put up near the door at work as an easy prompt for people leaving the building to take documents destined for other buildings with them.

I took the documents today, & then a couple of workmates delivered some of mine & brought them back.  I even brought one back for someone I dislike, as I quite often do.

Day 4

Even after hours of torrential rain:-

• Gave a lift to a friend of daughters who I recognised in his Sainsbury uniform walking to work. He spent the extra time gained in the morning having a coffee before starting
• Daughter made me a cup of coffee in bed - what a gem 
• Took daughter and her friend to a pub dinner in thanks for their help in building a garden pond 

Day 3

• Went round to band friend (plays french horn) to help with some moving of stuff from old to new home - got bottle of red wine from her as a pressie which I’ll have a glass of tonight
• Later in the morning visited a long time friend (70 years old) who helped my wife and I when we adopted children. Last week she was diagnosed with cancer which has spread widely. She has four months to live if no treatment and maximum of 12 to 18 months with some treatment. Remarkable lady - very calm, very peaceful - she is confident of where she’s going next!!
• Went to mental health doctor to talk over a plan for younger daughter’s health when she starts at College in September. Doctor was also very helpful regarding my well being and gave me a few tips 

Day 3

• I thanked someone for their patience, I've had a lot of their time lately. 
• I moved my stuff down the counter after I'd paid (& whilst I was getting organised) someone else could release their armful of stuff onto the counter.
• Husband fixed an IT issue for me, I told him he's my hero - as always.

Day 2

All these after spending most of the day in bed - again!!! Motivation a bit low at present.

• Told friend in church I would pray for good outcome of a nerve block injection for her back which she found out about today (good news) and has been waiting for for a while 
• Asked older daughter if she wanted to go to a Beach festival on Saturday - younger daughter my come but unlikely - possibly find someone else to go with me 
• On younger daughter’s behalf rang the solicitors to see where they were up to on the conveyancing for new flat - fobbed off a bit by the answerer but will follow up again 
• Friend from work unexpectedly invited me out to pub for two pints to see how I was getting on!!!! 

Day 2

I swapped some of my change with the cashier in the canteen (they're always short of change).
I pay in change there whenever I can.

Day 1

Well here we go:-

• I asked my twin brother today whether he wants to come up to watch a cricket match which he accepted
• Friends of mine invited me for tea tomorrow at 6pm - wonder what they'll serve me up. They are very good - I've been round to theirs three or four times now in the last 4/5 months 
• Pyronik has set up this great blog and allowed me to be a part of it 

Day 1

I originally set this blog up in Oct 2017 & now I've rededicated it to one good deed a day (or 3, there's no limit 😉)

1. Today I gave the IT guy one of my blue pens (mine, not one out of the stationery supply).
2. I also chose to talk to one of the newer members of staff as we walked down the avenue, asking how he was settling in etc. & pointing out some of the good things about our workplace.