(Day 1) 29-Day Giving Challenge - A place for sharing.

[weaveagarden]

Well, I kind of dropped out as well. I have been doing some gifting over the last couple of days but my spirit just didn't go along for the ride. I am still having a hard time with some physical / mental / emotional symptoms. But I hope to be able to come back her and share a lot more with you all before long. Keep up the good work and it is good to see you all supporting each other on this journey.

 

[feathersnuggles]

For all your warmth, thoughts, and encouragement to me, I thank each of you. I am humbled.

Yesterday, it was such a glorious day that I walked and walked. Took 2 plastic bags: 1 for trash, 1 for any luscious weeds the 'girls' might enjoy.

About a mile from home, as I stopped to pick from a juicy patch of miners lettuce & chickweed in an empty lot, a woman living next door came over and said Hi. When I asked her if anyone cares about my picking, she said No Way, and she wanted to know why I wanted the weeds. So, we talked birds, for a while. Then we talked about a bunch of other things, including what's going on in her neighborhood. She led me into her backyard, so I could see it. LOL, we must have spent an hour chatting it up. It was lovely! When I got home I had a full bag of trash, and the hens tumbled over themselves as I tipped their bag of weeds into the yard.

 

[debilorrah]

Well everyone knows I have not kept this up daily to say the least. I did one small thing today. I once again took a task from a co-worker that I knew I could get done faster than her as she has limited knowledge and a boatload of other work. Woo me.

 

[jojo54]

Today I'm giving myself the gift of relaxation. I've been going steady the last three days cleaning carpets throughout the house and started spring cleaning. The basement is almost finished and on the main floor I only have the kitchen, bathroom and office left. So I'm spending time with the chickens (especially Lulu, the lame runt who we are trying to introduce back to the flock), reading, bubble bath, just generally having a quiet restful day.

Damummis - yes I have hobbies - reading, some computer games, baking, gardening, I used to do crafts but haven't done any lately (when I did the crochet, petit point, and crewel I didn't need glasses - now I have bifocals and haven't taken the time to get comfortable doing them with the glasses - I haven't figured how to do it and read the pattern without getting dizzy and looking like a bobblehead doll)

Also I know how you feel about shopping,

- often too many people and either the styles is not me or if it is they don't fit, Yadayadayada. But you hung in there and took your DD

rancher hicks - I agree with you about a smile or greeting helping improve your day.

I know they've helped me when I was feeling down and someone took the time to smile and ask about me. I also agree with you about liking this site because of the friendly, caring people who try to help each other out. It has a very feel-good feeling about it, doesn't it?

rainplace - the gift of sharing info, advice and encouragement is important. I know that sometimes having someone answer my question instead of ahving to try to llok up the answer myself and really relieve my stress. It seems that when searching for info you sometimes have to use the correct word or phrase and if it escapes you, you can't find the correct answer.

Good luck on your meeting. You are doing fine right where you are. You are trying and that is all we ask of anyone. Some days (even weeks or months) are harder than others but our jobs are to wake up, get out of bed and to be the best we can at that given moment with the time and energy we have available to us at that point in time.

Good for you on the letter to your SM and DF.

Truth and honesty are important but so are not causing hard feelings and resentment. It sounds like you did fine on both counts.

WriterofWords - you have a great bunch of students there. They are our future and are getting a caring start.

debiraymond -

good for you and your help! You helped at work and other places.

Camelot Farms - OOOH - the gift of furry cuteness!

I so agree with you about trying to get to the point where giving is as natural as breathing! What a wonderful world this would be if that could be achieved on a global basis.

But we will start one person ata time and hope to cause enough ripples for this to grow!

feathersnuggles - AHH! the gift of self love is a real BIGGY!

and also the gift of acknowledging that even though everything was not always right, some things were. I bet your DF appreciated the card. And what a glorious day you had!

That was SOO giving on so many levels - health for you, nature, community service, friendliness, treating your chickens, just off the top of my head. Plus sharing with us!

weaveagarden - You are doing what you have to at this point in time. Like Camelot Farms mentioned, giving without thinking about it or acknowledging it to ourselves as giving is fine. This isn't a contest, we do what we can whenever we can.

 

[Damummis]

I am doing some spring cleaning. If anyone is wondering why I keep asking about everyone's hobbies is because I am trying to minimize my life. That means getting rid of the years of craft books, crochet hooks (found a great home for), extra seeds, and so on. (JOJO- Do you need any seeds????) I did bring a bunch of stuff to the thrift shop today. Then went in and got two bag of thing that I needed. It was there $3/bag sale. Each bag was half full. The woman said I could put everything in one bag, I refused. I had a little girl over to see the chicks. I was informed by her mom that the little old ladies at the library were planning a coup. They are going to gang up on me to open my own produce/egg stand. I got a big kick out of that. Made a big turkey dinner for the fam, and now I am going to have a glass of wine and work on my needlepoint.

 

[WriterofWords]

We had parent teacher meetings today from 1 - 7, I was there at 7:45am to meet a parent who had to come before work, so I "adjusted" my schedule for them and started my meetings early. But the nicest thing I did was to smile and walk away from the idiot, moron coworkers who insisted on telling me I was out of my mind when I didn't have to be at school until 10:45, to get up early and meet them! I was so proud of myself for not saying anything rude,, you have no idea how hard that was for me.

 

[Camelot Farms]

Quote:
This one really touched my heart. I truly appreciate WoW that you not only gave to this parent but you also gave the gift of example to your fellow co-workers. Perhaps you planted a seed in one of them that will grow into something beautiful someday.

Nice one!!

 

[debilorrah]

I helped someone with a recipe today. She is just starting to cook and had no clue what to do with her ingredients.

 

[WriterofWords]

I am going to start another club at school with the help of our counselor who was my home ec teacher 30 years ago! The crochet club has been such a big hit I decided to start one called Teaching Through Traditions. They will learn to sew, crochet, knit if I can find a teacher, cook, and other Home Ec related things. The fabric swaps I'm doing for my first quilt got me thinking,, all the angles and measuring will make great lessons.
Quilting/sewing: Measuring, critical thinking, reading, planning ahead
Crochet/knitting: critical thinking, measuring, reading, planning ahead
Cooking: Measurement, critical thinking, timing
These are all things they can do with their families and learn math, language arts, science, and civic duties at the same time. It's not really a share for today, but it will be in the future for them.

 

[feathersnuggles]

Yesterday I gave a carton of eggs to a new neighbor family that moved in behind us. They seemed a little startled to be getting eggs from chickens living 'next door'. You know, urban-dwellers don't always expect to find themselves "living in the country next to the farm." After the surprise wore off, I got the old, "Do you have a rooster? No. Then how can they lay eggs?" So I gave a little biology lesson, too!

Well, I hope they like the eggs, anyways. And I didn't even consider the challenge when I gave them eggs. It was more of a bribe, in a way. I had been thinking, for a while, that I should give them some ... and, at the same time, let them know the chickens are here, in the case one of my girls decides to wing her way over the fence, some pleasant day, and land in their yard. Let me say, they were even more shocked to know a "chicken" could fly into their yard. I reassured them, as best I could, and let them know I haven't seen any attempts yet. Yikes! I better make sure it doesn't happen.