It's over to you today, dear blog readers!
Let's have a celebration of nice behaviour!
Can you share a time when you received an unexpected gift?
A gift out-of-the- blue.
Something that warmed the cockles!
Today I've just did a runaround ...a long list of jobs including another trip to the solicitors 🙁
When I got home I found a lidded saucepan sat at the back door.
A saucepan full to the brim of the most delicious stew
No note, no fanfare
Just a bloody lovely pan of stew!
So what unexpected gift have you been given?
Share it with the group!
i like to knit, i recently moved house and a friend of mine wanted to get me a house warming present, not knowing what to get she bought me a bag full of wool in my favourite colours, the same friend also gave me a bag of cute buttons that she'd seen on amazon so another lovely surprise, made my day x enjoy your stew xx
ReplyDelete(waves to a fellow knitter)
Deleteare you on ravelry? if so, look me up (rav name phillygirl9654)!
We had snow overnight. My neighbour cleaned the snow of my car. It's a small thing but much appreciated. It was a woohoo moment.
ReplyDeleteYour village is taking care of you. Wonderful.
ReplyDeleteFor me it came in the form of a small note left in my mailbox.
About 6 months after my baby Nicole died I found a note in my mailbox saying, they remembered her.
Not a pot of soup but it warmed me just the same.
cheers, parsnip and badger
Xx
DeleteProbably do you more good than the hot curry I recommended the other day! Hope you're on the mend.
ReplyDeleteThank you for asking...xx
DeleteI'm worse
A neighbour has just been round, and brought me a tin of Paté de Sanglier, and a bottle of Madiran 2015. What a sweetie; I've known her since she was about 4.
ReplyDeleteIs 2015 a good year?
DeleteYears ago we returned home from a weekend away to find that we had been burgled. It was devastating, they had even taken my 5 year-old daughter's moneybox. My husband was out of work at the time and we had no insurance. A few days later, a couple I knew at church arrived on my doorstep with a television - not a new one, but in perfect working order. I barely knew them. It was a real act of kindness. x
ReplyDeleteVery Christmassy
DeleteI guess it goes to show what a small and close knit village you live in John. I would never consider eating something left like that at my door without a note or phone call or something to let me know it was from someone i knew and trusted...
ReplyDeleteWhat a timely question! Hubby just gave me the best present ever.. We had decided that with both of us going back to work this year and just both being tired and our time management skills are not the best yet we were not going to decorate for Christmas.. Ofcourse this pleased hubby as he is the consummate Scrooge when it comes to Christmas but i can't help miss it a little bit.. So i come home from work and its dark out this time of year.. And there are Christmas lights around the front windows! I walk in the house and he has dragged all the Christmas stuff upstairs and even put the tree together and started to set up the little village etc...What a wonderfully sweet thing to do... He said he was tired of being Scrooge. :) For work he drives a bus for a retirement home and this time of year they take them through the Christmas lights.. My husband of 30 years bought himself an elf hat and wears it when he drives... Who IS this man? LOL Hugs! deb
This is just wonderful !
DeleteYes lovely x
DeleteThis sounds very cliche, but last New Year we discovered an uncle I hadn't seen or heard from in 40 years had passed away in November of 2017, leaving a modest inheritance to each of his nieces and nephews. Very unexpected. Very, very appreciated.
ReplyDeleteAh the village way. Nice to see its not died out. And what a thoughtful gift something that touches the stomach and the soul. Do you good.
ReplyDeleteMy Nan used to do something during the war years for neighbours in the village where they lived. They kept a pig and if there was a kill most used to get a cut. My Dad was apparently a dab hand at catching rabbits so any extras used to get shared around as well. Sometimes its the giving that matters not the taking. Enjoy your stew on this very cold day (well it is here in Peterborough) although the sun is shining. Take care Tricia xx
But how will you return the saucepan to its owner? Or is the pan a gift too?
ReplyDeleteI've just found out the gift was from Trendy Carol
DeleteWe just moved into a new town in October, and landed among the most wonderful neighbors. A couple of weeks ago, I had serious eye problems, necessitating 8 days' rest and urgent surgery. Not only did the neighbors happily drive me to appointments and even sit through my surgery, but one of them left a little bag on the door with a pair of aloe-infused Santa socks. "A reminder to take it easy," she told me later. I have more Christmas socks than anybody needs, but who cares, when the sentiment is so thoughtful?
ReplyDeleteI have been amazed by the kindness of people recently
DeleteI have racked my brains and the best I can come up with is an iced cake with my name upon it - "THANK YOU NEIL FOR BEING THE BEST CAMP COUNSELLOR EVER!" It was made by some people who ran an Ohio bakery. I was working on a summer camp and one of the boys in my group was called Billy. It was his parents who ran that bakery.
ReplyDeleteAnother facet.... a word or phrase
DeleteA Paddington Bear, beautifully wrapped in a smart box. And all because I had told a colleague when we were talking about Teddies when we were children that when I was five my mother had taken 'Woolly' my knitted teddy and given it to some child she knew, saying that she didn't think I would want it any more as I was now too old for such things. I treasured that bear greatly and still do, although - sadly - I have now lost touch with the colleague. Paddington now has pride of place in the bedroom of my great grand daughter, who loves him dearly although she is only two.
ReplyDeletePass the bear on ...
DeleteThe neighbours around here have always been great... for generations... usually when things go sour, someone will almost always show up with a delicious home cooked meal or offer to do errands.
ReplyDeleteSteven, we old gays should stick together
DeleteThe best gift has been the gift of sobriety. 35 years later, I am still here. :)
ReplyDeleteGood for you mage
DeleteMine came a few weeks before christmas,and there were two; on Dec. 1st, 1974, and Dec 1st, 1987. Two daughters, the best people I've ever met, and a joy to my heart over the years.
ReplyDeleteNicely put old bean
DeleteMy daughter recently got engaged, a colleague made me the most beautiful, personalised card for them (overnight I might add) and refused to take a penny for her troubles. Daughter and her boyfriend, loved the card too.
ReplyDeleteI've had cards made for me too lovely
DeleteWhen sweet AMIL died 4 years ago, members of her church where she used to live chipped in and made a large donation to Habitat for Humanity and Heifer International in her memory. Those organizations help families and children. That meant so much to us because AMIL ran a daycare and was involved with children and their well-being for her whole life.
ReplyDeleteNice of Trendy Carol to make the stew and for you who gets to enjoy eating it!
Hugs!
I ate loads too...
DeleteMy husband paid for a spa day for myself and youngest daughter, as a thank you, I did not know until my daughter collected me, it was wonderful.
ReplyDeleteHe's a keeper
DeleteJohn I am so pleased you live is such a village where people care about each other. This warms my heart. I have recently had to move house and have been very lucky to have joined the SWI on arrival and everyone has rallied around us. It has made me a little tearful recently that there are such nice people out there. I have to pay it forward when I see the opportunity. (off to the SWI Christmas dinner and there will be a Ceilidh. I am slightly shitting myself. I have never been to a full on one before. so I googled it and saw this you tube, I hope it makes you smile like it did me. Although I am still a little scared of lots of the blue rinse brigade being a bit competitive dancing! Enjoy! and spare a thought for me! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1msu8iQT3kw )
ReplyDeleteI love ceilidhs
DeleteStrip the willow!
They certainly know how to drink. I am still recovering 2 days later. sat here in my harry potter hoodie waiting for the snow. I was given a bottle of whisky and a bath set for my secret santa, with a little note they just read, Any time you feel alone, ring this number, we will all come for a dram. How nice are these people!? they danced their pop socks off. And I have been adopted by at least 6 ladies. there is kindness out there, you have to drop your wall and let them in dont you. Its a tough lesson but I am learning. I hope you are feeling better today.
Delete
ReplyDeleteThose are beautiful butternut squash on your counter. What do you call them. As for gifts, I don't know. My friends have rallied around this year of broken bones, and I am so grateful.
I call them Bert and Earnie
DeleteIt has to be my Eames House Bird. I had lusted after one for ages but couldn't justify the money. My eldest daughter gave me one as a complete surprise several Christmases ago. I adore it, such a totally splendid gift x
ReplyDeleteOff to google eames house bird
DeleteI was having a pre-Christmas lunch with my sister who was single at the time and moaning that her stocking never got filled so why did she bother to hang it up! I mentioned that my stocking never got filled either because I was the stocking filler for my 5 children and husband.
ReplyDeleteOn Christmas Eve while my sister was at church, I went to her home and filled her stocking as a surprise. When I woke Christmas morning, I was surprised to find MY stocking full – she had snuck in while we were out to fill mine! We had the same idea to surprise each other! Loving sisters still!
I loved this
DeleteThat's lovely of TC 😁My neighbour sometimes brings my bins back in 😂
ReplyDeleteI second bringing in the bins , my lovely neighbour keeps a friendly eye open and brings it in if she realises I am going to be late home from work . I return the favour with green beans and greenhouse tomatoes in the summer . x
ReplyDeleteBarter
DeleteNot me, but my parents.
ReplyDeleteLast week they received an enormous Marks and Spencer’s hamper full of luxury Christmas food and drink hamper. Turned out to be from a man (now in his forties) who was in the same football team as my brother for several years when they were boys. My parents were very involved in the team, attending every match and ferrying the boys around every week. My Dad even managed the team for a while. This chap said it wasn’t until he had his own boys that he realised the level of commitment that my parents showed to the team for all those years and how much they did for him and the other boys. He recently bumped into my brother and asked for their address so my brother thought perhaps he would send a Christmas card, and instead he sent this massive hamper and a nice note. They were so touched.
Debbie in London
What goes around eh?
DeleteMy husband and I had a floor care business at one time and we were redoing an elderly woman basement floor. And we started talking about what we like and collected. I collect tea cups and at the end of business she presented me with a beautiful tea cup and saucer to add to my collection.
ReplyDeleteA conversation like yours with a patient got me my first turkey Boris
DeleteBramble....given to me by friend Chunky Monkey when I was at the lowest point in my life, living in my car, drowning in the depths of depression and basically at the point of no return. Chunky just dropped by and thrust an eight week old Spaniel bitch into my arms and said "you need something to look after" before he pissed off to the pub! damned thing is that it bloody worked. Mind you it was that bloody cold that night over six years ago a bowl of hot stew would have been nice as well...
ReplyDeleteYes I understandstqnd this John........my 40 th Chris bought me finlay , my first Welsh Terrier
DeleteOne xmas I got a real, live horse! I wanted one, but never expected to get it. Oddly, I have no idea what my brother received, but I bet he felt undervalued.
ReplyDeleteThat happened to my twin sister......I did feel undervalued
DeleteHow lovely to get home to a ready made meal, thanks Trendy Carol for looking after our John. I love it when my eldest grandson(6) picks up flowers all by himself in Aldi and says to his mummy, buy these for Momma(me) because I love her!! He melts my heart. Enjoy your stew!!
ReplyDeleteIt was bloody lovely
DeleteI receive unexpected gifts very frequently. The most recent was a beautiful begonia given to me by a good friend of my late mother. It is not the first time she has given me a beautiful plant that she has grown herself. I always treasure them much more than one I have bought from a garden centre.
ReplyDeleteFlowers and plants are incredibly powerful gifts me thinks
Deletejust having blogger friends is unexpected (for me, anyway) and always a pleasure.
ReplyDeleteAWWWWW AM you big wuss xxxx
DeleteI don't make friends easy. my blogger friends are so kind and caring.
DeleteI love u dearly
DeleteDuring the school year following my son's death, my colleagues took turns leaving little gifts outside my classroom, or in my mailbox. Although I cried every time a gift appeared, I know that the love my colleagues showed me was part of my healing. May TC's stew be part of your healing, John.
ReplyDeleteHow lovely of them and insightful too
DeleteOh, that's so nice! Hmmm...an unexpected gift. My dear friend Mary, in anticipation of our now cancelled move to Manhattan, made me a cute pinny with images of the Golden Gate Bridge, Coit Tower, etc. on it. I was so touched I cried a bit.
ReplyDeleteWhen we left Sheffield my best friends took photos of all of our favourite places in the city and gave them to us in an albulm
DeleteHello John hope you are feeling much better.
ReplyDeleteI have only been in my new home for three weeks.I was moved here with intervention from the police and cdvass due to dv and an assault by my ex partner. Anyway a guy knocked my door on Monday to speak with the previous tenant and to thank her for kindly letting him park outside.We got talking and I reassured him that I was very happy with the parking arrangement where upon he produced a bouquet of flowers obviously meant for the other lady and gave them to me.I felt so honoured and I cried which is somethingI seem to do a lot lately! Life can be difficult as we know but these acts of kindness help us through x you deserve all the loving support you receive x please hug your fur babies for me x
I cry too much and too often at the moment, and I understand how the valve can be unleashed after a kindness
DeleteIt's the small things... The day I moved into my retirement flat, I didn't realise I had left my car's side lights on. One of the residents noticed as it got dark and came to tell me. I was already in bed, stupid with sleep and fatigue - it had been a long day. She gently took the keys, sorted the car out and brought the keys back. What an angel! I was so grateful.
ReplyDeleteWe all need that evel headed friend
DeleteShepherds pie delivered from our wonderful landlady from our rented cottage when we managed to buy a small house and moved with very young children.
ReplyDeleteA surprise lunch at a dear friends with all the gang there the day before the children and I left to join my husband overseas for six months. The trouble was we were renting out our house so I had been cleaning like mad and turned up literally with my Marigolds still on my hands.... No one minded and it was a lovely gesture x
Food is so special
DeleteMy good friend, also a widow, took me to lunch about a month after my husband died. When the server brought our food, she said another customer had already picked up the tab for both of our meals. We were quite touched by the generosity of a complete stranger who must have known it was a difficult time for us. We never did find out who our benefactor was.
ReplyDeleteAnother moving Christmas story thank you I loved this
DeleteI was studying for my law finals and something dropped through the letterbox. My mum had dropped a tube of Colman's mustard and some ham for me. We didn't get on very well at the time and it made me cry my eyes out to see that really she still cared about me. She didn't knock on the door or hang about, she just drove off.
ReplyDeleteThat's a real British Christmas story thank you x
DeleteRon and I got married with only two close friends to 'stand' for us. We didn't tell anyone else.....till the day after. We live outside the city about 30 minutes away. Two days later on a Saturday around 3 PM I noticed the vet's parking lot (they are closed Saturday afternoon) filling up with cars. Didn't think anything of it .....till I noticed a large group of people walking down our driveway. I recognized one at first, then another......
ReplyDeleteWhat the heck was going on?!
My family (about 25 in all) arrived to celebrate our marriage! And with all the food!!
I was blown away by this 'gift'. A good time had by all.
I really liked this story, thanks for sharing it.
DeleteJimbo......sweet lovely story thank u
DeleteMy magic wand, gifted by my neighbour friend when i admired her 3 year old daughters wand, my friends dad made it specially for me with a hand turned wooden handle, metal star and lots of glitter, i treasure it!
ReplyDeleteSweet
DeleteWhen my Mum married my Step Dad, I was 19. Money had been tight for years, and that Christmas, Step Dad and Mum got me a small portable B/W TV set. It was heaven as I was in the nurses home and only had a radio and cassette player. Best grown up present I ever had. Bev
ReplyDeleteSweet..I remember mine toowith thesmall click dial
DeleteYes, mine had the dial and was tricky to tune. Heaven though, I could watch Crossroads,
Deletei m ust be the most ungrateful person....can't remember a single thing!
ReplyDeleteThink harder
DeleteWhen awakening before sunrise I went into the kitchen to make coffee. Looking through the window I saw two wild rabbits and a chipmunk scurrying through feathery flakes of snow twirling in the wind, and one brightly shining star acting like a stage light so the beautiful wildlife could be watched.Natural and celestial gifts,at once, moments like those are amazing.
ReplyDeleteThe reason the wildlife remains here for me to enjoy was a gift from a neighbor who's become a dear friend. This community shares a garden plot, and he is in charge of making sure animals didn't eat everyone's vegetables and flowers. When he mentioned he was "going to get rid of the rabbits for everyone", I said the wildlife is one of the reasons I came to live here. I didn't ask, or expect, him to change anything, just stood there feeling sad and disappointed. He didn't bring up the subject again, either, that day or since then.
Instead he built a cage, not for the animals,but for the whole garden. It has a fence, screen covering that let's sunlight and rain in, and a gate for the gardeners. -Mary
One of the last comments gets the best prize xx
DeleteMary, what a wonderful thing for him to do. Sounds like a very caring person.
DeleteThanks for your post because it got me to thinking! Years ago when I was teaching at a different school I was going through a difficult time during the holidays. My wife (now ex-wife!) had gotten fired from her job in the beginning of December. (Little did I know that this would be the beginning of a slippery slope with her) We had no money for Christmas. My daughter was still young and I worried about being able to get her any gifts from Santa. During my planning period, a bunch of teachers came into my room and gave me $250 to spend on Christmas. They wrote my a card which I still have. They said the nicest things to me. When I read the card, the tears came. I realized then and there that I wasn't alone. I will never forget that moment. Thank you for reminding me of it.
ReplyDeleteMick..u are loved
DeleteSomeone gave me a bunch of fireworks and a dozen eggs last week...this was rather a surprise.
ReplyDeleteBloody hell love the arbitrary nature of this one
DeleteLong time lurker and my first time replying, John. It has been a great gift to discover your blog. Thank you for your lovely , warm and eloquent blog.
ReplyDeleteThe nicest gift o have received was a rose bush left on my front door step by an unknown person just after our first grandson was stillborn. The rose is called " In Loving Memory" and it is now in a huge pot which came with us to our new home two years ago. Every Spring and Summer we enjoy its beautiful blooms and the scent is divine. I know the benefactor must have been one of our friends, and I have my suspicions but no one has owned up. The kindness was so appreciated, particularly as it recognised our grief in trying to support our son and beloved DIL as well.
Thank you for sharing this and welcome
DeleteOops...meant to post as Libretto, instead of unkown
ReplyDeletemore than a few years ago my sister made me a quilt and sent it to our mom and dad's house so I could open it there...I was completely stunned and love it to this day...
ReplyDeleteI love quilts the work in them speaks volumes
Deleteare you going to roast Bert and Ernie?
ReplyDeleteYes soup time
DeleteI give but dont get
ReplyDeleteYou get by giving
DeleteI think my best unexpected gift was my brother, who showed up this summer on our doorstep with only a suitcase and a little dog. We hadn't seen him for years, he finally had split up with his abusive spouse, spent two nights in his car and finally came to us. He ended up spending the summer camping out in our sister's little popup camper parked in our yard. We had such wonderful times talking and catching up on all the years of being apart. He's now living just four miles away and we see each other at least once a week,and talk every day by phone. Wonderful!
ReplyDeleteI loved this one
DeleteThis week I got in the post a box of sweets from Canada. It made my day.
ReplyDeleteTee hee
DeleteI received the best St Valentine's day present, almost 32 years ago, at
ReplyDelete3-35 pm, when my son arrived in the world.
The surprise was how fast I fell hopelessly in love with him! X
My best present ever was in 2016. I was diagnosed with breast cancer in July that year and my youngest son was due to emigrate to Australia in August. I started my chemo in September and he delayed going until he saw I was ok and left mid September. We did not expect to see him until July 2017 at a wedding he was returning for. A few days before Christmas when I attended my clinic to get the blood tests for the chemo, my oncologist decided I'd had enough and cancelled the rest of the chemo - brilliant present however more was to come. When I got home like a dog with two tails (chemo had been very harsh on me) who should appear at the door dressed in a santa suit carrying the biggest bunch of flowers in the world but my son. He asked his work to let him come home for the holiday to cheer me up and cheer me up it did. His friend collected him at the airport so we had no idea he was coming and he stayed until the 3rd January. I still smile when I think about it. Got the all clear from the cancer in August 2017. Nightmares do get better. xx
ReplyDeleteI've got something in my eye x
DeleteYes John just yesterday I received a bouquet of flowers from someone I gave a bit of a home life to when he was just fifteen, now he lives with his wife and children and grand kids in Llanelli so I don't see them often but these flowers were a lovely thought.
ReplyDeleteYou changed a life
DeleteI have lived in this house for 30 years, the last 17 alone. I keep thinking about moving into a smaller home but my neighbours are so kind. Everything from returning my bin to snowblowing my driveway or shoveling my path for free. This summer another neighbour saw my roof gutter had become dislodged, brought over a ladder and tools and repaired it, refusing payment except for a hug. Small town living is hard to beat.
ReplyDeleteJust yesterday my son responded to my text message (my jaw nearly hit the floor in shock) and my lovely daughter brings me a gift of a hot cup of coffee every morning that she works since I am mostly unable to walk. (bone contusion)
ReplyDeleteJust reading through the wonderful stories of kindness,
ReplyDeleteWhen I was diagnosed with cancer 17 friends of my daughter got together and bought her a plane ticket to be with me during my operation it was a gift to me as well as I was so proud that she had so many wonderful friends.
Years and years ago, I was newly married,19 years old and we were so poor and lived in a trailer out in the middle of cold cold nowhere. All I wanted was a down coat to keep me warm. A small box came from my parents for Xmas, and Un-grateful me thought, DAMN, a coat cannot possibly be in this box! But it WAS! Mom had folded and crushed it to fit! It was a LONG, pink, down coat! I cried and cried!! I called my Mom and we cried on the phone together - she for her daughter who had married a loser that put her in a trailer, and ME for my Mom who always rescued me.
ReplyDelete