Travel Box

I love it when opportunities to be kind just present themselves. It saves me the mental energy of having to think of something to do.

One of our neighbors has company this week. Her daughter is visiting with her grandchildren, adorable twin boys who are about the same age as LJ. We were playing with them earlier today. They really liked the inflatable balls in LJ's toy chest. I remembered that I had some extras. So, I made them a little travel box for their drive back to Alabama: six inflatable balls, 2 books, paper, stickers, crayons, wikki stix, and play-doh. Everything two busy boys need to stay occupied in the car! Well, maybe that's a little too ambitious. I doubt that it's everything. But, hopefully it will last until they at least get to Orlando.

Kind Regards,

Your Neighbor

Rainy Day Fun

We spent the day indoors since we didn't want to get soaked courtesy of Tropical Storm Nicole. Who gets to name these storms? I would LOVE that job. Since we were housebound, LJ and I played with every toy she owns, read a big stack of books, and completed a few art projects. Since she was in a crafty mood, I put her in charge of today's act of kindness.

My partner, LJ, created two beautiful sticker scenes to be mailed to her great-grandmothers.


I attached a note letting them know how much they are loved and missed. We're looking forward to visiting those ladies in November. We really are so fortunate to have them in our lives.

Kind Regards,

Your Neighbor

Money

LJ and I spent this afternoon with one of my longtime friends, her son, and my mother. I was telling them about a wonderful cause that I would love to donate to if I had the money. My mom told me that she is glad that I don't have money right now because I would just give it all away. I thought about it for a while, and she's right... I would! Hopefully, I will get my philanthropic desires in check by the time more money flows into our lives (most likely when I return to work and LJ goes to preschool).

Until then, I stand by the idea that you don't have to spend money to be kind. Instead of donating to the cause today, I decided to send an email to let them know how worthy it is and how much I support what they're doing. I also sent an email to a friend who is fundraising for them. He has already emailed me back with a big thank you. I would still love to send him a fat check, but I guess I'll have to be satisfied with the kind words.

Kind Regards,

Your Neighbor

GFTAS Day

Today was the 27th so it was time to celebrate Betsy's holiday, Give Flowers to a Stranger Day. LJ and I bought a small potted plant, instead of flowers, and we brought it home and fancied it up a bit by adding a ribbon and a little bird. LJ is really into birds right now and flying... she loves to "fly."


We went to a nursing home. My original intention was to give it to the receptionist and ask her to deliver it to a patient who could use some cheering up (strangely enough this was the very same thing that Betsy @ The Kindness of Strangers did today... beyond coincidence). As LJ and I started up the walkway, I had a different idea. I told her that she could give it to whoever she wanted. She nodded her head and continued up the walkway, babbling about the little bluebird and its ability to fly.

She tried to give the plant to two residents, but the gentleman wasn't very aware of his surroundings (heartbreaking) and the woman said that she didn't have any place to put it. I was talking to her when LJ started walking off toward her next choice. This time she met with success. I turned to see a housekeeping worker smiling at her and holding her arms wide open. "Is that for me?" she asked. LJ gave her the plant. She laughed and when she tried to return it, I said, "I told her that she could give it to whoever she wanted and it looks like she picked you." Then she said, "It's my lucky day!" and she did a little dance. It was such a feel-good moment. This woman was genuinely happy about receiving this little plant. LJ started blowing her kisses, and she blew some in return.

Maybe next month, we can get our hands on a real bouquet of flowers. We could really spread some joy with that!

Kind Regards,

Your Neighbor

Clean Slate

Today's act of kindness came to me while I was in the shower this morning. All good ideas seem to come into my head while I'm taking a shower. Why is that?

Anyway, today I am going to forgive. Since the person I am forgiving probably doesn't even know that she has been on my secret mental hit list for the last three years, I guess this act of kindness is for me. I'm the one who has been weighed down by my negative thoughts. She hasn't been hurt by them; I have. So, today I am officially letting it go.

For years, I have thrown around the phrase "Don't let other people rent space in your head." I got it from an episode of Candid Camera. I was just flipping through channels one day and then I came across this awesome philosophy of life. I googled it before I started typing today's post, and I found a reference to that episode on another website. Here is a quote:

"... My son Mike and I were watching a

Candid Camera episode years ago, and they had a setup in a store in a mall where they had a sign at the cash register that read: No change given today. A parade of people came and when they paid for their purchases, got all kinds of reactions. Some were mad (most were mad), some argued, some put back what they were buying. Then, this guy comes up with an item that cost $2.27 with tax and handed the clerk three dollars. He stood there expectantly, waiting on his change and the clerk finally pointed to the sign. He just smiled, nodded his head to her, and walked away with his purchase. They caught up with him outside the store and asked why he didn't get mad, and he very calmly said, "I don't let anyone rent space in my head." Mike and I went bonkers--this was the greatest philosophy we'd ever heard (from Candid Camera, of all places!) and both of us have adopted it as our own philosophy ever since. Cool, huh?"

That's pretty much how it happened. That phrase has been helpful to me over the years. This morning, while I was in the shower, I realized that I've been letting someone rent space in my head. Today is eviction day.

A true kindness for myself.

Kind Regards,

Your Neighbor

Passage Jar

During LJ's nap today, I made a little present for a friend. After I was finished, I thought of several other people who would really enjoy it. Then, I thought about giving it to a stranger. So I guess I need to make some more. Today's act of kindness is making the gift. Now I just have to complete the act by giving it away. What is it?

It is a Passage Jar. This idea came from Kind Over Matter... again. I searched for inspirational quotes and wrote my favorites down on a piece of paper. I wrote them by hand since my computer printer broke, but I think the handwritten messages make it more special. Some of my favorite quotes today:

"If you want the rainbow, you gotta put up with the rain!" (Dolly Parton)

"Never give up, for that is just the place and time that the tide will turn." (Harriet Beecher Stowe)

"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover." (Mark Twain)

Kind Regards,

Your Neighbor

More Compliments

I fell asleep before I could post last night so today will be another 2-post day.

On September 9th, my act of kindness was posting three Free Compliments posters. I left one at an indoor playground that day. We returned yesterday, and I was surprised to see that my poster was still up two weeks later. And, good news... all of the compliments had been taken!


I decided it was time for some more compliments. So, yesterday I passed out some more compliments to the strangers that I met. I printed out some more posters, too. I was going to hang them up, but my sister-in-law said that she would like to post them at her office so I gave them to her instead.

I'm so glad that I saw that old poster today. I was struggling with coming up with new ideas for this project, and now I feel a little better about recycling them.

Kind Regards,

Your Neighbor

Flamingo Surprise

"There are people whom one loves and appreciates immediately and forever. Even to know they are alive in the world is quite enough."
-Nancy Spain

I received a wonderful surprise package in the mail a while ago from a dear friend. The package contained a beautiful card with seahorses on the front (my top three favorite animals: seahorses, turtles, and owls) and the lovely quote above. She also sent a set of note cards with flamingos:



When she saw them in the store, she thought of me. I guess that means I'm a real Floridian again. :-)

I decided to use one of my adorable pink flamingo cards this evening. I wanted to write an anonymous note to someone to brighten his or her day. I ended up picking one of my mother's friends, Mary.

I don't know her very well, but my mom is always singing her praises. I hope that Mary enjoys the little surprise in her mailbox.

Kind Regards,

Your Neighbor

Shopping Carts

Today's act of kindness falls into the category of "just doing the right thing." We were in the parking lot of Target. The last 10 or so shoppers seemed to have just left their carts piled haphazardly together in the landscaping next to a vacant parking space. My first instinct was to slide my empty cart in next to the others. Instead, I walked my cart back to the designated area and carried LJ back to our car. Not a big deal, right? I feel kind of funny about counting it as today's act of kindness since it's something that you're supposed to do anyway. I guess I'm counting it because it was a conscious choice that I made. It would have been a lot easier to ditch the cart in the bushes and gone on my merry way. Maybe this kindness thing is becoming a habit.

Kind Regards,

Your Neighbor

More Mangoes

Today was my husband's day off so he took LJ out for a fun daddy/daughter day. While they were off on their adventure, I did some yard work. As I was cleaning out one corner, I came across a bunch of mango seedlings. I pulled them up and transplanted them into containers I pulled out of our recycling bin. Surely, someone would want them, right?

I made a sign and placed them out by the street around 12:30 pm.

I checked a couple of hours later, and they were all gone. Mango smoothies, here we come!

Kind Regards,

Your Neighbor

Patience

I was at Home Depot today looking for some fertilizer for my key lime and mango trees. I was debating liquid versus granular when a man next to me said, "Oh, if you are looking for good citrus plant food, I know the stuff," and he was off, talking to himself, and searching the aisles for Vigoro. This would make more sense if he worked for Home Depot, but he was just a customer like me. It took him a while to locate the exact bag that he wanted me to purchase. The whole time, he talked and talked and talked about his avocado tree. My first instinct was to ditch him, but then I remembered this blog and I thought if he was nice enough to take time out of his day to help a stranger pick out fertilizer, I could be kind enough to listen. So, listen I did.

He has an avocado tree that produced 100 giant avocados this year. You heard right-- 100! They were the size of butternut squash. It's not just a regular avocado tree. He got it from a Jamaican guy. He also told me how to protect my fruit trees from squirrels. This segment included how to make hanging mothball pouches, where to buy the mothballs, how much they cost per pound, what kind of cheesecloth and aluminum foil to use. When he found the bag of fertilizer, he gave me detailed instructions for how to use it. He drew diagrams with a stick on the ground and showed me how many inches I need to dig. Each time he said the word "circle," he drew a circle. Each time he gave me a measurement, he would show the distance using his hands. At one point, I wondered if it was some kind of joke and I half-expected Ashton Kutcher to jump out of the bushes and tell me I've been punk'd. It was definitely an exercise in patience for me.

So, today's act of kindness was the gift of time. I gave that well-intentioned stranger at least 5 minutes (possibly 10) of my life. In return, I got some fertilizer. If my mango tree goes crazy next year and produces 100 mangoes the size of butternut squash, I'll know who to thank.

Kind Regards,

Your Neighbor

Dog Rescue Envy

My husband is a very lucky man. He's married to me, right? ;-) He also has 2 lovely grandmothers. One of them lives in an assisted living facility. We live about four and a half hours away, and the rest of her family is out-of-state. Since she does not have a lot of frequent visitors, her interactions with the staff are really important. They have live-in managers who are available 24/7 to help the residents. They seem to be really warm and caring people. I wrote an anonymous thank-you note for the staff today. LJ colored a picture for both of her great-grandmothers. We'll put all of our letters in the mail tomorrow.

I was pretty pleased with this little act of kindness until my brother showed up tonight for dinner. He and my sister-in-law found a lost dog on their way to our house this afternoon. When I heard the story of Marley the Labradoodle's return and joyful reunion with her owners, I felt a little jealous. My brother offered to "donate" his act of kindness to me, but I already had the thank-you note thing going on. Not as exciting as a dog rescue, but it will have to do.

Kind Regards,

Your Neighbor

Trash to Treasure

I visited an awesome store today, Trash to Treasure a.k.a. Creative Re-use Center and green art store. It is a non-profit organization that takes donations of clean, re-usable materials and resells them. The store would appeal mostly to teachers and artists. Membership is $60 for a year, and you take as much as you need. We opted for the $10 for one day plan, and we could have taken 20 pounds of materials but I only left with 5 pounds. LJ and I were looking for some art supplies, and we found paper, paint, a palette, and a paintbrush. I picked up a notebook, some greeting cards, and some postcards that I plan to use for one of my acts of kindness in the near future. After I left, I kind of wish that I had gotten 15 more POUNDS worth of materials for my money, but really-- I got what I came for (and more) and $10 is a pretty good deal for that. I will certainly be back, and I will probably end up becoming a member. Today's act of kindness was for the environment. Buy used whenever possible.



Kind Regards,

Your Neighbor

A Day at the Park

Today was my husband's day off so we took a family trip to the park. LJ loves the swings, and this park has some nice adult-sized swings, too. There was a nice breeze even though it is still incredibly hot down here. Our act of kindness for the day was picking up some trash. Easy!

Have a wonderful weekend!

Kind Regards,

Your Neighbor

Secret Dollar Man

I first met Secret Dollar Man on Megan's blog last week. I followed a link to the generosity movement called Give Away a Dollar a Day. Here is the premise (copied from the website):

Give Away A Dollar A Day is...

Simple. You don't have to follow any steps or any kind of program. You just give away one dollar, every day. Fun. Do you remember the surprise you felt whenever you found money? Now, imagine being able to give that same joy, that same laughter and surprise to others, every day! Powerfully transforming. When you cling to money, you tell your subconscious mind that you don't have enough. But when you give it away, even when it is a small amount like a dollar, you are now telling your subconscious that you have more than enough. The best personal habit you'll ever develop. Experts agree that when you repeat anything for enough days in a row, you develop a habit. And how many habits can you think of that are more gratifying than the gracious habit of daily giving? Ultimately about unconditional giving. Which is giving without the expectation of anything in return. This is truly letting go. And it opens the door for you to begin to give and to receive in all of the areas of your life!

I don't plan on giving away a dollar a day since I'm already involved in this project and I like the variety too much. It's a neat idea, though. I love to find money. I found a $20 bill in my coat pocket once... SCORE! So, in honor of the Secret Dollar Man, I dropped a dollar at the grocery store today. It might not be a 20 in a coat pocket, but I hope it brought someone a little joy.

Kind Regards,

Your Neighbor

A Small Act of Caring

I was just sitting here, thinking about my day, wishing that I had done something spectacular. My big act of kindness for the day was.... drum roll please.... a smile. That's it. Just a smile. Well, it was accompanied by a "hello" and a "how are you today?" but mostly it was the smile. I was feeling like it was pretty insignificant, and then I stumbled across this quote by Leo Buscaglia: "Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around." Suddenly, I am feeling a lot better about today's act of kindness.

I was smiling at an elderly gentleman who I keep running into. Today was the third (maybe the fourth?) time that we have crossed paths. Same store, same day of the week. I guess we are both creatures of habit. Anyway, he has the best smile. He smiles with his eyes. Do you know what I'm talking about? The rest of the smile is great, too... he has some impressive gold teeth. But, it's the eyes that really make it. I'm not even sure if this was my act of kindness or his. Maybe one of these days I'll introduce myself.

Kind Regards,

Your Neighbor

The Hunger Site

I was in need of a quick and easy act of kindness today. LJ wasn't feeling the best so we were kind of housebound. I remembered Megan's suggestion when I posted about Free Rice. Thanks, Megan! So I went to www.thehungersite.com and donated some food by clicking, sending an e-card and playing some games. Since its inception, visitors at The Hunger Site and shoppers at The Hunger Site store have given more than 671 million cups of food. Not too shabby.

Kind Regards,

Your Neighbor

Celebrate What's Right With the World

I watched a training video several years ago that really resonated with me. It is called Celebrate What's Right With the World, and it features National Geographic photographer Dewitt Jones. If you have the time, you can watch the video here. I just love it. At one point, he discusses perspective and the idea of "seeing is believing." He says that maxim is all wrong. You have to believe in order to see. If you wake up in the morning and believe that something good is going to happen that day, you will find something good. Instead of complaining about all of the things that are wrong with this world, let's celebrate what's right. The video really is worth a view.

Anyway, I have been reflecting on this project. Today is Day 50. I have really enjoyed it so far. I haven't had one bad day... that's awesome! I have felt more connected to my community. I have been more aware of the people on my path, and I have received a lot of kindness in return. Today, I was trying to compliment someone, and I ended up getting a lot more out of our conversation than she did. I was thinking about the concept of "you reap what you sow" and realizing that I often reap much more than I sow. I have benefited from each of the daily projects so far. From getting to know people like the clerk at Publix (LJ calls her "Keisha" even though that's not quite her name) to leaving little surprises for neighbors to find. I have gotten such joy out of each one.

In my first post, I stated "Strangers don't really like to be talked to... at all. Maybe that's because I live in South Florida. People down here are suspicious. When I try to talk to them, I feel like they think I'm trying to rob them or beg for money or attempt to pull some kind of scam." Really?!? Fifty days later, I would like to revise that statement. I have met some incredibly friendly strangers. This is what I meant by feeling more connected to my community. I think it has to do with perspective. If I left my house in the morning and I believed that people were suspicious and unfriendly, then I would probably find a lot of suspicious and unfriendly folks. I'm sure that they are still out there, but I haven't seen them lately. I have been too busy celebrating what's right with the world.

I believe something beautiful will happen tomorrow. I can't wait to find out what it is!

Kind Regards,

Your Neighbor

See a penny, pick it up...

I guess I was still thinking about yesterday's well-spent quarter when I came up with the idea for today's kind act. Maybe it has to do with LJ's obsession with her piggy bank, too. She loves money, and she is just as thrilled with a penny as she is with a dollar. Every coin she sees belongs to her. "MONEY!" she shouts and then runs for her piggy bank. "MONEY! MONEY! MONEY" all the way down the hall.

I pulled five shiny pennies out of our change jar today. I put some stickers on the back and wrote "Good Luck" on each one. Here's a fuzzy shot on my cell phone camera:


We left a few on the sidewalk at Southport Shopping Center and the others inside The Dollar Tree (where we were picking up some art supplies for LJ). While we were shopping, she spotted a row of piggy banks, and screamed "MONEY! MONEY! MONEY!" at the top of her lungs. I dropped one of our good luck pennies into the pig on the left.


When we walked back to our car, we checked to see if our pennies were still there. They were all gone. Mission accomplished. Hopefully, they really will bring a little luck to whoever found them. You never know...

Kind Regards,

Your Neighbor

Parking Meter

Happy Saturday! I did not have any plans for my act of kindness when I woke up today. I just hoped that we would stumble upon an opportunity. My mom, LJ, and I went shopping. Instead of our grocery store trip, we changed it up a bit and went antiquing instead. The antique store had street parking. After I put my change into the parking meter, I noticed that I had an extra quarter in my hand. I decided to check for any expired meters as we walked to the store front. The next meter we came across had only one minute left. I put my quarter in. Then I looked up and saw a man sitting in the vehicle. I don't think he noticed me. He appeared to be reading. We went inside and did some shopping. I found two chairs... gorgeous, vintage, and in desperate need of reupholstering thanks to the previous owner's cat. The store owner announced, "If you parked out front, make sure you fed the meter because a police officer is writing tickets." One woman said, "My husband is in the car." The owner said, "It doesn't matter. She'll still write the ticket." I wanted to interrupt and tell her not to worry because I just put a quarter in for her. Go on and shop, lady.. you have 30 more minutes! :-) Instead, I just smiled and enjoyed that fly-on-the-wall moment.

Kind Regards,

Your Neighbor

Mashed Cauliflower

Today was my husband's birthday. He has been doing a low carb diet so I made a low carb birthday meal for his party tonight. He seemed to appreciate being able to eat everything on the table. So, I guess all of that cooking was an act of kindness for him. The other guests might not have appreciated it quite so much. Mashed cauliflower is NOT a substitute for mashed potatoes. ;-)

Have a wonderful weekend.

Kind Regards,

Your Neighbor

Free Compliments

Where would my kindness project be without the fun ideas that I find at Kind Over Matter? I printed 3 Free Compliments Posters and left them on various bulletin boards today. I had to send my camera out for repairs last week, so I only have my cell phone camera:

You can download a pdf of the poster here. It might be fun to hang on the bulletin board in your office.

I tried to continue the compliments theme throughout the day. LJ and I spent the morning at an indoor playground with all of the other people who wanted to stay out of the heat (side note: when will Fall come to South Florida?!? I just checked weather.com and right now, at 11:45 pm, the heat index is 92 degrees. I don't know how much more I can take). Anyway, we really enjoyed our indoor playtime, and I found lots of opportunities to compliment the other kids... nice manners, good sharing, cute outfits, pretty hair.

I just might hand out some more free compliments tomorrow!

Kind Regards,

Your Neighbor

Donation

Today's act was pretty simple. I donated a bag of clothing and shoes that I no longer wear to a charity thrift store. I hope they find happy homes. I thought about taking a picture of the garbage bag, but would you really want to see that?

Have a wonderful day.

Kind Regards,

Your Neighbor

Surprise!

My entire family got together yesterday at my mom's house. She had some surprise visitors, and we all wanted to visit with them, too. The special guest was a nurse from a hospital in West Virginia who cared for my parents following a very serious car accident six years ago. At the time I was living in Virginia, and my parents were on their way to visit me when they were involved in the accident. I will never forget that phone call and the way that I felt while I was driving to the hospital as my mother underwent the surgery that would save her life. She has kept in touch with one very special nurse, and we have had the pleasure of visiting with her and her family several times over the last six years.

Yesterday's visit took my mom by surprise. She already had her day planned. She was going to be doing yard work since today was bulk trash pick-up day. It only happens once a month, and she was disappointed that she wasn't going to be able to get her yard work done. But, it's not every day that you get a visit from your all-time favorite nurse!

Anyway, I had a plan. I got up early this morning, very early this morning. I went to work in Mom's yard. I had a nice pile of dead palm fronds on the bulk pick-up pile before she caught me. We worked together the finish the rest.


And, we finished just in time. The tire in the picture belongs to the garbage truck. It felt great to do something for my sweet mom. Yesterday, I was reminded about just how blessed I am to have her in my life. Six years and counting...

Kind Regards,

Your Neighbor

Publix Surprise

I fell asleep last night while watching a football game so I this is actually yesterday's post.

I think I previously mentioned that grocery shopping with my mom is part of our Saturday routine. LJ loves it. The free cookie seems to be her favorite part, but waving and blowing kisses to all of the friendly Publix employees is a close second. They treat her like a celebrity. It is probably one of the highlights of LJ's week.

When we check out, we always go through the same clerk's line (if she is working that day). We were pregnant at the same time, and her son was born a couple of weeks after LJ. I have gotten to know her a little bit over the last two years of Saturday morning grocery trips. She is very young, and I don't think her son's father is present. We were talking about their upcoming birthdays a couple of weeks ago, and my mom asked her what she was getting for her son. She told us that they were moving into a 2-bedroom apartment so he was going to have his own room. I thought he might like a few new toys to put in his new bedroom. So, I put together a little birthday surprise and took it to Publix yesterday morning. She wasn't working so I left it at the Customer Service desk with a note from LJ.


Happy Birthday, B.

Kind Regards,

Your Neighbor

Parking Lot Attendant

There is something about being behind the wheel of a car that brings out the worst in people. When I was an elementary school teacher, I had car duty. My job was to stand at the top of the stairs and make sure the traffic kept moving and no children ran out into the street... general safety stuff. I dreaded car duty days. There was always some kind of drama and lots of attitude.

This morning, LJ and I crossed paths with a parking lot attendant who was in the middle of some kind of drama and lots of attitude. The guy was just doing his job (and he was actually a volunteer so he wasn't even getting paid). We walked over to him and said hello. I told him about my car duty days and my theory about it bringing out the worst in people. While we were chatting, LJ and I got to witness another altercation (which totally supported my theory). We thanked him, and he thanked us for being so nice. I carried that conversation with me all day.

This is another really simple thing that I would probably have never done if it had not been for this project. Hmm... maybe being kinder is becoming a habit.

Kind Regards,

Your Neighbor

Yard Sale

Our neighbors had a yard sale today. There was a lot of traffic on the street. LJ and I cruised over on her tricycle to go shopping. She had her piggy bank in the front basket (along with a doll, half a pack of crayons and a plastic carrot). After purchasing some books, we came home and got ready to go to the grocery store with my mom. Grocery shopping with Grandmother is part of our Saturday routine. On our way to the store, my mom noticed that the neighbor's yard sale sign at the end of the street had fallen over. She told me that I should tell them when we returned. I thought about this project and decided to pull over and pick it up myself. I know that this is not a big deal, but there was a day when I would have driven by the sign without even thinking about it. It was a little thing to do, but hopefully it had big results for their yard sale advertising. All of the big spenders came after we left. ;-)

Kind Regards,

Your Neighbor

Surprise Ball

I was in a lovely mood today so I wanted to do something lovely. I made a Surprise Ball for one of my aunts.
It is filled with all sorts of things that I found around the house. LJ colored a picture. I made the floral magnet in the bottom right corner by cutting and pasting a greeting card and gluing a magnetic strip on the back. After I had wrapped these things, I had to add a few more since the ball didn't seem big enough. The big ticket item was an envelope with $10 inside and instructions to take one of my other aunts out to breakfast at The Country Diner (a family favorite where they can both eat for under $10 and still have money left over for tip... what a place).
This idea came from Kind Over Matter. You can see their blog entry here. It was so very fun to make. It's all wrapped up and ready to go to the post office. What a lovely day!

Kind Regards,

Your Neighbor

Cupcake Surprise

Today, I printed a completely adorable Build Your Own Cupcake Kit and clipped it to our neighbors' mailbox. They have a sweet little girl who loves to do crafts. I hope this was a happy, little surprise for her when she returned home from school today.

I think that I originally found this at Kind Over Matter, but I'm not positive. I have had it bookmarked for a while. If you want to build your own cupcake (it's pretty fun), here is the address: http://vol25.typepad.com/freebies/build%20your%20own%20cupcake.pdf

Kind Regards,

Your Neighbor

Free Rice

Oh no! It was 11:30 pm, and there was no deliberate act of kindness for the day. What to do?

I went to Freerice.com and donated 1,000 grains of rice to the United Nations World Food Program by playing a vocabulary game. I checked it out at Snopes, and it's legit. For every correct answer you get, they will donate 10 grains of rice. Warning: it's addictive.

Kind Regards,

Your Neighbor

Mission: Laundry Money

Doing laundry at a laundromat is such a pain. You have to transport all of your clothes and dig around for quarters. Whenever I have been in that situation, I have never had enough and always ended up scratching around inside my car for a few more to finish the job. Today I copied an idea from Secret Agent L's blog: Mission Laundry Money. I dropped a little sack of quarters in the pay out slot of the change machine. My nephew and LJ accompanied me for this mission. He snapped a photo of the Smiley Wash. I'll add it when he sends it to me. Hopefully, we made someone's trip to the laundromat a little more pleasant today.

Kind Regards,

Your Neighbor