We did get 8″ of snow this weekend! It was so pretty falling on Saturday. Knitting Daughter and WH were working, so College Guy and I went shopping in the snow. Still not done with Christmas shopping, but I’m getting closer. I also spent some time spinning and knitting. These Noro socks are really fun to knit. In fact, I was having so much fun watching for the next colorway to emerge that I probably made the cuff of these socks too long. 
Oh well. I am knitting these on size 0’s and getting 9 st. to the inch. I got 8 st. to the inch on 1’s, but it felt like the knit material was a little too loose. I like it done on the 0’s, better. This is color S185. We have lots in stock and more due in any day, so you ought to be in good shape for getting it here as soon as we get it put up for you! (Added later: Noro is up – go see!)
These RAKs have been so interesting to read. I find that I’m frequently saying, “Oh my gosh.” As in, “That’s a great idea!” or “What an amazing and giving person she/he is.” or “I need to be doing that, too.” And I have loved all of your blog comments, but also all of your emails as well. It has alao been fun to help many of you do some yarn-y type things anonymously. 🙂 I had one email last week and she wanted me to share this with you. I do agree with her that giving sacrificially is a really nice thing to do and kind of the “next step up” in RAKs. Read and see what I mean:
“Hi Sheri- have been thoroughly enjoying the RAK challenge on your blog- you’ve inspired me to sacrificial giving- and I’d like to put out a challenge to others- to do the same… RAKs can be big or small…. but what’s really changing me in practicing this– is by making them sacrificial… not just giving out of abundance- but giving as a sacrifice.
Recently a knitter on ravelry had his entire stash raided and stolen…. (long story). I knew I’d be sending out yarn.
First, I looked through my stash to see what I could spare— then I saw my gorgeous skein of Wollmeise. Wollmeise has to be a healing balm in any situation- don’t ya think? (Of course I bought it from The Loopy Ewe) I already pkged it up- It’s shipping to him in the morning.
I know- I know it’s just yarn- but I cannot tell you how good it feels to know he’ll be delighted- (oh man- I hope so) and that this little sacrifice might bring a little Christmas cheer into his life.) I’d love to anonymously challenge others to step up their RAKS to something that is a bit of a sacrifice…. and see how wonderful that feels!”
I know that many of you have already been doing RAKs that stretched you. Remember that giving sacrificially doesn’t have to involve money – it might also mean sacrificing some of your TIME to help someone else out. It’s a whole different level of feeling great about helping others, isn’t it? Keep up the great work! You all just inspire the heck out of me. Leave your comments today on the RAKs that you’ve worked on this past week. Again, on Wednesday, I’ll use the random number generator to pick a winner of this week’s Loopy Loot gift package. I know that’s not why you do RAKs, but it’s meant to encourage you to share your RAKs and ideas with all of us so that we can do them, too!
I’ve been doing some spinning, too. Not too much, because of the volume of knitting that needs to be done. But here is my latest and I love this colorway. I have a spinning area set up in the basement (actually, the very first Loopy Room space – I’ll have to photo it for you.) I’m hoping to do more spinning over the holidays, as I have a long way to go in order to get good! But I’m working on it. Are there any St. Louis spinners out there? I’m thinking of doing a monthly evening “Spin In” here at Loopy Central.
We’re ready for preliminary signups for Loopy’s Spring Fling Knitting Retreat! We’re leaving them open until Friday morning. We’ll get back to you by Friday of this week to confirm your spot. (Why not just take the first 60 signups? I didn’t want you to have to stay glued to the website and battle for a spot!) Your deposit isn’t due until January 15th, and we’ll send you a bill for that. Go check it out. We have Wendy and Cookie coming to teach classes, and lots more fun things planned. We can’t wait to have you here!
Sheri WebGuyisprintingpostage/addresslabelsforyourorderstoday.Nicetohavehimhere!
I forgot to tell you and I didn’t read the other blogs, but they had a story on t.v.
about people buying food for the next person in line at a drive-thru. It was on the
national news and they thought it was wonderful. Good ideas spread fast and far.
I was on the receiving end today. Stopped to put gas in the car as it was getting dangerously close to empty, and try as I might, I couldn’t get the gas cap off. Somehow, when I filled it the last time, the tether on the cap got caught in the threading, and it did not want to budge. The gentleman filling his pickup on the opposite side of the pump volunteered to do it, and he couldn’t budge it. He finally dug into the tool bag in his truck and found a wrench small enough to get into things, but big enough to give him leverage. After a couple of minutes, he freed the gas cap and went on his way while I filled up. Needless to say, I put the cap back carefully. Whoever he was, I thank him mightily. Yes, I could have made it home or to the dealership on the gas in the car, but it was super nice of him to help out.
I sent an anonymous RAK box to a knitter on a message board I belong to…she’s having a really rough time of it this Christmas, and I think she could use some cheer. 🙂
Sheri, I am SO envious of the Spring Fling! I can’t afford the time or the money this year, but I’m hoping it becomes an annual event so that I can attend sometime in the future. You’d better take SO many pictures for us!! 😀
Your Noro socks and handspun look great! I look forward to buying some of the Noro after Christmas (and hopefully a spindle…)
I’ve been wondering… do you have insane amounts of Christmas knitting to do? I barely have enough time after school to make a lot of progress on Christmas gifts; I have no idea how you would be able to. I need to churn out 2 pairs of socks by the 22nd, but hey, I love it 🙂 It’s a nice after a day of keyboarding/geometry/human geography/art/french/pe/english/biology!
I love the e-mail that you shared…I have to say that my husband did some sacrificial sharing today. My mom went back into the hospital after having chest pain and being released on Saturday, and he went tonight to bring my dad to the house who can’t stay by himself. He left without dinner and giving up a night out to watch Monday night football. I stayed with him Friday night but I’m the daughter and not the son-in-law.
One of my employees this week was under stress from another department (lots of demanding folks) and I just left him one of his favorite treats on his desk…a large rice krispie treat without letting him know it was from me. And I left some tea bags and honey sticks at a co-workers desk who was under the weather…anonymously again.
Love the Noro!
Okay, my RAK of the week was pretty big and is costing me as we speak. My roommate, who’s an econ major, is taking a class called Advanced Readings in the Middle East and she has a massive paper due on Wednesday. The problem is that she doesn’t really do the ME political thing. I, as a Middle Eastern Studies major, do. So, yesterday, instead of working on my own major paper due tomorrow, I spent about three hours editing her paper (all freaking 25 pages of it!!!) and discussing it with her to hammer out her points exactly, etc. I really should’ve been doing my own work, but she needed it and her paper’s in great shape now. Anyways, that was my RAK and I’m going to get back to writing my own paper now. 🙂
I signed up for the spring fling! I’m so excited! Even if there isn’t room at the hotel can I still come? I have friends that live 5 minutes away!
Future RAK – this will be complete as soon as I find a place to go – We have several “put together yourself” christmas trees that we have acquired over the past 5 years – yes, I think we bought one just about every year for the past 5 – So I’m planning on donating each to a family that needs/ wants a christmas tree. Just not sure where to take them… I’m afraid if I go to the salvation army or good will, it will end up in the store, which is what I do NOT want to happen. Any suggestions?
Hi Sheri!
I’m loving your RAK theme for the month. I have been concentrating on the little RAKs that can easily be made habitual as just something I do all the time (i.e. don’t cost money – those are great, but not as easy to make habit).
I live in New England, and we all know that us New Englanders are not exactly known for being considerate drivers. We are all in such a hurry around here that no one ever seems to let other cars turn in front of them or stop for someone to back out of a driveway or cross a street. So I have been making sure I let as many cars and people go before me as I can when I’m on the road now.
I also have to tell you about the most wonderful RAK, but it was done for me and not by me. We have just had 2 10″ snowstorms in a week here and while I was shoveling after the first one a plow guy stopped at the end of my driveway and asked if he could help me! He cleared the whole 6 car driveway in 10 minutes for me! They wouldn’t take money or even a cup of coffee for payment! I was completely overwhelmed by the thoughtfulness.
Merry Christmas!
I’ve been having a tougher time thinking of RAKs this week, since I’m at home right now and don’t see anyone other than family unless I go to town or they visit (and although I do kind things for my family, I don’t consider them random). I have donated to a toy drive, held doors for several people while my dad and I were in town, and paid some library fines (anonymously) for the lady who was ahead of me in line.
My RAK is very simple this week, every time I go to the grocery store or Wal-Mart, I let the person behind me in line ahead of me…It seems to make everyone soooooooo happy and it is sooooo easy to do.
So yea…
I’m the boy that had his stash stolen…
Wollmiese…i think i wet myself!
Oh….on the RAK front, I got Starbucks coffee for the office (or rather, some ground coffee for the office pot). And…I hit my local bookstore and bought some books for a school program they help sponsor.
So Sheri, are you giving the elves some time off? I always hated working retail and having to work at all on the day before or after Christmas – it made it so hard to enjoy Christmas day and feel relaxed. I hope that most of us would be understanding about yarn deliveries being…well…like the OTHER online sellers which should give y’all some time off next week (or take the whole week!). 🙂
Between the end of the semester busy-ness and the big snow we got this weekend, I haven’t been out all that much this week except to work. I did go to the grocery store on Saturday and let everyone who was just buying a couple of things go ahead of me. It doesn’t seem like much when I read about some of the things other folks have done. Still, shopping on a Saturday before a big storm, I hope being able to check out a little sooner gave those people some much needed time.
My family was very poor growing up. We lived in Maine (I still do) and it can get very cold. I remember running out of oil during the middle of the winter and not having the money to buy any. A neighbor knew of our situation and came and filled it up. I never forgot that.
I just found out that a dear friend,s husband is being laid off from wook at the end of the week. He works in construction and there is no work. They are already struggling on what he makes and have never beeen able to put much aside for a rainy day fund. Today I put $100 into an envelope and sent it to them. They are proud and I don’t want them to know where it came from so that they can’t return it. I just mentioned in a note that when they are back on their feet, they can help someone else that is in need.
Your spinning is gorgeous—you must be a natural. Are you going to knit it into something? And the striping on the Noro socks is striking, too. I love watching how the stripes come out, and when you wear something made with Noro everyone is so impressed at how you can knit stripes like that! They think it takes great skill. Ha, only we knitters know the truth.
Your RAK’s are really making me look around for more opportunities to help out others, too. This week I helped an elderly lady load up heavy things into her shopping buggy at the grocery store, and helped another woman carry her purchases around the store since she had too many to handle. Nothing big or sacrificial, but it seemed to make them feel cared for. We also did more shovelling for the neighbours, since we, too, got heaps of snow on the weekend.
I did a RAK! While waiting in a long line at the post office, there was a woman behind me with a lot of packages and some very antsy little kids. So I showed her where she could set the packages (there’s a counter she hadn’t noticed) and let her go ahead of me, even though I didn’t have much mail. She was so appreciative that I felt kind of guilty–it wasn’t that big a deal, there were still lots of people in front of her, but I remember what it’s like to have little kids in long lines!
My RAK: Someone on Ravelry contacted me to buy some yarn on my Trade/Sell page, but when I noticed the little birthday cake icon on her profile pic, I realized it was her birthday on that very day, so I sent the yarn to her for free as a RAK.
I was leaving class, walking to my car in the snow, and I saw a classmate start walking to catch the bus. We don’t know each other well, but I know she lives near me, and rides the same bus I usually do when I don’t drive. It is the longest ride ever! So I asked her if she wanted a ride home, and she was so surprised and thrilled! I think that counts as an RAK!
My RAK tonight was letting someone into traffic. I also took in the 3 puzzles for the 3 families our office is helping, and the RAK for that is that I added wrapping paper and ribbon for the ladies who will wrap the toys and gifts.
I also gave my blood to the Red Cross, but was sorely disappointed that they won’t use it because they couldn’t get the test tubes filled.
This RAK thing must be working, as people are being much more courteous lately — it’s hard to let someone in; they want to let YOU go!
Your Noro sock and your spinning are both looking good, Sheri!
My RAK was the other day, when I went to a place near work to get a smoothie (a common occurence =)), and decided to get one for a co-worker to surprise her. She does get them occasionally and the previous week, she’d even asked me to get hers for her (we don’t go outside much unless we have to right now!). So, this time, I remembered what kind she’d asked for before, and brought it to her.
Now, go back to the time she asked me to get it for her. The normal smoothie maker was out sick, so the replacement was there (and they always put the extras who’ve never worked the department in to fill in!), and not sure what all to do. On top of this, there was a nasty stomach virus going around (I’d already had it and it was going through my family at the time).
Back to my RAK…I brought her the drink I thought she’d want (since she’d requested it the week before), and she look genuinely scared to take it! THEN I remembered that the week before when I’d gotten her one, she’d been sick the rest of the day and had to go home really late because she was afraid to leave the building for her long drive home. We still don’t know what made her sick (the drink or the virus), but she found someone else to share this new one with. We all had a laugh about the fact that I was the worst “surprise-giver” ever!
My RAK….a co-worker was feeling ill and couldn’t get his dollar bills to go through the vending machine. I went back to my desk and got a few dollars and they went through and I treated him to the soda. He was very surprised and thankful. Hoping he also felt better. I love how the striping is coming on your sock. I must put Noro on my list. Have a great day! Kristi
I turned an unexpected bonus to me into a RAK. I purchased a soda from a vending machine while shopping & the machince also dispensed a juice. I happen to be allergic to this particular juice so I took it with me but gave it to a homeless man when I stopped at a traffic light. ( I never have any cash- only plastic) He was very appreciative, drank the juice immediately and returned the empty bottle saying he didn’t want to litter would I please dispose of it for him. What a nice guy.
My RAK is kind of simple – but it put a smile on the face of the lady I helped and myself. My son and I were walking out of the local Wal-Mart this evening when I noticed the rattling of a cart behind us. Without looking at whomever it was pushing that cart, I just held the door open for them. It was a lady with a full cart. I have two small kids and I know what it’s like trying to maneuver through single doors – even when they are automatic – with a cart or stroller. I’m sure no choir sang or blinking lights of fame flashed, just our smiles at one another. And in that crazy, busy, after-5-o’clock shopping rush that was a nice thing to see on someone’s face.
I tutor kids after school voluntarily and today–it paid off for me and one of my students! He passed a benchmark test for the first time in two years. Everyone else had told me I was wasting my time with him–but he did it. He in turn, is helping me with another challenging student. I also bought some gifts for our angel tree at school and I had some of my ‘tough’ kids donate them.
At my job, the staff is asked to serve on various committees, which seem to have no end date in the position. I should preface this by saying that the director is somewhat of a tyrant. Anyway, she serves on a committee where she alone rules above the other two servants, um, I mean staff members. Anyway, I did a stint on this committee and resigned despite her protests. Another person took my place and she has been wanting out of that Exercise in Frustration. At staff meeting last week, I sacrificially volunteered to relieve her.
I was in Old Navy this weekend trying to do some Christmas shopping for my DDs. While there, an older lady, started asking me questions about the items, sizes, colors, etc. She then tells me she is trying to buy a gift for her granddaughter but doesn’t really know about sizes, etc. I ended up spending 40 minutes going around the store helping her pick out several things for her daughter after hopefully determining her size. She was so pleased and thanked me over and over again.
Also, last Friday when I went to the post office to ship some packages, of course the line was immense, well, a mother with 2 smaller children came in to mail a package and was behind me. The children started getting antsy so I told her she could go ahead of me. She didn’t want to at first, but I insisted and she was very appreciative. I remember when my girls were little, its hard for them to wait so long in lines.
Merry Soon to be Christmas whether we are ready or not!
We got about 12″ with the first storm on Thursday and then another 3 or so with the second one yesterday (maybe more who knows – the snow banks are so high you can’t see the traffic coming from either direction when pulling out form a road)
My RAK this week was insired by another. I was in the Christmas Tree shop. I meant to run in and buy a couple stocking stuffers but then you see allof this stuff you just can’t pass up…..soon I was walking through the store wiht one of those stupid little baskets that you carry in your hand. A kin woman saw me and said, “let’s trade, i am getting ready to leave and you look like you could use my cart”. She only had a few things. I was tempted to ask if she was a knitter who happened to be involved in this RAK challenge LOL. So when I was done shopping, I did the same thing and also let quite a few people cut in front of me in the long line because they had less stuff. It made my Christmas Shopping that much more enjoyable -even more than the fact I had 7 hours without any kids or my hubby. LOL
By using my employee ID I allowed a co-worker into the building when he had forgotten his. He would have had to walk around the entire building in the horrible weather this weekend, to enter in a door that does not have the key card entry. Not alot, but greatly appreciated.
We adopted a kitty from a kill-shelter this morning….does that count? We’re providing a forever home to a sweet little thing.
Also, I cleaned the house before my DH got home, so he wouldn’t have to help me. He is already at work before 7am (he’s a teacher and a coach) and doesn’t get home until after 6pm….long hours and that doesn’t even count the extra time he puts in on the weekends.
don’t know if this counts or not, but here goes … My husband and I moved into the house I grew up in over the summer. Our neighbors on the left are fabulous, and last week I helped my neighbor (the wife) finish raking her lawn so the leaves were up before the big storm came.
I also baked for the neighbors on both sides — the wife on the right had a run-in or two with my mom (who is normally VERY easygoing) and has actively ignored me since I got here in late June. So despite the fact that she has made it a point to ignore me for six months, I’m embracing the holiday spirit and treating both neighbors equally!
I also took the leftovers of a different batch of brownies to work two Sundays ago … shared with the parking lot attendants and security guards who had been working for hours in the cold rain.
This past week, I spent two hours proofreading a friend’s thesis. Two hours that I could have spent working on my own work, but that I gave up willingly. I also paid the bridge toll for several cars behind me, which sort of confused the toll collector, but…
I also did several loads of laundry and the dishes for my husband so that he wouldn’t have to. He returned the favor by unburying my car twice. I think I had best cast on a pair of socks for him pronto! 🙂
My children’s school has mandatory volunteer hours. A whopping ten hours for the whole school year. There are many people that go over and beyond because otherwise many things would not get done. I regularly help out with the Kiss and Go drop off at the school because I have to be there to drop off my kids on the way to work. Luckily we live close enough to walk. This morning when I got to school I noticed that the three paved paths from the street were not shoveled out from this weekends snowfall. I went into the school, grabbed the shovel and dug out those paths so that kids did not have to walk through the street to get to the one path that had been shoveled out. For some reason all the paths cannot seem to ever get shoveled.
I figured it worked to my benefit because I didn’t get chance to work out last week although I was wearing work clothes!
By the way, I finished my ten hours back in September.
I don’t remember doing any really good RAKs this week but I did have a really good one done on me! (remember last week I was complaining about not receiving any RAKs?)
Anywho, my parents came to my condo for my graduation on Sat. and of course the place was a MESS, since I’ve been busy finishing schoolwork and such. Normally my Dad just complains to me about how messy everything is, then goes and watches TV, and complains the whole time, making me feel even worse. This time he just started washing the dishes. I was stunned! He never offers to really help with the housework, maybe repairs, but never cleaning. He cleaned a whole sinkful of dirty dishes that have been sitting there since Thanksgiving! (OK that really tells how disgusting I am doesn’t it? :-S ) But seriously, it was so unexpected and unlike him, that it was the best present I could ever had! It made me feel better about spending long nights at the university library and the hard work I put in to obtain my degree. 🙂 Sorry that this was long winded! I had to share, I’m ready to cry for joy! 😀
Hm. I had one last Tuesday that I remember saying to myself “I have to remember this for Sheri’s contest!” And I’ve forgotten what it was.
I have been smiling at people, and making more eye contact than my usual shy self. That seems to brighten people’s day, and costs me a little bravery.
Oh! I’ve been parking further out at stores and leaving the closer parking spaces open. I can walk, can use the exercise, and I hope the Parking Karma will build and come in handy for me sometime when I need it.
I shared my lunch today with one of my students who’d said she was hungry and had nothing to eat.
Oh squee!! It’s neat to see that my friend (same guy I sent STR to), is getting Wollmeise-y love!!!! Knitters are so generous! I’m so glad to see all these wonderful RAKs. 🙂
I’m not sure if this counts, because it wasn’t me, but I like to think that (since she is my daughter) it is in part me.
After leaving the fabric store on Sunday afternoon, I was buckling in my youngest son while my older two waited patiently on the sidewalk in front of the store. When I turned to spot check them (as any good mommy does), I saw my daughter (4 yo) open the door for a woman with a bundle of fabric and a baby in her arms. It just made me light up, how sweet and courteous of her! That she would think to do something like that made me very proud also.
I have an elderly neighbor … Al. He’s the niceset man & has always done many RAK. Now he’s 87 & not able to do as much as he used to. He is one of the most appreciative people I’ve ever met. He actually likes the Meals on Wheels lunches that he gets. It’s probably because “he doesn’t have to cook it” (his words). The past 2 Sundays I’ve made a big pot of soup. I gave half the soup to him & kept half for myself. Just seeing Al smile is worth my cooking.
I bought some bag of Hershey Kisses in a variety of flavors (although the cherry is my favorite) and put some in each of the teacher’s mailboxes at my school. With midterms starting tomorrow, they need the extra bit of chocolate.
Forgot to say, your spinning looks great. When I saw the picture, I said what yarn is that? I wanted to buy it. The colors are beautiful. Who knows maybe you’ll be selling your own yarn line soon.
This past week, I sent an anonymous TLE gift certificate [with Sheri’s assistance – thanks, Sheri :)] to a woman in a Ravelry group that I’m in, who’s family is quite financially challenged, & who’d been having a spectacularly rotten day.
Also, I could tell pretty quickly that a hat that I’d cast on last week was going to be too small for its intended recipient (a woman who used to clean our offices who’s undergoing chemo for stage 4 stomach cancer), but I finished it & donated it to charity, then cast on a larger hat for the woman.
I also made some extra coffee every day for the past week at work, to share with the woman in the office next to mine. (I have my own coffeemaker. Our offices don’t have any community kitchen areas or coffeemakers, so if you don’t have your own coffeemaker, you wind up making lots of trips over to Starbucks.)
I had just finished putting my groceries onto the conveyor belt, when I noticed the woman behind me. She was elderly, small and petite, but very nicely dressed. She was using one of those electric carts that have a grocery basket attached. I was exhausted, just having had back surgery 5 weeks before, but I just had to do it. I placed the divider after my groceries and emptied her basket. She, had at most a dozen items, one of those was a bag of salad mix. The bag was pretty sorry looking and I told her, but it was reduced and she said she might get one salad from it. She also said I did not have to empty her basket but I thought, if nothing more, it would make me feel better. Is that not the reason one helps others. At best, it helps you more than anything else, at least I feel that way.
I was in a line at a store the other day and looked out the window and saw an older couple in the parking lot. The woman was pushing her husband in a wheelchair and he was holding his cane. As I was leaving the store I saw her helping him out of the wheelchair, he must of thought he would be ok with the cane inside the store. As he was trying to get out of the chair his legs just went out from under him and he was on the ground. His wife was trying to help him but couldn’t get him off the floor herself. I went over to see if I could help and it actually took myself and two other people to get him back in his wheelchair. The couple seemed very grateful that we helped them.
I seem to be the queen of handing out coupons. I was in line at Bath & Body Works and I had a coupon for $10 off a $30 purchase. I gave the coupon to a young man (probably about 17) in line and said Merry Christmas.
Are you still collecting RAKs? I doorbell ditched my neighbor with a skein of Somoko. She saw me knitting on it and wanted to know what it was, so I got her one.
Let’s just say that this week’s RAK is for me to know and you to find out.
Oh, wow, I haven’t checked in here for several weeks… money’s been really tight here, and gifts for others come before treating myself to more yarn. I’ve been knitting like mad, but as usual, my ‘want to’ makes are more than I will finish in time! I didn’t know about the RAK thing, but I’ve been doing it anyway! Must be something going around with us pointy-sticks people?
There is an elderly retired lady next door, who has a computer for email and learning to surf the internet; I have fixed it twice this week, and installed her printer… now if she’d just learn to NEVER open odd email. I am potting up some new house plants for her, and made a baby blanket for her new granddaughter.
There’s a little girl who is the granddaughter of some other neighbors (we live in a very mixed age community!), and I am teaching her to knit (she’s 9 and has some learning disabilities, but REALLY wants to learn)… her family has been having hard times, and her daddy just got a decent job right before Thanksgiving. I let her go “shopping” in my yarn stash, and she picked out yarn for a new scarf for daddy, and I got out some needles and we are working hard. I admit I am being sneaky and adding a few rows here and there when she isn’t here, to help it along… else it won’t get finished, and her daddy has to wait in the cold for the bus to work… he NEEDS this! And she will be so proud! I hope it really helps her to concentrate on her schoolwork, as well as gives her a love of knitting. She is a very determined little girl.
Also like some of you, we bought a big bag of groceries to donate to a family for a good Christmas dinner. And this weekend, we decided the two of us didn’t need to have a turkey ourselves, so the one we have in the freezer right now will be going to the local food bank to grace someone else’s dining table. We’ll be great with a roast chicken, and if I make stuffing and we have cranberries, what’s the difference?
I wish I could do more; I don’t get out much, as I have fibromyalgia pretty seriously, but I hope to do more. I think this is going to be a particularly hard winter for a lot of folks, so we all need to do what we can to help each other through it. I’m horrified to hear about the fellow who had the stash stolen; how awful is that? If someone could point me in the right direction, I’m sure I can find a skein or two to send his way… Happy Holidays to all of you! I’ll try to check in again later this week.
I guess I don’t think of any giving as really sacrifices. I have been knitting socks continually and every yarn I have I absolutely love……………and I have given all but 4 pairs away. I have given as what I call “Happy Day Gifts”. Alot of these have gone to folks running animal charities, or waiting hospital visits, lost a spouse and first Christmas alone. Some touch my life personally but a lot just touch me by their kindness. The greatest gift I receive is their utter surprise at receiving a hand made gift just for them! It warms my heart when they tell me how wonderful their feet feel!! I have had the best time just sending out my socks.
i love the yarn you’ve spun – seems you’ve progressed nicely! i ordered some noro today and can’t wait to knit up a pair of socks….
I was walking into a building behind a woman who was taking her two toddlers into the daycare center. They were both slipping and sliding on the ice and sobbing. her one hand was full of bags. I know my scrubs make me more trustworthy to strangers, so I asked if she needed some help. She slumped with relief and said “Yes, please!” I held the little girls hand to help her across the icy patches and into the front door while consoling her (even taking out a kleenex after we got inside to wipe her little nose). The smile the little one gave me was worth it!
Our family buys gifts each year for the local HS families program, called “Angel Tree.” We don’t know who we are buying for, only suggestions for gifts/sizes on the paper. It’s really fun to do, and my DD’s helped to pick out the gifts wrap them this weekend. I hope they are learning the valuable lesson of giving to others at Christmas time.