Lent gifting day 38 & 39

Sometimes we have great plans and sometimes it just doesn't happen. 

I've been working really hard to post daily but it didn't quite go to plan yesterday. Yesterday I took my niece down to the park and when I was there I got the starting of a migraine. My sister thankfully was on her way from work so she was able to swing past and pick us both up and take us home. 

By the time I got home I was nauseous and by the time I had had a chance to fill up my water bottle and make sure I had an ice pack I was vomiting. Great topic of conversation, I know. Hehehe. I then proceeded to sleep from 5pm to 11.30am when I was taken to the doctor and then back to bed until almost 6pm. I had basically spent 24 hours in bed (excluding the time I was at the doctors). 

 

Needless to say, by this evening I felt much better, although not 100%. But I got sick and tired of being in bed so I got up. I Had dinner with my family, watched some tv (fairly quietly) with the adults in my family and played a game of cards with my brother in law. All with my sun glasses on! 

Even though I was sick I didn't forget I had to do two days worth of blog posts. I'm making it short and sweet today because I need to. 

Yesterday's giving was another toy. 

 

I've had this "baby" doll for as long as I can remember. But I don't need it anymore and I know there is some little kid out there who will love her like I did when I was younger. So I think she would be in better hands than mine where she can be loved and appreciated. 

 

Today's act of kindness and gifting is also a toy. A "Big Bang Theory" kitty cat called "soft kitty". When you press its paw it sings the soft kitty song that Sheldon makes Penny sing when he's sick in the TV show "Big Bang Theory". See the clip below. 

I was actually given two of these toys a couple of years ago. My niece loved one so much that she used to use it all the time when I didn't live with her. She would crawl into the guest bed with the Soft Kitty and play it over and over and over and over again. The batteries almost died in it from being played so often. She loved it and it apparently reminded her of me. So when she was feeling bad she would climb into the bed I used and hug my toy. Kind of cute. But since I've been living in the same house she has been hugging me and not the toy so it's time to give it up. 

  I gave one away a few months back. But I thinks it's time I pass this cutie off as well. If my niece got some much out of it when she was younger, someone else will love it too. 

I want to make people's lives better. If by giving away some of my stuff I can do that then I am thrilled to. 

My Lenten gifting is not my only act of kindness in the 40 days of lent (which ends on Palm Sunday) but it is one that I feel comfortable photographing and sharing. Sometimes I do kindnesses anonymously so I can't share them here without giving myself away. Sometimes I do kindnesses that other people know about so I can share them and I do here or on Facebook. Sometimes I don't tell anyone because it's not something that I could share without sharing personal information or share something that isn't mine to tell. Kindness is also shown in my discretion.

But the lent gifting I can share because I is mine. I can show you what I'm giving away because often I don't know who it will end up with. I have no attachment to who gets it or where it goes. It is also something that I am giving up for the benefit of another person, group or community. What better Kindness can I do that giving away something every day in Lent? And tomorrow is the end for this "game". Although technically each Sunday during lent isn't counted so it really ends on the Thursday before Easter. Tomorrow is Palm Sunday and the beginning of what the Christian church calls Holy Week. The beginning of all the events that lead up to the crucifixion on Friday and the resurrection on Sunday. 

Even though lent doesn't end until Thursday most people I know give stuff up until Easter Sunday. So it's really a choice to how far you go. I will see how I go tomorrow I may even continue to give things up for charity until Easter Sunday just to push myself. I still have Heaps of stuff in my home that I Could regift. But if you are playing this gifting game too... please feel free to finish whenever you feel you want to. 

Hope this finds you well. 

Love Daena x

Kindness Advent Calendars

Hello lovely people,

I was so busy in November i had no time to post here! But NO MORE! ahahah! Perfectly in time for Christmas! :)

I know you may not be a Christmas celebrator but that doesn't mean that you cant still spread kindness like a maniac! :) *starts running around in lycra singing "I'm a maniac, maniac on the floor!"*

To be completely honest, this time of year can be stressful for everyone. And working together to make life a little easier for someone else, can actually feel like your own burden is reduced.

I love seeing the good things that happen around this time of year.

I also love that there is always the opportunity to start new traditions. And why not add kindness?


My sister Vandra posted on the 365days of Kindness Facebook page a couple of days ago (I must admit I am behind) a Kindness Advent Calendar. SO i will re-post it here.

If you want to print off a better copy you can go to the site here.

Now i know i am a day behind for the start of December but that doesn't mean you cant "catch up" or even create other ideas for things to add/replace a kindness idea on a calendar.

For me, who is working at getting myself healthier and fitter this year, this is a wonderful idea that doesn't involve eating lots of cheap and nasty chocolate for breakfast! *This may or may not have happened in recent years*

I just want to wish everyone a Happy Christmas, Happy Holidays, Happy Hanuka, Happy Feast Day,  Happy Mid-winters Festival, Happy life... and for those who really cant cope... Bah Humbug! ;)

Even though life can be telling you that this time of year is all about excess, please be kind to yourselves. Give your active imaginations of how this month should turn out and expectations of how a hoilday should go, a rest. Be kind. To yourself. To your family. To your loved ones. To strangers. To your enemies. To your neighbours. But no matter what... be Kind!

Much love to you ALL, no matter what you celebrate!
Love Daena

Sustainable September 2015 - Day Twenty Eight.

Hey guys and girls,

Has this month flown by? or what? We are almost at the end now. How have you been going so far?

Today I spent a chunk of the day helping my sister and niece cleaning up, sorting, rearranging and de-junking their house. I am absolutely exhausted but it was well worth it.

Todays Sustainable September idea follows on from yesterdays.

September 28: Create your own indoor scrap bucket. 

Photo via google images from 123rf.com

When you do this you can buy, make or recycle another container to re-purpose it.

This helps with getting your kitchen and garden scraps to your compost bin. We currently have an old yoghurt bucket (1kg bucket) that we use. We have a couple of these bins that we have so we can wash one out and fill another or fill with gardening bits too.

Mum has a bucket bought that she has ready for when she moves into a granny flat. It is a little metal bin (that's been painted teal) and has a simpler lid to open than the yoghurt buckets. She finds the yoghurt lids too hard to open sometimes, that the metal bucket will solve.

I like short and simple ideas like the one above. They make it easier for you to do, and simpler for me too! :)

The phot from the blog My Daily Compost. Check it out

KINDNESS IDEA: Barter or share your extra produce. 

My sister today traded some of her home made tomato sauce for some fresh produce from a local gardener & their small home-farm. This is awesome way to get what you need and give someone else something that they might not have.

I have to say the fresh produce was delicious. I cooked up some Kale and some rainbow chard with some garlic butter and it was divine. I cooked that together with some local backyard eggs (from a friend) and some delicious BACON!!!!! I know... bacon! again! It is the weekend though so as a Weekend Vegetarian it is allowed! ;)

I hope this finds you all well and excited about healing our environment.
Much love,
Daena x

Sustainable September Day Twenty Eight kindness

Hello my wonderful friends!

Did you know yesterday was the 150th post for this blog? Well you do now! 

Did you know that yesterday also saw the Facebook page reach it's 200th follower? Well you know that now too! ;)

To mark the two milestones yesterday... 200 Facebook followers and 150 blog posts I wanted to do a little give away!

Recently My sister, Vandra, and I have been giving little cards (3"x3") to strangers! For example: to amazingly friendly waiters, to the lady who sold me her old Thermomix, the lady at the cemetery who helped us finalise dads plaque and placement, someone looking sad on the bus, etc.

And so I decided that to mark the milestones I would like to give away 4 sets (of 8) of the little hand made cards. They are for you to use, as a way to do a kind deed for strangers or friends! I made them for you myself! :) They all, also, come with envelopes that my awesome mum helped me make!!!:) thanks Mum!!!!

So I'm going to post the 4 sets (pictures of them) in the next few hours on Facebook. And if you like them and want them, Like the page, comment and like the picture and I will chose someone at random from the list of people who want that set! And I will send them to you after that! :)

Sound fair? I hope so! It's the first time I've ever done a give away like this! but it's my way to say thank you for all your support over the years!!!!

SET ONE is here on the link to Facebook. Let me know what you think! 

 

Anyway, back to Sustainable September. Today's kindness was one asked for by mum. About turning old wool into blankets for people who need them. I have talked about blankets for Wheelchairs for Kids many times before in posts. But we have just started making blankets for people who live on the streets. Of course kids need smaller blankets... and so the bigger ones are taking longer, but we know that they (either one) will be appreciated greatly! :)

These are the Blankets mum did for Wheel Chairs for Kids in January. (most of the other photos are on her camera... these ones just happened to be on mine!).

And on to tomorrows Sustainable September Kindness idea.

Sunday – 28 September – Borrow books from your local library instead of buying them. You not only save yourself a lot of money but you also help the environment by reducing shipping and transport impacts (and you are saving trees from paper production) because several people read the same copy of the book .

Photo taken from Local Government Website

 

 

You can also donate books to the library and local schools if you no longer need or want them. This is a photo of my local Library. I have only recently discovered the benefits of this particular library! :) Its like Daena Heaven!!!! SO MANY BOOKS!!!!! hehehhe!

Anyways, I hope this finds you all well! 

So much love & Kindness, 

Daena Xx

Sustainable September Day Three Kindness

Hey beautiful people, 

How did you go today with the recycling? Did you learn anything new? Our Suburb is currently undergoing changes in their recycling and bin policies... and its not as simple to recycle in our area at the moment, until the changes come into practice. We are going from a one bin to a three bin policy. I have been pretty cheeky, and have been occasionally taking my recycling to my sisters house, where they have a very good (and currently functional) recycle policy. :) Which means this is also an idea for those who don't have recycling in their area. Take your recycling to another persons place, with their permission.

 So tomorrows Environmental kindness for Sustainable September is:

Wednesday – 3 September – buy a KeepCup (Or other reusable coffee mug) and use it instead of a single use coffee cup. The reason I recommend KeepCups is because they are one of the only barista  standard reusable cup, meaning it is the same shape and height as the standard disposable cups. 

“Globally, every minute, one million disposable cups are discarded in landfill. That’s about 500 billion disposable cups every year. Use your KeepCup with pleasure and purpose, you are an influencer. Seek acceptance of reuse. Vote with your feet. Be the change you want to see in the world. Believe in Better. Salute the Reuser.”  If you are interested in purchasing a KeepCup check out their websites for an outlet near you... www.keepcup.com or order online from the KeepCup Store.

The one to the very left is the one I have! :)

You could also do a Random Act of Kindness with this and buy one for a colleague, friend or family member. Or you could give one to a homeless person, for them to keep and use any time they want. :)  

Hope you are all enjoying this months blog posts so far and are embracing Sustainable September! :) 

Much love to you all, 

Luv Daena x

Kindness and all its problems... a rule book of sorts to maintain a healthy state of kindness!

Hello beautiful people,
It was so good to get my words on a page last week, so I am back for some more. But this time for something a little different.

One of the biggest hurdles people have when doing something like 365 days of kindness is that they burn out fast. So I have written a tiny rule book for those who are brave enough to embark on this journey for themselves. And PLEASE try doing a version of this kindness yourselves!!! It really is amazing! :)

One of the reasons that people burn out is that they forget to look after themselves. And I don't mean that they forget to eat or sleep or drink (although Im sure my family could remind me that occasionally I have done all of all these things). Sometimes people forget to be kind to themselves. I forget to be kind to myself too. Most of the time, and particularly lately, I expect too much from myself. Yes, I want to change the world, but that's not going to mean that the world changes overnight! Which is a bummer really because everything would be so much easier if it were that simple, not to mention that much faster! I have been frustrated that I couldn't help someone, or that I didn't see someone that needed help (or at least not until I was thinking about it later ), or sometimes I'm not fast enough to perform an act of kindness and I feel like I'm letting the world down. The reality is I am only ONE PERSON and I am the only one being let down, because I expect so much of myself! Yes, every kindness makes the world a better place, but every kindness you do is one more beautiful thing that exists in the world! After all that lady over there with the heavy shopping, she doesn't expect me to help her with her shopping... That guy in the wheelchair going through the door does not expect me to hold the door open for him (in fact he has become quite adept at doing it without any help), the screaming baby doesn't expect me to stop it crying by making faces at it in the shopping center and neither does the babies mum. I think that is why kindness is so important though, because we do not expect people to perform acts of kindness, that is why they are so powerful. But I need to be kinder to myself. RULE NUMBER ONE: Be Kinder to Yourself! I have started doing a kindness for myself as regularly as possible. It may be buying a new book (yes i still am a bibliophile), or getting a massage, or buying myself a "Soy Chai Latte", or it could be giving myself the morning off from caring for mum by letting myself sleep in(when she needs sleep too), or visiting someone I know will perk my mood up. Yet, it is so important to care for yourself, because if you don't look after yourself, then you will be of no use to anyone... including yourself!!!!

A second pitfall for a kind person is forgetting how blessed we really are. When you are doing things for others a lot, you can see how others live and get jealous or even "preachy" about how people should live their lives. It may seem funny that people who are being Kind all the time can be like this... but it happens. Oh boy, does it happen. I have found myself being jealous of the things I have done for others because I've begun to expect people to do the same things for me. Now this might, to the outsider, seem logical. After all you are giving, therefore you should receive! Right? But to someone who is trying to live the "kind life" its not always this simple. If you always expect the same thing from others, you will be perpetually disappointed. Not everyone is going to want to make YOU a cup of tea in the morning, carry YOUR groceries, bring in YOUR Rubbish/Garbage bin, or buy YOU lunch! After all not everyone has the same wage as you, or want to spend it the same way YOU do. Or have the same ability to brew tea, carry heavy loads or the time to bring in your garbage bin. One of the greatest ways to be a kindness ambassador is to not expect anything from anyone. This is not a rule, just a really helpful note! If you expect it you will be unsatisfied, but if you don't expect something, then it is always always a blessing when something comes your way. I like to think Karma exists, but it might not be a one-for-one deal (as in you do a kind deed and someone does exactly the same in return), and Karma almost never comes the way you want it to or expect it too.
RULE NUMBER TWO: Be grateful! When you are grateful for what you have and what you can do for others you don't have time to be jealous. 

Another problem that adds to the burn out, is that there is often the feeling that you are always giving and never receiving. Yes, we should all give generously, but that doesn't stop us from wanting kindness ourselves. When you are giving all the time it can seem that you are the only one who does this. But its not until you stop and pay attention you realize that other people are doing small kindnesses for you too. I think you all know that I write at least 10 or more things I am grateful for, that happened though out the day, every night before I go to sleep. I follow that up with my Kindness for the day. Recently I started taking account for the things other people do for me because I was so caught up with what I was doing for everyone else. I forgot to look for the things others were doing for me. RULE NUMBER THREE: Pay attention to what others do for you - add this to your blessings everyday! So I started paying attention. Whether it be your best friend who pays for a movie twice in a weekend (thanks Tanya), you sister who takes your mum for a night so you can have a night at your friends (thanks V), a friend who does your washing up after you've made a mess in their kitchen (Thanks Tanya & Kylee), or a friend who compliments you on an awesome job with a blog post (thanks Eva, Terry & Tahlienna), Or someone who gives you the opportunity to try something you have been wanting to do for ages (thanks Taylor). These are a few of my friend blessings that are from this week alone. I got stuck for a while not seeing all the amazing things my family and friends did for me, which was their kindness to me. 

One of the greatest pit falls a kindness ambassador can fall into is judging others and their worth. I have been on a few dozen kindness sites and really struggled with the reactions of some people. Sure, the best/easiest person to be kind to in the world is the ones who obviously need help, ie. Street people, those in financial struggles, the person crying at the shop, underprivileged people etc. One of the things I have noticed is the reaction people have is to those who come from wealthier parts of society. Yes they might have more money, more social status, more ability to do large acts of kindness but just because they have all this, does not mean that we should withhold kindness from them. I am not one who earns lots of money... although I make the most of what I do earn! My annual income is pretty low, yet I still find that EVERYBODY needs kindness. Sure they might not need a $50 gift card from your local supermarket, but they may need your spare change to help them get through the checkout faster. Another group that miss out, are those that are rude to us. Sure their hostility can be a warning, so be careful, but if you can safely ignore it, these people need the kindness more than ever! I once had a drive-thru lady sound rude and curt at the speaker box, others in the car commented on her manner, so i made the extra effort to be super cheery and thank her for her work and for getting our food promptly. The others in the car thought I was nuts, but she needed that! By the time we left, food in hand, she was smiling at least! It may have been because she also thought I was crazy, but if it meant the next car had a smiling server, it was exactly what I was meant to do! There is a quote that I always hear (sadly I don't know the writer) "You never know what people have been through! Everyone is fighting a hard battle".  The hardest part is that sometimes we don't even know we are judging others. So please be careful who you judge as worthy. Everyone is worthy of kindness... that is why it is so powerful and makes such a difference in the world. Not only is withholding kindness a cruelty to others but also to ourselves. We become limited in the impact we can make in the world. RULE NUMBER FOUR: Everybody Needs Kindness.


Okay, so in short my rule book is very simple:
RULE NUMBER ONE: Be Kinder to Yourself!
RULE NUMBER TWO: Be grateful!
RULE NUMBER THREE: Pay attention to what others do for you!
RULE NUMBER FOUR: Everybody Needs Kindness.  

I have been doing this project in its various forms for almost 5 years now. And I encourage anyone who wants to give "365 days of kindness" a go, to do it!!! Give it a go!! Even if you only last a week or a month, that is 7 to 31 more kindnesses in the world! And everyday you do it, that is one more kind deed out there in the world! :) Honestly, it can be hard for the first few weeks, but then you get into a pattern and realize that kindness is just a way of life. Then suddenly its 5 years later and you are doing kindnesses with joy and passion! :)

Think about it! If it is something you want to do, give me a buzz as I can help you out with a few resources! If you want them? You do not have to do a blog about it, you don't have to even keep a record! I like to keep one just to see all the things I have done! But Everyone is different! :)

I hope this helps anyone trying to live a kinder life.
With love and kindness,
Luv Daena

And you thought things couldnt get any crazier...

Hello my beautiful people!

So its just over 3 months since my father passed away. Tomorrow would have been my dads 76th birthday, had he been alive to celebrate it with us. He was a man I will marvel at and cherish in my heart for the rest of my existence.

In the last 3 months its been some kind of crazy. And you thought having a funeral for your dad 3 days before your best friends wedding was full on? Well it got even more wild and dangerous here. 3 days after the wedding my mum went in for a mammogram, 5 days later she was asked to come in to discuss their findings only to discover she had breast cancer. So they gave us a date for the surgery about two weeks later. Mum was hoping she had time to get her head together, but they called a few days later to move the surgery closer. They had gotten the pathology back and the cancer was aggressive... small but aggressive.

So she went into surgery and had a double mastectomy... one breast with cancer one without! They took both because we have a stupidly high number of cases of breast cancer in the family.  We don't know if we have the genes yet... so only then can we (my sister and i) make choices about our own health and long term physical well being.

What I found most amazing was that after having such a radical surgery she was home within 24 hours!!!! Seems crazy right? but its actually because people are more likely to heal in their home environment away from "Sick people" at hospital. She is immuno compromised so she could catch anything at the moment. So it makes sense... just seems weird! lol

So for the first 6 days we had nurses visit daily to check the drains, and eventually (and disturbingly to me) remove them. I don't do blood & bodily fluids well... and that was too much for this little princess to cope with. I was not born to be a doctor or a nurse! Kudos to those of you out there who are!!! You are an amazing group of people.

A HUGE thank you to all those amazing Doctors, surgeons, staff, nurses (both at the hospital and visiting), physios and councilors at the hospital who were just absolutely amazing with my mum and with a pair of very concerned "kids".

My sister and I learned so much about ourselves and about our friends and family. Thank you to all those people who sent us notes, emails, texts, cards, flowers, food, support, love, thinking of you's... they made so much of a difference to us. We are so grateful for all of you! Thank you!

Mums health and recovery has not been simple, by any means. Ive learned some things I never knew before existed with breast cancer "Cording" & "seromas" just to name a few.  But we have got the amazing news that she is cancer free and does not need Chemo or Radio therapy. We are so blessed that they found the cancer so early and were able to remove it before it did some serious systemic damage. Really we are totally grateful... after all I couldn't have lost my mum and my dad in the same year. I think that might literally have killed me.

And through it all my mum has been grieving for my dad. But you wouldn't believe how strong she is. Sure she cried a lot(and continues to on occasion) , but you would too if you had lost your husband and survived breast cancer all in the same month. She is stronger than she thinks she is and I am so proud of everything she has achieved and done for us through all of it. I love you mum! So does Vandra! We are proud of you for just keeping on going... because sometimes that is the hardest part!

One of my favorite quotes, and forgive me for not knowing who said it, but it seems adequate here...
"Women are like tea bags. You don't know how strong they are until you put them in hot water."

 I have had some added complications too with my own health because about now you were expecting this story to be over... after all how much can one family bare?
 *Be warned gentlemen & Squeamish ladies this is a bit gynecological... so i totally understand if you want to skip this next paragraph entirely...*

So the surgery I had last year, to burn some of the Endometriosis off my uterus, was then a success but now my own uterus has decided to fight back. in other words they are pretty sure the Endometriosis is back (WAY SOONER than expected) less than 10 months after the surgery. So the doctor has told me that I need to think about having kids sooner rather than later, because in 5 years or after, with the deterioration of my uterus and the damage the Endometriosis is doing, I might not be able to have kids. So that sucks a bit because I don't even have a boyfriend, let alone a fiance or husband. And I always hoped I would not have kids on my own. My family have been beautiful and have said that if i want to have babies on my own they would support me! Thank you my beautiful people! I'm still not sure a lifetime of commitment (to a baby/child/teen/etc) would be the best way to cure a gynecological issue.

But i am clinging to the hope that my best friend has been beating me with... she has told me of a work colleague who had the same condition and was told the same thing at around the same age as i am now (28)  and who is now 38 and just having a baby! Thanks Tanya... it means so much that you keep giving me hope! Hope... its amazing how it can make such a difference!!!

But wait there is more... we have had 5 funerals in the 3 months. Some anticipated, some not. I have decided I am now getting pretty good at the whole funeral thing. I just hate that I have to loose acquaintances, friends and loved ones to prove I can survive these sometimes funny, sometimes sad, sometimes tragic events. I send great love to everyone who has lost someone dear to them... no matter when. It is not an easy thing.... my deepest condolences.

Would you believe that one of the things that has been getting me through this is the love and support  I have received from this community, and the positive actions people have taken and the small kindnesses we have witnessed through these last few months.

My sister who took on a role as an administrator on the Facebook page whilst I was on my Round the World adventure, has been so supportive in everything I have done. From the first day I decided to try make this project work (in its original form) to now and, I am sure, well into the future, she has encouraged and supported me. Even whilst we have both been grieving and struggling and doing our best to just keep moving forward. Thank you beautiful!

My brother-in-law who has been a quietly strong rock that we have all leaned on at one stage or another this last few months. He looks after his wife (my sister) with love and compassion. And yet he grieves too. After all he was mates with my dad for the 17 years that Vandra and her hubby have been together. And probably a few years before that too. Thanks for all the support Glen. Your energy and enthusiasm with your extracurricular commitments, your kindness to mum, and your quiet words of encouragement really make a difference to me.

Oh the kids. The bringers of light, love and endless joy (ok... and the occasional tantrum)! From my niece being able to walk around with a spoon on her nose (which is Soooooo Epic!!!!) to my nephew calling me to tell me he had his Plate out this afternoon. I love being there for you, and I am so proud of the awesome little people you have become. I love you so much! and thanks for telling me you love me too, even when it might not be "Cool"! Thanks you beautiful ones!!!!


Our family seems to have gone through hell this year. We have been broken into a million pieces and scattered to the wind, only to find that our friends and some family have been catching our fragile pieces and slowly putting us back together. It might not be exactly the same as it was before. But somehow with all the glue and scotch tape used to put us back together we are coming out stronger than before. And that is a blessing.

Thank you to everyone... whether you read this tonight or tomorrow or in 50 years time. YOU are totally and utterly appreciated!!!!!!!

Oh and as for kindnesses... they might not be as exciting as some, after all i am earning my keep as a carer at the moment, but i am still doing them. Every single day! As promised! I hope you are acting with kindness too! :)

with great love to you all...
Luv Daena xxxx

A wedding & a funeral...

Hi everyone, 

So I've just had one of the busiest and most challenging couple of weeks of my life. Filled with the highest highs and the lowest lows! 

I have been talking for a while about preparing for hens nights, kitchen teas & my best friends wedding. So I have been very busy preparing all of that, and making sure that each event came off without a hitch! Which, thankfully, it did! :)

(Minion themed Hens party photo)

I have also been busy fulfilling roles as sister and "the best Aunty ever" for my sister & nieces birthdays also! 

But there was one thing I had not prepared myself for...

My dad, Victor passed away on the 19th of Feb after a long and complicated illness with Cerebral Amyloid Angiopathy! His death was both tragedy and blessing! He doesn't suffer any more, but we all miss him dearly! 

(Photo of the flower the staff laid on my dads chest after he passed away... Such a beautiful & simple gesture.. A wonderfully touching kindness)

Dad died exactly between my sister and nieces birthdays (who are exactly a week a part) and a week and a half before my best friend Tanya's wedding to her now husband Isaac! So not only were we coming to terms with the loss of my dad but we still had a 6 year olds birthday and a wedding to get through too! And then chuck in a funeral and you can begin to understand what my life was like last week! 

Dads funeral was beautiful! It was everything he asked for and we could have hoped for! So, I just want to say thank you to everyone who made it to dads funeral! It made a huge difference to see people we haven't seen in years, people who have come from all over the state & those who have been there for us through it all! No matter who you are and how often we see you now, thank you for making dads funeral such a special event for us and a beautiful way to celebrate the life of an extraordinary man!

Also, Thank you to all those people who sent cards, condolences, love and flowers to us this last couple of weeks! It has helped my family & I in our grief, to know others are thinking of and sending their love to us! 

I know I am still coming to terms with the fact my dad isn't just down the road for me to chat to when I want. And I keep waiting for it to really hit me... But I guess having the wedding to focus on after the funeral was what I needed because I haven't had a chance yet to wallow in my sorrow. 

For those who wanted to know how Tanya & Isaacs wedding went... It was amazing! Tanya got me in a dress, high-heels, makeup & fancy hair, which I have to say is an achievement in itself! :) 

(Photo curtesy of: Kye Ellen)

I was completely overwhelmed with the love they have for each other & their friends & family! And the love that they & their friends & family bestowed on me! I gave my obligatory maid of honour speech and after a few jokes, shared a bit about who these amazing people are for me...their love, support & generosity!  And Included what they did for me during dads funeral, where both of them played a supportive role! And doing this all just days before their own wedding! I am so blessed to have these two people in my life! 

(Photo curtesy of Kye Ellen)

I wish Mr & Mrs Mead all the happiness in the world! 

(Photo Curtesy of Linda H ) 

Please excuse me whilst I may not post for a while... It does not mean I have given up my kindnesses! In fact I see their importance now, so much more than before! I am, after all, the legacy of my father, & he was such an amazing man! Dad & my mum taught me about kindness, generosity & compassion and I have a deep need & responsibility to share those things with others! 

I hope you are all well! I send my love to you all! Thanks for hanging in there with my blog! 

Much love, 

Daena x

January 16, 2014

Hello my lovelies, 

Today I worked on getting the next (2013) 365days of kindness album completed! Although I'm not very far through I have made a start and to me that is important! It means that I am only 11.5months behind in putting my kindnesses into photo albums! Which is kind of funny! 

My kindnesses today included the above scrap booking, helping my niece with her blessings, encouraging my nephew with his blessings by listening to them, helping my brother in law get dinner ready, doing some tidying up at my sisters house! I also sent some love to a friend who needed some TLC! 

Keeping your kindnesses simple, makes life simple and beautiful! 

I hope you are doing well! Stay safe! 

Luv Daena

January 13, 2014

Today has been another devistating day in the Perth hills with the fire continuing to burn down homes and leave families in the lurch! It's been so hard to watch as the number of houses that were destroyed went from 27 houses to 52 within 24hours! So sad to see such a beautiful community struggle through the hardships... But I have seen such an out pouring of love like nothing I have seen before! People bought trailer loads of clothes, toys etc to drop points, people have offered their homes to strangers, bought meals and donated food to firefighters and the affected alike! It is so beautiful to see kindness after kindness come from this small community city! 

Apart from keeping people posted by sharing posts on the www.facebook.com/365dayofkindness

And my personal page, I also helped mum today by getting names & contact details for a person on the phone (they had called for a sales talk) but who after hearing about the fires near their homes was looking to offer their house for emergency accomodation! 

I took a box of toys into Vinies today from my sisters house... It was only a small box! 

I spent time sharing positive videos & messages of hope on Facebook so that there was something good for people to see! 

I want to take the time and say a huge thank you to everyone who has helped out! The firefighters (paid & volunteer), the government agencies & the charities, those who have given their time, money, homes, spare clothes and goods... THANK YOU!!! You are working miracles right now! Keep up the amazing work! 

Much love, 

Daena Guest

Ps. Special shout out to my sister who spent today looking after 3 extra children (ages 1,3 &5) whilst the children's parents were fighting fires! You have done a huge kindness so that a mum & dad know their kids are safe, whilst they are working to make the whole shire safe!  Great kindness big sister! Bravo! X

January 14, 2014

Hey everyone, 

Well it's official! I am completely exhausted! 

Today mum &  I went and helped my sister with the 5 kids (2 of her own &  3 extras who were under 6!) she has been looking after since yesterday. The fires in Perth are still burning, however it looks like they might finally be under control! Hooray! Sadly 52 houses were lost with many more damaged. The fire fighters did an amazing job keeping the number so low when it could have easily been in the hundred! Thank you to our fire fighters & emergency services! You have done an out stranding job this week!!! The 3 extra children my sister was looking after, & we helped with a little today, were kids of two volunteer firefighters & emergency service officers! Beautiful children! 

Whilst my sister was dealing with the two littlest ones and mum was occupying the attention of the two middle ones (the eldest looked after himself), I was able to do some housework for my sister, in cleaning up the lounge, toy room & family rooms, and putting in a load of dishes in the dishwasher! It's amazing how crazy a house looks after 5 kids under 10 (4 of which are under 6), have been in it for 24 hours! I totally respect single & stay at home mothers (particularly ones with more than one kid) because of the whirlwind that surrounds those 5 when they were playing! Wow! 

For the three middle children (all girls) I acted as hairdresser & did each of them a funky hairstyle for the day ... Sometimes more than once! Girls love to have pretty hairstyles! 

Today I also taught my nephew how to play poker (my sister learnt poker too) & a card game called "spit"! My nephew is a regular card shark! He learns quickly! :)

I also read 3 chapters of a fairy book to my niece before she went to bed because after the other 3 kids went home (the fire is almost under control so their parents could go home & rest & take the kids with them), my niece needed some quiet TLC! 

Needless to say... I'm exhausted & I was only there for 12 hours! I think my sisters whole house will be sleeping very soundly tonight! You guys did an excellent job sharing toys, food, attention, rooms & time with people who needed it! Thank you for your kindnesses!!! 

I'm crawling into bed... 

Much love to you all, stay safe! 

Luv Daena 

January 12, 2014

Hello my lovelies, 

I was almost asleep when I remembered I hadn't posted for the day... So here are my kindnesses...

Today in Perth was another hot day to end a hot weekend and several fires started near my sisters house in the Perth hills! Thankfully my sister & her family are safe and are not currently under threat, however it looks like 27 houses have been destroyed and one life lost in a related incident! My sister and I have friends in the area affected and some people don't know if they have a house to go home to as they have been evacuated and whilst Some stayed to defend their homes the community has been greatly affected! My kindness today was for my sister, her husband & kids, who were having a prearranged day with the kids other grandparents, if I heard or saw any news I kept them informed about the developments. I also shared on my Facebook pages links for people to donate goods & accomodation to those who are without homes in the immediate future (or long term), for agistment for horses and services for those that needed then! In tragedies it is always so wonderful to see the amazing capacity for love & generosity that humans are capable of! It restores your faith in humanity! 

On a simpler note, I cooked one of mums favorite meals for lunch, for no other reason than that we had all the ingredients in the house! We even had the leftovers for dinner! 

My best friend is getting married in less than 2 months so I am organising hens nights and kitchen tea parties for her preparation of "wifedom" (I know it's not a real word but it's a good one)! So some of today was spent getting quotes and organising/writing invitations to these events next month! 

All in all for a day at home it felt really busy! I'm so glad my family is safe! I wish love and hope to those who have lost everything! I cannot imagine what you are going through! But I am sending love to you all! 

With kindness, 

Luv Daena 

January 9,2014

Today was a good day... Relaxed and spent with family which is always nice! 

One kindness today was helping my dyslexic nephew write his blessings (10 things he is grateful for -he does this everyday like I do), and listening as my 5 year old niece read her (5 blessings) to me! I love encouraging both of them in their blessings because it promotes a healthy & happy life! :) 

I also helped my sister with her newsletter for her craft business! I coloured in a whole bunch of stamped cards (for added colour), and cut out a whole lot more little butterflies that have been added to the first card so it looks awesome! :) 

I have also started sorting out and preparing for a friends hens and kitchen tea parties (as I'm the maid of honour)! Co-ordination & sourcing stuff to make both events unforgettable! :) 

Have an awesome day! 

Luv Daena x 

Life... its what happens when you are busy making other plans

Hello my lovelies,

So you may think I must of sustained an injury or something for me not to update you for 2 WHOLE MONTHS! But I assure you I am alive and well!

Somethings that have changed since I last wrote... the number one thing is Sleep! So many of you know I am a Chronic Insomniac. Well I have made several life style changes and have managed to achieve the miraculous... I am sleeping! Sleep, you might think is pretty under-rated, but from a person who went for about 6 years with a maximum of 4 hours sleep a night (average - sometimes less sometimes more), I consider sleep a jewel. Having said that sleep is actually taking up a lot of my time. Its like my body wants me to get back all that missing sleep in a few weeks. I didn't realize how much time I would be missing by actually sleeping. However, mum likes to remind me that at least I don't need as much time because my brain is more active and I achieve things now in half the time that I used too. So its a blessing to sleep but I'm still adjusting to the reality of it.

The exciting news is my round-the-world trip is now paid for! YAY! I leave for the first leg of my trip which is Canada on the 30th of September! Exciting! So many friends and places to visit! :) I just cant wait... but i have to! :) 

On the family front, I have been supporting my sister, V, as best I can. Recently the company she was working for went into Voluntary Administration, here in Australia, and as of today (10th of June) the company has had to ceased trading. My sister (and all her fellow co-workers/bosses/management etc) have had the last few weeks from hell. They have been trying to assure customers and support those on the same level/above them. But effectually as of today my darling sister is without a job, one that she loved with a passion. There is nothing I could do for her, apart from support her, love her, encourage her, and organize her (okay my OCD is coming out again). I just want to wish all of those from my sisters company all the love, support and kindness this little blogger can muster. You all did a spectacular job for the last 15 years! Thank you from the bottom of my scrap-booking heart!

Some of you already know, if you follow 365days of Kindness on Facebook, that in the last few weeks 3 of my friends have lost loved ones. Some have been fast and shocking, others slow and painful. I have spent a fair amount of time with my friends doing my best to support them. Be it drinks and distractions, or late night Facebook chats. Thank you (God/universe/mother/spirit), for such extra-ordinary lives that these amazing people lived. May they all Rest in Peace.

For me personally, Funerals are always hard. I have been to dozens of funerals in my lifetime, but since Dad has been sick, funerals have taken on a life of their own. It is hard when you are constantly being told that your dad is going to die soon, to then see someone not have to suffer in such a long drawn out manner. The first time, we were told Dad wouldn't live until Christmas, and that was in 2007 while I was living in England finishing my undergraduate degree. Dad has a major brain disease that is very rare ( 20,000 people world wide have Cerebral Amyloid Angiopathy) and every few months/years he has a major turn for the worse. He has been so good for some time now, so we are almost living on a razors edge waiting for another bad turn. In other words, we go through cycles of grief regularly, and sometimes I find it hard when I see my friends families, where they are able to grieve and move on. They dont have to wait for the painful end of their fathers life's. To be honest there is often a jealousy that comes with it, and then a deep guilt as a result for wishing a death on anybody. I need to clarify my dad's life is a miracle, the doctors are continually baffled by him, and I cherish every moment I have with him. But there is such emotions at funerals that are often hard to handle. I love my friends deeply and am always grateful that I can support them in any way. I just wanted to explain to others this is one of the other reasons I have been offline recently. It is because I want to be a positive role model, not someone who acts without thought. But I thought it was important to share that it is okay to feel different than others. I mean i have talked to other families of Dementia patients (one of dads disease side effects is Fronto-Temperal Demential), and when I talk to them and explain how I have felt, they are almost relieved that they aren't the only ones to feel like that. I hope honesty helps someone else in a situation similar to mine, just so you know you aren't crazy.

Life has such an interesting way of reminding us what is and what isn't important. Family, friends, my communities and our world, are so profoundly important to me. Kindness is so important. I have seen how people react around shock, change and grief. It has been hard to witness how rudely, violently and badly people react to it. But I am continually reminded to be kind to unkind people, because they need it the most. It is often really hard to do this... particularly to those who are rude to you when you are most fragile!

I had the funniest experience with a drive through lady recently. She was rude and dismissive when she took our order, so I made the effort to yell "Have a wonderful day" through our window to her as we were about to leave. Now I don't know if it made much of a difference to her, but I know that our car full of people, burst into laughter. The upset she had caused us in her interaction with us was made better by a little kindness. If you want to bring kindness to your own life, start by bringing kindness to others. It makes a massive difference!

Anyway, I am still doing my kindnesses. Every night now, I write it in my gratitude journal! I keep writing all the things I am grateful for, particularly the things I can do for other people, and others have done for me. I am so blessed that I to be able to share these stories with you all!

I wanted to say thank you for those of you who keep checking this page even when things have been in stasis for a couple months. You are wonderful! You keep encouraging me to write more! Thank you!

Much love to you all,
Luv Daena x

Paying it Forward

Hi all,
I just wanted to share with you one of the pay-it-forwards that I did vicariously today!

The story starts about 5 months ago my mum & I helped out at a community day for the nursing home my dad lives in! We put in heaps of hard work & helped them raise a total of about $3000AUD! As a thank you the nursing home staff gave us a HUGE box of chocolates (1.32kgs to be exact). We gratefully accepted the gift along with a bunch of flowers each! We were spoilt but knew neither of us could eat the chocolate (my mum has diabetes & I'm trying to avoid getting it!)!

So instead we thought of donating it to a local emergency services like the police station! We made a few plans that fell through but it finally happened! today I could pass that HUGE box of chocolates along!

It just so happens that a huge brushfire threatened my sisters house, & many more houses yesterday, and they had to evacuate! but my sister didn't have enough time to grab anything on her way to pick the kids up from school, not knowing it would be too dangerous to return after that! so she and her kids had the clothes on their backs & their car, my brother-in-law was at work and only had the clothes he had with him etc. it turned out that it took 150 firefighters, and several airplane water bombers all afternoon & all night to contain the situation, but contain it they did! My sister & her family was allowed to return home today.

My sister came down to my house with her kids for lunch (she didn't have any food to give them for lunch as before school they still weren't allowed to return home) so she bought them down to us & we all had lunch together!

Now my sister & I had talked about this box of chocolates a few times (after all our house/unit is tiny & the box is massive). And today we were reminded of the importance of our emergency services, particularly the fire fighters!

My sister lives down the road from their local volunteer firefighters station, so I decided to give the chocolates to her for her to give to any firefighters she came across (if they were still at the station as it was early evening). So that is what my sister did!

She dropped the chocolates in, after seeing that several cars were still at the station and gave them the chocolates & told them thank you for everything they had done to keep her house & all other houses safe in the massive blaze! The fire fighters were very thankful & my sister left in tears! She felt as blessed as I did to pass it on!

I was just grateful I still had my sister, & her family safe while men and women volunteers & career fire fighters put their lives on the line! Thank you to everyone who made a difference in that fire & all other fires here in Australia (& around the world)!

My sister & I now know how much of a blessing it is to pay it forward!

Luv Daena x

Gratitude...

Hey everyone,
One thing I wanted to talk about before the end of this year is Gratitude.

For my friends and followers in the US, you have just had Thanksgiving, a special time where you think of all the things you are grateful for.

In Australia we don't have such a day, and I thought this December, in the lead up to Christmas, was the perfect time to think and talk about gratitude.

This year I have truly discovered the importance of gratitude. I have to start by telling you about how I came to this little epiphany. One day when I was shopping, I came across a book. This book was called "The Magic" by Rhonda Byrne, and its not what you may think it is. For my Christian friends who started to freak out at the word of "magic", I need to clarify that this book is about gratitude and how through gratitude we start to see things like we were when we were kids, where the world was magical and all things were possible. It talks about the 'magic' of gratitude.

This book has had a wonderful impact on me. "The Magic" acts like a 28 day work book to help you get out of a negative head-space and encourage you to see the world filled with possibilities. It is 28days so that it becomes a good habit. It goes through various religious scriptures and discusses them alongside quotes from theologists, thinkers, writers, philosophers, historians, presidents, songwriters, poets, journalists, anthropologists, business men & women, emperors, physicists, activists, teachers, coaches, artists and famous personalities

I started doing this in March, and you may be curious as to why it has taken me this long to share it with you, but i have shared it with my family and some friends to see the impact it has on them before i shared it with my online community. Some of you may have already read this book and done the activities, and if you have I would love to hear how its made a change in your lives! I am now happy to share it with you and some of the great things that have happened that have been "magical" to me.

I have really struggled with remaining positive in my life. I don't know how far back you have read these blogs so I don't know if you remember that both my parents have different disabilities. My dad has a rare brain disease called CerebralAmyloidAngiopathy which affects the white matter of his brain and has consequently led to him developing Frontotemporal Dementia.  My mum on the other hand has spinal damage and after several surgeries to help, things have gotten worse not better. And as such I have had to take on the role of Full-Time Carer for my mum. My dad is in high-care in a nursing home which we visit regularly. Both parents also have diabetes, so pain management and BSL management are two things as a carer i have to balance.

These realities have not changed. But my outlook towards them since reading "The Magic" has.

I wake up every morning and thank God/the universe that I woke up at all.

I also wake up and am grateful for even the smallest bit of sleep I had because a few years ago I was diagnosed with Insomnia and any sleep is precious.

I am grateful that I still have both my parents, because even though they aren't in peak physical/mental condition they still encourage me to be the best I can be.

I am grateful for the love and generosity they both bestow on me because they still can.

I am truly grateful for my sister, brother-in-law and their kids, because they remind me that I am loved. And that my life is sometimes very simple because I don't have to worry about kids, work times, school times, sport times, mortgages, etc.

I am grateful for my sister & Brother-in-law because they also look after mum when I need a break, or have other commitments.

I am grateful for my best friend, Tanya, because no matter how many times I share the same issues and troubles, she listens and provides suggestions. She doesn't judge me for some of the choices I have made along the way. She also encourages me to be apart of big volunteering events (shes the one who got me into Telethon and Relay for Life), and encourages my health & fitness (she started a netball team that I now play in) and she supports me when I struggle in the simplest ways.

My adoptive aunts are two women who I am grateful for. Both of them have supported me financially in the past with bills and unexpected travel expenses. Without them I would have drowned under financial pressures. Not to mention their love and support of mum and I.

I am grateful for all those people in my life who listen to me, encourage me to be positive, who listen when I am at breaking point and who stand with me, when I feel like I will fall.

I am truely blessed that I have 365days-of-kindness to focus on, because it continues to surprise and encrouage me to make a difference in the world.

I am truly happy that I look at this Blog and see how many people check it out in one day, how my exploits are travelling across the world, how I get excited when people "Like" the 365days-of-kindness Facebook Page (can you believe im at 79 "likers"? AWESOME!)

I am grateful that my attitude to money has changed because saving has become a priority and luxuries (that honestly, i don't really NEED) have to come second. I am no longer ashamed of how my money comes to me because I used to think that people would look down on me if they knew that I was paid by the government through Centrelink (the welfare agency in Australia). I earn my money, I am not a "dole bludger", as I have been called in the past.

I am grateful that i have the ability to look after mum because of Centrelink and that we have such a supportive agency in Australia.

Every day I sit down and write 10 things I am most grateful for in the day. Sometimes I write more than ten (because I just can't leave out any of those awesome things). I also record my kindness for that day after all my blessings. It looks kind of like this...

This is a photo taken from my Gratitude journal! Sorry about the quality, and the terrible handwriting! :) lol!

My life has not changed greatly. But there are a few things that have. I am now debt free. I owed about $3000 to family and I have finally paid that back (the majority of the money i have paid back since March!) and still have managed to save money ready for next year when i have an international wedding to attend. I am excited as its 5 years since i have been debt free!

Also, when I wake up in the morning I am no longer afraid to face the day. I used to wake up and be afraid of the "next disaster" to befall our family! But I now wake up and think of the good things I have before me, not the possibility of horrors. To me these are the miracles I have gotten out of the book.

I am so grateful for my life, my passions, my family, my friends, my communities, and people like you who read this and are inspired to do kind things in the world! :) Kindness and gratitude make the world a better place, even if its just our perception of it! :)

Thank you for reading this blog. I hope you get as much out of it as I do. It is a motivation that keeps me going on hard days. Brightening someone else's day also brightens your own! 

Have a wonderful day,
Luv Daena x

p.s. If you want to get a copy of "The Magic" and live in Australia - they are the cheapest ($10AUD) at Target! :) Or you can check out this link to the book depository (FREE INTERNATIONAL SHIPPING! yay).

August RAKs - Finally! :)

Hey everyone, 

Well i have been pretty busy so far (as this always happens during NaNoWriMo! lol! Mum always says that in November i am the least productive when it comes to writing! Every other month i am prolific but during November and NaNoWriMo its like trying to get blood out of a stone! hehehe! I think i am just very good at procrastination! :D hehehe... but then again... who isnt! :D 

But i have still had enough time to write the August RAKs! YAY! :) So here is the RAKs for....

August 2012

August 1: I did the washing up after a morning tea at church.

August 2: Helped my parents go to the dentist and sat and held my dads hand as he had a tooth removed. I also let someone else use the ticket machine at the hospital before me (because It took me a little while to find the right change).

August 3: Helped a neighbour save some water by letting them know the tap was still on just a little bit(after they had just watered the garden) & I helped mum put numbers on a Christmas wall hanging for my sister, meaning that with her bad back she didn’t have to do any bending!

August 4: Helped out some friends at a party by mixing their drinks for them and making sure they weren’t driving home. I also took a present to a house-warming party. They now have some more glasses which was great for the house-warming! :)

August 5: I acted as a skipper for a friends birthday for her and her boyfriend, without knowing exactly how I was going to get home (I had a friend come and pick me up, and he drove about an hour out of his way! An awesome friend – THANK YOU... you know who you are).

August 6: Decorated some paper plates in preparation for the community day at Dads nursing home & made mum an unexpected cup of tea.

August 7: Went out of my way to get some belongings to a friend who doesn’t have a car, so she didn’t have to catch public transport to get them back. I also packed up the cards, chairs and tables after a local poker league game. I also helped a new person at poker when he was struggling which which cards beat what and how to cut and deal them, etc.

August 8: I donated pencils, crayons, soft toys, small “balls” to the Samaritans Purse Christmas Shoe box appeal. I also completed 3 soft toys mum had made so that they could also go to the shoe box’s next time. Also was put on “Standby” to look after my niece and nephew because their parents were both busy. (Mum: she invited a friend over to share a meal with us.)

August 9: I held the door open for some paramedics who were wheeling someone out of the doctors surgery into an awaiting ambulance. I also paid for mums lunch and waited up late to make sure she took certain medications on time.

August 10: I said “Bless you” to two sneezing strangers today. One in a fast food restaurant and another in a department store. I also made Pizza for dinner – yummy! :)

August 11: Made conversation with a lonely neighbour and made sure he was coping whilst his wide was away on holiday!

August 12: I lent my sister suitcases and bags for her to take on her working holiday. I also donated some toys to the Mundaring Toy Library!

August 13: Put mum into care so that I could help my sister & brother in law by taking my sister to the airport and baby-sat the kids for a few days whilst their dad was at work!

August 14: I looked after my sisters kids by taking them to school & picking them up. I also made pancakes for them, played computer games, ball games, watched TV & read stories to them. Not to mention I did a load of washing, a load of dishes, sorting and cleaning the laundry, and swept the whole house. I also made the effort to see and old friend and just spent several hours talking.

August 15: I looked after my sisters kids again by getting them dressed/encouraging them to do it themselves, & picking them up after school. I fed them after school – we made smoothies. We watched the same DVD 3.5 times in 24 hours. I also sewed a badge for my nephew onto his camp blanket (I managed to stab my self with the needle whilst doing it too). Also did 2 loads of dish washing, and a load of clothes washing and I made my brother-in-law a cup of tea at the end of a long day.

August 16: Mum and I took and bought lunch for a friend who needed to eat (but had been too stressed to eat & took her some awesome home made cookies too. We also have her lots of cuddles, and just spent some time talking to her.

August 17: Today I drove mum to her best friends house to pick her friend up and take her to have a massage because she had been really stressed. I also took mum and her friend to afternoon tea and paid for it as a wonderful conclusion to a relaxing afternoon. I then drove mums friend home. We also visited another family friend, who'd invited us to dinner and I helped her photograph 10 quilts for charity. I also made a whole bunch of craft stuff for the community day for Dads nursing home.(Mum: Paid for the massage for her friend).

August 18: I helped a lady in the shopping centre because she had dropped something, so I picked it up for her. I also went and supported a friend by going to his EP launch for his band and helped out by working on front of house for an hour or two, before the Band played.(If you want to hear or hear about this band... check them out here)

August 19: I made the effort to cook all the meals at home. Mum and I also picked up my sister from the airport and made her feel loved and cherished because we had made the effort. I also talked & spoke kindly to a stranger I met at the airport who was waiting alone.

August 20: made an effort to make conversation and smiled at several strangers today, as I wandered through the city with a friend.

August 21: I helped a family friend by doing some house work for her, and also helped a couple of friends by singing in a band for them at a church event. I also picked up and paid for dinner for mum and myself.

August 22: Made a visitor a cup of tea and invited them to stay for dinner – But they declined. Also spent the whole afternoon reading to mum who could then continue to do her crocheting for charity quilts.

August 23: I bought coffee and tea for my mum and aunt at a Cafe. I helped a Couperin reverse out of a tricky parking spot because their was cars and people everywhere and I helped them safely. I also helped a friend bake a cake and drove her to do some errands.

August 24: Acted as a chauffeur for mum and drove her to the doctors and then to a friends house. I helped a family friend my holding up charity quilts for her to photograph. I then came home and started to do more craft stuff in anticipation for the community day at Dads nursing home.

August 25: I helped mum out by getting up early and doing two loads of washing before we had to go out – so that it would be dry by the time we would get home (in the sunshine). I also went ahead and organised her new medications at the chemist whist she was finishing up in the doctors surgery.

August 26: Spent all afternoon preparing for my being away all day tomorrow by making lots of snacks for mum to eat all day and also by making too much food (creating left overs) ready for our lunches. I also made several cups of tea as she spent most of the day in bed.

August 27: I picked up rubbish for some colleagues, held the door open for strangers and offered to get drinks/snacks to make some work we were doing a little more bearable.

August 28: I handed out files and helped by holding the door open for some colleagues!

August 29: Made the effort to appreciate everyone who did anything for me, even if it was their jobs to do so. I also offered my seat on a train to an elderly person.

August 30: I bought lollies in for my colleagues so we didn’t fall asleep during a rather boring assignment.

August 31: I made the effort to smile at people I came across. I also helped a lady when she dropped a whole bunch of coins, by helping her pick them up. 

I hope you enjoy that these are finally out in the world! :D 

Hope this also finds you well! 

Luv Daena x