The Random Drop Off...

One of my favourite movies has a great line in it to help the guy get the girl, "An unexpected gift, at an unexpected time." He does get the girl. I'll send you something fun in the mail if you can tell me what movie that's from. 

I really like the idea of that unexpected gift at an unexpected time! In fact it seems to be popping up all over the place this week (how unexpected). A friend just wrote on Facebook that for the last four or five years her family has received an Easter basket on their doorstep and they truly have no idea who it is from. This is so cool! And today a friend had the water service guy in her office bring her a coffee - how sweet! I brought someone special a soy cinnamon dulce this week too (although she knew I was dropping it off but she loved it just the same)! Which had me thinking about putting up my own Facebook post and asking all of my friends what their favourite coffee shop beverages of choice are...so maybe one day I can surprise them (so many different options)! Okay, I might just do that!

Oh and how could I forget this! My sister-in-law came by with these beauties for me! I mean one for each of us. They were delicious and fun. Thank you!

An unexpected gift!

On the news there has been a push in the last 48 hours for people to become organ donors in my little corner of the world. One of the ultimate unexpected gifts and at an unexpected time. My husband and I have been donors for years (although him longer than me). I somehow had this irrational fear about it (darn movies and urban legends) but I got over it and saw all the good it can do for others and that was the most important. Congrats if you are one and if you aren't...what are you waiting for?

Mail is super cool but the random drop off...a little gift to make someone's day - on their desk, doorstep, windshield...maybe they need some encouragement, some love or just because. Feel free to write a little note to go with it (always working the mail angle - haha). Not sure what to drop off? A favourite hot beverage or a $5 gift card so they can pick, chocolate (this is always good, unless you are allergic of course, but try to find out what their favourites are...dark, milk, peanut butter, sea salt...with bacon...oh yes that is a thing and so good), actually any favourites of anything (snack, cookie, lotion, bubble bath, candle), flowers, a good book and so on...

Share the love!

767/1000 4 new ones (and one is a birthday package for Piper's pen pal)!

Seven to Ponder...

Thought I'd throw some kindness possibilities your way this week...

1. I'm a big fan of the "pay for the person behind you" in the Starbucks drive through - this also works for Tim Horton's or any drive through where you pay and pick up at the same window. But for something different...buy a gift card from 'bucks or Tim's and put it under the windshield wiper of a parked car for someone to find later. Surprise!

2. Gather all those unwanted items in your household (de-cluttering feels great) and advertise a garage sale and make everything free - how fun would this be! Free Garage Sale! Early Birds Welcome!

3. When you are cooking or baking it is often easy to just double whatever you are making - do it and share it with someone who could use a treat or a night off from cooking. That might just be everyone you know!

4. Keep extra umbrellas in your car and on a rainy day pass them out to people waiting at bus stops without umbrellas/shelter or someone walking home without one. Stock up at the dollar store to make this one a go!

5. Bring treats to your local school, preschool, daycare, firehall, care home or maternity ward for the staff - these can be busy, crazy places where the adults could use a boost. And store bought isn't cheating by the way!

6. Take coupons that you don't need and place them on the shelves of the grocery store by those products. You will surely make someone's day! I posted briefly about this here in a post about sending cool things in the mail.

7. Writing encouraging words on post it notes (I like heart ones) and post them on lockers, bathroom stalls, bus shelters, and/or wherever you feel they will make a difference. Stick it!

These were posted on two bus shelters in Vancouver - at least 8 post its! Awesome!

 I've tried to share 7 ideas that might not be your regular go to ideas when you think of random acts or purposeful acts of kindness. Please add your brilliant ideas in the comments on this post.
I'd love to hear some more!

300/1000  Two pieces of facebook post pay it forward mail going local to make it a nice round number!

Have you made anyone's day lately?

What I love about this project/blog/mail is that it is all about making someone's day! I just found out that I sent about three pieces of mail to my beautiful cousin Steph's new place (yay) only to find that I'd sent them to the wrong address (off by one digit in the street address and one in the postal code). Now the odd thing is that none of the envelopes have made their way back to me (re: return to sender) so I'm hoping that perhaps they have touched and brightened the day of a complete stranger :) - now if I remember correctly, at least one is a recipe (so that's cool, anyone can appreciate that) and the other, an invitation to a family gathering - my daughter, Piper's first birthday (hmmmm...I guess we'll see who shows up...but so far no odd RSVPs).

So speaking of brightening the day of a stranger, I did something today that I haven't done since I moved to my new house and it was totally overdue to happen. If mail isn't your thing but you really want to make someone's day here's an idea. On my way out today I zoomed through my local Starbucks' drive-thru (through - typing 'thru' hurts every time), okay, I didn't actually zoom, it was a little slow. As I was sitting there I thought, "I just need a tall chai, nothing fancy, just something warm and tasty to get me on my way." So I ordered my chai and got to thinking about the people behind me and what they might be ordering and that's when I decided I would pay for their order as well. Total strangers. I had no idea what they were going to order but it didn't matter because I'd made my decision (in for a penny, in for a pound - is that how it goes?). Turns out two drinks, two breakfast sandwiches. I paid and then zoomed away before I could get "caught." It made for a fun morning. The cool thing is that you can do this at any drive-through and you don't even need to pay for the whole order - just $5. toward the next order or what have you. Try it, you might like it.

With gratitude:  local x 2 (Delta, Surrey), Out of Province x 2 (Ontario) = 4!
More to come soon :)

66/1000