#300GoodDeeds - Day Twenty-Two - The Last Day of Term

Wow! Somehow I've ended up with only a few minutes to get this blog written. This will be a particularly brief one, then!

The Gingerbread House we decorated this evening.

Here we go - Day 22!

1. We had a great outing this morning going to the retail park to hear C's school singing Christmas carols. C taught all her pupils actions to help them remember the words, and it worked! Even when technology failed them (with the backing track), they sang on!
2. We had dressed up in Santa hats to go and see them (I kept mine on all day!). This may not seem like a good deed, but getting Dad to wear a hat was hard work and, when he did, he looked just like the real thing!
3. Next we had a couple of good deeds at the retail park. We visited Pets at Home and bought two more Christmas Dinners for pets.
4. We also took part in a charity raffle for KWK9, and got to meet their super ambassador, and his owner!
5. As well as this, we bought a £5 gift card and left it for the next customer.
6. And all this because we had gone to buy birdseed for Mum and Dad!
7. On the subject of birds, we also hung up a new coconut on the tree in the square. The birds are making light work of them. I'm hoping this means we are going to have some more snow soon!
8. We strung up the coconut on the way to walk pup. While we were on the walk we met one of Orlando's friends, Oscar. We got the chance to share a brief conversation and wish his owner a Merry Christmas before Orlando got bored and started barking at us to get a move on. He's an impatient bean!
9. I've done a fair bit of driving backward and forward, and have done my bit by waving at everyone, letting people out at tricky junctions and waiting for people to cross the road. I've done this A LOT today, but unfortunately it still only counts as one!
10. After walking Orlando and going to see the school choir, J and I headed out to do a bit of shopping for Mum. This was an especially good deed as we had to go to the butcher's counter and ask for some meat. The conversation went something like this:
    
    Butcher: Can I help you ladies?
    J: Can we get a pound and a half of diced British pork, please?
    Butcher: I've got shoulder, or loin, or these steaks.
    [pause]
    J: We don't really know. It's our Mum's list.
    Me: It's for a pork pie, if that helps.
    
    I think he found us very amusing if nothing else!
11. J saw a lady she knew in Tesco and, again, she had the opportunity to share a few friendly words.
12. On our way out of the shop we stopped to take part in the charity raffle. We didn't win though, but once again it was the support which counted.
13. I straightened out the trolleys again in the little trolley park. It really is laziness of people to just throw in their trolleys, but then I quite like sorting them out.
14. Back with C again. Because there are 28 pupils in her class, it meant not everyone was being given the chance to take part in the Advent Calendar, so C took along some extra treats for the children who hadn't.
15. She also organised a game for the children so that they wouldn't have to do as much work on the last day of term. After all, it was Christmas Eve-Eve's eve!
16. J and C walked Orlando this evening, allowing Mum to keep on with the jobs she was doing. J had already walked him once but was happy to help out again. This may have been related to the fact that the job Mum was doing was wrapping presents!
17. Orlando resisted picking up a bottle on his walk today, so J picked up a can instead and dropped it off in the bin.
18. We have a (new-ish) Christmas tradition of playing table football, spanning back about 5 years. The rest of the year it's stored in the under-eaves cupboard and, try as J and I might, we couldn't get it out. Thankfully, when C arrived, she made light work of it and retrieved it!
19. I brought the table football downstairs. I'm counting this as a good deed as it was very difficult to manage alone on a spiral staircase!
20. Then, it took me up until 11:10 to get the whole thing set up! Mum and I then had a quick game, just to make sure it was working!
21. J sorted out a problem with some internet shopping I'd done for Christmas. I get really fazed, but she's super efficient, so I was really grateful she dealt with it.
22. Finally, C did a sweep of the upstairs bins and took out the rubbish. Because our bin day is usually Monday, we have our collection tomorrow instead, because (I don't know if you noticed!) Monday is CHRISTMAS DAY!

On that exciting note, I'm off to bed! Goodnight, all!

V x

#300GoodDeeds - Day Twenty-One - Carols in the Co-Op

I do apologise in advance for the bullet-points, but the lurg is strong with this one (!) and I fear that I won't make much sense if I keep trying to write in full paragraphs!!

1. V put some bread out for the birds - we had bought them a loaf of bread yesterday and they made a good start on that today! They were all so hungry, which Mum correctly predicted that heralded a cold night. As I'm writing this at 8pm, it's already freezing.
2. C took her class to sing carols in Co-Op. It was just wonderful to see how happy people were to enjoy the children singing.
3. I went along to support her, even though she didn't see me! This was an absolute pleasure, but I did walk instead of getting a lift so that Dad didn't have to turn out. This wouldn't be a good deed usually, but I'm counting it as one because of how tired I am with the lurg!!
4. It didn't seem right that I was the only one who was able to enjoy the lovely singing, so I recorded audioclips and popped them across on WhatsApp to my brother (in Grenoble), one of my sisters and my brother-in-law (both in Inverness). It also meant I could share it with the folks at home who didn't manage to make it down to the Co-Op.
5. On my way home (sort of!) I dropped off some chocolate for the Far North train staff, as a thank you for another year of getting me safely to and from work!
6. I also went to the Post Office to post various Christmassy things for different people :) This meant that Vdidn't have to turn out straight after teaching, and could have a drink instead! (of tea - nothing stronger!!)
7. The Post Office Good Deed reminded me of one V did for me earlier in the day - addressing all my Christmas cards, as I have no idea where people live!
8. On my excursion to the Co-Op, I also managed to get some shopping done for Mum and Dad, which meant that no one had to go out to Tesco this evening.
9. We talk a lot about courteous driving - but how about courteous pedestrian-ing? Today as I was crossing the zebra crossing, the car to my right slowed down and stopped, but someone coming the other way came hell-for-leather up to the crossing. It looked like they might have been having an argument with the person in the front seat and weren't paying full attention. Instead of shouting at them or making a rude gesture (which, I'm afraid to say, did occur to me!!), I gave them a cheery wave and a smile.
10. I also saw a friend on the way back and had a good cheery natter with her - and wished her a very Merry Christmas!
11. V noticed that we had run out of crib candles, so used some of hers and lit them in time for her pupils to enjoy. Usually Mum does this, but she is just taking busy-ness to a whole new level at the moment! Today, she made the stuffing and the apple sauce for Christmas Dinner, as well as all her usual jobs!
12. C delivered some of Mum's and Dad's Christmas cards to local people while walking Orlando. 
13. V played Santa this evening and passed on a present from Mum to a friend.
14. V was also a Hug Santa - giving a hug to someone who needed it. Like the rest of us, she's not one of life's natural huggers which means that, when you do get a hug from her, you know it's sincere!
15. Talking of hugs, I sent a virtual hug on Twitter to someone who was feeling sad.
16. V wasn't the only one who was being Santa today! C also took along presents to one of the cleaners at the school...
17. ... and one of her PSAs!
18. She (C) also gave us a snow globe that she had made in class. Having a teacher in the family is very similar to having a schoolchild, although teachers do a lot more homework and they seem to enjoy cider and prosecco more too!!
19. C looked after a little child who was very upset because his dad hadn't managed to make it to the Co-Op to hear him singing.
20. Back at school, C also helped a colleague with the door. It might seem small, but these are the little gestures that (hopefully!) just make life a bit easier for people.
21. I wrote two special inscriptions (although one of them smudged, which was annoying!). We do like giving and receiving books at Christmas, and an inscription always makes them that bit more special and personal.

Again, sorry that I resorted to bullet points - I intend for this lurg to be gone tomorrow and, if it isn't, I shall be having pretty strict words with it!

Here's a cute picture of Orlando, for no reason other than the fact he's beautiful!!

Happy Winter Solstice!

  - J. x

#300GoodDeeds - Day Nineteen - The Day of The Bug

Today has been a day of feeling under the weather! There's always a bug that descends around Christmas time and this was The Day Of The Bug! Therefore, it has been tricky getting all the good deeds done, but it's amazing how many you pick up over the course of the day!

The Christingle is looming (both exciting and terrifying!) so many of my own good deeds have been based around that, such as:

  1.  Printing and stapling the Order of Service. This was no mean feat as three ink cartridges needed changing, and the stapler kept breaking!!

  2.  I went to the church to set up for the Christingle. We had to move the Christmas tree (which is beautiful) and the friend helping with running the service brought in another Christmas tree for the Christingle activities. Watch this space and I'll let you know how it goes...

  3.  I also had the privilege of talking to someone who is exploring their faith at the moment. It's always great to be with someone at the start of a journey!

  4.  V and I went to Tesco this evening to do the shopping for the Christingle. Ever wondered what a Christingle shop looks like?

A Christingle shop!

Because of The Bug, (5.) I walked Orlando on my own so that C didn't have to. On our walk:

  6.  Orlando picked up a bottle and then dropped it off at the bin.

  7.  We talked to people we met and wished them a Merry Christmas!

Another theme for our #300GoodDeeds today was doing a little bit extra at work, such as:
  8.  Clemency was chatting to elderly residents at the Care Home she visited with her class. Her and the children will almost certainly have made the residents' day. It means ever such a lot to mix young and old at this time of year.
  9.  I shared some ideas and suggestions with a colleague who's not sure about how to address a journey with her children. My suggestion was to put sleeping bags in the car and make it into a full-blown adventure!
  10. It's a busy time of year, with parents being pulled in several different directions. V looked after one of her pupils today after his mum was unavoidably delayed in picking him up.
  11.  On her way to the Residential Home, C saw someone who, a couple of years ago, made her life an absolute misery. She gave him a cheery smile. This is a really Good Deed - it's so difficult to see people who have upset you, but even harder to be nice to them when you do see them!

Other good deeds today have included:
  12. V and J going to the recycling centre to drop off the cardboard that accumulates from online shopping!
  13. Whilst there, I picked up some cardboard that had dropped onto the floor and deposited it in the correct bin.
  14. V was doing her usual courteous driving there and back - particularly challenging and important on narrow roads!
  15. C and I have both been writing our Christmas cards to friends and family around the country!
  16. We dropped off some food for the "unfortunate dogs".
  17. C sent a cute puppy picture to someone on Twitter who was feeling sad.
  18. C wrote a letter to some friends who moved away.
  19. V postponed her Games Night because Mum was so tired (she has been working flat out today - even more than usual, which those of you who know her may not believe humanly possible!!

Our Christmas Tree - a light for those just passing by.

  - J. x

#300GoodDeeds - Day Seventeen - An odd combo: Re-Decorating, Church and Star Wars!

Today turned out to be an interesting day. Right from the word go. There is always a race to get downstairs first on the day after decorating day. Today was no exception! V managed to pip Mum to the post and got downstairs, only to find that the tree was rather more horizontal than she had expected...
The effort that followed led to several of the early good deeds of the day:

1.  V held the tree in position for an hour, while Mum tried to get up as much of the broken glass as possible (we lost a lot of precious blown glass baubles, but we do try not to get too upset about material things)
2.  V then climbed up some steps and tied the tree in three places.
3.  More climbing (and another good deed for V!) saw her putting up beautiful paper ornaments, which detract from the string!

What we were expecting to find when we came downstairs this morning...

So that was an interesting start to the day! Also in the morning, C and I headed off to church, where they managed to spread a few smiles as well:

4.  I served for a priest - the first time since I was about 16!! It generated a few nerves, but fortunately he was a very understanding, supportive sort of chap!
5.  I also brought it to the attention of anyone who could help that one of the heaters was making a strange noise. I like to think that this might have protected people, just in case the heater was about to explode (which is, admittedly, unlikely!)
6.  C moved so that someone else could sit on a comfy chair in church
7.  It's always nice to pay someone a compliment (as long as it's honest!) and C took the opportunity to tell someone how nice their singing voice is.
8.  We dropped off some soup into the Church Food Bank

This evening was fun as we went to see the new Star Wars film (which is fantastic, by the way!). A few good deeds came from that as well:

9.  V drove both ways so that Dad didn't have to, as he hasn't been feeling 100% recently.
10.  I was also looking out for Dad at the cinema, and went to the bathroom at the same time as him so that I could make sure he didn't trip up on his way back down to our seats!
11.  I treated everyone to sweeties and a drink... yum :)
12.  It was quite late when we got back, so I walked Orlando on my own so that Clem could do some lesson planning. The walk should have been quiet at that time of night, but let's just say that not everyone has good control of their dogs...!

A Star Wars question: why does Lindor chocolate look like the Death Star??

Other good deeds from the day have included:

13.  During her driving lesson, C waved to someone to acknowledge their courteous driving. Considerate driving is something that is really important, and she was pleased to have started as she means to go on!
14.  Mum was quite disappointed with the untidiness of some parts of the house yesterday, so I took the opportunity to do some tidying this afternoon.
15.  I also evicted various pairs of socks from V's room..!
16.  V addressed several more of Mum's and Dad's Christmas cards: she did G to S!
17.  V also put the blue bin out for tomorrow morning. This is a "no greater love" job, as V is a bit germ-phobic and wouldn't touch a bin without very good reason!

So, all-in-all, a busy, fun Sunday! And nice to think that we've spread a few smiles along the way as well!

  - J. x

#300 Good Deeds - Day Sixteen - Decorating Extravaganza!

Today is decorating day. That means that, for most of the day, the house is turned upside down with boxes filled with treasures spanning more years than I've been alive! Then, when the decorations have been sifted through and put up or tidied away, we sit around the Christmas tree with the main lights off (cocktails in hand) and gaze at the tree.

And yet, somehow, with all that excitement, we managed to make the Good Deeds number up to 16. It all started this morning...

1) After the 6th January, all the decorations are squirreled away into the cupboard under the eaves. It's not a nice job, and it's not pleasant trying to get all the boxes out and downstairs either. So I was very relieved when J got out all the boxes!

2) It's frosty again today so the birds are in desperate need of food. We put another filled coconut on the square and it was much appreciated! Particularly by these starlings...

Starlings enjoyed their breakfast.

3) As we mentioned before, J is organising and leading the Christingle service next Wednesday. Even on decorating day, she spent some time designing and printing a fun activity for the service.

4) On the same note, she also wrote the prayers for the Christingle so they can be sent to the readers in advance.

5) In Summer, V and J went south to visit Grandma and took her out with our cousin and her family to Normanby Park. I love Summer trips as these are when memories are made, and they took a super photo of everybody at the Park. J sent the picture to Grandma today, along with a short letter.

6) As it's icy, we didn't want Dad going out to post a letter, so V and J took it instead.

7) When V and J went to walk Orlando, they saw a horse-rider struggling to open the gate at the walkies site. J went to open the gate for them which was not only a good deed, but also very brave as the horse was very nervous on the ice.

8) Again, when they went to walk Orlando, V was very considerate when driving there and back. It's always nice to see considerate drivers but when it is so icy outside, it is particularly pleasant!

9) When the temperature is below freezing, the water (of course) in the birdbath freezes over. This means that it's quite difficult for the birds to get water to drink or clean themselves. I went out to check if the water is frozen. Sure enough it was, so I broke through the ice and filled the tub again. I would really encourage everyone to make sure that birds always had water available.

10) We are very proud of our Christmas tree and other decorations in the house (Mum has a lovely potted tree in another room). I love to see Christmas pictures from other people, so J shared our Christmas decoration piccies with some of the family who aren't at home. Here are some...

Orlando loves Decorating
Day!!

Our tree, in all its glory!

11) While decorating is fun, it is also exhausting, so I cleared away all the boxes for a little while so we could all sit down for a cuppa mid-afternoon.

12) There's always one! One of the Christmas decorations has been broken all year, with a poor wooden soldier lying in the quaich since January. Thankfully, J managed to fix him today.

13) If there's one thing that I've learned from being a teacher, it's how to cut out paper shapes quickly. (I'm joking - there are many things I've learnt!) I was able to use this knowledge today to save J from going mad as she was cutting out too many Christmas baubles for the Christingle service!

14) A tradition in this house is to have a Chinese take-away on Decorating Day. I'm unsure how long this has been going on - 16 years was mentioned. It's such a great idea as everyone is too busy to think about cooking. We all clubbed together to make this as easy as possible. J rang up, Mum and V set the table, and Dad and I went to collect it.

15) J made us all snowballs earlier as a treat (advocat and lemonade) and to top it off, I made a cocktail from my book "Tequila Mockingbird" (it's awesome - they are all cocktails inspired by classic novels!) Yummm...hic...

16) This last one is actually a little bit in advance. We are going to (when we've finished our cocktails) put the cushions back in the cushion covers. Mum always washes the cushion covers for Christmas and this is one little job we can do to make things a bit easier for her.

So, there we go. 17 good deeds tomorrow....

  - C. 

#300GoodDeeds - Day Eleven - #MondayMotivation

For the first of our good deeds, we're going right back to the start of the day: the wee, small hours! V stayed up late finishing off my Secret Santa gift. Yesterday was a bit of a disaster from my point of view, so everything that I had planned just went (what we call) A over T. V finishing off the Secret Santa gift was an absolute Godsend, I can tell you!

We took in another parcel for our neighbours today - this time it was slightly more rewarding though as both neighbours were extremely grateful! It's a fair old trek down to the Sorting Office, so every little helps when it comes to taking in parcels! 

Paws for thought...

Just in case you hadn't realised yet that our lives are run by a small(ish) brown and white furry thing, today Orlando was exhibiting symptoms of FlopBot (if you haven't seen All Creatures Great and Small then you might have to look it up!) so we booked him an appointment at the V.E.T.s. He is now fully squeezed and back to his usual jolly self.

Upon arriving back from the aforementioned V.E.T.s, V confirmed that a pupil shouldn't come to his lesson today as he has mobility issues and therefore would have been at risk of falling on his way to his lesson. And, speaking of ice, I made a safe path for Mum and Dad to use the bins in the backyard (which was resembling an ice rink!), as well as clearing some of the path at the front of the house.

The journey to work today was absolutely beautiful - through snow-covered landscapes, with views of magnificent Red Deer and birds, hurrying to find what food they could in what had become quite a barren landscape! First of all though, I had to get to the train station. Dad was going to take me, but his sister called just before we were about to set off and he quite rightly wanted to talk with her. V got up and gave me a lift - absolutely seamlessly.

A frozen landscape

When I arrived at the train, I discovered that it was a conductor who is still training, and I took the opportunity to find out how he was enjoying it and, I hope, offer some words of encouragement. He has been working for Scotrail for some time as a Hospitality Assistant (not sure of the correct job title!) and will be an absolutely excellent conductor. All the folks on the Far North line are lovely :)

When I arrived at work, I was quite late as the first train hadn't been running. I mucked in as best as I could, and even set a great  example by being one of the first ones to start with the washing up after Christmas Lunch. I will also take this opportunity to say how much I appreciated #GoodDeeds from various colleagues who were looking out for me in my semi-blinded state!!

This evening, I got back home absolutely shattered, so it was great to find that C had gone out on her own and walked Orlando. It must have been a bit nerve-wracking for her as the paths are treacherous out there at the moment, so I was especially grateful of this good deed! Afterwards, we both wrapped presents for C's pupils - it was a lot of fun (although I'm sure #GoodDeeds should be fun!) and great to imagine the kiddies opening them on Christmas Day!

This evening I visited Twitter to find out if there was anyone who needed a few words and a virtual hug sent their way, and found someone whose tweet made me feel very sad for them. I hope my reply "from a Stranger in the Far North" was of some help to them - I love how these #300GoodDeeds are encouraging us to reach out to people we will never know, in a way that they will hopefully find comforting.

  - J. x

#300GoodDeeds - Day Four - A Perfect Job Makes Doing Good Deeds Easy

I consider myself very fortunate when it comes to my job and tonight has been a culmination of all I love about it.  I'm a Music Teacher and tonight was our Christmas Concert (totally deserving of its capital letters!). It is perhaps unsurprising, then, that this is the setting of our Day 4 good deeds.

Music Monster Tuition

Performing is central to progressing as a musician and it is an opportunity I believe all musicians, young or old, deserve to have.  Providing this opportunity might count as our first good deed, but it really is a pleasure. We raised a super £84.22 which we are sharing evenly between KWK9 and Caithness branch of Cats Protection. These were donations given by the audience, but I'm claiming it as our good deed! So that's two ticked off already!

We weren't the only ones using the Church rooms and it was lovely to be able to be a doorman (or woman!) for those using the other rooms. Doing a good deed needn't be costly - one person told me I'd made their evening by being there to welcome them.

Orlando - Good at making himself understood!

Finally, the little chap who runs our lives was in need of food and no one was able to get down to the shop to buy him any. Cue my good deed! To save anyone having to turn out super late tonight so Orlando had some breakfast, I grabbed ten free minutes and dashed off to the shop.

So four things for day four.  Sleepy time now... ZZzzzzz.....

V x

#300GoodDeeds - Day Three - Music, Food-Banks and Gift-Giving

Advent began "properly" today, four Sundays before Christmas, and we've been busy decorating Christmas biscuits and sharing in the annual reading of "Children of Green Knowe"... but that's not all we've done.  Back in late summer when we first came up with the idea of the #300GoodDeeds it seemed like it was going to be the easiest thing in the world to do but, now it's come to it, getting the right number of things can be a bit tricky.

Our nativity set, welcoming all the visitors. (Picture: SC)

All the same, we're pleased to say that we have three good deeds to report for 3rd December.

Firstly, it was standing in to play the organ at church (Saint John's).  The regular organist was away today and, rather than sing to the CD backing track, we were able to stand in.  Despite a speedy onset of nerves, it was great to play some of our favourite hymns and really set the scene for the next few weeks ahead.

There is a collection at the bank of the church for the Caithness Food Bank, a vital and valued outreach in the local community.  In the current social climate the call for food banks across the country has increased exponentially, and giving to one of these is a real boon to supporting local people.  So here was good deed number two.  There was some discussion over what to give, be it tuna or soup, but the tuna won out in the end!

Three Gifts of Bookish Goodness

The final good deed was looking a little further afield.  Being self-employed and having no work colleagues at all, I'm saved the difficulty of that dreaded Secret Santa moment when you pull a name out of the hat and find that you're holding a piece of paper with your boss' name on and have to weigh up the temptation to get something outrageous using the cover of "Santa", against the idea of buying something really useful and/or meaningful.  But giving books to a book-lover is a great idea, and this is exactly what the #SecretSantaBookSwap - which is now in it's second year - does.  So our third good deed was completing this Secret Santa.

I'm not going to lie: good deeds are exhausting!  So I'm off to bed now to try and regain the strength for more good deeds tomorrow!

V x

#300GoodDeeds - Day One. A no-brainer.

The first of our #300GoodDeeds was to support a cause very close to our hearts.

We donated to Pets At Home's Christmas Appeal.

When we got Orlando four years ago, we were undecided between him and his brother. Orlando was chunky, even at two weeks old, the biggest of the litter. He was also noisy, although at two weeks, puppies being noisy just means lots of squeaking! His brother was much smaller, with an all brown face (Orlando has the stereotypical spaniel stripe down his nose), and was quiet. I wanted the noisy, chunky one and, when other people are already undecided, I can be very persuasive.

Orlando's first Christmas with us.
He was four months old and took it all in his stride!

One of our favourite topics of conversation is wondering what Orlando would have been like if he had gone to a different household. We always assume he would have been quieter, and that he would probably have learnt some time ago that he isn't actually a lapdog.

Orlando today - now four years old -
looking unimpressed and adorable in his Christmas onesie.

We don't often think about another alternative - that he could have found himself neglected or in a rehoming centre. The Dogs Trust first coined the phrase "A Dog Is For Life , Not Just For Christmas" nearly four decades ago, but some people just haven't got the message. 

Animals are very likely to be abandoned during the festive season. They are trusting, hopeful, and always desperate to see the best in even those who abandon or neglect them. So paying for a Christmas Dinner or two for them seems like a no-brainer.

- J. x