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A really nice guy who bought a painting of mine last year saw i had started doing wood turning. He has just offered me his father's metal lathe and tools so i can 'do something interesting and arty'
I was only given the wood lathe by someone who's father had died. The lathe was described as 'a bit old and dangerous' and for some reason he thought of me.
I know there are a lot of less wonderful people out there but let's celebrate the nice ones.
Who else has had unexpected gifts, just because.
Not an unexpected gift but on Saturday I saw some chap at the end of my road fixing a puncture on his road bike so grabbed my track pump and took it over to him. Second time I've done it now, the other was a father and son further round the corner so rode round to them and helped them fix it and took track pump again so think I deserve a 'people are lovely' nomination.
Our new neighbour brought us some eggs round tonight to say thank you for moving his van that was blocking his wife’s car in - it was a bit stressful as there were lots of buttons and screens and things!
Not an unexpected gift but on Saturday I saw some chap at the end of my road fixing a puncture on his road bike so grabbed my track pump and took it over to him.
I've been on the receiving end of that before. On a route I use a lot and I still say hi to the guy whenever I see him.
Regularly took my girls to destroy the Brewers Fayre breakfast buffet after Sat early morning training - great value for hungry swimmers. One day the manager refused to let me pay: "your kids are always so well behaved and polite, and you're always so engaged with them rather than head in a phone". Huge *proud dad moment*. Couldn't even leave a tip as I was cashless. Girls went to car, returned into restaurant donating the Easter eggs they'd just been given at training (it was Easter w/e). Next time we were in it escalated: same guy gave us a bottle of Prosecco FOC. Small and unexpected gesture but very welcome.
I could be cynical and say an ulterior motive could've been to attract us back as customers, but he was just a nice guy. No longer works there but I'm sure that's just coincidence 🙂
Before our bins were rescheduled, my boys used to wave at the binmen every week. Each Christmas the driver would buy my boys a selection box. In the end I think the driver looked forward to it as much as my boys did.
Not gifts but I've been on the receiving end of a great deal of human kindness from all sorts of places in the last couple of months following the very unexpected and sudden death of my mum.
From the ambulance crews, undertakers and Police on the night, to friends, colleagues, professional contacts and even a number of clients all so kind and thoughtful and really made these last few weeks a lot more bearable.
While not an actual gift, i did answer a gumtree ad where the guy was offloading an as new lathe(Record power CL3), the lathe base(record power), a scheppach chippings extractor, and about 8 turning chisels, all quality kit.
This was being used hobby so really looked mint condition.
£20 the lot
Owner was downsizing into a care sheltered housing and had no room for his turning gear, so basically was giving it away. I answered his ad within a minute of him posting it and was of the ilk that said i was first to phone, therefore...
When we arrived to pick it all up he said his phone was ringing off the hook, and im not surprised. The lathe alone is £650, the base a further 200,about the same price for the extractor.
Lathe chisels were about 40/50 each.
Not a bad haul for 20 quid.
You say that now but wait until you try and lift the ****ing thing. Even my little baby drummond round bed was a mission to carry (admittedly down some steps)
MrsRNP gives up her Monday’s to run a community kitchen that she started in covid. It feeds 50-80 people each week with a free ‘supermarket’ to help keep people going through the week. FOC, anyone welcome.
It did 300 Christmas dinners that were distributed throughout the valley during covid but nowadays has a wonderful 3 course Christmas meal
It has a lovely team of volunteers of all walks of life/nationalities/faiths and is supported by the local council, supermarkets, local green grocer and butchers.
I’ve posted about it before but this is just a quick note that it’s still going strong.
This is all very uplifting. More like this, please (world, not just STW).
More importantly, it also scans: "People are love-ly, when you're a stranger, faces look lovely, when you're alone..."
Few years ago, riding the coast to coast. We'd stopped in a village to check the map and have a snack (it was one of the days when it wasn't baltic). A lovely lady came out and offered to refill our water bottles and I think offered us cake too.
Then a bit later on I had a mechanical at the top of the hill down to the campsite we were staying at. I *think* it was a puncture, but it could have just been a dropped chain. Chap came ouf of his house and asked if I needed a lift anywhere.
Little things but like others have said, made a big difference.