DJ's most amazing and unexpected day

[droverjess]

I am not sure quite how to start this thread as I have had a truly amazing day, and a totally unexpected one.
I have received not one but FOUR presents, and had a lovely 2 hr walk with DH in beautifully landscaped gardens at Stowe. It is not even my birthday!

I also have a confession........
The postman brought 2 parcels, one was expected, the other was not.
One was a box from Amazon and I was slightly puzzled as I couldn't remember ordering anything, but moving has scrambled the brains a bit. However as we are not spending  anything it didn't seem quite right. The other was from my cousin.

I opened the amazon box first. It contained two books - Clare balding and miranda Harts autobiographies and a note.......

This is where the confession comes in, it was from my Secret Santa.
Tears at the generosity of such a gift,  then BIG Oops, not the 23rd December yet!
Lots of laughter.

Should I wrap it up, confess, say nothing.... I couldn't decide. More laughter.
But I knew the giver would laugh so much that they'd caught me out as it was a UK parcel. More laughter.

While I was deciding i opened the packet from my cousin knowing it was a bequest from my beloved aunt. I was expecting a little trinket to remember her by but I got the most beautiful brooch that was made from my grandmothers engagement ring, and a lovely letter to me written a year ago when she knew  as she put it that her time was running out. 
Cue A lot more tears!!

So we then had a nice lunch using Uni's pastry with sour cream left over from the fajitas, we had fajitas because we were given chicken breasts ( and a whole lot of meat at the weekend, more tears) and a mix of my harvest slice and chookies pasty mixed together, and I unpacked some more kitchen.

The agency rang up and it is all good but I am stuck until my CRB comes through, it has got to the local police station apparently. the fact that a 10 day temp job from this morning would have been mine if i was clear has boosted my confidence.

So off we went DH and I to Stowe gardens, a bit of a drive. As National Trust members it is free, and DH took the billy for tea after. We had a lovely 2 hour walk around beautiful landscape. I will post pics later. It was cool, and windy and I was glad of my warm hat. I only had a medium coat. It started to rain as we left. The pics show how grey it is just now. We do miss the sun. A lovely afternoon for a bit of petrol only.

When we got home there was yet another parcel from Amazon addressed to me. We laughed and I opened it and it is Mary Barry's complete cookbook, updated 2012  version - a totally unexpected housewarming present from another very kind forum member. Thankyou so much.

I really don't know what to say about this turn of events and I am quite a chatterbox. I never knew when I finally saved enough for thermy and joined this forum early this year that I was actually gaining another family and that such kindness and generosity was to be found in such abundance.

This week I have already received a scrubby from Australia for cleaning this grubby house, and I already know someone else has posted me a spare copy of dinner spinner. Big thanks to them too.

I have thanked everyone in person, including My lovely SS, as amazon couldn't quite hide their name. We have laughed about it from one side of the world to the other, but I will not disclose who it is. Only we 2 and Amy know.

We do not deserve such great kindnesses. We have had a terrible time in the last 3 months and an awful shock but we still have a whole lot more than a lot of others - a safe house to live in, good food to eat, thanks to this forum for meal ideas and encouragement, and plenty of time for me to spend cooking, and we will get work.
 We have been very shabbily treated by a person, richer than most people can ever imagine, who apparently knows the cost of everything yet the value of nothing, and nothing about good people. You are all balm to ease our pain, thank you all.

More good news - DH got his first tiny little bit of consultancy today and I will be posting a new thread looking for graphics help in a minute for that.

I have always told the children there is more good in the world than bad, and more good people too.
 We humbly and gratefully accept all your kind thoughts, words and deeds and we thank you from the bottom of our hearts, always. Just having all these wonderful friends is gifts enough, thank you.


And now the funny things ...... I think my spare TMX jug has accidentally gone into store.... Woe, woe, woe !!!!!
And I can't find the pastry brushes. Had to use fingers to egg wash the slice.
I still have a few more boxes to go and with the encouragement on here will surely do it. Not to mention the accounts.... Well you'd better mention accounts and the filing to get it done by end Nov.


THANKYOU THANKYOU THANKYOU THANKYOU THANKYOU
(sorry mods for shouting, but some things must be shouted)

[obbie]

Jess, that has just brought tears to my eyes.
 


We are all here to help everyone, as much as we can..

You deserve to be spoilt, so enjoy it...

[maddy]

Oh Jess  

Good things happen to good people....and you deserve every bit of goodness  
That  was such a beautiful, heartfelt post, and I did get a little teary reading it.
what wonderful people we have here, and so pleased you are a part of it all Jess.
The only way is up  

XXX

[Deniser]

Good Morning Jess.  Well I just started my day with a cry after reading your post.  What lovely surprises for you - you deserve them.

[Yvette]

Jess what a lovely day and lovely surprises you had. It is glad to know that so many people care. Hopefully things will look up now and there will be no more bad times. Hope you find your spare bowl 

[Amy :-)]

I didn't know whether to laugh or cry when I read your post Jess

Just remember that you are a very dear member of this family and we always wish the best for you especially in this tough time

It sounds like you had a nice day today

[Cuilidh]

What a lovely post to read first thing in the morning.  You have gone through a terrible time recently, we all said you would come through and now look what has happened - isn't it wonderful!  As Maddy said, good things happen to good people.

It's exciting that your SS arrived safely - I think the timing was perfect, actually.  Today only happens once a year and your today has been brilliant.

[judydawn]

Lovely story DJ and it does bring a lump to your throat and a tear to your eye that people are so caring and generous. You sound so lifted in spirits already and if that's partly because of what our forum can do for people, we have done our job. Well done to all the SS's who are going to be making a lot of people very happy over the coming weeks.

[astarra]

That was a wonderful read to start the day, DJ.
Thanx for sharing. 

[gertbysea]

I should not have put my mascara on before reading this post. We need an emoticon  for cry worthy posts as a warning before reading.

[We do not deserve such great kindnesses.] Really DJ that is plain ridiculous.

Things are looking up and 2013 is going to be a great year for you.

Gert

[trudy]

DJ, I am so very happy for you that things are starting to turn around.  Enjoy your time, while you still have enough time to put you feet up,  have a good read and smell the roses.  Soon you both will be busy with work.   I KNOW you WILL!!!!!

It's such a change when all of a sudden you have all of this spare time on your hands.  When Wayne finished work a year ago it was such a shock as it wasn't something we had expected to happen for sometime.  But I was surprised how well he adjusted and the time has just flown.  Never enough hours in the day now and we still don't get anything done!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Good luck to you both

[Wonder]

DJ that was a fantastic post and along with others I had a tear in my eye as I was reading but was also laughing. It's wonderful to see how many caring people are out there and what a difference a forum such as this can make. Things are starting to look up and you deserve all the kindness people have shown. Enjoy all the surprises and I'm sure you spirits will be lifted every time you read or use one of the gifts.

[Mama Fergie]

DJ what a wonderful post to read on logging into the forum.
You are a very special woman and deserve all the love kindness that you have received.
You have been through so much and have never thrown in the towel.
You are an inspiration to all of us.
Enjoy your gifts and thanks for sharing everything with all of us on this forum.

[Frozzie]

Dj what a lovely post... And gorgeous pics...almost makes me miss autumn in europe lol

You deserve to be spoilt 😘

[CreamPuff63]

What lovely surprises for you DJ