Turning 31

It was my birthday yesterday - 31! I was really expecting it to be a non-event, after all it was only 31 and I had already bought my own present.

I ended up having a really lovely day.

Somehow, the girls let me sleep in past 8am. I had an inkling of a surprise gift lurking somewhere the night before, and promptly asked Charlotte if she had a surprise for Mummy - she ran with excitement to her room to show me.

The pressie was a bit heavy for her to carry, but she proudly dug into the pink sparkly bag and produced my Birthday card that she had made, and read it to me. "Happy Birthday Mummy, from me and Daddy and Jassy".
Well this was enough to make my day and heart melt :)
(The pressie was a long awaited copy of Nigella Express! Daddy did well!)

Charlotte got dropped off at pre-school, and Jassy and I got ready for shopping with Grandma (well she slept, I showered in peace! lol).

Mum took me out for a lovely lunch, gave me a card which made me cry in the restaurant, and then we shopped and spent ALL my birthday money! I haven't actually spent birthday/christmas money on myself so well EVER! So I am all blissed out with new clothes - can't wait to show them off.

This was all topped off in the evening by worn out girls in bed, glass of pink champagne in hand and Thai take away in lap with Grey's on TV - really how could a birthday get any better?

(Oh that's right - you can set up your new Wii Fit and laugh as your husband declares how hard it is trying to imaginary hula hoop!)

Random Act of Kindness

This weeks Blog This Challenge is about Random acts of Kindness - If you could name one small gesture someone else has made that has made a big impact on your life, what would it be?

And the answer is this doll...



She is approaching 27 years old now!! And while her face could do with a little clean, she is perfectly in tact - tag still on, hair still plaited and all her bows still tied.

What makes a 4 year old respect a doll this much that she is still treasured 27 years later?

She represents a very important lesson in my life - honesty is the best policy.

My mother and I were shopping in Safeway one day - I remember it being a quiet time of day and I was wandering down the aisles slowly behind my mum.
I looked down on the floor and spotted something...



A nice crisp $50 note sitting there by its lonesome in the aisle. I snapped it up and ran to my mum "Mummy Mummy look what I found!!"
You could imagine the value of a 4 year old finding $50 in the early 80s...

Now this is where respect for my Mother comes in to this - she took me straight up to lost and found where we handed over the $50. We gave all my details, and I was told if it was unclaimed after 6 weeks it was all mine. I didn't even question handing over the money, I knew it was the right thing to do. But I remember mum telling me not to get my hopes up about getting the money back.

About a week later, we received a phone call - a lady who wanted to know the little girl who found her money - and was honest enough to hand it in. She wanted to thank me personally, and came round to our house - doll in hand.

She thanked me no end, and gave me this doll - and in turn taught me one of the most valuable lessons in life.
She didn't have to buy me anything, she didn't have to thank me - but she did - and I now have a story to teach my girls this lesson too.
The doll's tag reads "To A Special Friend" From Margaret, and has been looked after and treasured since that day.

So it wasn't a completely "random" act - but it was an act of kindness that I remember to this day... I wonder if she remembers the little 4 year old girl...