Betcha wanna know what this photo is about, don’tcha? Well, I’m not telling, yet. You’ll simply have to check back later to find out.
Sometimes, life throws curveballs. I’m sure you’ve all had the experience of pottering along, fairly content with how your days are progressing, when – whump – suddenly you’re on the ground, staring at the dirt, wondering why someone decided to aim a bowling bowl at your solar plexus. And you know that your coccyx* is going to hurt for at least a week after the fall.
I’ve been happier this past year than I can remember having been since I hit puberty in year 9 (I was a late bloomer. Don’t poke fun). However, I still have my fair share of days when I wake up and everything feels eurghy for no reason, and all I want to do is curl up in a corner and listen to Broadway musicals.
Then there are the days when people leave or I have to get x-rays on my toe (15 months of wrongness, woot!), and I know the exact reason for the sadness. Knowing, however, doesn’t make it stop existing.
What does put the kibosh on sadness are random acts of kindness from people who know me inside-out. While I don’t know if I truly deserve such kindnesses, I do know that I’d like to take a moment to thank the people involved. So here goes!
Lauren and L.MiteMaster
You might remember L.MiteMaster from the Mr Bottom post or the story of the speeding ticket, and Lauren from this post about Washington, D.C.’s Crepes at the Markets. At first, it might sound odd to make an amazing male friend whilst on student exchange and then, when visiting him a year later, end up staying at his new girlfriend’s house whom you’ve never met.
Luckily for me, this girlfriend turned out to be the lovely Lauren, who has become a dear friend of mine. It doesn’t hurt that we have about a squillion things in common, including but not limited to poor circulation, chocolate-lovin’, and nice brothers.
The other day, I received a package in the mail from Lauren and L.MiteMaster, stuffed to the gills with American chocolate and topped with a gorgeous handwritten card. I shan’t show you the chocolate now, as I’ll be blogging each and every one. Suffice to say I’ve never received a package of chocolate that so clearly shows knowledge of my tastes. With a blend of old favourites, new discoveries, and the super special chocolate treat above, this package is sure to keep the grey clouds of mopeyness away for weeks to come.
Grandma Mickey
I’ve talked a fair bit on this blog about my maternal grandmother, but my paternal grandmother is equally beloved. She’s the one who taught me to snack on a grated Granny Smith apple mixed with at least two tablespoons of caster sugar. She’s the one who would sprinkle half a centimetre’s worth of brown sugar on my morning Hi-Bran, and who’d fortify us through epic games of Canasta with iced cupcakes. (I spy with my little eye, a genetic predisposition to sweetness…)
The other week, I received a call from Grandma Mickey asking if I’d like to pop round to pick up a gift she’d bought for me at Bungendore. I’ve recently begun collecting antique teacups, and she’d found me a beautiful, delicate sugar bowl to add to my collection.
I was, and am, so touched. I only wish it were a magic sugar bowl, so that I could wish for Grandma Mickey not to have fallen over last night and be in hospital with a fractured rib and punctured lung. If anyone can spare a thought for her whilst reading this, we’d all greatly appreciate it.
I actually have one more gift I was going to post about but, as this has turned out to be longer than I intended, I might close off now with the above picture of SPOT THE KOALA!# Maybe, if you haven’t found this particular post of mine to be too terribly self-indulgent, I might mention the other gift later…
Question Time: Have you received something recently that brightened an otherwise-metaphorically-cloudy day?
* I firmly believe that the word coccyx isn’t used frequently enough in this world.
# There’ll be a post in coming days/weeks about this. Never you fear.
{ 40 comments… read them below or add one }
Oh my – glorious day indeed!
Well, it didn’t all happen in one day, but it was glorious anyway
aww koala
I’ve never seen one as active as this fella was!
Aww. Best wishes for your Grandma. xx
PS: You blog faster than I can keep up with! GAH.
Oops! Well, erm, you could pretend these blog posts are the equivalent of the email I owe you? (P.S. Sorry about that! I’m a terrible person.)
What lovely gifts. Can’t wait to hear about the others. And much love to you and your family — hope Grandma Mickey is back in tip-top form very soon!
xoxo
Thanks L-Izzle. I’ll be sure to pass on these well wishes when I visit her tomorrow
Hoorraaay! The USPS hadn’t updated me, so I was worried your package was lost somewhere in the Indian Ocean. And don’t worry — be fiercely critical if the chocolates are gross. Heck, I didn’t make ‘em, and it’ll make for good reading material!
Mmm. I may have to go buy some of that frozen hot chocolate for myself. As a (sniff) last-weekend-before-6:30a.m.-wake-ups present. (See what I did with the dashes there?)
Very good use of dashes! Big ticks from Ms Marker Me
I hoped you’d be excited to hear about the arrival of your wonderful gift here 
Make the most of your weekend – 6:30am starts = shudder.
OMG that koala picture just melted my heart. Can I have a koala baby please? I think I could do a good job of looking after it too as it sleeps most of the day and I think koalas eat cupcakes? OK maybe not. Yes I am often surprised by RAOK from people
Eucalyptus cupcakes, definitely! I personally like red pandas more, but this koala certainly was gorgeous!
Aw, now I’m all squiggly inside too
I’m sending good vibes in your grandma’s direction.
I’ve had a sort of cloudy week (bloody freelancing work more often means ‘free’ in the monetary and bank balance sense) and I got a free ticket to a really terrific food event (here in Melbourne next week) from a chocolate company that was addressed to ‘Head Researcher, GoneChocco’. When I rang Ollie to say thank you, he said he had to quickly come up with a title slightly more grown up sounding than my preferred ‘Choc Goddess’ so that the industry-sector would allow me – a member of the great unwashed – entry into their closed event!
That, and having someone come up to Milly when we were out walking and say, “You’re one of those doggies who sees people and then smiles at them, aren’t you?”
Oh, those are two super lovely brightening-day events! I can’t wait to hear about this terrific food event… if only Canberra offered anything like it! (Floriade starts next week, but who cares about flowers? I want food events!)
Sorry to hear about your Grandma Mickey. I feel anyone sensible enough to come up with grated apple plus sugar as a snack will be just fine, but will be sending some good thoughts her way all the same.
There is just nothing like an out-of-the-blue act of kindness or gift when life’s throwing you curveballs. There’s definitely been a curveball or two for me lately but I got home from work today to SUCH a nice email, possibly even equivalent to some nice chocolate in the mail
Thanks Laura
You’re right, she was fairly ingenious with her ways of adding sugar to snacks! I’m sorry to hear you’ve been getting curveballs too, but that email sounds exciting! Despite what you might expect, I do believe that words can often beat out chocolate 
Best wishes for Grandma Mickey’s speedy recovery. And that first photo is obviously a cherry ripe slice, right? Looks yummy.
Close but no cigar! I’ll write up the post soon though
best wishes to your grandma
x
Thanks Shellie
Oh no, I’m so sorry to hear about your grandma :[ I hope she recovers soon!
Awww, KOALA!
Hmm, that first pic looks to me almost like chopped Cherry Mashes…ever had one of those?
Thanks Amber
I just had to google Cherry Mash, and it’s kinda similar, but at the same time not really…
Firstly, so sorry about your Grandma Mickey’s woes and I wish her a very speedy recovery. It sounds like she’s not the type to let a fall stand in her way. xxx
Secondly, it is really so nice to hear that I’m not the only one who finds themselves wanting to curl up in a corner occasionally. Of course it’s not nice to hear that it’s YOU going through this but um, I hope you know what I mean.
Is that first photo cubes of Cherry Ripe? I want some Cherry Ripe now.
Definitely Cherry Ripe. But the question is, what did I do with it?
I completely understand what you mean and, like you, I feel a bit better to hear that it’s not only me, too. Does that make sense? In fact, I’d far rather curl up in a corner tonight than go to this ball I’m going to, because I simply don’t do well with getting incredibly dressed up and mingling with hundreds of people. I actually feel sick about it, and wish I could cancel…
Who could be sad when adorable, cuddly koalas exist? Best wishes for a speedy recovery to your grandma, and it makes me feel squiggly inside to know that you are so happy!
Thank you Camille – that means so much to me. One day you’ll have to come visit and we’ll go somewhere we can truly cuddle a koala!
Awhh that’s no good about Grandma Mickey
Sounds like you’ve had a mixture of emotions running amuk but …. *Yayy* that such nice people in your life decided on RAOK at just the right time.
Yes, it definitely helped turn icky feelings around! Guess we sometimes have to rely on ourselves for good emotions, though, too…
Oh that sucks about Grandma Mickey I hope she is ok, I have fractured my ribs and it REALLY hurts!
Is that cherry ripe, please tell me its cherry ripe!!
It’s Cherry Ripe! Gosh, I really should write the post for it up
I’m sorry you had to go through that too… hopefully you didn’t got a touch of pneumonia as a result like she has!
I just wanted to say thankyou for the tip re Woolies / Coles cottage cheese – I will def. try their varieties!!!
Now I’m scared you’ll hate them and therefore hate me
But do let me know what you think; cottage cheese preferences can be so personal!
what a fun surprise to get!
They both were, indeed!
It’s so nice to receive gifts at the right time when you need a pick me up!
Best wishes for Grandma Mickey. Wishing her a speedy recovery!
Thank you April – that’s very kind of you
Oh dear, I work with older people so I’ve seen how being in hospital really is not ideal so I do hope your grandma gets better and gets to go home soon. But that is a lovely sugar bowl… she sounds like a wonderful grandma
She is – and thank you. Luckily, my cousin works at the hospital and my Aunt is also a nurse so they’re making sure things are okay for her, plus we’re all taking it in turns visiting. I can’t wait to pop by tomorrow and tell her how many well-wishes she’s getting from the blogosphere!
sorry to hear about your grandmother – hope they are keeping her sugar levels high enough in the hospital – she sounds like a sweetie (ha ha) – that bowl is beautiful – and am glad a parcel of chocolates arrived in the post – can’t think of a better way to cheer you up that that
Thanks Johanna. She’s doing really well, actually. I visited her yesterday at the respite care place and can attest that her sugar levels are being kept up with regular afternoon teas
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