December 7, 2012
First RAK Reporting Day Contest
We sure enjoy seeing all of you knitters and crocheters popping in the shop every day. (Some of you pop in via the webcam, and others of you pop in in person). Last weekend we had a group of Loopy Groupie podcasters up here for a meet-up and shopping. If you are in the market for some new podcasts, you will want to give them a try! Leslie and Laura were here from The KnitGirllls. Mel was here all the way from Hawaii, where she podcasts at SingleHandedKnits. And Diane was up from Denver, where she podcasts at Knitabullspodcast.blogspot.com. Others in the photo – Loopy Office Manager Lynn wearing the cute Elf Hat that Laura made for her, and Tami who also came up with them from Denver for the day. It was fun to have them here. I usually only get to see Leslie and Laura at the Spring Fling, so this was a bonus! (Speaking of the Fling – signups go through the end of the day on Tuesday, 12/11. We’ve had a great turnout for signups so far, and are so looking forward to having you here for the retreat.)
Today is our first Friday RAK Reporting Contest. Did you do something fun this week? Share it with us by leaving a comment below. We’ll use today’s comments to randomly draw a winner for every 50 responses, so check back on Monday to see if we drew your name. In the meantime, have a great weekend!
Sheri finishedacutepairofmittensthisweek.
Photosnextweek!
Sue k said,
December 7, 2012 @ 11:35 am
All of the women at work are doing the Elf on a Shelf for the lo’s this year. We have one woman with a lo who is struggling financially since her husband got laid off. I feel so badly b/c I just know she wants her lo to join in the fun. My local Target just got a shipment of the dolls so I rushed out and bought one. I can’t wait for Monday to leave an anonymous package in her desk for little Kayla!
Darling Jill Quilts said,
December 7, 2012 @ 11:37 am
On Sunday, I got an email from a woman who was struggling after losing her daughter and recently being diagnosed with cancer. She asked if I had any bits of fabric that I could spare. I sent her a box with 6 pounds of fabric in it from my stash to help brighten her day. I also shared her info with another quilter who is sending a care package as well. I hope that it can help her with the depression she is fighting!
Deborah said,
December 7, 2012 @ 11:37 am
This past summer I knitted myself a cherry red beret out of malibrigo to wear this winter. A co-worker, originally from LA, was leaving for a very nice vacation in a much colder climate. I remembered her winter hat from last year and knew she would not be warm enough as she traveled around and toured the cool cities of France. I gave her my new beret to take on her adventures with the promise she would take a very scenic picture with her in for me. Her green winter coat will look lovely with this beret. So I am off to get more yarn to make me another winter beret knowing the cherry red one will see better adventures!!
Kim said,
December 7, 2012 @ 11:40 am
My office is moving, and the person who is in charge of the move has been very stressed. I found out her favorite beverage is a soy chai, and bought her one yesterday just to say thank you.
Michelle said,
December 7, 2012 @ 11:47 am
My 9-yo daughter and I are sponsoring a child for Christmas, and we went to the girl’s favorite clothing store and purchased a couple of outfits for her, plus we picked up a few other things off her wish list. <3
Kathy said,
December 7, 2012 @ 11:55 am
I knit up and took in to Humane Society 4 snuggle blankets for the animals there. They always seem so surprised when you drop them off. It nice knowing that they are going to get a lot of use our of them.
Cory said,
December 7, 2012 @ 11:57 am
One time when I was taking my dog for a walk at the local park, I wasn’t to far from the car when I turned around to see three puppies running away from a young 10 year old girl. She was screaming at them to STOP but they went zig-zaging all over the meadow dragging their leash behind. Panic started to set in for her as the dogs ignored her cries. I quickly put my little sheltie in the car and ran into the meadow. I was a little worried if the puppies went outside of the meadow they would run into quite a bit of traffic. Making clicking soumds & whistles, I had a little bit of their attention. Suddenly I remembered a little bag of Fritos in my pocket…..I opened the bag and threw one or two at the puppies …& they came running to me! I knelt down on the ground , rustled the bag, and grabbed their leash. The little girl caught up as she ran to us, looking very relieved and had happy tears hugging the furry trio !
Susan T. Byra said,
December 7, 2012 @ 12:06 pm
I was the youngest person at a tasting tea yesterday, and I got everybody’s drinks for them, since I could move better than all them!
Ellen said,
December 7, 2012 @ 12:12 pm
I baked for a friend in a Alzheimer’s unit yesterday. I am going up today to spend an hour with her since company is what she likes best of all.
Kelly S said,
December 7, 2012 @ 12:26 pm
This is going to seem silly, but I never see anyone do this so I will post it. The other day I was at the store and having a particularly rough time of it (everyone was pushy and rude and apparently in a big hurry). To help my mood, I made a point to slow down and pick up every item in the store that someone had dropped and just left on the floor, and there were a lot of items on the floor. I just kept thinking that people were going to trip over that stuff and get hurt. Maybe I even helped a store worker, too. They need us to be extra nice this time of year.
Wasie said,
December 7, 2012 @ 12:48 pm
I gave a friend of mine a Prayer Shawl. Found out recently that she has breast cancer and is undergoing chemo & radiation treatments. She is also still working as a professor and hanging in there! Vibes & prayers appreciated.
Megan said,
December 7, 2012 @ 12:48 pm
I am very proud of my RAK. All year I have been secretly refilling the Teachers’ bathrooms with soap. Last year they took away our soap and replaced it with foaming hand sanitizer. Hand sanitizer does not get rid of dirt, paint, or glue. I bought a few soap dispensers (one is even ceramic) and the refills from the dollar store when they run low. None of the other teachers know where it comes from.
rebecca said,
December 7, 2012 @ 12:52 pm
I bought a class for a friend at a local lys – she’s having a horrible time of it lately with an infected leg from wearing a cast on it since September! I hope she has fun and feels distracted from her body.
Chris F said,
December 7, 2012 @ 12:55 pm
My office was having a big conference and I had to bring a document to our Duplicating Services to print and bind; we didn’t have the three days Duplicating requires to have it ready. One of the workers took the time to do the project right away, even staying late to complete it. I was so grateful he took the time to do that that I brought his department lunch.
Jeannette said,
December 7, 2012 @ 12:56 pm
Working on a prayer shawl for a friend with a sick husband.
Linda L said,
December 7, 2012 @ 12:57 pm
Earlier this week as I was running into Wal-Mart really quickly on my lunch break there was an elderly lady with a full basket of purchases fumbling with the wheelchairs that have the baskets on them. I stopped to ask if she needed help, she replied “I just want to sit for a few minutes my legs hurt so bad, but can’t figure out how to move the basket so I can sit” I helped her by moving the basket, held the wheel chair for her while she sat and made sure she was ok. She said she was just fine, and a few minutes of sitting would do her a world of good, she said she was grateful for my help especially since several other people had just breezed on by her (how could a person do that really?). So I went on about my shopping, she was gone when I came out about 15 minutes later, guess she had rested up and went on about her way.
Melissa said,
December 7, 2012 @ 12:57 pm
A little girl about a year older than my daughter was recently diagnosed with leukemia. I already knit and gave her one pair of socks and the second pair is nearly finished (knit from yarn I bought from Loopy Ewe, of course!). The little girl’s mom said she saves them to wear on days they go in for treatments.
Veronica said,
December 7, 2012 @ 12:58 pm
When a customer came in and was upset because many things had gone wrong that day, I gave her my baggie of homemade chocolate chip cookies and her response made me feel so good. It’s amazing that such a small, spontaneous gesture can make the giver and the recipient feel so good!
Bonney said,
December 7, 2012 @ 1:01 pm
Broke with tradition and bought a Christmas tree from a nearby family needing a bit of help right now. Also got the mail for a man that struggles to get out of his car with a walker every day. I was unsure of whether to offer assistance but he was most grateful. I guess it never hurts to ask!
Allison C. said,
December 7, 2012 @ 1:02 pm
I purchased and sent an item to a stranger in another country because she expressed interest in it but did not have the funds to purchase it herself. She does not know that I sent it to her and will likely not find out.
grace said,
December 7, 2012 @ 1:06 pm
i made a second delivery of crocheted shawls to our local cancer floor at the hospital near here. The first was received with more gratitude then anyplace I have ever delivered too and this delivery was no exception. I am going to enjoy knitting and crocheting for this wonderful cause.
Shana said,
December 7, 2012 @ 1:10 pm
I gave the mail man homemade cookies and a thabk you card for all that yarn he hauls around!!!!!!
Bev S. said,
December 7, 2012 @ 1:10 pm
I made soup for one of the members of our church who fell down the stairs, broke her collar bone, cracked two ribs and had multiple stitches. Thankfully she is doing much better!
Jean said,
December 7, 2012 @ 1:13 pm
I haven’t had an opportunity to do one of my own, but I witnessed one today I had to share! I’m the secretary at a grade school, and in the hallway today I found a 4th grader and a kindergartener. The Kindergartener was crying, her little hands were dirty and she had tear tracks on her face that looked like her mascara was running. (Why a 5 year old was wearing mascara is still a mystery to be, but oh well…) I asked the smaller girl what was wrong, and she tearfully told me “I miss my sister!” Her sister is out with the flu, it’s running rampant through the school right now. The 4th grade girl, who is an only child, was tenderly wiping the younger girl’s tears, cleaned her face, and then her hands. It was so sweet! That the older child who had no real connection with this younger one except for being in the same school would walk this little one in from recess and take such good care of her was really touching. RAK from all ages!
Sarah said,
December 7, 2012 @ 1:18 pm
While at the drive-thru getting coffee this week, I arrived at the window to find out that the car in front of me had paid for my order. In turn, I paid for the two cars behind me. My day was made knowing that other got the same surprise I did!
Stephanie said,
December 7, 2012 @ 1:20 pm
I accidentally posted this a day early so I copied it here to this post…
I have a co-worker who has been very stressed both at work and at home. She came to me the other day in tears about her situation and after talking to her and letting her know that everything will be fine, I snuck out of work and went the local bakery. I bought a bag full of yummy baked goods, wrote uplifting sayings on the bag and I dropped them off at her desk. Later that evening she sent me a message saying how much she appreciated it. I hope it put a smile on her face if just for a moment.
Jeny said,
December 7, 2012 @ 1:26 pm
Not one that I’ve done, but one that was done for me. We had the mobile blood donor unit visit the school where I work last week, so that staff and students could donate. I mentioned to my colleagues that I really liked the biscuits they had at the refreshment table, but I could never seem to find them in the shop.
I came into work on Monday to discover that two of them had gone shopping over the weekend, found the biscuits on sale, and bought a packet for me. It might only be a small thing, but it makes me smile every time I open my desk drawer to get a biscuit to go with my morning cuppa.
Sandy McCause said,
December 7, 2012 @ 1:34 pm
I decided to support our local charities this year by giving a passel of washable yarn to the knitters who make them hats, scarves, mitts and shrugs, I cannot knit with the yarn they say they must use, so I can at least purchase some yarn for them. We live in a very cold climate and the homeless as well as the aged in caregiving homes need to be snuggled up in w armies too.
claire said,
December 7, 2012 @ 1:43 pm
I was at the Farmers Market this morning, although we are lucky enough to have several during the week in our area, this one is by far the most crowded, and there seem to be a lot of elderly people in the mix, often struggling to manage their bags, purses, canes or walkers even in the crowds at the stands. I was in line for the only vendor with eggs this week, and there was a little lady in front of me, she had a cane and a bag with a few veggies and apples and was trying to find enough money in her coin purse for her dozen farm eggs. I had a pocketful of quarters that I bring just to help out the vendors who are always trying to make change for people, so I pulled out $7 in quarters and paid for her eggs and mine. She almost burst into tears, I helped her stow her eggs and gave her a hug.
Christine G said,
December 7, 2012 @ 1:49 pm
I searched through the Ravelry RAK group and was able to send out a book on toe-up sock knitting to someone who has always wanted to learn.
Kathie said,
December 7, 2012 @ 1:50 pm
I was in a parking lot in Greeley with my daughter and we were approached by a young man “needing work so he could eat. ” We had no work but gave him the cash we had between us. My daughter watched as he ran to the nearest fast food restaurant.
kate lathrop said,
December 7, 2012 @ 1:51 pm
I have been doing Random Acts of Patterns – each week I randomly pick a person and send them a pattern from their queue.
Vismajor said,
December 7, 2012 @ 1:52 pm
My RAKs for this week was to a) send $100 a friend who’s struggling financially right now, but who’d never ask for help, and b) send flowers to my mom, sister, and aunt just to brighten their days.
Robin F. said,
December 7, 2012 @ 1:53 pm
We have a caring circle at my temple. I made two big casseroles and placed them in the freezer at temple to be distributed to families who need them. I also left some frozen veggies to go with them.
Helene Ross said,
December 7, 2012 @ 1:54 pm
I am taking a class on photoshop through my community college adult ed program. I met a young woman in the class, here as an au pair from Mexico who was not wearing a coat last night (it was in the 30s). She is not making enough to buy a coat for a few months so I am giving her an old down jacket with a knitted scarf that matches.
Kristine Bennett said,
December 7, 2012 @ 1:54 pm
We host an annual gingerbread decorating party and there was one of our guests who couldn’t make it because this is the first year she and her husband are divorced and her daughter was going to be with her husband at the time of the party. Also, she’s been finishing up her degree and is getting ready to move, so she has been stressed an unable to spend as much time with her 8 year old as she woujld like, so I saved a house and decorating supplies for her to do that with her daughter at home at a time that works for her.
Jeanne said,
December 7, 2012 @ 1:57 pm
Our church sponsors an Angel Tree at Christmas and I always fill a couple of these requests, but this past Sunday at church we were made aware of a family who doesn’t ordinarily need help, but has really had major struggles recently and so i volunteered to fullfill the requests of the 9 and 11 year old girl who both asked for craft supplies. I bought colored pencils and markers, but I’m also going to get them some yarn and a loom! I think I get more out of this though….I always love doing this kind of stuff. Thanks for sponsoring a contest, though, Sheri!
katrina said,
December 7, 2012 @ 2:04 pm
today i made the office into candy cane lane. i am usually the first person in the office, so today i hung a big candy cane on everyone’s doorknob, if they work in a cube, i hung it on the edge. we have really long hallways so it made for a very festive sight! i also brought a latte and muffin for our cleaning guy — i am always startling him in the early morning, so i reckoned i owed him a nice surprise…
Conchita said,
December 7, 2012 @ 2:06 pm
While shopping at the bookstore, I picked out an extra book to donate to a children’s hospital. I know if my kids were in the hospital, it would mean the world to have fun books and toys to distract them from being scared!
Martina said,
December 7, 2012 @ 2:06 pm
A longtime work colleague dropped in to see me yesterday. She moved this summer and we don’t see each other often. She told me about some hand spun yarn she’d gotten from one of her new neighbors and was saying she wanted to knit a hat with it. She wasn’t adept at knitting with two circulars or with dps. I found a great pattern she loved that was knitted flat and seamed, gave her tips on pattern searching on Ravelry, but sensed that she was feeling low. I had a Sockhead Hat sitting on my table that my daughter returned to me since the yellowish green variegated yarn made her skin look awful! I had been wondering who I could give it to who would love it. My friend has wonderful salt and pepper hair and a light tan so I asked her to try it on. Told her about the pattern, but she was so excited about the softness of the yarn and the ‘spring greens’ of the colorway. I said if you wish it, the hat is yours. She was elated. I realized the hat had been sitting there waiting for her to come and get it…. Definitely random, definitely a welcome act, and I felt really good that the hat had found such a good home..
Crystal said,
December 7, 2012 @ 2:08 pm
We have a large move project going on in our building. I know that the person that was taking my spot does not embrass change and usually has a difficult time any time anything changes. So as I moved my stuff to my new spot, I made sure to clean the desk and wipe down the shelves, so that at least he got a shiny spot.
Stephanie said,
December 7, 2012 @ 2:09 pm
Today is the day our University hosts a holiday dinner for Lakota elders on the Rosebud Reservation. Many of our staff and faculty were feeling like the University was demanding that they come and help serve the meal, so they weren’t very enthusiastic about volunteering to help. I wrote a letter to them reminding them of the good memories we all share of past Elder Holiday Dinners and of those staff and faculty members who have passed on in the twenty-odd years we’ve hosted this dinner. I also went with a cheerful outlook and helped prepare and serve the meal. Our Lakota elders are precious to us, and this one thing we do each year is something they look forward to every Christmas. I was glad to see more elders than ever at our dinner this year, and more staff than ever coming to volunteer with good cheer and willingness of spirit. It wasn’t such a RAK, but it’s something I look forward to each year, too.
Jan said,
December 7, 2012 @ 2:12 pm
After Superstorm Sandy, I read a blog that said that what support agencies really needed wasn’t donations of random canned goods, but instead — cash. The agencies can purchase the right goods, in bulk, for less than you and me. So I gave a check to my local agency!
Lauren said,
December 7, 2012 @ 2:22 pm
A coworker found out that some friends were suprising him and his wife with a visit this weekend – when he was scheduled to work. I volunteered to work his shift so he could spend time with his out of state guests.
Lacey said,
December 7, 2012 @ 2:25 pm
I have a good friend who is insanely busy with school, work, and trying to take care of her ailing father. Needless to say, her house is the last thing on her mind. I was able to go over and clean up (dishes, sweeping, clean the bathroom, etc.) for her while she was out at work
Mary Anne said,
December 7, 2012 @ 2:25 pm
I have a co-worker who is struggling financially. I secretly leave store coupons and gift cards on her desk.
Lucy Portland said,
December 7, 2012 @ 2:48 pm
The photocopier was jammed, and the bell rang for class. I photocopied a quiz and took it to the classroom for the teacher so she wouldn’t be late for her next class. I had a free period.
Alison said,
December 7, 2012 @ 2:49 pm
I was at the hospital lab having blood drawn and on my way out, I had to walk past one of the surgery waiting areas. There was a large family gathered there, and you could tell by the look on the faces of the adults that things weren’t going well. The family had 3 boys, roughly ages 4-9, who were obviously a handful at that point. Even though I was well overdue for work, I approached the family and asked if I could help with anything. The staff and mom kind of looked at me, but said they were fine. I’ve seen that look more than once. I asked if it would be ok if the kids and I hung out. The boys were fascinated by my military uniform and quieted down. I offered to take them to the cafeteria and paid for the family’s lunch. Afterwards the boys and I settled on the floor and played Chutes & Ladders and Candyland. (I haven’t played those in ages!) I even showed them how to knit on plastic straws. I didn’t get to learn everyone’s names, but the hugs I received in return were heartfelt. I never made it to work that day, but the small bit of relief I could provide made it all worth it. After telling my coworkers where I was the next day, they decided to volunteer as an office on one of the hospitals ongoing projects. Guess you can make RAKs mulitply.
Carol in Zion, IL said,
December 7, 2012 @ 2:56 pm
I have been using the odds and ends from leftover balls of yarn and hand spun to knit little stuffed mice for the poor little kitties at the humane society. This week I delivered 28 “mice” to them and they were so happy!
Marilee said,
December 7, 2012 @ 2:59 pm
I went to Walmart last night and the lines were terrible, so when it was nearly my turn I took some older folks out of their lines and had them get in front of me. If we could all band together and practice better store etiquette during the holidays, the world would be a better place!
On the not-so-random side, I’m also helping my coworker make a special Christmas gift for her mom. My coworker had fabric printed that has old family recipe cards on it, and I’m sewing the fabric into a table runner, some towels and some potholders for her.
Sarah F. said,
December 7, 2012 @ 3:20 pm
My friend had to go into work early one day this week, so I volunteered to take her 5 yr old dauhgter an hour before school, and also to drop her off at school.
Sarah said,
December 7, 2012 @ 3:25 pm
Thank you for doing this!! You inspired me to buy the groceries of the woman ahead of me at the grocery store. While she was bagging, I swiped my card. She teared up as she thanked me. Her appreciation was so rewarding.
Windy said,
December 7, 2012 @ 3:47 pm
This is the time of year for my favorite RAK. When I have to go through toll booths, I pay for the car coming behind me. A little something to make the morning commute better.
Alicia said,
December 7, 2012 @ 3:52 pm
I have a friend who’s been having a rough time with her kids recently, so as a surprise, I bought her tickets to a concert she wanted to go to.
valerie said,
December 7, 2012 @ 4:00 pm
i’ve “adopted” an elderly person in an end care home for the holidays. she wants a satiny nightgown, which has been extremely difficult to find. they’re all either flannel or too risque for an elderly lady. while this has been much more of a time commitment than i anticipated, i am still hopeful to make her christmas wish come true.
Ruth Martin said,
December 7, 2012 @ 4:04 pm
Don’t know if this counts as a RAK…Last year my eldest sister and I had a falling-out over our mother’s estate, and things were strained between us ever since. A few weeks ago, my sister lost her husband to cancer only a month or so after he was diagnosed. I thought it was time to let bygones be bygones on my end, so I sent off a Christmas parcel to her containing a shawl and a couple of pairs of socks that I had knit, as a surprise (we didn’t exchange gifts last year), hoping it will cheer her up on Christmas morning.
Sarah F. said,
December 7, 2012 @ 4:17 pm
My RAK for this week was for a friend whose husband is deployed. She has 4 children 2 of which are under 2. She got the flu, so I went to her house to watch the kids so she could sleep all day and not worry about the kids being taken care of. I also brought and made lunch and dinner for everyone. Brought some diapers and wipes for the babies since she was almost out and not able to go to the store.
Brenda said,
December 7, 2012 @ 4:22 pm
I have a special Bible in Greek and Hebrew. I hadn’t been using it for some time. (I use an English translation now). A new friend is studying Hebrew. She teared up when I handed her my old bible. I’m just sure it wanted a new home. And I’m sure she will get many years of enjoyment from this old treasure.
Marianna said,
December 7, 2012 @ 4:32 pm
A friend is leaving soon to see her family in Sweden. I gave her a baggie of dried apples I made for her to snack on on the plane. They are one of her favorite treats and her apple trees did not produce very much this year so she was unable to make any herself.
Janet B said,
December 7, 2012 @ 5:19 pm
This year an older friend of mine had to give up driving because she was having trouble with her eyes. The loss of her independence and her ability to read was depressing. Last week I took one of my iPods and filled it with Books on Tape for her to take away with her when she left for Florida. She was thrilled to have stories to listen to as she walked.
Angie said,
December 7, 2012 @ 5:20 pm
Amazing reading all these Raks!.
Tammy said,
December 7, 2012 @ 5:38 pm
Just today my daughter and I took the lightrail train into downtown Portland. While we were waiting at our stop for the train to arrive, an elderly woman clutching a dollar was trying to get a ticket from the machine. On the first page it said it wouldn’t take bills, which is not always the case. I used my cc to get her a ticket so she could get on her way. She reminded me of my grandma who has been gone for 6 years now.
Terri Sanders said,
December 7, 2012 @ 5:58 pm
I thought I was too late to get a Romney Ridge calendar this year, so I had ordered one directly. Lo and behold, one arrived in my Loopy box today.
My office manager is a new knitter and always enjoys looking at the sheep pics on Facebook so I gave her the calendar for her bulletin board at work. She was thrilled!
Jackie said,
December 7, 2012 @ 6:01 pm
I was in line at Target and a woman was deciding what she was going to have to put back due to not enough money. I had a coupon for $5.00 off and gave it to her. She was able to keep one more thing in her cart.
Jenny K said,
December 7, 2012 @ 6:16 pm
A woman at the grocery store approached me wanting me to buy her food stamps so she would have money to take the bus home. I pointed out that it was illegal to sell food stamps for money, but I gave her bus fare to get home anyway.
Kathy said,
December 7, 2012 @ 6:32 pm
Two seniors, one with a walker, were in my local supermarket, making their way very slowly around the aisles, putting things back or taking smaller sizes and I heard the woman say she couldn’t believe they’d left their coupons home. I went up to the customer service counter and bought a store gift card for $20, then caught up with them and said “Santa just left this for you” and placed it in the woman’s hand. They were both a little stunned. Their surprised, relieved smiles made my day.
Mitch L said,
December 7, 2012 @ 6:33 pm
One of our favorite traditions is that my husband and I take a day off work to do all of our Christmas shopping. We usually go out for lunch, and leave our server a 100% tip. This year, we couldn’t take off work; and it was dinner rather than lunch. But I hope we made her night a little brighter.
Christel said,
December 7, 2012 @ 6:37 pm
For the first time in several years our long term acute care hospital is having a Christmas service for our patients and staff. This has always been uplifting to those who won’t be home for their own services. I’ve been asked to lead the choir for this special service. What an honor and privilege I don’t deserve! I know this probably isn’t considered random, but it is something others say they are “too busy” to do.
Carol said,
December 7, 2012 @ 6:53 pm
I was speaking with a cancer patient about her medications and she kept telling me how much she liked my nail polish. She said she was really looking forward to getting a manicure when she got out of the hospital and hoped that she would be able to find the same color because she liked it so much. That night on my way home I picked up the color for her. What fun it was to surprise her with her own bottle of nail polish this morning.
Amy said,
December 7, 2012 @ 7:34 pm
I don’t know if he is homeless or not, but a guy selling newspapers on the street corner is there all the time with his dog. I wanted to give him something but don’t like to just give money so I pulled up and gave him a bag of dried chicken for his dog. He seemed very thankful and the dog was drooling waiting for the first piece!
Vicki Heidy said,
December 7, 2012 @ 8:09 pm
A coworker and I played secret Santa for two coworkers this week. We baked pies and left cards that said we appreciated all they do for the department. These two coworkers are definetely overworked and underappreciated. We wanted them to know others do notice how hard they work and that we do care.
Christine said,
December 7, 2012 @ 8:29 pm
I went the extra mile for a student. We had a meeting set, but she went to the wrong campus. I really didn’t feel like waiting around for her, but I know she’s trying hard…so I sat there and waited for her to show up. I would have loved to go to my LYS and spend some “me” time, but I put my work and students ahead of me.
Stephanie said,
December 7, 2012 @ 8:30 pm
Last night was a pin release party at Disney. I went and got a few pins for myself, then I remembered seeing a lady on Reddit asking about a certain Disney ear hat that her disabled son wanted. I managed to find one at Downtown Disney, so I grabbed one and have wrapped it up as a gift for him. I also included a pin and some post cards for them both.
Kathleen said,
December 7, 2012 @ 8:31 pm
I donated extra clothing to our local vets.
Rachelle said,
December 7, 2012 @ 8:41 pm
On Thursday night our youngest disappeared (he’s 8, and autistic), the police were extremely helpful so after they found him (a very long hour and 15 minutes after he disappeared) I rang their call centre to say thank-you to everyone involved and then I wrote a letter which was posted yesterday. I know mostly they get complaints so I decided I’d make sure they got a written thanks which will go on their records; I thanked not just the officer who found him, but the people on the phone and those in the patrol cars who were out looking as well. I used to work in call centres and I know that a call or even better a letter can just make your day; most of the time you deal with complaints and obnoxious customers.
Lisa said,
December 7, 2012 @ 8:51 pm
The Target store I frequent is right near our airport and our Army/Air Force base. We get many military folks in there. Whenever I can, if I see one in line at the Starbucks in the store, I try to pay for their order. It isn’t much, but I get a couple of minutes to talk with them while we’re waiting for our lattes. Met a lovely young woman who is a flight nurse the other day. I so appreciate those men and women who are willing to serve for us!
Susan Ipavec said,
December 7, 2012 @ 8:52 pm
My dad has been taking almost round-the-clock care of my 91 year-old grandfather for the last 2 years. In late October, my grandfather passed away. For the last month or so, I’ve been trying to keep my dad’s spirits up by taking him to different outings, making sure he isnt alone often, and little things like that. He took such good care of my grandfather, I’m trying to help take care of him.
Emily said,
December 7, 2012 @ 9:21 pm
Sent a package of goodies to my nephew serving a church mission.
Annette said,
December 7, 2012 @ 9:42 pm
I posted good reviews on yelp and Angie’s List for my gardener and carpet cleaner. Both own their own businesses and have been struggling a bit this past year. I hope it will bring a little more business their way.
Alice said,
December 7, 2012 @ 9:51 pm
My daughter and I had a hair appointment today. After we were finished my hairdresser told me my total and I wrote my check out like I normally do. I usually give her a few dollars tip, but today I decided to give her a $25 tip along with a $5 gift card to Starbucks. She didn’t immediately look at the check and I didn’t say anything and then we left. She flagged me down in the parking lot to tell me I wrote the check for too much. Told her, “No I didn’t and Merry Christmas”. She was pleasantly surprised. I also gave the other hairdresser with her a Starbucks gift card. I have 3 more Starbucks gift cards just waiting for that random someone.
Kacy said,
December 7, 2012 @ 10:08 pm
Our neighbor’s dog got out of her pin and was running down the street. I live on a very busy road and was concerned that she would be hit by a car. I got the dog and took her in until my neighbor arrived home that evening. She was very grateful that her dog was alright.
danielle said,
December 7, 2012 @ 10:12 pm
These barely count – but last w/e when I was out shopping I found $2 in the parking lot. Stuck it in my pocket – and tonight it went into the red kettle……I have started a new job with a commute that can be quite trying…..I make a point of waving a thank you to everyone who lets me into the crowded lanes…..the funny one tonight was holding a door open for a man from another culture who had his hands full – the shocked but grateful look I recieved from him was quite gratifying (even as I giggled about it!)
Amber said,
December 7, 2012 @ 10:21 pm
I just found out that one of my friends recently got diagnosed with breast cancer. She just turned 30 and miscarried this summer. I knitted her a chemo cap as she will be under going surgery and chemo this month. I haven’t sent it as I just finished it today but I hope it helps her and reminds her of the love and support she has to get through this difficult time.
Andrea said,
December 7, 2012 @ 10:39 pm
I was at Trader Joe’s and an elderly woman was parked in the handicapped spot and pausing by the sidewalk – I realized she couldn’t balance to step uponto the lip of the sidewalk. I offered her my hand to balance on and she happily was on her way. I, who am able to do this so easily, do hope someday there will be those who are kind in turn.
Abby M said,
December 7, 2012 @ 11:22 pm
I’ve been taking care of a woman at work that had foot surgery before thanksgiving. Fetching her coffee & getting her print outs & keeping others off her back for a while. I even made her a toe cover for over her cast!
Jayna said,
December 7, 2012 @ 11:33 pm
I went shopping for some toys to donate to our Toys for Tots drive at work
Kandice Force said,
December 7, 2012 @ 11:48 pm
My fiancé and I just donated a bunch of goodies to the local Cat shelter. We got both of our cats there and knew how much they need donations. The lady that was working was super happy to receive the loot!
We donated 2 small blankets, a cat bed, 2 large bags of food, and some toys that we picked out from petco.
I am an animal lover and I feel that animals are usually overlooked this time of year when people are worried more about things to buy for their family and friends.
Debbie said,
December 8, 2012 @ 12:19 am
On Monday I mailed a “care package” to a Rav friend’s daughter who is currently stationed in Bahrain. This is her first Christmas away from home and I remembered her mom had mentioned she’s a knitter, so I sent her two skeins of yarn (already wound, I doubt she packed her swift!–sone Malabrigo Silky Merina in “Archangel” and a skein of “local” Virginia yarn), a homemade “Knitting Emergency” ornament, an Uncle Sam ornament, and some treats from Virginia — peanuts and apple butter. I explained on the card that I was a friend of her mom’s from Ravelry and thanked her for serving our country — now that I think of it, I may have forgotten to sign the card, I was so excited thinking about her opening the surprise package from a total stranger!
Jenny said,
December 8, 2012 @ 12:37 am
while at work, one of my co-workers was having a super bad day and just about everything was going wrong. So I gave her my home made chocolate chip cookies and mason jar of milk that I had planed on having as a snack, totally cheered her up!
Rebecca said,
December 8, 2012 @ 12:56 am
Our sales team is the front line at work and they hear a lot of negative feedback and get blame placed on them a lot. I emailed the heads of the team positive feedback about 2 of the best people on the team to share what a good job I think they are doing. My feedback got forwarded on and both people were touched.
Janet said,
December 8, 2012 @ 5:57 am
A man stopped to tell us a cow was out down the road and he had nearly hit it. We went to investigate and found out it wasn’t ours. Usually we would call or stop by to tell the neighbor that their cow was out. Because of the danger to the cow and other drivers and it was very early in the morning, we put the cow into the pasture ourselves. The best thing is that it went very well. The cows don’t always cooperate. Thank you for making us all more aware of the needs of others around us. Since reading the earlier blog post, I’ve been so much more conscience of the needs of others around me and had fun helping them out. Merry Christmas!
StatenIslandSusan said,
December 8, 2012 @ 6:22 am
My 15 year old daughter and I were at the mall shopping for toys for kids in the New York Cares Winter Wshes program. (Awesome program should anyone want to answer a “dear Santa” letter from children in shelters.) Anyways, we decided to eat dinner in the food court. It’s always crowded and seats are hard to find. We had just finished eating when an elderly woman with a McDonald’s child meal bag asked us if we would give her our table. We jumped up, cleaned the table and helped her sit. She insisted she was only kidding but she said “I’m going to cry” and she truly had tears in her eyes. I told her that if our doing something nice for her meant she might think about do something nice for someone else when she could, then we were all winners.
Heather said,
December 8, 2012 @ 8:35 am
Last night I surprised the kiddos with a meal out after a long day at the park. While in line at Chipotle, the woman ahead of us started talking to the kiddos a bit. I noticed she was dining along, so I went up to the cashier and told them both that we would be paying for her meal tonight. She was so tickled. She said she would return the kindness by passing it along. I call that a success. It also led to a great discussion with my kiddos about how kindness can be spread and is much better than being mean-spirited.
Margie from Lavender Cottage said,
December 8, 2012 @ 10:24 am
Every year I save up my change and dollar bills to put into the Salvation Army’s kettles. This year I thought that I wouldn’t be able to do so because I had lost my job and was in bad health. However, I realize that it it even more important that I keep up with this tradition. I may not have as much to give but I do have something to help out with and that’s all that matters. Reading all these entries shows that everyone can help out with just a small gesture. You would be surprised how people never forget when something wonderful is done for them. I know I haven’t when I received an amazing Christmas surprise several years ago.
Cheryl said,
December 8, 2012 @ 11:46 am
Sent off a “pick me up package” to a Loopy friend who has been having a rough time lately. Oh and I gave my gloves to a Salvation Army bell ringer on the way out of the store. The surprised look on her face will be with me for quite a while.
Karen said,
December 8, 2012 @ 1:49 pm
I was actually on my way to do mine when I got called into the office. So as soon as I leave here, it’s getting done. Since I have no little kids to purchase for any longer, I’m going to go to local supermarket and troll the lines and just pick one. I’m going to ask if I can just jump in front of the person checking out and purchase a gift card and then I’m turning around to give it to them. Groceries can be expensive at anytime during the year. The holidays make it extra hard. Hopefully this will give someone a little extra cash in the gift department for their little ones.
Susan said,
December 8, 2012 @ 2:38 pm
I paid for the order of the person behind me at McDonald’s. I had to go to a second restaurant since no one pulled in at my regular stop! Who knew that would ever happen.
Joni said,
December 8, 2012 @ 2:43 pm
I bought Christmas gifts for children on the Cheyenne River reservation by contributing to Toys for Tribes.
Donna C. said,
December 8, 2012 @ 6:15 pm
I picked an angel from the angel tree at the mall to make a small child’s christmas special. So much better to give than to receive
Sarah R. said,
December 8, 2012 @ 7:23 pm
A friend that lives far away recently lost her husband and her mom just had a stroke. My project at the time was a market bag and every time I knit it up, I would think of her – so I figured I would mail it off to her and let her know I was praying for her.
Dee s said,
December 8, 2012 @ 7:42 pm
My husband had to made a second-in-two-days trip to his father’s house which is sixty miles away. He wasn’t looking forward to the trip, so I accompanied him though I really needed to be here at home to get things done here.
Kim said,
December 8, 2012 @ 10:03 pm
Leaving the L&D unit after a 24 hour shift (I’m a student midwife), I came across a couple waiting for the elevator up — he laden down with suitcases and she in a wheelchair and clearly in active labor. I waited with them, talking her through contractions, and then wheeled her up so he could handle the luggage. I was tired, but couldn’t leave them alone and it only took five more minutes of my time.
Kristin said,
December 8, 2012 @ 10:53 pm
My daughters and I bought our “Angel Tree” gifts for an anonymous child today while out shopping. So proud of my daughters as they worked together without fighting while they wrapped all the packages we bought for the child.
Betsy Pratt said,
December 9, 2012 @ 2:53 am
My sister is having a hard year and lives on the East Coast. Her youngest moved away to college, her oldest was gone for several months walking the Pacific Crest Trail and was frequently unreachable, her student loans are now due and she is having trouble finding a job in her field. She is an extraordinary woman and has taught me practically every craft I’ve ever learned. A few weeks back she let me know that she was sharing a table at a holiday craft fair. I had several hats that I had knit for charity but hadn’t dropped off yet, so I sent them to her so that she could include them in her wares. I hope they brought a few extra dollars to her pocket.
Betsy in the soggy Seattle suburbs
Julie said,
December 9, 2012 @ 11:12 am
Sent a cookie bouquet as a complete surprise for a “special someone”. Also, donated a bunch of hats made from leftover sock yarn to the local Boys and Girls club.
Maureen said,
December 9, 2012 @ 2:42 pm
I knit while flying back from an extended Thanksgiving visit. I planted some bulbs, I say bulbs are a spring gift to myself and…of course I checked out some nice yarn at TLE because I have a frequent buyer credit that is burning a hole in my laptop screen!
Maureen said,
December 9, 2012 @ 2:58 pm
Oh Shoot, I didn’t read the whole paragraph! RAK… I shared my email address with my seat mate on the plane, her husband had passed away 8 months ago from cancer and she is facing cancer surgery herself next month. I chatted with her the entire flight and told her to email me so I would know how she was getting on before and after the surgery. She has no children and is worried about being alone. I listened to her worries and shared a few of my own. We found out we are very similar.
Joy Catanzaro said,
December 9, 2012 @ 8:54 pm
1) One of my coworkers in the ER has been off work from surgery for 5 months. She struggles normally and when you are on long term disability, 66% off your base pay doesn’t go far. I donated some PTO hours to her and sent some money.
2) Had an elderly patient in the ER who could not get a ride home from her children in the middle of the night (In my opinion, they should be taken out back and whipped, but who am I to make that distinction) anyhow, I could not leave work to take her home so I made everyone donate a dollar or 2 including the docs who were on, and we collected enough for a cab ride home for her so she wouldn’t have to sit in the ER for 6 hours waiting for the transportation van to pick her up at 8AM.
Lacey said,
December 10, 2012 @ 7:59 am
It’s small, but it’s still nice: this week I printed off three Hobby lobby coupons and took to the store with me. I found folks in line who had lots of stuff and asked if they were buying anything full priced, and I gave them a coupon. Just call me the coupon fairy! haha
Alex F said,
December 10, 2012 @ 9:52 am
I taught a teenage girl some self-defense moves since she lives in a rough area.
Seanna Lea said,
December 10, 2012 @ 3:11 pm
I didn’t do anything special, just the little things I always do for the Spare Change guy. But I love reading all of the RAKs everyone else is doing. It is inspirational and makes me feel way more into the holiday spirit.
Lulynn said,
December 10, 2012 @ 4:42 pm
I am getting in on this late! I was in the Gulf of Mexico last week cruising! It was alot of fun with my husband, son, daughter-in-law, granddaughter and grandson. My
d-i-l’s sister and her family were also with us. I enjoyed 3 shows and did alot of knitting around the pool! No I don’t have a tan- I have to stay in the shade so I don’t burn! It was a lot of fun- Couldn’t get online, read a newspaper or use my iphone- No big deal! Glad to back on terra firma!
Sheri at The Loopy Ewe » Madelinetosh, Socktopus, Shibui and More! said,
December 10, 2012 @ 6:13 pm
[...] you read the comments on last Friday’s RAK Reporting blog post? Wow – what fun ideas you all have had! We used the Random Number Generator to pick 3 winners [...]
Kathy Clemente said,
December 10, 2012 @ 7:14 pm
I knit a daybreak for one of the techs at the pharmacy we use for work. She was recently diagnosed with breast cancer and just started chemo. Thought it would keep her warm during her treatments.
Ruth said,
December 11, 2012 @ 11:23 am
Did I miss the deadline? Opps. Anyway, this past Saturday I was running errands and there was a man with a sign saying he needed help. I made a point of driving back out of the store parking lot the same way I drove in so I could give him a few $$. He was dressed pretty nicely, but was wearing an oxygen tank. I hope that my small contribution helped make his day more comfortable.
Judy said,
December 12, 2012 @ 10:12 pm
I had met someone on Ravelry and we e-mailed each other back and forth a couple of times, she had been in an accident a few weeks earlier and totaled her car. We were in the process of selling our car and instead I RAK’d my car to her, otherwise she would not have any transportation to work. She was in total shock when I gave her my car.
Sheri at The Loopy Ewe » RAK Reporting Day! said,
December 14, 2012 @ 9:02 am
[...] Kindness that you may have participated in this week! I so enjoyed reading all of your comments on last Friday’s blog post. I know you don’t do these things for the chance to win a skein of our Seasonings Series [...]
Sheri at The Loopy Ewe » Madelinetosh, Socktopus, String Theory and More! said,
December 17, 2012 @ 5:00 pm
[...] to have some positives to focus on. (If you haven’t read the RAK reports from the first day, check this blog post for more reports of people helping people.) We randomly drew two names to receive their choice of [...]
Jane said,
December 17, 2012 @ 11:12 pm
Our neighbor works nights. He wants his wife to rake up the leaves in the yard while he is at work. We suspect that he is verbally abusive to her. It bothered me a lot that she was out there alone at night. So my husband and I wait until the husband leaves for work. Then we go outside for an hour or two and help her rake leaves.
We have gotten to know her better. It is really quite nice raking leaves by moonlight. We found out this year that she has been raking leaves at night for years.
Elizabeth said,
December 19, 2012 @ 10:27 pm
Like many people, I’m still trying to wrap my head around the shootings in Connecticut. I stumbled across the group 600 Monsters for Newtown on Ravelry. Their goal: to knit or crochet 600 “monsters” for the kids and survivors at Sandy Hook elementary school. I didn’t want to knit a monster, but I wanted to do something. I knew my LYS had several copies of the Opal Sock Yarn Bunny. I purchased 8 of the patterns & mailed them to anyone who wanted one as my gift to the group. One woman who asked for a pattern moved me to go an extra step. Her husband leaves Friday to work in “the war zone.” She is home alone with only her cat for company. Due to a spinal cord injury she is currently unable to drive. She wanted the bunny pattern to keep her occupied. After looking through her favorites on Ravelry, I quickly put together a package with the bunny pattern as well as a shawl pattern and enough laceweight yarn in one of her preferred colors to make the shawl. I can’t begin to imagine what she’s dealing with right now. I can only hope the yarn and patterns help find a little peace of mind.
Sheri at The Loopy Ewe » The Geese are Gathering & RAK Reporting said,
December 21, 2012 @ 11:02 am
[...] in a Random Act of Kindness before I draw winners on Monday, check out our first two blog posts here and here. The randomly drawn winners will receive a skein of The Loopy Ewe Seasonings Series of [...]
susan said,
December 22, 2012 @ 1:57 am
I have been very ill with Crohn’s disease and have had to have blood transfusions and iron infusions due to low hemoglobin. I have to go to our regional hospital one hour away and sit for a few hours til these these get into my blood stream. I make a point to talk to my fellow cubicle/bedmates and try to cheer them up. I spent two hours last week cheering up an 78 year old man who was extremely frustrated with the delays in getting his drip started. He was actually started to yell at the nurses. I started to ask him about why he was there, and eventually discovered he had Wegener’s disease and it was progressing. by the time his specialist got out of the OR and could come to tell him what was going on, I had actually calmed him right down. This is my mission for the 5 0r 6 weeks over December and into January –I go once a week–to help make each of my bedmates happier and less lonely. It is not much fun being sick enough to have these kind of treatments–chemotherapy, blood transfusions, iron transfusions etc. leading up to and past Christmas. I actually felt hugely better helping this man be much less frustrated and able to relax and take his treatment and perhaps go home to his wife in a better mood than he might have. I have not felt energetic enough to knit but have all kinds of plans to knit as soon as I am feeling just a bit better. ( and finish some Christmas projects that were started before I had another glitch with my chronic disease).