Doug sending the oven door handles out of the blue is the first thing that comes to mind, especially since I'm not much more than pixels making the shape of words on a screen. Unfortunately it makes for a very short story but at least it will give the thread a bump back to the top.

Awesome, Mudhouse!!

Schicksal, it's those things that make GW a community. He just knew they would fit you and your house. What other option is there really, than to send them to you?

I can't think of terribly a lot off hand but around Valentine's Day at work I found a dark chocolate bar in my mailbox. That was pretty nice and unexpected. I don't know who put it there. I try to do little things for others, particularly at work where it does get stupid and crazy. Often just buying someone's coffee lifts them up like crazy. And sometimes on a weekend when the boys and I are returning from sports in the USA, we'll stop at Mexicantown and buy some chips and salsa for the staff. Nothing makes crazy busy, tired people more happy than chips and salsa! :)

Oh! and my mailman, who is a bit nutty and very chatty put my mailbox up for me on a railing. It had fallen off of the side of my house and I hadn't gotten around to putting it back up because I don't have a hammer drill and he rigged it up and put it on my porch railing. As much for him as me, as it made his life easier, and my front porch look nicer.

Christine, are you talking about our mutual friend? That's very nice.

In the, what makes your home, home vein, DH just put up a temporary birdfeeder outside the kitchen window. When our kitchen was at the back of the house, we had a line with maybe 8? different birdfeeders on it, and would sit and watch from the kitchen table (birds were 3 - 8 feet away). We've really missed that, so this 'nice' addition just makes it feel like life is back to normal:)

I think we'll be adding another permanent post here in the spring, and running power to it as well (no lights, those of you who have birdfeeders and battle unwanted guests will understand!).

edited to say - kudos to your DH, mudhouse!

Unexpected and appreciated. I awakened on Thursday am with the unhappy thought that I had a big job ahead to shovel out after 5+ inches of snow. I looked out the upstairs window and discovered that some good neighborhood Samaritan had already shoveled our two walkways and driveway!

zwizzle1, I had the same experience! My drive is about 50' long and I didn't think to park down by the road this time. Fortuitous (which is not defined as 'fortunate' contrary to popular belief) as it was, some kind soul was able to actually plow my drive, which only left me about 15' of 6" snow to plod through. I didn't even hear them and I was HOME!

Nice things do happen.

Nice things do happen, and it's nice to be reminded to think about them, too.

I really admire you folks dealing with snow. We're so spoiled down here, in that regard.

We have a very cool mailman, too. He has actually foiled home burglaries in our neighborhood, by spotting odd activity and calling the police. We love him to pieces.

Oldbat2be, we also spend a small fortune on birdseed. But seeing those little goldfinches is such a cheerful thing! We have feeders just outside our office window; glad you have some to watch again.

I missed the new thread and started another one, oops! Ignore that one. I have a very little one but it meant a lot to me at the time. I was getting rid of one of those giant TV armoires and struggling to get it to the end of my driveway when one of my neighbors that I'd never even met came running over to help me. Another time someone had knocked over my mailbox and I was digging a hole to fix it when a man driving by stopped and helped me. They're little things but when you're a not terribly strong woman with no one to help with things like that it's very nice to get unexpected help occasionally.

I'm finally making actual progress on my bathroom remodel. I got most of the tile off today.

i was cross country skiing this weekend and at the end of the trail, there was a group of Boy Scouts wanting to be Boy Scouts

They were cooking lunch and invited me to join them

They treated me to a beef stroganoff taco, GORP and water

I am not at home and the skiing was a whim and I didn't take any trail food or water with me, so it was a nice treat (even if I never had a beef stroganoff taco before)

I posted about this in my bathroom thread but figured I'd post it here too in case some of you have advice to offer. It turns out my bathroom walls are not drywall. They're blueboard with what looks like hand applied plaster. I suppose it should have occurred to me that they might be given that I have hand applied plaster ceilings (which I learned here.)

It looks like the old tile was applied directly onto the plaster. Now I am not sure what to do as all the instructions I found for this talked about drywall and cement board. There isn't a seam between the painted wall and the tiled one. I think there's a horizontal seam about halfway up the wall. I need to look closer.

I'll include a couple of pictures. Maybe I'm wrong? I have no idea about this stuff. Here is where I knocked the towel bar off the wall:

We are laying our wood floors ourselves in our new build. A dear friend took both Saturday and Sunday (all day on both days) to help. The entire living, dining, kitchen. Butlers pantry, entry and small hallway are completed. He's a perfectionist and worked so hard. They look great. To have such a friend as this is the best thing anyone could hope for. Did I mention, he's going to help with both our bathrooms as well? Lending us his labor and wonderful tools.

Needless to say we are buying him a gift we know he wants but hasn't bought for himself. Did I mention we love him? :)

aktillery9 - True friends are like the family you get to pick. Golden.

So true about good friends. When I got to work this morning one of my co-workers told me he'd stop by and help me with the tiles I hadn't been able to reach.

We had 14" of snow last week. One of my neighbors scraped my driveway with the blade on his tractor--the same tractor that he uses to plow all the neighbors' gardens in the spring. I usually repay him and his wife with some home baked goodies and a small gift card to the local gas station, but they always protest that it's not necessary.

I had a meeting with a lawyer yesterday. Referred to her by the woman who modified my mortgage (and saved my life/house). I'm going to have to declare the "B" word after 9 years of struggling, working until I want to die, and barely keeping my noggin above water.

This lawyer I like very much. Practical and has a dry sense of humor. Is going to try to save my condominium, which is the one and only thing I'll have for retirement income -- if I ever get to stop working. (Yeah right.)

Anyway. Something nice: You know how expensive even the ability to declare yourself insolvent is? When I asked about fees, she said, "Whatever you can pay me."

I got in the car and cried.

You have to do what you have to do. This is one of those things that I'm sure seems beyond awful to you now but when it's done will be a huge relief to you. Good for you taking the necessary steps.

Christine, I'm sorry. It sure sounds like your lawyer is going to take good care of you. Big hugs!

Oh Christine, I'm so sorry! If I had your address I would send you a case of Reese's, cookie dough and wine to help ease the blow.

It's great you have a good lawyer. I can only imagine what your remarkable self will be able to accomplish, once you're out from under some of the burdens you've had to shoulder (many unfairly, as I recall.) Hang in there.

awesome stories (except part of yours CEF) - makes the heart smile!

Oh Christine. :( I'm sorry. I'm with Texas on the the Reeses, cookie dough and wine. Many hugs.

When I had to change lawyers for my divorce (which STILL has not happened almost 4 years later!) I told the new lawyer I had X dollars and was unable to borrow more and I was very concerned about the bill. She lowered her rate to what I was paying my other lawyer (likely a significant reduction) and allowed me to make monthly payments.

OMG!! Now they are asking if we want to share our posts on facebook?!?!

Thanks, guys. I'm logical, and logically I should have done this a long time ago. mgmum, my divorce lawyer is still letting me pay hiim on time. It'll be [italicized] SOME [/end] time before that debt is gone. But mine was very very quick, thank goodness.

I appreciate all the excellent treats you're wishing me, guys. Cheers my fat little soul.