Gettin' Lucky

I am going to keep this short and sweet folks - I am fighting off a flu bug that descended on me at work today and all I want to do is put on my sweats, drink a bottle of NyQuil, and pass out watching crappy TV. But I had to share my awesome day with you. (Getting sick and throwing up on the way home from work is not part of this awesome day).

I am one friggin LUCKY lady. Seriously. The fact that I can say that now, despite the nausea and aches, really just tells you how much I mean it.

So as many of you know, I decided to sponsor a family through The Red Door Family Shelter this season. I totally can't afford to do that, so I beseeched my friends and family to pitch in what they could and sponsor along with me. The response has been AWESOME - a relative I haven't actually met sent me money, friends who I have known for ages have donated, and new friends have offered what they can as well. I'm at the place now where almost HALF the cost of this sponsorship has been donated by YOU guys - that is AMAZING!!! Please let me know if you want to help out - I would love to send in a big fat "extra" cheque along with the sponsorship cheque. There is still time too! So just message me :)

I decided that the sponsorship thing was so great, why not go a little further? So I am also doing a shampoo-drive in my neighbourhood/among friends. It works the same as a food drive but instead collects personal care items (shampoo, soap, feminine hygiene products, toothpaste, toothbrushes, etc) and baby items (mostly formula, diapers, and wipes). I can't imagine how awful it would be to find myself in a situation where I had to flee my home and rely on a shelter, but to not have these basic comfort items would make it feel even worse. Anyway - my neighbours have responded wonderfully, as have a couple of my friends who are going to collect as many of these items as they can to donate along with mine. Amazing. If you are in Toronto want to help out just let me know - I always have extra soap/shampoo/toothpaste so add what you can!

So I was all giddy with joy over everyone helping out with my Christmas-giving mission, when I left work all barfy/sweaty to go home and feel sorry for myself. What did I find upon my arrival?

TWO packages in the mail! TWO!!!!!


The first was my Vegan food swap haul - Check out how great it is!

I got:

• liquid smoke - HOW COOL IS THAT?!!?!?!?!?!? I can't wait to whip this out in a recipe
• Soy curls - never seen/heard of them. Intrigued. 
• Fajita seasoning - yummers. 
• Sahale snacks glazed cashews - YUMMERS
• Camino peanut better chocolate bar - hilarious because now I am 2 for 2, getting this in a food swap package. They really are tasty. 
• Lots of recipes and a nice note!

Pretty great haul, right?

The second package made me cry:

My friend Allyson in Nova Scotia sent me hand-knit fingerless mittens and some treats! These mitts are so cozy and I am already in love with them - what a talented girl. This was just the personal, thoughtful pick-me-up that I needed tonight. Thank you. Thank you so so much.

So all things considered I am a pretty lucky person. I have managed to surround myself with some really, truly amazing and gifted people who share themselves with me so generously, in talents and time. So thank you all! I leave you with this video, which really sums up for me how to go about building a life that is happy and fun to live.

Much love to all of you.

Now - bed with a bucket for me.