unexpected kindness

{escape the city, a photo by emma-lily on Flickr.}

I like being surprised by kindness.
Someone taking a few seconds of their life to wait and hold the door for you;
someone who isn’t afraid to look you in the eye and smile as you walk past, even when they don’t know you.
Last night, for example. I had stopped into Irving on the way home from town, and on the way back out a man held the door open for me. That was nice enough, but he went on and asked me how far along the highway I was driving. He told me to drive close behind him in his transport truck because of the moose that could be lurking on the roads. He went from potential creeper truck driver, talking to me in the middle of a gas station parking lot, to nice man taking the time to help a lone driver be a little safer. I thanked him and we set off. When we reached my turn off in the highway he turned off to the side just before it and honked as we parted ways.
It was nice to have a stress-free drive home for a change;
nice to experience a ‘lil kindness from a complete stranger.
And, side note, I really need to tone down the urge to hug people when they are nice to me,
you know, once the fight or flight rush disappears.
Yeah, I’m definitely a hugger.

typewriter art

(images from her fb group)

I'm in awe. Keira Rathbone creates incredibly detailed art

using little more than paper and her vintage typerwriter. 

Gorgeous work.

To help me ward off this sickness, I made myself a big pot of minestrone soup. I started off using this recipe, but I added a few other things too. Soup really is one of my favourites especially on sick, rainy days. 

 I feel more comforted already.

Here's what I put in mine:

1 onion, 2 cloves minced garlic, two fresh mushrooms, can of diced tomatoes, 2 carrots, 1 stalk celery, 1/2 cup frozen spinach (thawed), 1/2 cup frozen corn (thawed), 1 cup (or so) of shell pasta, 1 can of rinsed 6 bean medley, 2 cartons of chicken broth, red pepper flakes, oregano, basil.

One thing I recently learned about onions and garlic is that you should chop them and let them 

sit to the side for 5-10 minutes to maximize flavour and health benefits. 

Worth a shot anyway. I need all the benefits I can get!