Giving Back --Last Weekend Look Back

    I start today's post with My Picture of the day!   This was Friday evening at the Lyndan Fair.  This was also about the time that the outside temperatures became more bearable.  Record highs over the weekend, made for some very hot fair visitors.  And the booths with fans or hoses became very popular!  Much more on the always awesome fair in an upcoming picture filled blog post.  But now a few rambling thoughts on local topics.  

      

         My family and I are more than ready to attend the fair in Lyndan---but fair warning, security will be "beefed up" all week.   After the shooting last year.  Profiling of sorts will be done in the name of public safety.  And people wearing gang colors, with certain tattoos, and know gang 

members will at the least be questioned.  Maybe not even let into the fair.  This makes me stop and pander what gangs are in this small town, do the rebels go cow tipping at night?  Poor cows!   *Writers note--- I come from a very small town---and caution you if you choose to go cow tipping, to make sure you are tipping a cow, not a bull.  Bulls are much quicker on the re-bound, and are fast!   Since I live on the south side, Fairhaven, all of this makes me want to yell "Yo yo!" the entire time we are at the fair.   

      Also in the local news--because of a new Facebook page mostly talking about all of the "problem" Canadian shoppers that come to Costco.  Canadians are a huge part of Bellingham's economy, and the best part about them, in my eyes--is that they speak English, Aye!   Most of them are much more friendly than Americans actually.  And as far as them not being able to drive well---most of the plates I see on cars that about run into me or run stop lights, etc around town, display Washington on them.  
     I mostly enjoy that for the most part Canadians say the same things that we do.   I have almost always worked in customer service, and when you can not understand the other person, your job becomes very hard.   We are expected to at least know some of the language when we visit other countries.   How many workers in other countries would let you basically play charades with them to figure out they want to order a Mc cheese burger?   
     When I still worked at Wally World, and still tried to give good customer service--I was stopped by an Asian lady that asked me were garden menu's were.   I started by trying to find a guide of anything edible in the home garden or outdoors in general.  45 minutes later, I discovered that she could not say manure right, and she wanted bags of cow sh*t to spread over her garden.  

  Not related to any of the above, but something I have observed while driving and mostly parking in and around Bellingham.  I realize walkers have the right away in almost all situations.  But if you are backing out of a parking space, and a walker continues to walk towards the back of your car, while you are moving in reverse, the driver should be allowed to lightly bump the walker in hopes to knock a little bit of sense into the walker.   Just sayin'   You might not agree with this, but O well!   Write me, I love comments of all kinds.

     So last weekend in an attempt to give back and teach our kids about giving and gratitude, we feed many of the city's homeless.   Many of us have way more than we really need, and it does a wonder of good to step back and see how little many of us really have.  The huge separation between the rich and the poor in this great nation.  World wide 1/3 of the population is starving.  

  We went simple on our first run---About 50 bags with hot dogs, a granola bar, and a bottled water stapled shut with a card my wife designed.  

   Each card saying---- "Thank you for helping us teach our kids about generosity.   This is a great lesson that our kids can use now and in the future.  Thank you so much for your time."

    It felt very good to give back even just a little bit, and these people that had so little, were over joyed.  Some even offered to pay us back with there food stamp cards.  One man rode up to us on his bike, asking if we were the people handing out lunches.   And hopefully it will teach the kids some great lessons along the way.   I am not writing about all of this to earn glory in your eyes, or any praise, but to maybe make you look at all the great things you have and how you could maybe share, even just a little bit.  AND because we are planning more food runs and at least once to just sit in the park below the old city hall, were we ran into the most homeless people, and make lunches with the hungry people and talk to them.   For this we would love some helpers.  It's not necessary, but would be more than great if you would like to donate your time with us.   Or do something similar were you live.  For more motivation, hopefully here is an article I wrote years ago, and got published in the local paper when our family lived in Kingman, Arizona.   When we lived in Arizona we used to help out all of the time, including buying sandwich materiel and going to local parks, we hope to get back in this giving/helping groove.

     This is an ed I got in the local newspaper right before Christmas. It was actually written on a bet with April, *My wife* that I could get in the paper----This was printed in two separate ones so far. I have now been homeless---- and probably could fix this one up even more.


Yes Virginia there is homeless people in Kingman!

Before explaining that first line, let me ask you to take a look at your own financial status. How many of us are not more than a paycheck or two away from being in a very sticky situation for yourself and your family? Perhaps you have a nest egg or two or have made some great choices, so that you will not need to find two cardboard refrigerator boxes and call them your new double-wide! I recently lost my job, Merry Christmas to me! I am not asking for any sympathy, it just opened my eyes to how close my family is to being in trouble.

Last time I was in town, a homeless man was hanging out in front of a coffee joint I frequent. He had no shoes on and was huddled over a warm cup of joe. What I noticed first was the way he was dressed. And sadly my thoughts went first to not helping him, because the cash would go to booze. The longer I watched him from inside the coffee joint, the more I realized he had just made a few mistakes to many. And could easily enough be myself if un employed much longer. I stepped outside and gave him what cash I could spare. Not much, but the smile and honest thanks was enough. As I sat back down, I noticed more people donate to him. A bag of food, a nice winter hat, and some more cash. What I noticed more, were the looks on 90 percent of the passers by. They looked at him in total disgust. Some seemed to have really wanted to cross the street so as not to pass to close to him.

The looks started to really disgust me. Any time of year we should give to others, or at least tolerate them, but this close to Christmas it should hit home even harder. Stop worrying about what Christmas gift is perfect for your uncle Joe, and that dude at work that just became a female. This guy on the street does not even have a place to put a Christmas tree. He would love to have even half of the "problems" you are experiencing this holiday season. I am not saying go out and help everyone. Start by focusing on what the season REALLY means to you.

This brings me to my last point. Helping others may not be your gig, it might not even be the smartest thing in the world to do. I have been taken a few times lately by people that seemed much nicer than they really were. They seemed to want a hand out, and actually wanted to bite the hand that feed them. But to steal from a movie our family just watched, changing the world, changing even your world, starts with simple random acts of kindness. ARK

     While we were in the park, I manged to get a few good pictures also.   I hope you enjoy them.

   After going home and eating our own lunches, we took a small road trip again out of the county--but highly recommended for a visit.   To the Cabela's store in Tuluip. 

  Also in the area is of course the huge casino, shopping, and a large outdoor flea market.  Unfortunatly we got into town to late in the day to hit the flea market.  Wal Mart is one of the shops we chose to visit.   And some how every time I enter the store, I dispise it more.   

   I will refrain from complaining about the store anymore---but do ask if any readers know what the above symbol stands for?  It is all over the stores and many of the products.  My friend and I have a theory involving how easy it is to turn this shape into a pentagram.   Soooo---guides the Devil to easy shopping, or just purdy?  I even have a web sight about it.   This sight makes fun of all retail, but mostly Wal Mart, mostly after "working" there for eight long years. 

    Back to the sporting goods store, that I am sure more than one wife has had to drag there husbands out of!    This is a huge store, filled with everything for play in the outdoors.  And houses animal displays throughout.   I picture the above, because it was my High School mascot, way back when, the mighty Big Horn Ram.  

                                       The best display in the store in my eyes. 

      The back of the store holds a walk through display with a cave and live fish.

    I was very worried about this bear just behind me, until I realized that the nearby moose would defend me if need be!

  The store is great to roam through and explore, but prices are a bit on the high side.  At least for us.   I did come home with a new shot glass for our collection.  Our collection that mostly collects dust, but they look snazzy!

1.   The most impressive sight to me, was the huge section to buy guns. VERY few places in Washington still sell guns. And with all the violence in Seattle--this will only get worse. Support your right to bear arms while you still can!    There is a state map by the registers of the many states already that are wimpy.   Meaning if you reside in those states, you can not buy a gun.   One of course is California.  It seems like all of the odd laws start in CA, and eventually work there way up the coast line from Oregon to us in Washington.   No smoking, anywhere, even outside--- no plastic bags, etc etc.