Sunday, February 16, 2020

TIME FOR AN EARTHLY ANGELS POST....

Hi All,

Sorry, I have been so scarce, but the new year started off bumpy for me. As most of you know, I went in for a basal cell removal in the first week of January. Sadly the cell was much bigger than expected. They took out a rather large chunk from the right side of my nose. Needless to say, the swelling and pain were unbearable at times, but thankfully I managed to persevere I always do. lol The swelling is finally coming down, but now the scar is more prevalent than ever. Harry Potter has nothing on me. LOL... I just wish mine was on my forehead too, instead of front and center on my nose. The scar is the full length from the top of my bridge to the tip. Not pretty. I am hoping with time and the scar cream it will diminish. Time will tell. If all fails, I will need laser or reconstructive surgery. Let us hope and prayer it fades.

I thought I would give you an update on my situation before getting to the real reason why I am posting.

As you can see from the title I had another Earthly Angel encounter! It has been quite a while and although I haven't posted any stories, I am hoping you have encountered an EA in your lives.

This story begins as yet another friend of mine had lost something precious to them. This time a wallet (last time it was a purse). My friend was clearing out his storage unit and haphazardly flung his coat and his wallet fell out. I had no idea of this until I received a phone call from a stranger in Chicago looking for my friend (apparently my number was in there). He asked me how he could get in touch with my friend. Stephen was so incredibly sweet. He was so concerned about my friend losing his wallet, he could only think of getting in touch with my friend as soon as possible. 

As soon as I finished talking with Stephen, I called my friend. He was on the road moving three hours outside of Chicago and was more than halfway to his destination. He realized he lost his wallet only minutes before I phoned him. He was running low on gas and pulled into a gas station. Realizing it was missing, he was just about to go into a panic. Thankfully I calmed him immediately with the good news. 

I phoned Stephen back. We chatted for a while and I realized he was an EA. He wanted nothing but to help. My friend was willing to head back to Chicago to pick up his wallet, but Stephen insisted he would send it out special delivery the following day. Since it was after five on Sunday, he waited until Monday morning. My friend insisted on giving him a gift card or something for his kindness, but he downright refused. He kept saying it was no inconvenience at all and he knew how it felt to lose a wallet because he lost his last year and sadly his wasn't returned. 

Like clockwork, my friend's wallet was returned to him. Not only was everything intact, but he didn't even use the money inside to send the wallet ... he paid the postage out of his own pocket! How honorable is that? 

Naturally, my friend sent him the postage back and insisted on sending him a gift card for him and his wife to have dinner. I texted Stephen that his package would arrive, and he was not all happy. He really didn't want anything for his kindness. But, my friend is kind, too, and once I explained that to Stephen, he agreed on enjoying a meal as a thank you for his good deed.

Imagine...even in a big city like Chicago, there are Earthly Angels around. Rember this when traveling through big cities. Not all city people are ruthless and unkind. There are EA's EVERYWHERE!!! And it was my pleasure to post about Stephen today. 

Thank you, Stephen. May you remain as kind as you are and continue to help others who need your help. It is a wonderful gift to be an EA...

I hope I find all of you well and in good health. I am finally relaxing and enjoying my new kitchen! YES...it is finally done! I can cook and bake again. Although it was stressful, the end result is a beautiful, Italian, Tuscan-like kitchen... Here are a few pics...




 I just love the fireclay farmhouse sink! 


I am also enjoying the mudroom. With all the snow we've been having it's great not to have to track Hamlet through the front with his wet paws.



30 comments:

RasmaSandra said...

Sending you the best of wishes and blessings for healing. I love your new kitchen and if I had one like that I would also make it my work room and never leave it again. I certainly believe in Earthly Angels and your story was so heartwarming. It is good to know there are still such people in this world. Does Hamlet like the new kitchen?

Michael Di Gesu said...

Hi Rasma,

Thanks! He loves it. I have his water and food bowls set up next to the angled counter which is perfect so I don't kick them when I enter the kitchen.

It is a GREAT work space, but the stools are a bit hard to sit and write for a long period of time. I switch on the TV when I'm preparing something or having a cup of coffee. It's so pleasant for an hour or so. My living room is bright and sunny and quite comfortable. That is where I usually like to write. That is until I have the cash to turn my walk-up attic into my very own Hogwart's library...It is an amazing space with an almost fourteen foot pitch in the roof. Perfect to put in all my books once the walls are insulated and the shelves are made. I hope to have it done within the next few years. In the meantime, my living space is perfect... Thanks for dropping by.. so nice to see you!

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Your new place looks amazing!
What a special person to ship the wallet at his own cost.

Michael Di Gesu said...

Thanks Alex. Yes... Stephen is definitely a special person. I'll be posting more pics of my place in my next post.

Ann Bennett said...

I'm glad you are on the mend from your surgery. The scar will fade. It is unnerving to need basal cell removal. They do cut deeply to get it all. You've managed the worst.

Kitchen is beautiful. That was indeed an Earthly Angel. That was such a lovely story.

L. Diane Wolfe said...

Hopefully the scar heals and fades.

Both of your friends were super nice people.

Your kitchen has a bit of a country feel to it!

Michael Di Gesu said...

Thanks Ann. Yes, he was. Happy you enjoyed the story.

Michael Di Gesu said...

Thanks L. Diane. So true. I live in the country now, so a country kitchen is what I was after.

Yolanda Renée said...

What a sweet story!
So glad to hear you're on the mend. I get to have my first dermatologist check in March. Not looking forward to it, but only because I hate being naked in front of strangers! LOL

Michael Di Gesu said...

Very true. But I wish it were gone like the cancer...

Lynda R Young as Elle Cardy said...

EAs are the BEST! I love stories like that.

And I LOVE that gorgeous kitchen! This might sound silly, but it looks happy :)

Jemi Fraser said...

So glad you're in recovery mode! that's scary stuff. I hope the scar cream does the job for you. I've been lucky with a few surgery scars healing well - hope the same for you!
LOVE the kitchen! Warm and homey and perfect for baking!!
What a lovely story of another EA - the world is full of wonderful people :)

Sally said...

You will heal and the scar will fade given time. Your kitchen looks super. There are some really kind people out there who do stuff with no thought of getting anything back for themselves. We are lucky when we find them.

Jo said...

Yes, there are some nice people out there, trouble is we don't bump into them all the time which, I suppose, is why the are so special.

I envy you that kitchen, you should see mine, it is very small. When this building was built, I figure they thought nobody moving here would cook much.

Hilary Melton-Butcher said...

Hi Michael - I do hope the nose heals up and that scar recedes - - - with time, I guess. How amazing about the wallet - lucky chap ... and glad that all turned out as it was meant to be: earthly angels in charge. Wonderful looking kitchen - and great to know Hamlet is still enjoying life ... take care and cheers Hilary

emaginette said...

Earth Angels... god love them all. Beautiful kitchen. Definitely worth waiting for. :-)

Anna from elements of emaginette

Dianne K. Salerni said...

What a great guy!
But yes, he needed to allow your friend to express his gratitude. That is also part of being a great guy -- allowing others to enjoy being kind.

And what a beautiful kitchen! Enjoy it!

Denise Covey said...

Love the EA story, Michael. I'm sure earthly and heavenly angels surround us whether in big cities or the countryside. What a heart-warming story you've shared. Love the Tuscan kitchen - that yellow and blue takes me right back to Provence to be truthful. LOVE IT! I'm so glad it's finally done and you can get back to baking!

Hopefully, the scar will fade quickly. Are you putting Vitamin E onto it. Great for scars!

Denise Covey said...

And if you have ANY time, WEP this month is all about art...and Vincent van Gogh. You'd love some of the entries!

Michelle Wallace said...

Hi Michael!
That's a wonderful story! There are plenty of Earthly Angels around us. god bless them all.

Enjoy your cooking and baking moments in the new kitchen. Who wouldn't want to spend as much time as possible in such a gorgeous Tuscan-styled kitchen? It's fabulous!
I'd even be tempted to pull up a high stool and arrange a notepad right next to the fire clay farmhouse sink, in order to indulge in some longhand journalling.

Michelle Wallace said...

It's good to know that you continue to persevere, Michael. Life often throws us these curve balls but all we can do is hang in there. Things will get better.
Take care of yourself.

Deniz Bevan said...

Love your earthly angels stories! And ooh, gorgeous kitchen. Yellow kitchens are the best.
Hope everything goes well with your recovery! I've got close family members who've had the same surgery in the same spot, so I know a bit about what it's like. <3

Melissa said...

There are still honest people, thank goodness.
LOVE YOUR HOUSE! I'm so envious!

Tara Tyler said...

your life is so exciting! i hope your pain is gone, a relief for that to be over
and then this wonderful “angel” story of goodness still in the world =) warms the heart!
and last, love your kitchen—i bet it smells heavenly too!

also wanted to say thanks for always supporting me =)
Tara Tyler Talks

Elizabeth Seckman said...

I feel bad for you. I know it's easy to say it's better to have a scar than to have cancer, but I'd hope it faded too. And they do. I had a spot cut off my thigh years ago and it was red and ugly. Now, it's barely noticeable. Sometimes it's noticeable at the beach. It doesn't tan. But I never tan now. I bathe in the sunscreen. LOL

Beautiful kitchen! So pretty.

My husband and I found a wallet in a gas station parking lot with a bunch of cash in it and no ID. Just family pictures. No license. No credit cards. We were travelling and I suggested leaving it with the attendant, but my husband was afraid the cash would never make it to its owner. I was afraid we were waiting on a drug dealer to show up. LOL. We sat in the lot for almost an hour with that wallet. The owner finally showed up. A young kid with a summer's worth of lawn mowing money stuffed in one wallet. My husband gave him a dad-like lecture in only carrying around what you need for the day before giving the wallet back.

H. R. Sinclair said...

I'm sorry you had to go through the surgery and had to (hopefully it's gone by now) the pain. I hope the scar fades.

Oh wow! I love that kitchen and my first thought was -- dang, I love that sink. :)

David Powers King said...

Thank goodness there are still good souls out there. Wishing you the best recovery, and dang! I could go for a kitchen like that! :)

Ornery Owl of Naughty Netherworld Press and Readers Roost said...

The earthly angel story is very inspiring. I hope you've recovered from the procedure now.

Deniz Bevan said...

I thought I'd commented on this already! So inspiring to hear stories of people being helpful :-)

Nicki Elson said...

Michael! Oh my gosh - I am SO sorry it took me this long to make it over here and get in touch. I'm glad your surgery went well and I hope that scar is fading as you hoped. But scars are cool, Michael, so don't worry if it doesn't.

The kitchen is gorgeous! Your new home is a lovely space in which to shelter-in-place, yes?

Three cheers for Stephen!