To ask what's the loveliest thing someone has done for you?

[Antsinpants]

To end a shitty week with a warm fuzzy thread. Mine is when dd1 was a few weeks old and I was totally knackered, struggling to bf and using formula, my lovely SIL - who had also just had a baby - washed and sterilised all my bottles so I didn't have to. Such a small thing, but it meant everything to me at the time and she's still easily my favourite person in the world. Share the love!

Gosh these are lovely !

Mine all revolve around the fairly recent death if my parents. Firstly a huge huge thank you to the team on the elderly parents forum who held my hand through the crises and and both deaths. They also shared the little happiez around the nearly year I had dad ( with bad dementia) living up here.

Secondly the ladies on a parenting group I joined when youngest was small - one came over in person 2.5hrs drive to be with me and mum who was actively dying ( she died the next day). Just having her there was so comforting , but she also brought some lovely presents funded by a whip round if the group.

Thirdly - and this makes me cry when I think about it - my ds - who was always amazing with his poppa . The night of my 50th birthday dad was close to death. Dh had gone home for a while to youngest, and I say with dad at the home. At about 1am I felt awfully lonely. I knew ds was out with friends ( he was just 20. Home from uni for my birthday weekend) so I texted him. He came straight from his mates and held poppas hand till 6am so I could get some sleep. Then he walked home and dh came back. Dad died just after 9 that morning.

A few years ago at 26 weeks into my pregnancy I went into labour & gave birth to a perfect but tiny DS. Moments after the birth the room emptied as everyone, including DH, had gone to be with DS. After what seemed an age, this one midwife came in and kissed me on the forehead. Such a simple gesture but that act of kindness meant more than all the words.

Months later when DS was discharged we were shopping and a shop assistant noticed his oxygen and asked why he had it. 10 mins later when we went to leave, she rushed up and put a beautiful soft toy bunny in his pram and said "he needs a strong boy to look after him" He still has it on his bed now.

When I was three, my mum became very ill and went into hospital fo a long time (6 months), my dad was left with two small children, a house that needed complete rennovation and a job to hold down. When my dad travelled into work every morning, he would get chatting on the train platform to another commuter, who also lived locally. Sadly, my mum eventually died. The commuter went home and told his wife, who felt so badly for my dad that she came and knocked on our door and offered to help. 38 years on (and my dad, now also now long dead) she is my oldest and dearest friend - both she and her husband have become like parents to me.

Is someone chopping onions? These are all such lovely stories!

I have told this story before on a MIL thread. When DS1 was about 3 weeks old, I was just finding it very hard. BF wasn't working, and I felt utterly out of my depth. In laws were visiting, and my MIL took one look at me, took crying DS from me and walked him up and down. She said ' Babies cry at 6pm, it's just what they do'. For some reason I found that phrase so comforting and I have never forgotten it.

I was given a precious gift by 'my donor family' recently. Without this I had a year to live.

So immensely grateful to my 'donor & their family.'

Place marking for late. Crying too much to read more!!

I have 2 within a few days of each other.
The stranger who changed my tyre for me on my due date. I'd been shopping and came out to find my tyre flat at 8pm DH was working 150 miles away. I tried using a pump but man appeared an asked if I needed some help.
And a few days later tired and sore in Starbucks. DH told me to get a seat while he got coffees, I sat down and cried. Two lovely ladies asked if I was ok and when was I due "4 days ago, I'm ok just fed-up" they replied "oh your entitled to be fed-up" they really cared and gave me permission to feel sorry for myself.

There was a thread earlier this week where the OP questioned why someone would anonymously buy a little gift for 30 class members. As I remember, it suggested no-one would do something so nice without an ulterior motive. This thread is showing exactly the opposite. That people can do wonderful, wonderful things with no expectation of reward but just out of kindness and goodness. It is a joy to read.

When a machine at a train station in North London 12 years ago ate my bank card, I burst into tears. I had no other money and there was no staff at the station. A complete strangers stopped and gave me 20 pounds so I could go home.

Not sure if this is the lovelist, but certainly lovely.

I'm a supply teacher, unusually I did a few months in one school. ON my last day the small VI form group and I had pizza for lunch - that was planned.

But they also got me a card and a bottle of wine. It was only later I realised that the only student old enough to buy the wine was one of the Muslim students, and one who wears Hijab.

Yep a Muslim girl, wearing hijab, bought alcohol for me.

Years ago dh and I visited Vienna. It was just before Christmas, snow was stacked everywhere and it was bloody freezing. We got to the hotel about 8pm and I started my period unexpectedly. I had terrible pains with it in those days but no painkillers on me and I knew I was going to be in agony all night. Dh spoke to the hotel receptionist, who didn't speak good English, and somehow managed to find the city's 24 hour pharmacy, without a map or a phone, and convey what it was he needed. He came back with very strong period relief, and it was amazing! He'd also stopped at McDonald's...

Another one was I was really ill earlier this year - I'd had emergency surgery, it was very upsetting, and I was in a lot of pain. The days after I came home were filled with flower deliveries and I felt so loved. I didn't expect it at all. And my sister came home the day I was discharged, even though it's really difficult for her to get time off from her job. She made me laugh loads, even though it caused total agony!

When my DH had just died, our NDN in the UK, who loved him like a brother, flew over the next day to help and comfort me.

I'm weeping as I write this.

Anyone else nominating for classics?

I haven't had something in my eye so much since emin's baby thread.

DS was induced at 37w as I had severe HELLP syndrome - my kidneys had totally failed and my liver was working at about 20%.
The day I was moved to a ward that allowed visitors, DH had just gone home for the night when someone appeared at the end of my bed. It was my oldest friend. An obstetrician herself, she'd just come off a 12hr shift, driven the three hours to come and see us, to then drive three hours back before her shift the next day. I burst into tears when I saw her.

I had cancer this year, and my neighbour left a bunch of flowers in my porch with a lovely note. Really made my day as we only usually say hello to each other or give a quick wave.

Bumping!!

Lovely thread

I was seriously ill whilst living abroad, didn't realise how bad the situation was, and was on a flight home. I deteriorated quite quickly and started to panic. The woman next to me told me she was a nurse and everything would be ok. She talked to me and got me water, and generally kept me going. When we landed, she stayed with me the whole time, holding me up through passport control while her husband carried my bag for me.

When I left her, I was too ill to ask her name, still wish I had been well enough to think to ask, I'd love to thank her

I just want to nominate my DP as doing something else lovely. One of his friends had to leave the forces due to a nervous breakdown and was struggling to keep it together with money and his home and the breakdown of his relationship. DP had found out his mate had been skipping meals and was upset he hadn't come to us. But he knew his friend was too proud to accept charity. Without even making it a thing, DP started inviting his friend to come and have food with us, under the guise of "well we always make too much food so it just goes to waste" and asking his friend to do things like test the shower for "water pressure" and the like.

His friend is back on his feet now and I think deep down they both knew what they were doing but I thought it was lovely. Men in the forces are very proud people and it really touched me to see DP helping out his friend without embarrassing him and his friend taking the charity but playing along with the ruse.

Two days after giving birth, ds and I were stuck in hospital. A friend of mine uses a mobility scooter so transport is a right pain, has a huge hospital phobia, and doesn't like babies anyway.So basically the last person I expected to be my first visitor, and gave me an outfit for ds, a practical items for me, and the most enormous box of Hotel Chocolat chocolates ever.
The logistical feat of getting her new partner to come with a car and make it happen was amazing and it was all so thoughtful.

Back when I was a student and recently met MrNC, I was panicking over my exams. He sat with me for hours reading over my notes and helping make up mnemonics for all sorts of things and create essay plans. I was studying biochemistry - he hardly knows what a molecule or cell is and didn't understand a word of it!

shutitmuppet you've just reminded me that after giving birth to my son my midwife kissed me and hugged me and called me a clever girl.

It was such a quick birth - three pushes and he was out. I think I was in utter shock. That little gesture of hers was so touching and calming I felt a world of love for that woman.

Lovely thread.

Small one but very recent so first to come to mind.

I'm having a shit time lately. DH has depression and he's in a very bad way. He's off work and I'm trying to keep the show on the road. Well get through it but it's hard.

I had a work do last night that I really didn't want to go to but had to. I booked an appointment in a salon near work to get my make-up done. When I went to pay, I was told that a friend from work had Ben in the precious day and had paid for me.

This is someone I work with and like but wouldn't be hugely close to. Nobody in work knows about what's going on with me. When I thanked her she said "you're not as sparky lately, I hope you're ok and feel a bit sparklier tonight".

Been in the previous day.

We were on a day trip to Venice and I was terribly sick on the coach. By the time we arrived I could hardly walk, and ended up sitting slumped at a cafe table with DS, while DH tried to find a pharmacy.A lovely Italian lady came out from her flat and ushered me inside to lie down.I fell fast asleep and woke feeling better to see my family drinking coffee with the lovely lady! When we finally got back to England we sent her flowers, and exchanged Christmas cards for quite a few years.