Wednesday 11 April

If it isn't one, then it's the other, isn't it. Those of you who've been reading for a while, know that my mum has had more than her fair share of health troubles. Touch wood, she seems to be doing well now. And just when things are on an even keel, it's my dad's turn to start worrying everybody. I'm in Holland at the moment, after a week with (emergency) visits to A&E and the cardiac unit, several tablets and worrying phone calls. This morning he had an endoscopy for investigation and nothing serious has turned up, so it looks as though it is all a storm in a teacup. It was very hard to imagine my strong, energetic and full of life dad being seriously ill, and I feel better for being near him. It's only a flying visit - with a bit of luck, I'll be home by the weekend again, and then we're back with the three of us in a few weeks' time for Koninginnedag (the Dutch Queen's birthday, when she'll be visiting dad's town).

A few weeks ago I found out through my Popular Crafts swap partner for April, Claire, about The Curiosity Project. I'd not heard of them before but this month they started a new project called Out of the Blue, which grabbed my interest straightaway. You buy or make a little gift and leave this with one of their labels in a public space, you take a photo and upload it to Flickr or Instagram, and then hope someone will pick it up. The label explains what the gift is for and gives directions to the website, so the recipient lets the website know when and where the gift was found. I don't know why but it immediately appealed to me! I could imagine someone picking it up, going to the website for more information and thinking 'that's a great idea, I'll do that too' and before you know it, the whole world is giving each other little presents, for no reason other than to be kind - wouldn't that make the world a better place?
As it is Easter holidays, I got the kids involved, and we did our first one last week in Starbucks. We bought a pack of stroopwafels and left them with the label on the table next to us.

Imagine two very giggly children when an older lady turned up, sat down, and curiously picked up the label and the biscuits. Imagine our disappointment when she left them there, untouched! But that is part of the project, not everybody will pick up your gift or go to the website.

Last night I left a book that my other swap partner, Mandie, had sent to me. This time I left it on the ferry - thought it was an interesting place to leave a little gift!

According to the Curiosity Project blog, we have yet to have an entry from a recipient, but now that I'm in Holland, I'm hoping to pick up a few bits and pieces to leave around in Britain.

Go on, go and have a look at the website and do your own random act of kindness!