mint and the frank-in-email-stein

FoxBot 10:02 PM
Hi Faustina Smith
FoxBot here. I can answer hundreds of the most common questions. To get started, type in a few keywords or one subject at a time. You can also choose one of the topics below.

Faustina Smith 10:02 PM
Account Support

FoxBot 10:02 PM
Can I help you with any of the following topics?

Faustina Smith 10:02 PM
No, none of those topics pertain.

FoxBot 10:02 PM
I'm going to pull a customer care human into this, one moment...

You have been transferred to: Syndy Linares.

Syndy Linares 10:08 PM
Hi Faustina  Thank you for reaching out to Mint Mobile Customer Care! My name is Syndy and I'm happy to assist you today!

Faustina Smith 10:08 PM
Hello, I keep getting emails from Mint for someone named "Frank".
This has been going on since I started with Mint.

Syndy Linares 10:09 PM
does it say any thing in specific?

Faustina Smith 10:10 PM
There is NO Frank at my email. I have had this email address for more than twenty years.

Syndy Linares 10:11 PM
can you hand me the number that has on the email please

Faustina Smith 10:12 PM
What number? The one for Mint?

Syndy Linares 10:13 PM
The one cut off in the photo.

Faustina Smith 10:13 PM
I have not seen "Frank"s phone number, not since I confirmed my email after joining Mint. His number was NOT a 912 number.

Syndy Linares 10:13 PM
this one to see if we have that number on are system, maybe the person has an open case and gave a call back number wrong

Faustina Smith 10:14 PM
I would have to pull up the email again to get that number.
That number in the photo is for Mint, for "Frank" to go through the process of joining. Apparently, he did not complete the process. Probably becasue he has not received any emails from Mint, as those are coming to me instead.

Syndy Linares 10:16 PM
take a full picture to the email please to check this please and you stop getting this emails

Faustina Smith 10:17 PM
The email is too long for me to get a full photo. I can try.
Just hold on, as it will take me a few moments to do so.

Syndy Linares 10:18 PM
dont worry take your time

Faustina Smith 10:21 PM
Mint_Family_Managemint._All_your_accounts_under_one_login.eml
Okay, I have downloaded the email and sent it.

Syndy Linares 10:22 PM
im sorry can not open links, only pictures, sorry if its not to much can you help me with pictures please

Faustina Smith 10:23 PM
The phone number for "Frank" to contact is Mint-Fox-Pack.

Syndy Linares 10:24 PM
i can only se the this number on the picture _66-3697225
can you tell me what the first number please?

Faustina Smith 10:28 PM
8. The full number is 866-369-7225
Went back through my emails, found more info about "Frank". That was sent to my email on 29 Sept.

Syndy Linares 10:30 PM
i found the number with this please hold on ill ask my team what can be done so you stop getting this kind of text

Faustina Smith 10:31 PM
Not text, but email.
The messages for "Frank" from Mint keep coming to my email account.

Syndy Linares 10:34 PM
dont worry with all this info i will ask my team what can we do so you stop getting this
this is your E-mail: f--------@comcast.net
correct?

Faustina Smith 10:34 PM
Correct.

Syndy Linares 10:34 PM
I'll look into this immediately and will be back within 3 minutes. Thank you.

Faustina Smith 10:35 PM
Thanks.

Syndy Linares 10:40 PM
Thanks for your time , at the bottom of the email should give an option to stop getting emails, can you click on that please

Faustina Smith 10:40 PM
If I do so, won't that also stop ME from getting emails that pertain to my account with MINT?
.

.

.
Syndy, are you there?

Syndy Linares 10:44 PM
no, do, that email is atached from other number, but to make sure let me ask my team please
still with my team

Faustina Smith 10:48 PM
The 'body' of the email is addressed to "Frank", but the 'email address' is mine. How about this. I could hit the 'unsubscribe' link, then you could maybe make sure my email address is put in for MY phone number?

Syndy Linares 10:51 PM
Dont worry thats what im asking my team
in this case yes it may happen but you can add a new email in your mint account> on personal info>my details>edit email please

Faustina Smith 10:56 PM
I just hit "unsubscibe" and it took me to a log in page for Mint. As I am NOT "Frank", I do not have his information so I can "unsubscribe". Help!

Syndy Linares 10:59 PM
dont worry after asking my team, they told me i will need to escalate, can you send me pictures that it ask you to log in as frank please?
Faustina, im making your ticket, if you had the picture where it ask you to log in will help us

Faustina Smith 11:04 PM
Okay, just took photos. Will send to you in a minute.

Syndy Linares 11:05 PM
dont worry take your time, while i make your ticket

Syndy Linares 11:12 PM
Faustina, may you have other email in case we need to change it, to add it?

Faustina Smith 11:14 PM
So, I opened the email addressed to "Frank", wnet to the "unsubscribe" link and clicked it... and it took me to the account log in page instead of unsubscribing.

Syndy Linares 11:15 PM
I apologize that dont worry with this ticket tech area should be solving this issue

Faustina Smith 11:19 PM
I do have an alternate email address, but that's used for junk lists, not important stuff. That means I may not log into it for months at a time. Like I said, it's for junk lists.

Syndy Linares 11:19 PM
Hi I’m back. Thanks so much for your patience. here is your ticket ID TExxxx-125381 it can take up to 24-48 to get a resolution, you can request status of your case with your ticket ID,  Is there anything else I can help you with today Faustina?

Faustina Smith 11:20 PM
No, that's all I was trying to take care of this time.

Syndy Linares 11:22 PM
thank you for contacting us,it was a pleasure chat with you Faustina  at the end of the chat you will have the option to rate the chat with a green thumps up, have a wonderful night

Syndy Linares has closed the chat.

*****
Was your inquiry resolved during the chat?
No
 

You left the following comment: This took far longer than I had thought it would. I was in this chat for almost 1 1/2 hours, and the matter was not resolved. I do hope it will be soon.
*****

 

Here's hoping.

I've been pleased with the phone service, I have, but this business of getting emails intended for someone else at my email address makes me wonder.

do tortillas cry with perfect pitch?

Admittedly, I have not yet tried to make my own tortillas, so I can't say.

 

When I watched Maria Mazon make tortillas about a month ago, I did hear hers whimper and mewl a bit, which was pretty darned amazing.

 

However, as I don't know in what key they were to do so, I can't say if their pitch was perfect or not.

 

There she is, on the right, with Jamie Miles, the host of every one of these Xfinity Reward ZOOM sessions, including this one on September 20th.

 

I think there were about sixty attendees that Tuesday evening.

Bravo's "Top Chef" isn't a program I get to watch, as I don't have that channel, so I had jumped at the chance to see an actual contestant plying her trade.

 

She was there in 2020, during the start of the pandemic, stranded in Portland away from her family, her electronics, and even her phone for two months during the taping of that season.

 

I asked her "Do you ever make any of the recipes you made on Top Chef? Which is your family's favorite?" 

She replied that she had liked one of the dishes, but had not yet turned it into something on the menu at her restaurant.

Another person asked her if she had any kosher dishes at her place.

She didn't know what was meant by "kosher", so I had quickly typed into the chat: "no meat with dairy"... 

and Jamie had read aloud "Faustina says that means no meat with dairy"!!!

YES!!! I do believe that man loves my name!

At every one of these events, he'll always read one of my chats aloud, prefacing by saying my name and trying to get me to talk on the ZOOM.

Very nice!!!

So, why am I talking about this almost a month after the event?

Well, one of the things the contestants got to do while they were holed up without their families and phones was watch movies.

And her favorite? The one she requested over and over?

"Pitch Perfect"!!!

I love that movie, too!

So, I treated myself to it with brunch today, courtesy of Xfinity Rewards!

Instead of having to rent it for $3.99, I got it for only a dollar.

They gave me two "$1 Movie Nights" last month and I'd splurged for a third, watching "Working Girl", "A Fish Called Wanda", and "After Hours".

What a definite treat!

And as I was enjoying this musical film, occasionally inspired to get up and dance, I realized that I knew one of the Treble-makers.

That guy in the blue shirt?

That's the tech-head Mouse from "Free Guy"!

And see the fellow on the left?

The one clad in a numbered vest and a hoodie?

That's definitely the innkeeper of "Ghosts"!

 

(Whose wife on the show was the star of "iZombie"!)

And see that energetic fellow in the red?

 

The one rapping into the microphone for all he's worth?

 

That's the 28-year-old Utkarsh Ambudkar, portraying a college student who was part of the award-winning a cappella group in this movie.

Wow.

He was born the same year as my first niece, so he'll be turning 40 next year, in December.

I'll be watching to see where else he shows up!

(smile!)

my favorite 'mercial

I know I give a lot of grief to television commercials, but... well, they deserve it.

You try to watch something good and there comes a slew of 'mercials every 7 minutes.

Oh, yes, I've timed them.

And for movies, it's even worse, as the 'mercial breaks interrupt at least every five minutes during the last thirty minutes.

Believe it or not, though, it's worst for those of us in Georgia and South Carolina.

It's political ads season and they're relentless and almost inescapable.

I wear out the batteries in my tv remote from hitting that "mute" button so much!

Seriously, I do.

I have to replace the batteries about every four months.

People laugh when I tell them that, but it's true.

Anyway, this post is about one particularly 'mercial that stops me in my tracks.

Literally.

I stop what I'm doing when it comes on!

(smile!)

 

Here's the premise:

a wolf in sheep's clothing

is padding through the crowds 

that are walking on the streets, 

and sitting outside dining, 

and shopping hither and yon.

 

Wherever the wolf goes, 

coughing follows.

Deep, hacking sounds 

that speak of stopped-up sinus cavities 

and lungs choking on phlegm.

 

But those harsh sounds 

are in the background,

almost muted by 

the persuasive words and 

soothing tone 

of the wolf's speech:

"I'm just the flu.

No need to worry."

 

 

Then he wanders into a hospital.

Oops! 

His charade is over!

They see him for who he really is!

Time to skedaddle outta there!

No need for that disguise now!

 

And off he runs,

shedding the sheep skin as he goes.

 

Every time I see this 'mercial,

I smile.

It always reminds me of stepmom Bonnie.

It always reminds me of Daddy.

Good times, good times.

 

(smile)

darth rabbi, corn taller than me, and smashing dumplings

First, let's deal with that "Star Wars" meets Asbury Memorial Church thing, right?

Yes, that's Rabbi Robert Haas, as revealed when he removed the helmet.

 

And just what was he doing there?

 

Well, he and Billy had a wager on something or other in early summer, and the thing ended in a draw.

As a result, Haas had to come here, at some point in the future, and present a talk and Hester will have to go to Mickve Israel and sing a song.

At last the date arrived, for this GOB portrayal of "The Play That Goes Wrong"... and what a hoot it has been!

 

I intend to watch the video again and again!

Yes, I was there in person, you betcha, and I haven't laughed that much in a while!

And to see Claire Munich do the hand gesture and say "Live long and prosper", well, that's worth pure gold!

And Billy in a wig to portray Luke Skywalker... priceless!

Yep, yep, yep, there were light sabers blazing, and even Tinkerbell showed up!

Deeee-light-ful!

i thank You, God!

 

Then I drove out to meet mi amiga Christa.

Me and the other amigas don't get to see her so much since she moved to Pooler.

She had sent out an email: "Wanna go walk in a corn maze?"

"Sure!", I said!

"Sure!", Sandy said!

That was two weeks ago.

But today, I was the only one that still wanted to head out to the Madrac Farms in Rincon! 

So, she and I walked around and looked at the white pumpkins and the ones with stripes and those with big ol' warts - nice!

Then we went into the corn and got lost a few times, running into dead ends and having to backtrack, but that was just fine.

On such a lovely blue-sky day, with such great warmth - in the 80's again! - this was the perfect day for being outdoors!

As I told Bonnie later, I don't recall ever being in a corn maze before.

That means i can cross this off the bucket list!

Well worth the 63-mile round trip, too!

So, what to do once I was back in the 'Vannah?

Well, why not go ahead and assemble my 33-year-old "permanent" - as Mama would say - Christmas tree?

I had already brought in the box from the shed on Thursday.

And put it together I did, as "The Lawrence Welk Show" regaled me with songs about Los Angeles - or so they claimed.

And I finished the upper half of the tree while "The Carol Burnett Show" from 1973 was playing and making me laugh!

Sure, I could have set up the tree faster... but why?

I certainly enjoyed my leisurely pacing, gently bending the branches into place, spreading them around to fill in gaps, watching as it became the tree I had enjoyed for so long...

the tree I haven't seen since the twins last helped me with it.

That was for Christmas of 2019.

During the pandemic, I just didn't bother with hauling it out of the shed.

Sure, I still decorated the house; I just didn't have the tree up.

I may leave it up until my birthday!

That's what I did in 1989, when I first bought it in January of that year.

It was nice to sit in the living room, in the dark, and just watch the twinkling of the little lights on the tree.

I guess we'll see how long I keep it up this time!

(smile!)

 

As for all the ornaments, that may be a nice indoor project this week.

That's when a cold snap is moving in for a few days, starting Tuesday.

Of course, I just may have to throw myself outside for a movie or two.

But, honestly, I plan to do all the errand running tomorrow.

Take out the trash and the recycling!

Haul those bins to the curb for the trucks to empty on Tuesday!

Go to the grocery, get all I need for hearty soups!

Go to CVS and maybe get new tree lights!

I think I saw some purple ones the last time I was in.

Apparently, that's now a Halloween decor color.

Speaking of that, look at this puzzle from "Celebrity Wheel Of Fortune"!

These are all the revealed letters, and you know what the chef-testant thought it was?

"Mayonaise By The Smashing...

(wait for it....)

Dumplings"

Hahahaha! Hahaha!

Of course the next person up got it right away, correcting her mistake... and he was a chef, too!

Very funny!!

And that brought us right back to this being October and time for Halloween!

Nice!

Time for me to do something else... like, locate the little space heaters.

Oh, and get my mink blanket out.

I already have the heated mattress pad on the bed, so that's good.

One less thing to do tomorrow!

Bye!

scariest things in the ocean?

Today was Skidaway Marine Science Day!

So off I went to explore at the UGA Extension Marine Science Center and Aquarium.

Thirteen miles from my house it is... oooh oooh!

Spooky!

And sure enough, one of the first creatures I encountered was quite odd!

A lined seahorse it was called.

But after watching it bounce along, I think kangaroo horse would be more apt. 

It even has a pouch on its tummy like that down-under beast.

Yes, definitely a better name for a creature down under the waves!

(Nice little pun just for you!)

(smile!)

Still, that was more cute than scary.

But what about this one?

Not the fish, but that beast with the snapping jaws!

It's a diamondback terrapin, or so the sign said.

No word on whether it's kin to the rattler or not.

I rather think it's not, though.

With such an active beak, no poison would be needed to catch prey.

He certainly gave those fish a run for their money!

But, scary?

Maybe to those smaller than itself, but not to me.

However, this one certainly had some scary action!

Not only was the Atlantic stingray a fast swimmer, like the terrapin, but just look at how it can flex its body!

And with the spikes along its spiny back...

plus that barb on the end of its whiplike tail...

and more flexibility than an acrobat could hope for...

it could be a formidable foe, for sure.

 

Yet, it's such a graceful creature, gliding so smoothly along...

truly, 'tis more beautiful than scary.

And then there's this guy.

Big, burly, and hefty... and he probably doesn't like his name.

It's not quite as bad as being "A Boy Named Sue", but, let's face it, no one wants to be called a sheepshead.

That's pretty fugly, right?

I saw him repeatedly try to make a break out of that prison of a tank he was in, too.

And over next door were some kin of his.

I'm thinking they were all nephews.

This cluster of Atlantic spadefish kept darting all around, but never alone, always in pairs or more, everywhere, everywhere!

Most definitely juvenile delinquents.

Still, I have hope that they will change their ways.

Surely their uncle will convince them of that, right?

So, not scary, just making bad choices.

I wish I could say the same for this one.

Like the others trying to get out of the place, this one had on prison garb, too.

A striped burrfish he is, with a face only a mother could love.

I didn't dare stare at his bulging eyes!

He may not have been puny compared to his sheepshead cousin... 

but I wouldn't bring it up if I were you.

And those spurs all over him made him a hazard to touch!

So, stay away! Stay away!

And don't try to touch this one, either!

Those gracefully waving structures along its back are actually poisonous spines!

Yeah, this red lionfish doesn't play well with others.

Nope, not at all.

And you can tell it's crazy because its jail stripes are running vertically instead of horizontally.

Very scary! Beware!

But not the scariest thing I saw today.

Even this mack daddy couldn't take that dubious honor.

I hadn't even seen him the first time I passed by.

I had even stopped and looked carefully all over... but, nope!

Then, a few minutes later, when I passed by again, he must have blinked and, justthatfast, there he was!

Stopped me in my tracks!

Common octopus, indeed.

More like UN-common and a bit spooky!

But the outright scariest things in the sea?

Here they are, encased behind glass to protect us.

Plastic bags that float around and stay intact and get mistaken for jellyfish by unsuspecting sea turtles!

Tin and aluminum cans, rolling along for hundreds of years, unmarked by time!

Newspapers that don't decompose and don't serve as food!

Lost balloons and snorkel gear and fishing floats!

Bwah ha ha!!!

(shiver!)

It made me want to grab a bag and go walk the beach for real, collecting debris washed ashore.

Hmmm...

that's not a bad idea.

Too late to do so today, but I think one day this week will be just perfect for that.

Good.

Maybe I can even get some help for the task, but, if not, it'll be a nice outing for me.

Thanks for the inspiration, y'all!

slapfish again! plus iron family!

Earlier in the week, me and the tres amigas returned to Pooler, along with Sandy this time.

She had heard all about Slapfish and wanted to experience it for herself!

Yes, I said Sandy!

 

The one who almost always wants a hamburger!

So on Tina Tuesday, off we four went!

And I even tried something different at Slapfish... I did!

I had the Hawaiian Bowl, full of flavorful rice and grilled shrimp and pineapple, as well as excellent coleslaw.

Really good... but I missed the ceviche.

Just saying.

We all had different things, except Carolyn, who again had the fish and chips.

Maybe I'll try that next time!

 

And we ate after the movie this time.

That was different.

And just what movie had we seen?

Well, are you sitting down?

Seriously, go ahead and sit.

That's because we went to see the one I had so wanted to see last week.

We did!

And it was THEIR suggestion!!!

That's the amazing part!

I felt like this truly was a Tina Tuesday adventure!

And "The Good House" was fabulous, but not the rom-com promised in the previews.

No, it was so much more than that!

Sigourney Weaver is a real estate agent in a tiny upscale community, with two grown daughters who ride her case as if she were an errant teenager.

Kevin Kline is fabulous as the one-time boyfriend who has stayed true to himself, no matter what the town folk say about his lifestyle.

And, at the heart of the story, is finding out who your real friends are when your life wanders off its path.

Just be aware that it's much deeper than a rom-com and addresses alcoholism in a very real, and nonjudgmental, manner. 

So, that was our trip to Pooler.

Come today, off we go again, with travel north once more, but only as far as downtown.

We were sans Carolyn, as she had seen "The Iron Family" about four years ago, when the Savannah-based director had screened the Michigan-based film at a horse pasture.

Seriously.

I remember her asking me to come, but I had abstained for some reason.

I'm glad to have seen it now, at the end of its film festival circuit, polished up and fine.

Plus, there was a question and answer session afterward!

Cinema Savannah should do that more often!

The seats were nearly full, for the first time this year!

And just who was there for the Q&A?

Well, there was one familiar face to me: Patrick Longstreth!

That's him on the far right, in the plaid shirt.

I've known him for many years, ever since I backed his Tybee-based short film, "Hellyfish", on kickstarter.

It had taken three years for that reward dvd to make it to my house, but well worth it the wait!

I didn't ask any questions, but I did go up to him afterward and let him know that I was one of his backers in 2012 and still enjoyed that movie.

And guess what he told me?

That young woman on the panel, Jazmine Faries, was interested in writing a musical horror film based on that short!

Woohoo!!!

I made sure to let her know that I applauded her effort on the many plays she's written and look forward to seeing her works in the future... including that musical!

With her on the panel is her older brother, Chad Faries, who teaches at Savannah State University, and their mom.

Chad is the reason that her story has been told.

She was born with Down Syndrome and was 32 years old when Chad convinced Patrick to venture to Michigan with him, for the purpose of filming the sixth season of her play.

And just what does the play portray?

Her meeting Matthew McConaughey via her "fashion for celebrities" business and his subsequent courtship and marriage to her.

Each play had encapsulated an important step in their relationship.

For the one filmed in Iron River, Michigan, she was pregnant and had to break the news to her husband that the baby might be that of Mark Wahlberg.

Pretty serious stuff!

In fact, the content of the play is what prompted Patrick to make a feature film of her play-writing process, a documentary of her creative nature.

Now, four years after the start of the project, this screening at the Savannah Cultural Arts Center marked the end of the journey.

Good for Chad, for looking out for his little sister!

Good for Patrick, for presenting her creativity to the world!

Good for Tomasz, for bringing Patrick and the Faries to Savannah!

I am so glad I was there.

i thank You, God.

4-year-olds have away games?

Yes, they do!

And this was the first time I've seen her in action this fall.

I guess it's only fitting, since she just turned of age.

Otherwise, I would have had to use a different title!

Hahahaha!

I speak of Miss Chlo, of course!

Here she is, pink bows in blonde hair!

She's representing the YMCA of Coastal Georgia and has the jersey to prove it.

And why does she have her index finger in the air?

Because she's Number 1, that's why!

Literally and figuratively, too!

Oh, wait you can't see the number on her jersey.

Hold on a sec.

Here ya go.

Is that better?

Whaddaya mean, where is she?

Just follow the pink bow!

That's her, out front, heading toward the goal.

See that big "1" on the back of her jersey?

Yep that's Chloe!

What a trooper!

What do I mean by that?

Well, she had a fever that made her miss school today, but she worked on getting well because she wanted to be here for the game.

And then, after one of the other players kicked her above her leg guard, she still went right back to the field!

Here's Dadda icing down her knee.

Mommie has already assured herself that all will be well and is heading back to the sidelines.

And Chloe is standing there, like a big girl, just needing a few sips of juice to fuel her back up to speed!

What a trooper!

And she that guy in the green shirt?

That's her coach.

That other adult on the field was the coach for the Richmond Hill YMCA.

No one seemed to mind that six purple jerseys were versus four gray ones.

I think that's because no one was keeping score.

The purpose was to have fun and get cheered on!

Mission accomplished!

Missed the goal?

No problem!

Good for you for trying!

And, hey, our goal is the other direction!

Run, Chloe, run!

Miyah was cheering for her, too.

Littlest girl got so inspired that she was running and wanted me to take her picture.

Woohoo!!! Look at her go!!!

Then the game was over and it was time for all players to give each other high fives!

Good sportmanship begins early, right?

Time for snacks, too!

It was already after 7 PM, and my first niece's family dines after the games and practices, so snacks are needed!

Plus, they played for almost an hour... that definitely plenty of time to work up an appetite!

I took advantage of the lull to take my leave.

This was fun, y'all!

b-day fo' for miss chlo!

Actually, her birthday was on the first of this month, but she and the family, and even the twins, were having a hurrication-vacation with Wild Adventures in Valdosta, Georgia.

I know, I know - wild adventures in the Peach State, right?

But they had fun, especially as the place was decorated up for Halloween!

And, yes, that's her on the right.

She evidently takes after her great-grandmother's side of the family.

See this photo?

Nope, that is not Chloe!

It's Mary McEwen when she was about four years old.

When I first saw it, I was shocked by the resemblance.

And when I first saw this little pink and purple seahorse, I immediately knew it would be my gift to Miss Chlo!

Looks like I picked a winner!

This wasn't a pose, this was for real!

She kept playing with it and hugging it for the rest of the evening, delighting others... and me!

Her Mommy read the card, in which I had written that I hoped the Daytona Beach seahorse would remind her of the happy times we had this summer.

I'm so thrilled that she likes it so much!

(smile!)

Speaking of her Mommy, here she is!

Yep, that's my first niece with her mom!

Grammy had childcare duty for this Columbus Day holiday, but "Walton's family schoolmarm" Christina had to work.

No rest for teachers on that day!

So we arranged to meet for dinner while they had the kid swap at this midpoint between Hinesville and Guyton.

Lucky for me!

I was so excited about it that I got to Cracker Barrel two hours early.

Ah, well, I hadn't meant to be so early, but my blonde roots got the time wrong.

Even though they're gray now!

Well worth the wait.

(smile!)

bobbins, buttons, and... kites?

Let's start with that first part, shall we?

(smile!)

All of the items on the left came out of my sewing basket, believe it or not.

That nice pair of shears and the embroidery scissors...

the tube of machine oil and packages of belts...

the seam gauge and cutting wheel and pincushion...

the Velcro and elastic and tape measure...

the spools of thread and yards of lace...

the unopened packages of machine needles...

the ziploc full of machine bobbins...

and that plastic tub of buttons, buttons, buttons!

I could scarce believe it myself.

I spent an hour going through that basket that had once belonged to Grandma.

Of course most of it was in good shape!

I hardly ever ventured into that closet for it unless I had a seam to restitch or a pocket to mend.

No more!

Much of that was expensive, and I knew someone who could, and would, use it!

Even better, I knew she would be at church today, as Billy mentioned in his weekly email that the Afghani family would be in attendance.

That's because today's 'God On Broadway' sermon is centered on "The Kite Runner", a story set in Afghanistan.

I remember seeing the movie a few years ago.

The theme is forgiveness of self for past wrongs and that's always a good message.

After all, the past is gone and cannot be changed, but it does hold a lesson to be learned that will make for a better life in the present.

Like I said, a good message.

Plus, I liked the memory of flying kites with Miyah and Chloe on our girls' trip.

(smile!)

So, after all was done, I went in search of the Abasy family.

I had gathered all the sewing paraphernalia into one of the bright yellow bags I still had from SERMACS here in Savannah.

As well as it being durable for storage, it also had a pineapple - the fruit of welcome - on it, so that made it perfect as "gift" wrap.

(smile!)

I didn't have to look very hard for the family: they were at the front of the church.

After waiting my turn, I met the mother and she was so glad to get the sewing materials!

I think her name is Ibbisi, but that could be wrong.

Her spoken English was very clear, which made it easy for me to explain to her that these should have been given to her with the sewing machine, and that I once used to sew but had not in a very long time.

She told me she sews every day.

Every day!

Yes, I know Mama would be pleased that her sewing machine went to this woman.

(smile!)