I have a desk drawer full of Happy Meal Toys (still in the plastic). Where do I send them?

I've gathered some small stuffed animals & happy meal toys & will be sending them this week!

Fantastic!!

Nancy -- email my friend Randy at:

hajiomatic@hotmail.com

He will give you his mailing address. He's a nice guy and a good friend, a former sergeant in the army who is now working at KBR in Kabul and I guess they see some very unpleasant things there on a daily basis. This was all his idea, and he's been kind enough to coordinate all the emailing and mailing and distributing and so on.

I think this a wonderful way for you to use your internets superpowers for the greater good!

what a beautiful thing you and haji are doing. this is the true measure of your heart and you are overflowing.

So cool!

Did you stop by and see the hats? My niece (she is 7) helped me package them up to send and she kissed all of the stuffed animals so the kids in Afghanistan would know that they are loved. So cute!

hmmmm -I wonder if the Marines doing Toys for Tots will let me mail Haji the happymeal toys that the marines can't use. I will ask next time I'm sorting! Yeah!

Yay Haji!!! And ditto what Susannah said! :-)

Amen, sistah!

See! Things are looking more beautiful already!

Hi there,
I've been reading your blog for the better part of this year (ok, ok...I've been lurking, stalking, whatever you want to call it!)
But, I just wanted you to know that a) too bad, so sad for your Ex. He gave up a Great Woman. But you already know that! b) You are really, really funny. I check out your site everyday because you make me laugh. And, I like your kitties. They are lucky kitties. c) Your friend in Kabul is awesome. I admire him for being so kind to those kids, and I admire you for writing about him and posting his pictures.

I hope you enjoyed your champagne and snickers...looks like it was a celebration, of sorts. Cheers! To a New Beginning!

ALREADY?!?!! What'dja do, send it express mail?! Dang, that was quick. So, hey; do you know if you're going to be sending any more packages? I got a few little things late, and they don't seem like enough to make it a separate package, so I was hoping I could piggyback with someone else. Of course, I'd be happy to pay for postage. Lemme know. And I assume you WILL be at SnB on Thursday?

Totally off topic, but I love the new tagline!

monkey, I don't know for sure about snb on Thursday... I may have to work late to make a monday deadline. But I have not yet sent the motherload of toys off yet to Haji so I can easily add more to the amazing pile of goodies you brought last week :)

I'm with Lucky. I like the new tagline. The only thing is, you overlooked a great opportunity there to use the most Southern of all terms: Divorcee

I tried to work divorcee in but it didn't sound right!!! LOL Help me. How do I make it sound good with the word divorcee in it?

Laurie, you are such an awesome woman. I am amazed at your strength and ability to keep your sense of humor, even through a dark time. You rock!

Btw, I'm making your friend a helmet liner, and, um, it's stalled for Christmas knitting. I'll start it up again tomorrow night at Knit Night. *blush* I feel so guilty that it's not done yet. I'm also going to make my kids find a few toys to throw in the box, too.

I think of a divorcee as a woman with platinum blonde hair, too much makeup, too tight clothes, too high heels and too long red fake fingernails. You are not a divorcee, you are just divorced.

I was thinking (and have expecting):

"Because nothing is sexier than a divorcee with four cats."

And as I type that Tammy Wynette is running through my head singing a very drawly, very forlorn "My D-I-V-O-R-C-E became final ta'day...."

It's truly amazing, no matter how big or small.

Haji received my package the other day; mine was the first one he got. His interpretur asked if he could have a few but Haji was wonderful and gave him the whole box! I sent about 40 Happy Meal/Burger King toys (we eat there way too much!) and I'm sending him another package tomorrow. It costs less than $10 to send it and takes about 7-10 days for him to get it. Don't forget the customs form!

If you don't have toys laying around go to a thrift store or the $1 store. I went to the $1 and bought lots of stuff! Everything from baby blankets and onesies to toys and stickers. Try the party aisles where you can buy party favors; they usually get 6 or more toys in one package. More bang for your buck!

How 'bout:

"Because nothing is sexier that a Southern Divorcee with four cats!"

You should make a poll and have your loyal readers vote on your new tag line :).

If two people truly embodied the spirit of giving, they are you and your friend in Afghanistan. It's so precious that he could take the time to send a photo like this. I'm touched, and hope that I can put together a rockin' box of stuff for the kids.

(P.S. I'm the one who sent you a postcard from Tokyo and mentioned crack houses)

Just sent your friend an email about what he needs. Today has been really a BAD (I mean B-A-D...like in the top 5 bad days..I cried in front of my boss bad) day at work and your post reminded me that a bad day means nothing. There are bigger things in this world. :)!

Just sent your friend an email about what he needs. Today has been really a BAD (I mean B-A-D...like in the top 5 bad days..I cried in front of my boss bad) day at work and your post reminded me that a bad day means nothing. There are bigger things in this world. :)! Oh, and I am still at work at 8:21pm CST

Just sent your friend an email about what he needs. Today has been really a BAD (I mean B-A-D...like in the top 5 bad days..I cried in front of my boss bad) day at work and your post reminded me that a bad day means nothing. There are bigger things in this world. :)! Oh, and I am still at work at 8:21pm CST

I emailed & didn't get an address back -- is he swamped?

Try again, I have responded to every e-mail I have recieved.
hajiomatic@hotmail.com
Ya'll are wonderful. Purl is awesome.

AUG! Stupid caching! I had to hit refresh to see the new tagline! The horror! (What is up with me and and the exclamation points? I blame the beer.)
I have a pile o' crap sitting here that I need to take to Goodwil, I'm sure there's stuff I could send to Haji.

Oh - and it's all YOUR fault that I'm spending so much money on yarn. I've decided that not only do the kitties need their very own Pi, but I also could make a cool felted bowl for my coffe table. bah.

STEF- got your e-mail this morning. I am 9 1/2 hours ahead of the East coast and 12 1/2 hours ahead of Purly time.
Factor that into your replies....
Thanks again!

So you traded one unfeeling heartless bastard screenwriter and got at least a thousand people who read what you write every day in return, and now the love is spreading one silly little toy at a time halfway around the world.

You are making a difference, and I'm proud of you. Even if I only know you through this screen, it feels like one of my best friends has come through the tunnel and into the light.

Were NEW toys not available? How can one look at that picture (where not a smile can be seen, really) and imagine AT ALL that those children are pleased and not just being polite!? Just because children are poor and Middle Eastern, doesn't mean they like old toys anymore than any other kid. I'm sure they aren't mad about getting toys, but I can assure you that the self-satisfied Americans that sent them are happier than these kids will ever be with "old Happy Meal" bits.