Happy Mail 12/12/12

Hi all.  Before we head into Happy Mail first a little business.  In case you haven't thought if it, the time has really approached to change the date on the labels.    If you can send a quilt by Christmas feel free to leave the 2012 date on the labels but then I think it is time to change  to 2013!  Seriously where did this year go?

Five lovely Aussie Hero Friends met for the first time in Perth for morning tea yesterday, four of them staying on for lunch.  From left to right we have 
Stephanie, Jo, Liz, Beth, and Nancy.

Isn't it great to put faces to names!

:-)

There has been a lot of interest in the Challenge I threw out to the ladies who attended the Dinner in Sydney last weekend.  Lots of those who could not make it would like to join in - you brave souls!  So......I have decided to rename it to the AHQ 2012 Challenge Block and open it to all comers.   If you would like to take part then please send a standard sized stamped self addressed envelope to Caroline.    Can I recommend buying the prepaid one from the PO as they are a little bit sturdier.  

Do not post them to me please.

For some reason Caroline doesn't want her address plastered all over the internet - chicken!
Please email Caroline for the postal address. carolinejgunn@gmail.com

All blocks need to be in the post in time to reach me at PO Box 248, Cherrybrook  NSW  2126

no later than 1 Feb and no blocks will be revealed till a special post on Sunday 3rd of Feb.  Any stragglers will still be shown and included of course.

So just to reiterate - SSAE to Caroline - email her for the address 
and finished blocks to me - PO Box 248 Cherrybrook  NSW  2126.

And now for the Happy Mail.

 Dasha came along to the dinner on Saturday night and gave me four great laundry bags to send off.

 Joy sent four fabulous quilt tops from VIC.  They are all so different!  Thanks Joy!

One even has a matching laundry bag.

This isn't exactly Happy Mail but check out the great quilting that Paul and Paula did on this quilt - top made by Lynn.  It is not very easy to see but I hope you can make out aircraft!  This is off to a RAAFie! You will see the completed quilt on Friday.

Karen B was first cab off the rank with her December BOMs this month.

Now I have a slight problem.  I now have three Margaret H's!  Oh dear! and I don't know where two of them come from so I can't put down their States so Margaret H, you know who you are, thanks for these awesome blocks!  All 71 of them!

Judy Cribb sent in this great selection on December Wonky 9  Patches.

Dear Fran (W)

    My name is XXXXXX & I am currently based here in freezing cold Tarin Kowt in Afghanistan. I am in the Australian Army & have been here for nearly 3 weeks.
   Today I received some mail from you with your fantastic hand made quilt & some other goodies in it. Thank you so very much for the quilt. it is getting really cold here now with much snow on the outlying hills. I was just speaking to my partner XXXXX about how chilly I was getting at night, then I got your great gift. So it was great timing.
  Both the hat & stubbie cooler will come in handy for Christmas as I believe that we will get to have 2 beers for the day. The Tim Tams however , will be lucky to make it through to next week. Its amazing what you miss when you are away.
   I normally live in adelaide with my partner & our 2 lovely kids. I know how hard it is to be away from family at this time of year as it is my 2nd away in 3 years. I hope you get to see your children & grandkids & spoil them rotten.
   Thank you once again, the quilt will come in very handy indeed. I will try & get a photo of  all the boys here in the workshop with your wonderful gift. I know it will keep me warm & will return home to Australia with me as a treasured gift.
Thanks once again,

From HMAS ANZAC

Good morning Paula,

I would like to thank you and your family for making myself both a quilt and a laundry bag whilst I am deployed on operations. I have already started using both of them already packing away the doona. 

Hi Paul & Paula, I was lucky enough to receive a quilt and laundry bag from your family and just wanted to say a big thank you, I really like it and blue being my favourite colour I couldn't of asked for it any other way. As you are aware I am still currently serving in the Middle East, we have been in the area a little over four months with another two more to go before we arrive back to our home port of Sydney. Being close to Christmas we all start think about our family and friends back at home but we still have a job to do and knowing we have kind people like yourself who are supporting us reassures us that we are doing something good for the nation and it does get recognized.  I have been in the Navy a little over three years and this is my first full tour of the Middle East which has seemed to go quite fast considering the circumstances. I am looking forward to coming home late Jan and being with my family once again but am also very proud to be doing my job over here representing our wonderful country. Thank you again and i wish you and your family a very merry Christmas and safe new year.

The next two ladies both heard from the same lovely sailor and received very similar emails so I am just sharing the first one.

Hey Cat, my name is XXXXX but everyone calls me XXX. I'm the sailor that you made the quilt for, and may I say I think I've received the best quilt on our ship so far. As your aware I'm currently serving on HMAS ANZAC on patrol in the Middle East Area of Operation.  In addition to my main job I'm also a member of the ships Boarding team, which involves  our ship boarding and searching marine boats in our patrol area which we believe could be used in illegal activity. All in all I have a very busy 5months away so far. I live in XXXXXX and will be returning to Australia in late Jan.
I would just like to say thankyou very much for the quilt that you made for me. I love it. Fits my rack perfectly. As I said earlier in my opinion its the best one I've seen on our ship. Love the Australian theme. In addition thank you for the treats that you sent as well. It really filled my day with excitement receiving your package. I understand that it must have taken you a while to make this quilt and I just want to say that it really does mean a lot to hear from people back home saying that we're making a difference. Its really nice knowing that people back home are thinking of not just our sailors but the whole Defence Force that is serving up here. It really does mean a lot so Thank you Cat.
Hopefully you haven't been waiting to long for this email, I hope you enjoy the photo as much as I enjoy your quilt.
Thankyou once again Cat.
Warmest regards

This is the laundry bag that Cheryl R made for him.  Perfect for a sailor huh!

Now this is a special one.  Donna emailed me and told me that a family friend was deploying to Op Slipper and could she please make him a quilt.  The very next day his request came in and I was able to tell the contact, not him, that someone he knew would be his quilter but he was none the wiser.  On receiving the quilt this email was sent to Donna's husband.

Dear Allan,

 My package arrived today. I had been told that when I first ordered a quilt and laundry bag that a lady I knew had taken on the job. I had no idea it was Donna. And to think she had already decided to do this when my order arrived - within 12hrs.

Please pass on my deepest thanks to Donna for taking such individual care and effort on this beautiful package. I had a tear in my eye as I unrolled the quilt and bag. It is absolutely fantastic. The Tim-Tams, Aussie tea, and Xmas card are just the trick also. It's just starting to dawn on me that this is the first Xmas in 55 years that I haven't been with immediate family. Thank you both so much for your friendship. I'll send photos later.

We're anticipating a bit of snow here in the next two days. It's still quite clear and sunny but we've had brief periods of light rain and some fog.

 Your friend and partner in crime.

and another for Donna

Dear Donna,

I have just received my 'Aussie Hero' quilt!  Unfortunately I am back in Australia now so I didn't get the chance to use it whilst deployed.  I'm sure it will come in handy for next winter, especially in Sydney!

I can tell you its getting really cold in Afghanistan now and I'm sure the boys still serving over there will appreciate the quilts as much as I.  Thank you for your support, its always great to hear we have people back on the home front thinking of us!

Thank you and everyone else who contributed to the quilt for your time and hard work, its very much appreciated,

Kind Regards,

As there is no Thursday post this week here is the list of those who have, according to my records, posted something off so far this week.

Beth,
Caz and JMB
Dasha,
Julie Ann
Keryn
Liz B
Liz
Lynn
Lynne M
Marg
Margaret H
Nancy
Rita M
Ruth
Stephanie

As always - if you are not on the list and should be please let me know.  Also, photos need to be in no later than 9pm Thursday to be included in the Friday post and this week I will not be sitting in a hotel room with unpredictably slow internet so it shouldn't be a problem to get them loaded.


Till next time ....................keep spreading the word and happy stitching!