Happy Mail and a few Thank yous as well.

Greetings all.  Wednesday nights I normally share the Happy Mail that has come in but you will get a bonus of some Thank you messages as well tonight to make way for tomorrow night's "This Time Last Year Post".  

First up we have a great quilt top that arrived in the mail, made by Jo.  What I really love about this quilt top, apart from its gorgeously vibrant colours and lovely design is the reason Jo was motivated to get involved with Aussie Heroes.  Earlier this year, a friend of Jo's returned from a deployment and explained to her just what it meant to her for him to receive his Aussie Hero Quilt.  That was all Jo needed to get involved and here is the result.  That makes this quilt a very special one as far as I am concerned!  Thanks Jo!

Dorothy is one our stalwarts when it comes to making the Block of the Month.  I have lost count of how many  she has made and I doubt she has any idea herself.  This is her latest batch of wonky crosses.  I think these first ones will go nicely with some that she sent in for the Wonky Nine Patch month so stand by to see a nice cheery quilt resulting from those in the future.

You would have seen these thank you messages tomorrow night but to make room for "This Time Next Year" I am sharing them now.  Hope you enjoy them!

Hi Jan-Maree,

Apologies for the late reply but I've just returned from leave - which was fantastic by the way!  Yes, I received your quilt just before I left. I think it’s one of the best designs that I’ve seen thus far so thank you very much. I’ll send a photo soon once I’ve settled in again.

Thanks again and take care

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Dear Jan-Maree,
I have just received my quilt in the last batch of mail we have got and I absolutely love it!  It has found a lovely little home on my rack and I have had a lot of people comment on how 'good' and 'cool' it is.  Thank you so much for being the coordinator of this organisation and for making my quilt!  It really does mean a lot to all of us that have to received them.  Please pass on my sincere thanks to Lynn and Donna also.
It is a really nice touch adding a letter with details of your life/family/how Aussie quilts came about.  
I even hope to pass on my quilt to a son one day and force rugby and the Waratahs on him from an early age, haha.
We are in the final third of our deployment now and I think everyone is anticipating the end.  It has been challenging for some but I am glad to be able to do my bit for Australia.  It will be one of the proudest moments of my life pulling back into Sydney with my mother, family, partner and friends waiting on the wharf for me.
Once again, thank you Jan-Maree.  What you are all doing is appreciated by thousands!
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Hi Anne,
Thank you so much for the quilt. I can't believe how much effort you put into it. I'm trying to keep it dust free so I can get it back through customs. Easier said then done over here.
Sorry about the late reply I received the quilt about a month ago but have been flat out.
I am an armorer with the second cavalry regiment and I've been over here for about three months. The young fellas manage to break their weapons a fair bit so that keeps me plenty busy.
I was wondering how you picked the tractor for the big picture. I don't know if it was just luck but I have that exact tractor on my farm. I sowed 500 acres of oats during my weeks pre-deployment leave prior to coming over here. See leave to my father equals free labour.

Well I better get back to work before my sergeant kicks my ass.
Thank you again

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Jenny B's quilt is one I chased up this week and this is the response I received.

Thank you for my quilt, it did actually arrive a few weeks ago but I am in an extremely busy time at the moment so apologise for not replying sooner.
I have the quilt on my bed and it makes a difference to the sterile white bedding we are issued with!
Thanks again, the quilt and laundry bag you provided is a very generous gesture and one that is appreciated from all of us over here.
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Sue, I received your Mickey Mouse laundry bag today, it is so cute and well sewn, you are really talented. I am a 21 year old wife from QLD (originally from Perth) and I am deployed as a logistics officer in Afghanistan. I will always say a prayer for you and your family when I do my wishing.

PS. Thanks for the nail file, I needed one!
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Dear Sue,

Thank you very much for taking the time to make our laundry bags and offer them as gifts to us. They have been very well received by all here in Afghanistan. It is good to know that people at home are supporting us.  I am a carpenter by trade and my role is to ensure that the facilities in which we work and live are sustained to enable us to complete our mission.  All of us here are looking forward to a successful few months and returning home to our families in time for Christmas. Thank you again for your gifts and may you be safe and happy in your endeavours. Yours sincerely  
.....

I know that we all love to receive and read the thank you messages but tonight I want to appeal to you all to be really understanding over the next few months if you send off a quilt and do not hear back from it.  EVERYONE I am in contact with, and these days that is a lot of people of all ranks and positions, is BUSY.  Everyone without exception is telling me how much their work load has increased and how hard they are working and how long they are working.  Don't forget I am in communications with all sorts of people, from one end of the spectrum to the other and they are all saying the same thing - especially those in TK as they are trying to pack and sort and remove over ten years of accumulated STUFF.  So please, if you receive a thank you enjoy it.  If you don't please understand why and especially know that now, more than ever, our parcels are always appreciated.

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