Grati-Tuesday

Greetings all.

Turns out that quite a few people are keen to be part of the next Mystery Quilt so I am in the process of getting another one sorted.  If you would like to be part of it please send me a stamped self addresses envelope to 

Aussie Heroes - Mystery Quilt

PO Box 248

Cherrybrook  NSW  2126

I will send you a piece of fabric and some instructions and you only need to make one block and send it back to me.  No mad rush deadline but if you could send it back reasonably quickly that would be great.  This one will be easy peasy and lots of fun, I promise.

And now, how about some thank you messages.

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G’Day Su,

I can’t express to you the surprise and absolute pleasure I had in receiving your very special gift. I can only begin to imagine the amount of time you have spent in creating this wonderful quilt and laundry bag. There is no doubt that you have a special flair and creativity that enables you to produce such wonderful works of art. I am a Sci-Fi geek (its sad, I know) and love the Battlestar, Star Trek and Star Wars inclusions all over the quilt. I had a good laugh and the star date and your explanation on finding a conversion table on the web.

When I told my wife about it she immediately asked me to send a photo so that she could show our four children (12, 10, 8 and 5). I can tell you now Su, that it will never end up as a dog's blanket or the like as it has been claimed on my return by all four of our kids.

The real culprit is one of my room mates here. His wife had arranged for a quilt and laundry bag to be waiting here for him on his arrival and after seeing it, I joked with him in saying that it must be a mistake and it was probably addressed to him by accident when it was really meant for me. He obviously mentioned it to his wife and next thing I knew, your gift arrived.

In closing Su, again let me again express to you my gratitude for all of the work and thought you have put into both the laundry bag and quilt and you can be assured that they will remain a treasured item in the XXXX household.

Sincerely

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Dear Lenore,

Thank you for the amazing quilt and washing bag that arrived ten days ago.  I showed the guys in the office and they were also very impressed. It will definitely come in handy over here as it does get cold now that it is coming into winter. For your first quilt, you have truly set the standard high, the dark green and the other side ,with all the animals and elements, definitely reminds me of some of the beautiful parts of Australia. 

I have enclosed a photo of myself with the quilt. I hope you like it. I am the one standing on the right. It took a couple of attempts to get the photo, and I wanted something special, thus the slight delay in replying, but it was well worth it in the end. 
(waiting for approval to publish the picture!)

The washing bag has come in very handy as I use it constantly. Hopefully it will accompany me on a couple of more deployments to come.

I would like to also thank you for your kind words and thoughts. I have been in the army for 30 years and have worked along side some of the best people who loved what they do and enjoyed their time helping others.  This is the first time I have received such a personal gift and am honoured to have received your first one. Please continue making the quilts and passing them on to soldiers like me, as it reinforces our belief that Australians do support us and they appreciate the hardships that we face while on deployment.

As they say in the movie " The Castle" this is going straight to the pool room.

I wish you and your husband a safe and adventurous journey around Australia, it really is a great country, as I have been basically on every major road and small one except from Darwin to Perth via Broom. Once again thank you for  your time, effort and thoughtfulness.

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Dear Joan & Robin

I have just received the laundry bag that you made for me. It is great and blends nicely with my miss-matched decor. Thank you so very much for your time and effort. What you and no doubt many others do for serving members on deployment is fantastic and very much greatly appreciated. With regards 

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Dear Leanne, I got my quilt today and It is absolutely amazing I love it so much!!  :) 

Thank you again it is so kind of you and in great time as its just cooling off.
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Julie-Ann,

 Thank you so much for the laundry bag. It is magnificent and extremely well received. I greatly appreciate the time, effort and support of all you guys involved with AHQ, as do all those members who receive both the Quilts and Laundry bags. As a Bronco's fan, I cannot fault the logo and to have something as unique as this will only serve as a reminder of my time here too and something you cannot get at the merchandise store, so an exclusive product too.

Once again, thank you for taking the time to make this wonderful item for me, plus the treats were enjoyed with gusto, the Fantails particularly went down quickly.

All the best to you and I am proud to serve my country, especially for people such as you who support us in such a rewarding way.

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Dear Maree,

I have recently received your quilt safe and sound, thank you so much. 

You also guessed correct on the song, which is a little embarrassing as I do enjoy my music. Although I'm not familiar with the song I appreciate the Aussie symbolism, I am a bit of a Holden car enthusiast and I definitely enjoy good meat pie from time to time. I would also like to say that a number of the other boys here were quite jealous of my quilt and how Aussie it is which makes me really appreciate the effort you have gone to on my account.

It has been a long awaited opportunity to come here and serve my country and I am very proud to have done so but the countdown has begun until we leave and I am really looking forward to being home. Once again I would like to thank you for the quilt and the support, it is reassuring to know that it's not just our direct family and friends thinking of us over here.

Yours sincerely

XXXXX 

P.S. I'm sure I will think of you and my quilt the first time I jump into my Holden ute and drive down to the bakery for a pie.

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Dear Maree,
      Thank you so much for the quilt it is AWESOME :). Its just coming up to winter now and a extra layer is needed, its also just lovely to receive a box from time to time. It means a great deal to me that you put in such time and effort into support the ADF over here and makes me realise there are still quite a few kind hearted people in Australia thinkinking of us here. Its really good to hear about you putting so much back into the community through all of your volunteer work. Thanks you again for your quilt it is really good :).
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For Debbie

Thank you for the quilt and the laundry bag.  Greatly appreciate it. It is already on my bed keeping me warm as it is getting colder over here.

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Jan Maree

I have received my awesome quilt and Laundry bag. Love the storm design, the other guys are quite jealous.  They are both fantastic and I appreciate the work you guys put into these gifts. If really makes you realise that we do have the support behind us.

Thanks again
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Allow me to introduce you to Alf.  

He was the inspiration for the following quilt.

Hi Jan-Maree,

We're in luck! I have received the quilt for Alfie and it is awesome!
The guys had got the package whilst I was away and put it in a safe place for me but no one told me that they received it. After some cleaning up of the work place it was discovered under the table, behind a set of drawers.
All is good and its now with me, I really like the designs and I think Alfie will too.

Thanks again to you and everyone back there, you all are doing a fantastic job! 

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Hi Jennifer L,

 I am  in the army and posted  the middle east on

operations and received the lovely laundry bag that you made.

I wanted to drop you a line and say thank you very much for it and it is very much appreciated.

Please let your grandson know that I very much like the fabric he picked.

Kind Regards

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Hi Pam Y,

Just wanted to say a huge thank you for the laundry bag. It makes a big difference over here the things you all do. Certaintly has made it much easier to find my washing in the laundry.  It is fantastic to hear about people like you who devote so much time to brightening up someone's else's day. Hope you and the family are well.

Thanks

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Hello Pam,

Sorry this letter is very late coming, I could say I have been very busy, which is correct, however I should have found the time earlier to send this letter.  Thank you very much for my Hero Quilt.  I am very much appreciative of the efforts that went into making it.  Please thank Carolyn, Jan-Maree, Rita C, Laurel and Liz B (also for my laundry bag).

I am on my way home in two weeks and am very much looking forward to seeing family and friends.  This is my third deployment (different operations) and I could say I am used to it, but when you know there are only two weeks left you realise how much you miss home.....

Thank you again Pam, the quilt will always be special to me.

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Dear Jan,

Thank you so very much for the support and hard work that you and all the other ladies around Australia do for us.  The quilt is lovely and will get a lot of use this coming winter.  

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Dear Jan-Maree,

I just received my quilt from Kiwi Karen which reminded me that I had not yet passed on my thanks to you or Bev from Bendigo for my Kiwi Laundry Bag. Can you please pass on my thanks to Bev for all her hard work and generosity for the gift I received. I was really surprised to receive the laundry bag and other goodies right until I read about the 'little birdie' who had spilled the beans. Our 2IC is a good bloke and the surprise concocted by you and him is much appreciated.

It was great to read a litlle about your family and your previous military service. Having thoroughly enjoyed my military service, I can somewhat understand why you have devoted yourself to Aussie Hero Quilts. In my humble opinion, it is you and your fellow quilters who should be commended for your service and support to our troops - A big well done.

Well Jan-Maree, I really appreciate all your efforts in supporting us. I wish you and all your team well and I will try and get you a photo of my quilt for your website.

Kind regards

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and from the same fellow to Karen

Kia Ora Karen,

I just received the amazing quilt you made for me and I just cannot believe the effort and generosity you and your fellow quilters put into these beautiful pieces. A very big thank you from me and I will certainly treasure my quilt. Can you also please pass on my sincere thanks to your Aunty Mary and Daughter Pene for their contributions. It was great to know about the story behind the quilt. You certainly sound like a busy lady, and dedicating your quiet moments to Aussie Hero Quilts means a lot to me and other serving men and women who have received similar gifts.

Well Karen, I cannot thank you enough for your gift. That reminds me, thanks heaps for the biscuits and lollies, I actually use to go past the Griffinns factory every day during my teenage years, so the biscuits brought a smile to me face. I cannot promise a photo of my quilt but I will try my hardest to get you one for the website.

Kind regards 

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

JMxx