Grati-Tuesday 24 Feb

Tonight's gratitude post is a little shorter than normal and no photos this time so I picked two photos of the quilts mentioned to include. Please forgive me for not digging out a photo to go with every thank you message but I can't always do that quickly and I am off to get everything ready for the ladies who are coming to sew tomorrow at my home.  Lots to do.

Enjoy!

For a quilt made by Robyn R

Good morning,

XXXX arrived home safely yesterday. We are so excited and pleased to have her home. One of the first items she unpacked was her quilt and laundry bags.  They are beautiful and she loves them immensely. Her little boy grabbed her quilt from me and lay down on it immediately!

XXXX says they are all very grateful for all of the efforts of your group.

Thank you so very much for caring for our defence members.

A very happy mum

.....

Dear Maree and family,
Thank you very much for the laundry bag. It was a lovely surprise just before Christmas. I love the bright colours and especially the Australian flags. I'm working with a lot of people from the British Army so it will help me remember where I'm from! Despite being winter the weather is actually quite good. It is generally 10 - 15 C during the day and -4 at night. Our accommodation is a bit cramped but comfortable. I share with a female British Captain and we get along well. Christmas day was good here and the Aussies got out and played cricket which was fun. We had a visit from our Commander and a great Christmas lunch as well.

I hope your family had a great Christmas. Enjoy your holidays! Happy New Year!

.....

Dear Stephanie D, 

I am currently serving in the Royal Australian Navy. We are currently on deployment for just over 6 months in the Middle East region. 

I have just received the fantastic laundry bag and I am over the moon with it. You have clearly put a lot of hard time consuming work into it and I am extremely grateful. To have something like this bag made just for myself and to be sent all the way over here to me is something I will hold very valuable. Doing my washing from now on will be like going down memory lane and of course the great person behind it. 

Once again I thank-you very much for the great work you have put into it and I couldn't have asked for a better bag. 

Kind regards, 

.....

Good afternoon Glenys,

I would like to thank you for the time and effort you put into making amazing personalised laundry bag with the my initials on it and such a beautiful quilt. (I really like the Australian Theme). 

Both items have really brightened my day and my room and now I feel that I don't have to go searching for my laundry bag as I'll always know where it is.

Kind Regards, 

.....

Hello Debbie,

First of all I would like to apologise for the length of time it has taken me to respond to your letter.

Secondly, words can not describe how impressed and excited I was when I received my package. 

I was blown away. When I initially put my request in I was very excited to see what the end result would be like. I'm still currently deployed, and I have the blanket cover on the bottom of my top bunk so that I can see it when ever I'm in bed. I enjoy my family very much and miss them deeply.  When at home I like to enjoy my downtime with them, as well as my Xbox.

Again thank you very much. 

.....

Dear Joan,

Many thanks for your latest consignment of laundry bags to HMAS Success.

Amazingly, all three boxes arrived intact and together! It was great to see the mail come up over the side during our latest port visit - in Salalah, Oman. The bags will all go to good homes on the ship over the next few days, and I will encourage the recipients to drop you a note in due course.

Thanks again for your support of Aussie Hero Quilts, the ADF, and HMAS Success in particular - it means a lot to us as we spend so much time away from home and our loved ones.

With all good wishes,

.....

Dear Grace,

Many thanks indeed for the consignment of laundry bags you sent for members of our ship's company. The package arrived safely while we were alongside in Salalah, Oman - which is a long way from Tasmania! 

I will pass on your greeting and good wishes to the crew, and I'll be encouraging the recipients of your bags to make contact with you via email in due course. I would expect the laundry bags will be distributed in the next day or so.

Again, many thanks, and our very best wishes.

.....

Hello Julie-Ann,

Just a quick email to thankyou for the wonderful laundry bag. It's just what I need. I really appreciate the time you've taken to make it and I am most grateful.  Oh and the lollies are of great use as well - thanks again.

My mother-in-law down in Melbourne is also a keen quilter and my wife sews, so I guess it all runs in the family my end. It keeps them all happy which is fine - I can head off to the shed with the father-in-law and we can have a beer, swear and generally sort out where all the pollies are going wrong .....

Anyway, I must close for now, so thanks once again for your kindness - it is genuinely appreciated and every time I do my washing I'll be thinking of you !!  I should be home in time for ANZAC Day - been over here since before Christmas.

Kind regards,

.....

Good Afternoon, (well - here anyway) Cassandra,

I have just received my quilt and laundry bag and safe to say, I LOVE LOVE LOVE THEM !!!!! Thank you so much for investing the time and effort to make these for me, I love mail days, and this has definitely made my day ! 

Can't wait to get back to my 'tent' and check out the quilt properly, you would think working in the desert would make it far too hot for the use of these .... well you should feel how cold those tents get haha .

I'm currently working in the Logistics section supplying aircraft parts to the Super Hornets (FA-18F) that Australia currently has deployed. 

We are on 12 hour shifts 8am-8pm and 8pm-8am, we do 2 week rotations of these ... coffee is definitely a staple source haha . This is my first deployment and although I do miss home, I am trying to take every experience on board and make the most of it.

When I get a spare chance I will definitely jump online and check out your webpage :)

Thanks again, funny how such small things make such a big impact when you are away from home . This is a keepsake and I will definitely cherish it ! 

Enjoy the rest of your week :)

Kind regards

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

Jan-Maree xx