Gratitude Post 2 Jan 2020

Hey all,

I meant to put this up last night but got caught up with work so here you are, better late than never. 

Happy reading. 

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The following message was left on Facebook this morning...

Thank you to Bridget for the amazing work on my quilt and laundry bag, Aussie Hero Quilts for your great support to Australian deployed personnel. It will be put to great use while deployed in Afghanistan, and a treasured memento to take home.

Thanks again..🙏

Dear Ellen,

I received your quilt in the mail today. It is absolutely fantastic. I am so impressed at the skill you have to be able to make it, and truly appreciate the time and effort that has gone into it.

Many of the pictures remind me of home, and actually made me a bit emotional! Thinking back, when I was ruminating about a theme for the quilt I had just been talking with my family at home on the farm. They had been preparing for harvest; my sister was going to be driving the header, my older brother would be driving the truck and my uncle would also be helping. My dad would, of course, be running the show. It is always the best time of year at home, long days working in the heat and dust, but always lots of fun, and always a few cold drinks at the end of the day even if it was past midnight. I don’t get back for many harvests these days, and I was feeling a bit melancholy at missing out on all the action, so thought I would like to have something that reminded me of the farm back home. The quilt has done exactly that.

My dad is a horseman who always wears an Akubra, so the man on the horse reminds me of him. It is always good to see a few sheep, and we have many windmills and tanks like that on our farm. The rest of the pictures around Australia remind me of something I think regularly over here: we live in the greatest country in the world and really should be grateful each and every day for that fact.

I enjoyed hearing about your travels, it sounds like a lot of fun. I also enjoyed hearing about your family’s military history. We have it good these days compared to what they’ve had to endure in previous generations. World War I history is an interest of mine and I’m always fascinated to read about and try to understand the conditions they were faced with; your grandfather would have experienced significant hardships and have had some great stories to tell. They just got on with it though, without too much fuss.

I have three little girls at home in Sale who are about the same ages as your grandchildren: 7, 5 and 2.  They received a kitten today as an early Christmas present which they’re over the moon about.  It is going to be very interesting. I don’t think things in our house will ever be the same again. I miss them and it will be hard missing out on Christmas with them, but I will be home in May and look forward to spending as much time with them as I can.

I hope you have a wonderful Christmas with your family. As my Grandpa always says, and I’m sure you’d agree, there is something special about daughters and I hope you get to spend some time with yours. My younger sister (not the header driving one!) is actually studying medicine at the moment. Believe it or not, she has four (that’s right, 4) kids, all under 7, one of them born only three months ago, and she has just passed her second year of uni with flying colours! She has always wanted to study medicine, so she is just getting on with it.

Thanks again for the quilt (and the letter). It’s something I will be able to keep as a reminder of my deployment for a long time. I hope you and your family have a great Christmas.

Regards,

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Dear Ellen,

This is just a quick note to say my husband, currently deployed with the RAAF, sent me a photo of the beautiful quilt you made for him. I was truly moved by such a generous gift. We will miss him tomorrow and I don't think the Christmas care package I sent will arrive on time so it brings me comfort to know he has received such a meaningful gift from you. Thank you and merry Christmas to you and your whole family.

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 Hello Lynne A

I would like to say a big thank you for the laundry bag and doona cover I just received - they look amazing and I love them, I really appreciate all the work you did  to complete the bag and cover 

I hope you, your family and friends  have a fantastic Christmas and New Year and thanks again for the items J

Regards 

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Merry Christmas Pennie,

This is a quick seasons greeetings to thank you for my laundry bag. I love it! It's exactly what I envisaged and the lion is 'amaze balls' to use one of our terms form something awesome!

I enjoyed reading your note. My Mum has been an A&E / Theatre nurse her entire career and she is still on call at 73! 

Good luck with learning to speak French. I am currently learning to speak German so keep trying a little here and there with the Germans on mission with varying levels of success! I have done the 10 countries in 28 days around Europe and love it too. In fact I will be taking my 'heartner' to Rome and Tuscany in June when my deployment is finished.

Thank you for all your efforts to support the troops and especially for my awesome laundry bag - to coin an Aussie phrase "That's going straight to the pool room".

Best wishes to you and yours over the Xmas and New Years

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Merry Christmas Beverley F,

I am an Officer in the Royal Australian Navy currently deployed to the Middle East Area of Operations. Things have been rather busy here but now on the verge of Christmas I wanted to express my gratitude to you.

Thank you very much for the Aussie Hero Quilt, and also for your letter. When I opened the package I was so impressed with the quilt, like it was an early Christmas present, and in recent weeks it became cool enough that I've been making good use of the quilt. The colours and themes, everything is just right - and it looks as good as a professionally made piece. Better, in fact, since it is unique. Thank you for the time and effort that you clearly put into the quilt. Your talent is easily apparent. Thank you again, Beverley.

For the remaining few weeks here I'll continue to use the quilt, and a few months after returning to Canberra I'm sure the quilt will see considerable use also. Not straight after arriving home, of course! I saw somewhere that Canberra was at, or around, 40 Degrees recently, and I remember last summer when it hovered around that level for what felt like weeks. Hopefully we get some cool - and wet - changes soon to help gain control of those horrible fires around the country. My hopes also that you and your extended family haven't been impacted by the fires. Thankfully my family in SE QLD are all okay, though the smoke is apparently ever-present.

From your letter it sounds like you have some deep ties to the military, with a great deal of honourable service by yourself and your family. I know well that time in uniform carries sacrifice for those closest to us, and am humbled by your story. On a more positive note, your adventures sound quite amazing, with all of the travel around the country and the world. I admit I have not traveled much for recreation for quite some time, though have been to many interesting places over the years. As you mention, there is much to see at home - and one of my Deployment Resolutions will be to take in more of the beauty to be found in Australia, after too many years of taking it for granted. Work has soaked up so much of my attention for so long, though I've been trying to find balance in recent years.

I joined the RAN in January 2002, and spent much of the first six-years posted to various ships based everywhere from Sydney in the east to Garden Island in the west, from Melbourne to Darwin. It was either classrooms or ships/boats for that time and beyond. Then a shore job arrived, and I found myself doing shift-work for several years at bases. Years passed, with more time on ships and more time ashore, with less shift-work and more routine work schedules. Until I found myself in the Canberra area six-years ago and have not posted from it, with at least another year there upon my return home. Most of the roles I've filled have been stimulating, and I've learnt so much from the thousands of people I have worked with and for over nearly 18-years. Several years ago I got back into study, completing my University Degree last month. It was challenging to juggle the demands but I am so glad I started the process then persevered through postings. In 2020 I hope to start some Post-Graduate study, and will be researching options over the next two days during our stand-down.

All the best to you and your family for the final stretch of 2019 and into 2020, and that you enjoy many more adventures & travels around the country and the world.

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Ruth

Thank you for your support, especially at this time of the year where being away is the hardest.

The laundry bag you made for me is great and has been put to use straight away. The effort gone in to making it is outstanding and certainly did brighten my day.

Wishing yourself and your family a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

All the best and thanks again,

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GDay Joan,

First and foremost, I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart for the blanket you made and sent. You were spot on; it was for my daughter who loves unicorns and pony’s. You could imagine I fell off my chair when I read your grand daughter’s name is the same as my daughter and loves unicorns.

I sent the blanket home to her just the other day. To say she loved it would be an extreme understatement! Your time and efforts were appreciated and to see the enormous smile on her face really made my day. Thank you

I can relate to your brother looking forward to news from home. I do admit we have it better now days with Skype and emails. Its nice to re connect with loved ones back home and keep abroad of home life.

50 years married! Well done. My wife and I had our 13^th while I have been away. It is the first time we haven’t been together for it. A pretty good claim being a Defence member.

To give you a quick in-sight into myself I am deployed in the Middle East Region from 2SQN Newcastle NSW. We make up a small maintenance team in charge of maintaining and supporting operations of the E-7A Wedgetail. It is a Command and Control aircraft that, once airborne, co-ordinates all the aircraft as they conduct their missions. I am an Avionics Technician and responsible for the electronic systems on the aircraft ranging from systems to allow the aircraft to fly safely to systems that allow the Wedgetail to achieve mission taskings. If you have 5 mins you can google the aircraft and you will see the distinctive white “surfboard” that is the aircrafts radar system used for these taskings.

Keep up the great work Joan. I can’t express the joy and love that is felt receiving a custom hand sewn quilt from a stranger, for no reason other than to say thank you. I’m proud to be here doing this job to contribute to the region and world stability and you have helped to make that job easier.

Thank you
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Dear Jean,

I was lucky enough to receive your beautiful laundry bag the other day – I absolutely love it! I love carrying it to the laundry room and showing it off.

I really enjoyed reading your letter. All the things you mentioned like your love of travel (esp. Africa) and your fur baby made me think of my mum as you both seem similar so it made it even more special for me.

Coffs Harbour is a beautiful spot.

A little bit about me- I am 32 and joined the RAAF about 2 and a bit years ago as a Personnel Capability Specialist (PCS). Like yourself I also love to travel and thought what better way to do it. It was something I always wanted to do, but had put it off as I had a beautiful boxer dog name Daisy who I couldn’t even think about being away from. My mum ended up looking after her while I completed my initial training in Wagga. I grew up on the south coast of NSW in a town called Nowra, about 2 hours south of Sydney. When I joined I was posted to 37SQN RAAF Richmond in Sydney, which wasn’t my first choice but I feel was a blessing in disguise as I was halfway between Mum and Dads place and have had some amazing opportunities already in my short career. I love my SQN and we do some amazing things. 37SQN is home to the C-130J Hercules and we are constantly helping out people in times of need with usually being the first to leave for any humanitarian aid missions and natural disasters, which makes me really proud to be a part of that.

I am currently deployed on Operation Accordion and based in the UAE. I am deployed as the OPS PCS with the C-130 detachment and I help organise air support across the middle east. I have only been here for a couple of weeks so still learning a lot, and is very different to back home, but everyone here seems very nice and helpful so that’s always a bonus!

Thank you so much for all the hard work you put into your quilting/sewing, it really puts a smile on all the people that receive them. It definitely brightens up my day to receive something that so much thought and effort goes into and will cherish forever (and will definitely be getting great use out of)

Thanks again!

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Good evening ladies,

I was quite surprised today to learn that had received a package in todays mail. What a wonderful sight it was when I opened it up and saw my beautiful quilt, Helen and Pat I would like to thank you for thank you both for taking the time to produce something that Iooks absolutely amazing.  I feel so honoured that I have received this quilt and it is on my bed tonight. When I get home it will be on show for all to see.

Helen and Pat I would like to thank you both for taking the time out of your busy schedule to create my awesome quilt. I wish you both all the success with your future competitions because I know that you will be taking home first prize for years to come.

Once again thank you both and take care of each other.

Kind regards,
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Dear Jo H,

Ma’am, I would like to thank you personally for creating my beautiful quilt.

I am nearing the end of my 6.5 month tour (in the Middle East Region) and my Roosters Quilt is one of my prized possessions. Thank you for taking into consideration what I had asked for, and putting your own spin on the design; you’re incredibly talented!

I could see the attention to detail and your creative spirit come to life when creating my quilt and thank you for sharing the photo with your friend.  It came in handy on Grand Final day, and I can assure you, This will hold a special place on my couch each season!

  

A little about me:

  

I have served in the Royal Australian Air Force for five years.  I am currently based in RAAF Amberley Queensland and am a Personnel Capability Specialist.

Whilst on deployment I worked in Base Operations as a Watchkeeper. It has been a rewarding experience to serve my country, and to work alongside other coalition forces and directly with the Host Nation.

Once again, thank you for making my time away from home that little bit easier.  I am proud to call myself an Australian, knowing there are people like you in our beautiful country.  To have volunteers who don’t know me personally, take the time to create something as beautiful as the quilt I have received, will stay with me for the rest of my life.

Kind regards

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Dear Susan,

Thank you so much for my amazing laundry bag. Probably one of the greatest presents I have received.  It made me smile knowing my idea made people laugh.

Your family sound beautiful. I have a two year old daughter. She will be turning three soon. My wife and I like to call her a threenager, she is very headstrong. People say she looks like me (poor thing).

My wife works in a pasta shop so our house is usually full of ravioli. It’s not pastries but still pretty good.

My role here is an aircraft life support fitter, I service and maintain all the equipment pilots use, like life jackets and emergency radios. I also provide them with equipment to use in the event of a crash, which lucky they haven’t had to use.

I hope you and your family have a safe and amazing Merry Christmas

Thank you again,
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Hi Toni!

I’m happy to announce that the laundry bag has arrived safe and sound. Thank you very much, the design is amazing. 

I also really appreciate the goodies and the letter - it gave me a good chuckle. 

Thank you once again. We cannot overstate how much we appreciate the help and support. 

Kind regards,

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This message was shared on Facebook recently, made my day. 

I don't have a pic to share but just wanted say I've used my Aussie Hero quilt as "my blanky" since 2013. It's kept me warm on exercises and lives on my sofa at home. Such a great memento so thanks again.

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Well that is all for tonight. 

I know we have both Defence members and Aussie Hero volunteers in areas that are threatened by the fires so please, wherever you are, whatever you are doing, stay safe.  

 Losing your home and your treasures to a fire is an awful experience, I know, but the most important fact remains that you can replace a lot of your possessions but you cannot replace people nor can you regain your health if you are injured or become ill so please look after yourself. 

Till next time.... stay safe wherever you are. 

Jan-Maree xx