Grati-Tuesday - 17th October 2023

Happy Tuesday Friends!

Only a few more sleeps to the Dinner everyone. Hope to see you there. 

In the meantime, here is this weeks Gratitude blog. Some great and heartfelt story's as usual!!

Grab a cuppa, sit back and enjoy some well deserved gratitude!

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Hi Sonia J,

 

I received a Laundry Bag made by you recently. I’m posted to HMAS Brisbane, and we’ve just left on deployment for a couple of months.

 

I just wanted to reach out and say thank you so much for the laundry bag, and for the generosity of yourself and all the AHQ volunteers. I’ve seen so many people with LBs and quilts over the years, but this was the first time I’d received one, and I can see why people love them so much now.

 

I met Jan-Maree when I went out to collect the LBs (all 120 of them!) for the ship, and we had a lovely chat about AHQ, and all of the wonderful work the volunteers do. AHQ really is one of those ‘feel good’ stories.

 

I’ve attached a photo of a few of us with our LBs out at sea yesterday – everyone loves them!

 

Thank you so much again.

 

All the best,

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Dear Deirdre BL,

I absolutely LOVED your Geeky Alien! When I opened the quilt, my husband was sitting down watching and I let out a little squeal when I saw the geeky alien and I said 'OMG LOOK ITS SO CUTE" - I absolutely love things that are cute. I also love how some of the fabric has sparkle in it because I also really love sparkle. I feel so privileged that I got to receive your quilt with your special geeky alien. I will look after it and treasure it. The whole quilt is fantastic, and I admire your skill and creativity.

I just returned from my deployment overseas in the middle east. It's nice to be home and comfortable again.

 I am really fascinated with space so my getting into IT was because of technology and hoping to one day work in the Australian space centre. I have been absolutely amazed at the technology of the Webb Telescope and how many galaxies it is finding, in one image they were able to locate 70 thousand galaxies that exist out in space. I cannot wait for the day that we find real life geeky aliens out there, probably a scary day but let's hope they're friendly like this one on the quilt!

Thanks again....

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Hi Barbara D,

Thank you for your lovely letter and the best quilt ever. I have been home a week now and settling back in to home and your quilt arrived two days after I got home. It was the best gift to settle back in to home with.

Your quilt was the perfect way to finish off what has been the best and most challenging six months. It was so perfect, down to every last detail. My husband says it reminds him perfectly of out time in Tindal. We were up there the last five years before moving. You captured all of our favourite parts. I am very keen to get out camping again now I'm home. Was also very excited to have a beer haha. I love the attic window design and it was the best way to reminisce all my favourite memories. I love the rodeo material in particular. I have been wearing my akubra since getting home. You are very correct with the love of fishing haha. I feel like you have captured me perfectly and spoiled me. 

Coming home to my Dachshund Teddy was the best feeling in the world, and there was definitely some tears.

You really made my trip perfect. Your sewing skills are exemplary and your kindness will never be forgotten. I will keep using it everyday. It is a great reminder of the last 6 months and the last 5 years. 

Hope you had an amazing weekend. Take care and my best to your family. 

All the best. 

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Hi Janine C,

Thank you so much for your time in making my Laundry bag.  I loved the patterns, I think my favorite animal would have to be the cute Koala. 

I am on board HMAS Stalwart, which is one of the Navy's auxiliary oiler replenishment ships. I have been on Stalwart for close to 2 years and in the Navy for close to 4. I love to travel and go to amazing ports in Australia and overseas, especially countries that Australians don't normally travel to. 

I grew up in Hobart, the landscape that you described in your email reminds me of home, but a lot colder being in Tasmania! I joined to Navy out of high school for an adventure and I am happy settled in outside of Perth, Stalwart's home port

It is an honor to have had Aussie Hero Quilts make me a Dhoby bag, and I will cherish it for my career.

Kind regards,

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Hello Barbara D,

 

Your gift is staggeringly beautiful and I could not have asked for a finer quilt.

 

I’ve lived in Townsville for 25 years. I moved up to James Cook Uni from NSW and never left. I love the North Queensland lifestyle and I never want to leave. I love the people and its proximity to tropical rainforest and beaches. 

 

I have studied a lot of botany and horticulture so I hope that explains the wish list of fabric patterns. You found some absolute gems and I am particularly impressed and humbled by your efforts with the orchid panel. And yes, there are several wild hibiscus in the Solomons. Not sure if they’re the same species as the ones around North Queensland but there are definite close affinities. I love the blend of colours, I can’t get enough of the green upon green upon green.

 

I have been out on a couple of exploratory trips in the last few months. I went to the US War Memorial when I first arrived and a few weeks back I went to the Vilu War Museum. We get an occasional Saturday off but, we work long days (and nights). History-wise, Guadalcanal is amazing. I went for a run a few mornings ago on the beach where the Battle of Alligator Creek happened with 900 Japanese killed. There are still a lot of remnants of war about the place and some of it is still dangerous. There are some world class snorkelling and dive sites on the other islands and some spots on Guadalcanal away from Honiara. Honiara is like many non-first world cities and not particularly well looked after. The community is making a massive effort for the Pac Games. The people here are wonderful. They don’t have much but they are probably the happiest people I’ve ever met.

 

I would very much like to encourage you to keep doing what you do.

 

We have three dogs and a cat. Two Scottie dogs and a rescue Staffie named Max. They are much loved. We have a rescue dog here in Honiara too. She gets a ridiculous amount of love from all members of the contingent who miss their families and their animals.

 

Again, I deeply respect and admire the work you put in to my quilt. It is a treasure and I love it.

 

Yours sincerely,

...

Good Morning/Afternoon Anne,

 

I am just writing to you to let you know that the laundry bag you sent me has arrived. It has found me whilst we are on deployment after we pulled into Darwin for a quick refuelling stop.

 

I thought it would be a stretch that you may know about Halo the Video game and the colours are not related but they coincidently work very well with the in game colours. The Games Hero “The Master Chief” is coloured in dull “Battle worn” greens and blacks so it works well. My Mum is an avid quilter since I was a teenager so I can appreciate some of what you go through trying to match colours and patterns.

 

I joined the Navy in 2006 at the age of 25 from Queensland and after 12 months of training and courses I was posted to my first warship HMAS Warramunga. Since then I have deployed on operations to the Arabian Gulf in support of the new (at the time) Iraqi government. The Gulf of Aden and Red Sea. I have also participated in Exercises with our allied nations as well as with our own Army and Air force.

 

In 2011 I met my wonderful future wife (although I didn’t know it at the time as we were friends first for about 2 years) who happens to be in the Navy also.) In 2016 we got married and a little under 12 months later welcomed our first child (a boy) into the world. My daughter joined us in 2020 just 4 days before my own birthday. While in the Navy I have been posted to every ANZAC Class Frigate with the exception of one and clocked up over 10 years combined sea time serving our country. When I have been posted ashore I have been posted to HMAS Stirling here in the west, Fleet Base East in Sydney back to the west then to Canberra before finally coming back to the west Half way through last year. At the end of next year I will be posting to HMAS Cerberus in Victoria. This may see out my time serving our country full time as I look to spend more time with my wife, son and daughter during what I consider to a very important and influential time in their lives. I have many interests and passions I may turn one or two of them into a second career.

 

There are a lot of AHQ quilts and LB's on board at the moment and it is great to see a bit of colour inside our usually very “Calming” (read bland) colour scheme inside the ship.  

 Stay Safe and thank you for the LB.

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Hi Jan-Maree,
My wife and I want to thank you for the lovely quilt
made on behalf of her father and my father-in-law.
It is a beautiful reminder of his service
Many thanks

Regards

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Good evening Hilary T,

 

Hope you are having a great week.

 

I am currently working in Butterworth for a three month rotation. I’m living in Sydney and based at RAAF base Richmond. Our chaplain has kindly gifted us laundry bag’s and I chose yours as it has lovely pink colours.

Thank you so much for sewing this beautiful piece.

Hope you have a lovely weekend

 

Kindest regards,

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Here is a photo of a quilt being presented to the recipient by his mate. We are told that he loved it!!

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Hello Ann S. 

Thank you very much for your laundry bag, I now have a better place to put my laundry instead of the floor. Thank you also for your letter, I enjoyed reading about your family, I hope they are doing well. Your father would of been a very tough man, my platoon recently spent 6 days in the jungle on a training course and it was very challenging to say the least. I can't imagine what it would of been like to fight and live in the jungle through WWII. Thank you for sharing some of your story with me. 

The bag is great quality. I will keep it for many years. Thanks again, your work is appreciated and I hope you and your family are well.

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Until next week keep your letters, emails and photos coming in.  

Tuesday's would be so totally boring without them!

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