This Present Time

The past few weeks have been difficult -  many sad news stories [covid, the refugee crisis, the murder of little Arthur] family health issues, the deer-strike damaging the car - and most of all, losing Gillian. We got back from Essex both feeling quite drained, acknowledging the need to take it easy for a bit, maybe even spoil ourselves a little.

And there at 11pm on Wednesday night, we arrived to find a parcel waiting, addressed to me. i did not recognise the handwriting, I wasn't expecting anything. How intriguing! Bob made a pot of tea, and also filled two hot water bottles to warm the bed [with water that is, not tea] and I found a pair of scissors to open the packet carefully.

Look at this lot...

A lovely selection of crafty bits and pieces from Anne, a longstanding blogging friend in Scotland. How did she know my address, I wondered. Then I worked it out - she'd have found it on the Postman Pat package, as she was the next hostess on his journey...

I am utterly thrilled with the contents

• a McCalls pj/nightie/dressing gown pattern - I can certainly see myself using this for Rosie. If not for nightwear, these are good basic shapes for dressing up clothes. It's age 7+, and she is almost 6.
• A crochet magazine and a macramé pattern book

• five knitting booklets with all sorts of patterns I'm itching to try out
• A pretty floaty scarf printed with butterflies [Gillian adored butterflies, how poignant to have received this on the day of her Thanksgiving]

and finally a card with a beautiful message on the back, and a picture of a songbird in the snow on the front.

This present was such an unexpected delight - and Anne's timing was perfect. It really lifted my spirits at the end of a long hard week. I think we've been blogfriends for more than ten years, and this little gift is an indication of her continuing kindness, she knows how I love crafty stuff. I will never be as good as crochet as she is though! I still get compliments when I wear the crochet flower brooch she sent me many years ago.

I shall really enjoy sitting down with a cuppa and going through these carefully. My stash of baby knits is zero right now, and I do like to have a few bits and pieces on hand in case I hear of another precious little one arriving. [It will make a change from sewing birds for Etsy - they have been flying down to the village post office frequently since I posted the ad] 

Thank you Anne for your thoughtfulness, and brilliant timing. Such friendship is precious.