WOYWW 469

No asterisk this week - wonder how many of US will remember to publish our names without it?

Well our ninth anniversary has come and gone in an avalanche of mail that the poor posties had to deliver as best they could whilst we bloggers sent out atc's all over the place.  These were nine of mine, sent out on the day in case my Pif was the same person as one I had agreed to swap with.

These were the same ones but in their little covers

There were a couple more but when I went to look at the photograph just now they had a big shadow over them, sorry.  And I forgot to take a photo of one of the ones sent to my Pif (all will become apparent when she posts as to why there were two).

Anyhow I sat and waited patiently for my collection to build up and it was exciting each day the postie called (asking me why I got so much post?).  Want to see what I got?  Course you do!

From the top left:- Angela (Felix the Crafty Cat), Julia (Boss Lady), Cindy (Plants List), Nikki (), Annie (Wipso), Shaz (Silverwolf), Zsuzsa (Inkydinkydoodle) and Sarah (Sarah's Craft Shed).

Apologies for it being a bit "skew-wift" but it was the third time they had been scanned and I gave up.  Top left again working across - Margaret (Glitter & Glue), Jan (LLJ), Jo (Twiglet) and Heather (Heather's Crafty Retreat).

A feast for the eyes?  Thank you so much everyone, and thank you to those who included all those little extras, the lovely cards, tags, envelopes and things.  I did intend writing and thanking every one of you individually but I had a dreadful ending to the week.  I am not functioning at all well at the moment.  I will try to get around to writing this week.

However, my desk - trying to make a sympathy card but not managing it as yet - struggling

Most of you will remember that I go to CHA/Creativation each January and stay with my friend Mary in California.  Remember me showing you my temporary desk on many occasions whilst I was there - her huge room of tables for classes?  Some of you may know that Mary was ill last November with Bullous Pemphigoid as a result of an infusion against osteoporosis and she didn't actually go to CHA this year but we still stayed with her, on her insistence.  Little did I know when I said "Bye" to her in February that I would not see her again.  Mary gave up her fight on Saturday and I am heartbroken.

I cannot begin to make you believe what a truly wonderful lady she was.  I only met her through a card making group we both were on when she casually (or so I thought) asked me what my plans were for my next visit to CHA.  She opened her home and her heart to us and so we stayed with her each year for the next eleven years, twice one year when she lost her home and I realised how lonely she was as her family were scattered around in temporary accommodation, for so many of them had also lost their homes.

Mary was so generous, she had the biggest heart and would never see anyone without a roof over their heads.  She opened her house to numerous people having parties for anyone who wanted to host a large gathering - her son's Super Bowl Party became an annual event and we were lucky to be there for most of them - a neighbour's special birthday - Stamping Parties (January/February ones she roped me in to do - when I made so many friends as a result) so many occasions this wonderful generous lady would welcome folks into her home.

Just before she was ill she went down to Pasadena giving card making classes to women who had been less fortunate than many of us.  It didn't matter to Mary that some of them had earned a crust living on the streets or committing horrendous crimes, they were trying to better themselves and her love was there for them to see - and they loved her for it.  I was supposed to be going with her this year but obviously it didn't happen.  We both thought there was next year.

I remember many times she would see someone begging on the street and would wait and cross busy thoroughfares to give them some money or stop the car at a junction to reach out and hand some 'green bills' to someone obviously out of work or homeless.

She was in many groups of card makers and the one I knew her in will miss her because she was such a bighearted, generous and loving member - no - more than a member, she was a 'stalwart' helping Cath the listmom in any way she could.  She always sent a birthday card to every single member and there was always a little rubber stamp inside the envelope. That was friendship, and then there was the "Sunshine Group" she ran.  If anyone was really ill or something had happened in someones' life where they needed "Sunshine" Mary was your man!  She had a little band of us she would contact and we would send off cards to that person.  No reasons needed be given, it was just to cheer someone up.

She did so many other things too, and I cannot sit and list them all here - I don't remember half of what she did but I do know that there will be a big hole in a lot of hearts now that she has passed.  

There have been many tributes from people on Facebook and her nephew Tim described her as "the glue that held us all together" and went on to say that everyone should have an aunt like her in their life.  A fitting tribute for a beautiful, wonderful, generous and most loving lady.  (Thank you Tim, it was beautiful)

I will miss you more than you know

RIP my lovely friend

God Bless you.

A favourite photograph taken a long time ago

Me, Mary (stood at the back), Carole