Tissues at the ready please...

I hope you'll forgive my slight deviation from the truth >g< But we

>Hello? hello? is this thing on... (taps microphone...)
>I thought I'd better haul myself out from hiding under the pier to
>thank everybody involved for the most fantastic and beautiful HUG
>quilt that arrived with me today... I've been involved in making a few
>hug quilts in the dim and distant past, never ever thought that I
>would be in a situation where I would be the recipient...
>For those of you who are now scratching your heads trying to remember
>me, I was Suzie B, married to Paul aka Corporal_Bang... he left me 2.5
>years ago and we are now divorced and I've gone back to my maiden
>name, so I'm now Suzie H. Still living in sunny Southend on Sea, still
>within walking distance of the pier lol... still living by myself
>altho I do have a new fella who loves me to pieces and puts up with me
>so it's not all bad! Never thought I'd get over Paul, but time is a
>great healer - we still see each other from time to time and have
>remained friendly & are on speaking terms.
>I'm not quilting so much these days (hey who am I trying to kid, I've
>not picked up a needle for anything more than a hem for ages!) as my
>interests are now firmly in scrapbooking and papercrafting... however
>I still have enough patchwork fabric to go someways towards sinking
>the Titanic for a second time.
>Workwise I'm still with HM Revenue & Customs, but sadly lost my part-
>time job at the craft shop as it ceased trading in July due to the
>recession. I'm still looking for a replacement job, those bills won't
>pay themselves unfortunately.
>Right, thats enough hi-jacking of the newsgroup with waffle, back to
>MY HUG... I got home from work this afternoon to find a card from Kate
>saying that something was on its way to me from RCTQ, and there was
>also a red/white card from the Post Office to collect a parcel... it
>didn't even dawn on me to put 2 and 2 together until I got to the
>Sorting Office and he brought this huge box out (I was expecting a
>jiffy bag with some ATC's in it lol) On seeing the names and addresses
>of the senders on it and feeling the weight, I immediately knew what
>it was and choked up... its really hard driving home with tears
>streaming down your face...
>It actually took me a while to summon up the courage to even open the
>box, I almost waited for when my fella comes round later on but
>eventually decided to carefully open it - then took MY HUG into the
>bedroom, lay on the bed, wrapped myself in MY HUG and cried solidly
>for a long time, totally overwhelmed by my emotions... this beautiful
>quilt has been a long time in the making by the looks of things but it
>certainly doesn't diminish the love and affection that has been
>stitched into every single inch from friends from all over the
>world... there's blocks from the USA, Canada, Australia, Europe, UK;
>blocks made by my friends in the quilting world... the sashing and
>borders are purple and so is the back and its beautiful, absolutely
>beautiful. The quilting is amazing, it just brings the whole thing
>together.
>Did I say it was beautiful? well it is, and I feel very honoured,
>priviledged and very humbled to think that I have joined a rather
>special group of people who have received a very precious gift from
>quilters all around the world. We may never meet in person, we
>sometimes just know them as a usenet username, and its very humbling
>to think that they have taken some time out of their own lives to help
>create something that I will treasure forever. I will try and get
>pictures up onto my blog later on, and let you know my blog details,
>can't think straight right now...
>Ironically, the one person in my life who would understand exactly how
>I am feeling now is my ex-husband... he was involved with RCTQ from
>the sidelines for a long while and knew all about hug quilts... but
>this is a gift for me and I thank each and every one of you from the
>bottom of my heart. May each and every one of you always find a sharp
>needle and have your seams lie flat.
>With hugs,
>Suzie
>xx
>(who will try and stay un-lurked now - at least for a while!)

> Hello? hello? is this thing on... (taps microphone...)
>
> I thought I'd better haul myself out from hiding under the pier to
> thank everybody involved for the most fantastic and beautiful HUG
> quilt that arrived with me today... I've been involved in making a few
> hug quilts in the dim and distant past, never ever thought that I
> would be in a situation where I would be the recipient...
>
> For those of you who are now scratching your heads trying to remember
> me, I was Suzie B, married to Paul aka Corporal_Bang... he left me 2.5
> years ago and we are now divorced and I've gone back to my maiden
> name, so I'm now Suzie H. Still living in sunny Southend on Sea, still
> within walking distance of the pier lol... still living by myself
> altho I do have a new fella who loves me to pieces and puts up with me
> so it's not all bad! Never thought I'd get over Paul, but time is a
> great healer - we still see each other from time to time and have
> remained friendly & are on speaking terms.
>
> I'm not quilting so much these days (hey who am I trying to kid, I've
> not picked up a needle for anything more than a hem for ages!) as my
> interests are now firmly in scrapbooking and papercrafting... however
> I still have enough patchwork fabric to go someways towards sinking
> the Titanic for a second time.
>
> Workwise I'm still with HM Revenue & Customs, but sadly lost my part-
> time job at the craft shop as it ceased trading in July due to the
> recession. I'm still looking for a replacement job, those bills won't
> pay themselves unfortunately.
>
> Right, thats enough hi-jacking of the newsgroup with waffle, back to
> MY HUG... I got home from work this afternoon to find a card from Kate
> saying that something was on its way to me from RCTQ, and there was
> also a red/white card from the Post Office to collect a parcel... it
> didn't even dawn on me to put 2 and 2 together until I got to the
> Sorting Office and he brought this huge box out (I was expecting a
> jiffy bag with some ATC's in it lol) On seeing the names and addresses
> of the senders on it and feeling the weight, I immediately knew what
> it was and choked up... its really hard driving home with tears
> streaming down your face...
>
> It actually took me a while to summon up the courage to even open the
> box, I almost waited for when my fella comes round later on but
> eventually decided to carefully open it - then took MY HUG into the
> bedroom, lay on the bed, wrapped myself in MY HUG and cried solidly
> for a long time, totally overwhelmed by my emotions... this beautiful
> quilt has been a long time in the making by the looks of things but it
> certainly doesn't diminish the love and affection that has been
> stitched into every single inch from friends from all over the
> world... there's blocks from the USA, Canada, Australia, Europe, UK;
> blocks made by my friends in the quilting world... the sashing and
> borders are purple and so is the back and its beautiful, absolutely
> beautiful. The quilting is amazing, it just brings the whole thing
> together.
>
> Did I say it was beautiful? well it is, and I feel very honoured,
> priviledged and very humbled to think that I have joined a rather
> special group of people who have received a very precious gift from
> quilters all around the world. We may never meet in person, we
> sometimes just know them as a usenet username, and its very humbling
> to think that they have taken some time out of their own lives to help
> create something that I will treasure forever. I will try and get
> pictures up onto my blog later on, and let you know my blog details,
> can't think straight right now...
>
> Ironically, the one person in my life who would understand exactly how
> I am feeling now is my ex-husband... he was involved with RCTQ from
> the sidelines for a long while and knew all about hug quilts... but
> this is a gift for me and I thank each and every one of you from the
> bottom of my heart. May each and every one of you always find a sharp
> needle and have your seams lie flat.
>
> With hugs,
> Suzie
> xx
>
> (who will try and stay un-lurked now - at least for a while!)

> Hello? hello? is this thing on... (taps microphone...)
> I thought I'd better haul myself out from hiding under the pier to
> thank everybody involved for the most fantastic and beautiful HUG
> quilt that arrived with me today... I've been involved in making a few
> hug quilts in the dim and distant past, never ever thought that I
> would be in a situation where I would be the recipient...
> For those of you who are now scratching your heads trying to remember
> me, I was Suzie B, married to Paul aka Corporal_Bang... he left me 2.5
> years ago and we are now divorced and I've gone back to my maiden
> name, so I'm now Suzie H. Still living in sunny Southend on Sea, still
> within walking distance of the pier lol... still living by myself
> altho I do have a new fella who loves me to pieces and puts up with me
> so it's not all bad! Never thought I'd get over Paul, but time is a
> great healer - we still see each other from time to time and have
> remained friendly & are on speaking terms.
> I'm not quilting so much these days (hey who am I trying to kid, I've
> not picked up a needle for anything more than a hem for ages!) as my
> interests are now firmly in scrapbooking and papercrafting... however
> I still have enough patchwork fabric to go someways towards sinking
> the Titanic for a second time.
> Workwise I'm still with HM Revenue & Customs, but sadly lost my part-
> time job at the craft shop as it ceased trading in July due to the
> recession. I'm still looking for a replacement job, those bills won't
> pay themselves unfortunately.
> Right, thats enough hi-jacking of the newsgroup with waffle, back to
> MY HUG... I got home from work this afternoon to find a card from Kate
> saying that something was on its way to me from RCTQ, and there was
> also a red/white card from the Post Office to collect a parcel... it
> didn't even dawn on me to put 2 and 2 together until I got to the
> Sorting Office and he brought this huge box out (I was expecting a
> jiffy bag with some ATC's in it lol) On seeing the names and addresses
> of the senders on it and feeling the weight, I immediately knew what
> it was and choked up... its really hard driving home with tears
> streaming down your face...
> It actually took me a while to summon up the courage to even open the
> box, I almost waited for when my fella comes round later on but
> eventually decided to carefully open it - then took MY HUG into the
> bedroom, lay on the bed, wrapped myself in MY HUG and cried solidly
> for a long time, totally overwhelmed by my emotions... this beautiful
> quilt has been a long time in the making by the looks of things but it
> certainly doesn't diminish the love and affection that has been
> stitched into every single inch from friends from all over the
> world... there's blocks from the USA, Canada, Australia, Europe, UK;
> blocks made by my friends in the quilting world... the sashing and
> borders are purple and so is the back and its beautiful, absolutely
> beautiful. The quilting is amazing, it just brings the whole thing
> together.
> Did I say it was beautiful? well it is, and I feel very honoured,
> priviledged and very humbled to think that I have joined a rather
> special group of people who have received a very precious gift from
> quilters all around the world. We may never meet in person, we
> sometimes just know them as a usenet username, and its very humbling
> to think that they have taken some time out of their own lives to help
> create something that I will treasure forever. I will try and get
> pictures up onto my blog later on, and let you know my blog details,
> can't think straight right now...
> Ironically, the one person in my life who would understand exactly how
> I am feeling now is my ex-husband... he was involved with RCTQ from
> the sidelines for a long while and knew all about hug quilts... but
> this is a gift for me and I thank each and every one of you from the
> bottom of my heart. May each and every one of you always find a sharp
> needle and have your seams lie flat.
> With hugs,
> Suzie
> xx
> (who will try and stay un-lurked now - at least for a while!)

>Hello? hello? is this thing on... (taps microphone...)
>I thought I'd better haul myself out from hiding under the pier to
>thank everybody involved for the most fantastic and beautiful HUG
>quilt that arrived with me today... I've been involved in making a few
>hug quilts in the dim and distant past, never ever thought that I
>would be in a situation where I would be the recipient...
>For those of you who are now scratching your heads trying to remember
>me, I was Suzie B, married to Paul aka Corporal_Bang... he left me 2.5
>years ago and we are now divorced and I've gone back to my maiden
>name, so I'm now Suzie H. Still living in sunny Southend on Sea, still
>within walking distance of the pier lol... still living by myself
>altho I do have a new fella who loves me to pieces and puts up with me
>so it's not all bad! Never thought I'd get over Paul, but time is a
>great healer - we still see each other from time to time and have
>remained friendly & are on speaking terms.
>I'm not quilting so much these days (hey who am I trying to kid, I've
>not picked up a needle for anything more than a hem for ages!) as my
>interests are now firmly in scrapbooking and papercrafting... however
>I still have enough patchwork fabric to go someways towards sinking
>the Titanic for a second time.
>Workwise I'm still with HM Revenue & Customs, but sadly lost my part-
>time job at the craft shop as it ceased trading in July due to the
>recession. I'm still looking for a replacement job, those bills won't
>pay themselves unfortunately.
>Right, thats enough hi-jacking of the newsgroup with waffle, back to
>MY HUG... I got home from work this afternoon to find a card from Kate
>saying that something was on its way to me from RCTQ, and there was
>also a red/white card from the Post Office to collect a parcel... it
>didn't even dawn on me to put 2 and 2 together until I got to the
>Sorting Office and he brought this huge box out (I was expecting a
>jiffy bag with some ATC's in it lol) On seeing the names and addresses
>of the senders on it and feeling the weight, I immediately knew what
>it was and choked up... its really hard driving home with tears
>streaming down your face...
>It actually took me a while to summon up the courage to even open the
>box, I almost waited for when my fella comes round later on but
>eventually decided to carefully open it - then took MY HUG into the
>bedroom, lay on the bed, wrapped myself in MY HUG and cried solidly
>for a long time, totally overwhelmed by my emotions... this beautiful
>quilt has been a long time in the making by the looks of things but it
>certainly doesn't diminish the love and affection that has been
>stitched into every single inch from friends from all over the
>world... there's blocks from the USA, Canada, Australia, Europe, UK;
>blocks made by my friends in the quilting world... the sashing and
>borders are purple and so is the back and its beautiful, absolutely
>beautiful. The quilting is amazing, it just brings the whole thing
>together.
>Did I say it was beautiful? well it is, and I feel very honoured,
>priviledged and very humbled to think that I have joined a rather
>special group of people who have received a very precious gift from
>quilters all around the world. We may never meet in person, we
>sometimes just know them as a usenet username, and its very humbling
>to think that they have taken some time out of their own lives to help
>create something that I will treasure forever. I will try and get
>pictures up onto my blog later on, and let you know my blog details,
>can't think straight right now...
>Ironically, the one person in my life who would understand exactly how
>I am feeling now is my ex-husband... he was involved with RCTQ from
>the sidelines for a long while and knew all about hug quilts... but
>this is a gift for me and I thank each and every one of you from the
>bottom of my heart. May each and every one of you always find a sharp
>needle and have your seams lie flat.
>With hugs,
>Suzie
>xx
>(who will try and stay un-lurked now - at least for a while!)