continuing on.....

The next time I talked to kat I learned that, after I had described some of the ornaments I lost and told her the potato peeler story, she had taken on the "task" of decorating my tree...and had enlisted a couple other volunteers to help.

And THEN..it started.

Every day, when I went to the Post Office, there was a package waiting for me....and I started giggling.

I giggled,.... my friends began to giggle,....... my neighbors were giggling, ....my family was giggling..... and even the Post Mistress, by the fifth day..started giggling.

In the packages were an incredible array of USEABLE kitchen utensils...(alias tree ornaments)!!

I received a package from Jen-Ellen with a "small stuffed moose."(click on "documents")(sitting here on my computor now) and a shiny, delicately pretty thing...with a note attached saying "Any tree with a potato peeler on it, NEEDS one of these."

We ARE from the "back woods" here I guess...cuz none of us could identify it. (It's a "Cherry Pitter".)

Kat was sending what seems like a package a day herself, loaded with small treasures. I had whined to her months earlier about having no string....and there it was...a ball of string....a round "ornament".
And potholders....exactly like I had....the kind our children make, woven on a small loom....colorful and light enough for the tree. Not only did she send the potholders...she sent the loom itself with extra loops to make MORE potholders.
And Rick sent a beautiful carved leather "ornament".

And I took a lesson on RECEIVING..........bg

There's NO way I can list ALL the utensils and treasures I received...but will get the pictures "blue-clickied" so you can see them if you want.

When I called Sorcha to thank her for her package, it was CLEAR to me that she had thoroughly enjoyed, and was excited, about finding the stuff she did. Same when I talked to kat while she was packaging up "stuff" to send me. They both JUST kept giggling!!!

Kat's "project" was contagious here. I had all the utensils and treasures spread out on the table before Christmas..and they were gorgeous....!! And everyone who saw ALL of it, left giggling.

A neighbor, who usually goes to bed early, called me late at night..pretending to be angry..complaining that she couldn't get to sleep cuz she kept thinking of more "utensils" for my tree. My girlfriend came with a silver "hard-boiled egg slicer" in the shape of a chicken, my aunt sent a round gadget to separate egg whites from the yolks.....and everyone who brought something for the tree........giggled.

It's impossible for me to capture what you all did here.......not only in my own "heart smile" but for others around me as well.

My mother turned 92 in March. Christmas for her has not been "joyous" since my brother died. I want you guys to know, that she sat in my "new-old" home...and laughed, and giggled and laughed.......and SMILED!!!

It's a wonderful gift (laughter) you collectively gave....not only to me..but everyone around me as well.

THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ;o)))))))))))))))))

gotta stop writing for tonight here.....there's more.