Delivery day - 'Longmore Nursing Home' / Wednesday's Update Squares from Belgium!

Hello Everyone!

Thanks for visiting SIBOL today.  I have wonderful news for you all. 

Yesterday I rang Longmore Nursing Home near to where I live and I asked Zoe - The Manager if she would like a donation of 9 of our Sunshine Blankets.  Zoe  told me that she was short of Blankets and would be happy to receive them.  I arranged to call in at 2.30pm,  I had to drop my  Daughter back at work first.

I am really pleased she came home for lunch because I asked if she would take a photo of me 'just for the record!' I had been busy all morning getting the Blankets ready to take with me.

                                             9 of our beautiful Blankets all ready to go!

Here I am!

I went along to see Zoe and was invited into her office.  I told her why I wanted to start the project  because of my Grandmother and I also told her about YOU!

I  had a lovely chat with her, and she was most interested in hearing about the Squares. She couldn't believe that they came from all over the World as far as Australia and New Zealand to America, Canada and Puerto Rico! 

I made a point of telling her how each and everyone of you have taken my project on board and how much you have been enjoying it. I told her all about our Challenges and how very talented you all were! I couldn't have made so.... many Blankets if I hadn't of had the support from you all.  After we chatted I went outside to bring the box of Blankets in.

 I took the box of Blankets into the Reception of the Home and Zoe and all the other Staff just loved the Blankets. They thought they were absolutely gorgeous!  Once again I explained about our Challenges and showed her for example 'The Seaside Challenge - Beach Picnic' which they absolutely loved  and I also  showed her the Blankets by Posy Linda 'Butterfly and the Blanket called 'Damaris'.  If you remember these Ladies sent me enough Squares to make a whole Blanket!  The Staff thought they were really nice.

I had asked Zoe earlier if I could possibly have a few photos of her accepting the Blankets. I explained this was very important to me because I felt a certain obligation to you all for helping me with the project.  I wanted you to see where the Blankets had found their new home.  She couldn't have been more happier, so we walked through to the Conservatory part of the Home, to where the Christmas tree was standing!  On the way I said hello to some of the Residents and Zoe handed a few of the Blankets out to Ladies who needed them.  This really made my day as you can imagine because it was so nice to see who actually received them! It was nice to chat to the Residents because this made it all seem so worthwhile!

Here's a photo of Zoe and myself standing by the Christmas Tree!

Just at the other side of the Christmas tree was one of the Male Residents.  It was so nice to 'personally' hand him one of our Blankets.  I met his Wife too, and I actually read one of our SIBOL Gift cards to him.  I can't tell you how very interested the Gentleman was and also his Wife when I started reading your names out to them!  It also turned out that many years ago the Gentleman had actually had a workshop for his tools in my road, so we had a lot to talk about!  I have to send their thanks on to you Ladies, they were so...grateful to you all!  His Wife mentioned about having his Name Label put on, so this is probably something else we can do in the future!

I went over to the other side of the room afterwards and Zoe had handed out 'The Irish Sunshine Blanket' to a Lady sitting in her chair.  So I went over and said hello to her.  Zoe had explained about how everyone had made the Blanket but I went over it again.  We had a lovely conversation about Knitting and Crocheting.  You know when the Residents heard about which Countries had taken part they were so amazed! To think that these Squares had travelled all these miles! They simply couldn't get over it.  I said to them that I hope the Blankets bring a lot of warmth and enjoyment to them, and a smile to their faces knowing that each and everyone of you had done your own little part in bringing some comfort to the Elderly.

Quite importantly........The Residents asked me to thank you!  Quite a few said please thank everyone concerned.  So from them to me.   'THANK YOU!'

I had a  cup of tea and spoke to the Residents for a bit longer and then it was time to leave.  Before I left I asked Zoe and the Staff if they wouldn't mind having their photo taken. 

It's turned out to be a smashing photo and I'm sure you would all like to meet the Staff  who made my visit so nice. 

I know Zoe and her Staff will be reading the SIBOL site so once again thank you all for making my afternoon so special! I am so pleased you liked the Blankets, it's been an absolute pleasure to make them for you and I really hope the Residents get a lot of enjoyment from them.

Thank you very much for showing me around and for the hospitality!

From all of us at SIBOL,

Have a lovely Christmas!

You are all doing such a remarkable job yourselves for our Elderly folk and it was a pleasure to meet you all!

UPDATE WEDNESDAY

I'm very pleased to be showing you some Squares that came in from Belgium this morning. ATheeC (Tinka) and her Daughter 'Anneline' very kindly sent me these pretty Squares for our SIBOL project. 

Tinka has picked up her Crocheting after many years after reading about SIBOL, and it's so nice that she has also taught her Daughter Annelinde too!  Isn't that nice when Mother and Daughter share an interest together!

It's nice too that Annelinde has had a go at making one of the little Christmas trees. You will see it in the Slide Show I have made for them both.

Sit back Tinka and Annelinde and enjoy looking at your Squares and thank you so much!

I am still assembling Squares for the Jan Eaton Blanket.  There's a lot of work involved in this one, so I hope it's not too long before it's finished.  I will be putting another Block List up in the Side Bar as soon as it is finished I know you are longing to go on to the next set 26 to 50.

Thank you all so much for the wonderful comments on my visit to 'Longmore Nursing Home' I will do one of my special posts acknowledging you all, thank you!