20th Anniversary of 9/11 and a new found friend

Today is the 20th anniversary of 9/11. Where were you that day and do you remember what you were doing?

I clearly remember what I was doing. We had moved to Adelaide, South Australia and had been to a meeting. I was already asleep. A friend from South Africa who was living in Sydney (Celeste Hendricks) called and Michael answered the phone, to let us know that planes had flown into the Twin Towers.

Michael woke me up and I remember the time well, it was 1am. I wasn't working at the time. Michael had to go to bed to get up for work, I stayed up and was glued to the tv in shock, I didn't sleep for 2 days. Just watching and being in shock and scared because Michael is American and we were scared that we would be targeted as we are allies with the US.

So this is about the people of Gander who opened their homes and hearts to the 38 planes that were forced to land there on this day. Some good stories have come out of this tragedy and this story is about Nick and Diane strangers who met on the flight.

NBC - Ganders enduring bond with US over 9/11

Sydney Morning Herald

Capital of Kindness

I was stranded in Newfoundland

How Gander provided sanctuary on 9/11

Why am I telling you all of the above? Well there is a link to Newfoundland. A few weeks ago I saw a news article on Facebook about an iceberg that was taken in 2017 by Doreen Dalley. Its an incredible photo and I post it here with her permission. 

Doreen lives in a town called Twillingate which is smaller in population than the island I live on. I met my own truly wonderful person from the famous Newfoundland. If they are as generous as she is as the news articles say then I have met all those wonderful generous souls on 9/11.

I looked her up on facebook and sent her a message about how gorgeous her photo was and what a wonderful legacy she has left us with her gorgeous photos and that she should make them into postcards.

I then explained about POSTCROSSING and how we sent each other postcards from across the world. To my surprise she said she would send me the photos so I could print them to send around the world. That to me is true generosity and trust from a stranger she just met in writing far across the world. 

I hope one day I get to travel to Newfoundland and meet Doreen and all these wonderful people who gave their all on this tragic day that brought the worst and best out of humanity.

Thank you Newfoundland and Gander and all that helped and gave so generously.

A World of Snail Mail - September Week 2 challenge

Week 2 of Snail Mail September - Mail a letter from a new to you Postbox. 

I went to one of my local supermarkets and at the other end of the row of shops I saw for the first time a letter box. I posted my Week 1 mailings there. 

Week 2 - Use an Interesting stamp to mail something

I believe we have gorgeous stamps in Australia. I used some local ones hence the extra stamps 

I put on to cover that . I didn't complete the envelope address for confidentiality reasons. 

It's like a crossword puzzle lol

Week 2 - Write a letter/postcard in coloured ink

Jack Annall turned 101 and his daughter lives in Australia. Of course with covid and restrictions flying overseas restricted or at a stand still she couldn't get over there to celebrate with him. So the beautiful staff sent our an SOS to have cards send to him to cheer him up. Here is a video of what was sent in.

He survived WWII  and covid twice and received 5000 cards. Here is a link to read all about it

Week 2 - Decorate mail in seasonal colours

#snailmailseptember2021

 

5 Questions from InsomniaQueen July 2021

 I received this delightfully decorated envelope from a new online group I joined in June for letter writing. A great covid stress relief hobby for me and finding new friends online. You write 5 questions and someone replies to them.

This is the front of the envelope, the address part got abit wet so the writing is starting to fade.

This is the back. 

I love the notebook she wrote in, in answer to my 5 Questions.

A World of Snail Mail - September Week 1 challenge

Not long ago I joined an online group called A World Of Snail Mail because I love sending and receiving Snail Mail. During September there is this challenge that we can do with snail mail so I took it on to take my mind off some personal challenging news.  

Week 1 - Decorate an envelope for a letter you'r emailing. This envelope is also in another challenge for August in Decorated Envelopes that I have participated in a while ago and loved it. This letter is going to George who is the husband of Jean Wilson who organises the decorated envelopes.

Week 1 - Write to a family member. This postcard is going to my youngest daughter in Melbourne. I haven't seen her for awhile because of covid restrictions. The postcard is of  kombucha I have made in various flavours of passionfruit, strawberry, lemon and ginger, raspberry and jaboticaba.

Week 1 - Write a letter outdoors. This is going to MIL in US, its a photo of the milk pail sitting on her front step that I took when I was last there in 2019. The view is of our backyard and the many fruit trees I have planted in pots until I decide where I would like them permanently planted.

Week 1 - Send a postcard to someone you haven't seen in awhile. This one is going to a dear friend in Canberra that is the best home cook I know. Nola Murdock has taught me so much when it comes to cooking and she has a heart of gold. 

#snailmailseptember2021

Sticky Rice Dumpling

Some great friends of mine are great Asian cooks, something I didn't learn from my grandma or mother. We lived in Fiji so we cooked westernised foods or island foods.

I have wanted to learn authentic Asian dishes and these friends are great at that.

So over to Lily's house in Mar 2020 (before covid started to make its stand). Doris is a great chef and taught at TAFE.

The diners enjoying the days work. Did you notice we weren't eating sticky rice lol. I think we had chicken and fried rice

When this family cooks they cook hahahaha. We made over 100 parcels

The ingredients to make savoury Sticky Rice Dumplings

Top to bottom: Red beans in yellow bowl, uncooked rice in green bowl, peanuts in silver bowl, boiled eggs in white plate, chestnuts soaked in water overnight, raw pork clear container, Asian pork sausages in silver bowl and bamboo leaves soaked in water overnight in rectangle silver dish

The wrapping part was tricky. Its a skewed triangular shape. I will show how its wrapped in the next post as its photo heavy