Letters in the sand...

No comment from me! ...

A special post from Tommy Tippetts' Blog!

A post from Tommy's site dated: Tuesday, 28 Feb 2012

Day 39

Shortly after sunrise this morning I reached 1275 miles rowed which means I am now halfway! All downhill from here now...!

Although the weather over the last 10 days has slightly hindered progress, it’s great to have reached when I am. Now no longer leaving the Canaries but starting to work my way down towards Barbados, I will be hoping to catch some days up with the more stable weather and the challenge is to row the second half faster!

Since my last blog the weather has picked up and moved into the NE/ENE which has been good, although it has dropped again over the last 24 hours. The N swell that I was expecting from the storm near to the Azores never materialised which I am thankful for as it would have made for a fairly uncomfortable time and the winds turned meaning I was able to make some good progress south anyway.

Sunday afternoon brought with it my closest encounter with a cargo ship so far. The 274m ‘Genmar Spartiate’ (what a name) came within 1.7 miles of me and at that distance was a pretty impressive sight! I had a good chat with the Captain, Bridge to Bridge as it were, who told me they were sailing from Angola to Philadelphia with 1m barrels of crude oil on board. It took a bit of time for him to understand what I was doing out here and that I had no sails or engine but then wished me well on my way and that was that. Hopefully I won’t be getting any coming too much closer anyway, it is an awesome sight watching these huge ships come out the horizon and go past. So that’s cargo ships ticked off but wildlife is still remaining fairly elusive with just the tuna still knocking about. Saying that I have started to see more and more flying fish about and the ones I find on deck are starting to get bigger. Hopefully soon they will be big enough to eat, apparently pretty good raw with a bit of salt if Mr Hemingway is to be believed. Not sure I packed any salt though...

So this morning I took a couple hours off to celebrate, although festivities were fairly reserved! Also from what I hear there are many people back in the UK more than willing to observe my halfway mark with a drink or 3 so I will leave it to you all and thank you!

For when I left back in December I was given some Christmas cards and presents that I opened today instead, making it my Christmas at sea. Thank you to those of you who gave me something, I received some awesome gifts! Chocolate, cake, biltong, some great stuff. Also I left La Gomera of the honest opinion that this was a dry boat, after today it now seems I have more whisky than ballast water- of course it was Talisker as no other whiskies are available....I hear Glenn enjoys a good game of quidditch?

I also had a list of jobs to do on the boat that I have been holding back on, so the break also gave me the chance to sort them out. It was a quiet morning so made things easier to sort onboard and when I got on the oars this afternoon the weather picked up and had some great hours rowing so all has been good today!

I was able to get through to a few sponsors this afternoon and thank them again for their support, but I thought I would thank them publically here as well. Obviously there are many people who have contributed to this project and I thank each one of you, and at this time I would specifically like to mention Molyneux Rose, Ked Consulting ltd., Orbana, Johnny & Art and Tonic, the Webb family, Jon S & Tim Barker for all their help.

Great news on the fundraising front, we are up to just over £4,400 online for donations and we have also had some fantastic donations given offline and also handed directly to Mind on my behalf so it is going well. Thank you again everyone, every little bit will make a difference. All information on Mind and why I am supporting them is on the website. Please do continue to tell friends and family about my trip and anything people can spare would be hugely appreciated. Online donations can be made via the website, www.SoloAtlanticRow2011.co.uk, whilst you can also hand donations to anyone of the family or into a Mind shop directly.

So halfway there, and with both Simon Chalk’s 8 man team now having left Las Palmas going for a record to Barbados and my birthday creeping up in a couple of weeks, it looks like I’m going to have to find some miles to beat them both in! Thanks everyone, amazing support as always please keep it up!

What a lovely surprise!

Here is a copy of a message I sent to Tommy today... Please read it! The ending was such a surprise and so sweet!

Hello Tommy!

Biltong! Yay! Love the stuff - with all that salt water and biltong, you'll be pickled!

You sound cheery and well on your way - Congratulations!

I'm working hard on the quilt and have received a wonderful small donation so far... some 'quilting-bee' friends of mine put a pound on a triangle making up £6.00... Great start since I wasn't expecting them to donate!

I only made the announcement about the quilt last Sunday, so not bad going!  With 1166 triangles to sew hopefully we could get a good sum heading your way...

Putting posters up soon to advertise the site I have created about the quilt - my site links directly with your site for people to make direct donations... I hope this all helps! Last night I pinned a note to a site on the internet which I joined called 'Pinterest' and so far three people have re-pinned it... The miracles of technology! And of course I twitter your twitters! So, exciting!

Wishing you a safe and speedy time! Don't rush as I would like the quilt done for when you get back home - my sewing machine's engine won't know what's hit it!!!!! Ok, let's not go there... 

The Quilt will be called 'Waves for Tommy' ... www.wavesfortommy.blogspot.com

The fish seem happy to sea you! Sorry, couldn't help myself!

Best wishes and may God bless you.

Catherine & Paul

(St John the Baptist Church, Kirdford)

A Big Note:
I was just interrupted from sending this email because the postman arrived, and you won't believe it, but a lovely thing has just happened! I received a small parcel from one of the ladies in my 'quilting-bee' who made a donation, as I stated earlier, and in it she gave me nine greetings cards she has printed of the quilts she makes and said I could sell them and put the money toward your donations on my 'Waves for Tommy' blog!  Do you see what good you are doing Tommy! Helping to bring out the best in people! I'm practically in tears now! So kind! Thank you, Roswitha. x

Keeping Tommy in Mind...

Reality check!

Encouragement...

Grrrrr!

You turn 'round for just a sec...

...Guess who's loving the newly washed quilting fabric!

Grrrrrrrrrr!

Back in the wash, tomorrow!

Blog interaction problems...

I have just been informed that this blog is not accepting comments that people are trying to make... am looking into the problem...

Thanks ladies...

Had a lovely time with my 'quilting bee' today, who when I told them about 'Waves for Tommy' immediately took their purses out and offered a donation. They put £1.00 on one triangle so have made the first £6.00 to start the ball rolling... So kind, thank you ladies. x

They have me all confident now about the cutting - which means that tomorrow's all about ironing and cutting... yay!

Happy about today...

Get it right...

Google search result:

1 yard = 0.9144 metres

1 metre = 39.3700 inches

This is where the math comes in... not my best subject! :(

Splish-Splosh!

Usually, quilters tend not to wash their fabric before they start making the quilt, but there have been a number of horror stories about quilts being washed on completion and the colours running/bleeding thus ruining the quilt!  And let's not forget that cotton shrinks!

Well, I would usually not prewash my fabric, but I know that Carolyn Forster always washes her fabric first - so I have decided to take a hint from someone who knows - the fabric is in the washing machine as I write this... lots of ironing heading my way - yippee... bleh!  Time for 'Women's Hour' BBC Radio 4 - that'll help!

For more info on this subject: http://quilting.about.com/od/fabricembellishment/a/prewash_fabric.htm and do more homework/research on the matter before you make your mind up as to prewash or not...

Good one! - Hymn this morning!

'Lead us, heavenly Father, lead us
o'er the world's tempestuous sea;
guard us, guide us, keep us, feed us -
for we have no help but Thee,
yet possessing every blessing
if our God our Father be.

Saviour, breathe forgiveness o'er us:
all our weakness Thou dost know:
Thou didst tread this earth before us,
Thou didst fell its keenest woe;
lone and dreary, faint and weary,
through the desert Thou didst go.

Spirit of our God, descending,
fill our hearts with heavenly joy,
love with every passion blending,
pleasure that can never cloy:
thus provided, pardoned, guided,
nothing can our peace destroy.

Walking down memory lane...

Tomorrow, I shall be heading down memory lane as I return for a visit to the quilting group I belonged to a year ago. I have asked if they would be kind enough to just double check that I get the measurements right for cutting 'Waves for Tommy'. Let's get real, I know it's a 'solo-sew', but if I get the cutting measurements wrong... you understand!

So, you'll excuse me if I am experiencing the jitters and am begging for help!

Besides, it gives me an excuse to say hello... :)

Spreading the word for Tommy!

Lord, I ask for your blessing, please, as I shall be making an announcement about this quilt project in Church, this morning...  Thank you.

Please, watch this video of Tommy... 

To see more videos of Tommy, go to the 'Tommy Tippetts' page on this site.

Jesus calms the storm...

Good-morning, everyone! I found some pictures which I felt were quite apt... 

Have a lovely day!

In Time for Lent...

So, there will be much stitching, praying and thinking on important things...  how precious life is... how fragile we human-beings are... how much I need God!

May we all have a blessed and fruitful time.

Information about this site...

Gosh!  I'm on a steep learning curve - setting up this site... and the sad bit is - it's hardly technical! Thank goodness the blog programme is written by a genius who then lets us lesser geniuses use their template - otherwise I'd be stuck!

I'm really excited about this blog - as you will see, there are a number of links which we can click on for further information about Tommy namely his Blog, his Twitter & Facebook links.  These can be found in the 'Links' page on this site.  Various other interesting links can be found there, too. To see videos of Tommy, go to the 'Tommy Tippetts' page on this site.  The 'Waves for Tommy' page explains why it is that I have taken up this venture. The 'Latest Update' page is where you can read about my progress with the quilt.
Most important of all is the 'Donations' link at the top of the screen - by clicking on the word 'Donations' you will be taken directly to the donation page on Tommy's Blog.

As this project is a work in progress, there are a couple of technicalities to sort out.  I shall be setting up a Bank Account soon, looking at having Posters and Postcards produced.  I am also liaising with my team; Daphne Wooldridge, Jane Spalding, Shiela Waite and Sue Ransley, on a number of points.  Thank you ladies for your support!  And of course, dare I say it... making the quilt!

So far, so good!

Please keep your eye on Tommy's Blog as he has the hardest job to do!  We keep him and all his family in our prayers.   I am utterly in awe and feel a great amount of respect for this young man, so please, sponsor his efforts either directly on Tommy's site, or by sponsoring my 'Waves for Tommy' quilt, thus becoming part of the quilt's story - not only by sponsoring the quilt but also by writing a message of support and encouragement to Tommy and his family by email, by directly commenting on the posts and pages on this site... or Royal Mail - TBA.

The reason for making this quilt is simple - to show Tommy and his family my support, to help spread the word about Tommy's efforts and to make something beautiful which will tell Tommy's story to future generations. Above all, to encourage people to sponsor Tommy in aid of the charity, 'Mind'.  See the 'Waves for Tommy' page for further details.

Please help Tommy to hit his fundraising target!

Thank you for your support.

May God bless you all.
Catherine

Look-see!

This is a photograph of the fabric I shall be using for my 'Waves for Tommy' quilt.  It is meant to have a scrappy-fabric look about it - which is achieved by mixing up a number of different colours and patterns within the selection. 

I have included 22 blues out of 45 different fabric choices within this collection.

You will see that there are 60 pieces of fabric, but of these there are 15 repeat colours, which should help to unify the quilt where colours are concerned.

Launched!

The fabric is bought and on the table ready for ironing and cutting - here's to Tommy!