Thanks to everyone who has sent virtual hugs and kind thoughts this week – I’ve made the changes that I needed to make and I’m moving on with my life now. I’ll tell you all about it when I’ve had a bit of time to mull things over.

My week is, however, ending on a high note – I’m having a day of baking and crochet and I’ve just received the most wonderful parcel from Australia.

For months now I have been visiting Anne Lawson’s virtual shop and trying to choose a painting to buy. I really wanted one of her feathers, but I dithered and couldn’t decide which one. And then a couple of weeks ago she offered to make any of her blog readers who asked a little sketch book – how could I resist? Sending something all the way from Australia seemed a big ask, but then I realised that if I bought a painting, I could pay for the painting  and for the postage for it and cover the cost of sending the sketch book.

So, after much more dithering a I chose a fabulous feather: toffee-coloured and created with a combination of watercolour paint and coloured pencils. And this morning this arrived:

My parcel

As you can see, I even managed to curb my excitement long enough to photograph it before it was unwrapped!

The little bundle made me smile so much. The feather picture is beautiful and simple and will be on its way to be framed in the next day or two (I have plans to decorate my work room with art and crafts from my friends from around the world), there was a lovely card with a message from Anne and there was the sketch book – hand-stitched and made from watercolour paper with some of Anne’s work already on it (including more feathers). But what about the cover? A fabulous rooster adorns the outside. What a special gift. Thank you Anne… now I just need to decide what is going to go in my very special book.

and so my spirits are lifted… light as a feather and ready for the next journey…