A gift received + a huge gift well spent

I hardly participate to any contest or blog give-away, or pay-it-forward, mostly because of all the bad experiences I had in the past with this, but for this one I got a marvelous gift in the mail !

it's a calendar, with beautiful draws all including a rabbit

You know how much I love rodents, especially rabbits. I've been animal fostering for a long time now, and currently have 5 rabbits (3 still in transit, and 2 ending their life here)

I'm harvesting in my garden a large part of their food, and I'm usually keeping track of what is harvested on a paper, each couple of days or so... Papers going with the others in a box, to remember what I got in my garden, when, and I weight it all to even keep a better track of it... I'm not totally organized for this. So, this calendar is going to be the perfect place to write down all my "crops" - I can even go back in time and write down everything since the beginning of the year :-)

Thank you so much to

https://ladureviedulapinurbain.blogspot.com/

For those with rabbits, I encourage you to go and visit the blog, but also the website, there are TONS of good advices, ideas, etc. And it's a great place to be sure, before you get a rabbit, to know exactly what rabbits needs are. If you rescue one, you can find there a lot of infos about food, care, etc

https://www.ladureviedulapinurbain.com/

I won this in march, for my birthday, it was another very sad day for me, and winning this was like a little light in the long dark tunnel I'm crossing. But sadly my message got lost on its way to the blog owner. I was a bit anxious, but said nothing because we all have a bunch of things to deal with, it could have been lost, etc. But I've read a message saying as the calendar wasn't claimed for, it was offered to someone else. I was a bit sad (because of what happened with another blog give-away, I tell you just further about it).... but at least it was not lost, and another girl could enjoy it. I just mentioned it to the blog owner, because maybe some other messages wheren't delivered. I never know if it's only on my side, or other, or both.

She was more than kind and told me to send my address back, and today I got this great gift in the mail. I was SO touched...

*again, please excuse all the "dark" spots, it's my camera which is totally down*

Then as I said, I participated to a give-away on a creative blog. The owner said "opened to everybody, everywhere". It was to get some ribbons and trims, charms/buttons/trinkets, and a cute little rabbit related frame. I was really excited, because I thought it would be the perfect help for my long last cross stitch finishes. I have a couple of cross stitched rabbits that would have perfectly match this.

The purpose was to make a bunch of advertising for the blog of this person. I'm not going to mention it, because I've already made too much for it's getting attention. The person posting or relinking the most was supposed to get the gift. It was obviously me. But nothing happened. I asked, she first said she didn't get the message. But it was posted in public. Then she said she sent it and it got lost... and finally she admitted she decided to give the box of goodies to someone else, prefering to see the things stay in her country. In fact, her friend who didn't make any effort got it.
I'm not going to tell a word about my feelings about it.
Just I decided I'll no more participate.

A nice stitcher from another country have read the whole story. She knows how precarious and sad my life is. I've sent this woman a gift box some years ago, when I could still afford, with threads, antic iron and a hand made stuffed doll. She wrote to me she was still reading my personal and craft blogs, even if she is not writing comments because she needs someone to type for her. And she said it's not fair at all, she was more upset than me (I was just deeply sad), and she sent me a gift by paypal for I can get something to cheer me up. I know she is not in a nice situation too, so it was even more touching.

She said she would be really sad and mad at me if I refuse the gift, mostly because she remember all the time I was more than generous with a bunch of people who turned their back when I was ill and then poor enough, still falling into a never ending nightmare, and she was totally upset I got no birthday gift, again, except those François gave to me. She said it's the time for me to get something back, as small as it is, from a community she no more feels like being part of.
It is NOT small in any way. It's HUGE. Both by the amount and the love she put in it.
And you'll see I made a very good use with the money
So, first, Charlene, let me thank you from the bottom of my heart.

I asked François, forwarded him the money (I no more have a bank account), and he gave me the cash. Then he drove me to town.

First I got a saw, and blades to go with.
This is going to be a great help when I'll cut the metal under the house, t get rid of it or use it when I can

While I was there, I got some discounted food, and filled a part of my totally empty freezer. Marvelous !

I also got wall paint, for the top balcony (less exposed), big barrel for 14€ or so.

Then I went to the do-it-yourself and bought some ...coating ??? for my balcony walls (!)

You know I'm a pragmatic girl

(you'll see the pics and use on the other blog)

Then I bought a shirt, with a pretty necklace (10€), really not the style I'm usually wearing but I loved it, it was discounted, and the very unusual bright greenish yellow colour was light popping in the middle of a very "flat" coloured area... haha.

And finally went to Noz and Action.  

a portable bag sealer because my big one is showing signs of a soon death, and this tiny one is taking no space (3€ or so)

books were 80% discounted, so I got this one for 5€ !

a bunch of scissors (I'm always in troubles with mine, many were good for the bin), I chose several colours to have one for each use (paper, fabric, ribbons/wool, etc). I can't remember the price, but those are from Action and something like 50 or 60cts

big fabric one, 2€ something

glue from Action and trinkets from Noz (glue I can't remember, 2€ something and trinkets 59cts, 1 bought 1 free)

stamps, one is having a block included... same, I don't remember the price of the bloc one (less than 2€, maybe 0.79 ??), but the top and right ones are 0.49€

2 embossing folders (ridiculous price, can't remember) with stamps

ribbons !

and this one from Noz was cheap too, maybe 1.50€, with block again. There were several others, but not appealing me as much as this one.

Guess what ? I still have 12€ that I plan to spend on seeds and maybe a sylvanian thing.
It's better than a late birthday. It's better than Christmas.
It's real pure kindness and there are NO word to tell how much excited/happy/touched I am