Hi everyone :-)

I was just speaking to one of my on-line friends, and she was saying "so where's this wishlist for your 40th birthday presents"?

I said that I was a bit shy about sending it out, because it felt a bit demanding to *ask* people for presents. But, one of my IRL friends said it was a lot easier to pick from a list than try and think of something.

And to be honest, I've had a couple of really crap years health-wise, and it isn't going to be getting any better anytime soon. I FEEL like being spoilt. I feel like having some fun!

My IRL Melbourne friends have already been invited to a birthday lunch. Guys, unless the food intolerants amongst us (and I'm e-mailing and organising with them separately) have a real problem with it, the lunch will be at Cafe Romantica in Lygon St, Sunday Feb 20th at 1pm. http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/71/1444441/restaurant/Melbourne/Brunswick/Cafe-Romantica-Brunswick-East

My actual birthday is on the 13th Feb, but I've been putting off organising both the lunch and sending out this e-mail due to ill-health the last few weeks .....

Now...pressies. This is my wishlist .......

* a prayer or thought to support my health and wellbeing.

* a card, (my address supplied on request)

* an e-card, to a_velvet_claw@yahoo.com.au

* a donation of any amount towards me buying Pearsalls silk thread for needlepainting/long and short stitch. (I won a real thread colour card of Pearsall's thread from the Needleprint blog awhile ago so they are my new 'silk thread of choice' for needlepainting.)

To donate, please use Paypal, with the recipient ricky@notdoneliving.net . Ricky is very kindly going to accept these funds on my behalf so the final amount will be a surprise. Please make a note that the transaction is for me.

* There's an actual wishlist, of all sorts of things, ranging from $4 up, on Amazon. (There's a utility you can get, where you can add items from any on-line shop on the web). I've done my best to find out shipping costs, so there aren't any nasty surprises there. I give $AU amounts where there are pound amounts. The $US is about equivalent to the $AU at the moment.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/registry/wishlist/1RPKMRRYKK1SF

If you do buy something from here (feel free! :-) please hit "Buying this gift elsewhere?' to mark it as 'reserved' so other people know it's been bought.

I do hope that it's not too rude, asking for presents. But this is a special birthday. I want to know that I haven't disappeared after 13 years of being ill, but that there are heaps of people out there that like and love me.

best,

Megan/Elmsley Rose

(big breath, hit Send button!)