The Kindness Of A Friend Not Yet Met

So Madame Padre is in hospital again, getting a nasty bug flushed out of her blood so that she can get back to chemotherapy and kicking cancer’s ass.  She’s doing well and getting stronger again, though the bug knocked her flat last week.

One source of her recovery was a care package that arrived from England yesterday, provided by one of the nicest ladies I have yet to have the pleasure to meet.  Cath Willey.  Cath of course is the genius behind the Secret Santa project, and her lucky husband is Ian, who runs the excellent Blog With No Name where his small-scale goodies beg to be admired.  Cath and I were exchanging emails about Secret Santa and she learned that I had been delayed in my gift project because of my wife’s illness.  Tell me about your wife, Cath wrote, and what she likes.  Well, err, that’s very nice, I said, ummm, cats, plants, knitting, crime novels ...

In due course, an envelope containing knitting needles, yarn,  a pocket diary with a cat theme and a crime novel about a cat arrived.   Cath quite skillfully covered all the bases.  As you can see, Madame was quite delighted, and when I said goodnight to her was busy starting to knit.

Cath, you are a lovely and kind person, and we can’t thank you enough.  The extraordinary thing, in my experience of the war-game blogging community, is that this degree of kindness is not unusual.  Kay and I have received similar kindnesses since she started fighting cancer, and we are always moved and deeply grateful.  Kay said to me, “I can’t believe that someone who I’ve never met would be so nice to me.”   I can believe it.  We have already paid it forward.

Be kind to one another.

Blessings,

MP+