Well, half term last week was a bit of a wash out really. The first half of the week was wet and windy and in the second half we all came down with stinking colds. Still, it was impossible to feel downhearted because we now have this at the end of the garden 🙂
It is everything we had hoped it would be, and more. Toby adores it and has been in and out of it constantly, enjoying exploring every inch of it.
In fact he was in and out of it even before it was finished.
He was fascinated by the activity in the garden when it was being built. And what a mammoth amount of activity there was! The guys from Planet Design were absolutely and completely awesome. They worked hard through all weathers, right through the days of
non-stop heavy rain and even a hailstorm didn't put a stop to the
construction.
They put in three hard weeks of back breaking work but always kept their good humour and they were a pleasure to have around. To be honest I missed them a bit once they'd packed up all of their tools and finished and I think Toby did too. He loved watching them working while he bounced on the trampoline and they were so friendly and kind with him (and very tolerant of his attempts to join in!). We're so thankful to them for building us the room of our dreams.
There is no way though that this would ever have been possible without the amazing and humbling generosity of our family and friends (and friends of friends). Two and a half years ago H and I were balancing on the brink of despair. At the time Toby was having frequent and extreme meltdowns and I was regularly driving him around in the middle of the night just to get him out of the house so that Amy could get some sleep. We used to talk about things that might make the situation more bearable and ways we could cope long term (because we know that similar periods of behaviour are more than likely in Toby's future). We imagined having a space where one of us could take Toby when things were hard so that the rest of the family could get some peace or where Amy could go to concentrate out of earshot of Toby if he was in the house. The costs involved put it out of the question though and it stayed a distant dream until H's Mum and Dad decided they would like to ask for donations rather than presents for their Golden Wedding anniversary party. All of the guests that came to join them in celebrating were so very generous and the Toby Respite Room fund started growing. Extended family and friends have continued contributing both their own money and money they have raised through sponsored events, runs and raffles and we have been constantly moved by how kind and supportive everyone has been.
We were so very touched when the artist Jim Crouch donated one of his wonderful paintings and the proceeds from the sale of that and of several limited edition prints went into the fund. Both of our sets of parents have been incredibly generous too.
It is impossible to find the right words to express how deeply grateful we are to everyone whose kind heartedness has made building this room possible. It makes the future with Toby a bit less scary as it gives us options in times of stress. We now have a separate space to take him to when he needs calm and quiet and refuge that is quiet and peaceful and 'away' for the rest of the family to use when needed. At the moment there is still a fair bit to do such as paving, planting and the like and inside there is only a beanbag at the moment as we're waiting on furniture. Once it's all furnished and bedded in I'll take some more pictures.
Before I go I'm going to give the guys from Planet Design another mention because so often having work like this done on your home can be such a stressful thing (especially with a child like Toby around). But it was clear from the outset that they were completely committed to building us a perfect room, finished exactly on schedule and on budget and this took away all of the stress for us. So thanks Lee, Luke, James, Troy and Tony for building us such a wonderful, hassle free room.
little cotton rabbits 
I’m so completely delighted for you Julie, how fantastic for Toby and for all of your family that you now have this extra special space. It looks amazing, and it’s clear from the photos how it’s already making Toby happy. I hope you also find time for some happy knitty moments in it during the summer… xxxx
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They say what goes around comes around. You so deserve this Julie, you must be so pleased,
Enjoy your new space.
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Ooooh….shed envy!
I know, it’s so not a shed. It looks fabulous Julie and I hope it will be everything you hope for xx
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we have been calling it our posh shed Sue 🙂
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It’s lovely … I bet it will make such a difference for you and your family 🙂
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I think this is genius, and it’s just lovely! Shed envy indeed, and what Pam said. Isn’t it nice that it’s already bought some pleasure to your family.
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So happy for you all that you have this 🙂 And it sounds as if the guys that built it were incredible! Here’s hoping it makes the years ahead much, much easier for everyone. It certainly looks like a very ‘posh shed’ 😉
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Aha! So progress has been made since my email! It looks totally fabulous – you are all going to get so much pleasure from this.
The pictures of Toby ‘helping’ are great – what it is with boys and building sites?! I’m looking forward to seeing your planting and I bet it will soon blend into your garden as though it’s been there forever.
tx
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So happy for you all, it’s looks like it’s a wonderful space. A very posh shed indeed, I hope it makes life easier for you all and that you have a great shed warming do! I so love a good shed, I affectionately call my Summerhouse, the shed it’s a great place to escape to and yes we did have a shed warming when it first went up.
Clare x
http://summerhousebythesea.blogspot.co.uk/
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What a beautiful space! So happy for you.
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What a fabulous space, I hope it brings lots of happy and calm times and makes life easier for you all, it is such a great idea and looks so professionally finished, well done to those hard working men.
It’s lovely to hear about your kind and generous family Julie, it must make it even more special.
love jooles xxx
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I love your new space and really hope it helps to ease stress when it’s needed. So lovely to hear of such a hard working and heart warming team of workers. Thank you for sharing this with us.
Hugs,
Annie x
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This is great, Julie, I have garden room envy too. I hope it gets lots of happy use. A perfect advert for the builders, what a great job.
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What a beautiful garden room, I think it looks like a lovely meditation room and so wonderful for all of you. I wish you much enjoyment in this stunning addition. Blessing to you all, xoRobin
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Oh my! What a wonderful garden room … I can see how it’s the room of your dreams! May you all have hours of pleasure, quiet and relaxation in it xx
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My first impression was … wow, that looks great!
When you have first mentioned it I had no Idea how it will look like.
And now you showed us this amazing little place.
Hope you have a lot of good times in there!
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Oh Julie! That is A.M.A.Z.ing! It’s certainly way posher than I had imagined. What lovely, lovely kind relatives and friends you have, to have made this possible. When I get back from my holiday, I shall start on a crochet stone doorstop for you. Xx
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Oh Julie, this is such a thrilling post. What a stunning space – you must be so excited about furnishing it. It’s utterly heartwarming to read how this new room came about.
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That is beautiful and I hope you and your family get lots of hours respite use from it. X
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Wonderful!
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What a beautiful garden room, I’m so happy for you all, Julie! It looks so well designed and built, and seems calm and peaceful even from the pictures. Well done to those hard working men who built it! You deserve something nice to happen, and how lovely that your wider family and friends contributed to this so generously. I am sure having it as an alternative to the house at different times and for different uses, will make life so much easier and more enjoyable for you all. It’s so sweet that Toby liked it straight away!
Helen x
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Aww, I am envious…I want one too?
Fantastic, well done…totally love the idea…
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Oh it’s very pretty, it looks very calming and cool. It’s good to hear what a difference it’ll make to you all, and that Toby is so happy with it too. It’ll be lovely to see pictures when you’ve got it furnished.
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Que bom! É muito interessante como estamos satisfeitos com a sua conquista, com a possibilidade de conforto maior para Toby e o resto da família. Parabéns!
Um abraço!
Egléa
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What a fantastic room to have – I hope it makes a huge difference to you and your family.
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Thank you for sharing about the building of the respite shed. It has already started to bless you and I’m sure will continue to do so.
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I’m so happy for you, Julie. Reading this brought tears to my eyes. You have truly wonderful relatives and friends and your little family is amazing. This will be very helpful for life with Toby, who looks really sweet in his pajamas.
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Hope it lives up to all your families hopes and dreams and much more.
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oh Julie, what a gorgeous space! I’m so happy for you all.
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what a beautiful space for some solitude! congratulations on its finish. i was touched to hear that the process moved along so smoothly. the gentlemen that constructed it sound lovely. what a blessing, from start to finish! 🙂
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Glad to hear Toby enjoyed the building experience and doesn’t regard the room as a ‘naughty’ room. It will make such a difference in your lives. Toby may even seek it out on his own when he’s feeling stressed. Wouldn’t that be great?! Ya never know . . .
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This is such a beautiful, restful space. what an amazing circle of family and friends surrounding you!
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Julieci think of you all the time….I am so so so happy for you all!!!! These are the good things in life and the good people!!!!!!!!!
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It looks lovely. So pleased for you to have extra options for your family. Others may have been generous but following your blog, it’s only what you deserve. You work hard and put so much out there for us all to enjoy. X
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What an amazing space Julie! I hope it is everything you want it to be and more. Great that Toby has taken to it from the outset, it obviously is sending out the right vibes. 🙂
Enjoy!
V xxx
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How wonderful x
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Be careful with the naming!, my grandfather christened my father’s rather posh conservatory ‘the shed’ and so it remained for the next forty years!,,,,
The posh shed should have a long and happy life, serving you and your family whenever needed
Toby has enjoyed the building process, the builders have created a wonderful space for you all.
Relax. Enjoy.
I feel there should be champagne and a launching ceremony..
Jillx
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Dear Julie, I am so pleased for you and your family. Such a beautiful garden room. What a lovely gesture for your family and friends to help you all in this way. Toby looks so grown up now. Look forward to seeing more photos. Love Zoe x
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It looks wonderful Julie. I hope you all get lots of use from it – you deserve it!
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Julie my heart sings for you! What an amazing ‘love’ solution. It’s not just a building it’s been birthed and created with love and support. How awesome!
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Dear Julie, What a beautiful room, it will be so useful for you, what a lovely background story to its creation also, nobody deserves it more than you. To not only have such a fantastic space for your family but to have it come from such beautiful beginnings is so special. I hope it serves you and your family well, and remember good things happen to good people. xxBrenda
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Dear Julie, What a joyous place for all of you!!! It’s so nice to hear that wishes do indeed come true. All good wishes for you and your family and many happy days to spend in your new little retreat! x Maire
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How wonderful! It’s beautiful, even unfurnished, and every bit of it just screams “love.” It needs a name, don’t you think? :0)
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Oh my goodness, I am stunned at what a beautiful space you have. . .what an incredible blessing, I’m so happy for you. . .what are you going to call it?
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Stunning, absolutely stunning. Bless each and every single person who made it possible for you and your family, I hope it brings you all a lot of happiness.
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So happy for you that it is finished Julie and that the whole family can start enjoying it.
Is there enough to finish all the embellishments ?
If not I would be happy to contribute to the fund, as I’m sure many others would be too.
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THIS IS FANTASTIC JULIE I HOPE ALL OF YOU WILL BE VERY HAPPY IN IT.
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Oh the little home away from home looks wonderful – So thrilled for you all.
Love Leanne
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I had been wondering if the silence was a sign that the summer house/garden room was progressing. It is really beautiful. I really love the lighting. I am so pleased that Toby loved watching the construction and clearly loves the retreat, as I know that children like Toby find changes difficult to deal with.
I hope that you get time to sit and knit in the amazing garden room.
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Hi Julie,
I have been patiently waiting for this day to see the end result of your garden room. We have been looking at putting something in our garden for our son as he gets older he too has autism. This looks fabulous so much so that I have already been and had a look at Planet Designs wesbite and forwarded onto Hb to put on file for the future. It’s always reassuring to have a recommendation from someone who has first hand experience of a company as we have been stung in the past with companies who say they can do a job and then it turns out they can’t. I hope you and your family really get the best of this new space and I can’t wait to read what a difference it makes to you all as time goes on.
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That’s gorgeous! It looks like something from a vacation spa! What a blessing to know that it was provided by people who love you and love your son. May it give you and him many years of rest and comfort.
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It’s beautiful!!!
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Excellent news! Can’t stop – I need a hankie……..
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i am so happy for you that you got the financial support you needed, you indeed have special family and friends, Enjoy your room
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Hi Julie,
I know the posh shed will be an amazing addition to your family & its well being, somewhere for you all to call sanctuary for different reasons at different times. I’m sure you’ll all enjoy it’s presence xx
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Julie I am so happy for you – what a nice room! So glad the changes around you during the building went down so smoothly with Toby and that the guys doing the construction were so good to stay on schedule and build such a beautiful building for you. I hope it brings some much needed rest to you and your family. Toby is getting so big!
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The building looks fantastic – so very pleased for you all.
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so happy for you Julie x
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Wow what a beautiful room for you all, just perfect Julie! I am soo pleased for you all, and hope that your new space brings you as many happy memories as the beloved climbing frame did. x
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What a beautiful, beautiful space. It is heart warming to read about how generous (and loving) peoples families can be when we need them. Hopefully the whole family will be able to enjoy the space at times when they need it. I can see a little corner in there for you Julie, with wool and bits involved!
Enjoy it, you deserve it x
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even more beautiful than the room is the story of how it got built. just lovely.
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I am so thrilled for you – I hope you can start to enjoy it to the full very soon x
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Thank you so much for allowing us to try to recreate your adorable knitted bunnies. Your shed looks wonderful and I am envious! I live in Santa Fe NM and right now we are in a horrible drought that has lasted 2 years. We are all seriously praying for rain. I also would like to comment… as difficult and time consuming it is to write out patterns, I am so hoping that someday you may be able to make your elephant pattern available. I have tried and tried to get picked to purchase one and am never successful 😦 Thanks again! I will post photos of my little bunnies once they are finished!
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Wow, it’s gorgeous! I hope it brings you all much happiness.
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What a wonderful rest room! You deserve it all very much for your patience and your dedication, for the love that shows through every word you write.
Thank you also for sharing with us your lovely bunnies. I am a fan and there are already two little creatures in our house and more to come for friends. If you ever consider publishing a book about the little cotton bunnies, I’ll be the first to buy and certainly not the last.
Take good care of you all.
Best wishes.
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I am so, so glad for you all Julie .
A big hug
barbara
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So thrilled for you all and what a heartening, uplifting read this post is. The room looks superb and the attention to detail immense. Love the lighting outside for instance. Here’s wishing you many many happy hours/days/nights in that space.
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What a lovely addition. I hope it is the respite you want.
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Oh it is gorgeous – I bet that is going to enhance life for all of you. And what a wonderful gesture by all those folks who made it happen.
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Dear Julie, it’s such a beautiful space for you all to enjoy. I hope Toby looks on it as a haven when things become too much for him. ♥
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The room itself simply looks restful. The choice of woods and the nice, even vertical design is orderly but interesting. It really does shine like a jewel in the garden. I find myself feeling a little droopy and sad that I was not part of the help in building it. I want so much for there to be peace in your world, a wonderful family peace. If I were magic – or if I had healing power, I would think nothing of flying over and using it. And Rachel would come too. Two magic girls to join with a third magic girl. I loved your comment. I am so slow and so strangely entangled in life just now – I feel a little like I’m lost in a sort of green maze. It’s lovely here, but I keep running into branches and vines. Kisses to all –
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Wow, Julie, that is amazing – so beautiful and clean! I can’t wait to see your touches on it and the plants all replanted. What a wonderful family you are blessed with. Enjoy the summer!
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wonderful news julie………enjoy!! you deserve it xxx
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Hi Julie
I am so delighted for you and your family that the building of the ‘Garden Room’ is complete. It looks amazing and it looks as though you might have to have a rota so that you can all use this wonderful space!!! Joking apart, I do hope it fulfills all your hopes and that it will be ‘Julified’ before too long. Please share more photos as the interior develops – we all want to be able to picture you using it.
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Hello Julie,
What a delight and a wonderful place for respite for you, your family and Toby. I admire your strength. You truly are a remarkable woman and deserve a well earned ‘pat on the back’.
I wish you all a lot of happiness and peace in your new garden room.
I think it would be nice for you and your family to have a ‘naming’ ceremony for your new garden room.
xxx
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What a beautiful calm space! I know you are all going to love it!
Jenni xx
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Oh Julie! That is beautiful!!! The room is beautiful and the whole story is! Parents, friends, family helping…. the workers who were so kind and patient and professional……. I hope and pray the room helps you and you can all get the respite that you so need.
P.S. I love Toby’s PJ’s. 😀
xxxx
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I would come!! You betcha! If there’s a party you better invite me! 😀
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Wow! What a wonderful thing to have happened, I really hope that it helps you all to enjoy life a little bit more. Toby is one lucky boy to have you all and now this. Have fun. Bx xxxx
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It’s beautiful, Julie! Looks like Toby is pleased as well. I’m glad this place of solace and refuge will be available to you and your family. I especially love the wood – it almost looks soft and smooth to the touch!
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I love this post, the builders and all those who donated money have done a great job. Best wishes for your new space x
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I’m so pleased for you all.
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Hi Julie
I am so glad for your family to have this wonderful garden room! I hope it makes your lives easier! You have brought so much comfort to so many people through your blog that you certainly deserve this great addition!
warm regards,
Susan ( New Jersey, US)
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What a gorgeous space! I love it! Everything about it is perfect! 🙂
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Beyond Spectacular! I LOVE it! I hope it provides many hours of peace and enjoyment for your family.
You so deserve it. :o)
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it’s wonderful, and what a kind thing for people to do!!! makes me a little choked up! i’m so happy for you and your family!
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How wonderful!
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Julie, this looks fabulous – I want one! I’m so glad you have this new space and hope that it will give Toby and the rest of you the peace,flexibility and privacy that all families need. x
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What a incredible gesture of love and compassion from your family, friends, and strangers. Sounds like this shed will be a haven.
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Love the garden & the “Shed” hope all is ok with you all as you have not posted for a while?
Debbie x
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wow… what an absolutely amazing garden room! Just fab 🙂
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Oi Julie, tenho uma profunda admiração por ti e por tudo que fazes. Acompanho o teu blog já a algum tempo e quando vejo os teus coelhinhos tenho a impressão que eles tem vida. Gosto muito da maneira que escreves e fico contente quando escreves sobre o Toby.
Ficou lindo este espaço novo para a família e tenho certeza trará bons momentos. Desejo para ti e toda a família muita saúde,paz e felicidade, esta que a gente encontra em pequenos momentos mas que juntas nos traz um prazer enorme. Grande abraço
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Hi,
I am knitting a rabbit at the moment and so this weeks delight has been discovering all things “little cotton rabbit”, so I guess that is you and of course Toby. Thank you for sharing your skills with us all. This weeks oddities have been made do-able by my moments with grey cotton 4 ply!
Last week we went to see the stage version of The curious incident of the dog in the night-time. It was amazing. We entered the tender world of a young man with autism and are so glad to have another window through which to view the world.
I wish Toby many sparkly moments and a world of joyous helium balloons and of folk who understand, or at least try to.
Best wishes,
Su Chard
http://www.agreatwaytogo.co.uk
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