Dearest Peggy,
Bravo....I personally stand to commend you for making the incredible sacrifice necessary/required for such a pursuit. Your daughter is absolutely precious, and definitely comes before the baskets and others.

I know you will be missed by many, and your baskets were mainly filled with a secret ingredient....LOVE, (which is irreplaceable and devoid in commercial baskets).
As you can see by the wonderful, heartfelt posts your announcement has generated--you have earned a place in the "Memory Lane" history of many a DISer. You are definitely in mine. I was there in the very beginning, when you were working on a trial basis, and offering the baskets to anyone interested "pro-bono" (going out of your way to customize, and deliver these true GIFTS of the heart). It was a true "labor of love" with all the time and energy you so graciously expended. Your sweet and loving soul was clearly evident in each and every masterpiece. Such a high level of satisfaction is a rarity in any business, especially the one you chose to enter. Yet, you never take anything lightly...or with half~a~heart.
For me, it was a hit and miss with the first one...and a bit of a comical one at that. But, the concierge staff certainly enjoyed every bit of it in my absence!!

Therefore, the end result was just as magical and pleasing.

I was happy to know they were elated with the arrival of such an eye-teasing unexpected "gift" (in the case I was not there to receive it...which is what occurred).

You made "6" people extremely jubilant on that summer eve, and I'm sure they all recall sharing the contents with child-like glee.
This is what your gift baskets represented to most of your patrons. Much more than mere "run-of-the-mill" generic assortments, you painstakingly "hand-selected" each and every item to FIT the needs/requests of the customer. For this alone, you are deeply loved and your talents will be dearly missed.
I know your daughter will succeed in whatever she wishes to accomplish, with you as the wind beneath her wings. In this life, it is the supporting foundation...which provides the security necessary to achieve the impossible. It's a tale as old as time, but never one I tire of hearing. Therefore, please...feel free to pm me whenever you feel. I would love to hear from you, and know how things are progressing for you and your DD. It's a tough haul, and just as you were so willingly and generously there for me...I'm here for you too.

Take care...and know you will always be in my heart, thoughts and prayers.
TTFN...DF99
