Deadline Extended -- Help Your Apron Sistas

I have heard from several of this swap's participants who have been impacted by the recent hurricanes. Several of you still don't have power or water, yet have taken the time to let me know your apron will be late! I'm so humbled. Messages like this from sweet Irma, Frieda, Kathleen and Georlene ... there may be more than I haven't heard from yet:

• I apologize, but I will be late in sending out my apron to my partner. Due to the hurricane we have had several friends and relatives staying over as of last week. .....We were lucky and did not sustain any real damage, however my friends and relatives that live in Houston cannot return home as of yet as they still do not have any electricity and drinking water.
  
• ...I will not be able to get an apron out on time. We do not have any elecricity from Hurrican Ike and it does not look like we will for a couple of weeks. I will send one out after we get power or I can send the apron I receive on. I am truly sorry but do not know when we will have a functioning house.
  
• ...We are having to evacuate for the hurricane and don't know when we will return... I'm back now for awhile till Ike decides to visit. I would like to try and hurry and make the apron if possible. I will be able to work on it next week and try to mail it before we have to leave again.
• ...Since I live in Houston, Ike is heading my way. I had trouble finding my fabric. I finally found the fabric I wanted but I did not get enough. When I went back to get some more fabric, the place had already closed due to Ike coming our way. Hopefully I can get the apron out as soon as the stores reopen here and if I lose power once my power has been restored.

I don't want this swap to be another burden on these strong ladies and I don't want disappointed swap partners. I am looking for a few ladies who would angel their partners AND as many of you as possible to send a special pick-me-up apron to them as well. Aprons aren't food or water but they are a symbol of our strength as women and a sign that "normal" will be back soon. Lucy said it best this spring when collecting aprons for tornado victims in her region. "Aprons may be a simple bit of cloth and ruffle but they carry so much power with them. They are the uniform we choose to wear to serve and protect our loved ones. They are a message from our past and a hope for our future. They have the power to lift our spirits to remind us of happy times." If you would like to be an Apron Angel for a Flirty Apron Swapper and send a message of love and hope to these women, please contact me at shawneeh at yahoo (dot) com. Let me know if you can take on another partner and/or if you want to send an apron to a victim survivor. I would like to collect several to send to each person so they can share hope in their neighborhood and to extended family.

Also, several of you have emailed me with various serious problems meeting Monday's deadline or I haven't heard from you at all. In an effort to reduce stress, everyone's deadline is extended to the 22nd. Thank you to everyone who has already mailed. Everyone else; get a move on!