appreciation

Hello everyone after a long break. Vacation was just too short this year. I looked forward to spending the days at the public pool and relaxing in the sun. Sometimes you get thrown a curve ball.

My father was having some lung issues over the last few months, and we suspected that it could be more serious. My sister was taking him to several doctors getting his lungs and back checked out, because he was having severe pain in those areas as well as massive coughing for months. Here in Germany, we made arrangements for my husband to take care of the kids during summer vacation so I could fly to the US to be with my dad. On the day I arrived, my sister, who is the only relative of my dad other than myself, picked me up from the airport. She informed me of the tragic news: Stage 4 Lung Cancer that has already progressed to the brain, lymph nodes, bones, and other organs in the body - radiation to his brain would follow the next day.

Cancer is terrible! It destroys the entire body, mind and soul. It hurts all of the family members around you. There is no easy way to deal with this subject except with a little bit of humor when you mind isn't turning your body inside out.

My heart goes out to everyone who has had to deal with lung cancer - survivors, family members, medical support staff and professionals, hospice volunteers and staff, friends, religious and social workers and groups. I would like to thank all of you for helping those of us in need and making this disease more comfortable and bearable.

If you are a smoker, please quit now! Don't make excuses anymore. The little bit of satisfaction you get from your cigarette is not worth this pain that you bring to yourself, your family and the friends around you. The risk of getting lung cancer is drastically reduced the longer you stay free of smoke. If you are a long-term smoker, please talk to your doctor about your smoking and about getting your entire body checked out. Lung Cancer is usually only detected in the last stage, because that smoker's cough becomes just a part of your daily life instead of a sign that something more serious is going on.

more mini quilts

I have been working dliligently on my miniature quilt collection for and from my partners over at the Doll Quilt Monthly swap. They are such a great group of ladies. I wanted to share with you a fantastic little quilt that Vickie from Utah made for me. I love the celestial star and is a great little summer quilt.

And of course, I made her a star quilt as well, since our monthly theme was "stars and stripes." I was looking forward to the theme, but wasn't really turned on my the traditional red, white and blue. I love the country and love the rustic feel, but my color palette is not in the muted color area. So, Vickie and I talked about it and agreed to make something bright and cheery including stars and stripes.

Here are two different ways to celebrate the month of July and be patriotic but thinking outside the box using more colorful colors.

 It was a pleasure getting to know Vickie and she remains a good friend and correspondant.

The Internet is a great way to meet other people with the same interests even if they live 5000 miles away.

Oh, wait a minute. I also forgot to upload and share with you this little quilt. I received this little beauty last month from Mary Pat in Wisconsin. She made a very nice use of prairie points to set off the appliquéd flower. I love the offset flower and borders. The colors are great. I love the fact that even the more matured ladies are daring enough to use such bold colors! Bravo ladies!!

 And what is yet to come? Hmm...more mini quilts. I am anxious to show you the next quilts soon. I also have on in the works for Moda Bake Shop which should be posting in November 2013. Until then, use up those scraps and start making minis!!

WWII Bomb found in my neighborhood

Have you ever had one of these days?? I was working on sorting out all of my fabric and was progressing nicely, when I received a knock at the door and this notice was pushed into my hand. If you don't understand German, this is what it reads:

"Due to a bomb found in the vicinity of the Public Pool, the surrounding radius of 300 meters must immediately be evacuated! Please leave the marked area. The bomb will be defused at 2pm. We will inform you when the danger has passed."

Okay. It was 12:30pm and I was just starting to make lunch. I threw together some things and packed the kids up and left. We headed over to Günzburg to ate pizza in a nice café, a nice change in the daily pace. We arrived home a couple of hours later and fortunately, the bomb did not detonate.

We found out later that it was an Allied bomb from WWII that never exploded. I have encountered this before when we lived in Trier, but it was never so close to home at least not in my neighborhood and I didn't have to leave the house immediately with the kids.

You can read more about it here: Augsburger Allegemine in German, of course.