Saturday, August 8, 2015

Soldier needs help, desperately! PLEASE help to raise some funds!!

To feed a Family of 8 (eight!!!) is quite a BIG task nowadays.
Now imagine a Veteran who was used to work hard for his loved ones comes home from two tours in Iraq and is 100% disabled - physically and mentally (PTSD).
Six kids!! Alan and his wife Amy are GOOD people (I know the family) who do not deserve to be treated by the VA like this. They are supposed to live on $1,800 a month. YEAH? What?
Help from the Army MIGHT arrive in a YEAR!!
Yes, I am screaming in CAPS.
To me? This is happening only in America, the country that boasts to be 'the greatest in the world'...??? Rrright!
Where is healthy common sense here?
Alan stuck his neck out for you, me, this country and is now 'dropped': "See how you fend for yourself."

http://m.gofund.me/u4nd7w 

Thankfully, Americans have big ♥ hearts ♥ and are often helpful beyond their own means.
In Alan's and Amy's case - it's a family that we know, a family that IS fighting and doesn't want to rely on freebies.
But they need our, your HELP. NOW, not down the road.
Every little bitty bit will help - I am begging all my blog-followers: Please, think about this: One, two or three less Starbuck's CafĂ©'s, maybe no dinner out on Saturday night or - how about this - donate your 'Sunday-Church-donation-box money' to the Bradford family. Just once?

Personally, I would be VERY grateful - and promise to shoot a prayer 'up' for you.
Here is the link again:
http://m.gofund.me/u4nd7w
Open it and see for yourself, read a little about this deserving family.
Well, can't say more now, but PLEASE! And THANK YOU!

Johanna
....and don't forget to hug your kids tonight :-)

Tuesday, June 16, 2015

Time waits for nobody. Sleep well, 'Kleines'

Time waits for nobody. 
Yeah, I can tell. 

I am ready to go home again, home to Germany.
Alas, the occasion is not quite a pleasant one.

I wrote about Rita, my sister - and here and now want to thank every one for your prayers for her, for so many 'Get Well' cards and even gifts that you've sent to Germany to make her smile. And smiling she was.
Thank you all! From the bottom of my heart.

Rita is now sleeping forever.
I will be attending her burial under 'our' tree in a part of the forest where we grew up, called 'Friedwald'.
The translation would be: Forest of Peace.
It IS a peaceful place in a forest high above our home town, 'Michelstadt' im Odenwald in Germany.
There are no headstones, no names, no flowers just a tiny number on one of the many trees so that our kids can find our resting place, if they want to visit.
Our urns are made of paper machĂ© out of consideration for the environment - they will totally dissolve. 
And... nobody needs to tend to our graves. There are none. 


Rita in 2014 already sick

So, Rita, 'my little one', as I always called her because she entered this world after me - will be laid to rest next week, Friday June 26.

"R.I.P., 'Kleines', I miss you, sleep well and say 'hi' to our family and friends up there.
I know you were carried by angels, picked up, welcomed and embraced by our parents, our brother and near and distant family and friends."

It'll be like a Tornado for me - I hope I can keep my sanity together.


As always:
Please, don't forget to hug your kids and tell them: 'I love you'.

Yours always,
Johanna

Thursday, May 7, 2015

I saw, I liked, I cared, I loved, I trusted, I'm hurt, I'm gone!


I saw, I liked, I cared, I loved, I trusted,
I'm hurt, I'm gone!
Why? You saw, You liked, You lusted,
You cheated, You lied, You betrayed.
 That's SOME content of my book. 


This is my very beloved Aunt Elisabeth
who is celebrating her LIFE on May 18th 2015 for the 102nd time.
She holds up my book.

 Come and see what I'm up to otherwise?
Right here: http://ow.ly/M8JZz
And don't forget to hug your kids tonight!

Tuesday, April 28, 2015

Another Review of my Book.

To me, it's mighty interesting WHAT readers are 'talking' about.
It gives me an idea, a sense of what and/or which part seems to be important for them.
Young people praise the relationship (that's to say: friendship) between mother and son in my case.
Others are more prone to the historic part.
Again another Lady recently told me that she is able to picture everything that I am describing.
She feels like I am directly talking to HER.

Now THIS is exactly what I wanted, what I intended. I am talking to YOU.
Sometimes in a little 'harsh ??' language, sometimes (hopefully) funny.
In any case truthfully and just as I would talk to you.
I am not a third party telling someone else's story.
And as 'TempestRaven' said, "you will definitely learn something of use from her experiences in life".
Hmm, I hope so.
(Scroll down for TempestRaven's input)

The book? ... is here: www.TheIvoryCarversDaughter.com

Here's Ms. Diane Simmons' opinion:

I had the pleasure of reading this wonderful book shortly after it was published!
I am not going to write much about the true story. One reason it would be too lengthy, the other is, every single sentence is captivating and you need to read it!
Literary experts say a book never gets any better than the first five pages. I'm afraid I must disagree as each  page was more exciting than the previous one.
Although it is a true life story the characters are compelling and complex. The author tells the story in such an engaging and unique style.
This is not a book that you don't want to lay down! I quit reading several times just to think and absorb everything. There is happiness, sadness, excitement and everyday living  that I and many of you have never experienced. Great Book!
Diane Simmons
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

Sweet little (and bigger) gifts!
http://ow.ly/M8JZz
I'd love for you to PLEASE check it out?

Wednesday, April 22, 2015

You read my book? I received a review from a YOUNG MAN!

Book Review: The Ivory Carver’s Daughter

I got a copy of “The Ivory Carver’s Daughter” from the author herself and I have to say that I enjoyed reading it very much even though I don’t read such kinds of books. Not everyone’s life is interesting enough to warrant a book about them, but author Johanna Fath-Koziol is different. She has gone through so much that it was a good idea she decided to write a book about it and share her life with the rest of the world.

As far as I’m concerned letting other people read about your life and getting to know your family history takes courage. If you keep writing about the ‘good’ stuff, people will feel that you’re probably lying. This is what I found interesting in the book; Johanna Fath-Koziol didn’t hide anything. She didn’t even hide her own flaws, and kudos to her for that.

The book introduces the Koziol family and how the business expanded and over the years and then turned into something very different. As for the character, or the author herself, Johanna was born in a privileged family but being the ‘sandwich kid’ she was always seeking approval. The words she has used really take you on the journey where we see young Johanna experiencing confusion as she tries to be noticed. We follow Johanna as she grows up, gets married, becomes a mother, and then has her whole world shaken due to the death of her baby daughter.

But that doesn’t stop her from moving on with her life as she gives birth to her second child, a son, but again fate draws an unfortunate card and an accident changes her life even more. I loved her relationship with her son Dennis in the book. I always admire parents who have more of a ‘friendship’ like relationship with their kids. Why do parents always have to be strict? Why can’t they be friends with their own blood?

Johanna has indeed experienced life in more faces than most people. She has seen the highs as well as the lows of life. She has been with men who have used and abused her, but the important thing to take from her life is that when all is said and done, she has indeed lived a ‘life’ worthy of sharing with others, and continues to do so. She didn’t let things bring her down so much that she forgot how to get back up again. She’s a survivor and that’s her true strength!
I’ve talked to her over emails and we’ve exchanged gifts. She truly is a wonderful person to interact with. One would think all the hardships in her life must’ve hardened her heart, but instead she’s one of the most friendly people I’ve had the chance to talk with.

I highly recommend reading “The Ivory Carver’s Daughter” by Johanna Fath Koziol as you will definitely learn something of use from her experiences in life.

Did the name Koziol sound familiar to you?
Well,
check out the link here to know more about the family business!

You can also check out an interview with the author here.

Also check out her website!

She also has her own things on sale!

Thursday, April 16, 2015

Breaking News :-)

OK, I am back for a regular blog - I was distracted: not cool.

Please, if you would be so kind? Favor my blog and distribute it?!
I'd like for more readers to follow me and read my "pieces of wisdom" *wink-wink.

Yes, my plan is to move back home to Germany; as soon as my house is sold.
However! I am not in a rush and really hope my house will not be sold too quickly.
I am very much dreading the move and then the 'job' of moving and most of all: having to leave.

I live in a Cul-de-Sac and have such lovely, wonderful (and helpful) neighbors ... it's a shame I have to go. *sigh. And the neighbors don't like it either...

But you know, I am thinking: 'if something seriously happens to me -
who is looking after me?'

I am alone here and being in Germany I have my son nearby, have my beloved brother, friends and ... just people that know me well (and Thanks-God like me too... as far as I can tell :-). So, I'll have a kinda security net. We need that when we are getting old-er. Ha-ha. YEAH! So it goes, right?

I am planning on living in my home town, where I was born. Want to see how it looks?
It's gorgeous and has Europe's oldest town hall, indeed! Here: Michelstadt
For all those reasons I have launched a big MOVING SALE - I can't take my treasures back home again. Too many.
Visit me and see, puhleeze?
My Website with tons of discounted 'not so average' Gifts
Please, you can make an offer too. I surely will consider anything!
I've dedicated an entire section with items:
♥SALE SALE SALE♥ Just look!
I am also on Pinterest where I've set up a MOVING SALE board -
It's free to look. PROMISE :-)
...and you conveniently can click on any picture - it will bring you to the item on SALE.
My Pinterest Boards please, follow me?

Remember! I have only ONE of anything. Everything is OOAK!
And think birthdays, anniversaries, and also Christmas, etc. AHEAD.
Makes sense?
Thank you for your time ***
I'll be baaaack, soon and with helpful fashion and beauty tips and tricks.