Taking Husband Pieter back to Knoxville, TN in Mom & Dad's Footsteps

On April 4, of this year we both stayed in Knoxville, TN for two nights.

For a very special reason...

After having gone to Clingman's Dome, see previous post below, we visited with a dear blogger friend close to Knoxville and then checked in at the Hyatt Place downtown.

The blogger friend is: Katie Isabella she is very sweet in person!

Also: Ramblingon Katie Isabella's Mom

Yes, we met both of them!
It is always a joy for Meeting with any Blogger Friend that you know for many, many years and it also proves again and again that you have so much in common.

Here husband Pieter finally stands in a spot where he took daily lunch break walks...
Pieter had to do a course about Statistical Process Control at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville for Campbell Soup.
So on Saturday, September 6, 1986 Pieter flew from Atlanta, Georgia to Knoxville, Tennessee after I'd dropped him off at the airport.

Here, Mom & Dad are walking the gardens around the University of Tennessee in Knoxville, on May  6, 1987.
As a matter of fact, just received this photo from my Dad on May 21, 2019, when I drove straight home from the airport after landing in Amsterdam.
Showed him some video on my MacBook and photos from our trip to Knoxville in April.
Dad jumped up and grabbed his photo book from their FIRST trip to the USA.
Never had seen those pictures myself and of course immediately asked Dad to take them with me for scanning them.
So happy with these memories!

Pieter took this photo from the University of Tennessee, from the Hill Street...

The University of Tennessee, Hill Entrance

From September 6 till the 12th, husband Pieter stayed at the Knoxville Hilton in 1986

On Friday, September 12 of 1986, I did pick up Pieter at the Atlanta airport by 6:35 PM and he proudly showed me this!

Pieter took this photo upon arrival in Knoxville with to the right the tower from a special Church...

This was a photo taken by husband Pieter, from the Observation Deck at the Sunsphere, showing the Church Street United Methodist Church of Knoxville, TN

Just click here for more info about Knoxville, TN - Church Street United Methodist Church and what a magnificent building that is!

A very poor quality photo but seen are Mom & Dad and I presume that I did park near that Church for strolling around the University as that is to the right...

Here I am standing in front of this beautiful Church Street United Methodist Church!
While Pieter was napping, I found it on the Internet, and now had the address for walking to it from our Hyatt Place in Downtown...
It was rather difficult to recognize from the bad photo I had of Mom & Dad.
Pieter took this photo from the median with pedestrian traffic lights as otherwise the entire building would not be in the picture.
Pedestrians could not cross this 6-lane road in 'one' trip...

Mom & Dad on May 6, 1987 at the World's Fair Park in Knoxville
The tower's window glass panels are layered in 24-karat gold dust...
It measures 266 ft or 81 m!
The 1982 World's Fair, formerly known as Knoxville International Energy Exposition in which The Netherlands also participated and China for the 1st time EVER. 
See short video: Remembering the 1982 World's Fair in Knoxville, Tennessee where President Reagan opened it on May 1.
Also called 'Sunsphere'

Husband Pieter took this photo in 1986 when walking around during lunch break...
In the center you see the Hilton hotel
Oh, I do recall Pieter talking about Worlds Largest Rubik's Cube From 1982 Worlds Fair of which they had a HUGE one on display.
Designed by Hungarian Architecture Professor Erno Rubik and became one of the 1982 World's Fair's most well known icons.

This photo I took of Pieter on April 4, 2019...
The first time that Pieter ever came back here since 1986!

Yep, Public Parking Poplar St Lot and Pieter pointing to the World's Fair Park and it is visible to his right.
There are still overhead wires visible but a lot less than in 1987 when I took Mom & Dad's photo.
Horizon pollution...

The Tennessee Amphitheater shown here, which got constructed during the 1982 World's Fair

Dad gave me also this photo where we just arrived in North Carolina.
We visited Highlands and also nearby Dry Falls of which Dad himself had pictures.
We spent the night in Cherokee TN, at a Best Western
Next day we went to Gatlinburg, TN and on to Knoxville.

Quite a solo trip for me, as we had dropped off Pieter at the airport on Sunday, May 3, after we had spent the weekend in Atlanta at the Marriott Galleria.

Pieter was still working full time for Campbell Soup as Vice President Training & Development.
A total of 1,226 km and back till the airport in Atlanta to pick up Pieter, all on May 6, and from there, Pieter did drive home!
That was a full day... all the way from Knoxville.

We had all four been together to the Dutch Queen's Birthday Reception at the Dutch Consul's home on West Paces Ferry Road in Atlanta.
Dad sang the Dutch Wilhelmus on this side of the Atlantic!
So with 2 nights at the Marriott and some shopping, dropping Pieter off at the airport I'd gone back to Dublin for 1 night... Next day we left for North Carolina and the above Knoxville, TN visit.
When I'd come home in Dublin, I also altered a newly bought dress for Mom (while in Atlanta!) so she could wear it!

So happy for having received Dad's photos and being able to look back and for having shown Pieter once more...

Previous post:
SO Proud of my NONAGENARIAN | previous post by me

{Mom Lived 16 Days Short of Her 91st Birthday} | previous post by me with Mom & Dad's words in guest book

Mom is Being Posthumously Honored for her Knitting

Mom's 5th Mother's Day in Heaven...

She no doubt is smiling proudly down from heaven because of the many views of her fabulous knitting!

Mom wrote in a letter from September 17, 1986 (my Maternal Grandma's B'day...) that she'd asked the lady from the yarn shop, for placement of her knitted bedspread at the Hiltho Exhibition.

Hiltho Exhibition is every 4 years since 1967, and is the biggest in the South of The Netherlands.
Mom had tried so hard for the Hiltho '86 exhibition from 26 September till 1 October... click link; then click through.
It just didn't work out for having her work displayed at the Hiltho... to have a booth there was too expensive for the yarn store!  But the store owner told her she should bring it for the coming winter, to have it as window display instead.

That's what happened and here my Mom is proudly standing in front of the shop's window with her beautiful work!
I'd forgotten that I too had knitted several squares, before immigrating to the USA...
Mom mentioned that in her letter!

This is Mom's letter, neatly handwritten as so many that I received over the years!
Mom was very happy with the offer to have it as window display instead.
She wrote that my sister-in-law Elly, brother Harry's wife, very dedicated was helping her getting all the knitting finished. Elly also had taken the squares apart and rejoined them in a different way, as she'd seen from one of the patients at the nursing home where she worked.

It was quite emotional for making these bedspread photos on February 21, 2014, before going to the hospital again for visiting Mom during her dialysis.
Deep inside I KNEW that this would also be the very last time I would see her alive...
My gut feeling proved to be right.

Less than a year later, I would be up all night and do Face Time with my youngest brother, who sat together with my 2nd brother, at Mom's bedside. Seeing, hearing Mom and talking to her for the very last time.
It was then when I did compose a beginning for a FAREWELL, or EULOGY, to be read...

*

Going Home...

Daddy, brothers and sisters, sisters-in-law and partner, nephews and nieces, family and friends...

We are together in warmth and gratitude to honor our Mother.

A dear wife, dedicated Mother for all of us. Her entire life she has given love with an enormous big heart; without asking much for herself.

This last trip of 17 days away from D'n Afhang, was a difficult route for her but she has accomplished it with pride. She wanted to go home with all her heart, for finally putting her tired head to rest close to Daddy, in her own beloved place, where 7 of her 8 children were born.

Eight children, of which I am the second and our eldest sister is now finally again with Mother!

She almost made it for being married to Daddy 66 years; in love and sorrow.

Working hard her entire life and yet in her way always trying to pamper us.

She was able to cook delicious tomato soup from own cultivation, with yummy fried onions. Her spare ribs with home-made tomato paste and fried onions were also a favorite.

Baking for the entire family she did also with much love and she herself was fond of ginger cake... 

She also loved nougat, that I always brought her back from the fun-fair!

She loved to knit and crochet and in the photo she proudly poses in front of the window where her large knitted bedspreads hung.

Together with Daddy she made trips to Germany, and also to Paris and even four times to Georgia in the USA. Proudly she always said she had two daughters in America; one in great America.

On the bike she often went to little America on Tuesday’s, on market day, with a gift for her first grandchild. 

Meanwhile Mom had passed away and that stopped my writing...

Never could finish it...

*
In Dutch:

Naar Huis...

Papa, broers en zussen, schoonzussen en partner, neefjes en nichtjes, vrienden...

We zijn bij elkaar in warmte en dankbaarheid ter ere van ons Moeke.

Een lieve echtgenote, toegewijde Moeke voor ons allemaal. Ze heeft met een enorm groot hart haar hele leven liefde geven; zonder veel voor zichzelf te vragen.

Deze laatste reis van 17 dagen weg van d'n Afhang was een moeilijke route voor haar maar ze heeft het met fierheid volbracht. Ze wilde met heel haar hart naar huis om daar op haar eigen geliefde plek, waar 7 van haar 8 kindjes geboren werden, haar moede hoofd eindelijk te rusten leggen dicht bij Papa. 

Acht kinderen, waarvan ik de tweede ben en onze oudste zus is nu eindelijk ook weer bij Moeke!

Bijna heeft ze het gered om met Papa 66 jaar getrouwd te zijn; door lief en leed.

Hard gewerkt haar hele leven en toch op haar manier altijd geprobeerd om ons te verwennen.

Ze kon lekkere tomatensoep koken van eigen teelt, met heerlijke gebakken uien. Ook haar ribjes met tomatenpuree en gebakken uien waren een lievelingskostje.

Bakken voor het hele gezin deed ze ook met veel liefde en zelf was ze dol op gemberkoek... 

Ze lustte ook zo graag nougat die ik haar altijd meebracht van de kermis!

Breien en haken deed ze graag en met trots staat ze op de foto voor de etalage waar haar grote gebreide bedsprei hing.

Met Papa samen maakte ze reisjes naar Duitsland en ook naar Parijs en zelfs vier keer naar Georgia in de USA. Trots zei ze altijd dat ze twéé dochters in America had; een in groot America.

Op de fiets ging ze vaak op dinsdag, markt dag, naar klein America om haar eerste kleinkind weer iets toe te stoppen. 

Ondertussen is Moeke gestorven en kon ik niet meer verder schrijven...
Helaas heb ik het nooit afgekregen...

*

This year, on my Angel Sister's heavenly Birthday, I noticed a tremendous increase in views for Mom's hand knitted bedspread, on my Pinterest.

January 11, 2019... Mom's Bedspread was at the TOP!

Hard to believe these figures, yet it was there and on my blog, almost every day, Mom's picture was in the sideline as one of the favorite posts!

Love seeing this photo...

Mom ranks right there in my TOP blog posts and that in only five years!

It made me so happy and feeling oh so proud of her for being Posthumously Honored for her Knitting!!!

*

Happy Mother's Day!

Related link:
{Mom's Hand Knitted Bedspread as Window Display} | previous post by me
{HAPPY Mom on her 90th Birthday - THANKS TO ALL OF YOU} | previous post by me, when I took the bedspread photos...

Spring 2019 is Slowly Arriving

Just want to show you some blossom photos before we continue with more mushroom related history.

We had some rainy days and that is not best for Camellias, as they easily brown.
Here are four pink beauties together inside a creamware cachepot on February 21.

On our kitchen bay window sill and as you can see, outside the grass is still brown!

An oval Wedgwood Cream Color on Cream Color bowl filled with White Camellias.

On a rainy day, February 19, I filled this silver plated vase with some fragrant Ehrlicheer Narcissus.
My hands reflect inside the glossy silver.
This vase is half a century old, a sweet gift from my sister Diny on my birthday!
Memories carried across the ocean...
Had to place this vase on the living room window sill for some light as it was a gloom day!
Longing for being able to use our balcony again but that takes some time.

This is our second Japanese Magnolia tree on Mom's 5th Birthday in heaven, February 12.

Closer view.
This is actually half of a tree as a big tree fell into it years ago and damaged half of it.
But it has grown back remarkably well over the years and we treasure its blossoms as they can be seen from the bay window in the kitchen and from the veranda.

This is the other tree that is looking a lot fuller. On the opposite side it will become fuller now since last year we had a big limb from the neighboring oak tree sawn off so the light can now reach the Magnolia tree.

A heavenly view from the kitchen bay window.

Look at all the leaves on the roof near the gutter... from heavy rain and wind!

This is five days later, most of the petals are knocked down from heavy rain...

Here you see that the tree had been growing more to the left, towards the light and on the right sight it will gradually fill in and become more rounded. That usually takes five years, Mother Nature takes its time for healing.

Hope you also are slowly enjoying spring flowers and of course the southern hemisphere still enjoys end of summer blossoms. 

Thanks for your visit and comments!

Sentimental TREASURE from Mom...

While having the contractors creating 'dust' inside our home, I took it upon me to scan the final box of letters that Pieter found in the storage room under our front porch. TREASURES as those were Mom's letters from 1983 through 1988. Not only Mom's but also my Mother-in-law's and Pieter's brothers who no longer are with us.
We both treasure them so very much. But it was quite a task.
Yesterday I've completed the 1,187 scans by aligning and cropping them and filing by date. 

Pieter did read them before they got tossed out but I have not yet had the time!

One sentimental treasure from Mom, that got sent with her mail in 1985, I would like to share here.

Even though it is in Dutch, I found the English wording as well. It is below...

Drievoudig

is de gang des tijds:

dralend komt

de toekomst nader,

pijlsnel is vervlogen

het heden,

eeuwig stil staat het verleden.

Schiller

The future comes slowly, the 
present flies and the past stands still forever.
~  Friedrich Schiller on my Pinterest

Dreifach ist der Schritt der Zeit:
Zögernd kommt die Zukunft hergezogen,
pfeilschnell ist das jetzt entflogen,
ewig still steht die Vergangenheit.
~ Friedrich Schiller on my Pinterest

When I translate directly from the original German, it reads like this:
Triple is the step of time:
hesitantly the future comes up,
arrow fast the present is gone,
eternally still stands the past.

Love such sentiment!

And yes, our bathroom is DONE! So happy with it.

google.com/+MarietteVandenMunckhofVedder

With Mom & Dad to Altenahr, Germany

It was on Tuesday, July 21 of 1981 that my late husband Frans and I drove with Mom & Dad to Altenahr in Germany.
Again, during my 3-week summer vacation and helping Mom & Dad out with picking gherkins in the greenhouse. 

A landmark in Altenahr is Hotel Zum Schwarzen Kreuz just click on link.

Early rising for departure at 6:00 AM for our journey to Altenahr in Germany.

Yes, this very rose pattern curtain I have crocheted for all the homes I've lived!

This was on the door of our garage in Horst, The Netherlands. See link below post.

Here we are in the Eifel mountains of Germany.

As I post these day-trips, made in July, I notice how cloudy it most times was!

For this trip we used Dad's Ford Fiesta.

Me in the Eifel mountains, Germany.

Here we are in Altenahr, Germany on a bridge over the river Ahr which flows through the Eifel mountains.
This is a very short video about the Ahr Valley - Das Ahrtal just click it for seeing its true beauty.
Already the Romans liked it there! Now it is well known for its vineyards.

We had lunch at Hotel Restaurant Ruland just click the link.

My choice then was: Tomato soup, Kalbsgeschnetzeltes in Sahnesauce mit Pilze - sliced veal in a cream sauce with mushrooms, rice and mixed salat. Chocolate with ice-cream for dessert...

To the right you see Ruland Hotel Restaurant where we had lunch.
The top photo from this post was taken in front of Hotel & Restaurant Zum Schwarzen Kreuz, seen in the center. The river Ahr is also visible and the bridge where we took one photo. 

While we had lunch, it rained...

I'm also wearing my hand knitted cardigan as it was rather chilly!

This is our walk in Reckerscheid in the Eifel.

We did stop by a dear friend for a visit before we went home.

By the way, my late husband's Mom was from this region as well.

A lovely area that I've visited for the biggest part of my life and also with husband Pieter together we have been there frequently.

Even our foster-daughter Anita has been there once with us, all the way from Indonesia.

We got home by 20:15 and in bed by 23:00.

Mauzie my dachshund had been fed and let out by my youngest sister as she did not travel with us this time.

Thanks for your visit and comment!

Related links:

Taking Mom & Dad to Bad Münstereifel in Germany | previous post by me
Day-Trip to Paris & Versailles with Mom & Dad | previous post by me
Mom & Dad Often Talked About Siegerland in Germany so we Went Back! | previous post by me
{Mom Did Wear Many Hats} | previous post by me
{My French DMC Rose Filet Lace Crocheted Curtains} | previous post by me

Google.com/+MarietteVandenMunckhofVedder

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Taking Mom & Dad to Bad Münstereifel in Germany

During my vacation period of July 1977, we helped out in the greenhouse picking gherkins and also took Mom & Dad on several day-trips.

One more was to the medieval city of Bad Münsereifel, even an old Roman city!

Nestled in the Eifel Mountains in Germany, a beautiful area.
Münstereifel got started in the year 830!

Here you see my sweet Mauzie girl with Dad and Mom after we climbed to the top of the old medieval city walls. 

Overlooking the quaint little city, to the left of my Dad you see Stiftskirche Church of St. Chrysanthus and Daria from Bad Münstereifel. Also the remains of the old Castle are above Dad's head and more to the left.
Top right you see one of the 4 Towers that were build inside the city wall.

The former collegiate church of the Benedictine order, today the Catholic parish church, received the relics of Saint Chyrsanthus and Daria in 844. Building was begun in the mid-11th century and completed in the 12th century. It is a romanesque, three-nave buttressed basilica without a transept, with west work and long chancel, as well as an important crypt. Restoration work has been carried out from 1876 to 1893 and since 1957. The interior of the church is well worth seeing.
Link to the above: Churches and Monasteries in the District of Euskirchen

You can see more here on this short video: Stiftskirche | Bad Münstereifel | Rhein-Eiffel. TV

Mauzie sure enjoyed the walk, as long as she could be near me, she was happy!
Those medieval city walls have protected the city in earlier centuries and they still make for a very special attraction of the little city.
To view the old Burg Münstereifel | Stadtmauer | Rhein-Eifel. TV click on link to see the old Castle and City Wall from 1.6 km length with its 4 Towers, before the word Bad got added for their Kneipp Kurort function (Spa Resort)
Sebastian Kneipp (1821-1897), German priest and hydrotherapist who introduced hydrotherapy.

Mom with Mauzie and Dad taking a rest from climbing and walking those city walls.
Such a perfect day with most pleasant weather!

Here you see Dad with Mauzie and Mom from the other side of Bad Münstereifel.
In the back you can see the old city wall were we walked in the above photos!
Also the Stiftskirche, Church of Saint Chyrsanthus and Daria is visible again to the right of Mom, but from the other side now.

Dad being happy and relaxed for enjoying one day of vacation and being a tourist!

Here we are in the gardens of the Kurhaus with its fountains.
This Kurhaus or Spa Resort in English got started in 1926 and drew lots of tourists and visitors.
It is a famous Spa Resort for which the word Bad (Bath), got added in 1967.

Dad, with his huge garden at home where many couples had their bridal photos taken, always was interested in trees!
Remarkable how much he resembles here my youngest brother Jan...

Inside the city, Dad had to walk up close to inspect this huge tree...
Some very stylish homes to be admired!

Before driving the 1.5 hour back home, I took Mom & Dad to my favorite Hotel-Restaurant-Café "TANNENHOF' (Tanne means Fir in English and Hof is Garden...
Bad Münstereifel Hotel Restaurant Tannenhof (click on link) has changed over the years and this is the only thing I found on the Internet.
Guess it is now called and changed into: Hotel-Garni Tannenhof.

Happily back home in  their own garden with pond...
So glad I did take them on this day-trip and for being able now to look back at fond memories with some photos.

Thanks for your visit and comment!

Related links:
Day-Trip to Paris & Versailles with Mom & Dad | previous post by me
Mom & Dad Often Talked About Siegerland in Germany so we Went Back! | previous post by me
{Mom Did Wear Many Hats} | previous post by me