In Part XIII, I've mentioned that I went with Patricia shopping in Stellenbosch on Monday, November 25, 1985. That yielded a 3-cups French Melior cafetière; a Zulu knobkerrie and a tiny Zulu spoon; a wooden Dachshund for in my type tray; a leather P keyring for my Dad and that's it.
So here I want to show you those little treasures.
They are all lined up against the received book, a gift that I got earlier at the Congress.
Starting out with the little French Melior Cafetière, I will show them to you one by one.
This 3 cups Melior cafetière I purchased for South African Rand 43.40 or US $ 16.51
100 US $ were R 262.81 and the Rand was equal to the Dutch Guilder at the time.
This 3 cups Melior cafetière I purchased for South African Rand 43.40 or US $ 16.51
100 US $ were R 262.81 and the Rand was equal to the Dutch Guilder at the time.
Melior, Made in France
Made for 3 cups. Well, be aware that is the French demitasse size - not American coffee mug sizes!
We already had the larger 8 cups and this was perfect for making smaller portions of coffee and easy to handle inside our luggage!
Tried to clean this Rhodium plate Melior but it did not work... Pardon the look!
Melior instructions in French, English, German and Spanish.
This 3 cups cafetière I always grab for making the strong coffee that I use for making Tiramisu.
Always perfect coffee, never BITTER!
Okay, now we're awake so lets continue...
It was not yet 3 months ago that I'd lost my beloved miniature Dachshund Mauzie girl...
So home came this wooden Mauzie for in my type tray!
The tail is missing and over the years I have no idea how that happened.
It travelled home with us from Stellenbosch, South Africa, than moved to Pennsylvania and across the Ocean to Italy and back again across the Ocean to Georgia. Quite a journey for a lot of fragile objects!
The bottom of this wooden Mauzie is signed F.B.
The Zulu beaded spoon is behind it...
Here you see the small wooden Zulu spoon with beaded end and loop for hanging.
Behind it lays the Zulu Knobkerrie carved from wood and entirely beaded with a loop for hanging.
I only paid US $ 9.22 for these beaded wooden gifts.
Don't you love those bright colors of the meticulous beading?
This small spoon has a beaded loop for hanging.
One only has to admire this perfect Zulu beading work on the handle of the larger wooden Knobkerrie.
Showing the beading work more towards the end.
Such a Knobkerrie is a primitive weapon!
Such were our little gifts. Not much but considering our very limited budget, it meant a lot to us.
Don't have a picture of the leather Key Holder with letter P embossed that we got for my Dad.
~
Having been invited to the Congress and getting travel and hotels paid for was to us an enormous reward in itself for seeing this beautiful country!
Many thanks to our Mushroom Friends from South Africa - we forever keep these fond memories with us.
It was only on Friday, April 26 of 1985, that we got our mortgage for the house in Dublin, Georgia.
Quite a while after we arrived here on August 29, 1983...
Because husband Pieter's ex did NOT sign any papers, we could not get married right away.
That also delayed our Green Card application etc. etc.
Campbell Soup did buy the house and let us live there which was very generous!
For our marriage we had to fly back to The Netherlands 2.5 months later...
Slowly the entire process started and it took over one year before husband Pieter received his FIRST pay check!
Campbell's did not want to employ anyone without a green card...
We lived from the saving money we had; very, very frugal!
Pieter did leave his ex the entire house, including furniture + a new car.
He was just too happy for having found TRUE LOVE and the opportunity of starting all over again.
That's what we did, not easy but we proudly look back on our accomplishments.
Oh, the mortgage was at 12.5 % interest and set for 15 years, written at the bottom of my leather agenda in above photo, under April 26.
Pieter also very generously has paid his ex, alimony over 32 years of time and the study costs for his adopted daughter (she was the daughter of his ex's 1st cousin) for the Dutch Royal Academy.
Needless to say that we never could deduct a single penny for all those expenses as it was used for pay outside of the U.S.A.
Both of us had to live off less than half of his salary, minus payment for the mortgage and for my little Ford Escort...
BACK TO BASICS and living a content but simple life!
Thank you for your visits and comments on these series about South Africa.
Related links;
Part XV - Flora from South Africa | previous post by me
Part XIV - The Royal Hotel in Durban, South Africa | previous post by me
Part XIII - Medallion Mushrooms, Stellenbsoch, South Africa | previous post by me
Part XII - Cape Malay Wedding in The Company's Garden, Cape Town, S.A. | previous post by me
Part XI - Rhodes Memorial on Devil's Peak in Cape Town, S.A. | previous post by me
Part X - Cape Town, South Africa | previous post by me
Part IX - BLAAUWKLIPPEN Homestead in Sellenbosch, South Africa | previous post by me
Part VIII - Stellenbosch, S.A. with its Cape Dutch Architecture | previous post by me
Part VII - Lanzerac Hotel in Stellenbosch, South Africa | previous post by me
Part VI - Interview at South African Broadcasting Corporation in Joburg | previous post by me
Part V - Tongaat Mushrooms in Bryanston, South Africa | previous post by me
Part IV - INDABA Hotel, Spa & Conference Centre in Bryanston, South Africa | previous post by me
Part III - Highveld Mushrooms in Bryanston, South Africa | previous post by me
Part II - Pretoria and Sandton City, South Africa | previous post by me
Part I - Johannesburg, South Africa | previous post by me
My South Africa Publication Around Husband Pieter's Lectures at Congress | previous post by me
Part XIII - Medallion Mushrooms, Stellenbsoch, South Africa | previous post by me
Part XII - Cape Malay Wedding in The Company's Garden, Cape Town, S.A. | previous post by me
Part XI - Rhodes Memorial on Devil's Peak in Cape Town, S.A. | previous post by me
Part X - Cape Town, South Africa | previous post by me
Part IX - BLAAUWKLIPPEN Homestead in Sellenbosch, South Africa | previous post by me
Part VIII - Stellenbosch, S.A. with its Cape Dutch Architecture | previous post by me
Part VII - Lanzerac Hotel in Stellenbosch, South Africa | previous post by me
Part VI - Interview at South African Broadcasting Corporation in Joburg | previous post by me
Part V - Tongaat Mushrooms in Bryanston, South Africa | previous post by me
Part IV - INDABA Hotel, Spa & Conference Centre in Bryanston, South Africa | previous post by me
Part III - Highveld Mushrooms in Bryanston, South Africa | previous post by me
Part II - Pretoria and Sandton City, South Africa | previous post by me
Part I - Johannesburg, South Africa | previous post by me
My South Africa Publication Around Husband Pieter's Lectures at Congress | previous post by me
Liebe Mariette,
ReplyDeleteherzlichen Dank für deinen schönen Post.
Alles Liebe
Elisabeth
Hello Mariette, It is very rewarding doing what you love, even when it means living frugally at the same time. You did manage to bring home some nice souvenirs--I'll bet that lazy mushroom growers were a lot more attentive at Pieter's lectures when he brandished that knobkerrie! I usually use of of those glass coffee-presses for making green tea; it is easier to clean and there are no small particles of tea leaves.
ReplyDelete--Jim
Hello dear Mariette!
ReplyDeleteVery interesting post and lovely pictures!
Such beautiful souvenirs you brought from Africa!
The Zulu spoon is so preety!
I also use the coffee-presses for making tea!
Thank you for sharing!
Enjoy your weekend! Hugs! 💋❤️
Dimi...
Lovely items you got there. The wooden dachshund is very pretty. It must have been very special after losing your dear girl.
ReplyDeleteWe use cafetiere to make coffee at home. I like it very much :-)
Lovely souvenirs. I like the beaded things, they are so well made.
ReplyDeleteI used to have a similar coffee press.
You've led an interesting life Mariette even though you both had to be frugal to manage to pay the ex-spouse and to pay the step daughter's studies. Pieter is a good man indeed.
Wonderful souvenirs, dear Mariette, and it is so special that you have kept them all this time, too. Some things are so filled with memories - like your little carved dachshund. The coffee press is wonderful, and the beaded items are a lovely representation of the arts of the country. Living a humble life with the one you love is truly a testament of your dedication to one another - a sweet love story. Sending hugs xo Karen
ReplyDeleteHi Mariette,
ReplyDeleteMmm, your coffee press, I'm sure, makes a perfect cup of coffee. On Saturday I had a friend over for dinner who drinks multiple cups of coffee each day. After dinner when I made drip coffee, I sensed she was slightly disappointed I do not own a French press. My mother was German and thus, the drip style of coffee-making. I remember early on, she tried a percolator coffee pot in an attempt to do many things in the American way, but being a serious coffee drinker, returned to a drip coffee-maker. I like all methods that let us make one or two cups at a time, instead of a pot.
Cheers and hugs,
Debbie
Such beautiful treasures, Mariette! They remind of some gorgeous African pieces that a dear friend sent to me many, many years ago when she was stationed in Zanzibar with the Peace Corps. There were carved wooden candlesticks and bowls and spoons that she sent as a wedding gift (unfortunately, my ex kept them all out of spite). But I do have two beautiful hand dyed African sarongs with sayings in Sanskrit along the border. I cherish those pieces of fabric to this day and even more so since my friend passed away a few years ago. I can see why you cherish your souvenirs as well. So beautiful with so much meaning.
ReplyDeleteShelbee
www.shelbeeontheedge.com
You have a lot of treasures and theese are beautiful and very interesting. I learn more and more with your posts. A great pleasure to visit you.
ReplyDeleteSending hugs and blessings.
María
Your life was not littered with roses, there were many problems, you had to live modestly, but you got to the goal, you are with the man you loved. I like the souvenirs, especially those from Africa. It is a pity that there will be no publication in the Veranda magazine. Regards.
ReplyDeleteDearest Mariette; As I always have green tea, we don't have cafetiere; but you made me wish to have the Tiramisu you make♡♡♡ I love these Zulu beaded items. Knobkerrie is colorful for weapon:-)
ReplyDeleteI DO hope you TWO ARE doing fine; Yes,especially under this cold weather.
Wishing you are having relaxing new week and sorry for my absence, Dearest Mariette;
Sending Lots of Love and Hugs from Japan to my Dear friend, xoxo Miyako*
The dog is so cute. 2018 is deemed as the year of dog in Asian countries.
ReplyDeletePeças de artesanato muito interessante.
ReplyDeleteUm abraço e boa semana.
Andarilhar
Dedais de Francisco e Idalisa
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