While living and working in Italy, we had only one family member ever visit us...
Brother Jan Van den Munckhof, on his BMW Motorbike with his wife Wilma in the passenger seat, and it took him almost 15 hours, just 15 minutes short.
That was on Saturday, July 29, 1989 and they arrived around 19:00 after we'd worked, as usual till after lunch.
Sunday, July 30, Wilma and I walking as we just purchased a water melon 5.5 kg (12 pound) that Wilma craved for! Photo by Jan L.G. Van den Munckhof.
This was earlier in the morning as Jan & Wilma hiked up the hill behind our apartment, discovering our surroundings.
Both of us looking out of the bathroom window...That day we took them to medieval artist city of Asolo where we walked around and had an ice coffee on the terrace.
We of course took them to our lot, across Madonna di Rocca, where we were supposed to build our home.
We spotted Bambi near the Runero Creek.
Back at home I made Babi Pangang...
~
On Monday, July 31, Jan & Wilma drove to the Dolomites and even lived through a thunderstorm... Both of us worked, and then we wanted to drive to Montebelluna for finding us a restaurant.
That proved to be quite an adventure as everything was closed!
WORSE was that we were running out of gas...
After Pieter spoke these words: 'IF we just make it over that final hill with Essy (my white Ford Escort) at least the downhill pushing of the car will be a lot easier', it became dead silent inside the car.
Miraculously we made it till the mushroom farm where we swapped Essy for Merc, our Mercury Sable, as he had a full stomach!
As bonus we even managed to find us a Pizzeria that was OPEN...
~
On Tuesday August 1, a normal working day and Jan & Wilma had a lazy day at and around home.
We went to the Silos Supermarket in Treviso.
~
On Wednesday, August 2, Jan & Wilma went to Venice for the day... We had a regular workday.
~
Thursday, August 3, regular work and Wilma had cooked a delicious meal for all of us at home.
~
Friday, August 4, I did my 5th training class with slides etc. and Jan & Wilma came to the mushroom farm by 11:00 and we went home together for lunch. Jan & Wilma next went to the River Piave for sun tanning as we went back to work. Pizza dinner in Crochetta del Montello.
~
Saturday, August 5, we both went to work as usual and Jan & Wilma came to the mushroom farm and also Ruud & Monique Thielen from Thilot for a machine demonstration.
With Tommaso we went to a restaurant near Montebelluna and afterwards we all visited Tommaso and Rosella at their villa.
Ruud & Monique followed us till Treviso, on their way back to Venice and we went shopping in Treviso.
That yielded us an angel, that is still with us, but Pieter has chipped off nearly all its fingers... Haha!
In this still shot from home movie 1999 it is still reasonable.
This is what he (yes!) looks like now...
It is a numbered Unterweissbach 1882
We ate a Pizza and got home just in time for a thunderstorm.
~
Sunday, August 6, Jan rode home on his motorbike with Wilma, they left at 5:30 and reached Horst aan de Maas in The Netherlands by 19:15... It sure is a vast distance!
That was on Saturday, July 29, 1989 and they arrived around 19:00 after we'd worked, as usual till after lunch.
Both of us looking out of the bathroom window...That day we took them to medieval artist city of Asolo where we walked around and had an ice coffee on the terrace.
We of course took them to our lot, across Madonna di Rocca, where we were supposed to build our home.
We spotted Bambi near the Runero Creek.
Back at home I made Babi Pangang...
~
On Monday, July 31, Jan & Wilma drove to the Dolomites and even lived through a thunderstorm... Both of us worked, and then we wanted to drive to Montebelluna for finding us a restaurant.
That proved to be quite an adventure as everything was closed!
WORSE was that we were running out of gas...
After Pieter spoke these words: 'IF we just make it over that final hill with Essy (my white Ford Escort) at least the downhill pushing of the car will be a lot easier', it became dead silent inside the car.
Miraculously we made it till the mushroom farm where we swapped Essy for Merc, our Mercury Sable, as he had a full stomach!
As bonus we even managed to find us a Pizzeria that was OPEN...
~
On Tuesday August 1, a normal working day and Jan & Wilma had a lazy day at and around home.
We went to the Silos Supermarket in Treviso.
~
On Wednesday, August 2, Jan & Wilma went to Venice for the day... We had a regular workday.
~
Thursday, August 3, regular work and Wilma had cooked a delicious meal for all of us at home.
~
Friday, August 4, I did my 5th training class with slides etc. and Jan & Wilma came to the mushroom farm by 11:00 and we went home together for lunch. Jan & Wilma next went to the River Piave for sun tanning as we went back to work. Pizza dinner in Crochetta del Montello.
~
Saturday, August 5, we both went to work as usual and Jan & Wilma came to the mushroom farm and also Ruud & Monique Thielen from Thilot for a machine demonstration.
With Tommaso we went to a restaurant near Montebelluna and afterwards we all visited Tommaso and Rosella at their villa.
Ruud & Monique followed us till Treviso, on their way back to Venice and we went shopping in Treviso.
In this still shot from home movie 1999 it is still reasonable.
~
Sunday, August 6, Jan rode home on his motorbike with Wilma, they left at 5:30 and reached Horst aan de Maas in The Netherlands by 19:15... It sure is a vast distance!
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Visiting A.G. Linfield Mushroom Compost Facility in England | previous post by me about Thilot and GTL Europe as it is called now
Really fascinating!! Are you going back to draw from a journal? I forgot if you ever told me.
ReplyDeleteDearest Helen,
DeleteThank you, it was a very special time for both of us!
Yes, we kept a diary till 2005... So that really helps a lot.
Hugs,
Mariette
Liebe Mariette,
ReplyDeletevielen Dank für deinen schönen Post.
Alles Liebe
Elisabeth
Liebe Elisabeth,
DeleteAber gerne nehme ich euch mit über die Grenze!
Lieber Gruß,
Mariette
Quite an adventure to ride a bike for 15 hours!
ReplyDeleteKeep well Mariette.
Dearest Sami,
DeleteYes it sure was; a back-breaking adventure.
Jan had to lie down for a short while upon arrival.
Hugs,
Mariette
Almost 15 hours on motorbike, that is a long trip your brother and his wife made! I love the photo of you and your husband Pieter looking out from the window. Such a nice capture :-) Oh it must have been so scary to be running out of gas! Glad you could reach mushroom farm before it happened.
ReplyDeleteThe angel you got is very cute :-)
Have a wonderful week, Mariette xo
Dearest Tamago,
DeleteYes, that was a tough journey for sitting it out...
Thank you, it is a dear photo and brother Jan is an excellent photographer and he knows how to capture the emotion.
Haha, Pieter always loves cynical jokes but that was no fun and we all contemplated the act of having to push the vehicle.
Hugs,
Mariette
Hello Mariette, I just got a cut on my fingertip, so I can empathize with that angel! Today was hot so Wilma's watermelon looks pretty good.
ReplyDelete--Jim
Dearest Jim
DeleteAuch for having hurt your fingertip, yes, Pieter did hurt our angel several times with his glass...
We had a stormy night with heavy thunderstorms and again flooding so the wet vacs do duty once more.
Watermelon season will come soon I hope.
Hugs,
Mariette
That was quite a journey on a motorbike. Terrible times for Italy now. It's nice to remember the good times. Hope you and Pieter are well.
ReplyDeleteDearest Tammy,
DeleteYes, that was like a motor bike marathon... but in the end after a good rest it worked fine.
Sure good for remembering all the good times, for each of us!
Italy has been severely hit indeed and let's hope this soon will end for the entire world.
Hugs,
Mariette
Beautiful small decorative object.
ReplyDeleteDearest Anne,
DeleteThank you and we both love angels, they are meaningful.
Hugs,
Mariette
Es un gran lugar para viajar, aunque ahora no es recomendable. Ahora todos estamos más seguros en casa.
ReplyDeleteBesos
Querida Antonia,
DeleteEn ese momento vivíamos cerca de Venecia y mi hermano vino de visita. Hermosa ruta de hecho. Con la esperanza de que pronto seremos libres y seguros de nuevo!
Abrazos,
Mariette
Not getting me on a bike ever..............
ReplyDeleteOther then that a great post
Dearest Jo-Anne,
DeleteHaha, you never know, maybe next life you own one! Thanks.
Hugs,
Mariette
Un bel angioletto e quella cocomera era buona???
ReplyDeleteBuon giovedi.
Caro Giancarlo,
DeleteOh certo che è un angelo carino con ricordi molto speciali.
Scommetto che ci è piaciuto quel melone d'acqua!
Abbracci,
Mariette
You are so lucky. You could go around the world, and visiting great places.
ReplyDeleteDearest Endah,
DeleteWell, this was all work related and not traveling for fun but we did sure enjoy it!
Hugs,
Mariette
Dear Mariette - I can't imagine driving all of that way on a motorbike - but so much more is attainable when you are still young and fit.
ReplyDeleteIt sounds as if you all enjoyed a really memorable and happy time together.
Dearest Rosemary,
DeleteSo many long driving trips, either on a motorbike or else, are no longer on our list due to age.
Yes, we did enjoy our time together, very special.
Hugs,
Mariette
What lovely old photos you have to look back on your time! it sounds like such a trip on a motorbike! it's so nice you could spend time together though :)
ReplyDeleteHope that you are having a good week :)
Away From Blue
Dearest Mica,
DeleteAs we all age, photos and such memories will be our life's story.
Looking back with fondness is a great feeling.
Hugs,
Mariette
Eine sehr lange Fahrt auf dem Motorrad, liebe Mariette. Ich wäre gestorben. Bin einmal im Leben 3 Minuten als Sozia auf so einer Maschine gesessen, nie wieder! Bewundernswert, da braucht man sehr starke Nerven!
ReplyDeleteWas ist mit dem Engel passiert?
Schöne Erinnerungen ...
Liebe Grüße auch hier
Sara
Liebe Sara,
DeleteJa eine lange Fahrt und es wird auch nicht kürzer mit dem Auto...
Der Engel hat seine Finger verletzt wenn der Pieter spannend am Lesen war und so sein Glass zurück stellte ohne auf zu schauen... Schade!
Immerhin schöne Erinnerungen und wir sind auch nicht ganz ohne Narben am Ende...
Liebe Grüße,
Mariette