WORST Ever USPS Experience

 What can you do if something you mailed out does not arrive?!

You cannot shoot them... or? 

Well, this resides at my Pinterest board; GIFTS of LOVE and it is titled 'Amazing Origami Using Only Dollar Bills'

Sure, mailing out a GIFT of LOVE to my youngest brother and using ONLY 16.25 Dollar Bills... Haha!

But what can we do?

USPS Tracking ←click link for viewing this INCREDIBLE journey, crossing trice the Atlantic Ocean and still not going anywhere...

You have to scroll down to the very bottom, to start out.

From Miami, Florida it departed on May 31, 2021.

BUT on June 23, 2021 it got processed through international mail facility in San Francisco, California!

July 16, 2021 it got processed in Amsterdam, The Netherlands... 😊

A MINUTE later it reads 'attempted delivery'!

My brother lives a good two hour drive away from Amsterdam, in the South and to the East 😳

It got processed again in Amsterdam, wonder what they did in those hours...?!

August 17, 2021 the 'row boat' must have made it back to San Francisco, California again.

Five days later it arrived in Macon, Georgia = one hour from us.

So we expected it to go: return sender!

Two days later it was again in Miami, Florida at International distribution center.

Three days later it came once more to Macon, Georgia...

And good six hours later it was at Seminola-Orlando, Florida distribution center.

Hours later it was back in Miami, Florida for the umpteenth time!

It went back to Atlanta, Georgia and from there to Macon, Georgia AGAIN!

Two days later on September 6, 2021 it arrived at the Boston, Massachusetts and it dissipated...

Isn't that all GREAT?!

Blogger friend Mary, already mentioned in November that parcel postage is a nightmare...

A busy week........and postage! ←click to go to her post.

When trying to mail something out to my nephew, via UPS, having driven 43 miles to hand them the parcel, I nearly fainted when they calculated the price. 'Just $ 121.00' and believe me it was NOT heavy.

So I gave up. They used to say, only the birds can fly cheaper but now it is almost cheaper for buying an airline ticket and to deliver it in person.

So much fun being an immigrant!

Wishing ALL of our readers a Happy New Year

Related link:

Shipping HEAVY BREAKABLES in USPS Priority Mail Flat Rate Envelope Max weight 70 lbs | previous post by me

Ancient Grey Stuart Tartan fabric from Chester UK

 Found some new purpose for my Ancient Grey Stuart Tartan skirt.

Pieter did bring the fabric home from Chester when he went to the British Mushroom Days, together with a red cashmere v-neck sweater seen here: To University of Bologna, Vicenza, Venice and via Austria to The Netherlands

Such are the bonus parts of travel!

So, I created a skirt...

This photo is from December 12... when I did wear it.

The painters had taken down the shutters of our windows...

Wearing it with my newly scored Lela Rose Sweater hand knitted in soft 70% wool and 30% silk.

This is me on February 28, 1985 with my Dachshund Mauzie girl, visible to the left...

Together with a Kashmir Pashmina shawl.

See 1:35 minute video: Pashmina Kashmiri Woolen Shawls

Also see this British Pathé video: Kashmir Travelogue item showing the long journey of Kashmir wool from Himalayan goats to chick London sweaters (or from Chester... 😉).

Did you notice that I've taken off the light plaid part, in order to shorten the skirt?

Label saved in diary... THE ANCIENT GREY STEWART TARTAN

Like it better with this length, don't you agree?

My taupe Escada pumps match nicely, also got a purse with that.

Already in April I'd scored the lovely sweater... Too warm for wearing it then, so I waited.

Fell in love with this Lela Rose Leaf-Knit Pullover Sweater, Taupe when I saw it at Neiman Marcus but did NOT like its price tag of $ 995.00

The $ 175.99 did sound a LOT better and it will last me for life...

Related link:

{ME, Turning 20 on December 3!} | previous post where I'm wearing another leaf pattern sweater...

Extending the Joy of ROSES

 Guess by now, you all know how much I do love ROSES...

Sadly we no longer have our own roses, but once in a while we enjoy a nosegay.

When doing our usual shopping round in Atlanta at Trader Joe's, Whole Foods Market and Costco wholesale, I grabbed a dozen of these perfect yellow roses.

When this dozen of yellow roses was showing signs of letting down, I salvaged several of the best and placed them inside this Wedgwood Cream Color on Cream Color compote bowl.

Together with a placemat from Le Jacquard Français they looked stunning!

For best light, I went onto our balcony on the round teak table...

Lovely buds that never fully opened!

Do you love ROSES?

Roast Beef Canapés

 For our Christmas Party with the Chancel Choir I prepared these: 

The finished ROSES of Roast Beef Canapés...

Did not have any marygold flowers for garnishing as in the magazines photo below.

Roast Beef Canapés - Victoria Magazine September 2021 recipe in comment click on link to my Pinterest board ROSES as FOOD

On a sheet of parchment I put the baguette slices and brushed them with olive oil.

Into the oven for 15 minutes on 370℉

While they cooled down, I made the rosettes.

From the thin sliced ¼ pound of roast beef I started cutting each slice in half.

That was NOT mentioned in the recipe however but I figured this out by looking at the roast beef 'roses'.

Next each half needs to be folded over and then rolled into a roast beef rosette...

With a small butter knife I spread the mayonaise mixture on each crostino.

Fanning out three pieces of arugula on mixture, before placing the roast beef rosettes.

Using the Mason's Patent Ironstone Mandalay tray...

It was fun creating these edible roses!

One of our Mason's Patent Ironstone Mandalay vases... with a placemat from Le Jacquard Français.

Wishing you Peace during this time of the year!

Related link:

{Wishing YOU a Happy 4th Advent 2013!} | previous post by me with info Mason's Mandalay at Christie's

Nothing is more Heavenly than Händel's Messiah

 Once more I enjoyed singing in Händel's Messiah, did so with Pieter together in 1995 in a community concert.

Georg Friedrich Händel was German by birth but lived and performed in England.

There is no better language than music and especially this masterpiece, for touching ones soul...

First United Methodist Church Christmas Concert 2021 ←click link to YouTube video from TV35 WDIG!

Our organist Zachary Golden is visible in the mirror, next to our director M. Dwain Little...

Second from left, I'm visible... our soprano corner.

Händel Messiah

Chancel Choir and Orchestra

Tenor Collin LaHood who traveled from Macon to join us.

Matthew Kersey also traveled quite a distance for teaming up with us to sing his solo pieces.

Matthew Kersey ended up singing the parts of Elizabeth Colemann as she was unable to be with us...

Matthew is an excellent choral educator who studied at Georgia Southern University in Statesboro.

Soprano Cindy Claxton did an excellent job singing her solos.

Soprano Kathy Jones, as usual did an excellent job!

Our Orchestra:

Erica Cliett, Oboe

Jeremy Messenger, Trumpet

Mark Lee, Trumpet

Richard Horne, Timpani

Zachary Golden, Organ

Ben Cork, Violin

Julia Sellman, Violin

Amanda Zhang, Violin

Brant Harlacher, Cello

Our Director M. Dwain Little put a lot of time and effort into this and it was worth it!

Pieter said, he would not have wanted to MISS these two performances.

It makes one happy and most people appreciated it.

Such a joy to perform for others, to enjoy Händel's Masterpiece.

The final part of Hallelujah was well received and turned into a sing along for some.

~

Merry Christmas to ALL!

Related link:

LOVED singing in Händel's Messiah | previous post by me from 2018

Our Bridges a Constant Battle with Mother Nature

 Indeed, living near a stream you face an ongoing battle with Mother Nature...

Such as seen here, our bridge and wood trail being completely damaged by high water and wind...

This was in March of 2003, when the entire bridge (our center bridge; one of 3 in total) got lifted up and smacked elsewhere.

You see all the debris, tree trunks and whatever that came in the water our way from God knows where.

Also there is a kind of a sandy beach created after such a flood, visible in photo above to the left and all along the stream's edge here below.

After a lot of work it looked neat again... Except for the heavy part of the bridge, that got smacked all the way to the left (seen in this photo), it still resides there!

Too heavy for moving it and our Spunky-Tiger girl often sits there, it is her 'throne' in the wood garden.

Here Spunky-tiger is on Wednesday, December 22, enjoying her sun rays after another miserable day of rain...

On Sunday, October 20 of 1996, Pieter posing proudly in front of his 3rd bridge and wood trail; all built by hand!

Along the stream we had a row of all varieties of Canna Lilies but when they got plagued by an insect, a nasty leaf-roller, we got rid of all!

That very bridge got several repairs and this was May 8, 2013.

The foliage you see below the part where Pieter sits on the bridge section are the leaves of Canna Lilies.

Once more our center bridge got beaten badly by high water and wind and on November 29, 2021 Pieter went to work on some repair.

Looking neat and safe again!

Old left overs...

Pieter had a hard time for removing the old 'rusted' screws.

But repair work is always more tedious than new jobs!

Our 1st bridge near to the road, also needed repair... So Pieter loaded up his tools.

Pieter had to exchange the left tire for a new one the other day...

Found it on line and it arrived fast, so he could pull his work horse along.

Oh, you see the ladder against the house on our driveway, top right, as the painters had started to paint the exterior.

A long wait since April, due to a wet spring and a wet summer and the autumn weather was also tricky.

Doing repair work and also discovering that the 'end' part got completely covered and hidden, by dirt from the flooding.

So, the spade had to be used!

Pieter unearthed a muddy 'sunken' part of the bridge...

Now it needs to be attached again... using metal brackets.

It is a heavy, and also a very muddy job!

But the end is in sight!

Pieter used part of the vinyl picket fence.

Treating the wood and a dirty job is once again DONE until the next toss up by Mother Nature with brutal force 😜

Pieter Cleaned our Front Door Lights and HURT his Eye

 Having your own home requires ongoing maintenance and or repair...

One of the LED lights next to our front door did no longer work.

So Pieter started to take them off the wall, to replace their dusk to dawn light control.

This is AFTER Pieter did the job, successfully!

In 2013, the spot behind them has not even been painted...

They needed some deep cleaning!

The contractor that build our home, did not leave much of the wire outside of the wall, for working with.

That made things complicated, for disconnecting and re-connecting.

The hand carved wooden name plaque got made in Indonesia and was a gift for Pieter's help in the mushroom cultivation there.

Cast aluminum in white, that we brought back from Italy.

They both needed a new dusk to dawn light control.

Pieter also did sand the cast aluminum and paint the lights, before hanging them back onto the wall.

In doing these various chores, somehow, he must have gotten something inside his left eye...

There are also glass panels...

While we were living and working in Indonesia, the house got build.

The usage of such LONG screws proves that the professionalism at times was not the best!

On November 3, I had to be with Pieter at the Vision Eye Group Ophthalmology Clinic in Macon for his 8:00 AM appointment...

One hour drive...

We tried on Friday, to get an emergency appointment in at the local Dublin Eye Associates.

But he could only be seen by mid February!

Review for Dr. Felicia Carolyn Fountain, MD in Dublin

Review for Dr. Jeffery C. Hinson, MD

So I was so glad that they fit us in for seeing the ophthalmologist in Macon, the one that did my eye surgery end of 2020 and early this year.

Grateful, as it turned out Pieter had a swollen eye and it got scratched, very painful all together!

With some special drops for two weeks, which we picked up at the pharmacy on the way home, he got fast pain relief and also better vision.

That was quite a scare!

On Wednesday, December 1, we both went back, again early appointment at 8:00 AM and all looked well again.