GONE With the Wind—So Did Pieter's Wedding Band

 On September 26, after having managed to get Pieter's wedding band with diamonds and other diamond ring off—by using a trick with dental floss, Pieter brought his rings to a local jewelry repair man.

For Pieter's open heart surgery on September 3, 2010 they tried to cut it off—damaging the ring.

But it was impossible due to swelling of his fingers because of arthritis.

So now we tried and I did not manage but Pieter did lie down and tried it himself—holding his hand up and he managed it—however painful!

This is my hand on January 26, wearing my diamond ring + wedding band and Pieter's ring...

But his got messed up awfully by our local jewelry repair man!

His wife had written down the wrong size and thus it would not fit Pieter—not even on his little finger, as that was his choice due to less swelling there.

Then he called it was ready for pick up but once getting there he said, right after he'd called us, one of the diamonds had popped out...(?).

On January 26, we finally got to pick them up but to us that wedding band did not resemble the same as mine!

We had both of our rings blessed again by our Pastor (as we presumed this was NOT Pieter's original ring).

Clark Gable from GONE With the Wind seems to have been wearing his ring on the little finger...

BUT after our biking next Sunday, Pieter discovered that he lost his ring!

GONE With the Wind.... but we still maintain a double blessed and Blissful Relationship!

💗 💗

Related link:

{Miracle in Chile - the country where we both got married!} | previous post by me

{25-Year Anniversary of our Church Wedding in Chile quietly passed by} | previous post by me

Mom & Dad's Trio of Crucifix with Corpus and Plaques with Red Copper Relief Statues

 When I did fly solo to The Netherlands—one last time in June of 2022, it was for a very special reason.

Bringing home some treasures from their estate in Limburg...

Mom & Dad's Trio of Crucifix with Corpus and Plaques with red Copper Relief Statues on oak, now hangs above our bed...

Dad's Maternal Uncle — Heeroom blessed the marriage of Mom & Dad but also this special trio.

It hung above their bed till the very end—now it resides in our home in the USA.

My photo seen hanging to the right here below—also came home...

This photo I took on February 21, 2014 when we flew to The Netherlands for Mom's 90th Birthday and Mom & Dad's 65th Wedding Anniversary.

That was the LAST time I got to see Mom alive... see post below about Mom's Hand Knitted Bedspread as Window Display.

Related links:

{Mom's Hand Knitted Bedspread as Window Display} | previous post by me

Limburg — The Emotional Part | previous post by me

{March 14, Written Life Message for me by my Favorite Great-Uncle} | previous post by me

In Memory of my BEST Role Model EVER | later post about Heeroom

PRESSTINE Atlanta—Altering my Escada Body with Snaps

 Well, on January 9, I did drop off one of my Escada bodies with snaps for having it altered into a top and then dry cleaned.

When we went back on January 16, for making my usual rounds and heading to the Infinity dealer for having our passenger seat front tire repaired—we stopped by to pick it up.

While I punched the address into the GPS for Nalley Infiniti of Atlanta, Pieter went inside to pick up and pay for my altered body.

When I saw Pieter come back with a long trailing thing inside the plastic cover... I was puzzled and asked him to show me.

Sure enough I right away saw those SNAPS!

Argghhh—so I jumped out of the car and took it over from Pieter and went inside.

This is the FINAL correct result...

ALTER — CUT OFF THE 

SNAP AND MAKE A SEAM

cut of the snap

and make a seem

The bold wording makes one cringe at nowadays spelling...

Not the language we got taught!

Yep, I had to go inside and let them know that they did not cut off the snaps and make a seam...

So I had to leave it there one more time and come back a 3rd time!

A very nice Escada body in 90% rayon and 10% elasthane.

Lace insert is polyester with elasthane...

But I did not like those snaps...

Do you like wearing anything like that?

Do you wear any bodies with snaps?

Wore it today when singing... with my Wolford pantyhose.

With my Escada green and black velvet jacket and black skirt.

I'm holding my top where it has been newly seamed.

Just perfect!

SAD outcome for my Favorite Chanel Barrette

 Yep, my most Favorite Chanel Barrette that I dropped off at the Chanel Boutique of Neiman Marcus in Atlanta, got home on Tuesday... BUT not repaired that is!

That is me on May 30, 1998—at a dear friend's daughter's graduation...

Wearing both my Chanel barrettes!

LOVED them so much...

Here I'm seen in my silk Chanel logo blouse—one of my sewing creations made from silk bought in Jakarta, Indonesia.

This was on April 30, 1998 with Uncle Bo and dear friend Lei from Escondido, CA.

On April 09, 1997, I've ordered my first Chanel Barrette from Neiman Marcus.

Coming back from Delaware, Pennsylvania on July 16, 1997, we drove by at Neiman Marcus in Atlanta for picking up my 2nd Chanel Barrette...

On August 30, 1997 we stopped by at Neiman Marcus in Atlanta for showing them one of my two Chanel Barrettes that had come apart. Without any discussion—I received another one!

So that makes it almost 25 years of good use....

On January 9, 2023 I had dropped off my Chanel barrette at the Chanel Boutique of Neiman Marcus in Atlanta.

Clicking on VIEW STATUS...

I could follow the REPAIR STATUS...

Until I received this message on February 8, 2023.

SO DISAPPOINTED!

Did retrieve it Tuesday on Saint Valentine's Day.

That sure was a bummer!

BUT tomorrow on Saturday I will receive a replacement Chanel Barrette, coming from Vero Beach, Florida 🤗 

So happy that I found a replacement on POSHMARK—there were two more excellent ones from Japan but Florida is easier without any customs and duty issues.

Yay—got it and it's perfect also with the number 62 just like my other one. The broken one had number 61.

Related link:

And Another Birthday with Pearls | previous post by me

Bruxism and my Nighttime Dental Guard + Japanese Magnolia Blossoms

Strange feelings... had nasty neck pain while driving down to Florida after Christmas.

Thought I'd slept wrong on my pillow but it didn't go away...

Then I felt my FIRST EVER toothache, thought that one of my upper right molars needed maybe a filling.

So I did tough it out as there were way too many things going on and I made an appointment for Tuesday afternoon on February 2.

My dentist checked the x-ray that his assistent had made, but there was no infection or anything wrong with my teeth.

BUT he discovered that my lower molars got loosened already and that I probably needed a Nighttime Dental Guard due to teeth clenching.

So I went to Walmart to get my Oral–B Nighttime Dental Guard...

Paid some $ 20.00 and after supper did start the molding procedure as shown on this video: Oral–B Nighttime Dental Guard – Instructional Video ←click it.

Of course I did not win that battle and went to sleep without wearing my Nighttime Dental Guard!

After two nights trying in vain to remove my molded dental guard from the green impression tray

—even after placing it for 10 minutes inside the freezer (as suggested) I was not able to release it.

Pieter tried the next day to wrestle it out. So finally I was able to wear it on February 2nd.

I must say that I slept like a ROSE so it must help a lot.

My pain also is gone!

Have any of you ever used such a Nighttime Dental Guard?

Never knew that those symptoms of neck pain for instance came from teeth clenching...

Info found under: Mayo Clinic Bruxism (teeth grinding)

Hah, hyperactive... that does ring a bell!

My sleep quality has greatly improved I must say and I sleep a lot deeper now and feel much more rested.

This morning around 10:00 AM with the sun shining brightly...

This is the Japanese magnolia tree that is recovering over time as a big tree fell in it and broke off a main stem.

Tornado weather can be treacherous. 

Our other Japanese magnolia tree is now free since the huge oak tree on its right got cut down.

More light, space and food!

Our vinyl picket fence marks our border. Sturdy placed by Pieter on top of concrete blocks that serve as a water barrier from water running down to our lower area near creek.

Still beautiful even with lots of petals already on the ground from days of rain and wind before these sunny days.

Nature's Poetry...

At 10:00 AM it was 17°C or 62.6°F.

Today it will be 24°C or 75°F and 7°C or 44.6°F at night.

Tomorrow looks great for biking at 26°C or 87.8°F

BUT on Saturday it will go as low as 0°C or 32°F... during the night!

This is typical Georgia—going up and down and spring starts about 7 times... 😏

Happy Saint Valentine's Day!

This is a photo, taken on Friday, February 14, 2014 on Saint Valentine's Day when we were in The Netherlands and visiting Mom during her long hours of Dialysis. 

We did visit her 5 times during dialysis, one afternoon we missed — as we were visiting a 1st cousin—but that was when Dad was with her.

Mom has been a great role model all her life and I pray that I too will remain in such high spirits till the end of my CKD.

Oh, Mom so enjoyed our visits...

Happy Saint Valentine's Day to all of my readers! 

Spring in our Garden

 This was a lovely week with sunshine!

Spring is unfolding beautifully!

February 9, I walked over onto the neighbor's property to capture our blooming Japanese magnolia from there.

Just showing the bay window area from our home and the blind wall where the dining room is, no windows on that side.

Now from our side towards our home...

LOVE those perfect flower buds and there were already some petals on the ground.

Wanted to capture them because it would rain in the later afternoon and night.

A pine warbler is enjoying lunch on the tray from our previous Sharp microwave, set on the oak stump.

Happy daffodils near the Japanese Magnolia as you can see by its petals on the ground...

Our Fiberglass Window Boxes are filled with yellow pansies.

Tiggy Tiger girl is head butting one of the planters...

That's the one where that poor friend cat often lies in for looking at us.

Our Renewal by Andersen bay windows look nice from outside!

A closer look at the yellow pansies.

Pieter bought them early at our local Home Depot just to make sure we had enough for all window boxes.

On the veranda side they got planted mid January but the bay windows after the Andersen windows were place on January 17.

I've hung the crocheted curtains back after Pieter drilled tiny holes into the fibrex of the new windows.

That worked perfect and after laundering the curtains and then stretching them out while still wet, we hung them on their 925 sterling rings (thin ones!). See post below this one...

Yesterday's photo—dark due to a dreary and rainy day...

The hand crocheted curtains hang perfectly on the new windows.

Detail of screws that Pieter pre–drilled into the fibrex material from Renewal by Andersen windows.

And my 925 silver rings.

Our 2nd Japanese Magnolia is near the flowering Camellia Sinensis Tea Plant.

Now I'm standing on the wood trail for capturing some flowers from our 2nd Japanese Magnolia.

They look perfect against our veranda.

Tiggy Tiger girl came to smell our Narcissus...

She's a tiny but cute kitty!

Senior—just like her Mami...

On Tuesday it was 21°C or 69.8°F...

So we both rolled our bikes...

On Tuesday it was 24°C or 75.2°F

Followed by rain again...

Related link:

Kitchen Bay Window New Crocheted ROSE Curtains & IKEA Roller Blind | previous post with the 925 sterling rings

Our Kitchen Bay Window Before and After Renewal by Andersen | previous post by me

AMAZING recovery of Japanese Magnolia—after getting LIGHT and FOOD! | previous post by me

Heart and Kidney Update after Hyperkalemia

 The week before Christmas was the worst one for me...

Suddenly got so weak and sick—vomiting even after three sips of water!

SO, I learned to lay low and REST and pray.

Because I still wanted to make it to Florida—where I'd booked us already in October—those 7 free nights for points.

And YES, I did make it to drive to Florida on December 26, and I only needed REST, vitamin D from swimming, walking and biking.

Eating healthy and finding my way out of this.

Well, my nephrologist had SHOCKED me on December 19, when he delivered the news that from 28% kidney function in June, now it only was 25%... and I had a heart murmur!

~

While I was sick, I called my nephrologist's office twice but no person on the line!

A nurse on a recording and she never bothered to call me back.

But I started analyzing things on my own and learned a LOT.

This by the way is me on the scale before breakfast, on my B'day and in my B'day suit—haha!

49.7 kg or 109.5 lb.

Just wanted to SEE if it was true what I felt...

Yep, only 66 cm or 26 inches.

Aha—that's WHY my 28 inch low rise jeans from Australia (Last Call by Neiman Marcus) FELL OFF MY HIPS!

Pieter solved it, by adding 3 more holes in his former belt that I used...

Guess the week before Christmas I suffered from Hyperkalemia and for that I've drastically changed my diet.

Hyperkalemia: High Potassium – Your Kidneys and Your Health ←click link for short video.

I knew that I had to limit my potassium intake but since my kidney function went down—it is even more serious to strictly adhere to that!

Hyperkalemia from any cause may produce nausea and vomiting... as published by healthfully.com

Guess that was also why it was affecting my heart, causing palpitations when running up and down the stairs and very much I felt it in Colorado at the high altitude pedestrian bridge...

Pieter said, he's having that problem already very long and that's why he alters his pace and needs frequent rests.

Weakness, dizziness, lightheadedness all have been felt.

Sure, as being advised by the Mayo Clinic—I knew already those 3 points:

Avoid products with added salt.

Choose lower potassium foods.

Limit the amount of protein you eat.

The University of Maryland Medical Center explains that as potassium increases, people are likely to notice muscle aches and cramps, fatigue, weakness, difficulty breathing, irregular heartbeat, nausea...

Mayo Clinic about Kidney Disease Symptoms.

Loss of appetite I've never had and I sure hope not any decreased mental sharpness...! 

All the REST—YES except swelling of feet and ankles.

Such lists are helpful in knowing what to avoid!

No more coffee...!

CHOCOLATES! Good grief... and even salt substitutes!

Sure milk I have not taken for quite a while, only Trader Joe's soy milk as that has the LOWEST percentage of sugar—another thing to watch being diabetes type 2.

With fruits I'm fine—still a lot left to enjoy!

But I'm feeling a LOT BETTER since I've altered my diet.

Not for losing weight but purely to SURVIVE just a little longer...

Maybe this will be helpful for others as well.

My singing with the choir goes better—as I have more breath!

AND on February 1st my housekeeper started and that is super as now I find more time for doing the laundry, the shopping, the cooking + biking!

There is hope and with lots of prayers we have made it this far and even together in a blissful relationship.

May God grant us some more time together—so grateful for everything we lived through and for the fond memories and many friends all over the world!

Related link:

{Cashmere Words of Wisdom & Update} | previous post shortly after Mom died from Chronic Kidney Disease—she had almost 7 years of dialysis...