Spooky Boy Remained with his Papi till the very END

Kitties are SO LOYAL! 

Our Spooky boy remained with his Papi till the very END...

And YES, they mourn!!!

April 21, around 2:00 PM Spooky looking so worried as he stayed near his Papi during his nap on the sofa...

Kitties sense what is going on and of course the oxygen machine added to that.

Like a magnet next to his Papi

April 25, at 5:52 AM looking at me very worried when the ambulance took his Papi away a 2nd time...

On May1, at 11:00 PM on the mattress topper of the hospital bed... Spooky stayed with his Papi till the very end!

They were supposed to remove the hospital bed next day but they did NOT.

It was a painful reminder to me and to the kitties...

Spooky very sad...

Mami, I want to sleep here a 2nd night...

On May 3, Spooky reading the sweet notes with fresh flowers from friends and family...

July 23, Spooky in the kitchen looking at me...

July 28, inside scratch box

Enjoying things to play again!

Mami's loyal boy!

On July 30, at 6:57 AM Spooky looking sad as I have to depart for Podology of Georgia and spend the night in Atlanta...

Will miss my kitty body guard for that time!

Such loyal and loving souls...

Related link:

My Pieter went to Heaven on April 30

Ruby Throated Hummingbirds at Feeder

 On March 22, Pieter purchased this new copper hummingbird feeder and hung it.

Female hummingbird on August 6, during a tropical storm—they sure are WET! 

Male Ruby Throated Hummingbird showing its long tongue at the very end! 
Related link:Severe Weather with Bridge Destruction | last photo shows this copper hummingbird feeder that Pieter got for them

Kitty Tiggy Tiger brings her Writer Papi a PEN

 On February 23, Tiggy–Tiger managed to find a pen for her writer Papi... Yep, she jumps on Papi's secretary desk and looks for one!

Searching on her Papi's secretary desk...

She did this all the time, even when we were in bed, loudly she came with her pen for Papi...

Since her Papi's passing she has not done this anymore!

May 14 Tiggy–Tiger batting her big mouse around...

Giant Bovist as a HUGE BUTT

True story and we actually ATE it.

September 27 of 1995, back in Limburg, The Netherlands, Mom did spoil my Pieter by having rice pudding and at clickable 0:42 (view it on YouTube!) Mom proudly shows one of Dad's cauliflowers and...

A huge BUTT!

That happens when you have a son–in–law who is involved in mushroom growing, they even show up on your own land.

 

On August 3, blogger friend Darla showed an Agaricus bisporus in the form of a butt...Seriously Silly & Silly Seriousness ←click linkBut this one is even more pronounced!

{Papa is 90 today!} | photo of Dad's cauliflower as he was called the Cauliflower King for his superior quality product...

Pieter was my Casper the Friendly Ghost

 Yes, my always smiling and friendly looking Pieter reminded me of Casper

August 27, 2002 our German son Andreas took this photo of us...

Happy times and fond memories forever!

Casper the Friendly Ghost...

On June 7, Pieter and another friend Judge Helen got honored at Rotary. A memorial votive candle got lit by the assistent governor Candace and she said: Pieter, smart and always smiling. 

Yes, that was my Pieter throughout his life... 

Related link:

{Tuesday May 4, dinner with friends} | Judge Helen at our home

On July 30 I stayed at the Grand Hyatt Corner Room where I stayed with Pieter on December 9, 2023

 Having access to a free room, I tried to book for room 2003, the very corner room that together with Pieter I've stayed on December 9, 2023

Pieter's FINAL Atlanta Holland Club Food Event in Atlanta

just click on above link...

Had completed my appointment with Podology of Georgia and via Whole Foods Market, Trader Joe's and Cobbler for retrieving my shoes with new heels, I ended here.

This particular room was not yet ready...

So while waiting on my room, they offered me a complimentary lunch at ONYX AT THE GRAND 

Did thoroughly enjoy my SPRING WELLNESS BOWL!

Never had seen, nor tasted those yummy red Peruvian pearl peppers.

View from room 2003 where you clearly can see in the distance Stone Mountain.

Fond memories with Pieter in this area...

The weather was very nice!

32°C or 89.6°F at 17:37 when I strolled through the Zen Garden to the pool area.

It has been the former Japanese Nikko Hotel.

Adjacent toilet and it is a corner room so lots of windows

Bathroom view with the special shelves that we did build into our Rose Suite as well.

{2 Ideas picked up at the Grand Hyatt, Atlanta} 

click above link

Took this photo after I'd used the shower... shampooed my hair with the Balmain products.

My breakfast on the 31st as I was craving for smoked salmon

Opted for the Whole Wheat Bagel and it sure was yummy, though salty for my CKD...

It was a very special and also highly emotional stay for me!

Related link:

Refreshing to find such GREAT COURTESY at Grand Hyatt Buckhead, Atlanta | previous post by me

Pieter's FINAL Atlanta Holland Club Food Event in Atlanta

The Atlanta Holland Club had organized De Hollandse Hap or The Dutch Bite for December 9, 2023

Even though we were no longer formal members due to Pieter's age and my accident, we decided to go this time.

Did figure out that The Residence of The Kingdom of The Netherlands in Atlanta was only minutes away from the Grand Hyatt Buckhead Atlanta, so I booked us a room and off we went.

My foldable wheelchair in the trunk, with the luggage.

The Residence with its royal emblem is where the Consul General with his wife and family reside.

From the parking area below, we had to push the wheelchair up the hill to the residence.

There were more additional steps, as seen in first image.

The Consul General and his son and daughter graciously helped us with the wheelchair!

My Pieter to the left, wearing his Burberry sweater. Ellen Claessen from my home town Horst, Limburg in The Netherlands and me in my Escada roses sweater.

Pieter with a bitterbal and the Dutch Consul General.

There is a funny shade of Pieter's face, looking like a double face...

Bitterbal is a typical old Dutch snack being served with their bitters (alcohol), hence its name.

It is made with a creamy meat filling, beef, veal or chicken and  formed into round croquettes and then fried and served piping hot!

 Mustard on the side...

Hollandse Nieuwe or New Catch Holland Herring 

New Catch Holland Herring served with raw onions

The food is being put out and we eat off china plates with the Dutch royal emblem.

Red cabbage with apples and raisins is a typical Dutch dish.

There also was hash, sauerkraut and pea soup.

Ending with a home baked Limburg pie—kersen kruimeltjes vlaai or cherry crumbs pie.

Pieter at bottom left and me center bottom.

Indeed it was a most pleasant happening where Pieter knew so many for decades and being able to converse in Dutch!

Next to Pieter on the right top, in the greenish polo shirt is the Chairman of the Atlanta Holland Club, Cor Tadema and his wife Ineke is seen at the bottom left.

Both of them drove down to Dublin, Georgia all the way from Marietta to attend Pieter's memorial service and that meant a lot to me!

History now...

Our stay in room 2003 on December 9, 2023

Related link:

May 10, 2024 Pieter J C Vedder's Memorial Service | previous post by me

Lost My Favorite First Cousin

On May 3, only 3 days after my Pieter went to heaven, I lost my favorite first Cousin: Hans Gijsen.

His memorial service was one day after my Pieter's.

Needless to say, it felt a bit overwhelming for posting about it then.

Now it is time to pay him some homage...

First cousin Hans in 1981

Me in 1985, and you can clearly see we're related.

Hans' Mom was my Dad's older sister Mia, and I've been rather close to her.

Still keep her letters that she wrote from the hospital.

She passed away on February 8, 1989 and got buried on my Mom's 65th Birthday...

Cousin Hans was an excellent artist! This is a watercolor from April 10, 2020

Animals looked like being alive... April 10, 2020

July 04, 2020

July 18, 2020

Another lifelike four–legged friend who really looks at you!

Pieter also said, and those eyes like that! It's not easy to put the shine in there as well. Leave it to Hans!

Kudos from your American cousin and cousin by marriage 💗💗

Hans replied: Thank you, dear cousin

Do you also look at your Messenger? Say, you obviously have Grandpa's gift in your blood, he could make beautiful pen drawings.

July 29, 2020 Villy Banditto

It has become a sweet Banditto and also totally 'cuddly'! 💗

Hans: Thank you 

Another cat head ready on August 30, 2020

To which I wrote: A beautiful cat portrait

On September 30, 2020 Orange Cat eye and a white cat's eye!

They LIVE; again worked out so well!

Hans replied: thank you so much for your inspiring compliment

Me: Well deserved, I don't give anything away for nothing...

Hans: Okay, thanks anyway

Hans studied with Rebecca Rhodes Watercolors from Lehigh County, Pennsylvania

Hans also loved his real life kitties, that was a thing we had in common.  
He is united with his Parents once again and at peace after fighting cancer.

Related posts:

My Pieter went to Heaven on April 30 | previous post by me