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

And Another Birthday with Pearls

 On Monday, January 9, I would make my rounds to Atlanta and to Marietta also for having my Rado watch's battery replaced.

BUT on Sunday evening when brushing my hair and removing the Chanel barrette I noticed that its spring got half broken away...

So, we made another stop at Neiman Marcus at their Chanel Boutique for having it repaired.

Will be so happy when it will be ready with a new spring.

It was right there at the store on the counter, that I noticed some earrings, longer model and with a pearl...

SO... Pieter bought those for me as an early Birthday gift—and I did NOT object 😉

They got nicely gift wrapped with the famous white Chanel Camélia...

Our white hyacinths from Trader Joe's were blooming nicely in our bay window area.

Lovely white Camélia and ribbon...

A card with embossed white camélia and gift box...

Inside the gift box...

Tada...! 

Nice Strass Crystals and the CC logo with pearls.

Photo taken outside in bright sunlight on Sunday, February 5.

Metal & Strass

Gold, Pink & Iridescent Crystals and Pearl

I'm very happy with those earrings as a gift from my Pieter—even though they're not of gold...

Chanel manages to make very elegant costume jewelry as well!

Wearing my Escada silk and cashmere twinset and when looking back, this is what I wore to Mom & Dad's 55th Wedding Anniversary 19 years ago...

Now you also can see my Escada jeans and our Japanese magnolias that are almost open.

Pieter's shade as the sun was really strong with a temperature of 19°C or 66°F.

Both of us are grateful that the –2°C or 28°F last week did not make them turn brown!

Usually these would bloom on Mom's Birthday—February 12, but now she's in heaven, they seem to bloom earlier on my Birthday. 

You can see the white vinyl picket fence in the background...

And the green tree on the left is the Southern Magnolia.

Here I wear the very same Escada twinset on February 15, 2004 when I am happy to see and greet my 2nd brother Piet at the restaurant where we all met for Mom & Dad's 55th Wedding Anniversary.

Wearing also the same Escada jeans...

Piet's kids and wife in the background.

Of course having phone calls on my Birthday and then late breakfast while observing our birds from our bay window.

Here the Eastern Phoebe on the bird bath.

Pieter just added meal worms inside the feeder for them and the Carolina wrens to snack on...

Temperature in the SUN!

40°C or 104°F...

We got this 6" Conant Custom Brass Thermometer from Monticello but now Amazon still has it.

You can see our vinyl picket fence in the back with the blooming magnolias.

Nothing more enjoyable than having breakfast in the sun!

We selected our lot for having our kitchen facing east—for that purpose.

Ending this post with some REAL white camellias that Pieter brought me for breakfast...

Using one of my creamware cachepot, as a vase for them.

Related links:

Meaning of my name — Pearl and Desired Child | previous post by me

Eastern Phoebe Reside in Front Porch with Babies | previous post by me

Those who feel Happy with the HAPPINESS of OTHERS | previous post by me showing creamware cachepot

Princess Diana's Funeral and Our Hyatt Regency Pier 66 Adventure

 At times it does not work out the way you planned it to be...

But in a good mood we set the nose of our car Southbound on September 3, 1997.

At home, ready for our short trip with end destination Fort Lauderdale, Florida...

Wearing a hat with my Hermès silk shawl around it.

Escada jeans and top...

Our wood garden visible behind me.

We woould be driving in our Mazda Millenia S, from December 19, 1994.

We did our Outlet shopping and in Ellenton at the Escada Outlet I was surprised to find still so many strawberry items; 75% off now.

One night at a Best Western in that area and next day we drove to Sawgrass Mills Outlets via I-75.

At Last Call by Neiman Marcus I found the Chanel pumps from $ 535.00 for $ 149.00 that were too small for me when we saw them in May; now in my size! 

Pieter bought a Nokia cell phone...

Then to the Budget Inn for the night.

On Friday morning, September 5, we had to leave, too bad as at 13:00 there would be a program on TV about Princess Diana...

Around 14:00 we checked in at Hyatt Regency Pier 66 in Fort Lauderdale, just before the weather became really bad due to hurricane Erika being on its way from Puerto Rico. 

Pieter had to go back to the car and got wet...

Closing the double insulated curtains, I tried on my Outlet scores...

My Chanel thongs, a previous score from Last Call by Neiman Marcus.

Loved these Escada strawberry pieces when I saw them in the big catalog.

So what else to do ,when it is raging outside, but making photos...

My watch from Singapore airport taxfree

We did visit Matthew & Sandra Keysers (my sister–in–law's Uncle & Aunt) and back to our Hyatt Regency Pier 66 where we enjoyed a great dinner with a bottle of wine.

Our luxury two free nights!

Saturday, September 6, we did watch the funeral of Princess Diana at 4:40 while the storm raged outside.

Now we also got to know WHY we had double curtains in our room; for blocking out the noise of the raging wind and rain. 

We had a perfect room with balcony also around the corner but no way we could step outside...

You can view a short video of the dramatic clouds upon our arrival: Princess Diana's Funeral Day and our stay at the Hyatt Regency Pier 66, Fort Lauderdale, Florida. ←click link.

We could not swim so we went to Bal Harbour and it still was stormy with heavy rain.

We drove in our own Mazda Millenia to Bal Harbour, not in this Hyatt Regency limo...!

Pieter got a pair of nice Charles Jourdan shoes and we enjoyed an ice cream.

Already had my Escada strawberry shorts and sweater, with matching purse.

Also found my most favorite ever La Perla bathing suite at the Aventura Mall and they would mail the matching pareo skirt.

Seen in above photo, ONLY photo I have of it (click link below to know WHY...). Pareo skirt is next to my feet.

We went to bed in time and next day we drove home in one stretch the 565 mile or 909 kilometer.

Those were the days when we both were driving and traffic was not that bad!

Related link:

Our First Stay in Fort Lauderdale, Florida | previous post by me

{What Type of Feet do YOU have?} | previous post by me where I show the La Perla bathing suit...

Beautiful Ride Home from Sad Event

 On October 2nd, I drove with my Pieter to Murfreesboro, Tennessee.

This is the Hyatt Place where we stayed for two nights and from where I started our ride home on October 4...

5:18 hours behind the wheel and 574.6 km or 357 miles and 108.4 km/h or 67 miles per hour.

A very smooth ride home!

This was my passenger Pieter... wearing his comfy Ermenegildo Zegna jeans.

This was the driver for the 579 km or 360 miles one way. Comfy in my Escada jeans skirt and my still fitting Chanel leather belt in size Small.

The traffic was awful on the way over, and we arrived JIT = Just In Time

Murfreesboro, Tennessee was about to start having its showers!

Also for the next day when I had to drive another 152 km or 94.4 miles for reaching the area where the funeral would be.

We lost a young person who had serious heart problems, had his open heart surgery in 2017.

Leaving behind a young son of 11 years and his wife of 17 years.

He's with his Dad who died less than two years ago...

From heaven they sent down some much needed rays of sunshine and the heavy downpour stopped for a while when we were at the cemetery!

We'd stopped in Atlanta for our warm meal at Whole Foods Marketplace, so now we only had to settle in and relax. It was one hour 'earlier' in Murfreesboro, so we gained an hour of night rest!

The Hyatt Place was only 4 months in business!

 No wonder the car's GPS did not accept the address but I got there by using my iPhone's GPS.

Breakfast in the morning was good and fully hot and cold buffet; no restrictions which was a relief during this time.

On October 4th, before breakfast I did put some things up in the car and took this picture with the entire hotel width visible.

A very nice place and very courteous staff!

Tennessee's economy is doing very well in general.

Below is Relive video from DRIVING HOME

My Handwork on PERMANENT Display at Teaching Museum South in Fulton County near Atlanta, Georgia

 

Proudly showing my hand knitted silk lace shawl in a peacock pattern... see link below post.

Wool skirt is one of my own sewing creations to match my Chanel bag in taupe.

Shirt is an Outlet find from Escada...

This was the main piece of my handwork that got to be on a PERMANENT display at Teaching Museum South in Fulton County near Atlanta, Georgia. This is part of the Fulton County Schools in Hapeville, a two hour one-way drive for us.

On December 31, 1993 a person from the Georgia State University with a photographer came to our home for the interview and permission to use some of my hand made lace for the above purpose.

We did serve both a warm lunch meal as it is one-way 2 hours driving distance.

You find photo taken by photographer in link below: Today I Turned 17! in regard to my proud United States Citizenship

 It all started with and add in the Holland Times, the publication for all Dutch related people in and around Atlanta.

The above video shows the hand made knitted silk lace shawl being framed WRONG SIDE FACING OUT!

For such a meticulous knitted peacock lace pattern it makes a HUGE difference RIGHT SIDE versus WRONG SIDE...

Deborah A. Duchon, Research Associate for Applied Research in Anthropology at Georgia State University

So I contacted her... that's how the interview came to be and she left with several of my items that I let her take with her for a very small reimbursement as I felt kind of honored to be included in such a PERMANENT Display.

Yes, on Friday, May 27, 1994, I got up at 5:00 AM for being there for the hands-on workshop and demonstration of my crafts

Me at the Teaching Museum with part of my display

CROCHET (THE NETHERLANDS)

The artist studied horticulture with emphasis on mushrooms. 

Her husband's job brought them to Georgia – he is also a

mushroom expert. They both now work as international 

mushroom consultants. The artist learned crochet as a child

 and now uses it to occupy time on long business trips:

'There's not much to do at night in the Indonesian 

countryside,' she says. 'Luckily, I can always crochet.'

~

Sadly, two of my most sentimental hand crocheted lace handkerchiefs got stolen that morning... 

One was my bridal handkerchief. Such sentimental value can never be replaced... 

I could buy again the fine Swiss batiste and the French DMC tatting yarn, adding about 7 hours of patience to make another one.

See link below where I recreated a replica of it.

This got published in the Atlanta Journal Constitution on June 9, 1994...

Deborah did send me this poor copy at the end of the year.

The Atlanta Journal Constitution wrote a huge error:

Youngsters (yep, 150 rude kids that screamed the one insult after another... calling me a racist and on and on) also got to see embroidery of all kind crafted by Vedder, (NOT TRUE it was crocheted lace work and knitted lace!) who lives in 

Dublin, GA, and works as a mushroom 

consultant. She says she has been creating

 things with her hands since she was a child. 

Vedder said she learned to crochet 

as a child because school officials in Holland 

saw it as a way for children to build motor skills.

~ 

On July 16, 1994 upon return from our work in Indonesia, I had to contact Ms. Duchon again as from the other lady at the Teaching Museum South there was no reply in regard to my missing crocheted lace handkerchiefs. 

Also I remarked; Being a teacher myself, I have also to comment on the far too big groups you had that day (twice 75 kids for one hour!). No way that one can handle them. Not the least that they get proper attention to actually learn something!

All I ever got was the above poor copy, neither photos as promised earlier... Never heard about the missing pieces.

Due to the glare of those glass cases in the above video, Pieter wanted to return somewhat later for making professional photos with the right equipment. 

The entire display had vanished – their version of PERMANENT?

Indeed both of us did LEARN A LOT!

Related links:

{My Hand Knitted Silk Lace Shawl in Peacock Pattern} | previous post by me

{Today I turned 17!} | post showing also photo from interview for Teaching Museum

{My Lace Crocheted Handkerchief #1} | showing a replica of my original stolen bridal handkerchief + 5 more crocheted lace handkerchiefs

My First Trip to Prague with Pieter

 On September 22 of 1996, we both went on a 12–day bus tour from the South of The Netherlands to Prague, Budapest and Vienna.

Arrival in Prague, at our Opatov hotel and enjoying the national drink, a Becherovka

Ready for dinner in my Escada outfit from the Outlet.

The Chanel belt bag proved very handy on this trip. Found it at the Jakarta Chanel boutique.

After dinner we went into the city for enjoying Krizikova Fountain.

This musical fountain got built in 1891

That was quite impressive!

Next day we went to view this 14th Century Gothic Cathedral of Our Lady before Týn, with its 80 m (262 ft) tall spires.

Having my Burberry umbrella on the ready... Wearing my Burberry blazer and Chanel loafers over Escada trousers and top (Outlet treasures!)

This Gothic Cathedral is right on the Old Town Square in Prague.

To the right in a cozy café is where we went for a coffee...

Our coffee stop was most welcome!

The vest I wear here is my own sewing creation... 

When I discovered those great Outlets here in the USA, I quit creating my own clothes!

Travel companion Enne de Groot from Texel, The Netherlands was so kind to make a picture of the two of us!

Pieter in his still favorite Burberry shirt, a tax-free find while doing our mushroom consulting work.

After our coffee by 12 noon we went to see the Old Town Hall.

That's where the 12 Apostles come by at those two top windows above the Astronomical Clock known as the Orloj, after their shutters open at the hour.

Old Town Hall got establishes in 1338!

See more here for a 3D virtual tour and Video.

We started our guided walking tour here at the River Moldau

The famous Charles Bridge in Prague that crosses the Vltava River.

Its construction began in 1357 and completed in the 15th Century. 

Replacing the previous Judith Bridge, constructed from 1158–1172, that got damaged by a flood in 1342.

On the Charles Bridge, at the copper embossed image of St. John of Nepomuk, the court priest of King Wenceslas IV. 

He got tortured and drowned in the River Vltava.

  By touching it, you could make a pious wish.

Prague even proves to be beautiful on a very cloudy day...

We enjoyed a knowledgeable guide to walk through the city.

She spoke Dutch and she even picked up that I came from the South, from Limburg; impressive!

It took a few hours, this guided walking tour!

Both of us found in an old alley a cozy restaurant... Pieter looking very happy for finally sharing this fabulous city also with me!

Next day on September 24, we go to the other side of Prague to see the St. Vitus Cathedral and Castle.

Exceptional stained glass work in the St. Vitus Cathedral 

This is Art Nouveau style in the Arch Bishop's chapell

Next day we went on our way to Budapest...

Have any of you been to Prague?

Related links:

Czechian Mushroom Scientist Friend Miroslav Staněk | previous post

Czechian Mushroom Scientist Friends Ivan Jablonský and Antonín Srb | previous post

My 2nd Trip with Husband Pieter to Budapest in FREE Hungary | post about the Budapest part

Our Fabulous Vienna Stay with Strauss Concert by Vienna Hofburg Orchestra | next post...