My Pieter Turned 93

 Yes, today is a very special day as my Pieter turned 93!

Thanks to a great Cardiologist and complete change of medications he lived beyond the grave message we received from our previous cardiologist; who actually neglected him.

Prayers also DO help!

Just to show you our ABUNDANCE of fresh flowers back then...

All varieties of Calla lilies and sweet smelling white Lathyrus.

I used all kind of Baccarat crystal vases for them, also Baccarat perfume bottles.

Below is a 1:33 minute short video from our vases with garden flowers on Pieter's 74th Birthday.

At 0:46 you see our white fragrant peonies.Immediately followed by pink roses in my Rose China with sprigs of Forget–Me–Not.A DREAM! We have no roses left, and if you see how many we had back then...Guess the competition of the now huge oak trees and others is way too fierce.And we miss the spent mushroom compost already for two decades!That was the very best from mushroom cultivation.

A Happy Pieter on his 81st Birthday on Dutch Queen's Day celebration in Atlanta.

This was good 4 months before his heart attack and open heart surgery on September 3. 2010.

Wearing my Escada suit that we saw while in Budapest but could not afford it then, at full boutique price.

Found it later on eBay.

Around Pieter's Birthday, our Quercus Virginiana Grand View Gold is at its BEST.

One of our Palm Trees is right in front of it in this photo.

Sadly today was the funeral of the late Georgia Congressman, the Honorable J. Roy Rowland who had a special U.S. flag flown over the U.S. Capitol for both of us on December 30, 1993...

April 23, was Pieter's 29th Birthday as a United States Citizen!

Post shared on FB Page

Shared also on my FB...Pieter had a very special and happy Birthday!

Related link:Our Garden at the Time we had Access to Spent Mushroom Compost | previous post by me with video from Middle Georgia Magazine{1993 Today, the American Flag was flown for both of us...} | previous post by me 

Driving to Atlanta back and forth for Dutch Queen's Day

 Sure, after learning that we had to move away from Georgia, we both went on April 30, 1988 together to the Dutch Queen's Day in Atlanta with our Dutch Consul and other Dutchmen.

Since we planned to drive back the very same day, I wore comfy shoes and changed while at the reception.

Still have that Christian Dior suit but I've shortened the skirt!

A birthday present that we found at Macy's while being in San Francisco on my Birthday in 1987.

Here you see the Christian Dior suit with jacket and proper shoes, that I did carry in the car!

Both we kept our jackets on a coat hanger in the car...

Posing next to our lantern

At a truckers stop, we made these photos for my Dad, from the typical American road giants, like this Peterbilt...

 

My dream always had been back then, to view the entire USA from East to West, from the cabin of a truck and also from South to North. 

IF I had had a relative in that business, I would have teamed up I guess, but we had no connections!

So, just hanging onto this Freightliner...

Related post:

{My Jessica  McClintock Hat & Christian Dior Suit} | previous post by me

{Usually we celebrate Dutch Queen's Day in Atlanta}

On April 30 is official Dutch Queen's Day and it will be celebrated not only in The Netherlands, as an official holiday, but also International. Just like to share some Dutch Queen's Day celebrations in Atlanta, with our guests from abroad. In 2008 we even were with 3 ladies from my hometown of Horst, The Netherlands. One visiting dear friend of mine and the other lady resides near Atlanta. If we go to Atlanta, it is still a 2½ hour drive (one way) so we stay at a hotel.

To the left is my dear friend Mariëlle from The Netherlands. I do MISS her and look forward to her next visit with us. To the right is Ellen, she resides near Atlanta and me in the center; all from the same hometown Horst. Small world! 

Of course, in honor of the House of Orange, we all did wear some orange!

For me an outfit from Escada with my white Chanel bag.

In 2009, husband Pieter's niece and Goddaughter Myriam visited us for his Birthday. 

Very happy Queen's Day for both of us.

Me with short hair in 2009...

Happy together; Myriam and Toine.

Marc Cain pants with Escada top and Chanel bag.

Have you been to a Dutch Queen's Day celebration somewhere in the USA?

{Goddaughter Myriam, whose 2nd child Lotte, is born in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia}

Perfect weekend to let you in on some more of our family. Pieter has a Goddaughter, Myriam Vedder, daughter of his middle brother Toon. He married Edith, the sister of Pieter's first wife Thea.

During the years before Lizzy got adopted, see {Our Daughter Liz}, it was Myriam, who spent lots of time with Pieter, and Thea; like their own daughter. Naturally, he became very fond of her. After Lizzy, came to live with them, Myriam, was still included in trips and vacations.

On the left is Myriam, and next to her is her cousin (actually her second cousin by blood) Lizzy, and two more friends that went on vacation together with Pieter and Thea (who is seen in the back). Myriam's parents were the Godparents of Lizzy, so they got embraced with love, from both sides.

Here they are in Switzerland on a vacation in 1972; Myriam, Lizzy and Thea.

Of course time went by and Myriam, got married and started her own life. That took her with her husband to Saudi Arabia, with Royal Dutch Shell, right after their first daughter Sanne, was born in The Kingdom of The Netherlands. Their second daughter Lotte, is born in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

When the Gulf War started they of course had to leave. During one of their visits to The Netherlands we happened to be there as well, so the above picture shows a happy Pieter with his two great-nieces as a pink bundle of joy! Sanne, on the left and Lotte, on the right. Sanne, with her curls had an almost angelic face! They both looked precious and still do!

Their work took them also to New Zealand, where they lived and worked. Meanwhile with three children, as Auke, had come along as well.

Auke, is Sanne, and Lotte's, baby brother and he's a handsome young man meanwhile.

Above is Sanne, at her Gandpa's garden under the wrought iron arbor that he'd welded for his roses... This photo is taken four years before Toon passed away. Myriam has transplanted this arbor, a labor of love by her Dad.

This is Lotte, surrounded by sunflowers!

This picture shows all of us, with our lawyer friend Johnny Warren (l) and his wife Hannah, who visited their daughter Michelle, in Brussels, Belgium at that time and did tour with us. We got to visit Toine's De Gaerde, that is very close to Belgium in the province of Brabant, The Netherlands. Pieter, is the 3rd from the left, Toine from De Gaerde, Myriam, and me. They actually do serve coffee, tea and other refreshments and it is a great place to shop for lots of unique gifts, aside from the plants and professional garden design by Toine.
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Three years ago Myriam, did surprise Pieter, for his birthday with a special visit, together with Toine. We started off with the Dutch Queen's birthday reception at Naylor Hall in Atlanta with the Dutch Honorary Consul.

Obviously very happy times and Myriam, did even bring for both of us an orange feather boa!

Here we are at Ristorante da Maria for the special birthday party with most of our friends; about 16.

But happy times do end...

Pieter took this photo from Sunday Brunch after the birthday dinner evening, at the Page House Bed & Breakfast. This is a home in the style of Gone with the Wind.

Toine and Myriam already having their last breakfast, special with popover pancakes and fresh fruits. Served in bowls from English Rose by Royal Doulton. Strawberry drainer is from Pillivuyt as well as the Sancerre underplates.

Serving Italian Prosecco in Baccarat crystal fluted champagne, with spicy Thai cashews from Trader Joe's.

One last supper with our Thai friend and her American husband. Since Myriam, and Toine, also love spicy food, I did make the special Thai Tom Yam Koeng soup. For the table setting I used the placemats with rose pattern from Le Jacquard Française with matching napkins. Had just the perfect roses to go with that; Royal Bonica. I used the Alvin Bridal Rose round silver soup spoons and for the Chicken Satay with Rice and Asparagus I used the Gero Zilmeta Menuet 528. Chargers are French Pillivuyt Sancerre and the soup bowls and dinner plates are the Rose pattern from Gien, again both available from Replacements Ltd.

Pieter with Goddaughter Myriam...

Crystal is Baccarat Piccadilly  from France.

Cheers!