December 31 With Pieter J.C. Vedder Visiting Sitanala Leprosy Hospital in Indonesia

 Just wanting to take you back to Indonesia during the time we did still consulting, after having lived and worked there for about 3 years.

So you get to see how we spent New Year's Eve...

~ 

December 31, 1998

Grateful for Gil Gillis from TV 35 (at that time) for putting this together for us to show to the Rotarians and others.

En route to our work, on December 31, 1998, we visited Sitanala to deliver a donation from the Dublin, Georgia Rotary Club and Friends. 

Hand delivering the cash US Dollars to Father S. Binzler, a Jesuit, who worked with the leprosy patients on their designated compound.

On November 04, 1989 Princess Diana visited the very same Sitanala Leprosy Hospital.

On my blogpost: {Like Princess Diana, I also Tried to Tackle the Leprosy Stigma} ←click on link.

On the following video you also will see shocking images of the damaged and burned buildings of the Chinese Christians, who ran the businesses for the majority.

In May and November of 1998, those 'rioters' damaged some 6,000 buildings and tortured, raped and killed some 1,200...

It was for me personally the closest I've ever come to a war zone.

Pieter starts out with his finger on the map showing our route of flight for reaching our 'work' destiny:

Atlanta, Georgia/USA on KLM Royal Dutch Airlines to Amsterdam, then on to Singapore and finally reaching Jakarta, the capital of Indonesia.

Happy New Year to ALL!

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

Let's ROLL Relaxed into a New Year

 

Okay, Let's ROLL Relaxed into a New Year... no HURRY! 

Another photo from September 1995, taken in Herisau, Switzerland while visiting our Mushroom friends.

Wishing you all a Happy and above all, Healthy New Year!

{Happy 2016}

Sorry for my absence...

Got a very bad flu and was in bed for the past couple of days.

So much for getting the flu shot on December 7!

Hope that tomorrow I feel better and can resume daily routine.

~

Wishing you all a very HAPPY 2016 and in good health!

Those lovely Camellias always bloom at this time of the year.

They look so perfect!

{Happy & Healthy New Year 2015}

Wishing you all, the world over, a Happy & Healthy New Year 2015!

Be it Champagne or in our case, an Italian Prosecco, Champagne's sexy Italian cousin; CHEERS to Good Health and Happiness!

For all my Greek readers:  Ευτυχισμένος ο Νέος Χρόνος! Happy New Year! ←click it for learning from Marie-Anne, more about the Greek day for Gift Giving on Saint Basil's Day on January 1, like Saint Nicholas on December 6, or Santa Claus on December 25.

{May 2014 be a Happy and above all a Healthy Year for YOU!}

Hoping you all enjoyed a very special New Year's Eve with your loved ones and that this year will fulfill many a dream. Be it a marriage, the birth of a child/grandchild, a graduation, an anniversary, a special long dreamed about trip, a long awaited visit with relatives or friends after several years... On and on the list goes. Each of us has different dreams, wishes and hopes. One of the ingredients for being Happy is to be Satisfied with what we ALREADY HAVE and for COUNTING OUR MANY BLESSINGS.

Wishing all of you a Happy and above all a Healthy 2014!

This photo is from November 21, 2013 taken during the banquet of the Dublin Rotary Club's 75th anniversary.

Husband Pieter is wearing his Burberry Tuxedo in year 'round weight wool with silk cummerbund and bow tie.

Got him this Tuxedo from Bloomingdales in September of 1986, for use at the many Conferences for their formal banquets. My Pieter never changed in size so this will serve him for life!

We both continue being stable in size and love—a true blissful relationship.

May God grant us many more years together.

I am wearing my Escada silk brocade skirt with wool/cashmere/silk and sequin embroidered top with Escada pumps with Wolford panty hose. Of course all Outlet items for living frugal.

Both of us are happy and grateful for having recovered from major surgery.

Looking forward to a calmer and healthier 2014!

{Let It Be A Happy New Year}

Indeed; Let It Be A Happy New Year for 2013! Above all in good HEALTH and may we all be SAFE. We all lost loved ones and also lived through happy moments and now the memories remain as we move on. For the end of the year we both wanted to toast with an Italian Roscato Rosso Dolce that we got at World Market Cost Plus. So let us toast to all of you and thank you for your loyalty throughout the year...

Just poured this delicious Roscato into our French Baccarat crystal champagnes. 

Our Camellias are blooming very pretty right now.

Winter Rose is an appropriate name for them!

The red box with Mon Cheri chocolates from our German 'son' and family SURVIVED 2012 but they will be short lived in 2013... They are pure bliss, together with a coffee.

On a sunny day it looks really nice outside...

This is our Camellia Japonica Debutante.

Showing you the detailed hand crocheted lace that my friend Ellie gave me in 2010.

An elderly lady in Sevenum, The Netherlands made them...

Cheers from our Gazebo, in  the sunshine. We did go for a walk in the afternoon, wearing my hair calf Escada skirt and moccasin boots.

Together with Tiggy-Tiger our little feline girl...

Wishing you all a Safe, Healthy and Happy 2013!

Related links:
{Happy New Year - 2012} previous post by me
{Our New Year's Eve Dinner at Ristorante da Maria} previous post by me
{A LAST Toast to 2011... framing its STERLING MOMENTS!} previous post by me
Roscato Rosso Dolce at World Market Cost Plus

{Our New Year's Eve Dinner at Ristorante da Maria}

Wow, we are pleasantly full and had a delightful evening together at Ristorante da Maria. They were sold-out to twice their capacity so we were lucky for having reservations! That would be the very last dinner for 2011...

Hope you too had a delightful New Year's Eve and wishing you and your loved ones a Happy New Year with good health, love, joy and peace!

Related articles

{Ristorante da Maria - Best Italian Food in Central Georgia!}  previous post by me

{Happy New Year - 2012}

The clock is ticking away the last hours, minutes and seconds of the year 2011... In the different time zones, there will be several countries that are ahead of us in celebrating the arrival of the Happy New Year - 2012. May it be a Happy one, with Peace and good Health for the people on this planet. With modern communications, the world has become so small and we can read each other's writings à la minute. Let us not forget those that are lonely, sick, wounded or weak. They might be deprived of any modern era communication, the way we know it and maybe even take for granted... We all can make a difference in some one's life by caring and looking around for lending a helping hand, an ear or for writing a few encouraging words. Yes, writing is very powerful and will always remain that way.

The Christofle clock, together with an antique book from Goethe, a silver ink well and Mont Blanc fountain pens atop our solid French oak secretaire from Oisterwijk furniture in The Netherlands. A solid silver Giovanni Raspini Card/Letter/Napkin holder is holding embossed cards from Carol Wilson, my favorite line of fine arts stationery.

The solid 925/000 silver Giovanni Raspini Card/Letter/Napkin Holder with two Angels is available at Spectrenoir ←click it.

This heavenly piece out of solid silver is protected against oxidation.

Not only does it show two perfectly crafted angels but also a romantic rose wreath, that is held by the two cherubs. Would make a perfect gift for a bride or for that someone special in your life. It will no doubt become a treasured heirloom for generations to enjoy its majestic beauty.

Of course, it is equally useful for holding letters and even for adorning any buffet setting, as a napkin holder.

Related link:
{Violets from our Garden and on French Country Style Wooden Tableau} previous post by me

{A LAST Toast to 2011... framing its STERLING MOMENTS!}

Like at a great wedding, there will be that final moment, biding adieu with one last toast and best wishes to the 'New Life' together. New Life together in 2012 for all of us, as we make A LAST Toast to 2011. Was it a good year to you? Do you have fond memories that you want to frame inside a sterling frame? Let's hope each one of you has at least a few of those special 'Hinge-Moments' that we want to remember for the rest of our life. To pick us up, when times are dark, difficult or lonely... Fond memories for lifting us up at times of sickness, or while healing from our wounds; be it physical or emotional.

I do hope that you will have the best of everything and are looking forward with full expectations and high hopes to yet another year on this planet. Wishing you good health above all and a strong family bond because with that, one can over come a lot of problems that might be coming our way. We are not living in paradise 'yet'... and there might be some angels among us, but we better watch. For framing such a sterling 2011 moment, I can offer you this Giovanni Raspini 925/000 silver frame with Angel. It is available at my Zen Cart powered boutique on line. Let's Toast to 2011, as I would like to thank you for your visits and for leaving sweet comments! Those are my little STERLING MOMENTS...

For your fond memories, available at my Zen Cart powered on line boutique: Mariette's Back to Basics.

This heavenly piece is protected against oxidation. The glass is beautifully beveled!

CHEERS!

Giovanni Raspini, Italy - solid sterling silver Frames. Just click hyperlink.

Available at Mariette's Back to Basics Boutique.

Sorry Sold out...

Related link:

Giovanni Raspini 925/000 Silver Frame with One Angel - From Italy