{My 22nd Birthday as an American!}

YAY, I finally, after full 7 days could call my Dad in the hospital in The Netherlands!
One of my brothers did turn around and made sure that Dad's package of TV, Radio and Telephone got hooked up. 

He had been deprived of this for SEVEN full days.

The good news is that his heart seems to have been just OVER STRESSED.
Dad is like my husband Pieter a very hard worker and he'd been doing some physical jobs prior to all this.
Prayers got answered and after this medical test, through the vein in his wrist, things look positive and we hope that he can go home on Saturday!

Now his Australian Brother and other elderly choir members can call him as well.
At least he has a very happy American daughter!
~ 
Thank you all for your sweet comments during this very difficult time for both of us.
My Dad in The Netherlands still does not know anything about his real heart condition.
On Wednesday they were supposed to check it out but there obviously was an emergency with another heart patient and the cardiologist had to postpone Dad's procedure.
They have planned that now for Thursday...
BUT there still is no phone connection! It is available at the hospital for EACH patient but needs to be hooked up and than of course relatives and friends need to be informed about the direct number.
Also my uncle in Australia, Dad's younger brother is being cut off from any contact, as well as all those living long distance that can't be there in person..
Let's hope that soon they will start using their brain and heart as Celia from Celia M. High Heeled Life & Resilientista so well wrote on my FB Timeline.

BUT...

December 3rd is my 22nd Birthday as an American Citizen!

Photo is from September 12, when we went to the Dublin Theatre...

My hair is shorter now.
Being an Escada fan, I'm wearing an all black Escada outfit; Spanish style pants, top and sandals.

Related links:

{Today I turned 17!} | previous post by me
{December 30, 1993 U.S. flag flown over U.S. Capitol for both of us!} | previous post by me
{1993 Today, the American Flag was flown for both of us...} | previous post by me
{ME, Turning 20 on December 3!} | previous post by me

{There You Go Again... Update}

SORRY for having been missing in action but this is why:

On Thanksgiving Day, while we were having a lovely dinner at the home of our 'American Family' my Dad was having a heart attack and ended up in the hospital.

This is a photo, taken on Friday afternoon when my brother Piet (he took this photo) with brother Jan and sister Gerd went to visit Dad at the hospital.

Jan used his iPhone 6, for letting Dad do FaceTime with me.

Exactly the same way as he did with Mom during her final days...

This is what I had on my FB on Saturday, asking for prayers as we are waiting about the outcome for Dad's health.

It looks like he has CHF (Congestive Heart Failure) since he had a lot of fluids in his leg and difficulty breathing.

This morning, at Church, I snapped this shot from our Church bulletin where Dad's name is being listed among those needing a prayer.

Both of us do strongly believe in prayer and we are grateful for all that do pray for my dear Dad!

Mom & Dad have both knelt at this Church together with us and Dad sang at this Church...

So many memories and people know my Parents in this town.

~ 

Okay, now about the THERE YOU GO AGAIN...

Being over 8,000 km away from home it is NOT easy dealing with a parent that is in the hospital or on his/her death bed.

Like in January of this year, when I lost my sweet Mom after guiding her 17 days during her hospital stay.

I owe a lot of gratitude to my sweet and very close brothers (2) and other brother and  sister.

But there are 2 more that are rather toxic!

The brother who thinks he is in charge has completely left me out of the family App so I will not receive any updates or know who is visiting Dad on any given day.

Yesterday, my toxic brother went to visit Dad in the afternoon - no update to anyone!

In the evening my toxic sister went to visit Dad in the evening - no update to anyone either!

That is living through hell, plain torture for NOT knowing anything.

Neither have they provided Dad with a phone; so I cannot call him.

Only when my close siblings visit Dad, will I receive any update. 

A photo is so welcome; like the above first photo.

Today it made me very happy to hear again an update. 

Guess what the toxic brother who thinks he is in charge did to me in January?

He forced me to take down ALL photos from Mom.

{R.I.P. Dear Mom} with Mom's sweet photo... (you can click the hyperlink).

I had to take down all the photos that were made here in Georgia, while Mom was visiting us.

My toxic brother threatened me with being left out of my Parents' will if I did not take them down.

Although I never understood WHY, I have given in, hoping it would restore the peace in our family, after first making screen shots of each and every single comment of sweet people from around the world.

Like on my blog above, I had lots of comments on my FB posts.

It was what carried me through those tough times as we could not be at the funeral for two reasons: I was still having physical rehab and also because we were paying huge medical bills at the time.

click to enlarge...

All those comments meant the world to me; they did lift me up and also very much my dear husband Pieter, who suffered heart cramps from all the stress and hurt caused by those toxic siblings who did never consider my dear Pieter's age of 86! That's NOT how you treat the elderly...

At 7:00 PM the 'day' ends on Blogger and Pageviews get counted anew.

On the actual day of Mom's death, up till 7:00 PM, I did have 1,550 pageviews...

From 7:00-9:00 PM when this was taken, it were 102 pageviews.

No words can tell you HOW grateful I am to those that lifted us up.

From so many countries, from all religions and I respect them all.

On FB, I did get again numerous comments and visits on my post: R.I.P. Dear Mom ← just click it to see the Pdf with everything I'd saved before deleting.

Mom is in heaven  ← just click it to see the Pdf also.

 Sweet foster-daughter Anita from Indonesia, did video Skype me from their car, before I went to bed on Saturday evening.

She always has been very loving and supportive.

So, once again I did put Mom's photo back on my blog.

As the oldest daughter, I don't want to be a victim to this kind of useless bullying by those toxic siblings again.

Bitter siblings keep viewing that post very frequently; up from 630 views (see above) to 1403 now...

They have fed Dad with lies and made up stories, trying to cut me off.

That is so rude for manipulating a grieving Dad at his frail age of 94!

It proves of a sick and hateful mind.

Let us hope they will change and above all, letting Dad have a peaceful time till he will join Mom in heaven.

That is very much our prayer!

{Challenge Accepted + Easter Photos}

On March 19, I already did receive a challenge request from Alessandra, in Italy, for listing 10 things that make me feel good. She is writing the blog: Shabby but ohh so chic!! ←click for getting to her blog.

Okay, now it is my turn for listing those 10 things, after having waited till first several other challenges got taken care of. 

After our trip to Curaçao we first got our tax papers done. Will write about our Curaçao vacation soon; promise! 

Our garden was also begging for weeding and still needs lots more done. 

On Saturday we finally hung the long crocheted peacock curtain at our friends' home. That was a gift from us and after I designed them, a sweet elderly lady in The Netherlands did crochet them for me. My task was for sewing on numerous brass rings for hanging. My husband Pieter, did hammer in the brass nails for the rings... Mission accomplished and even before Easter!

Happy Mom in the USA...

Okay: 10 things that make me feel good...

1. Looking at Mom's photo, taken while here in the USA, still makes me smile when thinking about all the great times when we had Mom & Dad over to visit us in the USA. Seeing Mom so relaxed and happy in this photo, being on vacation and enjoying it. She worked hard all her life, gave birth to 8 children and had her health issues.

She looks like an angel with her pink feather boa. A nice transition for when she really will become an angel...

2. Calling each Sunday after Church with my Mom & Dad and hearing their voices. Feeling blessed for having Mom still around after 4 years of kidney dialysis.

3. Happy times when video calling with Liz or Anita, our daughters.

4. Having my soul mate Pieter still with me and healthy and strong again after his open heart surgery in September 2010. Enjoying the trips we make together, while talking for hours on end in the car or when walking.

5. Enjoying a cup of coffee, or our version of Chocof (Chocolate from Dutch Cacao + Coffee) with some dark chocolates with pomegranate (from Costco).

6. Getting into a fresh made bed with clean linens, it makes me sleep like an angel under the down duvet and on the down pillows.

7. Having breakfast in our bay window in the sunshine and having fresh flowers from our garden.

8. Having friends around the table for dinner and enjoying a home cooked meal together.

9. Gardening together at our great property that we can claim all as our own. Such a treasure compared to what you can own in the Old World.

10. Watching our seven felines frolicking in our garden and being purrfectly happy - just like we!
~~0~~

Ten things is by far not enough for listing it all... 

It is a joy for reading your blogs and for visiting you around the world!

Now I would like to pass on this 10 point challenge to:

1. Kerri from Artisanbella

2. Claudia from NuNu's Garn-und Stofflabor a multi-talented lady that is also great in English.

3. Véronica from Los Mundos de Nika Vintage who is also very artistic.

4. Michiko from Michiko who needs ALL our help and support after her severe accident on December 15. We need to give her lots of BLOG-LOVE. 

5. Ginger from Savannah Granny who has been having health issues and today is her Birthday so she needs some BLOG-LOVE too.

Okay, mission accomplished in about three weeks...

Don't feel pressed for taking this on. But it is my aim always for helping some others by sending visitors and hopefully followers, their way. A friendly word goes a long way!

Hope we soon will have flowers again like here, from our own garden. 

We lost most roses last year due to the heat and drought but we do have the first ones blooming already.

Happy Easter setting from previous years...

• The book from which I  made the organdy ribbons for the eggs...

Tea/Coffee for friends...

The bay window is a favorite breakfast area and for all settings.

Have a nice week!

Mariette on Google+

{Our Dinner with + Gift to our Medical Friends}

After quite a wait we finally managed to get together with all our medical Friends. Yes, Friends with a capital F! They went the extra mile for both of us. First in January of 2010 when I got almost completely paralyzed and ran for days a high fever that didn't want to go down, they all came together to see me at the hospital. Two Internal Medicine doctors and one Radiologist. The latter traveled after work the two hours to my bedside, with his wife. I was even given some delicious home cooked Indian food from the other friend, the Internal Medicine doctor's wife. We know each other for 28 years! It feels so good to leave your well being in the hands of caring, true Friends! They found a cure for my rare auto immune disease and I was quickly on the mend and therefore forever grateful to them.

In September when Pieter had his heart attack, without the usual symptoms, he was sent off per ambulance to the next big city for treatment by a good heart surgeon. Once again, I felt secure for leaving Pieter into the hands of dear medical Friends.

So naturally, we wanted to do something for them in return, something special and from the heart. Due to all sorts of family circumstances we could not sooner get all together than July 19. We made reservations at Ristorante da Maria with Lady Chef Maria and Heinz. This time we had her cook vegetarian Indian food, for all of us. We worked in India for over ten years for Pond's India and for another company in Poona, so we LOVE the spicy food.

Now to the special gifts that I found in Germany, in the north near Hamburg. Elvira from the blog Rosengärtchen (Rose Garden) not only creates fabulous Christening gowns and such but she also designed very unique handbags with Peacocks, which she called Secret Garden.

This one caught my attention in her blog: Tasche Secret Garden and in her online shop. Knowing that the Peacock is a very special symbol in our Friends' culture, I contacted Elvira after she made me a Rose Bag: Tasche Romantic Rose und eine Uberraschung and shown also here: {Introducing YOU to Romantic Rose Handbags from RosenRomanze Germany}. Asking her if she would be able to make three of those. She wrote back yes; all unique items and thus different, but she was more than happy to make them for me. That was in October of 2010...

Elvira used blue seed pearls, semi precious stones and metal rose bead buttons for a closure on this luxurious bag. She designed it such that one looks through a window of an old Palace into its secret garden, where peacocks proudly show their beautiful feathers, between the flower beds...

Also the inside of the bag shows this romantic floral paradise, with on its trails here and there a peacock feather... like on the inner-bag with multiple compartments for cell phone etc.

Elvira made this unique design by using different materials such as linen, cotton batting, wool, and decorated it with fancy embroidery and lace.

On a string, attached to the bag, is a pouch that closes with mother of pearl buttons, for securing money or keys.

Secret Garden Bag 2 with a tassel.

Secret Garden Bag 3.

With a lot of thanks towards Elvira for letting me use her photos!

Which bag would you like most?

Mariette on Google+

{Papa is 90 today!}

Today is a special day and a kind of tough one for me for being far away; as usual. Of the total 27+ years that we're immigrants, only one time I was on Papa's birthday; his 66th...

We made 62 trips home to The Netherlands in total but not always birthday trips!

A young Papa; good 30 years old with me on his bike.

 Papa showing me his chicken...
Both photos are taken by my late uncle Jan, Papa's younger brother.

 When I was 10 years old I did write poems for the regional Saturday newspaper.

This one hit home hard as I'd written it for my Dad's 40th birthday and the last two sentences say:

Even if you are getting old... I know for sure that you still love me. Well, that love got a little bit dented (his ego actually...) after this! He took revenge, when I had my 40th birthday, by citing the very poem to ME, over the phone.

 Here is Papa at one of his favorite nature spots: 'Het Schuitwater' a former river arm from the Meuse in The Netherlands. Photo is taken in the late 60s on a Sunday. Papa did instill in all of us an appreciation for nature. He did pass this passion down to most of his seven children!

This is in the early 70s with the yield of cauliflower heads that Mom & Dad had cut early morning. Dad used to be called the Cauliflower King in our region for having superior quality cauliflower heads!

He was a market gardener with greenhouses as well.

Summer months were always peak season. But during my vacation time, when I still lived in The Netherlands, I helped them always out, by picking gherkins in the greenhouse. By picking them a bit tighter we could skip a day and manage to make a one-day-trip to Germany with Mom &  Dad and my Dachshund Mauzie. This was on July 14, 1977 at the Biggetalsperre in Germany.

Smoking a sigar on his special day off, together with Mom. They always worked so hard!

On Tuesday July 19, 1977 we even made it to Paris in a day-trip. 

In the mid 80s visiting with Mauzie our dachshund, from the U.S. Dad created a kind of botanical garden with a pond, where often wedding pictures were taken. In the back is the greenhouse of a neighbor.

On Papa's 65th birthday we made a phone call to The Netherlands, as usual. It is for now almost unbelievable to see that we paid for 10 minutes $ 11.73 at 6:21 AM. We called them on New Year's Eve as well and also Liz Vedder, Pieter's adopted daughter who has her birthday on the 31st. At that time phone calls were reserved for special days like Christmas, New Year and birthdays. The rest went via snail mail... What a different world we live in now. Now we manage for only $ 0.02 per minute instead of $ 1.17, back than in 1986!

Papa 65 years old, in the summer of 1986 with his beloved Bruno, a Dachshund.
Photo taken by my brother Martin.

Pieter took this photo of me on Dad's 66th birthday when we had a stop-over of a couple of days in The Netherlands, coming back from Indonesia. That is the ONLY time I was there on Papa's birthday...

Meanwhile Mom & Dad did come several times to the US. First time in April of 1987. Dad also joined us in November of 1990 to lend us a hand moving into the new build home when we had our one-month off period from work in Indonesia. Dad also came in March of 1993 by himself and he got from me a ticket to fly with me to San Francisco. I had to do consulting for two days at the Pescadero plant for Campbell's Soup for which they also did take us a day sight seeing to Monterey etc. I took Dad to Santa Cruz and to San Francisco and to the Redwoods as well. Pieter was doing a seminar for Campbell's in Chicago at that time.

On the image you can see where I've outlined in red where Mom & Dad's home, wood garden and across the street, their greenhouses were. One of the greenhouses is already taken down here. The stretch of soil to the right across the street, outlined within the red, that was a greenhouse too. The neighbor had huge greenhouses for plant propagation for selling to market gardeners. 

Dad got honored on 19 November of 1988 for being 50 years active in the choir. Papa sang often solos as a first tenor.
He always dreamed of being a professional singer but no time for doing so!

April of 1992 when we got back from Indonesia, with a stop for a couple of days in The Netherlands for a visit. Dad is going to sing with the choir. Tulips are blooming.

Mom always so happy when she saw us!
Mom & Dad also had several brown dachshunds.

My youngest brother Jan Van den Munckhof, made this 'frosty' winter photo on 16 January, 2005 from Mom & Dad's home.

 That was the same year that Mom & Dad last came to Dublin in the U.S. with us in October.

View from a hot air balloon taken on 6 September 2007 from the home where I was born.

Summer 2007, Dad between different hibiscus that all came from our Dublin property. They did far better in Horst, The Netherlands than in Dublin, Georgia!
Photo taken by brother Martin Van den Munckhof.

The area across the street where the greenhouses used to be. Now it is a meadow that Dad rents out to someone with ponies. Just a couple of weeks ago they have started to cut down the tall trees as the land in the back has been sold to a real estate developer. 

This was three years ago from an interview after Dad got honored for his 60th anniversary as a singer. He still does, but not as intensive as before. The title in the newspaper reads that Dad caused many women to break out in tears when he sang e.g. as a first tenor his solo Avé Maria at weddings and such.

On Saturday the entire family will gather for a dinner to celebrate Papa's 90th birthday in a festive way. 

We'll toast one from Dublin, Georgia on his good health and make a call during the day today...
Because of husband Pieter's rehab, after his quadruple bypass, we were not able to travel to The Netherlands!

Mariette on Google+