LOVED singing in Händel's Messiah

MUSIC is FOOD for the SOUL

Even more so when it is being composed by Georg Friedrich Händel...
December is a busy month for ALL, but I did commit myself to sing in one more choir since it is our favorite: Händel's Messiah!

Second row from the top, 2nd from left behind lady in sleeveless dress, I'm singing my heart out as a soprano.
We sang 7 songs and in-between we had a tenor, bas, alto and soprano sing a solo.
The Orchestra played great and we only rehearsed together with the orchestra, the day before!
Twice we'd rehearsed + performed on the actual day though!
Our local TV35, did capture the entire performance: Handel Messiah at Theatre Dublin click this link.

In the above screenshot from full video, finally the drummer and trumpet players are being shown as well!
I'm just sitting down here...
Husband Pieter did enjoy both performances and felt very proud of me singing with the choir.

That was our Händel's Messiah, with Georgia Southern University Magnolia String Quartet
First United Methodist Church Chancel Choir and Orchestra

No doubt, it made my Mom smile down from heaven, hearing her 2nd daughter sing soprano, like she used to do in her choir...
My Paternal Grandmother also sang as soprano, together with her friend my Mother-in-law who was a 2nd soprano.
Of course, my Dad who still sings but no longer as a first tenor.
Just learned that Dad quit singing, due to his severe flu recently he has said his farewell to the choir...
Used this link of:  Händel's Messiah since it was spelled correctly in German!

Encyclopedia Brittannica shows it correct: Georg Friedrich Händel with the German Umlaut, which can also be replaced by 'ae' as: Haendel.

Both, Pieter and I did sing in a previous Händel's Messiah, in 1995...

With all our traveling as International Consultants it was not easy to keep up—but we committed ourselves.

A very small segment can be seen/heard here at my Parents' home on September 20, 1995

Pieter J.C. Vedder captured me studying Comfort Ye My People, Händel's Messiah at my Parents'

 ←click link for video

~

Only 3 days earlier, Pieter snapped this photo from part of our choir the Knight Owls, performing at the annual Christmas Revue. Me, 2nd row, 2nd from left...
Since my double, closed pelvic bone fracture, I no longer dare to stand on the top riser!
We do have lots of talent in this group and it feels warm and fuzzy to belong!

This is what I was wearing when performing with the Knight Owls at different events and since the Christmas Revue we also did perform at two local nursing homes.
My Escada Jacquard Knit Rose Sweater with a wide belt (from Indonesia) on Wolford leggings.
 Fake fur leg warmers from Walmart that I did fold over my boots from Italy and fake fur fingerless gloves from Walmart.

Husband Pieter and I are facing our 35th Christmas, without any family nearby.
To both of us, Christmas is the pure religious meaning.

Only in 2004, we did have our foster-daughter Anita staying with us.
Fond memories!
Still wear my hair calf boots and skirt from Escada with black sweater.
Cat boy Barty on the left is still with us but not Spooky on the right who died at age 3.5 because of heart worm...

 Wishing each of you a Merry Christmas! 

{Angels engraved on lucky calendar coin of 1969}

It was in June of 1969, when I had read the weekly local paper 'De Echo van Horst' and spotted an advertisement from the practical Training College for Mushroom Growing. So before lunch, I did go over there to apply for the job; and got it. The founder and principal, Mr. Vedder, told me that with my long hair I reminded him of his daughter Lizzy... Later I got to know that cute little daughter of age five. Well, I loved the job, attended also the very first ladies course ever given on the subject of mushroom growing. That was in 1970! Sounds like ages ago that women were not considered to do the very same things as men do... Mr. Vedder turned out to be one of my most favorite teachers. Over the years, thousands of students would agree with me on that! His book, translated into eight official languages, has often been called the Mushroom Bible. It is still available in print in Spanish, as well as in English, at least here in the USA and in Spain. He wrote his first Dutch edition in 1961. And the new English version: modern mushroom growing 2020 harvesting available worldwide. 

There certainly was a mutual sympathy but nothing else. As I've mentioned before in the blog: {Our Daughter Liz}, that my first cousin Bertie was Lizzy's friend; my paternal grandmother was Pieter's Mom's best friend and my paternal uncle was Pieter's friend at the photo club... I had no inkling that fourteen years later I would become his wife! 

Up till 1980 I didn't even know his first name as we always referred to him as Mr. Vedder...

Okay, let's pull the curtain of that special year 1969 and have a look: 

Angels are my favorites and on this huge 3.75" (9.5cm) bronze coin they playfully open the curtain ~ so the year can begin! Famous French Engraver G. Simon, designed it and he also had become instantly famous with the design of the 50 cents (centimes) coin for Prince Rainier and Princess Grace of Monaco. That made him become the Royal Engraver! He has done numerous coins.

My angel coin is in French, listing the beginning of Spring; Summer; Autumn and Winter. As well as the dates of Pentecost and Christmas.

Things have changed in 41 years!

As the angels pull the curtain at the end of the year 1969, let's have a look at some of the highlights since then:

That's me with the long hair at that time... loving roses already! Some antique French roses from an elderly lady that I helped out for some pocket money at the time.

Pieter at the same age as I am in the above photo... in the Dutch military.

Pieter a couple of years later with a head full of hair...

Our civil wedding at the City Hall in Horst aan de Maas, The Netherlands

Happily married, regardless the jet-lag as we landed the day before from a flight back from Atlanta, Georgia USA to The Netherlands...

After our Church wedding in a parish near Osorno, Chile

Wearing my Laurèl, Escada lace blouse.

Honeymoon in Chile, looking into Argentina. I am proud to have readers from both countries!

Pieter wearing his wool Burberry tie and I the silk Burberry plaid scarf.

At the harbor of Cape Town, South Africa on November 24, 1985.

In front of The White House, Washington DC 1987.

Pieter in his Burberry suit.

After having lived and worked in Pennsylvania and Italy, we moved back to Georgia, USA into our new build home and my Dad from The Netherlands helped us move in.

With our foster daughter Anita, in Indonesia where we lived and worked in Central Java.

Photo taken for the book: A Profile of Dublin & Laurens County Georgia where our story appeared.

At the banquet of the millennium Rotary District Conference.

Wearing a silk Escada top with Majorica pearls.

Trip to the Geuldal in South Limburg (my former Province), The Netherlands during the May 2000 Mushroom Science International Congress.

Wearing my Laurèl Escada suit with top.

Going to our annual Crescendo of the Dublin Laurens Arts Council.

Wearing my favorite Escada silk rose evening gown with Majorica pearls.

Even get to wear my Dirndl to go to the Oktoberfest that was held bi-annually by our best friends Col. John A.Whigham and Dr. Rebecca Whigham.

Picture taken by our foster daughter Anita after midnight Mass on Christmas Eve. Spooky our cat is in the picture too, on the left of me... he passed away because of heart-worm!

Wearing my Escada calf hair skirt and leather coat with calf hair boots.

Again for a reception of the annual Rotary Club's District Conference. Since we no longer are International Consultants we at least get to go! We missed so many opportunities while being abroad someplace else... weddings of friends and such.

Pieter in his Ermenegildo Zegna suit and I'm in Escada.

This picture is taken at a wedding in Dublin, Georgia.

Pieter's matching silk tie with gray roses with my Escada dress and jacket with rose embroidery and Majorica pearls.

Another Rotary District Conference banquet where they always ask for wearing the 'Dublin' green jacket. Got Pieter a Brioni 30% silk with 70% cashmere jacket from Neiman Marcus Last Call that is a brighter green than they wear here. The Dublin green jacket we once took to the Rotary Club of Dublin Viking in Ireland to the their Club meeting. When they asked what an ugly color green Pieter was wearing we got cured! They were not in agreement in Dublin, Ireland with that being their Irish green. Indeed, from my fashion education I know better so I've taken care of that one.

Wearing my favorite Escada leather jacket with rose embroidery cut work on silk with silk top.

Anyway, Pieter looks a lot sharper in a Burberry tuxedo than in the green jacket! I am wearing a silk batik top that I've made from an Indonesian formal shawl, being hand painted with gold. Added frogs closures (Brandenburger sluiting in Dutch or Brandenbourgs) that I found in Spain while on a tour there. Lined it with black silk lining from my favorite West Coast specialty store (HUGE!) in San Francisco Britex. That are the perks when you travel the world; you find all the luxury that is out there and happen to come upon the most unique stores... For those of you that sew or design, check out Britex Notions at the very top from their home page.

Let's end with this and toast to many more happy years in good health!

{My Laurèl Jeans Suit with Escada Booties}

Oh my, how I long for the cooler weather...

Again a throw back into February 24 of 2016 where I enjoyed wearing my Laurel (Escada group) Jeans Suit with my Escada Booties.

Of course together with my companion Spooky boy.

In front of our Magnolia Grandiflora Namnetensis Flore Pleno.

Happy with life, happy with the weather!

Thanks for your visit

Related link:
{Sisters Dressed Like Twins} | previous post by me showing this very Jeans Suit

{Feeling Pampered with Silk/Wool Cap from Blogger Friend}

Oh my, on Christmas Eve, I was for the last time out of the house and than a very bad flu floored me literally.

Did not even notice that 2015 ended... it went past me.

Only on my Dad's 95th Birthday I managed to be up in the late morning and call him in The Netherlands.

From than on I improved, but did not want to be out in the nippy, windy weather as the warm temperatures from Christmas had suddenly dropped, even getting some night frost.

What a surprise when on Thursday, January 7, the mail delivered a parcel from France.

A sweet hand knitted gift from Anett from the blog: Faden Stille whom I follow since 2010. We have become virtual friends!

Friday, January 8, I did join Pieter for Rotary lunch and afterwards I did wear my silk/wool cap for taking a walk. Wearing of course my coat as well!

Spunky girl looks fluffy during the cold weather.
Me, showing off my crows feet from a great smile...!

Driveway is still damp and the weather dreary looking...

But our Verbena continues blooming inside the fiber glass window boxes from Flower Framers of Cincinnati!

Enjoying my Chanel boots; bought from tip money for consulting work in California!

You can read more about that here: {My Favorite Boots}

My silk/cashmere Jodphurs from Bergdorf Goodman 1994 still fit me perfectly and I love wearing them in winter time.

Matching cables in my Escada silk/cashmere sweater from December 26, 1993 - actually my very first Outlet score bought at Potomac Mills in Prince William, VA. We were traveling by car to the funeral of our Jewish friend in Delaware when we stopped at this Mall for lunch.

Thanks a lot Anett for so much WARMTH!

It warms the heart and the ears on a nippy winter's day...

{Happy with my Escada Stretch Pants}

On Good Friday, April 3, it was already lovely weather and we were out in the garden and our gazebo.

Happy with my Escada Stretch Pants

Never we can walk alone, there is always that cat-magnet and they love to be held and cuddled.

This is Bandido, Spooky's brother and one of the four remaining siblings.

Sure, picking them up, you get covered in pollen as that is everywhere around this time.
Yes, I'm also chained... wearing my 22 kt gold belly chain since the 90s when we lived and worked in Indonesia.

Also love my suede Cole Haan lace-up boots for walking!

Speckie is on the floor...

These pants do have some velvet strips along the sides in a very dark brown, almost black.

Haha, pollen on the floor, and left is Bandido, center is Speckie and Barty to the right...
That's one of my favorite weekday stretch pants.

{ME, Turning 20 on December 3!}

Yes, I am turning 20 on December 3! As a United States Citizen, that is... 

After all, it is not bad to get a second chance in life for starting over and being young again!

It does perk you up.
On Friday, December 3, 1993 we got up at 4:15 AM for driving to Atlanta for the Naturalization Ceremony at the Richard B. Russell Federal Building. At 8:30 it started for 257 people from 60 nations and it lasted only till 9:55 AM.
So we raced back to Dublin; still in time for Rotary lunch. Husband Pieter proudly introduced me as his NEW American wife... 

Twenty (20) years old...

Haha my sweater is 25 years old; got it at the Christiana Mall in Newark, Delaware on Saturday, August 27 of 1988.

I fell in love with the leaf pattern and also because it is cropped.

Nah, that's NOT a new car... It's just an old LOVE!

We got this Infiniti FX35 in Brilliant Silver on August 12, 2005 for Mom & Dad's arrival.

Mom just got a knee replacement and we wanted her to get in and out of a car comfortably so we got this one.

But do you like my new boots? 

Dolce Vita Hayla Suede Ankle boots in black from Last Call by Neiman Marcus with 40% off. 

Black legwarmers are from our local TJ Maxx...

Pantyhose are French Dim that I purchased at Sogo, Japanese department store in Jakarta, Indonesia. 

Jeans skirt is from Escada.

Related link:
{Today I turned 17!} | previous post by me
{My Hat Attack NYC GAVROCHE} | previous post by me, wearing the same Escada skirt
{Dutch American Heritage Day 2005 with Mom & Dad} | previous post by me about Mom & Dad's final visit to the USA...