{Papa is 93 today!}

Far away, some 7,083 km or 4,400 miles flying distance + several hours by car, my Daddy - Papa is having his 93rd Birthday. We have been only to one of his birthdays in 1987, in all 30 years as immigrants. That is the price one pays for being far, far away. But on the other hand, nobody ever came to my birthday here in Dublin, Georgia. 

That's life!

Here is a Happy Dad, on the couch with me here in Dublin, Georgia in March of 1993 when he came to Georgia from The Netherlands, without Mom.

I'd given Dad a ticket to San Francisco where we both went together.

Some very fond memories!

Dad in his beautiful garden at a time when we visited them in The Netherlands, October 6, 1985.

His beautiful garden, where several Bridal pictures have been made, is no more as there is now half a village build and many homes surround their now small property...

Only the memories remain!

Here Dad is with me at the Okefenokee swamp in south Georgia on December 1, 1990

Dad at the Riverfront of Savannah Georgia on December 4, 1990

Dad came to the USA a total of 6 times and Mom joined him 4 times; so we do have lots of fond memories of their stay on this side of the Atlantic Ocean. 

In our 30 years as immigrants we visited them 63 times either from Georgia, USA; Italy or from Indonesia.

Related links: {Happy 92th Birthday Papa!} | previous post by me {Papa is 91 today!} previous post by me {Papa is 90 today!} previous post by me {My Daddy - Papa} previous post by me

{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!

{Our New Retainer Wall & Vinyl Picket Fence}

Our final mega project for 2013, did come along very well! Husband Pieter did finish placing the two new segments of vinyl fence panels on December 28. Photos have been taken yesterday. We already did have 6 Gothic Picket Vinyl Fence Panels in place. Pieter did dig them up and on the Internet I'd found and ordered 2 more of these 3-ft x 8-ft Vinly Fence Panels from Lowe's Home Improvement  

Bandido-boy, is proudly showing off his new Gatehouse Arborley Gothic Picket Vinyl Fence that he helped his Papi build.

On December 16, I did drive this cute little trailer back home from Lowe's, Vidalia, Georgia where we picked up the 2 panels that I'd ordered on line. Here Pieter made another trip with our Toyota RAV4; our loyal work horse for 16 years!

Just enough space for passing by the huge Southern Magnolia.

On December 18, another load of concrete blocks and concrete mix for building that retainer wall after the 65 Year Old Pine Tree had been cut down on the 17th. This is part of our water control, for keeping the rain water behind this retainer wall and not again running towards our home.

Bandido-boy helping his Papi, day after day. And our felines thought that the mulched tree trunk + the dug up soil was their new HUGE litter box...

You can see the spot of the mulched trunk to the right.

Precision work for leveling it out neatly...

Pouring concrete and on top of that come those concrete blocks...

Some back breaking job for removing the old green metal post that was deep into the concrete. Hacking it clean from concrete again and also finding a huge surprise in the ground.

You can now clearly see where the 65 Year Old Pine Tree once stood!

No, the huge surprise he found in the ground was nothing valuable but these Saw greenbrier, Catbrier, Bullbrier or Smilax bona-nox L. roots! 

It got tangled up into the huge oak tree, unseen with its mean thorns and very hard to kill.

That's where the 65 Year Old Pine Tree once stood...

All done! Retainer wall painted and the Vinyl Fence Panels all erected again! The old green metal post anew into the ground in the concrete for fastening the wire fencing.

Leaving an opening between the white vinyl post and the green metal post for Cat–Thresspassing.

That's where friend cats come to visit and our Tiggy–Tiger goes to see them...

Neat job or not?

And that for an eighty four year young man!

Guess that my Pieter does more physical work than many young men half his age...

Healthy living!

Our Tiggy–Tiger girl figured it out how to get to the other side again.

Notice that the first panel is NOT set on concrete blocks.

Husband Pieter didn't dare to dig there due to the wiring in the ground...

But do you see now how different the height levels are and why the water after tropical showers runs towards our home?

For the end of the year, I feel mighty proud of my dear husband Pieter's accomplishments.

Living frugal from one pension, with 3 adults, we also manage to be happy with our 6 felines.

Now, I'm off to scanning the FINAL100 slides and than I will have managed to make them all digital by the end of 2013 for archiving!

Have you also accomplished some major project this year?

Wishing you all a happy New Year's Eve and a Happy and Healthy 2014!

Thanks for reading here.

Related links:
{65 Year Old Pine Tree Cut Down} | previous post of Part I
Gatehouse Arborley 3-ft x 8-ft White Gothic Picket Vinyl Fence Panel | link from Lowe's