{Mom Did Wear Many Hats}

Indeed, during her lifetime, Mom did wear many hats.

She was above all a loving Mom, a devoted and submissive wife, a cook, a seamstress, a great housekeeper, and a very hard working partner working in the greenhouses and on the fields; harvesting vegetables and fruits.

The list could go on and on...

For readers from foreign countries who are maybe not familiar with the English saying of 'Wearing many hats', it means a person has different roles or tasks to perform.

Just because Mom made MANY sacrifices during her life time, being a Mom to a large family of 8, of which 7 survived, she NEVER could go on vacation.

So it was a joy for offering her four times this luxury for being able to fly off, across the Atlantic Ocean from The Netherlands to Georgia, USA.

Dad did come a total of six times and Pieter and I did pay for six of their ten roundtrip plane tickets. 

Mom & Dad have been escorted on March 20, 1996 by a dear friend of us who also was flying back from the Netherlands to Atlanta, Georgia!

The very first time, in April of 1987, they flew over together with both of us.

This photo was taken two days after she arrived in 1996.

Mom did not have to cook, clean, launder or do anything.

That is visible in her face; feeling very happy and pampered.

Mom was taken by the lady that gathered outfits for her, and who also did her hair and put lipstick on.

Meanwhile the clever photographer asked me to jot down some basic words in Dutch, for him to use - like 'chin up' - smile etc.

Mom LOVED it that he spoke her language and was so happy about the 'ease' of working with this clever guy. It is quite noticeable in these photos.

She even looks a bit mischievous in my opinion...

Both trips I took alone with Mom, just Mother & Daughter, for having those Glamour shots made and one week later, on April 4, to pick up the one photo that we selected on a computer screen, with several smal ones.
The above photos are taken from small sizes.
When we got home with our photos, Dad was very amazed and had to look at them, over and over...

In my leather bound journal I wrote on Tuesday, April 16 of 1996 that in the evening our friends arrived for coffee with dessert as a farewell to Mom & Dad.
The hit of the evening was my Mom with her Glamour shots!
They found she looked like a movie star and Uncle Bo found Mom now very worth while instead of another 'Mariet'...
Everyone found she also looked younger now than in 1987.
Dad got very quiet... he always had been used to being the center of attention, especially when he sang a solo as a first tenor.
It was great that Mom for once was the center of attention!

Next day we had one last breakfast together and drove to Atlanta to check in World Business class on our courtesy card with KLM Royal Dutch Airlines.
They were even that courteous for letting all four of us into the shared Lufthansa lounge.
Than came a very emotional goodbye, especially Mom was tearful.
The day before she mentioned that those photos were the most beautiful gift she'd ever received...
I did listen to her video tape where she did mention it at the end of that evening with our friends.
She was so very happy.
Fond memories around Mother's Day!

Yes, I too had one photo taken during that session with Mom...
 ~
Mom used to wear always a hat to Church when I was a girl, there still was a real millinery in my home town where I loved to peak inside the window.
Maybe that's where my fondness of hats originated from.
At least these pictures do remind me of my Mom when I was a girl.
Hope you enjoyed them too.
Wishing all those that still are fortunate to have their Mom around, a very Happy Mother's Day and also to those that are a Mom themselves.
For each of us it is a day filled with memories, that live inside our hearts forever.
I have been blessed with a sweet Mom and today when I watched the video, I've laughed a lot; so many fun things with lots of humor too.

Here this photo was taken by my Dad as I mostly video taped things.
Mom is waving goodbye, from the Chattanooga Choo Choo, a train in Tennessee from 1880.
So many farewells, for the 4 times that Mom came to the US and for the 64 times that we came to The Netherlands...

This is just 6 months after Mom & Dad went home and we went to Church in the morning, made this photo and then left for the airport on our 42nd trip to The Netherlands.
Me, looking happy for getting to see my Mom again!

Until it was that one final time...

They are not gone who live in the hearts of those they leave behind.

- Native American Saying

{Mom Lived 16 Days Short of Her 91st Birthday} showing Mom's writing in our guest book

Mom got called MOVIE STAR for once she was the CENTER of ATTENTION! | later post by me with video...

{Our Fragrant White Paeonia 'Ann Cousins' is Blooming}

Don't we all LOVE Peonies? We have tried over the years so many different varieties, mainly white ones but with the heat we have down south, it proves really hard. Last year no blooms at all...

But this year we got rewarded with a huge white and fragrant flower on our Paeonia 'Ann Cousins'

So I love to share it with you here!

Love this gem! 

Photo is made next morning as it was rather dark in the late afternoon for making any photos.

It is all white, no red specks or whatsoever.

White Flower Farms used to sell these but not any more.

The only place I found this 'Ann Cousins' is at Peony Paradise  ←just click the link.

Too bad Adelman Peony Gardens are located in Salem, OR... Would love to visit them!

Do you grow some peonies as well?

Related posts with peonies:

{6 Gorgeous 'Ann Cousins' Peonies in Baccarat Harcourt Pitcher}

{PEONIES: BRIDAL GOWN & LA TENDRESSE}

{Birthday Dinner at the BEST Restaurant for Healthy & Delicious Food}

Having both worked SO hard for weeks on end, this Dinner the day after husband Pieter's actual Birthday was just PERFECT! 

Me completing the 36 photo albums, before 1999, to make them all digital and Pieter doing garden chores and helping me out with domestic chores as well.
Mega Task done of archiving done!

My upper back was kind of nagging me but fortunately it did not graduate!

So here we are; looking a bit tired but being very happy for many reasons.

Just LOVE this suit, it is more than 35 years old but still perfect and since Pieter never ever gained weight - it FITS!
His Thai silk tie with clovers is just perfect with it.

Yes, aging we all turn gray and maybe bold, skin looks different but important is that our mind is still working and feeling young and positive.

Pieter does have problems with his right knee but the topical (expensive, out of pocket) ointment is soothing his pain. 

So here we are at Dublin Farm "Come Home To The Country" in Lady Chef Maria's Ristorante da Maria

Looking tired... but oh so happy with Mission Accomplished!

Wearing my Escada suit that I could not afford when we saw it at the boutique in Budapest, Hungary but I found it on eBay! 

Meanwhile I did catch up on my sleep and my blood pressure was looking just PERFECT.

First course of five... All made from scratch; using the best and the most healthy ingredients (not the cheapest either!) and therefore it is for our health conditions the BEST.

~

Appetizer:

Oven baked Strudel with Spring vegetables and mozzarella, topped with Parmesan, fresh herbs and olive oil, served over a crème fraîche

Menu is in Italian and in English since Lady Chef Maria is Italian

Also Maître d Heinz speaks fluent Italian - they function as a great couple!

It is hard work together for running this special B & B with restaurant...

First dish:

Pasta 'Mini Penne' tossed with 'Mammarosa' sauce, a tomato based sauce with cream and fresh herbs topped w/basil pesto and Parmesan

~

Note: the reason that I label Ristorante da Maria BEST Restaurant for Healthy & Delicious Food is mainly because she knows how to season with special fresh herbs, instead of over-using the salt! 

YES, that IS an all American SIN...

If I would eat at restaurant chains frequently, my kidneys would go down very fast!

So I'm very, very careful with my sodium intake and never had any problems eating here.

Fish-Entrée:

Pan roasted Steelhead Trout Fillet, served with a lemon/Vermouth/cream sauce

~ 

Both, Pieter being a heart patient himself and me with my 48% functioning kidneys, we ALWAYS select fish!

Chef Maria does not drown her Entrées in a sauce but it is drizzled with it and that makes the taste so pleasant - never overpowering, nor taking away from this quality fish.

Always with vegetables too and I personally love that slice of lemon which is real easy to cut away from its peel and enjoy with the fish.

Lady Chef Maria makes incredible DELICIOUS Sorbets!

This is a Pineapple/Lemon Sorbet

Sorry for having scooped out some before remembering to take a picture...

TADA... Maître d 'Heinz' (seen in the back of the picture) did bring the Birthday guy his special Dessert with candle...

Out of courtesy I did never zoom into other diners' table, only the one table to the left and right of us. One family was arriving late; they could not find the place... 

~

Crema di merano

Meraner Cream with vanilla and mixed berries

Pieter also enjoyed his usual espresso with that, to round off yet another heavenly meal!

Yes, I too did splurge on this delicious dessert; I always eat Lady Chef Maria's desserts! And also I drink one glass of wine along with my meal.

That does not cause any problems with my blood sugar levels.

European desserts use FAR less sugar anyway, instead we often use Vanilla, the real thing; not artificial vanilla.

~

May there be many, many more Birthdays to come; God willing.

Pieter's left eye is also causing him problems as the eye surgeon at the time when he had his retina detached, first wanted to complete his Tuesday cycling... thus waiting too long before doing surgery on Pieter. 

Result was that it was not very well after surgery, mixed up sight with half being far- and the other half of that eye being near sighted.

Hence the enlarged eye due to a very thick lens on that side...

Tomorrow morning he has another eye doctor's appointment but there really isn't much that can be done...

Thanks for your loyal visits and wishing you all a happy week and enjoy each day and all the little things!