MARIETTE'S BACK TO BASICS

Monday, December 21, 2015

{St. Maria Goretti came from Italy to 54 US Cities - We got to see her too!}

Just by accident did I read about this UNIQUE EVENT, when Pope Francis arrived in the USA, only two days later than this Italian Saint.

Learning about her travel schedule to 54 US Cities, starting out at the East Coast, also Atlanta was on the list. But that day we could not go.

So I was delighted to find that on October 28, she would come to the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception in Jacksonville, Florida, which is only 3 hours and 35 minutes driving distance from us!

Yes she flew from Italy to the USA and traveled along the East Coast like this...

PILGRIMAGE OF MERCY

TOUR OF THE MAJOR RELICS OF

ST. MARIA GORETTI

USA 2015

This is a prayer card that I have since I was a child, given to me by my most favorite Great-Uncle and Priest Dr. Sjang Nelissen, who went to the Vatican Council.

Yes, there had been an Italian connection between 'Heeroom' (Great-Uncle Priest) and me, going back half a century.

He studied Church Law in Rome and I was so delighted when I received special stamps from the Vatican Council, that he brought back for me.

Don't know where they are now... I always passed on everything to my siblings!

But before we too started living and working in Italy, there was this special connection.

This is the beautiful Basilica of the Immaculate Conception in Jacksonville, Florida.

Just click on the above hyperlink to see a Pdf about it.

We arrived around 5:00 PM so we had ample time for the public veneration and would find us a spot for the Solemn Mass at 7:00 PM.

We only had to walk 8 minutes for the 700 m from our Hyatt Regency Jacksonville Riverfront so that was very convenient and the weather was 29°C or 84°F that day.

The Angels from heaven were supporting those pilgrims, coming to see St. Maria Goretti!

The Basilica is in the shape of a cross and you can see where we managed to have a seat.

Such beautiful architecture with 37 stained glass windows!

We had ample time for admiring this beauty and taking it all in...

As much as I love ANGELS, I certainly had come to the right place!

And here is the glass coffin with the skeletal remains of St. Maria Goretti...

Her face is created out of wax.

Loved the Angel Heads on all four corners of her glass coffin...

And Angel heads on top...

Angels are everywhere, up on each pillar are carved Italian Angels with trumpets.

Overlooking the choir loft you notice a large window with the Immaculate Conception figure, surrounded by Angels singing.

Those stained glass windows are made by the Mayer Stained Glass Company in Munich, Germany.

The Basilica is filling up its approximately 560 seats with lots of people ending up standing in the isles...

Daylight is fading and the interior looks even more magical.

Mass is about to start and the Knights of Columbus Honor Guard is lined up...

This is a photo from 2 November post on the FB Page: Pilgrimage of Mercy: Tour of the Major Relics of St. Maria Goretti and husband Pieter and I are visible to the left of the purple hat..., I am standing next to the pillar and adjusting my iPhone.

Here in the center you see Celebrant: Reverend Edward Murphy and St. Maria Goretti remained to the right in the front of the Basilica before the high altar of Italian Carrara marble.

There were maybe close to twenty Priests in this Solemn and partly Latin Mass that was such a blessing for being able to attend. For us it felt like being back in The Netherlands, or being back in Italy where Mass sounded a lot more similar. Sure the beautiful Basilica added to the incredible experience as well.

The sad fact however is that when I picked up a thick, local newspaper the next morning, anxious to read about this rare event, there was nothing. From Fr. Murphy I did learn that it got sent out to all media outlets in the north Florida area but quite unfortunately they did not pick it up. Even when his Church became a Basilica some years ago, they ignored the crowds and dignitaries that came.

Citizen Journalism is ALL that is left...

May our Angels and Saints pray with us for this World and especially at this time around the birth of our Prince of PEACE...

Friday, December 18, 2015

{Drunken Spaghetti}

Wow... since I published that post about my Apple Addiction, we lost completely our Internet connection.

What a fate, not being able to do anything for some 24 hours!

But today it got repaired, there was a kink in the cable that entered the home and we got a replacement.

SO HAPPY!

Tonight I prepared a very simple but delicious recipe from dear friend Celia M.'s Resilientista in the Kitchen.

DRUNKEN SPAGHETTI...

Yes, this pasta got cooked in red wine!

TRY IT!
Recipe link was gone but here on my Pinterest you can find it anew!

It was really delicious, topped with grated Pecorino cheese from Trader Joe's and paired with arugula and an olive and white balsamic dressing.

The spaghetti I used was Quinoa and we both loved its taste!

Above link from Resilientista gives you the link to the recipe.

Thanks again Celia M. from Celia M. High Heeled Life - Resilientista; you always have such very special recipes to share with your readers.

Tuesday, December 15, 2015

{Apple Addiction}

Yes, for quite some time I had been eyeing an APPLE iMac retina display...

We did visit the Apple Store in Toronto, in June.

This photo is from the Apple Store, Fifth Avenue in New York City...
A beautiful glass cube!

Photo taken on August 28, during our sight seeing tour by bus.

Yes, after our June visit to Toronto, Canada, I did study some reviews on Apple iMac...
More and more I got convinced this would become our next choice!

BUT when I got this message on my HP PC, I had to act fast...

Finally saying goodbye to this problem set and all its spaghetti wires...

We had to have the hard drive replaced twice!
This was a display model at Costco Wholesale and the hard drive did not work when we got home.
One more time we had to replace it.
Only 4 years old but I don't regret for letting this noisy tower go!

Driving the 240 km one way, to our nearest Apple Store in Atlanta...

Happy new owner of this iMac...

Setting it up at the Apple Store...
Bluetooth wireless keyboard and magic mouse. -
Goodbye spaghetti junction!

On August 20, it proudly stood on my desk at home!
So happy with it!

So far it works great and I would not want to ever go back to a PC!

Video and photo viewing quality is unexcelled!

With 2 iPhones, mine being the iPhone 6 Plus, iPad Air and now iMac it looks like we're Apple Addicts indeed but we both do LOVE them.

Do you also own an Apple, or several Apples?

Sunday, December 13, 2015

{Blossoms in December with Sunshine}

So far our December month is bringing us lots of sunshine.

Let me show you some of our December Blossoms...

One of our climbing roses still was yielding us such beauties.

Shown in a French crystal Baccarat perfume bottle.

Of course, our Camellias are also blooming...

Shown inside a Baccarat perfume bottle.

These white Verbena's happily continue blooming alongside the driveway.

From our garden we yielded 7 stems with white Paperwhites, that perfectly filled this tablet with fixed vases (7).

It was a gift that I received for doing a program about Indonesia, for a Women's Study Club here in Dublin, GA.

They presented me with this precious gift box!

Love the snow crystals...

Are you also having high 60s, 70s and low 80s in your area?

We LOVE this type of weather!

That's our weather forecast, up till almost Christmas.

Thursday, December 10, 2015

{Glass Christmas ROSE Ornaments from Anonymous Blogger}

We ALL love parcels in the mail don't we?

Well, especially if a sweet Blogger Friend is sending such a perfect gift!

Look here: Glass Christmas ROSE Ornaments... and all 8 of them arrived in perfect condition.

A true BLESSING in many ways.

Lavender being my favorite color, together with the teal, these glass roses made for a perfect wreath with some fresh Rosemary sprigs.

Thank you ever so much for this precious gift dear Anonymous!

Someone knowing very well about my addiction to Roses and Angels...

Took this photo outside in the last rays of sunshine.

We both went with two of our kitties to the Vet, before I could make my photos...

This LED Pillar Candle did just perfectly fit the wreath that I created with some florist wire.

Flameless candle is also kitty-safe!

I've placed them on a large 12.25 inch or 31 cm Pillivuyt serving plate.

Don't you love these colors?!

With the lavender they are also most fitting for the Advent Season.

How very thoughtful in multiple ways...

Wishing you all a blessed Advent Season!

Tuesday, December 8, 2015

{Mary The Most Powerful Woman in the World}

In this month's NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC, Mary is on the cover...

She is also well known in the Koran, named Maryam (Mary) and is the holiest woman mentioned.

She is a direct link between Christians and Muslims.

How the Virgin Mary Became the World’s Most Powerful Woman just click for reading the full story.

Perfect for her Feast of Immaculate Conception on December 8

Wishing you a Blessed Advent Season!

Sunday, December 6, 2015

{A Happy Saint Nicholas with Chocolate Letters + Update}

A very stressful week with a Happy Ending!

Dad is home again and did NOT need any heart surgery at all.

Prayers did get answered big time and we all feel so blessed.

My sister Gerd with daughter Lindsay did bring Dad home this afternoon.

Perfect timing for Saint Nicholas!

This is last year's order of Chocolate Letters for Friends and Extended Family...

Most people prefer MILK chocolate; what is your preference?
Mine is DARK...

Husband Pieter's is MILK or MELK in Dutch...

Before my sister Gerd, with her daughter went upstairs to Dad's room at the VieCuri hospital in The Netherlands, Lindsay did IMPROMPTU play at the Grand Piano:
Lindsay's version of Comptine d'un autre été l'après-midi by Yann Tiersen
Just click the above link... ENJOY! Sorry but Gerd has deleted said video...
And last but not least; THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR SUPPORT!

Chocolate letters are great gift ideas for Santa Claus...

Related links:
{Chocolate and Silver Alphabet Letters for Saint Nicholas} | previous post by me
{Since 1896 Dutch CHOCOLATE LETTERS - Have YOU Tried Them?} | previous post by me
{Chocolate Letter LOVE} | previous post by me

Friday, December 4, 2015

{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 then 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.

Wednesday, December 2, 2015

{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 Christ Episcopal Church together with us and Dad sang at this Church...

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

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.

Dad holding me as baby...

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!

Dad 7 days in hospital without phone connected ←click link for Pdf with 70 comments on FB and scroll down a little.

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 1763 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!

Sunday, November 29, 2015

{French Comptoir de Famille Candle Wreath}

Inspired by the French Countryside,

nostalgic home décor items by
Comptoir de Famille.

Needless to say that I feel fortunate for being able to offer you these lovely French Country Style Candle Wreath at my on line boutique: French Comptoir de Famille Candle Wreath. ←click it.

Adorned with Roses and Berries this is also perfect for a romantic Christmas Day setting...

Works with the LED pillars as well, for a clean and safe candle setting.

♥ Pour Toi ♥

Thursday, November 26, 2015

{Happy Thanksgiving 2015!}

Today, all plans got thwarted due to 7 hours power outage, a broken underground cable in our street...

They did repair it but also damaged first a water pipe, causing a fountain.

And they also struck the cable for TV and Internet!

But after 8 hours; all was back on again.

Still being grateful for so many things!

Thanksgiving Day: Pilgrims were a surprisingly worldly, tolerant lot

Pilgrims who braved the Mayflower were profoundly shaped by their 11 years in Leiden, Netherlands, where they arrived 402 years ago this year. Deeply devout, they were also some of the most tolerant among Puritan groups who headed to the new world. Read more from source here: Thanksgiving Day: Pilgrims were a surprisingly worldly, tolerant lot

HAPPY THANKSGIVING to all US READERS!