Pieter met First Lady Rosalynn Carter at Rotary Lunch Meeting

 During Rotary the lunch meeting, our Representative DuBose Porter introduced my Pieter to First Lady Rosalynn Carter

Shaking hands with former First Lady Rosalynn Carter.

Photo taken by friend Griffin Lovett

Pieter is looking somewhat bashful... 

Husband Pieter Managed to Start Pump During Rotary Wheel Plaza Dedication

 In the June 13, 2014 bulletin Pieter's action is being captured.

Pieter proudly told me that they didn't know how to start/operate this type of hand pump and that he did it.

Sure, with Pieter's education of horticultural engineering and his exceptional technical knack—he DID!

Pieter smiling...

{My Angel Sister & Mariette's Back to Basics Explained}

January 11, marks the date that my Angel Sister Mariet was still born... She would have been my older sister and my entire life I've wondered how she would have been like. In an earlier post of November 23, 2010, I did write about her Birthday and I will repeat it here:

By the end of the year I was walking on crutches...

On January 9 of this year (2010) I was in the hospital being almost totally paralyzed with very high fever that they couldn't knock down at first. 

It was on January 11, that I cried in my hospital bed; on the birthday of my still born sister 'Mariet' who would have been almost 13 months older than I am. 

I told her that I was NOT yet ready to see her in heaven...

After four days in the hospital they put me on Prednisone and the pain went away.

Again I could MOVE! What a joy.
Being diagnosed with a very rare auto immune disease, I was now on the mend!
♥

For my sister Mariet, trying to live for her as well, I've added 'TE' behind my name.
♥♥

That's the story behind my Zen Cart powered on line boutique: Mariette's Back to Basics. 

Anyway, most people here in the US had difficulties pronouncing Mariet, so this works well.
They have chewed it out like Muwrit or Muwreet... A good example is: 1993 February 8 — Ma Hawkins Group in Dublin, Georgia ←click link for YouTube video

A name is very special and I'm proud for adding something for an Angel I Know By Name; MY SISTER

Related link:
{# 148 and my blog is 1 year old today!} | previous post about my sister

HAPPY Pieter and ALWAYS SMILING

 

August 1, 2012 a Happy, Smiling Pieter!

{4th of July Speech given by my husband Pieter}

Worthwhile sharing this speech by my husband Pieter, given to the people of Laurens County, prior to the fireworks.

The 4^th of July 1994

The United States and Georgia State Flag on July 4th 2002
Those weeping ilex trees are no more...

Thanks for the kind introduction; now you know almost all about the two of us. For the introduction of a speaker a typical question always is, what is exactly your title? In a certain booklet we found that there actually is no prouder title then to be an American citizen. Although the weather is not cooperating too well, today we have something really important to celebrate as you all know, we celebrate Uncle Sam's 218^th Birthday; the birth of this great nation.

In the introduction you have heard that we are new Americans, although we came to this country already in '83. My wife's love affair with the U.S.A. started in April of '83; her very first visit to the New World. Some Campbell Soup people taught her at that time some history by visiting Rockford, MI, where president Ford grew up. They thought maybe she was homesick and thus they brought her to Holland in MI.

Holland Michigan on the shore of Lake Michigan

She was not homesick but just absorbing all she could about this fascinating new world. One of the highlights was the visit to Chestnut Street in Philadelphia; to the Independence Hall; the home of the Liberty Bell, a shrine of patriotism for all Americans. There we learned more about Life with a capital L and also about Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.

Pieter with  our foster-daughter Anita, in 2004 in front of the Liberty Bell

View from the Hershey hotel in Philadelphia where we stayed

  The next day we flew to Dublin, GA and there we fell deeper and deeper in love with the New World.

From Camden, New Jersey we flew on the Learjet from Campbell Soup to Dublin, Georgia on Saturday, April 23 of 1983
Wearing my red Campbell jacket...

So in August of '83 we came to live here. This was our pursuit of Happiness. Last year (1993) we got our American citizenship and since then we can say: we are Dutch by birth and American by choice and we are proud of both. There are a couple of reasons for that pride. Maybe you didn't know but the Dutch, of any nation, have the longest uninterrupted friendly relationship with the U.S.A. and for sure we like to keep it that way. It was on Nov. 16 in 1776 that the ford on the Dutch island of St. Eustatius in the Caribbean returned the salute from the American warship Andrea Dorea, as it entered the harbour. This was the first salute by a foreign power to the flag of the U.S.A. of America. As the history books say: this was a very courageous action by the Dutch and it enhanced the diplomatic credibility of the U.S.A. It also gave a strong boost to the moral of the revolutionary troops. So, today it is 218 years ago that the U.S.A. has been founded. In the Dutch tradition, Birthdays always are important events, often celebrated with an all day open house, birthday gifts etc. A good question, not only for us but for all immigrants could be: why did you come to the U.S.A? What did we expect to find here what we eventually didn't have in the country where we lived before? Although a lot of things have changed since then, the answer will be more or less identical to what brought the founding fathers to this part of the world over 200 years ago. The most important reason for them was the freedom and the space to live in the broadest sense. The freedom to believe in God in different ways; the freedom to have your own opinion, the opportunity to develop yourself up to the limits etc. On this Birthday we should never forget that the founding fathers and after them numerous immigrants have for sure not chosen the easiest way. They didn't find a paradise; they just found a place with almost unlimited opportunities but they had to be explored. Very important also is that their freedom was based on a strong moral and on personal responsibility. That, in combination with hard work, made this country into what it is today; in our opinion the best country to live in. We have a number of good reasons to make this statement. As you perhaps know, or picked up from the introduction, for our job we traveled, and still do, all over the world and lived in several countries We lived in Dublin from '83 through '88 and after that in Italy and Indonesia. We more and more discovered what a great country the U.S.A. is to live in; we got homesick and looked for every opportunity to return. With O'Henry contribute our share in what the founding fathers once started. They worked hard to develop this country, made it prosperous and a better place to live. They installed and maintained high moral values, based on a strong believe in God. They've shown the world that they could handle their freedom. Our forefathers didn't contribute frivolous gifts to this country. So, let's celebrate this Birthday of our nation not only with a spectacular firework but let's wrap up a big box for Uncle Sam, containing: A huge amount of humility, a lot of tolerance, respect for each other and patience, the most of integrity and compassion and a strong will to share freely with others.

Thank you  Founding Fathers.

Happy Birthday Uncle Sam; we love this country. May God bless this nation and all of us.

Pieter J.C. Vedder

Also for today, Happy 235th Birthday United States of America!!!

Related link:

Flying Over Our Home and Campbell Mushroom Plant that Pieter Designed | later post by me

M'n lieve, zieke Maaike—My dear, sick Maaike

{Post # 148 and my blog is 1 year old today!} | about me being in the hospital almost totally paralyzed with high fever that they couldn't knock down...

January 10, 2010

My dear, sick Maaike,

Was here, but of course you were in an examination room. Hopefully they will find something so that the treatment can begin. 

Did bring you some juice and tropical fruit.

Who brought you that cyclamen?

Love, you klutz, but loving P

Will come back this afternoon. 

Lieve Lieverd – LL—Dear Sweetheart – LL

Dublin, 31 mei 2009

Lieve lieverd,

Ja, ja dit brengt lieve herinneringen terug van ons prille begin toen je in de middagpauze dit speelde op het orgel, door de telefoon...

Zoals gisteren dat was een leuke dag. Je bent zo’n innemend en intellectueel mens met een rijke geest. Dát is mede de reden waarom ik verliefd werd op mijn baas.

De laatste tijd ga je daar vaak aan voorbij door je enkel lichamelijk uit te putten door hárd werk. Dat je daarbij de ander die je juist bemind om je geestelijke rijkdom volledig uitschakeld besef je mogelijk niet.

De tijd raast door en hóeveel mooie avonden, na een dag van zonneschijn, voorafgegaan door hárd werk, hebben we nog om even een poosje elkaars geest te koesteren bij een muziekje en een drankje en een nabeschouwing van de dag.

Er is méér dan alleen maar zware dingen doen en daardoor nauwelijks te léven. De domme krachtpatserij kan nog betaald worden om door een ander te laten doen en laten we de kostbare en mooie, tedere momenten inlijsten voor elkaar.

May 5, 2009 Pieter with Goddaughter Myriam

Myriam lijkt in dat opzicht véél op haar peetoom en mogelijk op haar paternal oma. Ze dramt ook ontzettend door met véél werk verzetten en dan valt ze letterlijk ’s avonds om. Dat bedoelt Toine dan ook van hij zou haar in zijn hart willen opsluiten... Hij is ook meer filosoof en heeft behoefte aan een moment van stilstaan en van koesteren en het vasthouden van geluk. Ècht geluk en dat is zeldzaam.

Dus neem een tukkie ’s middags en rust uit zodat de geest nog niet naar bed wil samen met Sacha de poes maar met Mariet samen voldaan naar bed. Een geest moet ook onderhouden worden; een lichaam raakt uitgeput en moet gevoed worden en tot rust komen. Ook een geest moet gevoed... Wie weet moeten we nog een lánge ruk alleen en daarom moeten we het nú aanvullen en rijkelijk voeden en délen.

Een innige knuf van je 50 kilo meiske dat nog steeds zielsveel van je houdt al word je de laatste jaren wat harder (om jezelf te rechtvaardigen dat je nog best kúnt...). Door dat te doen rem je je geestes–uitlaatklep af en doe je je liefste tekort.

Dus niet stoer met een boek te ruste gaan om stiekum te rusten. Rust eerder en probeer een uurtje fit te zijn; er te zijn voor de ander. Niet altijd gauw gauw dit en dat nog. Altijd weg rennen, altijd jakkeren. Dat gaat zo niet door. Neem de tijd om af en toe stil te staan en samen te zijn. Een ziel die met een ander deelt reikt dan ook graag het omhulsel aan en relaxed in extase. Béter dan relaxen met een boek en doodop in bed liggen uit te blazen... met de volgende dag dezelfde rituelen van presteren met je lijf ten koste van je geest.

Op naar de volgende twintig jaartjes en wel samen delen!

LL

~

Pieter playing Get Into the Dream Boat of Love by Heinz Dietz and Kurz Felz 1955 | what Pieter played on his organ during lunch time, through the phone...

 Heinz Dietz and Kurz Felz 1955

Dublin, May 31, 2009

Dear sweetheart,

Yes, yes, this brings back sweet memories of our very beginning when you played this on the organ during the lunch break, through the phone...

Like yesterday, that was a nice day. You are such an engaging and intellectual person with a rich mind. That's part of the reason why I fell in love with my boss.

Lately, you often ignore that, by only physically exhausting yourself from hard work. You may not realize that in doing so, you completely eliminate the other person, who loves you for your spiritual richness.

 Time flies by and how many beautiful evenings, after a day of sunshine, preceded by our work, we still have left to cherish each other's minds for a while with music and a drink and a reflection of the day.

There is more than just doing heavy things and therefore hardly living. The stupid power driver can still be paid for, to be done by someone else, and let's frame the precious and beautiful, tender moments for each other. 

In that respect, Myriam looks a lot like her Godfather and possibly her paternal grandmother. She also pushes on with a lot of work and then she literally falls over in the evening. That's what Toine means with: he would like to lock her up in his heart... He is also more of a philosopher and needs a moment of standing still and of cherishing and holding on to happiness. Real happiness—and that is rare. 

So take a nap in the afternoon and rest, so that the mind does not want to go to bed together with Sacha the cat but goes satisfied to bed with Mariet. A mind must also be maintained; a body becomes exhausted and needs to be nourished and rested. A spirit also needs to be fed... Who knows, maybe we'll have to do a long haul alone and that's why we have to replenish it now and feed and share it richly.

A heartfelt hug of your 50 kilo (110 lbs) girl who still loves you dearly, even though you have been getting a little tougher in recent years (to justify yourself that you can still do well...). By doing so, you slow down your mental outlet and shortchange your dearest.

So don't go to rest with a book to secretly rest. Rest earlier and try to be fit for an hour; to be there for the other. Not always quickly, this and that. Always running away, always rushing. This cannot continue. Take the time to stop and be together from time to time. A soul that shares with another, likes to reach out to the shell and relax in ecstasy. Better than relaxing with a book and lying in bed to take a breather... With the next day the same rituals of performing with your body at the expense of your mind.

Here's to the next twenty years and sharing together!

LL

Upon knowing each other 40 years, we had brunch at the Page House with friends...

July 12, 2009

 

September 4, 2010 the day after Pieter's quadruple bypass + stent in neck

Since then, Pieter started taking naps...

Fady Wanna, MD, MBA was the Cardio–Thoracic surgeon that saved Pieter's life by doing a successful quadruple bypass + stent in his neck.

No wonder that on May 6, 2017 he received this Most Outstanding Academic Accomplishment from Emory University