MonoMonday: food. Sweet and Spicy

This is my contribution to the MonoMonday Challenge. Dad loved to cook and when he was in Indonesia with the Dutch Army he spent a lot of time learning their culture especially the food. Dad would cook up a Rice table which was all sorts of food,lots of vegetables and meats and always plenty left over for at least a couple of days. Dad would slice up apples and cook them in a syrup that was thick and spicy it was delicious. I can't thank you all enough for your words and condolences these are Heart warming and comforting. Dads Funeral is being held on Thursday afternoon at the Invercargill Workingmens Club, I would think there will be a lot of people as dad was loved by so many. To understand more about who Dad was please read this it is the best way of describing him and our family. Written by my Nephew Jeromy : Well. I was nominated for positivity challenge. I just didn't understand the wording. Sorry and thank you Gemma Wilson.
So let my 2nd giving of thanks be for
My Opa Piet who passed away yesterday morning at 89 years old. Opa gave us an understanding of politics, religion, nature, art and an innate understanding of what is right. Opa was humble and generous in his time and energy. He would take us to Riverton and teach us how to eat raw mussles, catch cockabillies, and take care of each other as we scaled rocks and sandy cliffs. Opa was our role model, an unending portrait of patience and humility.
I am grateful for growing up sharing the ownership of Trent and Lithgow streets in Invercargill where kids were tough and people were real. Crime rates were high but we were always safe, Opa and Oma's door was always open. My beginnings in Te Ao Maori began with the Edmonds, Kingi, Fishers, Wineera whanau. Opa and Oma were always proud that I spoke Maori and with their love of pork, butter and cream I almost confirmed that the Dutch were simply a missing tribe who had been found again in Glengarry.
I am thankful for the humble beginnings my family had when they came to NZ and I'm proud of the fact that my grand parents owned nothing of value but would give a visitor to their house any if not everything they had. I'm proud that my Opa turned down a family fortune n Holland in order to move to Invercargill with the woman he loved. He must have thought about this every day as he raised 7 children but he never talked about regret once. Opa taught us about money religion and power, the unholy trinity. I remember laughing with him so hard it hurt when a Catholic man came to talk Opa into coming back to the Catholic Church. The man threatened Opa with every curse of Hell fire you could imagine and Opa hit that guy with every verse in the bible quoting the book and number. In the end the red faced preacher couldn't argue with Opa and ran away screeching "You'll go to hell" he then tripped over before reaching the sidewalk. Opa didn't need to say anything. He could have found a verse which says " Preach not to the Opa, or yeah trip on ye old tongue" Ephesians 19:20 but We just laughed. Opa laughed at religion and I laughed at Opas funny thickly accented laugh untill i couldnt breath. I wanted to know as much as Opa Piet.
I am thankful for salty licorice, butter fried in chicken (lol) chocolate hail on toast and mysterious war stories which took years to come forth.
Thank you Opa Piet for so many books and lectures on war and how wrong war is. always. Thank you for showing us how to read between the lines and ask questions about authority. Thank you for long walks in the bush and the smell of sandy leather seats as you'd drive us in the Zephyr as kids. Thank you for riding your bicycle everywhere until you were well into your 70s. Thank you for birthday presents which were worth more money than you should have spent on me. And thank you for a hand painted Christmas cards every year.
I am thankful my Opa met my children and I am grateful that I and my children can be with you beside you in your last days with us. Oma will be so happy to receive you again and I enjoy the thought of the two of you meeting again looking so full of joy and love like you both did in your wedding photo. I hope you get Facebook in the spirit world Opa. Reception's shit in Hawea.
To all my Oostendorp family and friends it is only right we be thankful for our Dad and Opa.