
Photo by Achilles Demircan on Pexels.com
Finally Together
In the meantime my brother Gerry (Gerhard) and I were getting ready to pick up Biene at the airport. The Chinook winds, which had brought spring-like weather to the city of Calgary less than a week ago, now yielded to the cold front chilling to the bones everyone who was foolish enough to venture outdoors. I was grateful to my brother and his wife Martha for providing accommodation for Biene until the time of the wedding. Biene seemed to have forgotten that this arrangement was part of the conditions we had to fulfill for getting her landed immigrant status. ‘Tempora mutantur et nos mutamur in illis.’ Times are a-changing and liberally minded people may scratch their heads nowadays and ponder in mockery and disbelief over this old-fashioned provision by Canada Immigration of the 1960’s.
At the airport we found out to our great dismay that Biene’s plane was delayed by two hours. I admired Gerry’s patience for having to wait that long before he could drive back to his home in southeast Calgary. This being Wednesday he had to work the next day. And I had a psychology lecture to attend in the morning. Shortly after midnight we were standing at the gate, through which the first bunch of travellers were passing and were being received with cheerful hellos from friends and relatives. As their number dwindled to a trickle and the flight attendants were marching through the gate, Gerry noticed the grave expression on my face and in his own peculiar way to cheer me up remarked matter-of-factly, “Don’t worry, Peter. Biene is not coming.”
He had barely finished teasing me, when a figure, rather slim and bundled up in a black coat emerged all alone in the doorway. The fluorescent light gave her a pale appearance. But her smile upon seeing me was unmistakably Biene’s. Weaving our way through the remaining stragglers we approached each other faster and faster like driven by powerful magnets feeling the overwhelming forces of attraction every step of the way. Then we embraced and kissed each other, while Gerry looked on amazed at the sheer length of time we took just to say hello.
So it came to pass that exactly one year after we had kissed each other good-bye in Germany, Biene and I were wondrously reunited at the Calgary Airport.
End of Book I
Note to my dear readers: I will be taking a break from the Peter and Gertrud Klopp Story. I consider to write Book II on Biene’s side of the family, especially on her father, who unfortunately has been getting a lot of negative coverage in the final chapters of Book I. I also would like to start a series of stories on the life and work of Albert Schweitzer written by my cousin Hartmut Kegler in German. It is a wonderful children’s seminar on this famous doctor and activist for peace. For my English speaking friends I suggest Google translate, if you are interested. I also want to do another series of posts on Bill Laux’s unpublished work on the mining and railroad history of Western Canada. Of course, it goes without saying, I will also continue with the popular series ‘Wednesday’s Photos’. That will be enough on my blogging plate for the next couple of months.

Photo by SplitShire on Pexels.com
Peter, so good to read Biene making it to Calgary. Despite all the opposition she makes it! One more charptrt would have satisfied me. It has caused me to start to read Part 1. Thank you for sharing your most interesting story. Yours and Biene show the triumph of love.You should consider publishing the book.
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I can see that for really interested readers like you I could have easily combined the two posts into one. But for most people three paragraphs are enough content for one session. Thank you very much for your kind words of appreciation! By the way, I would really like to know your first name, dear member of Pure Glory.
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My name is Hazel. Yes, I know that most readers want shorter posts. I always try to keep mine fairly short. But I have to say yours and Biene’s story was a compelling read, with many twists and turns.
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Thank you, Hazel!
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You are welcome, Peter! 🙂
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Like with any good story or book, I found myself not wanting to read this too quickly because then it would be over. But I also found myself anxious to see the happy ending so I made myself stop and start a few times. Your writing is so wonderful, Peter. I will miss this story, but it is, after all, not really just a story, but a personal memoir, and you have to decide what and where and how much to share.
I look forward to your next blogging adventures!
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I am at the crossroads right now. Biene suggests I should do a rerun of the story for all the blogging friends who followed me only recently. I also feel that her parents, who have been receiving a very negative image on account of their opposition to our marriage plans, need to have their story told as well. Thank you so much for your insightful comments, Amy!
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I was one of those later comers and have never gone back to the earlier posts. Even if you re-post some, I would gladly catch up with what I missed.
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Finally, you were united. Your brother had a sense of humor to say she is not coming. Photographs here are gorgeous. Can’t wait to see with what you will come up next Peter. Kind of sad it’s over, but looking forward to the next chapter in your life.
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Oh my brother Gerry and his sense of humour, which could be biting at times, but he was always good-natured and helpful desling with me as his younger brother. Thank you for the kind comment, Luda!
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Always !
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Lieber Peter, du hast dir viel vorgenommen und ich freue mich auf jedes deiner Projekte! Nun aber freue ich mich erst einmal darüber, dass Peter und Biene sich endlich in den Armen halten und küssen.
herzliche Grüße, Ulli
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Vielen, vielen Dank für deinen lieben Kommentar und für dein Interesse an unserer Geschichte! Würde gerne wissen, was du davon hältst, was ich der Edda geschrieben habe. Herzliche Grüße! Peter
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Ich finde dies eine gute Idee, lieber Peter, da ich ja nun einmal nicht von Anfang an dabei gewesen bin.
Ich wünsche dir und Biene einen wunderbaren Tag,
herzlichst
Ulli
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Nun, auch du zeigst Interesse zu dieser Idee. So it is settled, there will be a rerun of our story, dear Ulli.
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Jippieh 🙂
Witzig, ich habe eine Cousine, die in der Nähe von L.A. lebt, erst seit letztem Jahr haben wir nach Jahrzehnten wieder Kontakt, auch sie schreibt mir gerne in einer Mixtur aus Deutsch und Englisch, ich habe daran meine Freude, wie gerade eben an deinem.
Hab einen schönen Sonntag, morgen, lieber Peter!
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Ja, eigentlich schreibe ich lieber englisch. Doch kann man eine ‘Mixtur’ nicht immer vermeiden. Das geht uns oft beim Sprechen. Hab noch einen erholsamen Sonntag, liebe Ulli!
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Du kannst mir gerne auf englisch schreiben! Welcome 🙂
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Certainly!
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Wonderfully written!
I can imagine the whole scene when you and Biene were united agian.
I’m interested in your new projects and eager to know what is it about.
Gerry
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Yes, Gerry would be your name here in Canada. And thanks for the compliment!
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Obwohl wir gar nicht zu Hause sondern in Kroatien sind, von hier aus ein großes Lob an Dich, Peter!👍 Du hast es immer wieder verstanden, uns-Deine Leser😉- mit Deiner und Bienes Love-Story zu fesseln!👍👍
Und endlich sind die beiden ” Königskinder” zusammen- und keine böse Nonne kann mehr dazwischen funken..👍
Für die Zukunft hast Du Dir viel vorgenommen . Hartmut wird sich sicher sehr freuen über seine Berichte von Albert Schweitzer..Und die Berichte über Bienes Familie werden ganz bestimmt auch viele von uns fesseln…
Nun erstmal herzliche Grüße von uns aus Kroatien an Euch!
Edda
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Liebe Edda! Ich habe mich sehr gefreut, aus Kroatien diesen lieben Kommentar zu erhalten. Das mit der Landung in einer anderen Stadt muss sehr stressig gewesen sein. Doch hat euch die Reisegesellschaft nicht im Stich gelassen und jetzt genießt ihr die herrlichen Landschaften. Das Video am Wasserfall hat uns besonders gut gefallen.
Ich lese Biene jeden Abend aus meinem Blog was vor. Da ist sie immer ganz gerührt und so wie du ist sie des Lobes voll. Nun meint sie, ich sollte den Lesern, die erst letztlich an Bord gekommen sind, einen Rerun anbieten, angefangen von dem Moment, als wir uns am Baldeney See zum ersten mal getroffen haben. Mal sehen, was die anderen Leser davon halten. Das wäre keine extra Arbeit für mich. Du kennst ja schon unsere ganze Geschichte.
Habt noch viel Spaß auf eurer Ferienreise! Peter
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Dankeschön, lieber Peter!
Da kannst Du wieder sehen , wie interessant Euer Leben schon immer war, wenn die “neuen Leser” auch den Anfang Eurer Love-Story wissen möchten! 😀👍ov
Herzliche Grüße an die liebe Biene und Dich von uns beiden!👋👋👋
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Nun, so soll es denn sein. Doch will ich gleich jedes mal ein ganzes Kapitel in den Blog setzen. Weiterhin viel Freude in Kroatien!
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A beautiful ending to a wonderful story, Peter!
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Thank you for your kind compliment!
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Wonderful how you describe the scene at the airport. Right away I had to think of the movie “Wuthering Heights”, “Heathcliff” ..…. “Cathy” (I think it was).
You know, Peter, you are a great writer, style, suspension, everything. I bet you could write fiction as well.
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[I pressed something I shouldn’t have pressed …]
I am looking very much forward to your Albert Schweitzer series. He is one of my great heroes!
By the way, what did Biene say when she learned that she was to go with your brother and not with you? 😉
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She said nothing. It took her almost 50 years to reveal her secret desire to be with me right away. Let’s leave this delicate topic for Book III. Haha!
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So close and yet so far, it must have been cruel …
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Not quite so cruel as one might think. We were together every day. Biene took the bus to my humble place near the university to spend some precious time with me. We are discussing Book III already…
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Wonderful!!!
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Oh no, you drown me in accolades. Seriously I feel humbled and honoured by your kind words of appreciation, Brigit!
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I just had to look up “accolades”, I thought I had done something embarrassing … 😉 😀
You do have a way with words, Peter, I am sure that I am not the first one to mention it … 😉
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Peter, you were my Friday evening treat , looking forward to read your amazing story. As I just read this post, I got the goose bumps when you were falling into each other’s arms. And as one of the readers comment says, we were all looking forward for this happy end, I stopped for a while, because I didn’t want it to end. Human’s mind goes in so many circles of desire and wanting’s, isn’t that amazing what our mind does to us? We all have been waiting patiently for this moment. I am happy to hear about your Albert Schweitzer blogging project, that will be great to read. A rerun of the story how you both met, sounds good, but I am more interested in the story what happened after the pick up from the airport and how Biene got adjusted to her new life and the story of your both life together. Keep writing dear Peter, you are an amazing writer. And after all, thank you for sharing your beautiful story. Have a wonderful weekend my friend.
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It looks like I will have to publish both the continuation of our story and the rerun. The latter will not be much of a problem , as it does not need any more time and effort. You too, dear Cornelia, have a very relaxing and lovely weekend! Peter
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That is the story worth of reading! Thank You.
Matti.
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Well, it looks like I will have to turn back the clock to 1962 for a rerun. Thank you, Matti!
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Hooray for happy endings! Look forward to what you decide next. Happy break!
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Thank you, Jodi!
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So the happy ending?T hey lived happily ever after! Your story was inspiring. 🙂
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Thank you, Arv!
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I guess now we will only get to read your Wednesday posts for the time being.
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You misunderstood me Arv. There will be at least 3 posts a week: Albert Schweitzer, Wednesday’s Photos and the historical works of Bill Laux, plus possibly a rerun of our love story coming in complete chapters one week at a time.
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I have. That’s great 👍😊
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Excellent…
…and beautiful photos.
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Peter, I’m definitely going to miss reading your and Biene’s story, but I’ll continue to follow you and see where you go next. I was quite amazed when I learned that English is your second language! I agree with the others, you really are a good writer. Now I am going to go back and get caught up on some of the posts that I never got a chance to read.
I thoroughly enjoyed every post. Thank-you my friend, and thanks to Biene as well for letting you share such a wonderful and inspiring part of your lives!
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No need to delve into my old posts. There are already so many followers who wanted to do the same as you that I will launch a rerun To speed things up, I will publish the story in complete chapters. Thanks again for your continued interest and support!
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Oh, Peter, this post made me smile! Biene finally made her way to you…..
And please take all the time off you need. We will be here when you get back. And I really look forward to reading more of your story!
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Even Biene is urging me to continue writing our story. So I’d better get busy writing. Thank you so much for your support, Ann!
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Engrossing!
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Ein wunderschönes “Ende” dieser Geschichte – wobei es in diesem Fall ja erst der wirkliche Beginn ist. Ich mag es, wie Du diese Geschichten schreibst, es ist als würde man mit einem Glas Wein bei Euch am See sitzen, auf das Wasser schauen und Dir beim Erzählen zuhören. Alles Liebe Dir und Deiner Biene und ich freue mich schon auf einen neue Geschichte. Cornelia
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Das hast so lieb beschrieben, wie dir meine (unsere) Geschichte gefallen hat, Cornelia. Mit dem Schreiben habe ich wohl eine gewisse Kunst entwickelt. Aber ein Erzähler, wie man sich es am Lagerfeuer vorstellt, bin ich nicht. Ganz liebe Grüße aus dem jetzt verregneten BC, Kanada!
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Finally! A beautiful ending to book 1! I hope you will write more…loved reading this one. Thank you!
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I’ll try! Thanks for the encouragement, Sarah!
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Sorry, I meant to say, Tiny!
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At last! At last! It’s such a romantic moment! It’s just a pity your blog does not have a soundtrack. The strings would be surging at this point.
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Free and completely independent from parental pressure in the arms of her beloved Peter. Well, a happy ending and as it turned out a happy beginning.
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