Continuation Aunt Truus.

Sunday, November 25, 2007

CONTINUATION AUNT TRUUS

Together with Noor and Marijke I went to all family birthdays and also to see the mother of aunt Truus, who lived above their big toy shop the “The City Parijs”. We were allowed to play in the warehouse, but we had to be careful. There I also met the other members of the Looman family, all uncles, aunts and their children. Also we often went cycling and picknicking on the “Leusderheide”, where I was drinking and eating and looking at my dearest new aunt and uncle, who were very nice to each other. Thus a lovely summer and wonderful winter passed, it was one of the most carefree and happy times I have known as a child.
Bernadette was born and later Jacinta and I was part of it all, I completely belonged. Then suddenly it was over, my father got a new working area: The Hague, Wassenaar, Rijswijk, Voorburg, Voorschoten and Leidschendam and we had to leave Amersfoort. First for half a year he went alone to The Hague and when he found us an house we had to come over. After 1½ years, I had to go away from my new family, leaving behind all those wonderful days with those lovely children, aunts, uncles, grandparents, cozy summer with ice creams, picknicks, warmth, cordiality and lots of love from everyone. I was intensely sad and for many years I stayed with them every summer. I went as often as it could, because I was dependent on others and with school and studies, it sometimes was a bit difficult. Meanwhile, Pia and then Michiel were born. They had six children and still, she made everything so nice, very clever I thought.
After I was married we lived one year in De Bilt and at that time I have been visiting her many times, as the Bilt was close to Amersfoort, again having a wonderful time with her.
Then I moved to Nieuwkoop and it became more difficult to go away with 3 children and no transportation. She remained though the woman whose example I always followed. My shining example and once I felt that her image was no longer burned into my soul with all its warmth and love, I went to look her up and sooked up again the warmth and love that she gave so freely to me. I wanted to try to be like her as a wife and a mother. Later, together with Willem, we have visited her as much as we could and saw how she, an inner and outer beautiful woman, became a very loving grandmother, even though she had a lot of grief, but she accepted all her sorrow and personal terrible sickness and trouble in her own lovely way. Never a complaint. For hours we talked about life and everything. Never in my life have I met such a wonderful person who gave me so much freely of her own time as my aunt Truus. She unfortunately died at the age of 83 and there at her funeral I stood at the same cemetery in the same Bergstraat opposite the house where I first so many years ago met her and now I had to say goodbye to her for good. The circle of our life together was around in the same Bergstraat.
She never dropped me, she has never given me the feeling that I didn’t belong, she has never disappointed me. I was always amazed by the warm way she took me in her arms and later also Willem. She has touched me deep in my soul and given me the warmth that I had so longed for, my aunt Truus.
Saturday, November 24, 2007

AUNT TRUUS

After our arrival in Holland, read also the reunion with my father, we came to live in the Bergstraat in Amersfoort in a double upstairs apartment opposite the cemetery. Every night I looked at it from my bed in the little room above the front door. For the first time the family was together again. My brother and I loved it, we hadn’t seen each other also for while. Once a week we went to the baths on Sunday morning to take a shower with boiling hot water and to wash our hair, clean and warm we came home again for lunch. After a couple of weeks my father unfortunately had to go to Dordrecht alone for a freshing up course in his trade with his old company. At home it became quieter again and with a strict mother, you couldn’t do very much.
One day the doorbell rang and I opened the door and a very sweet voice said, you must be Dinkie. Yes, I said. I am here to bring your mother something and I am aunt Truus. A very warm feeling come over me, there stood the loveliest, sweetest person I have ever met, who with all her warmth came to me. I was speechless. She had brought a box with her with a pink dinner service. We thought it was wonderful. She was the wife of my father’s colleague in Amersfoort and through the company she had heard everything about us and came as soon as she could with all her love and generosity to see whether she could do something for us. My mother offered her tea and said that she was very glad with the dinner service but that everything was allright and that we had all we needed. After tea my dearest new aunt Truus said, maybe Dinkie would like to come and play at our place with Marijke and Noortje, she will be most welcome. So I will see you this afternoon, that is agreed then and there she went. My heart was in my throat from joy and nothing could keep me from going, the appointment was already made, so even my mother couldn’t stop me. In the afternoon I went there, full of expectation. Finally, I found the Paulus Buyslaan and stood in front of the most adorable house you can imagine with a thatched roof. The door was opened and there I was once and for all taken in by that loving warm family. From that time I was there almost every day playing with Marijke and Noortje and enjoyed it very much. They were very dear sisters to me. My heart longed for this cozy, gay and warm family. There also was uncle Gerard, the father of the family a very kind man, who liked playing the violin and when he did, we all sang along.
There also was Juffie, who helped aunt Truus running the house. I will never forget the big table where we all sat and had dinner and where before dinner a prayer was always said by one of the children. Marijke especially was very good at it. Noortje sometimes forgot something.
Will be continued.
Dinkie