A STORY
Winter in Tholen
“Y ou are gone, but your stories not"
a voice of thoughts
Back to Tholen on the Veste, there was an ice rink.
Actually, there were even two, maybe you remember?
It must have been a long time since you slipped over the ice.
It was on De Veste, 1 big and 1 small.
One for the real work and one for the crap.
Forbidden to the bulletin sleigh was the Great Vest.
Because the poking with sticks ruins the ice.
On the Little Cardigan, we stumbled on it, that was no problem.
I think I'll just have another chocolate milk...
Yeah, that used to be quite common on the ice.
A stall with chocolate milk for a low price.
Until March can skate, was really quite normal.
Should it happen now, it would be an unusually special story.
To my Frisian walkers, where they left off I have no idea.
But in my early years I was unprecedented with it.
Now that I think about skating, something comes to mind.
How shall I begin...
The Elfstethen trek, the 12the times it was then.
Reinier Paping gaf in ’63 iethereen van katoen!
Het is the zwaarste tocht van the geschiethenis tot hethen.
’63 Hoort al weer tot een ver verlethen.
Besides my skates, I also had a bunch of clogs, got from my brother.
Clogs were in, they were very tough!
Fortunately, my clogs were spacious enough.
Gee... it's been a long time since I wore them.
Spacious enough for a handful of straw to reduce the cold.
Cold feet, would only interfere.
Cold feet are certainly not nice.
But with your knees through the ice... that hurts!
Yeah, in '63 it was really bar and angry, even the Eondracht was frozen.
Yet the ships continued to sail, they were like large ice drills.
Large pieces of ice, they slid over each other.
Schools are called them and hard as rock.
Skip over the plaice, who does not know it.
It's really something from the old days, something you don't see anymore.
Jump on an ice floe, wait for him to almost fall under...
Then a jump... oops wrong, wet knees have stopped the fun.
Winters used to be cold, 20 was really common.
Also there was much more snow, how did they keep it clean?
Sprinkle with salt was not yet done.
No, with sand, as you can see these days.
Whole trajectories across our island, the Cantoners helped.
At the back of the car were men with shovels, at least two.
As a 15-year-old boy, you could already help and drive the car.
Those were good times.
Not so many rules then, now there are way too many.
But when you were a kid, you just did your part.
You were with the Spreaders, and did you do your best?
Then you could go to the Golden Lion for a drink.
As a child, actually a young boy, I was groooooos.
That he picked that tough Spreader, me!
I also have to think about my years of service, it was quite common.
We would then cease shooting because the cold froze the bullet catchers.
They were afraid they'd bounce back after the shooting.
And us, young soldiers would hurt.
Ball catchers... sand heaps in our time.
Many of these old habits have been lost.
Old habits, over our shoes we pulled our socks.
The girls extra long skirts.
Irons were also worn there.
Eating coal all winter and still not complaining!
Yes, people what was it then a different world, used to be: he is no longer.
I think back occasionally and sometimes, yes sometimes it hurts a little!
Photos © Rien Burgers
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Thanks to Rien Burgers...
Photo 1: Mother Lena Goedegebuure Burgers, Rien and twin sister Ria Burgers
Photo 2: Father Dingeman Burgers, Mother Lena Goedegebuure Burgers, Rien and twin sister Ria Burgers
