Saturday, April 20, 2013

"Picture time."

"Picture time." 

Today I decided to go to Nijverdal, my old hometown, my parents hometown. I visited my Mom and Dad's grave and walked around in the centre of the village. I ended up with buying the last part of my groceries. Such a nice weather today, though at first a strong cold wind. The sun made it all good. I felt like going today cause I have been thinking of my Dad the last two days, I thought, 'let's make this coming Saturday a special day for Dad, and ofcource Mom.' And so I did. Going back to Nijverdal gave me a relaxed and calm feeling, aswell a save feeling. First of all because I grew most of my life up here, together with Mom and Dad. So, being there gives aswell that remembrance feeling and also it gives me alot of memories, good memories but aswell bad or sad memories, ofcource. Life isn't always a party, it's ups and downs.

Nijverdal has a new train station recently, the city has been building on this station for almost four whole years. I wish you could see the old train station, it's nothing comparing to this station.  Here you see the backside entrance.


Still at the backside of the new train station, here you see one of the many bicycle stands. And as you can see, lovely weather! There is a bu station aswell.
I arrived safe and sound around 12:00 in Nijverdal, first I wanted to visit my Aunt and Uncle aswell. But when I approached the bus driver and asked him if she also stopped at  'De Blenke' she told me she didn't know. De Blenke is a elderly house somewhere in Nijverdal, my Aunt and Uncle live next to that elderly house. Surprising that a bus driver didn't knew where he or she all stopped, but anyway. I will look for some clearer bus stop information as soon as I go again. Or else I will jump on my bicycle, it ain't that far. I returned trough the train station to the centre of the village, searching for a flower and plant store. It noticed me that alot of stores were closed, (bankruptcy?) it all has to do with the Dutch crisis. Even the flower store where I had my eye on today was closed, the store was completely empty. Ofcource Nijverdal has more flower stores, though it was just surprising to see that 'that' store was closed, I always bought flowers and plants here.

I could not get enough of this new train station, here you see the upper deck. You can buy your tickets here and find travel information. The train rails are laying downstairs in a certain open tunnel. 



Here you see the two rail tracks, there are only two trains here coming together. One train goes to Zwolle, and the other train goes to Enschede. In between the trains will be stopping several times on in between stations, such as Almelo, lol.

I needed the plants for Mom and Dad's grave, just like I had planned. I went to another store and bought two plants and two wooden buckets. The plants I bought were oxeye daisy's, they looked strong and firm, perfect for cooler nights. It frozed a bit last night, so yeah. The plants and wooden buckets were a bit pricey but, it's more then worth it. I continued my trip to the cemetery, walking in the centre I had this safe feeling around me. Nijverdal is a calm and down to earth village, it seems there's never no crime here, no bad things or violent behaviour. It would be frontpage news if something bad would happen here. The people are nice and friendly, it seems everyone knows each other. I grew up here, My Dad grew up here aswell, my Mom grew up in Wierden, 5 km from Nijverdal. I lived for a while in Wierden to, but mostly I lived here in Nijverdal. 

Crazy advertisment at this travel store, this Volkswagen was packed with flyers and decorations. This travel store is actually the same store where I bought several travel tickets for my trips to Canada, very helpfull and kind people.
The centre or square point of the city Nijverdal, usually it's packed here, but I think it was still early.

I took a small break in a store and had a coffee and a warm sandwich with meat, like I mostly and recently on a Saturday afternoon, lol. Afterwards I went to the cemetery, it was quiet a walk but the weather was gorgeous. Two bags in my hand and there I went, 15 minutes later I arrived. I saw two man and a small bulldozer working on a few graves, it gave a kind of a sad feeling. It's such a awkward thing actually, dead, funeral, burried. My Mom and Dad are laying a bit in the back on the cemetery, a bit uphill and there I was. I didn't see new plants, just a few old ones what were still okay though. I placed the just bought plants on the grave and watered them. It gave a nice feeling being here, aswell a bit sad and weird feeling.like I said, awkward thing, dead, funeral, burried.

Thought about it a few times, taking a picture or not. I did and I didn't regret it. The two new plants I bought you can see in the background. (The green and white ones) Kinda weird and scary to see this picture, I feel so close to it. Reminds me of this afternoon.

Returning back to the centre of the village Nijverdal, it's been a nice afternoon. I surely will return here, there's alot of events coming up in Nijverdal. Would be nice to see them, though living here, no! I live in Almelo and I'm fine there.
I guess I have to get used to the idea that recently my Dad is burried here, it brought me back to the day that Dad has passed away, back to his passing, the funeral, the last greet. I stood at the grave and cleaned it a bit, placed the plants rightly and yeah, that's it actually. Though I didn't wanna go yet, though I went after ten minutes. And returned again, 'one more look and perhaps a greet,' I thought. It gives aswell a bit of a helpless feeling, a feeling of 'I would love to see them both once again, but I can't.' I returned to the centre of the village with that helpless feeling, feeling lonely. That feeling surprised me, I thought, 'here comes that grieving again.' Thought I was okay, but, it's a normal feeling aswell. I went here, so what could I expect, right? 

A nice afternoon, I bought my last groceries and returned to my own city Almelo, Almelo is such a difference comparing to Nijverdal though. Almelo has lots of foreigners, mostly Turkish people. They mostly never greet you when you pass them, and it looks like they always up to something, lol. There's crime here aswell, and here and there homeless people on the streets. I guess the term 'village' and 'city' does make the difference. You know, I would love to speak to foreign people in Almelo, knowing what their thoughts are or what their background is, how they like it here. I'm quit interested and curious in that. Anyway, it's been a awkward day with mixed thoughts, and it was mostly expected. 

3 comments:

Anisah said...

Thank you for sharing the photo of your patents tombstones (that's what we Americans call them). You are doing so well. Don't feel guilty for calming down. You will always grieve, but it does get easier.

I assume that is your mother's maiden name (her father's last name). Did she use your father's name when they married, or keep hers? I don't know the tradition there, if you dont mind me asking!.

Anisah

sonnie100dj@hotmail.com said...

You can ask me anything Anisah. Yes, Westerink was my Mother's real last name, the name came from her parents. My Dad's last name is Veldhuis. When my Mom and Dad married they took of my Dad's last name, Veldhuis. It's a kind of a old tradition yes, but I don't know why they took my Dad's last name and not my Mom's last name.

Yes, the grieving will always be there, just now it's going off and on, and I except that, it's normal behaviour. In the near future it will get easier. I'm not worried about it.

Anisah said...

Taking the man's last name is a tradition here too, although a few women don't. I didn't take Ibi's dad's name, and won't if I remarry.

Hugs!

Anisah

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