Memories from my mother

Spurred on by my sister, my mother wrote some memoirs. I have posted some before, and for lack of time (there is yard work to do, and walks to take) I will post some more.

The Dry Ditch

It was a free environment near Drachten.⁽¹⁾  Unpaved paths, quiet streets, bicycle paths along cart tracks, only in the “Buurt” I was not allowed to go with my bicycle, because there it was busy with the trolley cars, horses and buggies, some cars and of course more bicycles.  There was also the bridge over the canal that divided Drachten in North and South side.  First that bridge was an old-fashioned narrow drawbridge, but later it became a wider modern swing bridge.  The bridge was often open, because a lot of ships came through the canal.  Traffic of course had to wait.  So my mother thought it would be safer if I didn’t go there with my bicycle.  I also was not allowed to go to school by bicycle, but it was not far to walk.  I also liked running, and frequently we went to school in a group.  Along the path there were frequently ditches, dry in the summer.  One ditch I remember, we used to go through it on the bike, on one side diagonally along the side, and then if you had enough speed, we could just make it to the top of the opposite side.  But if you didn’t make it, you fell with bike and all over into the dry ditch.

When I reread what I wrote, they do not seem to be very interesting stories.  Maybe it will improve.  Before I started to write, I read a few books with memories to get into the mood.

• • “When I was a boy” by Erich Kästner (beginning 20th century)
  • “Memories of my Youth” by Albert Schweitzer (end 19th century)
  • Pieces from Godfried Bomans (3rd decade of 20th century)
  • “The boy of the farmer in the woods” by Peter Rosegger (19th century)

(1) She lived in Drachten, Friesland, from 1924 to 1934.