{"id":48237,"date":"2021-02-28T12:55:39","date_gmt":"2021-02-28T12:55:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.museum-aarschot.be\/xviii-in-the-averbode-region\/"},"modified":"2021-02-28T12:55:39","modified_gmt":"2021-02-28T12:55:39","slug":"xviii-in-the-averbode-region","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.museum-aarschot.be\/en\/xviii-in-the-averbode-region\/","title":{"rendered":"XVIII In the Averbode region"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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<< XVII Frie and Mia have three children<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Mia wants to leave the official residence at a busy crossroads between the Total and Gulf petrol stations. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The Wit Toreke is offered to Frie for sale at 250,000 Belgian francs, but Mia does not want to live there because an industrial estate is coming nearby. There are also plans to turn the Meetshoven wood into a villa district. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Clairette Serneels, Mia, Pieter<\/strong> (photo: 1976)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Godfried owes the move in the mid-1970s to the healthy forest air of the Averbode region to Mia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Godfried is active in equestrian sport for decades<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Frie stables his horses at “Het Sparrenhof”, a farm where Sus and Melanie live. When it turns out that a campsite is coming next door, Frie this time moves the stable, together with the whole family, a little further on. Frie, however, has it included in the deed of sale that Sus and Melanie may live at ‘Het Sparrenhof’ free of charge for the rest of their lives. This typifies Frie from head to toe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Godfried is chairman of the ‘Bosruiters Langdorp’,  jury member for show-jumping and dressage competitions, takes part in competitions and also teaches dressage riding himself. Horses are bred at home. Riders who do not have a horse of their own can borrow one from the stable of eight horses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\"Deze<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Gust, Staf and Frie win prizes<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Godfried seems unable to lose with his horse. A whole wooden chest full of gold medals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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A nice story from the early seventies, when Staf and Nelly were the first caretakers at the Steenheuvels:
Mia drives the tractor herself with a hay tedder to dry the hay. Lending a hand, for Mia, is a bit of stepping out of line. Trendy Nelly in her white leather knee boots attracts the attention of passers-by. A walker addresses Mia: “That one with her white boots, is she the notary’s one?” No wonder the remark is only moderately appreciated by the notary’s wife concerned. She sends Staf and Nelly packing from the Steenheuvels on the spot.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\"Deze<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Mia (42) is as attached to her house as Scarlett O’Hara to “the plantation Tara” from the romantic film “Gone with the Wind” from 1939.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

“I say I live in the Averbode region. Everyone knows the abbey. It sounds nicer than Aarschot and the people of the Kempen are also kinder and gentler.” – Mia<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\"Deze<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Frie with Robbie<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Pella with foal Willeke <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

“My childhood memories of the Steenheuvels date from the mid-seventies. As a teenager and member of the ‘Bosruiters Langdorp’, I learned to ride with notary Van Kerckhoven as instructor. To learn the correct posture, I was given a broomstick under my arms and a cigarette paper between my knees to get the right contact with the saddle. I can assure you, I learned to ride very quickly.” – Eric Bergen (2020)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Know your classics: Eau sauvage (1966)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Godfried wore Eau Sauvage, which was originally created in 1966 as the first men’s fragrance for Christian Dior. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Wolfsdonk of course knows Louki <\/strong>(1975-1988) Godfried’s Dalmatian. But the Van Kerckhovens have more dogs frolicking around. Mia is attached to her Groenendael and a Malinois shepherd dog. The long-haired dachshund ‘Nolleke’ is Gert’s darling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Frie lends a hand to the brass band and the care of the sick<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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In his house, which acquires a mythical status as a harbinger of earthly paradise under Mia’s impulse, there is a constant coming and going of visitors. Here with neighbours.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ON THE ROAD IN WOLFSDONK<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Who is<\/strong> Marie? <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Marie lives on the corner of the Kiekopstraat and the Molenheidestraat, by the little chapel. Frie takes Marie along to the activities of Wolfsdonk such as funerals. When Frie has to miss a funeral, Marie consoles him: “My notary, the devil sticks somebody in the coffin. That one won’t see anything any more.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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“Marie’s little chapel” <\/strong> May is the month of Mary. In the Heidemolenstraat the artist Hilde Hermans is active as a volunteer and makes sure the little chapel is decorated with the necessary crepe-paper flowers. A centuries-old tradition in Catholic folk culture. In the past, women from the neighbourhood came together to make the paper flowers, with techniques like those used for paper flowers at the seaside. (photo: 2024)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Marie Naulaerts Theys <\/strong>(1911-2016)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The esteemed Marie lives in her living kitchen where a Leuven stove glows. Marie explains that as a child she had to walk through wind and weather, even during the winter months, through the dark woods far to school. Marie keeps chickens and sells eggs, but also has a pig which you may go and look at through a wooden hatch. Everyone gets sweets from Marie. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Marie herself is quick to echo that Pieter should be careful with all his “good intentions”<\/strong> :<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n