{"id":49199,"date":"2021-02-27T12:55:40","date_gmt":"2021-02-27T12:55:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.museum-aarschot.be\/xix-marcel-and-anna-verrijt-van-hoovels\/"},"modified":"2021-02-27T12:55:40","modified_gmt":"2021-02-27T12:55:40","slug":"xix-marcel-and-anna-verrijt-van-hoovels","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.museum-aarschot.be\/en\/xix-marcel-and-anna-verrijt-van-hoovels\/","title":{"rendered":"XIX Marcel and Anna Verrijt Van Hoovels"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

<< XVIII Steenheuvels<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

ANNA AND MARCEL, 39 YEARS IN THE SERVICE OF<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Anna and Marcel are invited every year for the Christmas drinks <\/strong> <\/strong>(photo: 1987)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This episode is about Anna, who is hired shortly after the wedding of Frie and Mia, and subsequently her husband Marcel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Anna (1926-2005), originally from Nieuwrode, lost her father early. Frie remembers Anna as a young girl who came on foot to Aarschot in all weathers. She pushed a cart of strawberries or eggs to sell at the Thursday market.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Pieter, Anna, Gert and Ilse <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Through her permanent presence Anna plays a key role in the upbringing of Ilse, Pieter and Gert. Their upbringing is like a relic of the 19th century. They are attached to the servants and enjoy every moment and the smallest things, such as helping to gather eggs. Anna sells those eggs to the dairy woman. Various traders sell at the door. In a surge of deep pride Anna hands over the takings to \u2018monsieur the notary\u2019. Difficult Mia claims to keep only old eggs. The fresh ones are for the staff\u2019s children and that dairy woman.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The caretakers never go on holiday. The only time they go to Brussels is to look up at their son Fran\u00e7ois who stands guard in front of the Royal Palace. Once the national border is crossed to visit their son, the soldier Michel, in L\u00fcdenscheid.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

They live in the caretaker\u2019s lodge. Anna is totally devoted to her \u2018monsieur the notary\u2019, as she always calls Frie. Anna calls Mia \u2018t wadam\u2019 and Pieter \u2018Wanneske turrelut\u2019.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cGo and look for them yourself! Such good and honest people. You can\u2019t find those anymore.\u201d – Frie
\u201cYou\u2019d have done better to marry her. She\u2019s completely your style!\u201d – Mia<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Pieter: I was allowed to take the Singer out of its case, set it up and watched admiringly as Anna mended clothes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tineke Sas: Mia was lucky that you didn\u2019t secretly use that machine to restitch her chic wardrobe by Andr\u00e9 Courr\u00e8ges and Chanel into new \u2018Pieter creations\u2019!” <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pieter: I sometimes pulled the plug of a running washing machine full of Mia\u2019s cold wash and reprogrammed it to 90\u00b0” <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Anna: That Pieter breaks E V E R Y T H I N G.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

TOUCHING: THIS IS ANNA\u2019S PET NAME FOR MR PROPER<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Every now and then a little bit of information comes out about the housekeeper that brings a real smile to your face. That is certainly the case when reading this nice bit of trivia about Anna and Mr Proper. Anna appointed him her cleaning product. Her darling follows in the footsteps of the liquid soap D\u2019\u2764\ufe0fOR, to which he will officially hand over power from the mid-70s.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201c\u2018the little clean man\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Marcel <\/strong>Verrijt<\/span> (1924-2010) with the Groenendael \u2018Fid\u00e8le\u2019, dachshund \u2018Nolleke\u2019 and the \u2018Minou\u2019
<\/strong>Marcel, originally from Houwaart, gardens (\u2018works the land\u2019, as they say in dialect) and looks after the animals. He wears wooden clogs. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Marcel with<\/strong> moved<\/strong> Godfried who turns 75 today. Ilse arranges a balloon flight.<\/strong> (photo: Wolfsdonk, 14 August 2005)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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“L’esprit est comme un jardin, si tu n’y plantes pas de fleurs, des mauvaises herbes y poussent.”<\/strong> – Victor Hugo<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The working man has funny sayings:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cLabour ennobles, but nobility does not labour.\u201d Celleke, as a young scamp, was summoned by the parish priest for a dressing-down because he had refused to greet old Baron de Troostenbergh, in French at that, and to take off his cap when the latter passed with horse and carriage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThink before you begin.\u201d Reflect before taking an initiative.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cLive and let live.\u201d  Respect everyone\u2019s way of life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u00abI don\u2019t let it put me off my food.\u00bb Whatever happens, I think of myself first.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u00abThat one doesn\u2019t have to go to work anymore either.\u00bb When someone has died. Frie makes sure there is always a little glass of beer ready for Marcel. \u2018E pi-jerreke\u2019 (Horse-Ale), as he calls it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

& Anna repeated:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cLet\u2019s make a start, said the fox to his hen. The cock was the first to go!\u201d (When starting a job.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cJesus Mary (silence) Joseph would not have counted.\u201d (When something went wrong.) <\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Anna is dignified. Because for thirty-nine years she was a model of professionalism; nothing but respect<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The children are asked to give Anna a hand. It happens that guests discreetly leave an envelope with a tip for Anna under their place card. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Anna judges the guests on their knowledge of etiquette. How is it actually done, Anna?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Guests do not bring flowers themselves. The florist must deliver the bouquet in advance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The cutlery is laid face down. This ensures that the monogram can be seen. Only in restaurants is the table \u2018laid face up\u2019. The dessert spoon and fork always lie above the plate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sit up straight and your back must never touch the back of the chair. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The napkin is unfolded, but not completely; it stays on the knees as a long, narrow, triple-folded strip.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One should not say \u2018Enjoy your meal\u2019. Whoever expresses the wish that the cook\u2019s food will taste good seems to doubt it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Under no circumstances does one ever bring the knife to the mouth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To Mia\u2019s great delight: Anna carefully observes all the guests. With her dry humour she afterwards reports with glee on who was not master of the protocol at Steenheuvels. <\/p>\n\n\n\n