Being an old geezer. I suppose gives way to thinking about the journey of some 75 years, some of the events that took place. and how they affected my life. So here we go!
After my Step-Dad got out of the Merchant Marines,(1950) we moved to western Michigan. He was from that area, so it was the best thing for us as he could find work up there.
What makes the story interesting is that they bought a home, right in the middle of a Dutch community! Now I'm talking about first generation Dutch, with all of the old customs of the Netherlands still in tact. For me it was culture shock to the max!
There was an old grandmother that on Wednesday would bake some of the best sweet rolls you could imagine. My Dutch playmates knew all about this and invited me along. I did not know that the shoes were taken off at the door of any Dutch home, so here I go, shoes and all to sample the goodies.
When the old grandmother saw me, I thought the wrath of God had descended upon me!
She grabbed a broom and was shooing me to the door, I am sure she used her best Dutch cuss words until I was out of the door. Only then did one of my friends come out and explain the custom.
Long story short, after taking off my shoes, and with my socks full of holes, did I get a sweet roll!
This Wednesday tradition went on until we were all in high school. I wore better socks on Wednesday's!
Our neighborhood was spotless, even in the winter. In the fall and spring all of the Dutch neighbors would scrub their houses down, leaving them all gleaming white. No other color was used, just white houses. The street washing was a big event that took place in the early spring. The whole neighborhood turned out with brooms and buckets of water. We as a family, soon learned their customs and went along with the program. We were not Dutch, but when in Rome........
Sunday's were truly a day of rest. After they got home from The Dutch Reformed Church in the neighborhood, the curtains were drawn, and you saw no one until Monday morning, no kids, no one was out! So like them, after we got home from our church, you were stuck inside for the duration!
Dating was another set of rules. Dutch girls did not date boys who were not Dutch! However there were plenty of German, Lithuanians, and Irish girls to choose from, so it was not a big problem.
Visiting the old neighborhood a few years back, it had all changed. The old generation had all died out and their traditions with them. The new generation had moved on and scattered.
The Dutch people that I grew up with were clean living and moral, and many of their values stuck with me just through exposure to a different way of life. Great memories that I would not trade for anything! We now live in Tennessee, culture shock, Naaww!!!!
After my Step-Dad got out of the Merchant Marines,(1950) we moved to western Michigan. He was from that area, so it was the best thing for us as he could find work up there.
What makes the story interesting is that they bought a home, right in the middle of a Dutch community! Now I'm talking about first generation Dutch, with all of the old customs of the Netherlands still in tact. For me it was culture shock to the max!
There was an old grandmother that on Wednesday would bake some of the best sweet rolls you could imagine. My Dutch playmates knew all about this and invited me along. I did not know that the shoes were taken off at the door of any Dutch home, so here I go, shoes and all to sample the goodies.
When the old grandmother saw me, I thought the wrath of God had descended upon me!
She grabbed a broom and was shooing me to the door, I am sure she used her best Dutch cuss words until I was out of the door. Only then did one of my friends come out and explain the custom.
Long story short, after taking off my shoes, and with my socks full of holes, did I get a sweet roll!
This Wednesday tradition went on until we were all in high school. I wore better socks on Wednesday's!
Our neighborhood was spotless, even in the winter. In the fall and spring all of the Dutch neighbors would scrub their houses down, leaving them all gleaming white. No other color was used, just white houses. The street washing was a big event that took place in the early spring. The whole neighborhood turned out with brooms and buckets of water. We as a family, soon learned their customs and went along with the program. We were not Dutch, but when in Rome........
Sunday's were truly a day of rest. After they got home from The Dutch Reformed Church in the neighborhood, the curtains were drawn, and you saw no one until Monday morning, no kids, no one was out! So like them, after we got home from our church, you were stuck inside for the duration!
Dating was another set of rules. Dutch girls did not date boys who were not Dutch! However there were plenty of German, Lithuanians, and Irish girls to choose from, so it was not a big problem.
Visiting the old neighborhood a few years back, it had all changed. The old generation had all died out and their traditions with them. The new generation had moved on and scattered.
The Dutch people that I grew up with were clean living and moral, and many of their values stuck with me just through exposure to a different way of life. Great memories that I would not trade for anything! We now live in Tennessee, culture shock, Naaww!!!!
Well there you are Scooney. Great story. I thought you said you were in Kentucky.
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by. Just hotter than a two dollar pistol here in Tennessee. Nice thing about TN. no state income tax, Kentucky on the other hand taxes everything!!!
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