Gre, Riet, Oma Aalbers and Koos won't mind.
Our livingroom had those heavy velvet mushy-coloured curtains, draping the sliding doors to the shop- and even the door to the passage.In one corner high on a console against the wall, stood a cream-coloured 80cm tall statue of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. A waxen light in a red glass holder burned continuously. On the nearby buffet, which was covered with a crochet table runner, stood agreenish eathenware vase, often filled with flowers. A round tin box with lid also on this buffet was usually filled with chocolate bon-bons or 'room-borstplaatjes'. Of course, we were not to touch them, but did Mum count them?
A mahogany-coloured case with a glass top, held a set of Welner silver cutlery, to be used for special occasions. Every couple of months the cutlery was given a good polish.
Opposite was the fire place with a brownish spotted marble mantlepiece, partly coveredwith a woolen Indian rug. Also the wall above was covered with a similar rug. Sited in the centre was a red mahogany stylish pendulum clock. This antique-clock had been inherited by Mum from her grandmother, who worked as a young servant for the textile manufacturer van Heek many, many years ago.This lovely time-piece had been presented to her when she left her employer.
Next to the fire place stood the bookcase with its glass in-lead doors, topped off with an ornamental wooden-framed mirror.
A shaded floor lamp stood nearby, and underneath its cosy lightwas the round brass-topped table with a cigar box and ashtray. An easy chair was placed on each side of the hearth, where also a copper/brass fire set was at the ready.
The smooth black and rounded hearth had mica, time darkened windows and doors, and it was fed with shimmering black anthraciet coal.
On the walls were a wooden crucifix and four black-framed 'Cries of London' prints, behind glass. There was also a pastel drawing done by Mum's brother Frans, showing Jan Aalbers our new Dad with Jacqueline and yours truly, walking along the river Rhine. At the other wallhang a portrait of Bernard Leferink, Mum's dad, skillfully drawn again by her brother Frans. Two wide black wooden framed paintings by K.Joest
presenting typical farm scenes of the eastern part of Holland, completed the total wall decorations.