We are home with the Leers familie

We have arrived at the Leers in Hulshout, Belgium. Many things have changed here since our last visit ten years ago. The family has now grown to four generations here on their one acre with the marriage of Davy to Anya and the birth of Arne. And grandfather died a month ago. So now grandmother is alone in the little house, Davy and Anya and Arne are in the remodelled upstairs of the family home and Andre and Annie are living downstairs. It is a typical family arrangement here in Belgium. Each generation has responsibilities and life seems somehow less hectic, with everyone working together.

The land has changed, with the addition of a new terrace and now with grandfather gone, the racing pigeon houses will be removed to make way for a play area for Arne and more gardens for Andre to attend to now that he is retired. And the neighborhood has grown, there is a Construction boom here in Belgium. We are still fairly close to Antwerp and other larger towns and even with high land prices people want to be in the countryside.

We got here the day of Davys production of the play Daughters at his school. He tends the computer system at the school, teaches math and science and also directs the schools theater program. The play by Ameican Maya Levy about womens relationships with their mothers was riviting even though we dont know any Flemish, because of the expressiveness of the 10 young (13 and 14 year olds) actresses, each with a ten minute soliliquay. Davy has a company of actors that he works with and they have produced several of his original plays. We watched dvds of Davys work with his Group and it is really quality work. As with everything else here the whole family helps with the productions – Andre acts and makes sets, Annie makes costumes, and Anya Works with the actors and the staging.

Yesterday Andre and I sat in the garden and discussed the World with an 11 percent beer at 11 am, while Rhonda and grandmother played with the baby. When Davy got home from school at noon he took us to the Hoorst Castle near here, a beautiful example of 15th century architecture set in a lake. After the tour we sat in the beer garden and sampled the local Hoorst brew, still made in the village next to the castle. On the way home we picked up strawberries at a roadside stand – I could smell them as soon as I got out of the car.

And then there is Annies (no attempt at apostrophes on this keyboard) cooking. Belgian endive and cauliflower, and luscious deserts. We have to start walking again, while we still can.




The whole familie, grandmother, Annie, Andre, Davy, Anya, Arne, and honorary grandma.