La Licorne
COME
BACK
Upon our
return from Jamaica we settled back in Bokhoven. Mieke assumed the reins of the
household, the girls were fitted into secondary school in 's-Hertogenbosch, and
our son was presented to the primary school of Bokhoven. As for myself I
returned to work with the government.
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Compiled from a drawing by Mariane Dee |
Having come back to a familiar environment, social contacts were picked up easily. So one evening we enjoyed a party at 't Kasteeltje, the very mansion with tower and stair gable Mieke had fallen for before. When we walked back home she conveyed to me excitedly that the house had become too much of a burden for its owners, and was now for sale. When we broke the news the following morning the children reacted eagerly. Our youngest daughter confided that she used to throw a glance at it every time she went by. In romantic terms I shared their enthusiasm, but coming to the practical points I had some hesitation. The house had a lot of war damage, was outlived, and needed both modernization and expansion to make it fit for us. Of course in the end all arguments were overruled, and with the buy I signed for three years of building labor. |
Coming to the action, Bokhoven proved to be a village where one can enter into such an undertaking. Most Bokhovians would not bother about the mess and definitely not complain about it. Centuries of subservience had conditioned them not to interfere with the doings of outsiders, no: one should rather wait and see how things went wrong. Neighboring farmer Toon den Bout's steady support has been indispensable. Mieke and the girls took up all the paintwork, while Lucien would fall asleep somewhere around the building materials when we were working late nights. As for myself I functioned as the designer, contractor, carpenter and all-round workman.
After all, the job got done and
could we bring in our possessions accumulated from nearby and far away
places.The furniture in La Licorne is beautifully matching with the bright
yellow-stone floors, light walls and dark beam-work. We are enjoying the result
up to this day.
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In summer time there is no better place than under the the cherry tree of our garden.
Likewise during winter behind the thick walls in the comfort of our home.
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Drawings in grey by Ben
vanMierlo
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A wind vane in the shape of a Unicorn crowns the tower and shows visitors the way from far. Design Pith |
A wrought iron gate that
dates from 1846 and initialed by the local Artisan gives passage to the
garden |
Front
view |
View from the south |
