As long as the post continues to reach Peter, the West Frisian Tear Calendar will appear

Stacks of paper are structured next to each other on the dining table. The leaves – filled with thousands of proverbs in the dialect – are patiently waiting for a spot on the 2024 calendar. Because although the 2023 one is now in the shops, preparations for the one from a year later have already started. “In August I have 4 weeks ‘off’, but in September I will start again on the next calendar,” says 68-year-old Ruitenberg.

Monk’s work

The concept has been rock solid for years. Two days per page, a proverb on the front, a story, poem, puzzle or an old newspaper article on the back. “It is precisely this variety that is the strength of the calendar.”

But it is by no means a fill-in exercise. More monastic work. “A whole search, a big puzzle. I alternate short and longer stories and a story about Christmas cannot be placed in July. It all has to be right,” says Ruitenberg.

Ruitenberg has been writing in West Frisian since he was 17. The vernacular gripped him tightly and never let go. “I don’t know exactly why. It must have been the sound, the uniqueness of the language.” Since then, in addition to the Proverbs Calendar, he has published ten books and has translated a West Frisian version of Miffy.

Solo work

In 1983 West Friesland became acquainted with the West Frisian Scheurkalender, then a new welcome phenomenon. The maker at the time was Jan Pannekeet. A year later he stopped and Nel van Laren-Zwuup and Peter Ruitenberg picked it up. About six years later, Van Laren-Zwuup dropped out and Ruitenberg continued himself. “The 40th calendar is hanging on the wall, the 41st is now in the shop.”

What Ruitenberg introduced from the start: the mail section. So a call to send in pieces, as a welcome filling in the calendar. “At first, something came in very carefully, later it became more and more. And since the introduction of email, it’s even easier, because it makes it easier to respond. And we have guest croakers. If there are six or more stories by a writer on the calendar, he or she will receive a calendar as a gift. They think that’s wonderful.”

short track work

About 70 percent of the submitted mail is usable. “And I make sure that it is good West Frisian, because sometimes there is something wrong with it. So sometimes it is still a lot of rewriting. What do I pay attention to? For example, the order of the verbs must be correct and become modern. is too Dutch, I will look for a West Frisian word instead short track workas I call it, I think it’s the most beautiful thing to do.”

The spells are reused every now and then. “Otherwise it cannot be filled.” But he is strict on the back. It must be unique. “Reusing stories and memories is too easy, that goes against my feeling. It is a danger that when the mail dries, there will be no calendar anymore. It is something like 85 sheets that have to be filled with stories. But as long as If the mail still comes in, I’ll just keep going.”