Key Takeaways
A single word in three short lines
The sequence “VER / DRI / TEG” appears as three stacked fragments of what is almost certainly one word written down a page in blue pen. The spacing and alignment suggest an intentional split rather than three separate terms.
A likely Dutch word for sadness
Taken together, those fragments strongly point toward the Dutch adjective “verdrietig,” which means “sad” or “sorrowful.” The spelling on the page omits the internal silent vowel, a slip that matches how many people informally break up unfamiliar words.
Technical clues around the handwriting
Near the split word are other blue-ink markings: a dense shaded square, scratchy corrections, and the phrase “VERLOOP PG13” alongside a brand name known for electrical components. These details anchor the page in the world of cable glands, thread sizes, and small fittings rather than in a diary or personal message.
Emotion at the edge of a shopping list
The mix of product codes and a word meaning “sad” hints at a small, very human moment: someone capturing work-related details while also, perhaps, registering a feeling in the margin.
Story & Details
Blue ink, creases, and quiet evidence
The sheet is visibly worn, criss-crossed by fold marks and soft dirt smudges. Blue ballpoint lines dominate the surface. Some text is boxed, some is struck through, and one large rectangle has been filled in completely with cross-hatching, the sort of idle shading that appears when a pen lingers during a pause in thought. The overall impression is of an object kept in a pocket or toolbox and handled repeatedly during the course of a job.
The stacked fragments: VER / DRI / TEG
Low on the page, near one of the folds, three short lines form a vertical column: first “VER,” just beneath it “DRI,” and finally “TEG.” The three lines share the same handwriting, ink, and angle. There are no separators to suggest a list of three items. Instead, the spacing evokes syllables broken across lines to make a long word fit into a narrow corner.
Dutch and closely related Afrikaans both contain the adjective “verdrietig,” pronounced roughly “fer-DREE-tich” and used to describe someone who is sad, down, or heavy-hearted. It is entirely plausible that the writer began with “VER,” continued with “DRI,” and ended with “TEG,” skipping the interior “e” in the hurry of the moment. The fragments line up with the spoken rhythm of the word, even if they do not perfectly match its dictionary spelling.
At the same time, the vertical layout is not distinctive enough to remove all doubt. Without the writer’s confirmation, the reading remains a strong but not definitive interpretation.
A cluster of technical hints
Elsewhere on the sheet, another word appears inside a roughly drawn rectangle: “VERLOOP,” followed by “PG13.” In Dutch technical language, “verloop” commonly describes a reducing or transition fitting, the small adapter that lets two parts of different sizes connect. The adjacent code points to the old Panzergewinde, or PG, thread system, where sizes are written as “PG” plus a number, such as PG 7, PG 11, or PG 13.5. PG threads were historically used for electrical conduit and, crucially, for cable glands that seal cables as they pass into junction boxes and enclosures.
Alongside these terms sits the name of a well-known manufacturer of cable glands and related electrical accessories. Put together, “VERLOOP PG13,” the brand reference, and the general layout strongly resemble a rough parts list: the kind of page someone might carry while matching stock on a shelf or planning the materials for a small installation.
Where hardware meets handwriting
The juxtaposition of the vertical “VER / DRI / TEG” with a catalogue-like line such as “VERLOOP PG13” is striking. On one side, there is the language of hardware standards and thread sizes; on the other, the language of mood. Perhaps the word was a prompt for a language learner, a snippet rehearsed during a break. Perhaps it was a fleeting self-description during a long day at work. Perhaps it was simply the nearest long word on the writer’s mind when looking for something to scribble.
What is clear is that the surrounding context is practical rather than lyrical. Codes, brand names, and shaded boxes pull the page firmly into the realm of everyday labour. The word fragments sit like a quiet aside, occupying leftover space between the functional elements.
Limits of certainty
Interpreting any fragmentary handwriting requires restraint. It would be easy to spin a story of a worker feeling down and encoding that emotion on the same page as fittings and thread sizes. The presence of the likely Dutch word for sadness makes that reading tempting, but responsible reading stops short of turning a plausible guess into a claimed fact.
What can be said with confidence is modest but meaningful: the three fragments together closely resemble a well-known word for sadness; the page around them clearly involves electrical components, PG-threaded parts, and a recognised industrial brand; and the mix of those two worlds offers a glimpse of how language, work, and emotion can quietly intersect in everyday writing.
Conclusions
A word, a thread system, and a human trace
Viewed as a whole, the page brings together two very different kinds of information. On one hand, it preserves evidence of the older Panzergewinde thread standard and the ongoing use of terms such as “verloop” to describe adapters in electrical work. On the other, it seems to capture the outline of the word “verdrietig,” the everyday Dutch term for feeling sad.
The technical details ground the scene in a familiar setting of parts counters and installation planning. The word fragments at the edge of the page hint at a person behind the pen, with thoughts that reach beyond thread charts and product codes. The combination is understated but powerful: a reminder that even the most ordinary working documents can carry, between their lines, a trace of mood and language learning.
Sources
Further reading and viewing
For the history and geometry of the Panzergewinde screw thread system, including PG sizes used with electrical conduit and glands, see the article “Panzergewinde” on the English-language edition of Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Panzergewinde
For a concise technical explanation of PG screw threads, including pitch and diameter tables, the overview from the German standards resource Gewinde-Normen provides detailed charts: https://www.gewinde-normen.de/en/pg-thread.html
For definitions and usage notes on the Dutch adjective meaning “sad” that closely matches the split word, consult the entry “verdrietig” on Wiktionary: https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/verdrietig
For the Dutch noun related to sorrow and grief, which underlies that adjective, see the entry “verdriet” on Wiktionary: https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/verdriet
For the Dutch verb and noun “verloop,” including its sense as a transition or reducing piece in technical contexts, the Dutch-language Wiktionary entry offers examples of usage: https://nl.wiktionary.org/wiki/verloop
To see how modern cable gland systems are configured in practice, including modular components and thread options that trace back to PG sizing, WISKA’s English-language product video “WISKA SPRINT Cable Glands” provides an accessible overview from a recognised manufacturer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cR6e0KMD4Tg
Appendix
Cable gland
A cable gland is a mechanical device that secures and seals a cable where it enters an enclosure, preventing pull-out and protecting against dust, moisture, and other environmental hazards. It is widely used in industrial and marine installations and often relies on thread systems such as PG or modern metric equivalents.
Panzergewinde (PG thread)
Panzergewinde is a historical German screw thread standard, identified by the prefix PG followed by a number that roughly corresponds to the maximum cable diameter. It was widely used for steel conduit and cable glands and remains present in many legacy systems and parts catalogs, even though newer metric standards have largely replaced it.
Verloop
In Dutch technical usage, “verloop” refers to a transition or reducing element that connects two components of different sizes or thread forms. In the context of electrical installation, it often designates a small adapter piece that lets a cable gland or conduit with one thread specification fit into an opening with another.
Verdrietig
“Verdrietig” is a Dutch adjective used to describe a state of sadness or sorrow. It is derived from the noun “verdriet,” meaning grief or distress. The fragmented inscription “VER / DRI / TEG” closely echoes this word, suggesting it as the most likely complete form intended by the writer.
My Diary - Leonardo Cardillo 