Grandpa

Grandpa's been sick for a while. A few years ago he refused bypass surgery and doctors told him he wouldn't live a year. That was 2 if not 3 years ago. Yesterday doctors said he doesn't have long and have recommended hospice care. There's comfort in knowing we got to keep him around longer than we expected, and there's comfort in knowing he's ready to go to his heavenly home. Yet, we still aren't ready to let him go.

Grandpa sure has a soft spot in his heart for all his daugthers, granddaughters, and great-granddaughters and the feeling is definitely mutual. There's none other like my Grandpa anywhere! He's eccentric, sure. He does not get in a hurry, it's true. Ever. But you'll never find another with a heart as large. I cannot remember having ever made him mad. I can't remember any of us girls having done so. I'm sure the boys did a time or two, though! :0)

Grandpa has always enjoyed having his family around. I think his happiest moments were probably when we were all close by, running here and there, enjoying being together.

Granpa used to make molasses and it was a huge family affair when he did. We'd all gather at his place and go out to cut the cane. Then we'd all sit around on the trailers weilding our knives cutting the heads off the tops, usually ending up with minor cuts of our own as we'd compete to see who could get the most done. Then some would help push the cane through some contraption that squeezed the juice out of it. Of course there's nothing sweeter than sucking the juice from sugar cane! He'd cook it in huge pans over fires and we'd all take our turns stirring it as it cooked, thickened and bubbled. The smell was wonderful, the heat at times unbearable. The best part was when it was time to pour it into jars and we'd take fresh home made biscuits and sop up the molasses that stuck to the bottoms of the pans. I really miss those wonderful fall days of family all pitching in together! Grandpa was so proud the year I was in 6th grade and my entry in the science fair was a model of his mollases mill. I won first place and he picked me up that night to take me to the school so he could see my entry. Was he ever proud!!!

Grandpa was a jack of all trades, master of several! He also ran a sawmill. I remember endless summer days playing in the sawdust pile. Wow does that itch when you get it in your pants!!! Mom always hated to see us come up from the sawmill because she knew we'd have sawdust EVERYWHERE!!! One of my first oil paintings was of Grandpa's old log truck parked in front of the saw mill. I think my sister Regina even painted a picture of that sawmill too.

We always played hard and worked hard when at Grandpa's house. There were huge gardens to plant and harvest. Grandpa always had huge crops of corn and potatoes. I couldn't tell you the hours we spent helping him with those. The fields were full of wild blackberry bushes. Every summer we'd spend days picking blackberries to sell to the neighbors to raise money to go to the fair. There were always lots of cousins around to play with/fight with. We'd be found playing in the old junk cars in the field, fishing with cane poles in one of the 3 ponds, or just running around like hooligans all over the place. Grandpa's property was the best playground imagineable!

He also liked to explore. Whenever traipsing about over the countryside, his rule was whichever way you went to get there--you came home another route. I still find myself doing that!

Dentyne gum always reminds me of Grandpa. He always had some in his shirt pocket. Every time we'd see him we'd run up to him, he'd swing us up into his arms and we'd dig in his pocket for the gum. He's always had the biggest sweet tooth of anyone I know. (You think I get that from him???)

This is one of my favorite pictures of Grandpa. When we went to Missouri for Thanksgiving in 2004 we took him to Branson to see the Rockettes and to Silver Dollar City to see the Christmas lights. Here Heather is taking her turn pushing him in his wheelchair.

Grandpa, ever the good sport, babysits some of the great-grandkids' dolls:

One of the days we all went exploring with Grandpa, he took us to this old school house. If I'm not mistaken, this is where he went to school his first year. Mom, correct me if I'm wrong.

Grandpa the first time he met Heather. She was 3 months old.

Grandpa at church during an "Old Time Days" Celebration:

Me, Grandpa and Heather sitting on a swing in his yard a few years ago.

Me and Grandpa.

"Grandpa" by the Judds:

Grandpa, tell me 'bout the good ole days.

Sometimes it feels likeThis world's gone crazy.

Grandpa, take me back to yesterday,

Where the line between right and wrong Didn't seem so hazy.

Did lovers really fall in love to stay?

Stand beside each other come what may?

Was a promise really something we both kept,

not just something that we'd say?

Did families really bow their heads to pray?

Did daddies really never go away?

Whoa oh Grandpa,Tell me 'bout the good ole days.

Grandpa, everything is changing fast.

We call it progress,but I just don't know.

And Grandpa, let's wander back into the past,

and paint me a picture of long ago.

Did lovers really fall in love to stay?

Stand beside each other come what may?

Was a promise really something we both kept,

not just something that we'd say and then forget?

Did families really bow their heads to pray?

Did daddies really never go away?

Whoa oh Grandpa,Tell me 'bout the good ole days.

Whoa oh Grandpa,Tell me 'bout the good ole days.