I mean that every boy and girl should have a grandpa to spoil them. I never thought of it much, but I lost my Paternal Grandpa when I was about 2 or 3. By that time the Maternal Grandpa was long gone. The only thing I remember about Grandpa Darnell was that he took his shoes off after work and went barefooted.
(That was my barefooted Grandpa behind me)
The senior of our family was Great Grandpa Hilly, he lived long enough for me to remember him a little, but he lived like 125-150 miles away so I didn’t get to see him often. I loved visiting and seeing him, but that was only a couple times a year. Not time enough to walk in the woods, or have a camp fire. No time for him to take me to the country store and buy me candy or a Pepsi.
(The first of our Grand to come along was Corey, then Ben)
My Grandpa Darnell would have been a lot of fun. He was a big man. He would have put me on his shoulder and played horsey with me. Yeah, he would have taken me down to the mill store and bought me some licorice. He would have rolled in the grass and laughed at the different clouds in the sky as I said ‘there is a dog’, ‘see that horse grandpa’, and so on.
He knew everyone at the mill, he would have gotten some nicked cog wheels and helped me make a wagon, he would know all that stuff because he had had 9 sons and 3 daughters.
But I never had that Grandpa, cause they died too young. So, I got the chance to see my grandkids grow up. I did get the chance to take a couple to work with me.
I did get to help them build bird houses and race cars. We made play boats in the creek and fished some. We actually cleaned and cooked one fish Corey caught, it was about 5” long. It fed five people, LOL.
I tried to do for them what I did not get to do with my grandpas. We camped together, traveled together and went to the Cleveland County Fair several years together. I wanted them to remember their grandpa. It is a given, kids remember, Mama, Grandma, and Great Grandma, but I wanted this grandpa to be remembered. LOL
Of course all the above was done by Grandma and Grandpa! Life is good.
Nite Shipslog
PS:
Going back in time is impossible, so we must do the best we can TODAY!
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My grandpas did not have cars, but if they had they would have looked like this:
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8 comments:
Jack, you have so many sweet memories of what it 'would have been' like, so much so that you Did have grandpas. All of us kids were fortunate enough to know our grandparents at least for a little while. The memories can never be taken from my mind and heart. The picture of one of your grandkids or boys with your boot on is precious. And I love the tractor one. It's so true that every little boy wants to sit on Grandpa's tractor., and little girls too. Sweet entry, my friends.
Blessings
I bet you and Sherry were the best as far as grandparents go. My Mel only got to know one grandcild out of four and just for a short time. When he died he was building Corey a swing shaped like an airplane. The San Antonio newspaper printed that as part of his obit.
I liked looking at the pictures of the grands and reading of the things you did to spend time with them and have a relationship with them, and I know that continues to this day! Sadly, like you, I never really knew my grandfathers; my mom's dad was dead before I was born and my dad's dad was still in Poland. I barely knew my mom's mom, we moved when I was 7, she died a few years later, but we had a language barrier in that she only spoke Polish and us kids didn't. If I ever have the opportunity to be a grandmother, I hope I do get to have a relationship with them. My brother has three grandchildren that he gets to spend a lot of time with and I know he values that time and those relationships.
betty
I grew up with both sets of grandparents on both sides of my family, but my own grandchildren never got to know their grandfather. He was young when he died and never got to see any of them. They do have grandfathers on the other sides of their families, at least some of them do. You are blessed to be able to enjoy yours together.
Both my grandmothers died while I was only a baby, but I remember both granddaddies my mom’s dad the most. He was a good man would go fishing and would play checkers and cards with us. I will never forget him. Your grandkids will remember you and Sherry for being so loving and caring to them. Take care. Jean
Jack you don't remember but
Gramdpa Hilly was a Judge. When
we visited him we would sit by the
fire place and he would tell us
stories about his cases. He had two cars in the barn behind his house. The court was across the street so he didn't need a car to drive. I wanted some of his law books but a niece that was older got them.
I remember a meal we had sitting
at a large table and Grandma had
an apron on when she served us.
I loved to walk in his yard.
I remember Dad'a mother and dad
when we visited they had a merry-go-round out back we would ride.
I think Ralph built it.
Jack, this is wonderfully poignant! I read it on my phone this morning (while taking a "mental health" break at work), walked back and called hubby, informing him I was forwarding a link ... he should read, "now."
Well, I won't share what Tom wrote me back, but I know your recollections struck his heart; and I learned some things about my husband's heart I never would've guessed. :)
I hope lots of other hearts were touched, as well.
THANK YOU!
What a beautiful blog about Grandpas... I know that yours would have loved you just as much as you love your Grands.
You sound like a very fine Granddad...and I'm sure that you are.
Granddads and Grandchildren strike a chord within my heart....pulls on every emotion of love that one can imagine.
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