My Grandpa…

I love my grandpa.

He is definitely a “man’s man.” I have never seen him cry. But I’ve also never seen him lose his temper.

He’s a practical joker. I can remember him hiding my grandma’s favourite hat, over and over again, just for fun. He has countless childhood stories of tricks he played on his teacher in his one room school house.

He was hit by a car as a child, then fell out of the back of the truck that was transporting him to the hospital. It was in 1940, and they didn’t think he would survive.

While I was in school, every year on Father’s Day, I would make a gift for my grandpa. Up until when I was married, he still had those little gifts on his bookcase.

He collects coins, and loves to play cards. He doesn’t believe in cheating, or letting people win. (Believe me, he once double-skunked me at cribbage. I hid in the bathroom and cried…) He taught me to practice my cribbage hands using the numbers on the back of a streetcar.

He has never driven a car. I remember walking to the grocery store with him every week, and hoping that we would take a cab home! He takes big steps, and it was hard for my little legs to keep up!

I used to love making him a cold iced tea, and bringing it to him when he was out mowing lawns. Or making him a “super sandwich.” Where I would put every ingredient I could find in-between two slices of French stick- and he would eat it!

He taught me not to be “too proud to pick up a penny,” how to tie my shoelaces, and to say the alphabet backwards.

He taught me how to write the number ‘5’, how to do long division, and that the best calculator- was our brain!

I have so many wonderful memories of my grandpa growing up. He would let me help him paint, even when I made a mess, and help him put things together, even when it took twice as long.

He was my male role model, and I couldn’t have asked for a better one. He’s a strong, handsome, honest, hardworking, unselfish, fun-loving, gentleman.

Grandpa, I love you.

Happy 76th Birthday!