I just wanted to write some feelings about my grandpa Norman – (one of the 2 best grandpas a girl could have). Some people only get 1 grandpa that is good – I was blessed with 2 and they were brothers. I know that is a little weird – but one was a step grandpa that was better than any other one could be. The other one was my dads father and he is just as awesome too. But today I wanted to write about Grandpa Norman. He loved us – every grandkid (including all the greats too) thought we were grandpas favorite-I was his favorite oldest grand-daughter. He never made us do stuff we didn’t want to – and life was always an adventure when you were with Grandpa. There were some things you did in the dark – milk cows, tell stories, play games-yatzee and eat popcorn. popcorn balls, fudge, and hot chocolate. You go for sleigh rides ( in a cleaned up manure spreader with clean straw) and you sang songs, looked at the stars and just enjoyed being with your family. Both Grandma and Grandpa sang songs (my favorite one that grandpa used to sing -make fun of was Robin Robin tweet tweet – it was really funny). They would whistle songs too. Grandpa used to whittle things. Saturday was the day you went to town and Sundays you took a bath and went to church-and you always wore your best. By the way – I was the oldest grand-daughter and the only girl for a long time – I was their favorite – sorry! If I could have told Grandpa anything before he died and he could have understood – I would say “Thank you for loving me and thank you for all the cool lessons you taught with out saying a whole lot. One time Grandpa when we were in his old truck (without brakes and you were letting me drive) – you said take this road here and I looked and we were in the middle of the desert. I said there is no road and Grandpa said of course not – how do you think new roads get made. Life is an adventure. It was ok to be scared, but don’t let it stop you-remember their basement. Old stuff is cool – it makes new stuff. Mornings are great. Cowboy movies always are good for learning how to tell the difference between the bad guys and the good guys – John Wayne was our hero. You should always check the sky for the weather and the stars. You should always check the horizon to see what was coming. It was ok to watch movies over and over. You have to be good to babies and animals including mice and snakes in the kitchen and magpies. You need to make good choice – because the bad ones get you into trouble. You have to do your chores first and who said you couldn’t have fun while doing them, but the work had to get done, then you could play. Do things when you are ready to do them-not when someone else tells you that you are ready. If you don’t want to do it -Don’t. If you want to do it – then you should Do IT! Help your neighbors-even if that means you have to cut, haul and stack their hay or milk their cows. Even if you are mad at your wife – you were still nice to her. Girls got to bath first and boys last. Boys were dirtier and tougher than girls – even if this one was a tomboy. There were tons more things we learned, but I know you don’t have to say much to teach important lessons. When you said stuff the dogs listened and the kids listened and we loved you. Thank you for loving me, sharing your life with me, telling me it was ok to feel bad, but that still meant you had to get up in the morning and do your chores. You shared your life with us and you said to share with others. Grandpa I am sorry you couldn’t remember us very well in the end, but you never complained even when you were sick. I want to tell you like I did when I was about 9 or 10 and we were walking along the ditch out in a field “I hope their is no mosquitos in heaven” and you said it didn’t really matter – they were just an annoyance, like most problems in life.” – but they didn’t bite you. They ate me alive. You had thick skin and I was wondering if you could just make sure they didn’t bug me when I get up there someday. I look forward to the day when we can do the chores together again and go on our next great adventure and make new roads. I Love you and no girl or boy could ever have a grandpa like you. I am going to miss you lots.
