All of my grandparents are gone. My mother's Mom died when I was very young (her father.....before I was born) and my father's parents died when I was older (Pop-Pop first and then Nana some 20 years later). And both of my parents are deceased as well. My husbands parents are alive and well. He only has one grandparent alive though. That is Pop!

Pop is in a nursing home now. He just turned 92 y/o in December. He had a stroke a while back and almost died but he was lucky (if you call being in a nursing home lucky) and they found him in time to help him. He has his moments of lucidity and has long term memory (can remember every single thing from his childhood to his days as boss in the Yale lock company.......he tells me to answer the phone when I visit....like I am his secretary...LOL!). He just can't remember moment to moment now. But his personality as it was in the past, is still in tact. Pop is a Luthern, church going, biggest biggot on the planet! I can say this because it's the truth and because I love him despite his biggotry! To this day he HAS to mention the color of the skin of the attendent that dressed him on any particular day we visit. Oh, and he hates fat people (although Pop is way overweight)......and he could care less if a woman has an opinion........he thinks women have a place as subservient members of society. He thinks all churches other than the Lutheran church is a cult.....and even though his step-great-grandchildren are Catholic.......he thinks that is the demonic religion! I've NEVER told Pop I am an atheist at the request of my husband............LMAO! I was raised Methodist...and as far as Pop is concerned....I might make it to heaven!

We had to clean out his apartment when we moved him to a nursing home. I found out that Pop was a secret "bad boy"! I've attached a couple pics to prove it! We laughed and laughed.......and I will treasure the "bad boy" in Pop for as long as I live. Pop carved this with his own hands.........he was always making something! And BTW......this man was also the biggest pack-rat I have ever met aside from my husband! We have so much stuff from him it's unbelievable! Hubbies dad used to race cars and never knew Pop took 8mm video of him racing! Pop never threw away a thing....and recycled before it was the "norm". Guess that's where hubby gets it from!

Tell me about your Grand-Parents............got anything interesting to share?

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Minds are like parachutes. They only work when they are open.

~Thomas Dewar~

Oh Pop!

ROFLMFAO!

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__________________
Minds are like parachutes. They only work when they are open.

~Thomas Dewar~

What a nice thread to start, Lixy!

My grandfather on my father's side was an interesting character. He never smoked or drank, but was a closet sex fiend. My brother and I found some "Sexology" magazines when were were exploring his attic. (Mind you, this was the pre-Playboy era).
Only heard him curse one time when he uttered the phrase, "You can fuck with me, but don't fuck with my money."

He owned a lot of real estate in a larger city in the southern US, and he made a "Health Salon" out of one of his properties. I remember to this day one of the pretty "therapists" taking a man down the hall, with her arm wrapped around him. Turns out that Granddaddy was also a PimpDaddy.

I like to think that I got my genes from his side of the family. And I miss him...

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"Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former."
- Albert Einstein (1879-1955)

"God is a comedian playing to an audience too afraid to laugh."
- Voltaire (1694-1778)

"I shall not waste my days in trying to prolong them."
- Ian L. Fleming (1908-1964)

Oh ((((((H@rd Rock)))))))))!!!!!!!!!

Excellent story!!!!!!!

Oh the things we find out when we get old enough to recognze what was right in front of our face all along! TY for sharing hun!

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Minds are like parachutes. They only work when they are open.

~Thomas Dewar~

Yes Lixy, it's brought back a few memories!!

Hmm.... well, my mum's mum died giving birth to my uncle when my mum was 4..... so she was brought up by her sisters (4 of 'em!) and my Grampy! Didn't really know him very well, cos all my relatives live near Bristol, in SW England..... I DO know he joined the (Royal) Marines in WW1 {1916} at the age of 15!! Hard to believe I know, but I saw all his papers when I was a wee boy; didn't understand what it was all about then of course. NOW I do..... he managed it cos he was A1 and was big for his age - not to many birth certificates in those days!!! He won several medals, including the Military Medal, was wounded four times and fought in some of the biggest battles in that war. I'm proud to know he was my kin, with a record like that!

My dad's parents I knew a bit better..... papa was a BIG guy, 6'1½" tall, and built like a brick (errmmm) outhouse!! Weighed over 17 stone (240 pounds) and STILL wasn't considered big enough (height or weight) to be a City of London Policeman!! He became a "Universal Miller" (Irish probably knows what that is) - it's someone who can machine metal parts in all three "dimensions" at once; VERY specialised trade, and well paid too! Thing was, he wasn't allowed to "join up" in WW2, which he resented til the day he died. A very gentle, loving man - he died in 1979 from bowel Cancer... a HORRIBLE way to go!

My nana was tiny 4'9" or 10"..... it was always comical to me to see them together! She was a teacher of infants for many years, also took Sunday School lessons and was a devoutly Christian lady all her life. She passed in 1992, having suffered with Alzheimers for 11-12 years..... started noticing the symptoms very soon after my papa died; I went to her funeral/cremation... the Church held 500 people, and there were another 100+ outside... a well-loved lady indeed. I still miss both of them hugely, even though I only saw them 2 or 3 times a year.

This is getting WAY too long now..... and a bit hard, to be truthful, so I'll away now....... thanx for bringing back some memories though Lixy!!

DM

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The selfish, they're all standing in line
Faithing and hoping to buy themselves time
Me, I figure as each breath goes by
I only own my mind

Awwwwwww! Sounds like some awesome memories dm383! I just get to thinkin sometime....about wisdom and knowledge and maturity.......and I have had some long talks with alot of elderly people....and to be honest they are some of the most interesting people I will ever meet!

TY so much for sharing hun! Your family sounds so wonderful and one to be very proud of!

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Minds are like parachutes. They only work when they are open.

~Thomas Dewar~

My paternal grampa died when I was just 3 yrs old------my one remaining memory of him was that he could make paper hats without using sticky tape!-----he was a proper grampa!
My paternal gran passed away when I was about 14yrs old. She was some lady----tough as old boots and as sweet as honey! She was a "flapper" when she was young and had the samer spirit thoughout her life. She always came on holiday with us--and was always on the kids side-----a wonderful old lady .
My maternal gran passed away last yr after a short illness----------she developed a very aggresive form of cancer. She was my mentor and my friend and I miss her so much. She supported me in all things that I had to face, with humour and love-----another tough old lady with a heart of gold.
My maternal grampa also passed last year. He was a lovely man who I adored. He developed dementia , which really sped up after gran passed (they had been married for 61yrs) and even in his decline had moments of sharp lucidity where his sence of fun would shine through. He was an old soldier who loved his family with a passion. I miss him so much.
They are all together now------and when I feel low it is a comfort to know they r watching over me------------what a row I am gonna get when my time comes!!!
thanks for this lovely thread!

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Don't pet the sweaty things!!!!

Just had one brother. Mom and dad are gone and my only brother (5-years older) was recently diagnosed with cancer. Not sure yet what treatments will be proposed. Grandparents are all gone as well.

Never really knew my grandparents on my dad's side.

On my mom's side ... my real grandfather died before I was born from TB. Grandma remarried and so I think of my step grandfather as being Grandpa. Lived up in central Minnesota in a small town called Little Falls. While I was born in Omaha, I left there as a baby and kind of adopted Little Falls as my home town.

Grandfather built the dam across the Mississippi River at Little Falls, the court house, the (now torn down) high school and several other public buildings. Had a lot of aunts and uncles and the family was very close back then.

Little Falls, by the way, was Charles Lindberg's boyhood home and his house is preserved as a museum. Even little towns (7-8K) can have their claim to fame.

My step grandfather (who I knew and thought of as grandpa) used to have an old Ford van and we kids used to play in it all the time. It wasn't much to look at, but we pretended it was everything from a cop car to a tank or something.

Grandparents home had a big screened in front porch that we used to love sitting out on in the summer watching the cars and people go by. Real near a "Maid Rite" diner and we kids, when we could afford it, would go over there and have a soda and Maid Rite. Loved it there.

Grandma and Grandpa had a dog. Nappy. A water spaniel who hated water. He'd walk around the block to avoid a puddle. But, he was a great wagon puller! We used to hitch him up and ride all over the neighborhood. He followed my aunt up town one time and she couldn't get rid of him. Finally had a cab take him home. Can you believe seeing a cab pull up and this dog getting out. Funny.

Grandma used to use Friday's as baking day. Seemed like whenever you walked into her kitchen, there was a fresh loaf of bread or some carmel rolls coming out of the oven with a big dish of butter on the table. Fortunately, that was in the days before they invented cholesterol . Wonderful.

Amazing how the whole family came to grandpa and grandma's house on Fridays!

Boy, it's been a while since I thought about a lot of this. Excuse me, I think I'll take some time and just remember those wonderful days.

My memories of my grandparents are uniformly of older people

of gently dignity and quiet humour.

I must be adopted.

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Calm, quiet, smooth, devastating

Lixy, This is very near and dear to my heart. All my Grandparents are gone. My Dads dad my pop passed when I was 2 years old I have no memory of him, I am told that I remind people of him though. My Dads mom my Grandmother passed in 1973 she lived with us and she was very sweet.

My Great Grandparents were married for 63 years and had 11 childern.Grandmom was the sweetest lady I ever knew her theory was when life gave you lemons you made lemonaide, she saw the good in everyone even Grandpop, she died in 1991.My great Grandfather was a biggot too he would nt let my Mother was I love Lucy cause of Ricky. To be nice he was a man stuck in his ways.He died in 1997.

I never knew my Mothers father, however my grandmother married a great guy and we all called him pop he loved us all like we were his own and he really was the solid foundation for a good family.My Granny was increadable she was nt your typical grandmother she drove a big surban cussed at anyone who cut her off. She was one of a kind. She loved and accepted everyone of her childern and grandchildern.I was lucky in many ways because I was the first grandchild and really got to spend alot of time with her.She passed in 1996 and I miss her to the day.

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if it feels good do i

I too lost one of my grandparents when I was very young-my maternal grandfather passed away at a relatively young age (60) when I was 3 years old. I have no memories of him, but he was the one who called me his little BlondeCurlGirl. He was delighted that I looked (and still do) so much like my mother. I hear so many wonderful stories and feel like I have gotten to know him somewhat through pictures and his voice that we have on tape. I really wish that I had even one memory of my own of him.

In July of 2001 I lost my paternal grandmother to an aggressive form of pancreatic and blood cancer. She had such a kind heart, and even once she was diagnosed as terminal, she could only think of others. When she was told she could never go home again, she didn't care, because all of the comforts and memories of home were just material things. She was devoutly religious, and I was just glad that was able to help her deal with her illness and thankful that she didn't linger.

Since my parents moved far away from their home state when I was small, I only get to see my grandparents about twice a year. Every visit means so much as they get older, and now I only have two left, one on each side of the family.

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Though dreams can be deceiving, like faces are to hearts; they serve for sweet relieving when fantasy and reality lie too far apart.-Fiona Apple

CelticAngel.....Absolutely beautiful memories told with such love! I can almost picture the grandparents you speak of! TY for sharing those wonderful thoughts!

db.......I can just see you in that old Ford van! We actually had to use our imaginations way back when! And that spaniel who hated water.....lmao! Too funny hun! Oh the smell of those rolls musta made you come running like Pavlov's dog! Twas so true about the cholesterol....why they invented that is beyond me! TY so much for sharing such loving and funny stories!

OF.....I'll bet some of that gentility rubbed off on you! You aren't the old curmudgeon you think we think you are! I can tell! *hugs* TY for sharing!

2-4-tea.....Awwwww! Mom always told me you can find something nice in everyone.....ty for clearing that up about your Great Grand-pop. We are what we are raised with in some instances.....he was a product of his times as is my hubbies Pop! Your memories sound so close to the heart and I love picturing your granny in that old suburban cussing and what not! My paternal grandmother was a bit like that. She came to visit once and while taking us for a ride (something we didn't do much of cause mom wouldn't let us drive with dad while he was drunk...and he was that nearly always) my Nana drove right through a stop sign. I told her what she did and she said, "There never used to be a damn stop sign there!" As if it were ok since she used to drive that road without one there before! LMAO! TY so much for sharing hun!

BCG.......I wish you had a memory of him as well. Your mother's father sounds like a sweetheart of a man! So very sorry to hear of your recent loss of your dad's mother. She too, sounds like a sweety! I just wish no one had to feel that pain of loss. I'm so happy to know how much you cherish the time we have with those we love. Some people never realize that cherished time till it's too late.....and because you do know it.....your memories will be everlasting! TY as well, for sharing your heart!

You guys are all so great! TY for taking the time to walk down memory lane!

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Minds are like parachutes. They only work when they are open.

~Thomas Dewar~