My Grandpa

This is one of the coolest guys I've ever known. I thought I'd show off my grandpa's high school picture- isn't he handsome? I sure love this guy!
He taught me how to play the guitar. When I was 16 and 18 I had major knee surgeries. He would ride his bike 6 or 7 miles to my house on Saturdays to keep me company, to help me not be so bored while stuck in bed. He was in his 70's then! He'd sit on a chair or at the base of my bed and teach and play the guitar with me and read letters, poems, and journals from our ancestors and tell me stories of growing up and of them.

My siblings and I had Saturday fishing trips with him. My sister and I looked so forward to it that we changed the words to a song about going fishing with him and she'd play it on the piano and we'd sing it for him. (In the picture I'm the one on the tire and my sister Kristie is on the ground.)Most Sundays we spent playing pool at his house, listening to records downstairs (especially Don Ho- he loved Hawaiian music), or playing all over his HUGE jungle of a backyard. It felt like a jungle to a kid at least.

I went out to dinner with my parents for my 16th birthday and we spent part of the night after dinner visiting my grandpa. I wasn't sure if it would be so cool at the beginning of the evening, but has turned out to be one of my most precious memories.

I always took my friends over to his house in high school because he was so fun to hang out with and most of my guy friends met him at some point or another. I remember when he met Seth he gave me the big thumbs up for him and even let Seth's family stay with him when we got married five months later.

I sure love this guy! He is one of my heroes and has been one of my biggest influences. He died a few years ago, but I know I'll see him again and that he probably watches over me now. I hope I make him proud of the person I've become. Love you gramps!