I'm glad you got to see me........

Me with my granddad and grandma…

My grandfather passed away a few weeks ago. It really is the end of an era for our family. He is the patriarch of the family…a sort of firstborn of a family of five children and thirteen grandkids. A few months ago I saw him. His health had really deteriorated and a bunch of the family were all hanging about the house. He wasn’t feeling well and was in a mood and he looked at me and said of his house full of family, "I am the one who started all this mess".
A wonderfully intellegent and witty man, he had lots of great true stories and exaggerated tales of life as a sailor as well as too-the-point advice and opinions on various matters. My mother always said, "There are two things you do not discuss with daddy. Politics and religion". These are subjects that he had the opportunity to offend many folks about over the course of his life.

Of the dozen or so grandchildren I am number two. Up until recently my aunts, uncles and cousins have all pretty much stayed in the tidewater area. I was the black sheep that left the flock in my teens, but my first fifteen years I saw him and my grandmother often because we did a lot of family things together then. Without fail when we would leave his house he would always say, "I’m glad you got to see me". Thats the common experience we ALL had with him. He said that to everyone. We even talked about that at his viewing..something humerous to remember. But I have my own personal memories. My graddad is responsible for my love of butterscotch candy and honeysuckle blossoms, two lovely and simple things for a granddaughter to remember a grandfather by.
Thanks, granddaddy. I am glad I got to see you, too.