December 2, 2009

WARNING PG RATED TODAY!

Today would have been dad's birthday. I'm going to be sharing memories of him today, things that may be forgotten or not known to others. Hopefully one day his grandchildren and great grandchildren can read these memories and know their grandpa Georgie a little more. Some memories will be happy, some sad, some very truthful and all very lovingly remembered by me!!

These are random memories as blogger isn't being nice to me. This is dad at one of the kids birthday parties. I don't think he missed a one, of course ice cream and cake were served and he's never miss an opportunity for a couple bowls of the frozen white stuff.I'm not sure that any one who knew dad will ever forget dad and his apples!! He was always chasing the deer away (couldn't let them eat any)! Many a visit I'd be woke up in the middle of the night as dad had gotten up for a drink of water and spotted the dreaded deer eating off of his trees. He'd run out in the yard shooing them away. Then there was always the apple runs . . .

you all remember them I know you do, dad would fill his grocery bags with apples and we'd run him all over town to his favorite doctor's and nurse's delivering apples. Then there was dad climbing up that there blue ladder in the background. Oh how we hated knowing he was doing that, as we typically didn't know he was doing it and he was home alone and boy, if he fell that wouldn't have been pretty. He never did though. He would make apple pie after apple pie and send them home with all to came by as long as they promised to bring back the pie plate (are you wishing you had one right now Heather?). Then there were the countless containers of apple sauce, I remember mom saying just take the damn stuff home if you've got too much just throw it out! Then there were the social events, dad loved being out with people he was a very social guy.

Then there was the fishing. Dad loved to fish and he loved his boat! When Trevor was about five grandpa thought it was about time he started fishing. He'd go out with dad and Norm every chance he got. Dad always felt so bad as Trevor never caught anything. After several fishing trips Trevor finally caught a fish, not only did he catch one, he made every one's limit that day. I don't know who was prouder grandpa or Trevor. This is a shot of them with the biggest catch of the day, it was so big Trevor needed grandpa's help to hold it up.The next two pic's are of dad with hats on. I think we all remember how "stupid" mom thought he looked in most hats and didn't like the fact that he would actually have his picture taken in them. He loved to get her goat and would happily pose for the pictures.

One Christmas eve with hats that Nicole made for us. To keep dad out of the dog house I jumped in the picture real quick. I don't think it helped him any, he loved being the clown in the group and of course getting mom going again was always fun for him!

Heather and grandpa being silly for the camera once again.

I also remember once when we were kids getting in trouble at the cow auction. Kelly and I got sent out to wait in the car (people did that back then). We were in the habit of hiding behind the back seat, when dad came out to get in the car he thought he'd show us and just drive away like he didn't care we weren't in the car. Little did he know we weren't, Kelly had to go to the bathroom so I'd walked him in. We were very surprised when we came out to see the car gone!! We thought dad had really left us. About that time he pulled back into the parking lot, we were really in trouble then.

I also kind of remember the story Mike likes to tell about me starting Kindergarten. He actually had to sit down with me and teach me that no, Trudy this is a cow. It's not a son of a bitch. You see was always mad at the darn things and that's what he liked to refer to them as.

Dad delivered produce to the local stores when I was a kid, when school was out I usually went along with him. One day we were delivering to Milt's out in Lynden when a jalapeno pepper feel out of the box. I'd never seen one before so as I picked it up I asked what it was. Milt said it was a cucumber from Mexico and to go ahead and take a bite out of it, I looked at dad and he gave a nod and told me to go on and take a big bite of it, so being a trusting daughter I did. . . WOW was that ever a hot surprise. They both stood there laughing until tears were rolling down there eyes. My dad the clown!

I also remember the summer I turned 16. Dad was stopping by in the morning to pick me up as he wanted to get done early and needed my help. When he stopped by I had over sleep, he was mad and slammed out of the house leaving me behind (dad had a very short fuse). Later that afternoon I received a phone call from the local hospital, dad was there his truck had been side swiped and he needed to have surgery right away to try and save his arm. I called mom at work and so began a very frustrating time in dad's life. He was in the hospital for several weeks and had to have therapy for several more weeks before he could return to work. His arm was never the same but after a time he adjusted.

Well that's about all I can do this year. Stay tuned for next 12-02 as there will be more memories. I've already started a list.

After all memories are beautiful.
Just for the record, Tiffany I think your baby might just come today, as that would have made dad smile.