M&M's, cheezits, coca-cola, and learning about life....
I was a latch key kid, after school my sister and I would take the bus home and be on our own til my parents got home. Not a bad thing, we were good kids and didn't really cause too many problems (or that I remember) When I finished 6th grade we moved to Visalia California to build a house out on my Grandparents ranch (my mothers parents). Our house was behind the barn, out of site of my grandparents house but only about 100 yards away. It must be said that I love this place, as a city kid we would get to spend 1 month a summer with my grandparents out on the ranch. Playing in the dirt and mud, shooting guns, going fishing, driving the tractor, heading out to the cotton gin/fields, and generally doing the exact opposite of what we'd be doing back at home in Nor Cal... so in someways, moving to the ranch was heaven. My seester was in high school and shortly found better things to do than ride the bus home and play in the dirt, so I would be on my own if it wasn't for my grandparents.Everyday I would get off the bus and beeline for my grandparents house. They'd have a cold coke waiting for me and my choice of cheezits or M&M's to complement my beverage. The would have a vodka martini, Grandpa would light up a cigar, and ask me how my day was. We talk about the day, tell stories, and turn on the TV when Family feud would come on. We'd make bad jokes about the families and the abnormally stupid answers some would give. My all time favorite was "What is a common item stolen from a front yard?" Richard would ask... "A garden hose!" a contestant shouted... Survey says 0! Grandpa made a joke about that at my wedding... They watched me become a teenager, but they were always cool... not like parents more like friends... although they were parenting me all along.
As I got older I would spend more time working for them on the ranch. Driving tractor, cutting limbs, mowing lawns, just about anything they could think of and pay me $6.50 per hour (about $3 more than min wage at the time, so the best job a 13 yr old could get!). As my life got more complicated Grandma and Grandpa just adjusted to me like any good friends would. They both always treated me like an adult and made me feel like I had something to offer. I learned enormous amounts from both of them and can feel their presence in me and my personality/values/perspective.
When I went away to college in 1986, the first care package I received in the dorms was from my Grandparents. Cokes, cheezits, M&M's, and boxes of Mac n cheese. A big hit with my dorm mates and was one of the first times I realized how much they both meant to me. There are so many examples I could write into this, but my relationship with my grandparents is something that had a profound effect on my life and who I am. I am grateful to the wisdom they gave me and they will never be far from my heart.
Grandpa had problems with arterial dimensia in his final years, he passed 3 years ago on Jan 5th. Grandma was always as sharp as a whip and one of the few cyber Granny's that exist. I found out last week that she read this blog and would check it everyday for updates. I was planning to write an entry about finding out my Granny was reading my blog, catch her off guard and maybe... just maybe, get her to post a comment! Unfortunately, my grandma died today and I won't get the chance reach out to her on this blog and try to make her smile. I'm very sad she's gone, but remembering all she and my grandfather gave me makes me happy. So if you read this, call your grandparents/parents/seester/brother/spouse/child/SO or pet and tell them you love them. If they have already passed on, sit quietly and remember them, celebrate that they were in you life and be happy.... it's what they would want.
posted by the jesus @ 8:35 PM
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