Grandpa Tom

I'm skipping Foodie Friday again this week for two reasons.. 1) I've been eating like a 5 year old this week, and 2) I need to pay tribute to my late Grandpa Tom, who passed away 10/12/2002.

First I have to tell you how amazing he was. He was born & raised in Canada, loved hockey, and eventually he served in WWII. He married my Grandma, and they had five kids.. one boy, four daughters. When my Mom was about 12 years old my Grandma left my Grandpa for another man.. something unheard of back then. She picked up and moved away from the whole family, leaving my Grandpa to finish raising the kids. Talk about a role reversal. He dated, but never remarried. His family was always his top priority in life.

And then of course his grandchildren came into his life, and I can't imagine someone ever beating him at the title of "World's Best Grandpa". He was just that.. the BEST. When I was born he let my Mom, Dad, Sister and myself, move into his house while he moved into his detached garage that he turned into a bedroom.

Later on when we moved into our own house about an hour away from him my Sister and I would stay with him for days at a time, during the Summer. We would go through his closet, playing dress up with his shirts, hats and glasses. Then we would put on a Beatles record and pretend we were them. He would go through his wallet, pulling out any ripped or crinkled one dollar bills, and tell us we can have them because they're in bad shape. We would make trips to the local mall, always getting some ice cream or licorice, and always stopping to pick out some candy. And he could make us laugh, and laugh aaand laugh. He would sing us silly songs, this one being my favorite...

Jean, Jean, made a machine
Joe, Joe, made it go
Art, Art layed a fart
And blew the bloody thing apart!

My Grandpa was a great artist, and also a great craftsman. Every year when it was my Sister's birthday, I would get a Happy Un-Birthday card that he drew himself..always with some sort of silly illustration. And he'd do the same for my Sister when it was my birthday. He built us each a beautiful dollhouse.. something I still have, sitting in my living room. He also built us a tree house in his backyard, and a playhouse in our backyard.

Almost every Sunday he would come to our house, usually with a pie. I'd get my roller skates on and he would hold my hand & run with me from the top of our street, all the way down.. me rolling with laughter from the tickling vibration of the asphalt under my feet. Dinner in the evening would usually consist of one of his faves.. my Mom's tacos, or his famous baked mac n' cheese, or stew.

I could go on & on & on about my Grandpa Tom. What a wonderful Grandfather he was, and all the great memories I have of him. I had a special bond with my Grandpa Tom, and he was always my favorite person, and my biggest hero.

Grandpa Tom,
First off, let me tell you how much I miss you. I don't think I can even put it into words. I think about you every day, and it's weird.. it puts a smile on my face, but tears in my eyes. I often have dreams about you..but maybe you already knew that? In most of them we're holding hands and walking, both of knowing it's just borrowed time before I wake up and have to say goodbye again. I love waking up in the morning, remembering those dreams. It brings you to life again, even if it's just for a quick moment in my sleep.

I wish you would have had the chance to meet Dan. I think you would have loved him. And guess what, Grandpa? It took awhile, but I'm pregnant. If it's a boy he'll take your name as his middle name (don't worry, I won't give him your middle name of Ambrose.. I know how much you hated it). And someday I'll tell him or her about you.. their Great-Grandpa they didn't get the chance to meet. I can't wait to tell them stories about you, and make them feel as if they know you, even if you never met.

I miss you dearly, Grandpa Tom. Please visit me often in my dreams.

Love,
Lauren