Grandpa

Where does one start when you want to write about someone who means so much to them.
Today I found out that our grandfather passed away.
It makes me sad but it also makes me reminisce about days gone by, about the man that he was to me.
He was my rock. I owe a lot to the type of person that I am to him. He taught me many things.
He taught me how to work hard and to have pride in my work.
He taught me how to save money, as you all know he knew how to save a dime.
I remember getting ready for a camping trip one summer and the week before my girlfriend and I
rode the mini-bikes that they had and I crashed one and didn't tell him that I broke it.
When we were loading everything up to take camping he saw that the bike was broken and was not very happy.
I confessed to the deed and was grounded from the one bike that was working while on the trip.
He told me later that if I had come and told him that I had broken it he could have fixed it before the trip.
He didn't say he wouldn't have been upset but he explained that the consequences would have been much different.
So he taught me to be honest and take my lumps.
Grandpa loved to read. He taught me to crave knowledge to learn something everyday.
The memory of sitting on his lap on the Harvester or helping him carry a bucket of feed for a pig or chicken.
Riding in the old pickup on a hot summer's day with a glass of Pepsi in my hand on my way up to the bench to give him while he was working
either harvesting the wheat or putting up the hay.
Swinging on the saddle that was hanging in the shop while he was fixing something.
Rides in the truck to the Big Hole as he told me of all the people he knew that lived in the area.
He loved the land and he was a good steward.
He was probably the first recycler always reusing something till it gave no more.
Who could go to Grandpa's house with out raiding the candy drawer, his favorite stash of chocolate,peppermints, horehound, lemon drops, gum and other sweets.
But I'll always remember his sloppy kisses. The love he gave to all of us, with his whole heart .

He is at peace now on the top of a mountain in heaven looking over all the land.