My Grandpas

I decided to take the MamaKat challenge this week, and write about my grandpa - actually both of them. For more of her challenge inspiration - click the board!

My little bathroom has got touches of both my grandpas (Udell and Alfred), and they loved me! So I like just going into my little bathroom to play with the Avon "lazy man" or look at a picture I got from my other grandpa's room. Then I get to thinking about the men they were and the things we did together. They were by no means knights in shining armor. Far from it. But there are still points I admired from each of them. And there are so many memories from each.

Alfred was a former Navy man and a truck driver most of his life. He was actually Mamaw's second husband, her first died of a brain hemorrhage (which was my biological grandpa - died when my dad was 13). Alfred loved my Mamaw - and dogs - and food - and traveling. They lived in Texas for years, so I got to spend Summer vacations with them when I was little. He and Mamaw took me on my first road trip when I got my driver's permit - all the way to the west coast and back. This picture was us on that trip - somewhere in Wyoming I think.

Udell was a Korean war vet and a farmer. He was big and rough - temper that would shake the house - but he loved life. Loved his family, loved the land and animals - taught me to write cursive before I could print, make Strawberry milk and to not worry about what the food looked like all mixed together, "It was all going to the same place anyhow," he would tell me. This was the same grandpa that would bring the runts into the house to take care of them.

This is a picture of him with the twins - my mom is on the left. When we would go see his and Bonnie's parents once a month, we would always stop and eat at KFC in Jasper, IN. (Irony nowadays, I know - since I work for KFC Advertising). The next picture is Stella and Burnell Small (Udell's parent), Sherry, Udell, Carry (my mom), and me in the front (happy little child, huh). I may have been smarting-off - shocker that would be! LOL! So anyway, we eat at Kentucky Fried Chicken every trip. And I would always ask mom if I could have one of the strawberry shortcakes. You know, those little "bucket parfaits." Mom's answer would be "no." But before we left the restaurant, grandpa would always get me one. So now, when my boss surprises me with one of these little "buckets" it takes me back to spending that time with grandpa. Grandpas are great...they really know how to spoil granddaughters! Boy, do I miss that...

Both of my grandpas didn't know how to show love in a mushy way. Alfred's was through the pets - love the dogs and kids at the same time in the same way. Anytime Candy or Hottie (the dogs) would get a treat, so would I. And sometimes we literally shared teh best treat - cold Reese's Cups! Thus the name Candy. And Udell? His favorite way to show love was rough-housing. You could never get down the hall without passing him in his rocker. He would always grab me or my cousin and just rub our faces against his 5 o'clock shadow. And let me tell you - that felt like sandpaper!

But regardless of their methods - I knew they loved me. And I sure miss them nowadays.