Ok Grandpa, here's something for you.
Some of my best memories are of sleeping over Grandpa and Cathy's with Alex and Katherine and Lisa and Amy. We were allowed to do ANYTHING. Sometimes we'd take down Grandma Cathy's flower arrangements to play with. Other times we'd spend hours inventing and perfecting our own version of pool. Often times we would enter "upside down world," flinging ourselves upside down over the furniture until all the blood rushed to our heads. There were cupcakes to be eaten right before dinner and artifacts to poke through in the upstairs crawlspace (home to our parents old text books and the famed accordian). We tested our strength in the back room by hanging from the bar in the ceiling and beating up the punching bag.
A bedtime? Well, we'd retire to the upstairs bedroom at a certain time and then precede to play cards by flashlight until the early morning hours. Or we'd leaf through Grandpa's Mad Magazine collection. How Grandpa and Cathy slept over the ruckus of our laughing and yelling I'll never know. And in the morning there were pancakes in the shapes of our initials.
Thank you to my grandparents for allowing us all to be kids and to my cousins for making those times so much fun.

On a Hike with Grandpa

This Labor Day Mike and I went up to visit Grandpa and Cathy upstate at the farm. It was a great trip down memory lane. This is a picture of us on the traditional hike. We didn't have a tripod or know how to use the timer on our camera so Mike had to hold it while we crowded in. I think it turned out ok!

Happy Birthday Howie

No one has written in this blog for some time. I know we have a story or two out there. I don't have one, but I have some thoughts. I just read all my ganddaughters. I love your blogs guys. I think I have learned more about you from the writings, than from all the experiences we've shared. Most of all I have come to realize how important you are to me. And how much I love you all. Today being my birthday I have spent some time reflecting. While there were times of trials, troubles, tribulations, trepidations, tempations, and tediousness, I have somehow escaped unscathed. This is without a doubt, the happiest era of my 78 years. I have recieved calls, cards, and even one happy birthday sung over my cell phone. Cathy has made me a cake, and we are going out for dinner. Charley Browns. I will not tell them what day it is. I'd be too embarassed. On September 25Th 2009, I am throwing a wing ding. You are all invited. I don't want it to be a surprise. I was suprised on my 70th, and never got over it. I am going to invite 80 people. If I can find that many. The invitation will read, no gifts please. But we have time to discuss that. Next time I'll have a story.