Monday, October 5, 2009

Happy Birthday, Grandpa!

That's right. This post is dedicated to my grandpa. I thought it only fitting, considering he turns 90 years old on Saturday.

What does a man of 90 typically do with his time? I have no idea. I don't think he's typical of his age. He still drives (albeit slower than he used to), mows the lawn, goes fishing, goes trapping, goes hunting...pretty much anything he feels like. Now, when I say he still hunts, I don't mean he sits on his porch & watches for deer. He drives a few hours to the opposite side of the state to hunt for Turkey...and insists on sleeping on the top bunk. He was planning to go on a bear hunt this fall, but didn't get his registration in before the deadline. Seriously, a BEAR hunt, at 90! Pretty sure that is not typical.

What else can I tell you about my grandpa?
  • He knows about 20 times more people than I do. He has special permission to hunt on peoples property from all over the state. (I once told someone I'd just met that everyone knew my grandpa. She asked who he was, and said..."oh yeah, I know him!!")
  • He owned a bait shop for over half my life, and was pretty well-known. Many people came just to visit, and would sit and talk for hours. He gave away TONS and TONS of bubble gum.
  • He fought in World War II, and participated in many big battles (i.e. D-Day and the Battle of the Bulge)
  • As a child, he lived for awhile in a tin building with dirt floors & a roof over only half. He and his sister killed every bird they could find, afraid it was a stork bringing another sibling they were afraid would go hungry.
  • He has 4 daughters, 10 grandchildren & 12 great-grandchildren (with one more on the way)
  • He was the oldest of 9 children- one died as a baby, one was killed at 17. His oldest remaining brother (who is several years younger) looks exactly like him. When he comes to visit, he gets mistaken for my grandpa everytime.
  • He was given a high school diploma (along with some other veterans) in 2002 by the local high school...and was SO proud. He quit school in the 6th grade to help support the family.
  • He's a professional trapper.
Gosh, I love that man!!