Tuesday, August 11, 2009

Music & Thoughts of Grandpa

Good evening Humble Readers... tonight's post is a little different, but I wanted to share it with you anyway.

I think I've indicated before that my family is more than a little odd. I've had biological parents, step parents, and foster parents. Now, when your number of parents increases, so does your number of grandparents, aunts, uncles, and especially cousins. There are many people in my family that I wouldn't recognize if I saw them on the street.

But many of my favourite preschool memories (yes, I can remember back to when I was 2) involve my Grandpa B. I remember 'helping' him build a set of concrete steps and him threatening to stick me in the middle of the cement and leave me there. I remember tramping with him through the Ontario bush tapping maple trees, and then going back and collecting the sap to make maple syrup. I remember playing in his office where he kept spare parts for the chainsaws he repaired (the adult in me freaks out at that!).

Mostly, I just remember feeling safe with him. With the chaos that was my family, having his calm gruffness was a blessing.

He's the one who is adamant we are Irish, even though I'm seventh generation Canadian through his part of the family. When he's had a couple beers he gets this incredible brogue that is a combination of Irish and eastern Canadian (with a minor hint of French Canadian thrown in for good measure). He is a fabulous storyteller, and can out BS anyone. He's funny, sweet, and blunt.
I'm not sure why he's been on my mind so much lately. Maybe it's because I've been on an eastern Canadian music kick recently. (Please make sure that you click over to this link... this song makes me think of Grandpa like no other. The Mull River Shuffle) Maybe it's because I'm thinking so much about our trip to New York coming up... daydreaming about fall colours and it brings him to mind.

Of all my biological family, he's the one I wish I lived closer to. He's the one I miss. And I think he's part of the reason why I want so much to be a mom. I want to share his stories with a new generation.

6 comments :

  1. Awww, one can easily feel your love for him in your words. By the way, I love The Mull River Shuffle. :) I'm a fan of The Rankin Family and not embarassed to say so.

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  2. A wonderful tribute to him MrsG. I know exactly what you mean. We lived in a duplex behind my GrampaC. He was gruff and crabby with everyone but me, his "little fifi girl." :-D

    He was my best friend in the whole world growing up. I was lucky enough to have him in my life until about 5 years ago. I miss him and want to show my own family pictures of him and tell about his craziness.

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  3. Amen to your wish of wanting to have kids of your own, and have a wonderful time meeting your family!!!

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  4. That's a very moving tribute to your grandfather. He sounds like a terrific man. And you can be Irish heritage and Canadian at the same time.

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  5. So very beautiful.....

    I've given you an award - come by my blog and take a look!

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  6. Thanks everyone!

    Daega99... I can't find a link to your blog. Help?!?

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