Remembering Grandpa D.

I had a memory today. Isn't it funny how something can remind you of a memory that you haven't thought of in forever? A lot of times for me it's a song. I'll hear a song and I can remember exactly where I was, what I was doing, and how old I was when I listened to it before. Well that's kind of what happened today. Trevin picked out a cd at the library today and we were at home listening to it...some kind of cowboy cd with twangy cowboy-type songs on it. A song came on that had a long fiddle-y intro and it took me back to my childhood and all the fun trips we took to Opryland. (Opryland used to be a country-music-themed adventure park in Nashville....several years ago they bulldozed it all down and built a mall in its place!) Most kids went to Opryland for the awesome rollercoasters and water rides and although I enjoyed those, I also liked to go to the shows with my mom and dad and my Grandma and Grandpa D. The song on the cd was just like the music we used to listen to way back when...with fiddles and banjos and such...you know, the old-fashioned kind of country music. I'm sure we went to Opryland oodles of times without my G&G D. but I for some reason most of my Opryland memories are associated with my Grandpa D....maybe because he was the biggest kid I've ever known. He loved to listen to the music and ride the rides with us....oh, and we would always take him to the "Guess your Age" booth and he would always win a prize (some booth attendant had to guess your age within 5 or so years or you would win a prize). My Grandpa D. lived til he was 91 and he never looked a day over 70. This is the same man who went parasailing when he was 80-something and could be found on top of our roof inspecting for hail damage when he was also 80-something. Although I miss him dearly, I'm so glad I have so many happy memories (country music shows and all) of him and with him.

Grandpa passed away over 5 years ago and my Grandma D. is still kickin'. She had hip replacement surgery this summer and we all went to visit her while she was in the rehab center. That's my cute little brother and his adorable Calli Beth with me and the kids... Grandma is back home (alone) now and moving slow but doing well....We can all hope to be doing as well when we're 91!