Showing posts with label Hamburger U. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Hamburger U. Show all posts
Friday, February 17, 2012
Progress in Progress!
In October, the day before my Granpa Billy died; I found out some family information and located a cousin, Donnie that has information on my Grandpa Gil, memories to share. Today, we will meet Donnie and hopefully visit the McDonald’s locations in Wilmington. Oh, I am sure my hand will get tired of writing all of the information I find and clicking the bazillion pictures… I’m giddy with excitement! Can’t wait to share!
Saturday, January 28, 2012
SS Grandpa Gil and my Daddy!
The year was 1975… It was September 4, just days before my Father’s 26th birthday, I was one year old and my Grandfather Pye died. We had never met. He knew I was here, but he was in North Carolina, busy working for McDonald’s. His obituary, found online in October, revealed that he had a year of declining health followed by a week of critical illness before he died at the age of 49. It also revealed a long history of service in the U.S. Marine Corp. He retired at 24.5 years as a Gunnery Sergeant.
In all the years growing up, I learned little of my Grandfather Pye, now affectionately named Grandpa Gil in my mind. (Not like he can argue with what I call him.) He lives as a picture in my mind substantiated by a lone picture that hung in my parent’s room as I was growing up. I can only imagine the man he was. Thankfully Grandpa Gil has opened up a door that I never knew was there. My Dad and I have always had a special relationship, probably because I’m the oldest and he has loved me the longest. (A joke for my Sisser.) Having a 17 year old son I frequently look at my relationship with my parents and think about how things are different and yet the same...
It struck me today; my Dad has always been a grown man since I have known him. Yea, I know what you are thinking, of course he is grown, you are grown, but I mean, grown/mature. In looking into learning more about my Grandpa Gil I realize that my Dad had to grow up fast and take care of himself and his sister. Then I came along… My brother.. Then my sister… And he was in college… Working 2 and 3 jobs to support us… In 1988, he got a job where he didn’t have to work as much and we got to see him more. Looking back, that is when he came alive. All of a sudden he had relief. Money was better, he had a schedule, he enjoyed the work, loved the people…
Our lives are different now and our relationships are evolving. I enjoy EVERY minute I have with my Daddy… And learning about Grandpa Gil, what a blessing! I’m connecting the dots. I found where he was buried in North Carolina. And found out that his wife, my Gammy Margaret is alive… I’m trying to get all of the information together to plan a trip there. My bucket list item is to see his headstone. In reality this is the tip of the iceberg. Looking for his headstone I am finding him and more about my Dad. AWESOMENESS!
I have to add a shout out to my group Rascal Flatts and say congrats on the ACM nominations on Thursday. As I was writing this a song came up on my iPod that really summarizes so much about where I am and this list. The name of the song is When the Sand Runs Out. Look at the lyrics! WOW! I told you they have been the soundtrack to my life! This one is on the Feels Like Today CD.
I spent the morning at an old friend's grave
Flowers and Amazing Grace, he was a good man
He spent his whole life spinnin' his wheels
Never knowin' how the real thing feels
He never took a chance or took the time to dance
And I stood there thinking as I said goodbye
Today is the first day of the rest of my life
I'm gonna stop lookin' back and start movin' on
And learn how to face my fears
Love with all of my heart, make my mark
I wanna leave something here
Go out on a ledge, with out any net
That's what I'm gonna be about
Yeah I wanna be runnin'
When the sand runs out
'Cause people do it everyday
Promise themselves they're gonna change
I've been there, but I'm changin' from the inside out
That was then and this is now
I'm a new man, yeah, I'm a brand new man
And when they carve my stone they'll write these words
"Here lies a man who lived life for all that its worth"
And as the cold wind blows across the graveyard
I think I hear the voice of my old friend whisper in my ear
I'm gonna stop lookin' back and start movin' on
Learn how to face my fears
Love with all of my heart, make my mark
I wanna leave something here
Go out on a ledge, with out any net
That's what I'm gonna be about
Yeah I wanna be runnin'
When the sand runs out
Sunday, January 8, 2012
Dear Granpa... Grandpa..
Dear Grandpa When I was just 1 year old, my dad's dad died. I never had the opportunity to meet him and Dad didn't talk about him much. As I began working on compiling this list over the last several months he has been on my mind.
Here are some interesting things I found out ab Grandpa Gil:
- he graduated from McDonald's Hamburger U
- he was retired from the US Marine Corp
- he was amazing with animals - training dogs etc. he even trained a cat to do what he asked!
- in Vietnam Korea (corrected by Dad) he had a pet rooster that alerted them of incoming fire, seriously!
- he was a VERY good whistler - Dad said "He could warble a tune as well as an opera singer could sing an aria"
- he was a VERY good whistler - Dad said "He could warble a tune as well as an opera singer could sing an aria"
When he died he had been living in North Carolina, so I started there trying to find where his headstone was. Dad had gone to his funeral and graveside, but that was back in the 70's. On one site I found his obituary - WOW! That was a neat find... And it led me to confirm another site's direction on where he was buried. Now, to plan the trip to Graham, North Carolina to see the headstone. I had completely planned the trip there a few months ago. I had spent the day looking up information on Grandpa Gil and planning the trip. The following day was a Saturday. I received a phone call- my mother's dad, my Granpa Billy had passed away. I felt so bad. I mean, here I had been spending all this time trying to find out information on my Grandpa Gil and scheduling a trip to see him and then my other Granpa (who lived 1.5 hours away) dies. I could have spent the day with him. Hindsight is always 20/20.
From Dec. 2010 to Oct. 2011 it was not a good time for our collective family - Dec. 2011 - my dad's mom died, more on her at another time.. January 2011 my hubby's cousin died (he was 39), in May my DH's Grandma (Dad's mom) died, in June his Grandma (Mom's mom) died, then in Oct. I lose my last grandparent. This started a blur in my life.
(DH and MawMaw Collins, DH and Sean,
RIP MawMaw Collins and Sean)
DH and Mawmaw Dancer 
(DH and MawMaw Collins, DH and Sean,
RIP MawMaw Collins and Sean)
So much had been going on. In July I went in for an outpatient girl surgery and they ended up doing a total hysterectomy, hello, I'm 37! UGH! That was on a Friday, 2 days later my brother had a motorcycle wreck and ends up in ICU with a collapsed lung, broken wrist, broken ribs - a deer ran into him. This Sunday was the same Sunday that our Dad was leaving for Italy. Dad got a job offer to work in Italy doing what he loves. So, he leaves my brother in ICU, me on the couch recouping from surgery to fly to a job leaving us all behind. Thankfully we have all mended pretty well. Dad did just spend a few weeks home for Christmas, and I digress.... A few weeks after the hysterectomy, my husband let me know that we were going to be leaving the church we had been at for the last 3 years. Ministry happens, God leads, we follow... But the timing, LORD!!!!!
Now you have the whole picture, or at least most of it. Hysterectomy, Brother motorcycle wreck with deer and in the hospital for a week, Dad in Italy, leave our church, we have lost DEAR family members and now I don't have any more grandparents... But wait, there's more! Not to bore you with the family stories, I'll hit you with the highlights. Grandpa had been married for more than 30 years to this lady who wasn't so nice, but in the last few years she has gotten a lot nicer with the onset of Alzheimer's. i know it is sad for anyone to have the disease, but it has made her a nicer person. Granpa had not had a relationship with his kids of much consequence over the last several years so I felt obliged to help take care of finalizing his estate. long story longer, I have learned soooooo much about what needs to be done to prepare for death and then what paper work is needed to be done afterwards, who knew!!! (I'll have a post for that later.) I received a phone call letting me know that he was gone and that he wanted to be cremated. A few days later I received the phone call that he was ready to be picked up from the funeral home.
Granpa Billy
Can you see where this is going? Well, I couldn't... I felt like rocking back and forth in the corner, but I had too much to do. And now, I had Granpa to pick up. Please know that we do what we must to get by. And also please know that I NEVER said I was normal. For some reason, I ended up with Granpa - in a box... Hey, you can't buy that in a store!!
Good things a/b Granpa being in a box:
-he stopped smoking
- he didn't mind going shoping with me
- he didn't want anything from the fast food restaurants (cheap date)
- we could and did talk for hours
- he could come stay at my house
- we could take rides together
- he was in my closet for weeks, which makes the phrase, Granpa finally came out of the closet a real hoot!
Granpa Billy's final box...
I know this sounds strange, but Granpa in a box was quite therapeutic. I pray you never have to experience it, but if you do, embrace the moment... Make some memories. It will put the importance of a bucket list in perspective for you, that is for SURE!! Not to mention the material I got for my comedy routine! P.S. Please note that in the event "Grandpa in a Box" becomes an actual item to market, I thought of it first.. I mean Grandpa in a Box could be as big as Soap on a Rope!! For different reasons of course. Needless to say I have put the trip to visit Grandpa Gil's final resting place in hold for now. I do know where he is... I will learn more about him... And once I can have time to get a trip together, I will. Sadly Granpa Billy won't get to make the trip, he would have enjoyed it though. If you are wondering what is up with Granpa Billy, he is now in his final resting place. And my DS upgraded his box to a really nice one (see above). All things considered it went as well or better than expected. Thanks for asking...
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
