Granddad with his Beloved Once More

It was a long 2 years without Grandma but she came calling for Granddad in his dreams this week.

He      He became deaf, and she turned blind just a few years ago, but they always sat beside one another for 60 years, and when she was gone, he lived in silence beside an empty chair in the den. Click here: Is This The End?

Granddad fell in love with Grandma instantly. She was engaged, but that didn’t deter him. He knew she was his only one and promised to love her till the end of her life. They married and he fulfilled that promise day after day.

He was determined like that. He fibbed about his age to defend his country in World War II saying he was 18 when he was really 16.

He was stationed in France, and worked as a specialist sending morse code messages when his communication’s truck was hit by a mortar and his arm was blown off.

                      A female physician – rare to have a female doctor in the war zone in France at that time – sewed it back on…it functioned perfectly!

     

   

  

Granddad was sharp as a tack with very dry humor. Once, he was in the hospital for a respiratory illness that required a chest x-ray. The doctor came into his room looking shocked. “I don’t know how to tell you this,” he said, “but you only have 1 lung and it appears where your other lung should be is a black mark that could be a tumor.” “Oh, that other lung shriveled up years ago,” Granddad answered matter-of-factly, “forgot to tell you.”

Grandma & Granddad gave our little one Tidmouth Sheds for her train table. I put a photograph of them next to it so she could link that the gift was from them. I do that with many special presents so the kids know from whom it came.

Our daughter said she will never give up her piano from Granddad even if she plans for a grand piano in her future. “It will go somewhere special in my house and I will keep it forever!”

Just as Granddads do, he was the explainer of all things.

 

 

No place was better than on Granddad’s knee…

 

                                      …& on his back!

Or hanging out grabbing a drink at the pub.

 

Granddad slowly went deaf in his late years. Soon he could only hear female voices. Later, on the phone, he could only hear mine – high-pitched & loud, I’m told. But then came the day when even my voice was inaudible.

 

 

It was crushing for me because I like family to stay connected especially because we are so far away.

Granddad was 88 years old. He wasn’t on a computer. I immediately printed out this website and Phillip had it bound and we sent these 300 pages of family stories and photos to Granddad in book form so he could read them over time at his leisure and keep up with family news he could no longer hear. 

He was kind and sweet and dear and loving. He will be deeply missed by the family. But he’s in his beloved’s arms once again and that gives us great solace. 

The Bright Spot TM –  We did not lose Granddad, for someone is only lost if their memories aren’t kept alive. We’re a picture-snapping, video-taking, storytelling family, so Granddad lives on. Thank you for sharing his story.

Immigrants, Aliens & the All-American Girl

My parents were immigrants.

My husband is an immigrant.

 

My cousins are immigrants. My friends are immigrants. They all came here seeking the American dream.

My parents became citizens, started with nothing and worked day & night to make that dream a reality.

American-born, they taught my sister and me to honor this country to the core, fly the flag and pledge our alligence. My parents are the greatest patriots I know and I’m proud to be an All-American Girl. We are teaching our children the same rooted values and love of this great nation. When I was selected as Miss Connecticut to represent my native state in the Miss America, I was very honored. (See “Our Photos” above for Miss CT pics, or click on “My TV Website” in the navigation bar above for more related news/videos/press releases & charitable work as Miss Connecticut.)

 

For Memorial Day, we went with our children & friends to the Intrepid aircraft carrier in New York City.

  

It’s Fleet Week and NYC is electric!

My Mom was excited about the Intrepid – she told me that on its LAST voyage around the world in 1971, it docked in Portugal, England, Germany, Italy, France, Spain, Denmark, Scotland & Norway & she told me that she took me on the Intrepid in 1971 in Kiel, Germany with my Grandfather & we all had a wonderful time & she remembered it well. I don’t remember, I was little, but how cool is that! 

 

We honored the young…

 

…and our elders who fought years ago for our freedoms like this World War II fighter pilot who flew this very plane!!

It was a very special day to remember.

Then we headed to Mars.  We took a space shuttle and landed on the Red Planet.

Some of us were ready to meet the Aliens…

 

…and clearly, some of us were not!

                                                  (I mean, really, what is up with Phillip here????)

The Bright SpotTM   – And to top off this marvelous day, this All-American Girl threw caution to the wind when it came to boring, ole calories and I ate my All-American apple pie with whipped cream…oh, yes, AND the Boston Cream pie – hey, if you’re going to indulge, do it right! Yum!!

 

For an awesome look at our phenomenal history, watch “America: The Story of Us” – a 12-part series, action-packed, incredibly edited, unbelievably riveting, a powerhouse epic - you will be amazed in the 1st minute of the series, I promise. God Bless America!!!!