Happy 80th!

I've been wondering over the last few days how I would re-enter the world of blogging with grace. Today lends me the perfect opportunity, as it is my grandfather's 80th birthday today! The picture above was taken in the summer of 2010 at my sister's wedding. Handsome couple, are they not? I thought I would like to share some of my memories of my grandfather, a man full of stories, pranks, and an impressive arsenal of farm animal sound effects.

I was talking to Pop on the phone the other day, and he told me that "the government" sent someone to the house to asses him since he's 80 now. This scared me. Not because I think he's old, or feeble, or feeble minded. Not at all. I worried about the tricks he would have played on this poor government official. Let me explain by example.

Back in the day, when farm trucks that were held together by baler twine were still allowed on the road, a new RCMP member was posted near the farm. Pop's truck was a green beast; large, temperamental and ugly. It was mechanically questionable enough that when the officer was driving behind the truck, he believed Pop to be intoxicated. When Pop was pulled over, he decided to have fun with the young officer! Who pretends to be drunk when pulled over?! And gets away with it?! Pop. Now, if you have ever been on a country road, you know that they are not sophisticated enough to have white painted along the side. A strip of yellow down the centre is all you get, and if you can't see how wide it is, that's your problem. The officer, obviously quoting from a memorized script asked Pop to please walk along the white line. Pop slowly turns his head from side to side and says, "Don't see the white line. They all look yeller t'me!" By the time Pop was done with him, I'm sure the officer was the more befuddled of the two. He never pulled Pop over again either, just politely nodded when The Beast meandered by.

When I asked Pop how he treated the visiting government official, he admitted that Nan had to pull him back on track when he started "giving a line of guff." Oh boy.

Recently Nan finally convinced Pop to be done with livestock. In MY lifetime they've had cows, foxes, rabbits, chickens, ducks, geese, and a collection of roosters. Oh, and cats. Can't forget the cats. They're not allowed in the house, but they get the best table scraps of any pet I've ever known. In addition to these critters, they have at times babysat donkeys, sheep, horses and anything else a neighbour may have needed to drop off. Pop is also generous to a fault. The fault is trying to give away animals to ANY child who visits. There is no need to ask parents. If a child wants an animal, he or she should have one! Kittens, bunnies, chicks, calves, whatever. Yes he did give away a cow to a kid who was in 4-H and needed one. There were always random people stopping at the farm to either admire Nan's gardens, or check out the bunnies. And by random, I mean people that not even Nan and Pop knew! It was just the place to go!

I know that with only these two examples, you'll have only a tiny idea of my Pop, but I don't know if this blog could handle all the stories! Like arriving at our house at 6am on Christmas day before any of us were even awake yet, wondering if Santa had been! His fantastic quotes like "Whoa Malippa!" referring to any vehicle he was driving, or "Right or wrong, Shirley, right or wrong?" Referring to my Nan, usually when he's sure he's right. If my scanner was out I'd show you some older pics. Maybe when there's more order to my house! :)

I hope you let me come back to blogging! I can't promise to be regular, but I promise to try to get more up here! :)