纪念
I will always remember going to Grandpa's house when I was little, looking forward to the blinking lights on a car, or a little flashing necklace, or our typical drive to the IMAX theatre. I always remember Grandpa asking us if we had ever seen the IMAX. My thoughts were always, "Grandpa, since you take us there every time we come, I have the exhibits memorized." But instead I always said that I would like to go just for Grandpa. I remember going to the movie store and asking Grandpa to get a movie I knew my dad would not accept, he would always agree. We would walk home only to hear my dad reject the movie and make us return it.
Now as a teenager, my interests have changed. My once favorite toys such as those blinking necklaces, China-Town "Gameboys", and little trinkets that bounced or snapped have now been forgotten. The one thing that has not been forgotten and never will be are my memories of my Grandpa. The man I always knew that had his signature jumpsuits, the man that would always get me and Weston's names mixed up. The man that I always knew cared, loved, and looked after me. That is the man I will always remember.
Dear Hoddy,
What an amazing and wonderful person you have been. Always there. Always thinking of someone else, deferring what you could do, so that others could enjoy more and have a better chance. Every day for all of my life, I will be saddened because of the things we now cannot do together. Saddened by the things I would have loved to do with you and by the things I know you would have liked to see, such as your grandchildren growing into the wonderful adult persons you have modeled for them…
Right now, the world is a bit colder and greyer, even in sunny Southern California, as we feel our way through this fog and shock of having lost you. My father passed away, suddenly, 16 years ago on the operating table. I learned that it is always too soon, too sudden, too permanent. But I was so lucky, because in the midst of that loss, Hoddy, you stepped into those shoes. I know with all of my heart that among all of the people in the world, my father would have chosen you to be there in his place. And so it has been, from that day, you have been as only a father could be to a son. An inspiration, an unshakable supporter and a priceless friend. Through everything, you have been so close to your grandchildren, selflessly thinking of them and giving your time to them. Now you are gone and on the surface it feels like I have lost my Dad again…
But I have learned so much over that time and I know deeper inside now that you are really not gone. You live on in everything around us. You are in the smiles of my children. Your happy spirit surrounds everything; your chair, the little blinking lights; the beach, your home and everyone in your life. I feel you still walking with me, advising me, smiling over the children. I sense your presence all around and I realize that that you are not gone. You are not diminished. You are multiplied in all of us and in everything we do. Your incredible smile and spirit stands watch over us all, now from a higher vantage point. Thank you so much for the beauty and love and fullness of life that you have shared!
Until our next chat,
Harol
Dear Dad,
We went to church today, thinking that might help mom, but boy was that hard to do...you were well loved there, and will be so greatly missed by all your friends there.
I realized today after service, that life will never quite be the same without you here. But at the same time, I still believe you live in each and everyone of us.
You've given me the love of newspapers. Growing up with no more than 3 dailies at our house each day, I basked in the news, and politics.
You've given Weston the inquisitive mind of wanting to know how everything works. And like you, he loves to tinker, and take things apart. I used to think he was going to burn our house down with that soldering iron you gave him.
He always looked forward to going to the Computer Swap Meet with you.
For Kiki, you've also given her the love of poetry and the written word.
Near your desk here, you have her poem that she wrote you when she was six. She wrote: "Follow the waves
And follow your heart,
And it will lead to gladness."
I also thinks she has an aptitude for mathmatics, though she would never admit that.
The part of you that lives in Taye is her art. She loves to paint and draw, and she was adamant about who she wanted to give her latest oil painting to, "that one is for grandpa."
She was so pleased you liked her painting at Christmas time.
And the only time she really liked to do math is when you were around.
Now I wonder how I'll ever motivate her with math. I'll need your help there.
As for Harol, my dear husband, his generosity knows no bounds, and dad that is how I always viewed your love too. Though you didn't always express it in words, I know your love was boundless, because you expressed it in little gifts, always thinking of us.
I walked into your garage the other day, and there on your work table you had already started your latest project of blinking snowmen. I will always cherish your little gifts, because they were always given with such boundless love.
Okay dad hope you're resting well.
Miss you so very much, I love you dad. Penny
Oh Daddy, I'll never forget that time we went to Diamond Lake (Oregon) to go catch us some trout. The kids were so excited, we rented a cabin for the weekend on the lakefront, we rented a row boat, we had our rods, we had night crawlers & power bait--We were ready for the trout to start biting!
Well we rowed out, and waited and waited and waited. Then the kids got bored, constantly bringing in their lines, and consequently getting knots in the lines every time they recast. But there you sat in the boat, untying and untangling lines almost the entire day, never complaining, and always giving helpful hints.
Then the wind picked up and there we are in our little row boat, and the wind and waves hoisted us to the lake's rocky shallows, we tried to push off those rocks with our oars, only to get splinters in our hands, and all the time you laughed and seemed to enjoy every minute of it. Frankly, dad I thought we were going to get stuck in those rocks, but we managed to row away.
Back to the middle of the lake we went to catch our trout. Another cast, another knot, another cast, another tangled line. Taye tried casting while you were still trying to untie a knot, and the barbed hook got stuck in your hand, and despite the bleeding you still laughed as you unhooked yourself, ouch!
Shortly after unhooking your hand, Taye landed her first trout of the day.
Not a big thing, but big enough to keep. And then she caught another one, which made her day!
Despite her brother and sister's more expensive fishing rods, Taye managed to land the only fishes of the day on her $20.00 pink Barbie fishing pole, we laughed all the way back to the marina about her fishing pole landing our dinner.
After you cleaned and gutted the fish, which grosses me out, I fried the fish for you and Taye, and both of you ate every last morcel of it. And then you happily proclaimed, " I think that was probably the most expensive fish I've ever eaten."
It's like that Master Card commercial--Boat Rental $50.00, Night Crawlers $5.00, lost hooks $10.00--being with your grandkids out on the boat--PRICELESS.
Dad, I'll always remember that day on the boat with you and the kids. It was times like these, I just never thought of you as old. I just always thought you'd be with us, sharing moments like this, but thank you, thank you, for all the patience you've shown the kids, especially Taye, our fisherwoman. But now I wonder, who will gut & clean the fish for me?
Taye will so much miss fishing with you this summer, you're the only one who has unbelievable patience with her. Perhaps you can give her a better cast from way up there. Love you dad, Penny
A Poem for Grandpa:
The Past Rest In Peace
While the future hops and leaps :)
, 
TAYE
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