We were so busy all weekend preparing the food, cleaning and making sure everything would ready for today. I was sad when I woke up...I wasn't ready for this. This was supposed to be a happy day! But I just wasn't ready to say good-bye...
My mom put together a slide show that had pictures of Grandad with his friends and family. I watched it nearly a dozen times! It was just so nice to be able to see how happy he was all the time. I miss his smiling face. I miss his laughter. I miss his jokes.
So many people showed up! This made me happy, and it would have made him happy too. We all spent the afternoon shifting from group to group sharing stories of "How did you know him?" Everyone was in such a good mood. This is how Grandad would have wanted it. A PARTY!
My aunt wrote a nice speech, which of course brought everyone to tears. And my cousin in Brazil sent a speech of her own for her sister to read. Yes, MORE TEARS! It is hard to talk about someone you loved so much without crying. We all miss him so much. We miss his "Grandad-isms" as we like to call them. Things he would say that we could only link to him...Here are a few...
If you asked him if he wanted a cup of tea, he would answer with "Can a duck swim??" or "I'd like a cuppa."
When he would wake the kids in the morning he would throw open the blinds and say "Wakey wakey rise and shine, the sun'll scorch your bloody eyes out!"
When playing with us kids he would hold up his fists and threaten "Sudden death or dynamite?!" Either fist you chose would be limitless tickling and laughter.
And my favorite, his piano playing and singing! He was wonderful! I think above all things, I am going to miss hearing that piano in the morning. Completely effortless...the talent flowed through his fingers, onto the keys and filled the house!
At the end, we all wrote him notes on white balloons to be released into the sky. I hope he was able to get them all! I stood there watching until finally they were all completely out of sight.
I love and miss you so much, Grandad!
I think this time I'll choose dynamite! <3
