Started Tea For Three in Baden

Well Grandpa I finally did it. I started Tea For Three down here in Waterloo. Its so exciting but with it brings such loneliness for you. Every wood piece I look at or things I want to cut out I feel the loss of you so much. You use to do all the cutting and that made painting all the more fun. I remember when you made me start sanding my own pieces and I was all grumpy about that. But I learned how and I still don't like sanding much but I get a chuckle at how you were so firm with not doing it for me. 

Missing Grandpa

I have been painting again Grandpa. I know you would be so happy to know that. I have so many happy memories of you and Grandma, how you would cut our wood pieces and we would paint. Then at 9:00 you would make the tea. The birth of Tea For Three came of many nights painting together and then having tea. I wish you were still here. Love you and miss you. 

Time For Potatoes

Well the start of May is around the corner. This brings fond memories of Grandpa getting ready to plant potatoes. Even after we all got older Grandpa still planted enough potatoes to feed everyones family. I don't think anyone of us can look at potatoes without thinking of Grandpa. Grandpa called potatoes "Spuds" and felt everyone needed to eat their spuds! I being THE PEST  was always over at Grandpa's house visiting and all summer long Grandma and Grandpa would send me home with a bag of goodies from their garden. My daughters as they got older would walk over to Grandma and Grandpa's to raid the garden of peas, or cucumbers, lettuce and green beans. Grandpa was terrible for waiting to long to take the potatoes out and would get caught with having to dig them up being knee deep in mud and water and freezing our hands off. Every year we would bug him to take the potatoes out and every year he waited too long. 

Birthdays with Grandpa

     Birthdays with Grandma and Grandpa were just always special. Not because we did anything extravagant or had expensive gifts, but because Grandpa and Grandma had a way of making you feel extra special on your birthday. I loved all the cakes Grandma made over the years Panda bears, Princesses and Bunnies. We all were so excited just to see the cake. 

     It was my birthday this week and it was such a hard day because Grandpa left us to go back to heaven just last week. My first birthday without Grandpa was bittersweet with so many wonderful memories and funny stories that were so much apart of all that Grandpa was.   

     I smile even now thinking of how Grandpa sang me happy birthday when I was little and I would laugh. "Happy Birthday to you. Happy Birthday to you. I went to the Zoo, and I saw a monkey that looked just like you."