Happy Birthday, Pop-Pop

Today my maternal grandfather is turning 80 years old. EDW's post about her grandmother inspired me to post about my Pop-Pop. Pop-Pop is the nicest person I have ever met. In all my 30+ years, I've never heard him say a bad word about anyone. On the day my mother and I went to Glamour Shots, got all dolled up, had our pictures made and then dropped by to show off our helmet-hard Beauty Queen hair and our Malaysian whore make-up job, my grandfather took a good look at us and said, "Well, your lipstick doesn't look too bad." He found the nicest thing he could honestly say, and said it. Pop-Pop just "retired" from his volunteer work. He played the piano, once a week for years and years at a retirement home. Just because he knows they enjoy it. He worked hard, working a full-time job and two part-time jobs at one point to support his wife and two girls. He helped found a church, always lent a hand where needed. He started the strawberry picking tradition in our family (see On June 24th, Strawberries Mean I Love You) Pop-Pop loves to golf and bike, neither one he can really do anymore. He bowls and plays dominos. He plays the piano totally by ear, any song he's heard enough to learn the melody. At bumper boats, he's a ruthless competitor and will soak you even if you are his 10-year-old granddaughter. The thing most people think of when they think of him are his jokes. Pop-Pop loves a good groaner - the kind that is so silly or dumb that you have to laugh, even though you're saying "oh, is THAT bad. . ." Always clean of course, he'd probably find my last post a little blue. Happy Birthday, Pop-Pop. I am so glad you can see and hold and know my son. I'm so blessed to have you in my life. In honor of Pop-Pop's birthday: An atheist was walking through the woods, when he heard a terrific roar. He looked up to see a bear charging at him, claws and teeth at the ready. He calls out "God, if you're real, make this bear a Christian!" The bear drops to his knees in front of the atheist, folds his paws and says "Lord, for this meal I am about to receive I give you great thanks . . ."