Uncle Sim

As we grow up, a part of life is saying goodbye to the people we love. I still remember when my Great Grandmother died. It was my first trip to spend a week alone with my Grandma. I was at my Great Grandparents house (we called them Granny and Pa) when Granny had a stroke. I was to young to remember much about it except that I had to stay on the porch and play with Spud McKenzie, a stuffed dog I had won at the arcade. Pa died many years later after spending several years in a nursing home. They were amazing people.

This is Granny, Jennings, and Edna Earl holding me when I was a baby.

This is a picture of Pa that same year. He was an amazing man! He built his house with his own hands and nails. The house still to this day is standing strong! It is a beautiful home that held generations of family, memories, and love.

This picture is of me, Granny, and Pa in their home when I was 3 years old. The strongest memory I have of them is that Granny always kept gum in a drawer in her kitchen and we always knew we could get gum out of it! Pa was big into puzzles. He had a horseshoe puzzle that you had to get the ring off of, and a nail trick as well. I love games like those to this day because they remind me of them. I also have a book I wrote about Pa when I was in gradeschool, shortly before his death. I cherished my visits to him in the nursing home, even though looking back now I know how unhappy he must have been there. Not many people get to have the time and memories I was blessed to have of my Great Grandparents!

This is a picture of me and my Grandpa when I was 2 years old. There is not enough room in this blog to share all the amazing memories and times I spent with him! My Grandma and Grandpa were divorced before I was born and my Grandma remarried another wonderful man who took great care of her. He took such great care of her in fact, that I often told them both, "If I marry a man who is half as good to me as Ted is to Grandma I will be perfectly happy!" Whenever I went to visit my Grandma I would get to spend a few nights at my Grandpa's house. I loved exploring all the old tools and items in his basement. He would always buy me a jar of pickles that I would eat and drink the juice. We also always made popcorn in his air popper that I was fascinated with. He would then sit and play his guitar and sing to me. He had cut off part of his ring finger in a wood cutting accident but it didnt stop him from playing guitar. He was amazing. I LOVED to listen to him play and sing. I remember the day he gave me his guitar. It was one of the most memorable moments in my life to this day. I felt I wasnt just being given a guitar, I was being given a prized possession and an important part of my Grandpa's life. After having several health issues, my mom moved him to Illinois to an assisted living place where we could be close to him. I value that time and regret it as well. I loved to get to spend time with him, but it also makes me sad and regret every moment I had the chance to spend with him but didnt because I allowed silly things to keep me from stopping by. He died shortly after I went off to college. He had a very peaceful and content passing.

This is my Uncle Sim. He is 89 years old. He lives at home on his farm, that he farmed himself until very recently. His wife has Alzheimer's but still lives at home with him along with their daughter who helps to care for them. Growing up I loved to stop at their house, he always took me for a ride in his truck to go see the cows and horses he has. His horses were wild, but they would come right up to him and eat out of a bucket. He always had a dog or two and some cats as well. It was fun to go and talk about horses and tell him what I was doing. Last night I found out he had been moved from his home to ICU and was not doing very well. Not many people can say that stayed at home and farmed their own farm their whole lives. He is an honest man who has lived an honest life, not spoiled by the problems so many of us seem to face in this country and by our government. The last report I had sounded like he was doing a little better, but he will probably not be able to go home again. While I am very sad to think about him dying, a part of me is happy he has had a long and full life, one that I hope someday my grandchildren and nieces will be able to write about me.