Mike's Musings

This is my grandpa or as we always called him Puppa!  Yes he is dressed up like a super hero!  This week is his birthday so I thought I would post about this guy for all to see!  This picture was taken at my nephews super hero party where everyone had to make their own super hero costume.  If you look at the details of this costume it is pretty intense.  The funny thing is I have a similar picture of when I was a little kid and I was dressed up like Peter Pan, guess who was standing next to me dressed up like Peter Pan as well? You guessed it...my Puppa!  One thing he has always taught me, among the many things, is how to have fun.  I remember as a little boy him doing things that looking back were hilarious.  One time we had a kiddie pool in his back yard we would swim in so he brought a chair out next to the pool and would act like a life guard, being very silly the entire time of course.  Or he would prepare himself as Greg Louganis about to perform one of his epic dives into the pool and would then flop into the kiddie pool.  He showed me it was ok to be silly and have a good time and he still does this today.  I love it when he comes into the room and tells some joke, even if the joke isn't that funny it makes me laugh, just because the way he is telling it.  He also has taught me how to be kind to people.  Whenever we go out to eat, which is often, he always treats the wait staff and managers like they were his own grandchildren or children.  He has a way of making anybody smile.  At church he is the first face you see when you come in the door because he stands there to make sure everyone gets welcomed, usually with a hand shake, a hug, or a joke.  He was an excellent grandfather, but he is also an excellent great grandfather, or as we call him "Puppa the Great".  My 18 month old daughter will even go to him and give him hugs.  He is in great shape and always jokes around that he is going to outlive all of us.  The scary thing is I almost believe him when he says it.  This last year has been a rough one for him, and all of us, because my grandmother passed away last February.  I know he has had his rough times with it, because we have talked about it, but he has taught me how to trust God and how to deal with tough situations.  He's not one of those people who sits you down and says, "Son, let me teach you something.", he's the type that just lives life and you learn so much from him.  Him and my mother are the people I got my addictions to electronics from and my desire to tinker with everything.  I know this all sounds so random, but thats the way Puppa would like.  Fun and random.  Happy Birthday Puppa!

PS.  And no...my grandfather is not Sean Connery.