Not To Bring This Blog Down...

My grandfather died yesterday morning.

It was somewhat expected - he had not been well for over a year - but no matter how much you think you mentally prepare yourself for it, when it happens your emotions go through a blender.

He had something many people don't get to experience - over 30 years of enjoyable retirement. He retired from the Chicago Fire Department when he was in his mid 50s and had good health up until the last couple of years. He had a lot of difficulty adapting to the fact that he wasn't physically capable of doing the things he did for so long. And honestly after his latest hospital scare in December and putting him in long term care afterward, I think he realized it was his time and went to a better place.

I'll always have these memories of him:

• His love of crossword puzzles, macadamia nuts, Beefeater gin and the Cubs.
• His garden - when my grandparents still lived in the city he had a huge garden for a fairly small backyard - he even grew corn! When they moved out to the retirement community he still had a plot in the communal garden for many years. He was the first person to feed me zucchini.
• He used to smoke cigars but my grandmother wouldn't let him smoke in the house. When I was little he would say, "Come on Melissa, let's go for a walk." I didn't realize until I was older that when he said that he wanted to have company as he smoked. He probably hadn't smoked them in 15 years but when I smell cigar smoke I still think of him.
• He made the best homemade lasagna. He used to cook for his fellow firemen, and I always looked forward to Sunday spaghetti dinners.
• His laugh and enjoyment of life. I only hope I can get as much out of life as he did.

I am not a religious person by any means, but I hope wherever he is he knows that he is loved, and that he will missed.