The People in Our Lives, Grandparents

Many of us have grandparents that bring nothing but good memories to mind. My grandparents lived with my family and what a blessing it was. My Grandfather, "Grampa" as I knew him was an amazing man. I don't think there was a thing he could not do. Brilliant mind and artistic also. He composed music, sang, played piano, did something with a slide rule and radio waves or something during WW2. He was a ham radio operator, had his own printing press, an avid gardener and a lover of photography. Thanks to him, we have hundreds of family photos spanning many decades.
He was always there to get a hug from, a story from or have him fix a broken toy. Although I was still a small child when he died, I remember the day as if it was yesterday. The details still fresh in my mind.
My grandmother whom I loved dearly was also brilliant. She read a hardback every couple days. Skipped a couple grades in school and was certainly one to keep everyone in line. The term Matriarch applied. She was very loving and never wanted to see my sisters or me get into trouble and would stick up for us in all circumstances.
She also was a real snob. She would whisper about people who were not our kind, meaning social status. She had impeccable manners and wonderful social graces.
She was always loving to her family, a bit hard on us if we did such a thing as telephone a boy. Unheard of in her day. She was a germ phobic person and actually washed her money. There would be money laying out drying all over the arms of her chair. Her nails were always painted perfectly, lipstick to match. She had more shoes than Imelda Marcos and hats and gloves for each outfit. She was opinionated to the hilt but so loving and shared with me family history and how things were done in the old days. She shared stories of the sea and about her uncles that were ship builders and sea captains from Nova Scotia where she was born. To this day I miss her and she has been gone for 32 years now. Grandparents can be of a tremendous influence in our lives. Mine were. My love of books and learning, my love for good manners, my love of gardening and photography, my love of family history and more came from my grandparents.
I never knew my fathers parents as they both died tragic deaths very early in life.
I watch now my own father with my daughters and how they love him so much. How he can do no wrong in their eyes. A wonderful bond exists between them. My mother died when the girls were both small children, but even at that, her influence has been felt.
I think about what kind of grandmother I will be. I know my husband will be an amazing grandfather. One to share stories, lots of love and the ability to be the Grandpa that can do everything.
We are all who we are because of the people in our lives.
The top picture is of my Great Grandfather, who I also knew and loved. My Aunt Jeannine is sitting with him. This man was a saint. Never said anything unkind in his life and was fun and very loving. Always dressed in a shirt and tie, even at home relaxed. Smoked a pipe that smelled heavenly.
Next is a picture of my grandfather, Ronald Heckbert and finally my grandmother, Alexandra (now you know where my love of hats and gloves came from ).
We are defined by those who loved us and those we love.