This is my Grandpa Bishop. He just turned 80 last week. On Saturday, we had a family reunion/surprise birthday open house to celebrate. I love my Grandpa so much!
So I give you the top 80 things I love and remember about Grandpa....
1. His Smile
2. His hugs
3. Listening to him play his guitar and sing
4. His determination
5. His stories
6. He's the best tree topper I've ever known
7. His sense of Humor
8. He loves children
9. He loves horses
10. He's an animal lover all the way around really, even if he denies it!
11. He's very
compassionate12. He knows how to serve others, and always does.
13. He went on a mission with Grandma to the Philippines.
14. He used to take us with him to the woods in Vernal where he would cut poles and we would skid them out with the 3-wheeler and load them on the truck. It was one of our favorite things to do. It was always fun to go the woods with Grandpa and Grandma. Grandpa always bought Ginger Snaps to eat on the way. When the work was done, we got to go for rides on the 3-wheeler. We would go to the pond in the meadow where there was usually a moose or some deer. One time I got to go by myself and Grandma and I were sitting in the forest watching Grandpa cut poles, Grandma was drawing a picture and she and I were sitting on a log. A little fawn came wandering through the trees, it came within 10 feet of us. We both thought that was pretty neat. Grandma would fix us lentils or chili for dinner. I'll always remember the great times we had in the woods.
15. Grandpa only has one hand but he has never let that hold him back. He finds a way to make things happen. It's amazing really.
16. You've heard of the horse whisperer. It's my Grandpa. He has skills!
17. You've heard of the baby whisperer. It's my Grandpa. I'm telling you, he has skills!
18. "Where oh where is poor little Trina?" It's the song I loved best as a kid, and it's the song that my children love the best!
19. He loves John Wayne
20. He always helps people
21. What we like to call 'Grandpa's 30 pound cake' I don't believe there is a recipe, just whatever you happen to have available...peanuts (without salt), raisins, coconut, sunflower seeds (again, without salt), chocolate chips....all mixed together with some flour, sugar, water, and baking powder. Just enough to make it look like the consistency of cake batter. Throw in the oven until the toothpick comes out clean! Viola! Grandpa's 30 pound cake. Given the name because it's the most dense cake I've ever eaten! Nonetheless, we loved it when we were kids.
22.
Root beer floats. Need I say more.
23. Most common phrase, "You know the rules!" The rule....if you want one, you have to give Grandpa one first.
24. For years Celia was in charge of dishing up Grandpa's plate. If Celia wasn't available, the duty fell to me. I got relieved of duty when I had children. So now one of the younger girls gets to dish up Grandpa's plate.
25. He hates broccoli.
26. A teaspoon of Cayenne pepper can cure any ailment.
27. Grandpa's hammer. It's cool. It laces up his arm, similar to a boot, with a hammer head on the end. His arm actually becomes the hammer.
28. Sometimes, he plays the harmonica while he is playing the guitar. It's pretty fun to watch and listen.
29. I love how he rolls up the cuff of his jeans.
30. His good guy hat (white) and his bad guy hat (black).
31. Ice Cream. Vanilla with orange sherbet. I'm not sure if that's his favorite, but it's the kind we always have at Grandpa and Grandma's unless of course we are having it with
root beer.
32. The tiger cookie jar.
33. When we were little we used to try on his glasses and then we would stand on the couch and try to step to the ground. I'm amazed we didn't break our legs. The glasses made the floor look like there was a big hole we were stepping into, so we hit the ground a lot sooner than we anticipated.
34. Grandpa's Combines. We loved to play on those things.
35. There used to be an old cement box type thing in his yard, we used it as our electric chair.
36. Pigs. Grandpa would come and get us when the sows were giving birth and we would watch the new piglets be born. Disgusting as a kid. Especially when the sow would eat the afterbirth. (Yeah, way too much info. I know.)
37. One time we were going to visit Grandpa and Grandma. We had a little white truck and my mom had flowers in the back. As we got close to the house, she looked back to make sure the flowers hadn't tipped over. She drove right into Grandpa's ditch in front of the house. I was sitting next to the door and my foot got smashed between the seat and the door. I had to go to the hospital to have x-rays done on my foot. It wasn't broken. I remember walking down the hall with Grandpa after. He was taking me to get ice cream.
Licorice flavored ice cream.
Mmmm my favorite. Too bad you can't buy that flavor any more.
38. Grandpa and Grandma had to come home from their mission early because my Grandma got really sick. When they came home my mom told us that she had a surprise for us that day, but she wouldn't tell us what it was. We waited and waited, trying to figure out what the surprise was. When she left to pick them up from the airport, none of us got to go with her. But I remember when she came home and Grandpa and Grandma got out of the car, it was one of the happiest days of my young life. I was so excited to see them.
39. Grandpa and Grandma lived with us for awhile after their mission.
40. He loves to read.
41. He loves Marty Robins
42. He loves Peter, Paul, and Mary
43. He loves music.
44. He is a hard worker.
45. He sings at the nursing home every week.
46. He lost his hand in a corn picker when he was 23.
47. He served in the Korean War.
48. Pedro. The scars where he lost his hand look like a smiley face if you add eyes. He always draws eyes on and adds a little hat. He calls him Pedro.
49. He has 9 children.
50. He has 50 Grandchildren.
51. He has 9 Great Grand Children.
52. He has the sweetest wife in the whole world.
53. When we were kids he would always give us crayons and a coloring book for Christmas.
54. He loves Louis
La'mour books.
55. He loves Frankenstein.
56. His favorite movie is Blackbeard's Ghost. He laughs harder every time he sees it.
57. He also loves The Court Jester.
58. Cutting trees with Grandpa. We would go along sometimes and stomp the branches in the truck so more would fit.
59. There is not a tree job that he has not been able to do.
60. "Got ya last"
61. Rusty, Rowdy, Cocoa (Aunt
Janny's horse). Grandpa's horses. Rusty and Rowdy were Grandpa's team. He would harness them all up and take them around the field.
62. "How Much is that Doggy in the Window." We can't leave without hearing Grandpa sing this song.
63. "Ghost Riders in the Sky"
64. Grandpa's false teeth. Kinda creepy when he takes them out.
65. Grandpa's black and white kitty.
66. His guitar pick.
67. His chain saw.
68. If anyone was ever stranded on the side of the road, Grandpa would always stop to help.
69. The spinning stool.
70. He used to make fun of me when I would read, because my face would do the expressions I was reading. So he would watch me and laugh.
71. Cheese....Grandpa LOVES cheese.
72. and nuts
73. He has a testimony of Jesus Christ and His Gospel, and I know it.
74. His testimony of tithing.
75. His nut can of change always seems to have enough change for ice cream.
76.
Tomato plants
77. Baby chicks in the house
78. His favorite chicken in the house
79. Homemade bread with bottled fruit.
80. But most of all, LOVE. Grandpa always makes me feel loved. Always!
HAPPY 80
th BIRTHDAY GRANDPA!
I LOVE YOU!
It was Katie's first time eating licorice ice cream...she was a little hesitant, but decided to take the plunge. She even liked it!
