Sentimental Sunday - Going Back to 1994

Twenty years ago - where does the time go? The picture above is of my Grandparents in 1994. My Grandpa was 72 and my Grandma was 65. Back then, they just seemed, well, old to my 12 year old self. But, they were still doing very well, health wise. My Grandpa, who never used a cane his entire life, helped us move in December. That's when I realized my Grandpa was still pretty darn cool. My Grandma also helped us out during the move. Looking back, I can't believe that they were in their 70's and late 60's and helping us move.

Most especially, looking back, I realize now just how much time has changed them. Now my Grandma can no longer drive, she's had two mild heart attacks and is on several pills. One of the heart attacks caused her to have a bit of a limp, but it's barely noticeable and she's too proud to use a walker or a cane, so she hangs on to us sometimes when going up steps. Yet, when I look at my Grandma, she still has that spunky attitude about her that she's always had her whole life. She crinkles her nose when she's unhappy or talking about something unpleasant. She'll still use her hands to gesture with when telling a story. Her eyes will get expressive when she's talking about something exciting. And, there I see it, the Grandma I've always known. She's slowed down, but she keeps on going.

One of my fondest memories from 1994 with my grandparents was hiking the hills behind their ranch and then coming down and playing baseball. It was Easter and it was that rare time of year in Northern California where the hills stay green for only about 8 to 10 weeks. If we have a dry winter, it's cut even shorter. My Grandpa's dog, Bozo, was still alive and so was my cousin's dog, Rainbow. We hiked the hills and I remember spending time with Grandpa, who helped me up several times when I got scared. We then finally made it to the top. All of us cousins were so proud of our achievement. This was something we'd been doing on this land since the 1950's. We were the 2nd generation. It was really windy out, I remember, and luckily many of us brought some flannel shirts to warm us up. We then ran down the hills, got our gear to play ball and we all played until dusk. One of my favorite Easters was in 1994.

I am feeling sentimental and this post nearly brought tears to my eyes, as I am still grieving my Grandpa's passing and thinking of our time together during 1994 brings back some good memories. I am thankful to have them to remember him by.