To Brian

Sunday, January 18, 2009
Young Brian has asked for information that I feel we bloggers in the family are qualified to answer. He wants to know more about Grandad. It is hard for me to remember just how young he was when we lost Dad. Rather than try to write a biography which could take a long time I suggest that we all take a moment occasionally and document a particular memory we have of Dad. Perhaps sometime in the future this collection could be a family treasure. For now, lets help Brian know a little of how we saw Grandad.
I am going to rely on my memory and just write the first memory that comes to mind without trying to psychoanalyze why I picked this one.
I had to have been in 4th or 5th grade for this one. I know that was my age the last time we were in Brunswick, ME. I was in cub scouts. Dad was home from deployment. I had a project to do for a merit badge and I (we) decided to do a rock collection. Typical 5th grader would have put a glob of glue on some paper and stuck rocks on top of it. Mine was different. We went to a hill (small mountain) we used to go to for picnics and collected rocks from around the property. Dad had access to plexiglass at work (I didn’t know what plexiglass was). He took six pieces and cut them the same size. They were about ½” thick and 8”x6”. He drilled about 15 ½” holes in the two middle pieces and we put the small rocks in each hole. He had drilled all the way thru the four corners. Screwed them together and had two rock collection displays unequalled in my pack. I remember having those stacks of plastic well after I graduated from high school. From that I think I learned to do things a couple notches above what the rest will do. Ordinary was never acceptable. We were capable of better.
Next!
Unclewesty over and out.