#17 – Visit my Grandparents. Learn Something new about them Complete!
This past weekend I traveled with my sister and nephew to Rock Island, IL to visit our grandparents. My Grandpa was turning 96 years old on Friday (though he said all day he thought he was only 86). My Grandma said those 10 years must have blown by too quickly for him.
::My Grandpa and me on his 90th birthday
We had a quick visit which included some time hanging out with my Uncle Jim, Aunt Kim and cousin Julie at my grandparents apartment before heading to our hotel where a bunch of this happened:
My grandparents (John and Betty) are amazing. Each turning 96 this year, they still live on their own (with lots of visits, rides and checking in on from my Uncle Jim and his family), they still swim 3 days a week, take the bus and keep tabs on their enormous family. Still we’re aware that each visit with them is a gift. So I was determined to learn something new about them during this visit. Here is what they told us:
- My Grandpa (John) got slapped by his teacher on his very first day of school for arriving late. He lived 1/2 block from school
- My Grandma saw my grandpa for the first time across the hall at school when they were 15. She thought he looked pretty good
- In their day people didn’t date so seriously when they were that young. They might of liked each other best, but they both dated lots of other people
::Total dreamboats
- Still my grandma was pissed when my grandpa dropped her off at home first after a party when he still had 3 girls in the car (grandpa said she lived the furthest – it only made sense!)
- He used to visit her in Moline and race down 7th street to catch the last streetcar home at night
- Sometimes he’d sneak on the back when he didn’t have money to pay the fare. He never got busted
- When my grandpa moved to DC to attend Catholic Univ., My grandma dated, oh about 7 other boys
- His father died soon after and my grandpa came home to run the family business when his older brother Barney called to say he wasn’t interested in Insurance
- My grandpa only has 8 hours left to complete his Bachelor’s degree. I tried to get him to think about going back – there’s still time!
- They got engaged soon after
I forgot to ask her how she broke the news to her 7 other boyfriends, but she did mention that everyone knew they liked each other best.
John & Betty Forever! They’ve been married for 72 years (73 later this year)
I love them.
xo
Erin
