Hello, I am grampa. At least that’s what I’m called these days. I’ve had other names. Names like son, brother, dad, uncle, coach, captain and Mike. Grammi used to call me sweetheart, honey, or darling but now she calls me grampa too. “Grampa, dinner’s ready” I would hear from the kitchen. I have three beautiful granddaughters. They’re the reason for the name. So now I am grampa and truth be told, I like my name. I am a proud grampa.
I’m retired now. I had a long rewarding career in the fire service. When I reported for duty I knew there would be a new challenge. No two days were the same. I liked that about my job. Grammi is retired too. She was a small business owner and recently sold the business so we could have more time for adventures. Our definition of adventure has changed over time. We are no longer youthful thrill seekers but rather a more mature seeker of new experiences like traveling places we haven’t been, discovering something new, and meeting new people. That’s not to say we won’t occasionally do something outside our comfort zone but bungee jumping is out of the question. I like to think that every day is an adventure and adventure comes in many forms.
I have a variety of interest and hobbies. It’s hard to find time for them all. I like woodworking and can get lost in time while working on a project in the shop. I like fishing which I do often. I like golf which I do seldom. I like painting…mostly landscapes… which I haven’t done in a long time but would like to start again. I like to travel and explore new places. Even though I don’t like crowds, traffic and noisy places I do enjoy spending time with people in quiet settings with a glass of wine or a nice local craft beer or better yet, around a camp fire.
Of all the things that we enjoy there is nothing more enjoyable than spending time with our family. The moments in time that are spent with family are the happiest of all. Grammi and I have raised five children and it does our heart good seeing them all do so well. We are empty nesters blessed that our children still want to come around and visit. But on the days when it’s just grammi and I we will be out seeking a new adventure.