This One Is For Grumpy...

Ha Ha! I bet you're thinking about Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, right? Well, you are right that we usually talk "Disney" everyday, but this time I'm referring to my dad, also known as Grumpy to all of the grand kids. You're wondering how he got that name out of all the choices of terms for grandpa? I think he was worried that something more conventional might have been assigned to him like grandfather or paw paw, so he quickly jumped on his own creation. Maybe it was his choice because the thought of becoming a "grand-anything" was scary, or maybe it was working the night shift for all of those years that made him so ornery. In any case, he is our family's very own Disney celebrity, Grumpy. "Grumpy is in the building!" Ha Ha!

Kidding aside, my kids love their Grumpy, pronounced Gra Gra by some, and he has a sweet side that makes his "grumpiness" an oxymoron (or ironic) at times. Let me stress, at times. My mom even has a term for the sweet, adventurous side of my father. It's not the Honey, Dear, or Darlin' as she often refers to him even when he's acting like a grumpy kid, make that acting like an old goat. My mom actually refers to my dad by a specific code name that lets us all know that today great things could happen.

My parents have been married for forty-five years and that's a long time by anyone's book-keeping! My mom contributes part of their marriage success and all of their wedding bliss to the side of my dad that she refers to as "Al Lien," also spelled alien but always pronounced Al Leon with a french-like emphasis on leON. When Al is visiting, my mom loves to take Dad shopping and sight-seeing. She dines with a man interested in conversation and not in scarfing down his food as fast as possible. She gets extra special treatments and treats from her doting boyfriend, Al. Al has optimism about the future and adventure for the present. My mom enjoys her dates with Al Lien knowing their time together could slip away, for as fast as Al sometimes appears he also leaves with my grouchy dad in his place. Hmm!

However, being a grouchy dad or Grumpy is not a bad thing, either. Remember in the Disney movie that Snow White softens Grumpy so much that even he has tears in his eyes when the princess is found sleeping after eating the evil Queen's poison apple? Our Grumpy also is a "softy" like when he has had the task of holding a crying baby or changing a dirty diaper. My dad makes lunch and afternoon coffee for us when I visit, and Grumpy serves only to Cam a special "coffee" consisting of warm chocolate milk with whipped cream topping. There are many tender moments between Grumpy and his grandchildren.

Throughout the years, there have been many tender moments between Grumpy and his daughter, too. And even in the midst of making mistakes (as all parents accidentally make) and without much training or many role models, Grumpy has managed to give fatherhood and grandfather-hood much more than his name represents or symbolizes, for found within him is a sweet and precious tenderness.

Wednesday, my dad requested that I update my blog more often. I asked him why, thinking he must be so impressed with my topics. Ha Ha! He replied that he liked "keeping up" with my life even though we visit together at least once a week if not more often. Then I started thinking: Grumpy might be addicted to the drama of my real life like he is addicted to his reality shows, or he was giving me a tender "kudos" in support of my starting this huge ongoing project of blogging. Thanks, Dad. And in that case, this one is for Grumpy.

By the way, yes Mom, I can have lunch tomorrow to give you a break from Grumpy. "Grumpy has NOT left the building!" I'll expect you around 11am. Love, M