"Pop"..

Today is a sad day.  My "Pop" died last night..  I've mentioned before that life is too short... We all too often take for granted people in our lives.  I remember when my grandmother died... one of the (if not MOST) difficult times of my life.  Growing up, I was always with my grandparents.  They lived right behind my folks..  Every weekend we would go over to their house to eat breakfast.  Not just any breakfast..  I'm talkin "COUNTRY" breakfast.. Fried eggs, fried apples, biscuits, fried potatoes, the BEST gravy you could EVER imagine.  Oh, forgot jimmy dean sausage patties and tons of bacon..  This is what I had every weekend..  (damn no wonder I'm so LARGE!! HAHA)  Anyway, some other feasts they would make were things like chicken ortega, one of my favorites:  Chicken n Dumplins..  Homemade dumplins.. Wow.. that was soo good.  After breakfast, all us grandkids would go climb in their bed and watch Little Rascals..  Saturdays were good. :D

Pop also had his garden.  Tomatoes, cabbage, cucumbers..all kinds of stuff in there.  And they "canned" most of it.  Sour Kraut was big.. and Pickles.. I can remember the taste like yesterday..  

After my grandmother died, Pop stayed in the house for a while, but then decided to sell it.  Dunno who lives there now, but the house looks nice.   

He stayed with my aunt for a long time.. and we'd all visit..  my dad would go and hang out with him a couple nights a week.  Then he went to a "home" to live (too difficult for my aunt anymore) where there were other "older people"..   He had a great time making fun of them.. He was pretty ornery.  (ok, and could be a little mean).  

I got a call yesterday that he wasn't doing too hot. So they moved him to a nursing home. Dr's said he had about 48 hours to live... I guess Pop was in a hurry to leave because he fell into a coma shortly after and died a couple hours later. Ya, he was ready.

Here's where I am saddened.  I was always so busy with MY life to go spend more time with him.  Me and the Kid always had something going on, and didn't MAKE the time.  We did see him quite a bit, but my heart doesn't feel it was enough.  I did speak to him on the phone, but again, not enough.  

We aren't here forever.  That is a fact.  I need to start making the important things count.  Make TIME for what is important.  I hope one day Pop will forgive me.

"5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. 6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever. "  Excerpt from 23rd Psalm