Grandpa... tell me 'bout the good o'l days

SO... I've been thinking a lot about Grandpa today. I don't really know why. It may be because I added one of my all time favorite songs to my playlist (holes in the floor of heaven) and I always cry when I hear it because it reminds me of Grandma (both of them) cause they have passed away, but today, it is reminding me of Grandpa Nielsen. I guess I just miss him. Remember how I used to back talk him all the time, and grab him by the neck of his shirt and act like I was so much tougher than him, and he'd laugh and call me my ever so wonderful name (which I think may have been my nickname to him) "you little s___" (I couldn't write the whole thing, but you get the drift). Remember how I would squirt him in the face with that little water gun when he'd talk smack to me. LOL! Man... that was fun. He was a good sport, he'd just laugh, and again with the nickname. Man I love him. He was so fun. Even though I was such a bratt to him, he thought the world of me, when no one else did. It took us quite a few years to get to that point, but... we got there. My last memory of him was when he died and I was the only one there and he was just laying there and I cried and talked to him and told him I was sorry that I never got married while he was alive (that was like his biggest wish, I swear, Nic said he kept talking about it). He would always ask me, every time I came home. He was even mad one day when I came home and I walked in the door and the first thing out of his mouth was... "Oh... look who it is! Do you have a boyfriend yet?" to which I replied "Nope!" Then he said the funniest thing I think I ever heard "Well what's wrong with those boys? Maybe I should tie a sign around your neck that says I'm Single!" LOL!!!! I said (in my classic sassy tone) "WELL... maybe I should hang a sign around your neck that says I'm old and Ornery!" He just laughed and sat down. Remember how he used to poke you as you were walking by with that cane he used. LOL! One time I ripped it right out of his hands. Hahahaha... his eyes got so big- it pretty much just shocked him. I wouldn't give it back. I walked around with it. He laughed and kept begging for it. I said "Until you can say 'I'm sorry Tahnee. I will never treat you in such a disrespectful way again.' then you aren't gettin' it back." I think I must have gotten my pride from him because it took quite some time, and a few colorful words before he got it back. LOL!!! Ah... he was fun. He was like an onion. You sometimes had to peel through the outter layers, but once you got inside... pure greatness. Even though he acted like a toughy... he was also a softy. Anyway... I just wanted to share my memories because I've thinking so much about him today. Oh... and don't you love the look on his face in this picture. Classic Grandpa Nielsen. I love it. I think we all got our "Nielsen Pride" from him. This picture is on my desk at work. I love it.