FAMILY

 Graphic from the web on FB. 

Here we go.The beginning of the "holiday season." A time, we hope, for family. The family you born into, married into, or just lucked out you're family no matter who your blood releties are. 

I never knew grandpa Heaton. He passed in the mid thirties.From the stories dad told it was probably heart disease. They'd finished chores, grandpa sat on the steps and petted the dogs. He went inside and a few minutes later the dogs started howling. Seems like the four legged, furry ones are part of the family too.

I never knew grandpa Freeman. He died in 1933. Influenza. This is kind of cliche but he asked his best friend to look after his family. Did more than that. He married my grandmother and became a father to mom and her brothers. He was the only grandfather I knew. I believe I was in junior high when it finally sunk in that I had two uncles named Freeman and a third named Parks. It just didn't seem to make a differrence. He pretty much treated everyone the same. And I have to tell you family, full family, get togethers were a riot. That didn't happen all that often. Uncle Jack lived in LA so they didn't get up to Springfield or Portland that often. But, in the end, fifteen kids called him grandpa. Stll miss him. Lost him in the seventies.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        `