One last...Earl and Jaclynn

I have had the wonderful opportunity to be close to Grandpa Earl my whole life. When I was younger...3 or 4...I don't remember this, but have the pictures. (i'll put some on later) Grandpa lived in Springville with big trees in his yard. He raked all the leaves the day we went to visit. After all that work he tells the story that i ran and jumped right in the middle of the pile and started spreading them back out. The other adults at the time tell me that Earl leaned over with a twinkle in his eye and "suggested" that what a pile of leaves was good for was to jump in and pointed to the pile of leaves. Another time we went to visit Grandpa in Evanston. Like most newlywed couple my parents were struggling and I didn't have boots. Grandma sent Grandpa to take me to get some pull over boots (a cheap and effective alternative). Grandpa took me down to the store and said which ones do you want? I was probably 4 because they moved when I was 4 and I don't remember this story either. I picked out the boots just like grandpa's. Work snow boots (size 4 and still $60.00) and of course picked out the same ones for my baby brother ($40.00). Although I don't remember these, I do remember him teaching me to fish that next summer. He loaded the pole and hooked a fish and then handed it to me...I got all the glory for catching the first fish. He also taught me to gut a fish that same day (that the part I really remember...I was 5). I remember him teaching me about quaky aspens and how the deer hide in them. I remember helping to skin the moose when he was lucky enough to draw out a moose tag. I remember eating his prized raspberries. I remember learning that a cowboy hat is the sexiest piece of clothing a man can wear. We weren't allowed to touch Grandpa's Stetson cowboy hat, but it now sits at home where he handed it down to my husband. I remember him taking the cover off the boat so we could sit in it and pretend to fish. I remember all the times he would tell us to do something we normally couldn't get away with...and perhaps we got scolded but the twinkle in his eye made it worth it...and the punishments less serious:

• putting olives on our fingers and not eating them after
• chasing the dog
• watching scary movies...such as Jaws
• Getting another cookie after we were told we couldn't have one
• Using some of the adult tools we weren't allowed to (he was always patient and there to supervise) such as the dremel tool etc.
• Putting rocks into our mouths to get the dust off and see what color they really are
• Taking home fossils and arrowheads we found when we were hiking with him
• Steering the car long before we could reach the pedals
• Driving the car after we could reach even longer before we even thought of a learners permit
• Learning just where a jeep can go that you think it can't.

These may be long, but I'll add some pictures of him later. I just needed to send out a tribute to my dear Grandpa. I love him so much!