Tuesday 29 January 2013

From Grumpy to Grampy.

When I woke up this morning he had gone. Thank God for that I thought, I can get things back to normal. I'm talking about the miserable old bastard who occasionally takes over my life and pretends to be me. I have no idea where he has gone to or when he will be back. The thing is, he is sneaky and creeps up on me whenever he thinks I might be getting too happy and content with my life. Anyway he isn't here just now so I won't dwell on him. Oh, except to say that it was all the kind comments from you that made him decide to move on for a while. I thank you too. Sincerely. From my heart.

My daughter Jodie is coming tomorrow, with my granddaughter Maisie (I know I don't look old enough to be a grandad). How do you spell Grandad? Like I just did? Or does it have two D's in the middle? It doesn't matter really because when she see's how young I look she will be too embarrassed to call me it. I expect she will invent some cool nickname for me. She is fourteen years old, I have missed such a lot. I am going to spoil her.

An old acquaintance who saw the recent article about me in the newspaper has sent me this photo that he took in 1986. That is me with my horse Lucky. The young man sitting on the cart is my nephew Peter, one of my late brothers boys. Can you believe that I used to drive that horse and cart everywhere? I even had a gypsy wagon and me and Jodie would travel around in it. What happy days they were.

And look at me in the photo. I look about twenty years old. I was actually thirty nine years old! Hey maybe I'm imagining it, maybe I do look thirty nine. What do you think? No! Don't answer that! I remember being very fit. I still did a lot of distance running in those days.

Where is my beard? I thought I had always had a beard. When I showed this photo to Jodie she remembered that this was at a time when I had just shaved the beard off. I went to pick her up from school, and she burst into tears when she saw me, because she had never seen me clean shaven! It must have been quite traumatic for her. The incident certainly stuck in both our minds.

Another thing noticeable about me in this picture is that I must have left my fat tummy at home that day and gone for the flat stomach look. I must have a look around for my six pack abs. I haven't seen it for some time.

Anyway that's enough about me. No really ladies. I'll talk more about myself next time. You can have too much of a good thing you know, despite what they say.



20 comments:

  1. I thought it was your handsome son George in the photo, he looks so much like you looked then, that's not to say that you aren't handsome now. ahem.....
    Briony
    x

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  2. 'Why you handsome, clever boy!' she says with a purr! big smiles. Enjoy your day tomorrow.

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  3. Glad Happy John is back, It seems you have led an interesting life. Fourteen is an interesting age. I am sure she will like the Happy John. Tell her stories if she will listen.

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  4. Wish we could go back to the horses and carts and maybe a few small tractors, John.

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  5. I didn't mind your sour mood yesterday, John. I get them a bit too often, really. Actually, sometimes I have periods of great writing that seeps out from them. OK, not great...just good periods of writing from them. I am glad you are felling better.

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  6. Personally I think you are smart to share your "grumpy bastard" with us. You take him out of John and place him somewhere else. Then John can come to life again. I love looking at old photos. My cousin recently sent some from when we were children. Memories. Jodie and Maiaie will love spending time with you. Don't feel too bad about Maisie's age. My oldest grandson is almost 24. And his 23 year old sister is going to make me a great-grandma within the month.

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  7. I'm so pleased the MOB has gone. You are too nice a guy to have him lingering too long. He often visits me too when I am in my happiest moments. Can be extremely disconcerting and he can bring with him some dark moments. I think it is therapeutic to share those frustrations as you do and we all love you...me of course in a brotherly way although you are that little bit older than me. Of course you don't look it the fine specimen you are that drives all the women wild. The years have been kind to you.

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  8. Relish your time with Miss Maisie because before you will know it she will be all grown up just as her mother did. Have the best time!

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  9. That's a great photo! You're only as old as you feel - so that would probably make you 29. If you don't tell anyone you're a grandfather, you will be even younger!

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  10. You have been making it extremely difficult to smart-off things lately. I will keep trying, however.

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    1. Surely plenty of ammunition here Jerry? I hope you are not losing the cutting edge.

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  11. I'm glad that Grumpy is finally gone...thank goodness.
    It's great to have the old John back...yeah.
    I'm excited for you to be able to spend some time with your grand daughter. Keep us posted on the cute nickname she invents for you.
    I have sat staring at that younger version of you, and I think you were quite a dashing looking chap....of course you still are.
    I see quite a few ads for six-pack abs showing up on this blog, is that a coincidence??

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    1. They choose the ads from what I write in the blog Virginia. Dashing, I like that. Thank you.

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  12. Nice to have you back John although should grumpy ever return I would gladly read what he has to say as well.
    My but you were the handsome one in that shot.

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  13. I too thought it was EJS George in the photograph. How like you he is. I don't mind it when the MOB visits 'cause it proves you're human. We all have days like that, you know. Enjoy yourself with your granddaughter (Oooh look, double D...lol)

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  14. John, it really doesn't matter what nickname your granddaughter will give you as long as it is said lovingly. And, you do look at least 10 years younger than the age you said you were in that photo!

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  15. So glad Grumpy has gone off on his travels again.Its nice to have you back. I hope you had a good day with family today.

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  16. So happy you are reconnecting with Jodie and Masie. I think you stole some picture off the internet and are passing it off as you!

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