Confessions of an ever grateful Grandson

Its been a while since I have had and maintained a blog, but its time for a return...

I've decided that the "Tributes" title is just about perfect this time around, its all going to be based on tributes to different people, things, and aspects of life, especially as the pertain to me and my world. I know that may sound a bit selfish, but its my blog and I can write what I want.

My first tribute will go out to the two people who started it all. Grandma and Grandpa Wehner... I got some news recenlty that Grandma hasn't been feeling well and damn it made me feel guilty. Now its time for the honest cap... I've been out of touch recently, basically because I have wanted to be, if I'm being 100 percent honest. Living in another city, a good distance away gives me a great excuse to not be as involved, but damn that is a horrible excuse and a rotten way to express my gratitude, respect and love. And I digress into a self pitty and loathesome mood... So to get back on track:

Thank you to the two people who have influenced my life more than just about anyone. There is not a day that goes by that something I do, see, hear, smell, or pass by something that doesn't remind me of my Grandparents. I walked into Panera Bread this morning and what is the first thing that anyone of us do when we walk in, immediately we smell Grandma's Bread. Then as I walked toward the line I smelled another familiar scent, it was vegetable soup. I proceeded toward the counter, but another aroma caught my nose, I was passing the coffee station and boom I was in the kitchen on 81st street again. I was smelling coffee in the morning while sitting at that tiny little table that looked out onto the front porch dreaming of sneaking to the upstairs attic through the door just across from the table, but knowing it was nearly impossible because Grandma and Grandpa were making soup in the kitchen with all the good stuff. Everytime they opened the refridgerator door it nearly hit the tiny table I was sitting at and definitely blocked the door to the attic. It was like a small feat of engineering to use the oven, open the fridge, and wash dishes, and serve someone at that tiny table, and cook or can vegetables all day in that kitchen, but hey, it felt "bigger" because you could also look out across the sink and see into the sun room. And hey us kids could always go into the sun room and stand on the back of the orange striped couch and look into the kitchen to get out of the way.

Wow, that was a huge digression and never did I actually thank anyone for anything... I want to thank my Grandparents for always letting me be involved in everything that went on in their home. They allowed me to be in the middle of everything and taught me so much its unbelievable. I know what good soup tastes like. THANK YOU. I know what homemade means. THANK YOU. I know what real salsa is and I know what it feels like to put a hot pepper seed on my tongue. And coincidentaly I know what it feels like to hold ice on my tongue. THANK YOU. I know what real home grown vegetables smell like and taste like, and when I go to the farmers market I can actually pick out good vegetables, ok when I go to the grocery store I can pick out good vegetables, but I do go to the farmers market from time to time. THANK YOU... I am also incredibly impressed with what a little patience can do. THANK YOU. I know how to use a hammer and new nails, old nails, screws, tacks, roofing nails, straight nails, and coffee tins of every type of nails. THANK YOU. I know how to pilfer just about every tool out of a garage and never get it back to where it actually belongs and never hear a word about it. THANK YOU. I know that two days ago I walked into the break room and work and nailed nine consecutive characters as they walked across the screen AND the name of the TV show, (ALL MY CHILDREN, Adam, Tad, etc) and impressed maybe no one, but myself. THANK YOU. I know what real pop corn should taste like. THANK YOU. I know that I always have someone to turn to when the crap hits the fan and I need help. THANK YOU. I know that I always get the truth from you. THANK YOU. That might be one of the biggest lessons I have learned. THANK YOU. I know that no matter how much those oatmeal cookies with icing on them look like the ones from Grandmas cookie jar, they just don't taste right if they don't come from Grandma's cookie jar. THANK YOU.

Grandma and Grandpa you have helped me in more ways than I will ever be able to express to you. I could literally write like this all night, but alas, you have also imparted great work ethic, and responsibility and I do have to work tomorrow. I love both of you so very much and I'm coming to the area soon and I'm coming to see you and deliver a copy of this to your home. Hopefully by that time there are tons of things on it so you will have something to do after the soaps are over until court TV comes on. I love you. Thank you.