Each year Gramps would get a different theme for his Birthday party. He loved when I surprised him with the "Casino night" theme for his 86th Birthday. Since Gramps would love to go to Atlantic City, I thought lets just bring the casino to him. He always said I would keep him young. Gramps also loved the time I made a luau for him. He laughed that whole day because I had blow up mini palm trees and flamingos all over his house. I just loved to see him have so much fun. He would get excited like a little kid. All the festivities we had for his birthday are definitely one of the best memories I have. Just seeing Gramps light up like he did made me so happy.
My Gramps has taught me many things throughout the years. For starters, he was the one who taught me how to ride a bike, roller skate and drive. In 1995, Gramps purchased a brand new Saturn and without ever taking any driver's ed courses he took me in his car and taught me to drive. I remember I was so nervous and wanted to wait for driver's ed to start but he had confidence in me that I would catch on quickly. He was the first person to take me on the crazy Belt Parkway. I remember how scared I was to drive on the Belt in his brand new car but he had the patience of a saint. By the time my driver's ed courses began I was pretty much a pro thanks to Gramps. He was with me the day of my road test too. Once I got my license, Gramps was my little sidekick. Everywhere I went to shop he wanted to come. I even would blast the radio in the car with him and teach him all the latest songs that were out. Half the time he said the song didn't make sense but he still would learn the lyrics. It was funny because sometimes out of nowhere he would just start singing the lyrics at home and Grandma would just crack up laughing. After awhile it was just part of my daily routine on the weekend to go pick up Grandma and Gramps and go on all of our errands to shop. We were always the Three Musketeers. Gramps and I would love to gossip. Everything you could think of we would discuss. I would tell him everything and get his advice, even down to advice on my love life. He would always make me laugh and always had the funniest faces he would make. Behind each look, I always knew what he was thinking. He could turn a bad day into a good day with his humor.
