Grandad With The Twinkly Blue Eyes
By Jabo
@jaboUK (64361)
United Kingdom
July 26, 2017 10:40am CST
My maternal Grandad was a tall thin man who always seemed to be laughing.
As a child I didn't really notice his appearance too much, but looking back through my mind's eye I see twinkly blue eyes set in a weather-beaten face, and a luxuriant moustache above a mouth that always seemed to have a pipe in it.
He worked as a gardener at the local 'big house', and his skin was brown and leathery as a result of being out in all weathers.
If we visited on a Sunday when he wasn't working, he always found time to play with us three little girls. His pet name for me was 'twinkle-toes', as I was always dancing about.
There was a stone wall around the perimeter of his large garden, and a favourite game was for us to run along the top of this wall and then jump off into his waiting arms.
Then there were the piggy-back rides with the three of us each clamouring for our turn. (Me next! Me next, Grandad!!). I well remember feeling like 'King of the castle' up on his back.
He always seemed to have stubble on his chin, and he would delight in rubbing this against the delicate skin on our cheeks, eliciting squeals and laughter in equal measure.
He made a horrible scarecrow to warn off the birds from his vegetables, and he frightened the life out of me once by hiding behind it, then moving it's arms as if to grab me when I walked by. He thought it was hilarious.
Grandad with the twinkly blue eyes is long gone, but I hope I've made him live again for a few minutes by writing this.
Do you have fond memories of your grandfather?
52 people like this
44 responses
@just4him (306110)
• Green Bay, Wisconsin
26 Jul 17
Your grandfather sounds so wonderful and full of life. I have one fond memory of my grandfather, dad's dad. I had been staying with my grandparents for a while and learning to play Silent Night on the piano. I intended to memorize it so I wouldn't need the hymnbook. I also wanted to surprise my parents when they came for Christmas. The day arrived, I was ready and nervous. I sat at the piano and started playing, only to get all lost in the keys and my grandfather shouted at me that I could play it better than that. He should know. I played ever day while he watched his soaps. So I took confidence from that and played it flawlessly for my parents. Were they surprised I could do it. 
8 people like this
@DianneN (246720)
• United States
26 Jul 17
What lovely memories you have of your grandfather. You certainly made him come to life in my eyes.
I know I was well loved my my mother's father, but he passed away early. I do have many wonderful memories of my father's father. We drove to Atlanta, Georgia to visit him and years later we visited him many times at his beautiful home on a river in St. Augustine, Florida. He owned a fruit preserving factory and spoiled us with jars and jars of exotic fruits and preserves. He and my grandmother were divorced, but we kept in touch by letters and phone calls inbetween visits. He also gave me my first gold watch, by Longines. It even had a diamond in it. lol. He also made the best tasting steaks I've ever had. He was truly grand to me. His eyes were like twinkling, emerald green pools of water - my inheritance.
3 people like this
@JudyEv (325759)
• Rockingham, Australia
26 Jul 17
Your grandfather sounds wonderful and I can only imagine how much he loved the three of you. My grandad was great to me too and we had lots of fun times together. The only thing I wasn't so keen on was, when we shared the water washing our hands after being outside or whatever, we'd each have to spit in the water to ensure we didn't have an argument. 
3 people like this
@allknowing (130066)
• India
27 Jul 17
I have never seen my grandparents, neither from my mother's side nor from my father's side You atleast have memories to cling on to. .
3 people like this
@jaboUK (64361)
• United Kingdom
27 Jul 17
@allknowing I'm sorry you didn't know your grandparents Grace. I've done posts on all four of mine now.
1 person likes this
@mom210 (9036)
• United States
29 Jul 17
@jaboUK you have some nice long life lines there. My grandfather passed away at about 55, grandmother was late 50's and my father was 54. I am happy to say my mother is in her early 70's or I would be real nervous heading into my 50's that is for sure.
1 person likes this
@bluesa (15023)
• Johannesburg, South Africa
26 Jul 17
You brought him alive beautifully, Janet! I can picture those twinkly blue eyes and warm and wonderful personality. I never knew either of my Grandad's @jaboUK , I am the youngest of the Grandkids from my generation and they had both passed away.
2 people like this
@MALUSE (69413)
• Germany
21 Oct 17
My grandfather wasn't a very nice man. He was choleric. What I remember about my grandparents is that my grandfather could eat half a pig but always remained slim whereas my grandmother could read a recipe from a cookbook and gained weight! :-)
1 person likes this
@MALUSE (69413)
• Germany
21 Oct 17
@jaboUK I had just mentioned the Heinzelmännchen from the city of Cologne in Germany in a comment. They were dwarves who came secretly at night and did the household chores.
This must be the reason why I noticed the pic on the right margin.
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jump to: navigation, search The Heinzelmännchen are a race of creatures appearing in a tale connected with the city of Cologne in Germany. Heinzelmännchen-diorama Heinzelmännchenbrunnen Detail of the Heinzelmännchenbru
1 person likes this
@PainsOnSlate (21854)
• Canada
19 Oct 17
I loved your story and sorry I missed it when you wrote it. My mother's dad was a dairy farmer, I don't remember much of him, he was working the farm a lot but I do remember his laugh. I can still hear it, it was beautiful and loud!
1 person likes this
@jaboUK (64361)
• United Kingdom
19 Oct 17
@PainsOnSlate It's funny what sticks in our memories, isn't it?
1 person likes this
@jaboUK (64361)
• United Kingdom
20 Oct 17
@PainsOnSlate Your Gran sounds such fun Marilyn
1 person likes this
@ilocosboy (45157)
• Philippines
27 Jul 17
Wow nice memory of your grandad.
I don't have much memory of my lolo but when we are selling rootcrops in the market.
1 person likes this
@jaboUK (64361)
• United Kingdom
27 Jul 17
@ilocosboy Sorry you don't remember too much about your grandad, but at least you have the market memories.
1 person likes this
@jaboUK (64361)
• United Kingdom
27 Jul 17
@ilocosboy Well I'm going back about 70 years for this post!
1 person likes this
@ilocosboy (45157)
• Philippines
27 Jul 17
@jaboUK that was very long time ago, maybe 35 years ago.
1 person likes this
@bunnybon7 (50973)
• Holiday, Florida
29 Jul 17
i sure do. my grand dad also smoked a pipe. but no mustache . he had dark eye and spoke very little but when he did say something you knew it was a truth. my grandmother was such a gabber that he said if ask why he never talked much, "Fanny talks enough for both of us" and when he passed away, all of his 11 children each swore they was his favorite. i think that says a lot about a parent. even some of the grandkids said he favored them more .
and when he passed away, all of his 11 children each swore they was his favorite. i think that says a lot about a parent. even some of the grandkids said he favored them more .1 person likes this
@bunnybon7 (50973)
• Holiday, Florida
29 Jul 17
@jaboUK most were special those days. too bad so much has changed with people today. we should all strive to be more like those loving grands of long back. i try and make my family feel that way but it is harder today. my family is so strung from one state to another so can't be close enough. to all
1 person likes this
@jaboUK (64361)
• United Kingdom
29 Jul 17
@bunnybon7 Your grandfather sounds like a lovely man, very special.
1 person likes this
@lovinangelsinstead21 (36850)
• Pamplona, Spain
21 Oct 17
He was always asleep in the chair whenever I saw him.
He was a Miner then and too tired when he got home and fell asleep for hours.
1 person likes this
@jaboUK (64361)
• United Kingdom
21 Oct 17
@lovinangelsinstead21 That's a pity, so you never really got to know him?
1 person likes this
@SIMPLYD (90722)
• Philippines
3 Aug 17
It's so nice of you that you still remember your grandfather in his days.
What I can fondly recall of our grandfather on my father side is that he is an intelligent man. He is so fond of gathering us cousins and would make quizzes in English and whoever got the highest will have a reward.
On my mother side, I remember our grandfather as a very kind and generous man. He would always take us to the river and we would all have fun swimming there under his guidance.
Gone they maybe, our grandfathers have left very nice memories to all their grandchildren.
What I can fondly recall of our grandfather on my father side is that he is an intelligent man. He is so fond of gathering us cousins and would make quizzes in English and whoever got the highest will have a reward.
On my mother side, I remember our grandfather as a very kind and generous man. He would always take us to the river and we would all have fun swimming there under his guidance.
Gone they maybe, our grandfathers have left very nice memories to all their grandchildren.1 person likes this
