This morning, around 8, my mom called the room. Luckily, I got down to pick it up before the answering machine got it--turns out my grandpa died this morning. My parents are off to New York tonight and will be there until this weekend--they're not going to Cancun for a week after all, heh.

I'm not really sure how to feel about Grandpa's passing. He had Alzheimer's disease and dimensia, so, what with only seeing him a few times per year, it feels kind of like he's already been gone for awhile, especially since last year, we decided it would be best to put him in a home because they'd be able to take care of him better than my grandma by herself. So I haven't even seen him in at least a year, as once he moved there, he stopped coming out here for Thanksgiving, as he did every year with Grandma and my aunt Barbara. I'm pretty sure last year was the first year Grandma and Aunt Barbara came without him. It did make it easier on everyone, though.

I'd like to remember him more from when I was little...he was always the "cool" and "fun" grandpa and I loved spending time with him whenever he and Grandma visited. He would make funny noises when we would joke around and he would whistle imitating the birds outside, much to the amusement of my brother and me. Sometimes we would sit down in the family room with a few pieces of paper and a pencil and he would draw pretty good renditions of Disney characters and I would see if I could imitate him, which I was able to pretty well. I think one time, he quizzed me on how people were related to me--their "titles," like aunt, sister-in-law, etc. Things like that.

If they visited in the summer, my brother and I would always be begging him to come swim with us when we all went to the pool. Playing with him was always such a treat--Mike and I used to get so excited whenever Grandma and Grandpa would come visit.

I can't remember how old I was when Alzheimer's started to set in--maybe just at the start of junior high, but I'm not positive. I remember when my parents told us not to be surprised if Grandpa forgot something after five minutes or so, and I think that was the very beginning of it. As time went on, Grandpa became more edgy and easily distressed. He'd get fixated on one question and ask us about it over and over. Towards the last couple of times we saw him, he always had to be around Grandma otherwise he would get really upset.

Writing all of this out has made me realize how much I miss it before he had Alzheimer's and dimensia...it's like he became a totally different person when that started to develop. I guess that's why I feel like he's been gone for a long time already--I haven't seen the "fun" grandpa since I was probably 10 years old.

Rest in peace, Grandpa. At least now you're free.