What's Been Going On With Me ......

[George Grand]

I retired as a full-time federal employee on 30 Aug. I am now strictly an Air Guardsmen for the State of New Jersey. One weekend a month, maybe two if it's a good trip, and maybe one day during the week to go in and stay current in the airplane. The money isn't bad.

And my dad passed away 3 days after I retired.

[Ricardo]

Sorry to hear about your dad George. He is probably in a better place now.

[engtaz]

I am sorry to hear that. You retire to have more time with the family and that happens. Take care.
engtaz

[george daniel]

George,,I'm sorry for your loss,,,stay strong.

[beardog03]

Love & Respects to you and your Family for your loss George....

[wingnut4772]

So sorry to hear about your Dad.

[cfrizz]

My deepest condolences to you & your family George.

My heartiest congrats on your retirement. Enjoy yourself!

[Ern Dog]

Blessings to you and your family.
Ernie

[dkg999]

Sorry to hear about your loss, keeping you and your family in my prayers.

[audiobliss]

Sorry to hear about your father, GG. Y'all're in my prayers.

[jtgranby]

Sorry to hear your loss GG.

JT

[Mike682]

Sorry to hear about your loss

[F1nut]

My sincere condolences on the loss of your father.

[bobman1235]

Sorry to hear that George.

[avguytx]

My condolences to you and your family, George. May he rest in peace.

[McLoki]

Very sorry to hear of the loss of your father. Spend your retirement with those you love held close...

Michael

[ESAVINON]

My sincere condolences to you and your family.

[daboyz]

Thoughts and prayers are with you.

[janmike]

My condolences George. I sat back one day after my Dad passed on and thought about the good times. I cried, then I laughed and felt a whole lot better.

[Jstas]

George, I know your relationship with your father was not necessarily ideal on all occasions but the loss of family is still a loss of family and my prayers are with your family.

[joeparaski]

My sincere condolences for you loss. Was this sudden or had he been ill?

Joe

[mhardy6647]

I so sorry to hear about your dad, George.
Hope the rest of your family is OK.

[MillerLiteScott]

Sorry for your loss George. Enjoy your retirement with your family.

[George Grand]

Thanks to this august group. My father had been ill for some time. Around 1999 he was diagnosed with prostate cancer. Put the radioactive pellets "in there" and beat that one. Then he beat colon cancer. Then a couple years ago he developed three "spots" on his liver. They cut those out, but didn't realize the liver had been resting against one of his ribs. It went into the tip of his rib. They chemoed that down to nothing. It surfaced about 6 months ago as one nasty tumor that had completely wrapped itself around his spinal cord. They went in through his back and removed most of it. He never really recovered from that. He was never a real good eater, and then got even worse. He also refused to perform the therapy. He figured if he just laid there long enough he'd get better and go home. That wasn't the case. He was treated the whole time at the Fox Chase Cancer Research branch where my wife is employed. He was 78, financially successful, and lived alone about 12-13 miles from here. The last two months his family was constantly around him, and were at the end. My sister and brother-in-law were also up from Florida at the end. He was kept very comfortable (they say) throughout.

My father taught me to love the Brooklyn Dodgers, and hate the New York Yankees. My father made sure his son was in the Brooklyn Dodger dugout on a regular basis. My father taught me how to hit a baseball as well as anybody else, and probably better than most. Top half of the ball, bottom half of the ball, dead center on the ball, pull it to left or spray it to right, and from either side of the plate. My dad taught me that knowledge really is power, and that the color of a persons skin means jack.

Thank you Dad.

[beardog03]

sounds like an Honorable Man...



I can tell your alot like your Dad.

[George Grand]

We couldn't have been more different to be very honest.

[reeltrouble1]

Sorry to learn of your Father's passing George.

Ted

[tonyb]

Sounds like we could use a few more of your pops in this world.........
Sorry to hear of your loss,prayers sent.And for what it's worth......for the little I know of you,the apple didn't fall too far.

[George Grand]

Really? This apple dropped and rolled into the next valley. My dads approach to a inter-personal conflict was to "massage" it, and "schmooze", until the thing was so soft and schmoozed it looked like a raisin. Still sound like me and the entire flamethrower approach?

[beardog03]

you kinda squish it like a grape..!!


I meant the Honorable Part.....






Grape squisher......

[George Grand]

Yeah, I don't schmooze too well. But I sure can tell when that grape is well done!


My dad was very jealous of the fact that I was an aircrew member for a profession. He always wanted to fly but didn't get into it for one reason or another. It drove him nuts that I really never enjoyed flying, and treated it like it was just another job (which it is, just another job), and that if I found a better paying federal job, would have taken it in a minute. My dad liked to hang around with generals, colonels, and politicians galore, a group of individuals I have very little use for. We didn't interact much that way. We didn't socialize much as father and son. It seemed to be okay with him, and it was okay with me. I don't want to be where those people are, unless I'm getting paid for it. This bothered him a great deal, but I just am not the kind of guy who is awed by a couple stars, eagles, or that Rep. or Sen. crap in front of a name.

[beardog03]

go back and read my last post...

I was having a nother dislexic typing episode, so I wasn`t done before you posted .!!!

[danger boy]

George Grand of the Jersey Grands.. i'm sorry to hear about the passing of your father. Peace be with your family.

Enjoy your retirement.. something tells me though.. you're not the type to sit around the house.. enjoy it!

[George Grand]

I'm not going to sit around the house when I can throw my feet up and take a nap.

I will not be getting any more jobs. I am finished.

[RuSsMaN]

If pops taught you about the Dodgers in that timeframe (if it's the one I'm thinking), he taught you about a lot more than baseball. Civil rights, whites and blacks, what makes a man a man, .....etc etc

Sorry about your loss George, one in the ground for your pops tonight.

[Frank Z]

Sorry for your loss George.
Congrats on your 30 years...helluvamilestone!

Let me know if you ever get out this way.

[shack]

Sorry to hear about your dad George...may he rest in peace.

[TroyD]

George, sorry to hear about your father.

Every guy's relationship to his old man has it's ups and downs. Fact is, you turned out ok, taught you to hate the Yankees and a few other important things. Somewhere along the line, you learned how to be a man and a good one at that. There ain't a lot left to ask for.

Busting into the listerene bottle this evening....a toast to the Grands and one in the ground.

Troy

[George Grand]

Russ, you're so right. All of you are, but Russ........ I remember being very small, and sitting in the living room going through my Dodger yearbook/pictures and stuff. "Roy Campanella is a chocolate man, Jackie Robinson is a chocolate man, Pee Wee Reese is a vanilla man......." My dad was watching tv on the couch while I was doing this. He got up, shut off the tv, and we talked about these things called "pigments". Seems these pigments dictated what color your skin would be. It was a good learning day. Thanks Dad.

The night after he passed, I went out back, lit up the outdoor fireplace thing in a BIG way, and drank a bottle of 40 year old Metaxa that I found in his house. It's called Metaxa "Grand Fine" and it was awesome. Never even SEEN a bottle before.

[schwarcw]

George, I am sincerely sorry for your loss. I hope that he rests in peace.

We all have had issues of some type with our parents, I sure had issues with my father. I've done my grieving and accepted his life and my relationship with him for what is was. I can't change any of that now. I'm just moving on.

I hope your father will rest in peace, and you will find some inner peace also.

God Bless!

[Fireman32]

George, Im sorry to hear about the loss of your dad. My condolences to you and your family.

[SCompRacer]

George, please accept my heartfelt condolences on the loss of your father.

Congrats on the semi-retirement!

[steveinaz]

Congrats on retirement, but very sorry to hear about your Dad George.

[phoneisbusy]

My condolences on the passing of your father. I was wondering if you'd had taken the early retirement package or not.

regards

Dave

[capecodder]

Sorry for your loss but he left you (and now us) one more noteworthy piece of knowledge..... Metaxa.... good!

http://www.theartofdrink.com/blog/2006/11/metaxa.php

I've never heard of it before either but will add it to the list of must try items.
Hell, your's was a 40 yr old bottle. Must have been DAMN smooth.

[George Grand]

Dave, couldn't pass up the early retirement. The lump sum bonus was the clincher.

Ted, you can find 7 star Metaxa at decent liquor stores. The 5 star is pretty good too. You don't want to mess with 3 star. A little rough going down. It was my grandfather that introduced me to Metaxa though. My dad had stuff in the house for company. If he had two shots of anything he got totally radioactive. Terrible drinker he was. Metaxa is a cognac by the way.

[ninerbj]

"I remember being very small, and sitting in the living room going through my Dodger yearbook/pictures and stuff. "Roy Campanella is a chocolate man, Jackie Robinson is a chocolate man, Pee Wee Reese is a vanilla man......." My dad was watching tv on the couch while I was doing this. He got up, shut off the tv, and we talked about these things called "pigments". Seems these pigments dictated what color your skin would be. It was a good learning day. Thanks Dad."


Ya know...that is one cool f*cking story.
One in the ground here as well.

[mhardy6647]

This thread is very touching, and there's not much if anything I can add at this point...

but I do want to add one more thing:

I am glad to hear your Dad taught you to "hate the Yankees".

As a Baltimoron transplanted to the Bahsten area, I'll drink to that!

God's peace, George.

[treitz3]

May peace be with your dad George. I'm sorry to hear of your dad's passing. Please consider my utmost condolences to you and your family.

[Bill Ayotte]

I'm sorry to hear about your father passing, and glad to hear you decided to take the retirement. Now you get to take some time and get some things done that you actually want to do.

[hearingimpared]

George heartfelt condolences from me and mine to you and yours.

Retirement is awesome as long as one is kept busy . . . my wife keeps me on my toes.

[BobMcG]

George,

We're so sorry to hear such disheartening news. Our hearts go out to you and your family.

Bob and Geri

[jcaut]

Just saw this. I'm very sorry to hear of the loss of your Dad.


Jason

[ohskigod]

caught this thread late, very sorry to hear about your dad. My sincerest condolences.

[halo]

Very sorry for your loss GG. Please accept my sincere condolences.

Enjoy your retirement - you've earned it. Be good to yourself and your loved ones.

[cheddar]

Sorry to hear about the loss of your father. But both he and yourself, through all your differences, continue to speak to people with important lessons about life. Thanks for the stories.

[zombie boy 2000]

George...
My prayers and sympathy go out to you and yours. I've spent all of my life trying to make it right with my pops. I understand to the fullest extent traveling that road.

[tentoze]

Only just now saw this. Everyone has a purpose. Sounds to me like Mr. Grand had a fine one, and I know he did well by it.

[Music Joe]

George, my condolences on the loss of your father. I lost my dad when I was 34 and after years of anger and deep reflection on all matters, I've come full circle in the differences with and loss of both my parents.
I understand them much better now. They continually faced an insurmountable list of tragedies. Both had extremly hard lives which spilled over into mine, I know now that wasn't thier goal or desire.
I now love and miss them more than I can put into words.

[cubdog]

George, my condolences to you and your family. Your father must have been a good man, evident from your values.

cubdog

[Polk65]

George, everyone that passes on from a great generation is a loss to humanity. Condolences and a heartfelt hug.

[dragon1952]

Sincerest condolences to you and your family.

[BlueMDPicker]

Don't know how I missed this. I realized your Dad was quite ill, but had no idea he had passed away. My sincere condolences, George.