Memory Mondays ~ "What Naptime?"

Me, Matt, (Richard behind me?), and Grandpa about 1961.*

For the second installment of Memory Mondays I would like to share a story from my childhood. It's funny how someone I only knew for 5 years, and the first five years of my life at that, could produce such powerful memories. I suppose that's what love will do...imprint something deeply in your heart and mind!

My Grandpa, George Franklin Ellsworth Jr. was a small man, about 5' 6" tall but to me he was a giant. I loved him for so many different reasons, one of them being his jolly smile and twinkling eyes. He always wore a broad-brimmed straw hat and his gold wire, round-rimmed glasses. Bib overalls were also standard attire and he always had a bandanna hankie hanging out of his back pocket. He would drive from his home on S. Nina Drive in Mesa to help with work on the family dairy on North Recker Rd. After his wife, my Grandma, Annie passed away in 1960 those visits were daily to help fill the void in his life. It gave him something to look forward to and he enjoyed the company. My mother would feed him lunch nearly every day and this is where I really got to know him well.

Grandpa would park his white Chevy Impala in the shade of the mulberry trees in back of our house. As soon as his car had stopped the grandkids would gather. We knew there was treasure waiting for us in the pockets of those overalls! He would hide butter scotches and Brach's candy mix in the many pockets and we had so much fun clambering all over him to find it! He would always laugh and smile at us. After a morning of work he would come in our back door for lunch. I loved this time best of all because it meant "fun with Grandpa" time. He would tickle me and give me "whiskers" with his chin. Then he would cross one leg over the other and give me pony rides. He was never cross with me, always patient, and seemed to genuinely enjoy this time we played together.

Nap time for me was right after lunch. I was notorious for not being a good napper anyway, but when the men came in for lunch a bit late I was worse! I had missed my Grandpa and I was determined to see him! We must have had some unspoken agreement because I lay there quietly for Mom until I heard Dad and Grandpa come in. Then I would jump up and down on the bed and sing songs so that Grandpa would hear. Sure enough, he would always poke his head through the door and smile at me.

"Helen," I would hear him call, "this girl isn't sleepy at all. You might as well let her out!" My mother would then obediently come tell me that nap time was over. She had a soft place in her heart for her father-in-law. I would scurry out of bed and into my Grandpa's lap for my tickles and there wasn't a happier little girl anywhere!

Lesson Learned: "How to Get Out of a Nap"
1. Make lots of noise and jump on the bed.
2. Be sure Grandpa is in on the deal.
3. Have a soft-hearted mother like mine.
4. Pay them both back with lots of hugs and giggles!

*I just sent the photo above to my cousin Matt Ellsworth on Facebook last week. I pointed out to him that he had his hand in Grandpa's pocket obviously searching for candy! He then pointed out something I had never noticed before. Look at my left cheek...it looks like I beat him to it!