Grampa's on the roof again - The Firearms Forum

kutaho · 05-15-2009, 06:34 PM

I occasionally get a phone call from either family or friends that my wife's 86 yr old grandfather is on the roof. This man is ex sea-bee from WW2 in the south pacific, i show up and he asks who called this time, Then out of consideration for ME, he'll climb down. I always let him know that i'm aware that he's totally capable for the task at hand, but i also tell him that if he falls off, the family will skin me. And as soon as i leave, he's back on the roof inspecting the work.
Another phone call.
I love that man

4EvrLearning · 05-15-2009, 08:39 PM

awwwww it sounds like you two have a great relationship! And he sounds like a kick!

trickyrick · 05-15-2009, 09:03 PM

careful, i had an ex father in law, ex army who at 86, climbed up on a shed roof to change a light bulb. he missed the ladder coming off the shed and fell 6'. a broke hip and bruised pride later, he decided to let someone else do it. my grandpa is 95 and just took a 6000 pound surface grinder apart cuz no one wanted to come get it due to size. he got down to frame, 2000lbs, and him and his 85 year old buddy had built a ramp to push it up on a trailer. luckily i happened to come by. he finally decided that at 95 he is to old to be farting around w/ so many projects. god bless em. they came from a different time where you did it yourself and took care of your own.

trickyrick · 05-15-2009, 09:09 PM

oh and i forgot about the tree. 2 years ago he had a tree fall on his house due to a storm. i went over w/ a 2' chainsaw and cut all i could w/o a bigger saw, or so i thought. we had a stump 6' in diameter and 7' tall. he cut it up w/ an old sears electric chainsaw w/ a 12" bar. took him 6 days, but he did it. up until 2 yrs ago, he changed his own tires. i don't mean changing a flat, i mean beating the bead off the rim w/ a sledge, using 2 crowbars to remove tire and re install new one, 4 tires at a time.

doug66 · 05-15-2009, 09:23 PM

My God, the man is 86? He sounds like he is in good shape. The Japs couldn't kill him, let him do what makes him happy. I bet he is one cool old dude.

Islandboy · 05-15-2009, 09:47 PM

Awsome old men.
My grandad served in WWI and II. Tank driver In the first until gassed but went back after a couple months, home guard in WWIIdismantling unexploded incendiary bombs that got caught in trees. Gerry thought it was Liverpool blacked out.
He was 90 when I came downstairs one morning, looked out the kitchen window and there he was, up a 12 ft ladder with a hand saw, dismantling the glass green house.
After I went out to finish the roof ridge beam(4x4 oak) for him he proceeded to refit the back half using the good glass from the front half to replace the broken glass in the back half.
All of the oak framing got cut into 1 ft pieces which he burned so he didn't have to pay to haul it off.
He passed at 97, but only because he was hit by a car when, at 95 he was part of a group of people crossing the road, and he couldn't walk across as fast as them.
He recovered fine from the accident itself, but developed a blood clot in his shoulder 2 years later. That got him.
I'll always remember his quiet unassuming way of being the greatest grandad a boy could ever have.
It's a good thread guys, that causes reflection.
There you go Tranter, I've let slip, I'm Half Brit.

trickyrick · 05-15-2009, 10:40 PM

yeah, i was talking to gramps the other day as i'm trying to spend more time w/ him and the military thing came up. he worked as an apprentice in a machine shop that made parts for ford. his journeyman was an alcoholic and wouldn't show up 1 or 2 days a week. well gramps would push a broom on those days. one day he went into the office and asked to work the lathe. they kinda chuckled and said go ahead. the floor supervisor strolled by and watched him. he was crapping his pants. he wasn't sure he could do it, but it beat pushing a broom. the floor boss went down the line and then came back and watched a little more. well gramps evidently fooled them and whenever the journeyman didn't show gramps got to work the lathe. he ended up replacing him in a short while. then the war broke out. gramps went down w/ his friends to sign up. they all went but nobody wanted gramps. turned out the co. he worked for got some government contracts for some parts and they kept gramps exempt from the draft so he could run the shop full of women who they hired to fill the contracts. he did his part but did it on the home front. when he was telling me this i thought he was gonna start crying. he lost a lot of friends and relatives in the war and always felt kinda guilty for not going over. he would go down every 3 months and it was always the same. we need you here.

artabr · 05-15-2009, 11:51 PM

Like the book title calls them, "The Greatest Generation".

Art

kutaho · 05-16-2009, 11:25 AM

There's a lot to be learned from that generation, a nation that pulled together, from the farms and factories, to the front lines. I salute all of them.

ponycar17 · 05-16-2009, 12:13 PM

As long as he's not on the roof with a .308...

Sounds like a likable 'ol fella'....

kutaho · 05-16-2009, 12:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ponycar17

As long as he's not on the roof with a .308...

Sounds like a likable 'ol fella'....

http://www.thefirearmsforum.com/imag...es/biggrin.gif
If he feels the need to be on the roof with a .308, I'd be up there with him.
gotta figure these smilies out...

fmacsin1 · 05-16-2009, 12:26 PM

I agree with everyone; let him do "his thing." My dad was 83, had had a heart attack, cut and split his own wood, both knees replaced and carpal tunnels done. He let me know he was slowing down on lobstering and had decided to only put in 50 traps that summer. Everyone tried to tell me to stop him; I told them he was over 21, sane and could make up his own mind and if anything happened out to sea, he'd die a happy man. How could you ask for anything better?

ponycar17 · 05-16-2009, 12:27 PM

kutaho, you have to click the "Go Advanced" reply button at the bottom of the page before you can use smilies. After you're at the advanced reply page, you can just click on the smilies to the right to use them in your post.

I hear ya if he felt the need to be up there with a .308. I guess I can't argue with that.

kutaho · 05-16-2009, 12:31 PM

http://www.thefirearmsforum.com/imag...es/biggrin.gif
Thanks ponycar17
dang, that didn't work, disregard

got it

jacksonco · 05-16-2009, 03:16 PM

The old geezers of times past are the greatest asset that this nation has ever had. I can only hope that I have something to offer the yougens when I make it to OLD GEEZER status. Our elders are a true national treasure that need to be respected.

So what if they drive slow or spend extra time in the checkout lanes counting their change. They are what got us to where we are today and if they were listened to a little more closely we would be in much better shape as a nation.

God bless our Seniors !

Jeff

05-15-2009, 06:34 PM	#1
kutaho Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Peoples Republic of the Pacific Northwest Posts: 1,852	Grampa's on the roof again I occasionally get a phone call from either family or friends that my wife's 86 yr old grandfather is on the roof. This man is ex sea-bee from WW2 in the south pacific, i show up and he asks who called this time, Then out of consideration for ME, he'll climb down. I always let him know that i'm aware that he's totally capable for the task at hand, but i also tell him that if he falls off, the family will skin me. And as soon as i leave, he's back on the roof inspecting the work. Another phone call. I love that man __________________ No man stands in the same river twice If all else fails grab a rock Mi Taku oyasin -->

05-15-2009, 08:39 PM	#2
4EvrLearning Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Left Coast Posts: 1,449	Re: Grampa's on the roof again awwwww it sounds like you two have a great relationship! And he sounds like a kick! __________________ *"Until God is finished with me, I am immortal." Jonathan Edwards, American Theologian (1703-1758)*

05-15-2009, 09:03 PM	#3
trickyrick V.I.P. Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Posts: 93	Re: Grampa's on the roof again careful, i had an ex father in law, ex army who at 86, climbed up on a shed roof to change a light bulb. he missed the ladder coming off the shed and fell 6'. a broke hip and bruised pride later, he decided to let someone else do it. my grandpa is 95 and just took a 6000 pound surface grinder apart cuz no one wanted to come get it due to size. he got down to frame, 2000lbs, and him and his 85 year old buddy had built a ramp to push it up on a trailer. luckily i happened to come by. he finally decided that at 95 he is to old to be farting around w/ so many projects. god bless em. they came from a different time where you did it yourself and took care of your own.

05-15-2009, 09:09 PM	#4
trickyrick V.I.P. Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Posts: 93	Re: Grampa's on the roof again oh and i forgot about the tree. 2 years ago he had a tree fall on his house due to a storm. i went over w/ a 2' chainsaw and cut all i could w/o a bigger saw, or so i thought. we had a stump 6' in diameter and 7' tall. he cut it up w/ an old sears electric chainsaw w/ a 12" bar. took him 6 days, but he did it. up until 2 yrs ago, he changed his own tires. i don't mean changing a flat, i mean beating the bead off the rim w/ a sledge, using 2 crowbars to remove tire and re install new one, 4 tires at a time.

05-15-2009, 09:23 PM	#5
doug66 Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Kansas Posts: 538	Re: Grampa's on the roof again My God, the man is 86? He sounds like he is in good shape. The Japs couldn't kill him, let him do what makes him happy. I bet he is one cool old dude.

05-15-2009, 09:47 PM	#6
Islandboy Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Off the right coast Posts: 676	Re: Grampa's on the roof again Awsome old men. My grandad served in WWI and II. Tank driver In the first until gassed but went back after a couple months, home guard in WWIIdismantling unexploded incendiary bombs that got caught in trees. Gerry thought it was Liverpool blacked out. He was 90 when I came downstairs one morning, looked out the kitchen window and there he was, up a 12 ft ladder with a hand saw, dismantling the glass green house. After I went out to finish the roof ridge beam(4x4 oak) for him he proceeded to refit the back half using the good glass from the front half to replace the broken glass in the back half. All of the oak framing got cut into 1 ft pieces which he burned so he didn't have to pay to haul it off. He passed at 97, but only because he was hit by a car when, at 95 he was part of a group of people crossing the road, and he couldn't walk across as fast as them. He recovered fine from the accident itself, but developed a blood clot in his shoulder 2 years later. That got him. I'll always remember his quiet unassuming way of being the greatest grandad a boy could ever have. It's a good thread guys, that causes reflection. There you go Tranter, I've let slip, I'm Half Brit. __________________ A politician can do only that which the law provides,but, a private citizen can do anything that the law does not prohibit. -AR. When they came and got me, I went Peaceful.

05-15-2009, 10:40 PM	#7
trickyrick V.I.P. Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Posts: 93	Re: Grampa's on the roof again yeah, i was talking to gramps the other day as i'm trying to spend more time w/ him and the military thing came up. he worked as an apprentice in a machine shop that made parts for ford. his journeyman was an alcoholic and wouldn't show up 1 or 2 days a week. well gramps would push a broom on those days. one day he went into the office and asked to work the lathe. they kinda chuckled and said go ahead. the floor supervisor strolled by and watched him. he was crapping his pants. he wasn't sure he could do it, but it beat pushing a broom. the floor boss went down the line and then came back and watched a little more. well gramps evidently fooled them and whenever the journeyman didn't show gramps got to work the lathe. he ended up replacing him in a short while. then the war broke out. gramps went down w/ his friends to sign up. they all went but nobody wanted gramps. turned out the co. he worked for got some government contracts for some parts and they kept gramps exempt from the draft so he could run the shop full of women who they hired to fill the contracts. he did his part but did it on the home front. when he was telling me this i thought he was gonna start crying. he lost a lot of friends and relatives in the war and always felt kinda guilty for not going over. he would go down every 3 months and it was always the same. we need you here.

05-15-2009, 11:51 PM	#8
artabr Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: New Iberia, Louisiana Contributor Posts: 7,859	Re: Grampa's on the roof again Like the book title calls them, "The Greatest Generation". Art __________________ God and the soldier we like adore, In times of trouble, not before. When troubles ended and all things righted, God is forgotten and the soldier is slighted. Francis Quarles 1592 - 1644 __________________ When asked for my race, I answer CauCajun. Hope is not a plan, and not all change is good. The resistance is here; the resistance is now. RESIST! These hands are neither cold nor are they dead!!

05-16-2009, 11:25 AM	#9
kutaho Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Peoples Republic of the Pacific Northwest Posts: 1,852	Re: Grampa's on the roof again There's a lot to be learned from that generation, a nation that pulled together, from the farms and factories, to the front lines. I salute all of them. __________________ No man stands in the same river twice If all else fails grab a rock Mi Taku oyasin

05-16-2009, 12:13 PM	#10
ponycar17 Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: South Carolina Contributor Posts: 4,884	Re: Grampa's on the roof again As long as he's not on the roof with a .308... Sounds like a likable 'ol fella'.... __________________ Arm yourself with intellectual Ammunition! Gunfacts 5.1 Myth-Busting Facts JustFacts.com on Gun Control Stopping Power, the Downloadable Book

05-16-2009, 12:26 PM	#12
fmacsin1 V.I.P. Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Moosehead Lake, Maine Posts: 433	Re: Grampa's on the roof again I agree with everyone; let him do "his thing." My dad was 83, had had a heart attack, cut and split his own wood, both knees replaced and carpal tunnels done. He let me know he was slowing down on lobstering and had decided to only put in 50 traps that summer. Everyone tried to tell me to stop him; I told them he was over 21, sane and could make up his own mind and if anything happened out to sea, he'd die a happy man. How could you ask for anything better?

05-16-2009, 12:27 PM	#13
ponycar17 Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: South Carolina Contributor Posts: 4,884	Re: Grampa's on the roof again kutaho, you have to click the "Go Advanced" reply button at the bottom of the page before you can use smilies. After you're at the advanced reply page, you can just click on the smilies to the right to use them in your post. I hear ya if he felt the need to be up there with a .308. I guess I can't argue with that. __________________ Arm yourself with intellectual Ammunition! Gunfacts 5.1 Myth-Busting Facts JustFacts.com on Gun Control Stopping Power, the Downloadable Book

05-16-2009, 12:31 PM	#14
kutaho Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Peoples Republic of the Pacific Northwest Posts: 1,852	Re: Grampa's on the roof again http://www.thefirearmsforum.com/imag...es/biggrin.gif Thanks ponycar17 dang, that didn't work, disregard got it __________________ No man stands in the same river twice If all else fails grab a rock Mi Taku oyasin Last edited by kutaho; 05-16-2009 at 12:46 PM..

05-16-2009, 03:16 PM	#15
jacksonco Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Jackson County West Virginia Posts: 2,237	Re: Grampa's on the roof again The old geezers of times past are the greatest asset that this nation has ever had. I can only hope that I have something to offer the yougens when I make it to OLD GEEZER status. Our elders are a true national treasure that need to be respected. So what if they drive slow or spend extra time in the checkout lanes counting their change. They are what got us to where we are today and if they were listened to a little more closely we would be in much better shape as a nation. God bless our Seniors ! Jeff