part 2: bottle pool + edmonds beach

Playing pool with grandpa was a favorite for all the grand kids. He was a pool shark even when his vision got bad and he said there was doubles of everything.

From an early age he would let us play under his supervision. We had to be calm about it, there wasn't any goofing off. He showed me how to hold the cue stick correctly and aim for difficult shots. It was a thrill every time I sunk a shot.

Once, a few years back, I actually won!! I never, ever, EVER win. And I don't think he let me either. Even as he was telling me I couldn't tell anyone I won I was already upstairs bouncing around celebrating. No way could I keep that to myself.

Grandpa was a carpenter and did all the beautiful inlay woodwork in the room. It's a shame that it is mostly hidden by the build up of stuff from over the years. I love this room with the layers of mismatch carpet, the familiar smells, piles of memories, all of this with jazz or oldies playing on the old radio.Uncle Robby stepped in as my coach because I still have a difficult time lining up my own shots for this game. There are a combination of ways to score and if I was left to do things on my own I'd probably stick to Ben's school of thought and 'hit it hard' instead of trying for a 'billiard' or 'bottle shots'. It is such a great game.

I think Grandpa was there with us this weekend. I never play like I played this weekend. He had to be behind that stroke of luck.

Edmonds beach is another tradition for our family.

I was relentless when it came to going to the beach with Grandpa. He would check the paper to see if the tide was out and if it was we would be off with our buckets.

I can't believe this, and neither will you, but I used to be scared of the creatures he would pick up from under the rocks we would turn over. I would tiptoe around with him and watch as he scooped them up but I didn't want anything to do with those creepy looking crabs.

In true Grandpa fashion while I was distracted he asked me to hold a crayon he had just found.

C'mon! Honestly? A crayon?! In the ocean. I was such a trusting, gullible girl.

The rest is Bug Girl history.

Grandpa had a way of making everything feel special. So many of the things I enjoy in life come from learning from the way he lived his life.