Assignment 4 - Writing Letters to Folks

        This week in our class, we were asked to write letters to people via snail mail and e-mail. I chose to send a hand written letter (on a card) to my Grandfather since my Grandmother passed away earlier this year. Although he’s in his 80s he also has an e-mail account where he checks e-mail, nor,ally I copy him on family pictures and funny jokes. So, I thought it might be nice to send him a note a few months after my grandma died. Mainly just to remind him that I was still thinking about them both and to remind him he’s not alone in this world. The tone was reverent and respectful and I thanked them for helping to raise me with my single mother when I was a little boy. Back then, we were living in Minnesota and crammed into a tiny place that had drafts, but together we made it through the harsh winter months. Of course, I was too young to remember much of that year but I’ve always enjoyed the good natured embellishments that grew with the story as the years passed. I wanted to give him a moment to remember something wonderful and express the sentiment of a smile, maybe cheer him up.

My Grandpa is a snowbird (someone who lives in an RV and goes to Arizona or someplace warm in the summer and back to someplace cooler in the winter), so I’m not sure if he got the letter or not. I heard from my mom that he was off traveling to visit some friends. I know he’s lonely after being with someone for 60 years. I am careful with what I write to him, out of respect for his feelings and also because he has his own ways of doing and appreciating things. My grandmother was always the writer for both of them so I didn’t want to do too much and possibly upset him.

The other person I wrote to (via e-mail) was an old friend named Michael. He just had a baby daughter, Freya, and he also has a son a year younger than my son. I didn’t send anything too over the top, there’s nothing worse than one parent trying to lecture or teach another parent, usually the person doing the lecturing has had one experience with one type of child with one type of personality and every single kid is different. So, nothing to auspicious or over the top, just a nice “atta-boy you are doing a great job” and congratulations for his new daughter.

 I told him “thanks” for helping me out when I had my son. I usually keep in touch, and I’ve mailed several pounds of kid clothes to him already. (The little rug rats grow like weeds) That kind of thing. He appreciated the nice e-mail, but I think the lack of sleep and newborn cooing put my thankful note of  lovey-dovey sappy-sap over the top. Let’s all look at kitty posters. Meow! Awwww.

But, I got a nice response from him:
“Hey Sam,
 Freya is a very, very crabby colicky baby and we just found out that she might have hip dysplasia and we are going to a specialist in Albuquerque tomorrow.  Genevieve's mom is coming back to help us with the baby this weekend.  I think she's basically staying indefinitely, which is ok for a while, but will get old.  Work is sort of a nice escape for me, but we aren't getting much sleep.”

So that was his reply, I’m not sure what to make of that. It sounds pretty gruff to me but I know he’s not getting much sleep.

Overall, an interesting week of assignments all in all. Thanks (as always) for reading my Blog, check out this article that takes Wood & Smith's ideas from this week and applies it to life, liberty and neopets.. --Sam Paul

I LIKE picture posting.
Serenity in all we do, all we seek, all we are.

I hate the end that the days are getting shorter, I don't miss ski season... yet!
but soon my minions, it's shred-time.

I decided to reply to your post after you so nicely replied to mine. :) My grandmother also passed away this year, so I immediately related to your post. I think that's so thoughtful that you wrote a hand-written letter to your grandfather. It seems as though elderly people especially love to receive hand-written correspondence.

As far as your friend with the new baby - it sounds as if he hands his hands full. His response did seem short and gruff, but is understandable considering how things are going. It's so interesting how tone can come across in emails. They're usually quickly written on the fly, and less thought is put into how they may come across to the recipient. That was very thoughtful to check in on him though. I always liked to know people were thinking of me after I had my children. That can be a time [as you likely know] when you can feel alone and abandoned by many friends.