L is for Love

I hope everyone had a great weekend!  

I was busy taking some students to a skating competition. Sunday my husband and I took the kids out for a long hike and then made our first home made sushi! We had a great time enjoying the spring like weather (finally!), but I was bad and didn't really write anything.  

So here is my "L" post that should have run Saturday. I will post, "M" later today. And I will get around to visiting all of you at some point this week. Thanks so much for all the great comments so far! :)

PT’s 91 Years of Wisdom

This year, I had a terrible time trying to figure out what my A-Z theme would be.  I finally decided that this year, I would honor my beloved 91 year old grandfather, Paul Titus, or PT as his friends called him, who passed away on February 8th.  He lived a wonderfully full life and was always trying to challenge my brothers and me to think out of the box.  So for this challenge I thought I would share little bits of his wisdom that he tried to bestow upon us.  

But I also want to highlight the wonderful bloggers in this community who have published their books.  So everyday, I will give a quick  shout out to those works with titles beginning with the letter of the day.  

Catherine June Bashore

In 1938, when Gramps was just 17, he met the girl of his dreams.  Catherine was only 15 at the time, but he was instantly smitten.  Despite the fact that many other guys had their eyes on her, he won her over.  After high school, on September 17, 1941, at the ages of 18 and 20, they were married.  

In June of 1942, their first and only child, Sandra, was born but Catherine was dangerously close to death from complications of birth. Fortunately, after a few months, she was nursed back to health.        

The next year, in August of 1943, Gramps was drafted into the Navy and eventually, they were moved to Mobile, Alabama.  He stayed in the U.S. working for the Naval post office while awaiting his orders to ship out.  The war ended before he ever got his orders.  He was grateful that he had been able to stay with his new family.  

After the war, they moved back to Michigan where Gramps got a job with Catherine’s father in the building business.  Once he learned the trade, he decided to start his own business building homes.  Catherine was now his wife and business partner.  They were a great team and built some beautiful houses.  They even had the pleasure of building a Frank Lloyd Wright designed home.     

Grams with Jessica at their cottage

Together, Catherine (Grams) and Gramps had many adventures at home and around the world.  They traveled to Greece, France, and Mexico and bought a cottage in Michigan to spend as much time as possible with us grandkids.  

Grams always kept everyone laughing with her jokes and bubbly personality.  For 60 years, she was by his side.  They went everywhere together.  

I remember them going out to coffee every morning to talk, make plans for future building projects and vacations.  Every year they took my brothers and I down to Florida where we had a great time on the beach and at Disney World.

But it all came to an end too soon.  Fourteen years ago, she passed away and left him in despair.  After that day he would say, “Without Catherine, I’m only half a man.”  That was true love.

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Now it's time for the "L" title shout outs!

Ciara Knight

Have a lovely "L" day!

Kathy :)