I was 5 years old when my mother got the phone call. It was her sister trying to explain that their parents and their brother just died in an auto accident outside of Sioux Falls. I watched Mom fall apart emotionally. I imagine I would respond the same way today. That was 50 years ago.

The scenario was a lot for a 5-year-old to comprehend. I barely understood how the whole “relative” thing worked, but I did know one thing: I loved my grandpa. I can count the memories I have of him on one hand, but they all make me smile — even 50 years later. He had a dozen other grandkids, but he made me feel like I was the only one.

I remember sitting on his lap, and he would pull out his silver pocket watch and ask me if I wanted to see a monkey. He would then show me my reflection on the back of the watch. We would both giggle.

He would also show me how he could take his false teeth out and told me I could do it, too, if I tried more. I spent countless hours trying to push my teeth out. The more I tried, the more we both giggled.

Grandma and Grandpa lived in an old farm house. When I would stay with them, I would sleep with Grandpa upstairs. They didn't have a bathroom on the upper level, so Grandpa would leave an empty Folger’s coffee can for me to use in case of an emergency. I had a lot of emergencies and related accidents, but Grandpa never got angry with me about it — probably because Grandma cleaned it up. That likely made him giggle.

I would ride with my mom to pick up Grandma and Grandpa at the farm house and bring them to town for their appointments and errands. I sat in the back seat with Grandpa, and we would eat apples together while he told me stories. More giggles.

Mom was deeply saddened each Labor Day weekend for the remainder of her life. She wouldn’t travel out of town that weekend, and she didn’t let us kids do so either. Because of that, I don’t obsess with dates, especially ones with negative connotations. I do obsess with my heritage, though, and I spend a great deal of time on findagrave.com. I did so this past weekend and noticed this was the 50th anniversary of my grandparents’ death. I was saddened for a moment, but then I thought of the monkey. The teeth. The apples.

And I started giggling. I hope you are, too.

Have a wonderful Wednesday, and thanks for reading.

Shane Goodman
President and Publisher
Big Green Umbrella Media
shane@dmcityview.com
515-953-4822, ext. 305
www.thedailyumbrella.com

View Shane Goodman's archived columns from past issues here.

CITYVIEW announced its 2023 Best Of Des Moines® readers' choices Jan. 31. You can find all the results from the poll in the February issue of CITYVIEW magazine!

Best local community to live in

1. Beaverdale

2. Waukee

3. Ankeny

SEE BEST OF DES MOINES® EVENT PHOTOS HERE...

Put me in, coach

Coach and Dad

By Chantel Boyd

Mark Tiby coached Urbandale girls' basketball for more than 20 years. His coaching career spanned 35 years total and included coaching girls basketball, swimming, track and field, and softball. He is a member of the Iowa Coaches Association Hall of Fame and National Coaches Association Hall of Fame and a recipient of the Pursuing Victory with Honor Character Counts award.

Now, his daughter, Rachael Tiby, coaches girls' basketball at the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) level. She has coached all ages and has been coaching for 12 years.

Rachael played high school basketball on her dad’s team from 2003-2007.

“My dad — and coach — was supportive of the multi-sport athlete and had a healthy mix of pushing our teams but making himself approachable at the same time," Rachael says.

Read more in the August issue of  Urbandale Living magazine 

These celebrities were born on this date:Idris Elba, Macy Gray, Roger Waters, Jeff Foxworthy, Rosie Perez, Jane Curtin, Elizabeth Vargas, Naomie Harris, Lauren Lapkus, Max George

SUBMIT: Send your birthday greetings and congratulatory notes to: tammy@iowalivingmagazines.com

The answer to yesterday's riddle:
Can a clock make a flea fly? NO, BUT IT CAN MAKE A TICK TALK! - Carolyn Rogers, Rex Post, Gail Tomlinson. Other answers from William Snyder

Today's riddle

What is a cucumber’s favorite instrument?

Have a guess? Email tammy@iowalivingmagazines.com

To advertise in this daily newsletter, contact Jolene Goodman at jolene@iowalivingmagazines.com, or call 515-953-4822 ext. 319.

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