My grandfather turns 92 this December. I really admire my grandfather - he is such a fighter. For his 90th, we had a huge celebration that was basically a family reunion, everyone bar one cousin came. We had this huge party for him coz he is getting old and he has had a few health problems and it was a ....just in case kinda thing. I'm sure he will make it to his 100th though, his older brother and sister are still around - late 90's so he comes from a good family.

He fought in WW2, but we don't know much about it. He has medals but hides them away in a cupboard, only bringing them out every ANZAC day when he goes in the march. He doesn't like to talk about it, but sometimes he will, and when he does, everyone stops what they are doing and sits down to listen. He doesn't tell horror stories about what it was like, only funny little things he remembers. My mum has done a heap of research on his time in the Army and managed to get his old records and has made a book with it all. Everyone in the family is so proud of him, even though he doesn't like to make a big deal of it.

He used to live on a farm and work the land. He is always telling stories about that, the differences between todays farmers and how he used to farm. They lived on farm up until a few years ago, when they had to move into town because of health issues. He still has his chickens and veggie patch. Nothing beats the home-grown veggies or fresh eggs..

I remember when I was little, going to the farm and we used to go on what we called 'The Duck Walk'. At the end of one of the paddocks there was a little stream and we walk down there with him and feed the ducks that gathered there. We would have to go through the cow paddock and always ALWAYS come back smelling of cow dung.

He has this saying that I think he has been saying forever - 'I'm blind in one eye and can't see out the other.' Which is true - he is blind in one eye and had a cateract (I don't know how to spell it) in the other. That actually only just got fixed the other day. But I'm sure he will keep on saying it...

He has a passion for Rum. His favourite is Bundaberg Rum and he will have a glass every night for his night-cap. My grandmother hates it!! She says it will be the death of him. But as he has been doing it for the last 50 odd years, I don't think much damage can be done now. He is very hard to buy for so every birthday, Christmas and Fathers Day, he receives counltless bottles of Bundy Rum. My grandmother hates this even more, saying we are encouraging him to drink and she will hide the bottles on him. She'll let him have one or two drinks out of a bottle and then hide the bottle down in the garage. My grandfather is oblivious to this fact and always blames evaporation when someone mentions his dwindling collection on Bundy. At his 90th he indulged in a couple of glasses during the day (which my grandmother for once allowed) and at the end of the luncheon, he tried to stand for his speech but was bit wobbly on his legs. Quite funny really.

He has always loved his independance. Having his car license meant the world to him. He wouldn't have to rely on other people to get him around. But a few years ago, after my aunts and uncles sold his car, he finally handed in his license. He had had a few prangs here and there and drove like most old people - annoyingly slow. We were all worried about him and what he could he do in a car, so eventually he had to go for his drving test again, and they gave him a restricted license, for daylight hours only and only within town. After a few more mishaps, my uncle bought himself a family car, and sold my grandfathers car behind his back and he finally realised that he couldn't do everything himself anymore. So he handed in his license. Then he got himself one of those scooter things for old people. Just so he wouldn't have to call my uncle when he he wanted to go to the shops. I guess you can't teach an old dog new tricks...

I just felt like writing about my grandfather coz he is an amazing person. I can't imagine him not being around... but he is still going strong so I don't think I'll have to worry about it for a while..