THINKING ABOUT MY GRANDPA TED: I never met the guy, but have heard many stories about the man. Dad told me about how he’d come home from work and fan out a stack of tickets for Redwing games and what not. Dad would pick the Redwing tickets and off they’d go down to Olympia.

He flew in big bombers in World War II. Scary, scary stuff. I remember seeing photos he snapped from way up there. I mean, think of how many of those planes didn’t make it back? If Grandpa Ted didn’t make it back, that would’ve meant no daughter Lauren, and the rest of my aunts and uncles that came after her. Hell, it would mean no me!

I never got to meet my Grandpa Ted. He passed before I was born. And today I’m thinking about him, as well as the generations of heroes who’ve fought and given their life for our country, and all countries. Heavy stuff, when you think about how easy we’ve got it. Feeling thankful I get to live where I live.