Grandpa on Scott McLean

Childish Humor

Fri, 15 Mar 2024 20:54:10 -0700

Today’s missive touches on the weird things we do to entertain small kids and some of the odd senses of humor our families exhibited. So it’s going to jump around.

My Dad would fold his hand into a fist but leave the thumb and little fingers sticking out. No, he wasn’t a Texas Longhorns fan making the hook em horns sign and he wasn’t into heavy metal. Not that I knew of anyway.

Bumping Camping

Sat, 02 Mar 2024 19:38:22 -0800

Lutefisk

Mon, 19 Feb 2024 20:24:34 -0800

Didn’t sleep much last night and just got back from the Y so here’s another couple of Grandpa Sorenson stories.

We made a trip up there when I was 14 and Steve 11. Grandpa corralled me to go to a lutefisk dinner at the local sons of Norway hall. Everyone else was smart enough to make an escape. Steve went with Dad to Port Angeles to buy some gear at Swain’s for a fishing trip the next day. Mom and Sherri went with Dorothea to bingo at the grange hall.

Grandpa's Morning Routine

Sun, 18 Feb 2024 18:26:03 -0800

Another tale of an earlier visit to Grandpa’s.

Steve and I were probably 14 and 11. Our folks put us on a Greyhound at the depot that used to be on Yakima avenue. Steve wanted to sit in the back but I told him I’d been warned not to due to the bathroom being back there. Good advice because even at mid bus the smell got a little ripe!

The bus picked up more passengers at Ellensburg and we had a layover of 2 hours to switch buses in Seattle. I had picked up a copy of Hot Rod magazine and one of Mad magazine at the depot to pass the time. Steve passed the time by antagonizing me!

Gingo Part2

Mon, 12 Feb 2024 19:02:31 -0800

Today’s story is going to focus more on my Uncle Gale or Gingo as I called him when I was younger.

Gingo gave me my first taste of beer. As with most young kids, I thought that was pretty good. I saw my Uncle pouring a drink out of another brown bottle and wanted some. I guess I got a little demanding so he poured me a little. Turns out it was whiskey and I spit it all over my Grandpa’s floor.

Aunt Lena

Sun, 11 Feb 2024 07:03:38 -0800

It’s odd, the things that stick out in your memories of younger years.

I have mentioned my Grandma Sorenson pulling a frozen apple pie out she had pre-made and baking it because I claimed I smelled a pie. I was about 4 or 5 when she died but, from what I remember, it’s easy to see where Mom got her cooking skills.

She was a slender woman in her late forties but came home from work and had a stroke. They took her to the hospital but they couldn’t save her. I didn’t know what was going on but my parents, Grandpa, and other adults in the family were at Grandpa’s house. They were all in a somber mood and Grandma wasn’t there.

Cooking

Mon, 29 Jan 2024 09:00:00 -0800

Today’s dissertation is on country guys cooking.

In general the old belief was that the man would be out working and the wife would have lunch and dinner done for him.

Reality was the wife usually worked all day herself then came home and made dinner. That’s the way it was in our house.

Both of our sons and I are pretty decent cooks.

Dad’s culinary skills topped out at being able to put spam and mayonnaise between two slices of bread. If he really concentrated he could maybe roast a hotdog on a stick.