A lost Generation

This sign hung at my grandparent's home for as long as I can remember.  My grandpa was a train man through and through.  He traveled all over the U.S. chasing trains.  He was my last grandparent...I'm a little sad that that generation is now gone.  Who will now tell the stories of not having a car?  Or what it was like before cell phone?  Surely not my generation. 

I'm so glad little Aiko got to meet her grandpa before he died.  He was a feisty man.  Tough on the outside but very sweet on the inside.  He was also a VERY clean man, the water at his house would burn your fingers off, but that's the way he liked it.  Killed the germs he says. 

We laid him to rest next to grandma and uncle Dennis. 

Grandpa was a veteran.  He would tell you all sorts of stories from the Navy.  He traveled all over the world on a boat.  

My whole family was able to go.  We were able to meet and hang out with some of our cousins we hadn't seen in years.   Even though it was a sad occasion, all the siblings were able to come and pay their respects. 

Until we meet again Grandpa. 

Grandpas, in a plural sense.

I'm a little behind, but Aiko recently had both grandpa's come and visit.  This little lady rules the house and whomever happens to fall victim to her big brown eyes.  Here Papa Hesley is reading a book.

She also loves trains, just like her great-grandpa Hesley.  We went to Union Station in Ogden to actually look at the trains. I haven't done this probably since my grandpa Hesley came out from Iowa...so like 19 years.  Maybe it's just in her blood, since my grandpa Hesley lives and breaths trains.  He used to take me out to go train watching.  Apparently, I would just sleep in his big blue suburban while he stood out waiting to take a photo of the passing trains.  We recently uploaded 17,000 photos to his computer....just so he could look at all his train pictures.  He knows his stuff.

Here Papa Walker is rebellious.  He grew up in Milford, which is a tiny town, that used to be a main train hub back in the day.  His dad used to be a conductor/brakeman and had all sorts of stories I never heard before.

Side note, if you know someone who spent their lives on trains you should talk to them about it.  It's a completely different world.  Traveling by train has never even crossed my mind as a form of transportation,  and not too long ago it was the only way to travel.  Crazy.