Grandma and Grandpa Riding

My Grandpa Riding passed away on July 20th. It was unexpected. He definitely had been getting weaker, but he still seemed pretty healthy. I'm still not really sure how he died. It may have been from a heart attack. Although, I will always miss him, I know he is happier now. His body isn't hurting anymore. He's with his wife. They're happy together, I'm sure.
My Grandma Riding passed away September 12, 2003. Since I didn't have a blog back then, I want to write about them both. I want to remember what they were like and the memories I have with them.

This is them in 1952 in San Fransisco. Aren't they cute?

Grandpa and my dad in 1962 on Easter Sunday, I think.

My dad, me, Cousin Darcy, Michelle, Ashlee, Cousin Michael. We used to play games a lot when we went to my grandparents house. We played scrabble, canasta, and pay day the most. I don't think my either grandma or grandpa played with us though. But they were always around.

This picture is of me, Michelle, and Ashlee in front of my grandparents' dining room table. When I started couponing almost 2 years ago, my dad told me that my grandma used to coupon. She collected all the money she saved from using coupons and bought this very nice dining room table.

My grandpa lived on the same land his whole life. He grew up in one house and then after he was married he bought a book called "How to build your dream home for $3500." (or something like that.) and built a house next to the old house. He built the house himself without any outside help.

My grandpa was a pretty grumpy old man. He was very short tempered and didn't really try to hide his anger. But despite that you knew that he really loved his family. He would help any of us anytime he could. He bragged about his children and grandchildren to anyone who would listen, I'm sure. One of my favorite memories with him his sitting on his lap in his chair in the living room listening to him read book after book after book. I loved reading with him.

My grandma was a really sweet lady. She used to wake up everyone morning and make breakfast for my grandpa. She always made pancakes for breakfast for us when we came to visit. I was always so excited to eat them, even though it was always so early. She was a great cook. I loved eating her turkey and potatoes and gravy on Thanksgiving. She loved popcorn. I remember always having popcorn when we were at their house. I remember going to the store with her to buy things to keep me entertained on the airplane ride back to Seattle when Michelle and I visited Utah alone. She was also a very nervous person, like me. She refused to get on an airplane. We went camping with them to Florence, Oregon when I was little and both her and I didn't want to go on the dune buggies or the boats that everyone else was going on. She was also very proper. My mom said the word pregnant in front of her and grandma was shocked.

When we lived in Utah we used to have a huge Easter egg hunt with the Riding side of the family. The adults would hide eggs with money in them in the desert somewhere in Stockton, and then the kids would all run around to find them. I don't really remember doing it then, but it's a tradition my parents have kept with us. Although we just do it at their house since we don't live by any deserts.

Grandma got sick around 2002, I think. Grandpa took such good care of her. I think that was the first time I really could see that he loved her. I also could see how loving and caring he really was under his outer layer of grumpiness.

My grandpa's name is Richard Shelton Riding. My Grandma's is Florence Anna (Kading) Riding. I miss them.