Happy 80th Birthday, Grandpa!

On Monday we're off to Delaware, OH to surprise Flying Baby's great-grandpa for his 80th birthday. This will be my son's first long roadtrip. I'm kind of worried because usually what hour happens during car rides is he falls asleep. While I know that this is good in one way, a 6 hour nap might not be such a good idea. Hopefully things will work out alright that when we stop to nurse he'll be awake enough where it won't mess up his schedule. At least he normally takes a big nap during part of the time that we are traveling.

Anyway, back to where we are going. Delaware, OH is home of the Delaware County Fair and home of the Little Brown Jug, a famous harness horse race. My grandfather (my son's great-grandpa) has NEVER missed a Jug since 1947, and it started in 1946.

He's a pretty amazing man. Grandpa grew up on a cattle farm in Delaware County, Ohio. When he was a little older (in his 20s), Grandpa's father took an interest in Standard Bred harness horse racing and became a trainer and driver. I guess this is the time when Grandpa started to really develop a love for this great sport and hasn't stopped since. Grandpa worked for the Sunshine Biscuit Company from 1956-1962. While on the job, he fell off a latter and seriously injured his back. While reading a Harness Horse Magazine, which he was an avid reader of, he saw and answered a job ad for the magazine and soon became the Associate Editor of Harness Horse Magazine from 1962-?. He stopped working for the magazine sometime in the 1960s and worked for Hempt Farms, a horse breeding farm, in the advertising and public relations area. In 1976 he became the Deputy Executive Secretary for the Horse Racing Commission of Pennsylvania, and he was also a judge. He retired from the Commission in 1991 as a well respected man of harness horse racing, and he is still a well known and respected man of this sport today.

Grandpa, even though I know you won't be reading this post I want you to know that I am a proud granddaughter. I wish I was an author or writer who could document your amazing life in a book. My short paragraph doesn't do justice to your life and legacy. I hope that someday someone will help you write a book on your life. I would be the first one to buy a copy and I'll definitely want your autograph!

HAPPY 80th BIRTHDAY, GRANDPA! I can't wait to see your face when we surprise you next week!