Remembering Grandpa Deetz

Carl and I returned from Indiana yesterday after attending the funeral of his Grandpa Deetz. It was very emotional and many tears were shed (especially from this Italian girl - at one point, I actually considered ceasing all liquid intake so that I would have no more tears!), but it helped tremendously to spend time with Carl's family so that we could all begin the healing process together. Part of the difficulty in dealing with this sudden loss is coping with the loss of traditions. I could not help but wonder on our way home: But who is going to make the fresh-squeezed orange juice in the morning? Who is going to pop the popcorn at night while everyone plays euchre? Who is going to plant the beautiful flowers all around the ponds?...The list goes on and on. As these thoughts poured through my head, the answer was so simple and clear. We are. All who knew him (which was many) carry the memories with him, the knowledge gained by him, and the traditions shared with him. In honor of Grandpa Deetz, I thought that I would share some of the wonderful traditions that we intend to carry on in his name.

• Of course, fresh-squeezed juice. I don't think that I'll be able to make it quite as often, and I'm sure not quite as good, but we are going to try to perfect the combination of orange and grapefruit juices for a great start to the morning as often as we can.
• Gladiolas always remind me of visiting Grandma & Grandpa Deetz. They have a beautiful line of them by the road that seem to welcome everyone to their home. We are going to plant a line of them next to our back patio as a reminder of Grandpa's love for the outdoors and passion for gardening.
• Popcorn and euchre will not be new to our household, but we will continue this tradition with Grandpa in mind, as always.
• Oyster stew on New Year's Eve. It is no surprise that many traditions are related to sharing good food with great company. Oyster stew is a unique meal that definitely must be carried on.

By carrying on these traditions, Grandpa will live on in each of us. And when Lily learns the virtues of integrity, honesty, fairness, and above all, kindness, she will live the legacy of Grandpa Deetz.