Happy Father's Day, Grandpa Ing!

Recently my brother Lloyd brought me a special gift. It was an old mantle clock that was purchased new by my grandfather, Richard Samuel Ing. I asked my mother, now aged 95, how old the clock was. She said "I don't know for sure, but they had it before I was born." "I remember that I would have been about 5 years old when the original glass got broken."  Lloyd told how Grandpa Ing would remove the clockwork mechanism and soak it in coal oil to clean it and lubricate it. I don't think I would risk it.

My mother's parents were both born in London, England. When they retired they sold their farm and moved into Breton, where we got to see them every Saturday. We would meet our relatives there, and it was always fun. They had a big tin box of buttons that the younger children could string together, or make buildings out of dominoes. We could also play checkers or board games. Grandma and Grandpa always had time for us. Both had a good sense of humor, and I remember lots of smiles and laughs at their house. Grandpa liked to play harmless practical jokes. He would say "Oh, look at that pretty bird sitting on the tree outside the window". When you turned to look, he would say "Oh, it just flew away!" When you turned back, your dessert had disappeared. He would always return it with a big smile. On one occasion, I remember him passing food to me and saying, "Would you like some peas?" "Yes, Grandpa." He put three peas on my plate and then pretended he was going to pass the bowl to someone else. But he would pause, with a grin and a twinkle in his eye, to ask me if I wanted some more.

They loved each other deeply and enjoyed life very much. The ticking of this clock counted the seconds, hours and years of their lives. I can hear it ticking now behind me as I write these words. Thank you, Grandpa Ing. Happy Father's Day!