Edelweiss, I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart for what you are doing. It means so much, and it means so much to me.

I was raised by my Grandfather, a man I loved, I still love, now that he's gone and admire more than anyone I know, anyone I've met, ever.

My parents were two rich, spoiled kids that had children.
They were COMPLETELY absorbed in themselves and each other.
My mother was a successful painter but she would shop for supplies and not go grocery shopping. It was so bad that often my siblings and I ate PAPER until my father came home to feed us. My father was not there and could not be there as he worked to support our family and then was indulging himself in his hobbies when not working.
If my parents needed money, they asked their parents. They were sad excuses for a Mother and Father.

My grandfather built his estate next door to his only child, my mother. He took to me as I took to him and we spent countless hours together. We sang, we ate, we camped out together, all just he and I. He was born in 1900 so he taught me so much! He was a graduate twice, from the U of Virginia so he taught me that sort of thing as well. I adored him and I would not have survived without our special friendship.
He would make up reasons for needing me to help him so my parents would let me stay with him instead of getting abused and beaten.
When I wanted to dance, I was a ranked tennis player because my father forced it on me. I was miserable.

My grandfather secretly bought my tights, paid for my lessons, and convinced my mother to let me go.

and when I was 9, he gave me a stero and a microphone so I could sing and kept it at his house. Say no more, I was in heaven. He put in his earphones and listened to "Paul Harvey," while his grand daughter sang and danced her heart out.

He had traveled to India and studied yoga, so he taught me that, helping my dancing.

My shrinks have said that I survivedd the abuse that distroyed my siblings because of my special relationship with him.

When I lost him I lost my whole family. But he left me well prepared and I say, to this day, "what would Grandpa say."

I've never posted anything like this anywhere. I just wanted to open up to you and tell you how much a grandparent can make.

He was my "all." He never yelled at me ONCE.

Dancer, sharing my love so you know who you are..