Ray told us this story of when, as a youngster, he and his father Walter Pinks (Phil's uncle) visited his granddad in the nursing home. Granddad complained of having a sore thumb but didn't remember doing anything that would have made it sore.
After Ray and his dad had been there for a short while granddad asked if they would find his pipe so he could have a smoke (remember this was back in the 1960s). This they did, filled it with tobacco and when granddad took a puff or two he pulled his thumb away quickly.
From what Phil tells me his granddad Richard Pinks was a wonderful old fellow and the type who probably wouldn't complain to the nursing staff so the sore thumb went unattended. Needless to say a new pipe was purchased and granddad's thumb recovered and there was no more pain and from then on he enjoyed his daily pipe.
Although in many ways this is a somewhat sad story it did cause some laughter after the cause of the sore thumb had been discovered and everything had been put right.
Granddad Richard was born in 1881 and had done hard farm work all his life as a dairyman/stockman (known then as a cowman). He and his wife had 12 children and 24 grandchildren. Richard died in 1969 at the grand old age of 87. He is remembered very fondly by Phil.
I know that Phil was very fond of both his grandfathers and he was fortunate to have known them both very well.
It's great that your are also sharing some of Pop's stories on a Wednesday xxx
ReplyDeleteThanks Kakka....I am trying to jog his memory. He has told so many anecdotes over the years many of which were quite hilarious.
DeleteThe smell of pipe smoke brings back memories of both my grandads.
ReplyDeletePipe smoke I can tolerate but not cigars or cigarettes. I believe my half-brother smoked a pipe (I have a photo of him with one) but I don't remember him doing so.
DeleteThis is lovely - thank you. Dick lived a hard life, and a long life and how wonderful that his grandchildren had the chance to know and appreciate him.
ReplyDeleteYes, it was a hard life with a very hard wife as well. Phil says he was a truly nice man who deserved better.
DeleteHari OM
ReplyDeleteOh it is sad - but perhaps better to say 'bittersweet'... My Mother's father and also elder uncle both smoked pipes. Somehow that was always tolerable. Cigarette smoke though........eeucchhh. YAM xx
Phil and I both smoked years ago but I can't tolerate the smell now and have 2 grandchildren who I wish would give up the horrid weed.
DeleteI believe even smoking a pipe can be bad for one's health especially the mouth perhaps. xx
Beautiful memory, just think if they hadn't spent time with him the problem would never have been solved. My dad at 81 still rolls his own, a few half hearted attempts at giving up, he's as fit as a fiddle and happy as, no harm done x
ReplyDeleteI've known many elderly people who smoked nearly all their lives with no apparent ill effects whereas we've lost people with lung cancer who had given up smoking many years before. x
DeleteI'll have to tell this one to my son. He has recently taken up smoking a pipe occasionally and I'll warn him to watch out for the bowl burning through. I suppose it would take a very long time for that to happen though.
ReplyDeleteIt's possible Dick's pipe was very old so doubt it happens very often. We were glad when Ray told us the story via email that he and his dad discovered what the problem was.
DeleteGood memories, 12 children and 24 grandchildren! God bless his wife. God bless Phil.
ReplyDeleteActually Phil's dad said Dick kept his wife pregnant to pay her back for being such a........... Sounds unkind but apparently she was a real harridan. Even restricted Dick's tobacco ration. Nobody seems to have happy memories of her which is so sad.
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