Cartoons = life

My boys love to watch Zou every night before bed.  If you don't know the show, it's a cartoon about zebras.  They act like humans, walk upright, etc.  It's actually a pretty cute show, and I've decided that the Grandpa on the show reminds me of my PopPop, a lot.  Zou lives in a house with his parents, Grandma and Grandpa, and his Nana.  I guess Nana's husband is no longer with them.  So it's a full house over there on Zou.  I wanted to put a video of it here so you can see what I mean, but an English version isn't available on Youtube.  So just follow this link.  If it takes you to the proper video Grandpa is helping Zou pack to run away from home.  

I have had several moments watching this show where I thought, this is how life would have been if I lived with my PopPop. Grandpa zebra is always telling interesting stories about his life, usually a bit exaggerated.  Just like my PopPop.  He was known to tell us bizarre tales on how he became bald, like he got hit with big wave at the beach and came up with no hair.  Or drove too fast with the top down on a car.  And most stories of his had a bit of extra fantasy thrown in there to make them bigger and better to we small kiddos.  He knew how to entertain us.  Grandpa zebra loves his wife, but is known to flirt with other, younger lady, zebras.  This made me chuckle the first time I saw it.  PopPop loved my Grandma more than anything, but he did love to flirt with very young ladies.  Which we all found rather hilarious.  Grandpa zebra is always playing pretend with Zou, regardless of what he wants to do.  They have been mountain climbers, space men, rainbow hunters, explorers, musicians, campers in the wilds, etc.  And he makes sure they are well prepared with lots of gear.  These are things that I am sure would happen if we had lived in his house.  Grandpa zebra is always making things for Zou too, or fixing things. Either in a creative manner, or properly.  He is always fixing bikes, or making kites, art work, telescopes, or anything his grandson needs.  PopPop would have been all over that.  I can see him fixing our broken bikes or toys in some creative way.  He built us "drive up" windows in a tree in the yard and would play with us there often.  He was never one to tell us to go away because we were bothering him, he indulged our silly questions and our desire to talk or play weird things.  I am sure we can all remember some of his goofy sayings and being caught in his "bear trap".   I'm telling you, pot bellied Grandpa zebra IS my PopPop!!

I wish I had a picture handy of my PopPop to scan in here right now.  He was a fun man and a even more fun Grandpa.  I still miss him all the time, but at least on a nightly basis I get a little personal reminder of how great he was.