The town where Grandpa Jem grew up is in Missouri and every year they have a special festival for him called Jem Bigsky carnival days. Usually he goes there for those days except last year when he was sick, so me and Dad went instead. Many people in the town had never met my Grandpa, but they still celebrated him, at least I think they were celebrating him, they were celebrating something. We did talk to some of the people who know him and they said some very nice things, but I did hear Some people who said they don't like my Grandpa or my family because we all left there (except my Uncle Don and his family) and they think that Grandpa was a good man until he "went to Hollywood". They also said that Grandpa isn't a "Buckheister", but a "Bigsky" who left his hometown for "better people". I don't know what that person meant, but I think the people in Grandpa's hometown seemed very nice. Dad says they are jealous. I guess that is todays word, Jealous. I kind of know what that word means, but I'll look it up anyways. It means "wanting something that belongs to another and to which one has no particular right or claim" An example of its usage, "it is hard not to be jealous of a man with a job like his". I guess some people are "jealous" of my Grandfather, but then maybe if someone saw him when he has back pain and is laying on the floor while swearing at my dad, maybe they wouldn't be. Or if they saw my Grandfather on the day my Grandma died, then maybe they woudn't as well. I guess nobody knows exactly what its like to be another person even though they think that they know what it is like.
Well, on the happy side, tomorrow is my last day of school for the summer. I will not have to go back until September. My school is different than most schools since we go to school into the summer, but its great because we get out of school for a month at christmas time and for 3 weeks around easter time. My friend Tom from church goes to school in town and has been on vacation since June! He will be going to my school this year and I am glad that I will see him everyday. I like school most of the time, but since I won't have to go back for awhile, I get to go to Grandpa's carnival again this year. Me, My Dad, and my Grandfather leave next week and even though some people don't like our family in Missouri, most people like him and since Grandpa didn't go last year, my Dad says it should be very good this year.
I asked Cousin Bruce if he was going and he said that he goes there every year for christmas and "once a year is enough".