A tribute to my Vovos
Cooked up on January 26, 2012 in Mouth Full
Share this article: 
How I miss the days where I would be kicking the soccer ball around my Vovó’s house (that’s Portuguese for grandmother). The house was surrounded by flowers. Place an obstacle in front of a young child practicing his soccer skills and he’ll use it to his advantage you know what I mean. Those flowers were definitely eyeing my soccer ball and I wasn’t about to let them have it. Sometimes the ref wouldn’t see the foul, and sometimes she would! Oops! “Chawshee!” she’d scream. She didn’t know how to pronounce my name very well, but my cousins still pronounce it like that to this day!
How I miss the days where I would be playing cards with my Vovô (that’s Portuguese for grandfather). We played Sueca (a Portuguese game similar to Hearts) and Casino the most. Besides the Rain Man, I have never seen a person keep track of cards so well like my Vovô. It’s like he had a sixth sense for knowing what you had in your hand. But he also liked to cheat! You’d have to have hawk eyes on him all the time! To this day, we still question why we never brought him to a casino!
How I miss the days where I would bring my grandparents to the grocery store. My Vovó would concentrate on getting the groceries needed. She’d send me off to order from the deli. When I came back, I’d find her opening a bottle of cream or a spray can, smelling it, putting it back, and grabbing a new one. “Vovó,” I’d say, “you can’t do that!” She would smile and laugh and continue shopping! I would turn to look for Vovô but he would seem to disappear for a while. Ah yes I remember now, he was off buying scratch tickets!
How I miss the days where I would wake up late at night and my Vovô would feed me cookies! What child would turn down cookies? After many cavities, it probably wasn’t the best idea, but I sure enjoyed it at the time! I would also teach her English and it seems to have paid off since she can speak certain phrases pretty well!
I never knew my father’s father. He died when my father was young. But if he was anything like my father (and my uncle), he must have been a great man and I would have loved to have gotten the chance to know him.
To all my grandparents, both living and deceased, I thank you from the bottom of my heart for who you are and for all that you do. You are never forgotten.
What are your favorite memories of your grandparents? Feel free to share in the comments below.
