It was at that time, back in 1975-ish, I wrote my first computer program, it was designed to determine the casting sale price after the large number of input parameters were entered. It produced a paper tape showing all the inputs and all the interim calculations as well as the final price that was sometimes marked up depending on the customer's credit history and shipping location.
The desktop computer from Hewlett Packard, one of the very first ever made, was affectionately called Hewey. Hewey allowed my grandfather to continue working productively in the front office for at least another fifteen years. Hewey was repaired and rebuilt many times, "he" got a new ribbon printer, keyboard, tape drive mechanism, power supply, and worked hard for about twenty years when he retired from the front office about the same time as my grandfather. My grandfather continued to work in the small wood shop behind the office preparing the tooling for production runs for another ten years.
I have Hewey in the back of one of my closets, saved away in his brown padded travel bag. "He" earned his way into hie retirement and will be a family keepsake for as long as anyone in my family wants "him".
I often find myself wondering if that first computer program might have added fifteen good years to my grandfather's life.
Some sunflowers to brighten the house - the shades were drawn to keep the heat down...
Lighting up 3 candles, one for each digit of 101 years...
Making a wish...
Blowing out the candles now...
I wonder what he wished for... I will probably never know.
30 comments:
Wow! 101, now that's impressive! Happy Birthday to Grand Dad! :-)
Oh Iggy your grandpa is such a handsome fellow, Happy 101 to your grandpa!!!!!
That is so cool about Hewey and I couldnt help but think wow how loyal your grandpa was at sticking with his job for all of those years :o)
I hope your week is going well so far my friend HUGS
Happy Birthday Grand-dad. I think i mite have a good idera what he wished for IgGGy, We both know what it was..
Wish your grandfather a very very very very ... ummmm I was going to do that "very" 101 times, but you may have gotten annoyed after about 45 or 50 .... so I will stop with HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!!
101 is such a great milestone! Hope there are many more years to go!
PS. We name our computers too.
Happy 101st Birthday to your Granddad. Sounds like he contributed a lot to the business and continued to do so with your help and your computer program. That was very nice to read.
I'm glad you kept "Hewey" close by. Someday you will look at "him" and think of days gone by with much love and appreciation.
If your Granddad would tell you what he wished for, it may never come true. (i bet he wished for a trip to see the Mayan and Incan ruins) :)
Nice post. :)
Your Grandpa is great looking for 101! I hope he had a memorable day and that his wish comes true:)
What a special day and how wonderful you used your gift in computer programing to add to his life.
It is so wonderful that you were there to celebrate the milestone with him... He is looking great!
A Very Special Happy Birthday!! :)
101 is amazing! Today my oldest brother celebrates his 47th wedding anniversary. My nephew Tony turns 43! Happy Birthday and Anniversary to all!
You really write a nice story. I like the way you tell them. Thanks for sharing your family will all of us! Anne
Happy Birthday to your grandfather, Iggy! He looks like a very gentle man. What a sweet thing for you to do (and talented too) to write that program to help him be/feel more productive for a good many years!! Hewey is definitely a wonderful legacy you made for your family and I am sure will be treasured for many more years! I too wonder what he wished.......
betty
Lovely blog, Iggy........your Grandpa doesn't look a day over 70.
Congrats to him and to you.
Wow, 101 years young!
Iggy, sounds like long life runs in the family.
I envy your computer skills. I know how to turn mine on, and how to "click". That's about it.
Wow. 101 years, I can't fathom 101 years of walking his earth. The thngs he must have seen. That is awesome.
Happy Birthday Granddad!
=)
wow..101...that's wonderful, and I'm sure your computer did help him keep going..you should have asked him what he wished for..you might have been able to get it for him.
What a lovely face he has! He really does look great for 101!! Staying productive keeps us going. You did right by him, you and your dad. May he have many more good years. He looks well-loved. ;)
What a milestone! 101!
Please wish your GrandDad a Happy Birthday from me as well!
Yeah!
:-)
101 is a great age to reach!
Hey, I think if he lived over here he'd get a birthday card from the queen. It happens once you get to a certain age. I'm sure it's 101. I guess the queen figures if you've lived that long then you're such a special person you deserve a card even from her. And, just think, your Grandad is one of those people!
Mind you, you don't have to reach that age to be a special person. You're already a very special person! :)
Happy belated birthday to your Grandad.
Perhaps - if his wish comes true - he will tell you afterwards that it was his birthday wish?
It's his bday again already!! Wow, time's flyyying! Happy birthday, Iggy's grandpa and hope you get to blow out many more candles :)
The moment your grandfather agreed to use "Hewey" and to learn how "Hewey" worked was the moment he paved the way to this milestone. An active mind is the spark that animates the whole human machine.
The other key to longevity is loving the work you do every day. Yes, you definitely had a hand in this milestone. Where would Granddad be now if you had said to him (in 1975!!!), "Sorry, Pops, you can't add anymore. Time to go play Bingo." ???
101 is a great milestone!! My mother's birthday was also yesterday. I watched her blow out her candles, and wondered what she wished for, and I will probably never know too.
Your Hewey was my Genie. My first desktop was a Gateway. That was when computers first used color monitors and I was so in awe with it!
How wonderful that he is able to celebrate his birthday with his family!
I hope that at 101, he's still making wishes. I want to make a wish when I'm 101. :) If Hubs is still alive, I know what my wish would be. LOL Okay, that's just mean.
;)
Happy Wednesday!
It is hard to believe your granddad is 101. I'd say you and Hewey definitely added to the quality of his life - and the length of it. When a person no longer feels productive, they tend to give up. This was a heartwarming story. Love the sunflowers. Mine didn't grow... at least I tried though!
Awww, this makes me miss my Papaw so much! Happy, happy birthday to him, and many, many more!
I came visiting from PamelaJamela's place...and what do I find?
A VERY special birthday celebration!
Granddad !
A special word in my vocabulary. I had a Granddad.
Then, my own dad was Granddad to my two daughters.
I especially love the last photo...so much wisdom in those eyes. So many memories he must be thinking of...
What a special post this was.
Thank you.
~sWaMpY~
we should introduce him to auntie fern who just turned 101 in April
They would make a cute pair.
And if they got married we could be related. (:
wow. 101. i can only hope! and he looks good for 101, too! he only looks 80 something! i just realized how horrifying that'll be when saying someone looks 80 something is a compliment...
i love that he named his computer- that's adorable :)
Happy delated birthday wishes Iggy's gramps......... I cant believe its already been a year since Iggy told us all of your 100th birthday...... you as old as the queen mother was now :).... hope you have more to come and what a great cake :)
much love dear gramps
x
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