Capturing Fading Memories

All my life I've been captivated by the stories that have taken place at different stages in Grannie Annie's life: her childhood, young adulthood, middle and old age. Hearing them from her now, at 85 years old... it's like witnessing the full circle of a life.

I've noticed in filming her over this past year that holding a conversation with her is sometimes challenging - she'll start to talk and within a minute loop back on the conversation and start it again from the top. Other times she'll go off on a completely unrelated topic from which we started. She can't always tell you what happened 30 minutes ago, but she can tell you every detail of exactly what she was wearing the night she met my grandfather at a barn dance in Seguin, Texas nearly 70 years ago.

Last night, my sister-in-law, Donna, and I had a heart to heart. Donna has a bit of knowledge about Alzheimer's and some of the things she said ring true for Grannie Annie. I'm not well informed on Alzheimer's so I don't want to jump to conclusions... but it forced me to confront the reality of Grannie Annie's current physical and mental health.

I slept last night with a heavy heart with this conversation weighing on me. But it did make me extremely grateful that I had begun filming her and her beloved stories when I did. Before she went to bed I curled up in her lap as she sat in her rocking chair and asked in a small voice, "Grandma, tell me a story." On the spot she invented a story about how she had a little baby girl and when she grew up, a little elf brought that little girl her very own magical baby girl. I cried as she spoke and prayed that the moment would never end.

Road Trip!!!

Well, most of the road on this trip will be on the way to the airport ~ Grannie Annie wouldn't do very well in a car from Texas to Atlanta. If you've ever taken a road trip through Texas, you know most of the journey is just trying to get out of The Lone Star state.

Tomorrow, Grannie Annie and I are flying out to spend the Thanksgiving holiday, which also happens to be her 86th birthday, with my brothers and parents. This will be our 2nd trip together; the first was a 12 day excursion in the summer of 2007. I hadn't spent that much solid time w/ her since I was her little Yankee granddaughter coming to visit during my summer vacations.

Our trip in 2007 was enlightening and a motivating force in me finally getting serious about filming her like I always said I would. During this trip I saw her differently than I did as a child. As an adult, I was surprised to discover how much alike we are in many ways. This got me to thinking about the stories I've heard her tell and how much they've dominated my psyche. That's led me here, to making this documentary about her influence and the power of storytelling.

Another thing about the 2007 trip that surprised me ~ my awe of her scared me into quitting smoking. You see, she isn't your typical "cuddly grandma". Oh, she's very loving, but she'll tear you up too. I had been struggling to quit for years, but when this trip came up I was so afraid of her withering disapproval I stopped cold. When I came back from the trip, it was out of my system and have been nicotine free ever since. One more thing I owe to her. Now, I hid that I smoked from her, so if you talk to her please don't rat me out! I'm telling you, I'm kinda scared of her.

So here we go ~ another adventure w/ Grannie Annie! Some around her fear this may be her last trip. But not me ~ I'm convinced she'll live forever. Either way, for this journey, I'm armed and ready w/ my camera!