Freeze Frame

Home movies.

What is it about watching those grainy (in my case) images of me in my youth that has such a pull?

I posed the question on my blog challenge "Talk about your favorite home movie"

Obviously I had something specific in my mind!

My dad LOVED taking home movies. I think he was a frustrated cineamtographer at heart. Either that or he had a thing about shooting pixs of my mom from behind...which SERIOUSLY ticks her off to this day. My mom at 80 still has a toned, sleek bod, but I really can't say I blame her, because REALLY? Who wants to look at backsides. This must be my father's genre...who knows!

Anywhoo....my favorite family produced flick is from an Easter, long, long ago.

I was 2, my brother 1

Yes, we can all pity my mom now and understand COMPLETELY why she had to be given a sedative by her gyno when she came in three months after having me and was pronounced knocked up by the doc. No the doc wasn't the dad. oh heck. you know what I mean


I'm all in crinolines and an honest to god Easter bonnet (shhhhh don't tell anyone...I still have an affinity for them), with little white lacey ankle socks and white patent Mary Janes.

And I am running

and skipping

and hopping

and grabbing every last egg I can lay my hands on

Seriously peeps...I never stopped moving. ever.

Contrast that to my brother. In a little red jacket, blue shorts, blue cap, thumb FIRMLY planted in his mouth, other hand clutching his basket, walking around in circles like a little robot, never stooping to pick up an egg.

Having just learned to walk, he has probably decided that stopping one's momentum, once up and moving, is probably not such a good thing. Either that or he's not taking that thumb out of his mouth for love or money, nor putting down what he considers to be the ultimate prize, the basket.

And in the background of every single frame is my paternal granmother. Thin, her body ravaged by cancer, her face simply glows. She has grandchildren. She has lived to see them born. She has lived to see them walk. She has orchestrated their first egg hunt.

She is strength and love and grace personified. And if I have any ounce of resiliency, it has to be in large part from her.

This is her last Easter on this earth and my only memories of her are from this film clip.

Thanks dad.

For this?

The family will forgive the booty shots.