I’ve been trying to find the words to say for my Grandma. I felt like I wanted to say something, I just didn’t know how, or what. My blog is the one place I can be my authentic self on, so where better to share a little bit about her then here?
My grandma’s name is Betty Craig. She was born on November 7th, 1941 in Madison, IN, and passed away last week. Mawma was the first person who exposed me to classic movies. As a child, I never thought about the movies we watched as being “classics”, but they were. Little Women (1949) is the first one I can clearly remember watching. We watched it a million times! I can clearly remember asking her multiple times, why Jo and Laurie didn’t become a couple at the end. That just never computed in my little brain. It makes perfect sense to my 34 year old brain =) I can recite the movie. I know every scene frontwards and backwards. It’s a wonder she didn’t just hide the VHS tape and say she lost it.
I made her watch White Christmas year round. At least once a month, usually more. She told my aunt years later how I ruined the movie for her because I made her watch it so much. We watched It’s a Wonderful Life at Christmas like everyone else, and other well known classics like Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, The Rare Breed, and The Sound of Music ( another one I made her watch incessantly). It should come be surprise, all of these are still regarded as favorites today.
It’s funny now thinking back, but I remember asking her after watching Rebecca or a Lucille Ball movie about why they were sleeping in separate beds, was that really how it was back then? She laughed and enjoyed my observation. She let me know that was certainly not how real life was. Only in the movies. Fast forward to college and I learned about the Hayes Code and figured out real quick about the bed of lies some movies had to be made on.
A little popcorn and chocolate chip cookies were my favorite snacks to have while we watched movies. She would also cut me slices of colby cheese to dip in homemade sour cream ranch. And my favorite, chips and salsa. She also had these perfect glass sundae dishes for ice cream. They just made my ice cream taste better. What better snack than ice cream and a classic movie, right?
One of the things aside from classic movies that my grandma did was read to me. She read the usual suspects for kids in the 90’s; Little Critters, Eric Carle, Dr. Seuss. But she also read things like the Bible, Little Women, Anne of Green Gables, and The Pilgrim’s Progress. Some of these are still so beloved to me today. It’s no surprise I chose to get a degree in English huh? I read to my kids all the time now too, and I’m sure that makes my grandma proud.
One of my favorite memories with her happened not too long ago. She was really proud that I was a Backlot Guest Programmer on TCM in 2020. After the movie was over, she came to have cookies outside to celebrate. She talked to me about the movie (The Enchanted Cottage) and how she liked it and that I had done a good job. I told her that day about being pregnant with my son. So many good things in one day, it’ll always be something I remember fondly.
Someone said to me at her funeral that I got them into classic movies. And it was so touching at the time. Looking back after a few days, it’s so special to have heard that, in that particular setting. Mawma planted the seeds in me. I’m planting them now in others. What an honor it all is.
Here’s looking at you Mawma.