I am sitting in the North by Northwest Studio Production Office at my desk by the window looking out over Broadway, in Spokane, WA. My desk has a picture of the Four Moores, a picture of Mom, Madeleine and Dad, a picture Ben made me of Orcas, and a postcard for "The Dark Horse" - I need to stick a "JourneyQuest" one there too and then I will have the perfect collage. (If you are interested in the project my company collaborated on with two other companies this last year, please view and share our free webseries freely! www.journey-quest.com)
I have been living here in Spokane for two weeks now, as I am directing my feature film "Camilla Dickinson" - I have to be in Spokane on work days. I fly home each Friday night. It is odd, but it is sort of working for Terry and me, as he is about to start rehearsals for "Sherlock Holmes and the Case of the Christmas Carol" at Taproot. I miss being in Theo's and Terry's and Mom's daily lives more, but all of them are really pulling for this movie to succeed, most especially Mom, who rather insisted that I not stop working and that I go ahead and direct it now, when the studio has a window. So, with a lot of guilt and a lot of joy and several daily check-in calls, I am doing it. I really can't believe that I am actually here, getting to do this, after so many years of trying to put this together.
For the last two weeks I have been doing a lot of location scouting with Vince DeFelice the Production Designer, as well as meeting with potential Directors of Photography and Choreographers. In the last couple of days I have met with other Department Heads, to try to begin the prep work that will hopefully pay off in the long run. At this point we are five weeks from Principal Photography, and it kind of feels like five minutes, since we have to create 1948 Manhattan in Spokane, WA!
I am deeply honored and blessed to be here, doing this right now. I am very aware of the impossible privilege of finally getting to sit in this chair again.
Re: Mom's cancer treatment: she is doing much better, which is so fantastic that none of us can fully believe it! She continues her chemo treatments every two weeks or so (depending on her white cell counts which have been really great lately), and her energy and attitude are better, for much of the time, than they have been.
She is in treatment until further notice, and Doctor Kaplan is monitoring her continued progress as she beats this cancer.
No she does not have hair. Which is par for the course! That is one reason that I put so many pictures of her with hair up on this site - she is not fond of wearing hats or scarves ("too hot!") but also is not fond of pictures of her bald head, so I am trying to honor that.
I have managed to be at all but two of Mom's chemo Fridays so far, but now alas those days are over - she goes in tomorrow with Cathy, which is fine of course as Cathy and Teresa ROCK! I am just sad for myself, because I love those sweet times just sitting with her and visiting or dozing, with no agenda and no time pressure.
In the weeks before I left town, Mom and Cathy and Teresa and I went to the mountains on a fabulous botanizing trip, and to a horse show, which was great fun. This Saturday Mom and Theo and I may go to a movie. It is a weird life, but we are making it work. I try to call her twice a day and check in, but I really wish I could be home more - and write in here more! And of course when I do get home, I am covered with cats and needing to attend to a very needing-to-see-me 12 year old.
Things continue to improve, and Mom may indeed be headed for a remission; if you think of it please send good thoughts that that is the outcome! She is still on a lot of Lasix for the heart failure, but so are many people in their 80s, and we are hopeful to get that under control as well.
Back to pre-production! *happy dance*
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