[Leica] The Big Day!!! :-)

[tedgrant at shaw.ca (TED GRANT)]

WHOOOOOOOOOIIIIIIIEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :-)
First things first.What can one say but offer the biggest most meanngful 
heartfelt thank you to all of you for your support, best wishes and just 
good old fashion folk kindness.
My good fortune before we left for the event I had a quick look on line and 
there were notes of congratulations, hang tight guy you'll be all OK! :-)
What wonderful bolstering words to send me out the door with. Actually they 
helped me stay a tad calmer knowing the "Family" were there in spirit and 
with a few real folk in the audience.
You know I can't say anything more meaningful than, from the "bottom of my 
heart" thank you all for the enouragment and wishes.
The luncheon with Prime Minister Joe Clark, his wife Maureen, there daughter 
who is in the film creating the great expession on another Prime Minster 
John Diefenbaker when she called him "grandpa!" when she was a 2 year old. 
Interestingly enough she attended with her 22 month old daughter. One of my 
son's Scott and his wife. A wonderful reminecing of time gone by. It sent a 
very nice tone for the evening.
7Pm arrival at the National Archives, numorous folks aleady there, a number 
of photographers with their intimidating honking great Canon lens shades on 
various sizes of what appeared as huge zoom lenses.
Meanwhile I have a simple little M8, 35 1.4 summilux about neck where I 
happy snappped back a few times. :-) Interesting momment when several came 
over and asked what kind of camera was it? "One of those old film Leica 
cameras?" :-)
The group of "paparzi" grew in nmbers and they were shooting from evey angle 
you could imagine. Me holding up copies of the book "Women in Medicine" 
autographing copies... "Mr. Grant hold it up higher, open it and show some 
pages to someone." Yet many stood back long zooms and just clicked away. I 
found it far more intimidating because one never new which direction to look 
at which camera. But I'd bet there's a great collection of good, bad & 
without question, some ugly pictures of the old guy. :-)
In the old days, given the personality I believe we were quick to ask the 
subject somehing to grab their attention directly so we had an exclusive 
"into my camera" look.
They had a wonderful wine table set for guests pre-showing and after the 
screening a larger selection in copious amounts to aid with their recovery! 
;-) 
One of the really neat things was some of the old lads who we worked togther 
30-40 years ago as a bunch of bright eyed young pups living the life as 
newspaper photographers. Dang they were all "old guys!" :-) The 
conversations didn't take on the usual photographer gathering of what gear 
or project are you shooting these days? But more on the after effects of a 
double heart bypass, ulcer recovery, sight going, aches and pains of a bunch 
of old folks. :-) Kind of funny sad in a way.
But it was the big warm hugs of recognition that were great all round.
The film on the big movie screen is awesome. I mean it looks quite good on 
our TV or computer screen, but Holy Cow on bigtime movie screen? AWESOME!!!!!
"What is your next project?" was a common question. However I stayed 
non-comittal even though it'll be on medical students starting in the next 
month or so.
A LUG witer had suggested I shoot a picture of the crowd when I first 
ascended the stage and I did just that to great laughs.
So there you go folks a great evening to say the least and the best part was 
I only lost the tears a couple of times as I'd kind of steeled myself not to 
be a blubberb head. :-) Kindest thank you to each and everyone, one more 
time. You gotta be the best! :-)
kindest regards,
ted