Just the facts - that part is easy

I have compiled facts and anecdotes and photos of Mary Agnes McGrath, my maternal grandmother. The family tree of her ancestors has been completed to the extent that they are known at this point in time. A list of world-changing events that occurred during her lifetime has been compiled. Chronological details of her life have been recorded. But when I put them all together I'm not happy with the result. Here's where my lack of writing experience is really showing.

I want to present something that looks good, has a narrative that flows well and engages the reader, and gives the reader a real sense of who Agnes McGrath was. Notwithstanding all of that, her life story is really aimed just at family.

Aggie was the perfect embodiment of a classical grandmother. She had the white hair fastened into a bun, she always wore dresses, she showed appreciation for the smallest favours and most childish of gifts, she was an accomplished cook and baker, she was totally devoted to her two children and her seven grandchildren. I took her for granted and in my more selfish moments, resented having yet another voice saying "no". This book is my effort to atone for the lack of appreciation I showed Nanny during her lifetime.

Initially the plan was to create an illustrated book - the kind you hold in your hands. Then I thought about an e-book. That, however, doesn't seem right as a tribute to a person who passed away long before the advent of electronic copies of anything. There will probably always be an electronic version to allow for new stories, photos or details if they are uncovered. But, I'm back to the printed and illustrated book concept.

So, I'm at the point of formatting "Aggie's Dash". That is the title.

Let me back up just a little. Once I decided that I would write family stories, I thought there should be a unifying theme. I decided on The Dash.

Read the poem that inspired this title here:
http://www.linda-ellis.com/the-dash-the-dash-poem-by-linda-ellis-.html

So, I started writing about Arthur Byrne, my three times great grandfather - and that's still in progress. The problem there is I'm pretty much stuck with facts and documents, there are no anecdotes and no pictures. Then I started a combined Bob Burns and Rita Sunderland (my parents) story. That's still in progress. The problem there is that I knew them both, have lots of photos and stories, and can't figure out what to include. It could be a huge tome, but I want to make it reader-friendly.

I figured it would be better to start with someone I knew and to whose story I could add more than facts and documents. The person I chose was Nanny - Mary Agnes McGrath.

So - over the next few days I will be arranging and re-arranging sentences and whole paragraphs. Photos will be selected and grouped and placed close to the narrative which they illustrate. I will have to resist the printing of each version. My pile of scrap paper - i.e. printed on one side with stuff I don't need to keep - is already threatening to take over my desk and does not need to be augmented.

The weather is cool and wet and I figure it's good to get used to this as my winter in Ireland is quite likely to have lots of days similar to what is forecast here. It should also give me some guidance on what clothes to take with me.

That's it for now. I have to continue to find diversions from the American election which is far too much like watching a train wreck - just can't look away even though I don't live in the US.