"The Elephant Diet" Day # 54 "Portraits of White"

Yesterday my mother celebrated 90 years.

Saturday morning we will have a memorial service for Tom's mother in Grand Rapids, MI.

It's been quite a week.

I need to get packed....we leave tonight.  Sounds like we are heading into snow as we drive through PA, OH and into MI.  A big snow storm is predicted for the Northeastern U.S.

Seems like a fitting day to share the lyrics to one of my favorite tunes for the Christmas CD.  We're going for an Enya type sound on this song.

"Portraits of White"

Frolicking frills of falling flakes

dressing the earth in silk and lace

dazzling, delicate garments of snow

are warming the earth in the midst of the cold

these are the portraits of white

Whispery winds of winter white

dancing across the starlit night

twirling and swirling and sweeping the lane

whisking the blues of the season away

these are the portraits of white

Shimmering rays of shining sun

making the winter seem like fun

carving and melting a bend in the snow

wanting a friend who will see where it goes

these are the portraits of white

Even while I worked at the church today, electric guitars were being added to "Night of Miracles".  Nice to have someone eating my elephant even when I can't get to it.  One bite at a time....even if it's someone else's bite.  

"The Elephant Diet" Day # 53 "Now That I'm 90"

"Now That I'm 90"

Detour from my diet. 

I spent the day with my Mother.  It was her 90th birthday.

This is a woman who has survived so much......

• first husband died after 2 years of marriage and left her with a 7 month old son
• her 2 year old son drowned in the farm pond just days after turning 2 (I was 6 months old)
• the son of her first husband was killed in a farm accident when he was 26 (I was 7 years old)
• her parents died around the same time 
• her second husband died of cancer (I was 35)
• spinal meningitis
• breast cancer

....you get the picture.

So as we celebrated 90 years together, there was such a sense of accomplishment in the air.

My favorite phrase of the day........"Now that I'm 90".......

I began thinking.  What would I say if it were my 90th birthday?  We got sidetracked somehow and she never finished her sentence.  

So....how would you finish it?

Now that I'm 90_______________________

I'd love to know what you'd say.

P.S.  I think I found the type of sound I want for my "MOPS" song (Mothers of Preschoolers) for my Christmas show.  I was thinking of taking it off the consideration list (at least for the CD) but after hearing this song today on the radio, I was inspired to put it back on the list.  Thanks Francesca Battistelli.  Nice to be inspired by someone else's music.

"The Elephant Diet" Day # 52 Reflections

I'm beginning to realize that the beginning of the week is not as productive as the end of the week for me.  Part of it is because of my 'day job' and that's when I work more of my hours.  Plus, I had a meeting last night, tonight and tomorrow night.  It makes it tough to fit in much else on these kinds of days.

I tried to focus this afternoon when I got home, but in all honesty, I am exhausted today.  The work I wanted to do on my project takes brain cells and I forgot to pick up some extra ones last time I was at Walmart.  : (  

There are a number of things going on in my life that are making it hard to stay focused.  

• I found out a friend has cancer
• My mother-in-law died on Sunday afternoon with only a few days notice
• A dear colleague where I work is leaving us and taking another position somewhere else
• My mother turns 90 tomorrow (that's a great thing)

When things happen that tear at my soul, it affects me in the same place from which I do creative work and therefore, it's hard to create (at least for me) when I experience 'soul pain'.  (Just being honest).

So I opted for an easier bite out of the elephant today (no brain cells needed for this).  I'm trying to increase awareness of what I'm doing and facebook is a great way to do it, along with this blog. As people offer to help me in any way (and many are doing just that) it becomes more apparent to me that people are with me in this and the greatest thing people can do right now is spread awareness by sharing this with others...and that is happening!  Thank you!

Unfortunately, it's taken me a while to figure out the difference between a 'personal profile' and a 'page' on facebook.  Now that I think I'm finally starting to get my brain around it, I'm trying to keep the two separate.  So at the bottom of this blog entry, you'll see a link where you can go right to my Frances Drost Solo Artist Page and "like" me.  

There.  

I did it.  

Ouch, that's hard!

The whole idea of this has taken me a long time to get used to and I still squirm at it.  But the truth is, I don't mind 'liking' people that I really like, so why not give others the opportunity to do the same for me?  So here's my bite for the day.......put my neck out and ask you to 'like' me.

"Like" me if you like me by clicking here!  (then look for a 'like' button and press it).

   

Thank you!

"The Elephant Diet" Day 51 Pictures

I cheated over the weekend.  I made another 'to do' list on Saturday for this project because I am at a different place now than my first 'to do' list.  That's a good thing!

I had a very full day at the church and I have a meeting again tonight.......so - my post today will be a picture of the producer who is working on my song "Night of Miracles".

Last week they did bass and drums (you'll see the 2 players) and this week it sounds like they will add electric guitars.

David Spencer (producer) (middle) with bass player  (L) drummer (R)