Illustration Friday: Choose

February 11, 2008 at 9:03 am | Posted in Uncategorized | 8 Comments

First of all thanks to all of you for the comments, emails, and prayers.  We are still in the hospital.  We have been blessed with getting a chance to tell Dad goodbye, and to spend a little more time with him this past two weeks.  He is sure tough, and we will miss him every single day.  Of course there is great comfort in knowing that he will no longer be in pain. 

 As my previous post described, music was a big part of dad’s life.  We have been compiling a list of many of his favorites this week, and Roger Miller’s “You Can’t Rollerskate in a Buffalo Herd” is one of the first ones we came up with.  Dad LOVED to sing and dance to silly songs.  So many good times.  Dad also has a very strong will, and firmly believed that with a strong will there is a way….that you truly can be happy if you put your mind to it.

This song is an illustrator’s dream:

Ya can’t roller skate in a buffalo herd
Ya can’t roller skate in a buffalo herd
Ya can’t roller skate in a buffalo herd
But you can be happy if you’ve a mind to

Ya can’t take a shower in a parakeet cage
Ya can’t take a shower in a parakeet cage
Ya can’t take a shower in a parakeet cage
But you can be happy if you’ve a mind to

All ya gotta do is put your mind to it
Knuckle down, buckle down, do it, do it, do it

Well, ya can’t go a-swimmin’ in a baseball pool
Ya can’t go swimmin’ in a baseball pool
Ya can’t go swimmin’ in a baseball pool
But you can be happy if you’ve a mind to

Ya can’t change film with a kid on your back
Ya can’t change film with a kid on your back
Ya can’t change film with a kid on your back
But you can be happy if you’ve a mind to

Ya can’t drive around with a tiger in your car
Ya can’t drive around with a tiger in your car
Ya can’t drive around with a tiger in your car
But you can be happy if you’ve a mind to

All ya gotta do is put your mind to it
Knuckle down, buckle down do it, do it, do it

Well, ya can’t roller skate in a buffalo herd
Ya can’t roller skate in a buffalo herd
Ya can’t roller skate in a buffalo herd
But you can be happy if you’ve a mind to

Ya can’t go fishin’ in a watermelon patch
Ya can’t go fishin’ in a watermelon patch
Ya can’t go fishin’ in a watermelon patch
But you can be happy if you’ve a mind to

Ya can’t roller skate in a buffalo herd
I have a new sketch done, but am having trouble uploading from the hospital.  So I am digging into files and found this one.  Hopefully I am posting the right link.  (Photobucket is blocked here at the hospital.)  Anyway, I hope you all choose to be happy today.  I am trying my best to do so myself. 

 update: 920 pm Monday:  My sweet dad passed away at 5:35 pm.  Despite how much I will miss his voice and seeing his big blue eyes every day, it really is good to know that he is not in pain any longer and that his life is now very peaceful.  xoxox

I see I really made a mess (broken links, etc) of this post from the hospital computer, so I am trying to fix it now. Sorry about that.

xoxox