I have mentioned before that I used to have 2 big dreams ( more like wishes ) in my life, when I was younger.  The first was to meet ” Moondoggie ” ( James Darren ) from the movie “Gidget”.  If you have been following my blog posts for a while, then you already know that I did that, in 2005.  It was definitely something I will always remember fondly. 

     I guess 2005 was a big year for me, as it was also the year I made my second dream come true, and that was to record a CD.  It was all cover tunes of 1920’s – 1950’s Big Band/Swing/Lounge music.  I recorded it at The Sound Kitchen in Vancouver, in January of that year.  Paul Airey and his wife had  part of their groovy Studio set up like an old-fashioned Diner – very cool, and lots of fun. Paul always kept it well-stocked with candy and snacks, which my musicians and I greatly appreciated.

     I was, of course, very nervous, since it was the first time I’d recorded a full CD in a Studio.  I was terrified of making mistakes, ( which would mean time and $ ) and was not as relaxed as I could have been.  Luckily, the guys I was working with could sense this, and would do silly things to make me laugh, and relax a bit.

     It was quite a learning experience, in so many ways.  We were all pretty happy with the end result. Paul Shatto did a great job making everything sound its best, and he was always there with words of encouragement.

Piano Player/Bandleader Doug Balfour Watches Paul Shatto Work His Magic

Gary Mussatto Drummer Extraordinaire

Heather Doré at Sound Kitchen Studio

Heather Doré and Gary Mussatto – Amazing Drummer

Heather and Beverly Listening To Playback

     This past weekend in Canada was our Thanksgiving.  Traditionally, this was a time to show gratitude for a bountiful harvest.  The holiday is technically on the Monday, but family dinners usually happen on either the Sunday or the Monday.

     I hope that all of my Canadian friends were able to spend some quality time with their families and loved ones, and reflect on just how much they have to be grateful for.  It may not be as much about the harvest any more, but we still need to be aware of all the things we often take for granted in our lives.  The most obvious things to me are a roof over our heads, clothes on our backs, food on the table, clean water to drink …. we are so incredibly lucky to live where we do.  Most of us have jobs and are able to get the things we need to survive.  We have access to great medical care, we are able to express our different cultures, religions etc. and speak our minds.

     When times are tough, and things are not going how we would like in our lives, it is very easy to forget about all these seemingly “basic” things that we are so used to having.  What we don’t seem to realize is that these things would be considered luxuries to many other people in the world.

     Life is not always easy – that is for sure. Sometimes, things happen that seem like too much to bear, but instead of wishing for things we don’t/can’t have, maybe we need to start to focus on being grateful for the things ( and people in our lives ) that we do have.  If we really think about it, things may not seem so bad after all.

     I for one am very grateful to have the things I need to survive and be healthy. More than anything, I am grateful to have a wonderfully loving and supportive family, and group of good friends.  Regardless of how difficult things get, just knowing people care and are willing to listen ( and give lots of hugs ) makes even the hardest things in life a little less painful.

     What are you grateful for?