In Memory of three cats

Me and Flaky 2001

I had  very sweet card sent to me yesterday which brought tears to my eyes. My dearest and best friend Lilly had a tree planted through the Arbor Day Foundation in memory of three of my cats who've passed on...Snowball, Snowflake (aka Flaky) and Snowbelle.

I can't tell you how moved I was by her gesture. Lilly is one of the sweetest and kindest persons I have ever known. If there was ever an Angel who was among us, it is her. I've known her for over 20 years and I only wish she still lived closer (she lives in Montana) so I could have given her a hug. I know she would have been with me, not only when I had to put Flaky to sleep, but when I had to put Snowbelle down as well. She was there for me when I put Snowball to sleep and I think it devastated her just as much as it did me when I had to let her go. It's really heartwarming to know that in some forest somewhere in the United States, there is a tree with the three cats names on it (figuratively speaking of course). Lilly knows how much I LOVE trees. You might say I'm a tree huger from way back even before the movement in the 70's to preserve our forests.

If there ever was a character I wanted to take hold of and shake it is Star in the Penny Jordan novel Too Wise to Wed? Yes I'm still reading it, although I should be finished with it soon. Of course I KNOW that Star will realize that Kyle is her man but it's getting to that point that I'm aggravated with her. I don't exactly dislike the character just want to shake her and tell her what is she nuts? Here's a man who, despite all her hangups, loves her to distraction and all she wants is an emotionless affair with him. Argh!!  I can sympathize with Star however, as I too had hangups from the past that I had to overcome and luckily had an understanding husband. Of course, unlike Star, I didn't let my boyfriend know this until AFTER we were married. It took me awhile to overcome said hangups and I have to give my husband credit...he was extremely patient with me.

Both Kyle and Brad (the character in the previous book) are Americans. It's always a treat for me when I read a romance by a British author which features one of my countryman in the leading role. Usually it's a Greek man or Spaniard. The painting on the cover represents the moment when she first has dinner with Kyle. Love the elegant black dress. And is it just me or do all men look fabulous in a tux?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Jules_Verne.jpg

Watched a really good movie recently: Journey 2: The Mysterious Island with Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson. I had no idea the man could sing, and sing well too. Always loved Jules Verne stories...Journey to the Center of the Earth, Mysterious Island, From the Earth to the Moon to name just a few.

These are some of his books that I'm familiar with. What I didn't know is that he wrote SO many more than the ones that have been put to film. Thanks to Wikipedia though, I have discovered many of his other works and want to obtain these for my library. I do love other genre's aside from historical and romance. I also love Science Fiction and he has been referred to as the father of the genre. I absolutely love the photo of him garnered from Wikipedia. His eyes are smiling. They have a twinkle in them and he just has a hint of a smirk on his lips. He was a handsome looking man.

What I find fascinating about the earlier science fiction writers is how a lot of their stories became science fact. Example: Verne wrote a story in 1863 entitled: "Paris in the Twentieth Century about a young man who lives in a world of glass skyscrapers,high-speed trains, gas-powered automobiles, calculators, and a worldwide communications network" .(Wikipedia) Although I haven't read the book, but hope to soon, it foretells of our modern world. I often wonder, were the earlier Sci Fi writers prophets and were foretelling the future or did modern man get their ideas from the imagination and minds of the early science fiction writers and ended up making what they wrote about into fact?

Since I missed posting yesterday, today I will present two newspaper paper dolls again. One for the 24th of August and one for today's date, the 25th. The Boots is from August 24, 1947. And Tillie is from August 25, 1946. Of the Boots outfits my favorite is the stripped dress with the B monogram and of the Tillie outfits I have to say the shorts overalls is my favorite. The whole ensemble makes me think of Judy Garland (an actress I've always admired) and her roll in Summer Stock. Though the costume Judy wore in the movie weren't shorts nor as form fitting. And she didn't have a plaid picture hat either. I also have the strip that went with the Tillie paper doll that I thought I'd also share. I love reading these old strips and remember many a Sunday morning lying on the living room floor engrossed in the "funny papers". 

For the paper doll that is of my design, I present Chorus Girl, formally named Fantasy Dancer. I did some changes on her, mainly her face, and added clothes to the doll page rather than have the doll by itself as I previously did. She was originally created in 1984 and revamped some time in the 90's. In the former version her head was egg shaped and her facial features remind me more of an alien. I'm in the process of making a black and white version of her. She's in pencil form and on tracing paper at this time but thanks to Photoshop and a good printer I can easily transfer her into a decent lined drawing without pencil smudges and lines from the tape. I also did this one in color which I have also added. The color version is the one I've been selling on Ebay. I'm also considering enlarging her but then that would constitute more pages and I am trying to cut down on how many pages need to be printed. I'm also considering putting in some kind of border, maybe one featuring dance shoes or perhaps a background that features a stage. Something to consider anyway. 

I suddenly had this wild idea of actually making her into an alien dancer. Keeping the egg shaped head, giving her three fingers and a thumb (and eight toes) enlarging her eyes, giving her smaller ears and a minute nose or no nose at all. Hmmm...it's a notion any way. I'll let you know if I act on it. 

Well, I suppose that is it for today. I will hopefully post tomorrow. Some days I just don't have any thing to say so perhaps in order to keep the blog up to date I'll just publish one of the newspaper paper dolls for that day. I've been trying to organize them to make them easier to find. They are categorized by date but not in folders by year yet. It's a tedious process but in it's way enjoyable as I get to see exactly what I have to share with you. Until next time....

Rose N Dennis 2010

                                                            ALOHA!