Catching Up

This could be called a mish mosh post, but I prefer to call it a catching up one. There are updates in here, not just mini topics too small for a full blog post. At least, that's my reasoning and I am sticking to it. Hah!

Did You Catch It?

First, did you catch the subtle tweak to The Wizard of Oz in Poppy's Dogs of Our Lives post? I love the Oz stories (Guess who has read all 14 of them? ) and I just could not resist a nod to the book in Poppy's post. 

And truth be told, SOMEONE really did mistake the mowing map for the walking map when they sent it to me.

Hmmm, maybe he my son Uncle Kyle the person who sent the map was tired and made a mistake? Who knows....

So, what was the tweak? Well, in L. Frank Baum's Oz books and the 1939 movie, Dorothy's last name is Gale, Baum's own subtle nod to the cyclone that hits the family's homestead. I wrote that Poppy and Grammy had "Gales of laughter..." after Grammy's mistaking Uncle Kyle's mowing map for Poppy and Uncle Kyle's walking map. 

How is Nash Doing?

Some of you have wondered how Nash is getting along without his constant companion, Molly. He's healing but it's been a hard time for him.

We have invited Lisa to bring him over daily for an indefinite period of time rather than just twice a week. (At least until school lets out and she can be home with him full time.)

He was pretty quiet the first week, but this past week we started seeing signs of interest in playing, treats, and rolling in the grass.

Wednesday afternoon Tammo was innocently scratching his nose

which Nash interpreted as a play bow. He suddenly ran around the coffee table and literally pounced on Tammo who was not expecting that at all.

However, no matter, Tammo was all in to play, and a mad race ensued around the living room, 

ending in a stand-off after three laps around the couch.

Then, as Nash caught his breath, Tammo slipped in and stole one of the two toys Nash had claimed. Game on!

That was so heartening to see as it indicated that Nashie was regaining his equilibrium and starting to find interest and joy in life again.

In the meantime, the plan is still for him to spend the day with us daily until school lets out. He's good company and Tammo and Pepper both like him. 

So do we. 💜

El Dorado

Have you heard those rumors about the plastic used for the Vintage Club's El Dorado? 

That the model is made from chalky plastic, and that some pieces are glowies?

My piece is definitely chalky plastic, so that rumor is true. For the other rumor,

I gave mine some exposure from a strong light,

and that's a rumor that I can also confirm as truth! Mine glows!

A Last Gift from Kat

Some of you will remember blog reader Kathy Bateman (Kat), my long time hobby friend who passed away suddenly and unexpectedly last August.

Her son Harley has been going through her things and finally tackled the horsey items, asking if I wanted them. 

I knew (and shared with him) that the horses that she'd kept were those that were the most special to her of all her former collection. Some were from Harley's great great grandmother's collection while others were more recent but still quite valuable. 

I said I'd love to have his mother's things, but was also willing to help him sell those models that were valuable.

A week ago and after taking a side trip from Tennessee to Dallas before arriving in Indiana, a heavy box from Harley arrived.

Inside was an envelope with some photos of Kat and me together at shows along with tack and props. Lots of tack and props. Almost all of it in good shape and much of it made by Kathy herself.

I haven't showed performance in years outside of some photo showing during the pandemic so I can't use these things aside from 1) sentimental reasons since they came from Kat's collection, and 2) hobby historical reasons. Most of these things come from the mid 1990s and are good examples of what hobby tack and prop makers were creating at the time. 

I'm not in touch with the performance arm of the hobby, but I want to be informed before I pass these things on. For example, one Arabian costume is an early piece of tack made by Tiffany Purdy - she had made a set for me in purple and one for Kathy in red. That should probably be kept and preserved.

I'll write more about the things in the box as I sort the items out. No doubt some will be found in future give aways, too.

In the meantime, I am getting a healthy dose of nostalgia and friendship as I go through Kathy's things.

Stay 'tooned!