Making of "Suzanne" part 3

The storm really blew heavy today. We were without power for more than 4 hours. I had to draw in the candle light. Memories from the big cyclone of 1999/2000 arose, when we had no power for more than two weeks.

Its always frightening to be reminded about how much we depend on electricity. Okay, we could cook on the wood-oven, work with candle light but the computer is shut dead and this is...well, not so funny.

Today, I started the coloring of the "Suzanne" Picture. I always color with Ecoline inks. These are inks that are highly water soluble, so they would not suit for outlines, but they are great for coloring, because very smooth color gradients are possible.
Unfortunately, the scan isn't that good. Jacks shirt has much finer gradients on the original. Hm... This would not suit for print, I have to see how I can set up the scanner so he does a better Job.

I am always beginning to color the faces and body parts. Because if I mess up with them, no need to color the rest. There is no use in a perfect background with poor figures in it.
Tomorrow I'll continue the coloring.

Making of "Suzanne" part 2

Today I inked the pencils of the drawing. I used a dark brown ink instead of a black one, it renders the lines a bit more gentle. The scan hardly shows it, I know. I am still looking for the ideal brown outline. Some are too dark, almost black and some are too bright. Unfortunately, inks that aren't water-solube are scarce and do not have a wide range of colors.

Outlining is my weak point anyway. In most of the cases, I feel that my line-art is pretty bad. It came out  nice on this picture, tough. I didn't ink the other side of the river, nor the far away trees. I will paint them with the colors, in order to make them appear more "blurry" hence giving the image an impression of depth.
Tomorrow I will start the coloring.

Today was a real beautiful Spring day and I spent the morning working in the garden and on the house-yard. I enjoyed it very much. A storm is announced for the evening and rain for tomorrow. So glad I took the opportunity for outside work as long as it was possible.

Making of "Suzanne" part 1

I am slowly renewing a bit with Life. Still thinking a lot about Gribi, but I begin to permit myself positive feelings. Especially the joy of drawing. When I woke up in the morning and saw my JFK-Photos on the wall,  I had -  for the first time after the dreadful day -  the spontaneous need to say "Good morning Jack! If the day is gonna be as beautiful as you are, Then this will be a perfect day!"

I started to make a new illustration with JFK and decided to share its progress with you here. The first pencils:

The picture is supposed to be my interpretation of one of my very favorite songs: "Suzanne" from Leonard Cohen. I imagine JFK with a Hippie-Girl at the bank of the Saint Lawrence stream. Okay, it would have been a bit early, JFK died just before the arise of the Flower-Power movement, so let's just imagine he survived and after his presidency, met with a Girl of the Bohème.

You cannot see the background very well on that scan. But there is the river, the sands of the bank, Flowers and even some trash (empty cans, bottles and so on) This is to meet the songs text where it says "and she shows you where to look, amid the garbage and the flowers".
I also feel that this adds to th melancholy of the scenery. Indeed, the sixties were like this: Still a lot of wild places and nature, but also a lot of pollution, since no one heard about recycling or environmental care back then.  It is this impression of the "tainted paradise" I want to catch.

As soon as the next step is made on this art, I'll post about it.

Project52-8 Warmth

Everybody in our house loves warmth. Diana loves hot water bottles. Me too. We have a lot of them in our house, therefore, even in coldest winter we can keep us warm. Some hot water bottles are made of fur and life and are pretty heavy. Too heavy for me! Let me breathe!!!

The Joy of Busing

Since we were beginning to be out of one after another item again, it was time to try out the weekly Bus into town. Bus is every Wednesday, and today was Wednesday. It was the very first time since we live in this village, that I took that Bus.

We went down to the Church-place and the Bus, sort of a Van, came on time. We were the only passengers and the driver was very nice. I asked him where one has to go out when aiming for the shopping mall. "Well, I will simply drive you to the shopping mall, if yo want to go there", he said. He then asked us, if we wanted to stay the 2 hours before he will return at the mall. "No, I have to go downtown to the postoffice" I replied. "Then I suggest that you leave your shopping cart at the mall, where the employees can watch it, so you can go downtown without the load. After this, you can wait for me at the Big Plaza station. I will pick you up there and then we go to the mall, taking your shopping goods and then drive home."

We were pretty amazed about this well, somehow very personal service.
The Bus then went on its tour. Visiting every little flat and barn in the hills and mountains. But just one old man finally joined us. After half an hour, we arrived at the shopping mall. We bought what we needed and then told the employees that we were here with the bus and if they could take care of our goods until we come back picking them up. They agreed.

After this, we walked down to the Post-office, where I could send off my letters. We were pretty happy we did not have to carry our shopping bags!
This all finished, we finally arrived at the Bus station on the great plaza. But well, it was still An hour and a half until the Bus would come. It rained, it was windy and it was cold. The first 30 minutes were ok, but after this, it surely was challenging. I was wet and chilled to the bones.
When the Bus came, we were half frozen. We picked up our bags at the Mall and the old man who had visited his wife at the local retirement house. Then we went on our way home. Arrived at the Village, the driver even brought us to our house, so we hadn't to carry the heavy load uphill.

Except from the real hard waiting in cold and rain, it was a good experience and I can very well imagine doing this until I can buy a new car. The Bus Driver said that he knows a little bar where we can wait next time, so we don't have to freeze at the station. Good!
Still, Such a shopping tour takes more than 3 hours all in all, while with an own car, it takes barely 25 minutes.
But it can be done.

Window approved

Early in the morning, the Mayor came to our house and brought me the construction permit for my window. Yay! This is my idea of a good start into a new week!

This issue, at least, is solved. My fears, probably, were without any rational background. But I am so much used to get kicked in the butt, that I somehow was unable to expect an affair this important for me being processed smoothly.
Today was also the first day with a glimpse of Spring. 12 degrees outside and I could do a little more yard-Work. Yesterday, it was very different, this photo was taken  on the morning hike:

Snow then melted in the afternoon and air got warmer.

I also worked a bit on the JFK Book Europareise, but I am not very happy with it yet. Its defintely more difficult to tell a story with words than in Comic Form. But I will not give up. The picture beyond is an illustration out of this book.

And that is Pico who really should start to on a diet...

Last scene of Sequence 3

Snow-rain outside today. Nevertheless, I managed to do some Yard-work in the morning. The first flowers even show out their tips, despite of the still partly frozen soil. Energy in the earth awakens and there's nothing that will stop it. 

The wind was very cold and so I couldn't stay outside too long, for my fingers got frozen. 

Inside again, I did a lot of drawing, scanning an scene-mounting for the Film. I will have sequence 3 achieved shortly. This is the last take of sequence 3: As soon as Jack has climbed out the roots of the tree, it will be done. Sequence 4 is under work, too.

Some little sparks of hope

This morning, I went down to the Post/Mayor Office. Of course, Post-Employee still isn't there and no replacement was found yet. The Mayor took my letter and stamped it. When I wanted to pay for the stamp, he refused and said that it will be on "his charge"... Hm, wonder if he meant his or the tax-payer's  ;-)
He then said that he was confident that the permission for my window will come to me soon.

Oh yes, I didn't had an occasion to update on this yet:
The day before I left for Basel last time, I finally got the 2 Photos required for the construction request. I brought them down to the Mayor and he filled out the forms all by himself and did the drawing of the window on the photos. I asked if, at least, I should sign the forms and he said that he will do it himself, for it will have more weight then. He assured me that there won't be any problem.
Okay, Our Mayor is a nice guy, but I can't but thinking that Weidenfrau's Reiki Help at least added its part to that. Thanks so much  for that!
Well, permit isn't here yet, but I am confident.

Aside of this, Melting of snow brought me another Friday filled mostly with the noise of the Motorcyclers who really spent the whole day turning around in the street. In the afternoon, I could not go on with my work, my nerves were at their end. This could be such a peaceful village, if it weren't for those assholes.
At least, there's now hope that two-wheeled, motorized vehicles finally will have to pass a regular technical control and have license plates, such as it is normal in nearly every other European Country. Because right now, everybody can anonymously drive the oldest pile of illegal shit on two wheels, without having to fear any persecution.
According to the above linked article, "Teens on motorcycles" make 28% of the total yearly body count on french roads (!!!) Now it is debated, whether a regular technical control can lower that number or not. Well, I don't care a flying fuck about the idiots who get flattened under a truck, but I do hope that such a control will reduce the percentage of motorcycles with illegal, noise-making devices and even discourage motorcycling in general, because it will less fun when you cannot annoy others anonymously. So there's hope. Even if the new laws are only planned only for 2012

Photo above is Pico who slept under a sleeping bag.

New Scanner

Today, I got my new scanner. It works quite nice. Still, I have to find the right color balance that suits my work. But it has a nice feeling of "being a bit more modern than what I had".
So now I am scanning like a maniac, in order to get trough with the pile of drawings that was created during the scannerless days.

I slowly permit myself some bits of optimism, despite of the lasting grievance.
The photo beyond shows Georgie. I know he looks like a roadkill there, but believe me, not only is he alive but in a position he only takes, when he is really feeling comfortable. Due to the fact that he is almost entirely black, it is hard to distinguish what is what.

Plan B

These days, I had to reflect seriously about what to do in my carless situation.

I am waiting for a proposal of a car dealer regarding a car-loan, but I am not very confident that I will get such a loan.
In the other hand, I saw that a private, used vehicle that looks decent and seems in good condition is available for around 3000 Euros.
So finally I came to the conclusion, that unless the car-dealer makes a real great offer and I am eligible for a car-loan, I will simply try to save the money in order to have the 3000 Euros together next winter. And in the meanwhile, I'll try to survive on weekly Bus and occasional rides with the neighbor-lady.
I also thought about buying an old motorcycle. I did a lot of motorcycling  previous to my drivers license in Germany. I could tie a trailer to it and go to town for shopping.
But heck...Old motorcycles cost money, too. And like an old car, it probably will need repair very soon. That's money I better save for the car. And honestly, I fear to lower myself on the level of the asshole-neighbors, whose lives pretty much consist of dirty, old cars and motorcycles.

Mrs. Kennedy is not like that. She doesn't own rusty, old piles of scrap that lay in her backyard when she's not gonna mess up the roads with them.
Mrs. Kennedy will buy a trailer, tie it to her bicycle and go to town the sporting way. I will have to increase my fitness even a lot more in order to be able to achieve this - but hey! It can be done. And it will.

Project52-7 All you need is Love

Do I love you because you're beautiful,
Or are you beautiful because I love you?

~Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II, Cinderella

Grave

Today, we finally could proceed with Gribi's burial. I made him a grave on our house-yard, next to the stone-circle section, so this is like if he was interred in a church-cemetery, seen from a Christian viewpoint.  The soil was still partly frozen, but not this bad, so that I could dig the hole. Occasionally I had to cut bigger frozen pieces of earth in several pieces with my shovel.
After the burial, I covered the grave with twigs from the Yule-Tree behind the barn -  still fresh they are -  and that's what you can see also on fresh human graves. Later, I will plant two roses behind it and other flowers.
Gribi was buried with a plate of food, his favorite pillow and 4 precious stones, such as carnelian.

The sun shone brightly and carried an idea of spring, despite of the cold. It feels good to have Gribis remains laid to rest. I think it is important to give him back to Nature. Storing him in the barn was not natural and hindered, both the physical and spiritual processes, taking their course.

Since We went shopping with the Neighbor-Lady yesterday, We didn't have to take the Bus today. That was a great relief. Now the cats have new food ;-)
I really hope that the scanner I bought on Ebay will be shipped quickly - the finished drawings pile up and the longer it lasts, the higher the pile gets.

R.I.P my Scanner

Okay, so yesterday my Scanner got down flat-dead. After more than 10 years of loyal service,  I cannot be too angry. But it was a shock, I need that scanner every day for my work.
I found a replacement on Ebay the same day, paid it and now hope, that I will get it very soon and that it works properly.
Until then, the drawings will pile up next to the computer awaiting to be scanned.

Getting a new car will not be as easy as getting a new scanner. Especially, it won't be as cheap. To be honest, I just can't afford a new vehicle. Not even one of those 1200 Euro Clunkers, that will last 2 weeks before they need a 5000 Euro Repairing. I just can't.
I currently study those offers which say that you can pay monthly, even without a first deposit. Two problems with that: For one, I hate the thought of getting involved into a credit of whatever sort. I was always happy that I didn't have a current credit to pay off.  Secondly, It is more than unsure if I will get  any credit, looking at my thin income.

So now, we get slowly out of all sorts of stuff, including Cat-Food.
Usually, the Neighbor Lady (the nice one) took us with her in her car when ours was out of service. She is of course willing to do it again, but right now, she fears too much to drive because of snow and ice.  Well, actually, the streets are not as bad as that. I, would drive, if I had a car.
But I can understand her: Not 2 weeks ago, she had a pretty nasty car-accident on ice herself and is somehow traumatized. I respect her fears and can fully understand them.

I found out, that there is a Bus once a week, that will travel to town, and then  back after 2 hours. Next  is tomorrow morning. So my mom and I will take all the bags we can carry, catch that Bus and go shopping for the most needed this way.

As for today, I did two things for the first time again, after Gribis death: taking my medics and listening to music. Taking my medics was impossible, since I always took them at the same occasion when I gave Gribi his ones. It was just too awful to take my medics alone. So I didn't. But now I had to, because the lack of especially the heart-Medics began to do me no good.
Listening to Music while drawing was also impossible. It was too much a "return to normal" and that makes me feel guilty. Another painful thing: When I am drawing, I naturally have sort of, well, "pulses of joy" I dunno how to describe it, a sudden stream of happiness that goes trough me. They came today too, and was followed of utter feelings of guilt and dirt, because of feeling good, despite of Gribis Absence.
I am still not able to permit any feeling of Good. I can't and - don't want - to enjoy anything positive, not my art, not music, not JFK, not the slightest little detail that made my days bright.

Follow up:  Neighbor Lady just knocked at our window, telling us, that she will drive us o the Shopping mall in 15 minutes. Okaaaay....No Bus tomorrow.

Project52 - 6: This I am addicted to!

I not really feel like it, but anyhow, I will post my contribution for last week's Project52 Theme. And then catch up with Project52-7 on Monday or so.

Project 52 "This, I am addicted to!"

If you believe that I am gonna talk about my  addictions, you wear the wrong horse-collar!
None of your business!
Instead, let's talk about Diana's ones. If we would put together all what  she needs on a daily basis, such as music, art, drawing-paper, the cats, her bicycle and all the other tings that make her happy, it would not fit into a single photo. Therefore, I decided to present only the things that are slightly... politically not really correct and could hence be called "vices".
Yes, there is a historical quote from me, I said: "Let's not so much talk about vice. I am against vice in all forms."
Well, that was aimed against the Vice-President.

You'll probably agree that it is far more interesting to talk about a woman's vices, than about an old fart like Lyndon B. Johnson.

Okay, let's see what we have here: From the left to the right: A big bottle of Cola. Cola Zero. Diana is a hardcore Coke-Addict. Fortunately, they invented diet Cola. That's one of the main reason she now weighs half what she used to, when still drinking Cola "heavy". Please notice that the bottle on the photo is her last one. And she doesn't have  a car to go out buy new one. I don't know what will happen when the last swallow is gone...Watch the news for a shooting-drama in the French Mountains.

Then we have a Steak. A good Horse-Steak. No offense intended against our Veggie-Readers, Diana is a vegetable lover too, but she needs this at least once a week, or she gets nervous, bitchy and stinky.
The thing at the right is a roe-deer's antler. As a big lover of deer and Wildlife, she needs that physical contact to these animals. And since they can't be petted in the wild...
The antler on the photo is her favorite. She has other, bigger ones, but this one is the most beautiful in her eyes.
To the very right you see the Computer Screen. It stands for the Computer as such, the Internet and so on - on which you can surely say that she's addicted, too.
And in the middle - well, that's me. And if you didn't realize by now that I, JFK, are her biggest addiction, then you can't be helped. ;-)

Lunar Eclipse

Weird dream last night: I woke up and all was dark. Black darkness all around. I thought that maybe the street-lamps were out, but then I got panic. I tried to call my mother, but my voice was  thin and almost silent. Then she came down. Finally, I could see a flickering light outside the window. My mom said that this was a moon Eclipse and that "this is always associated with a lot of light trouble". I went to the window and looked outside. I saw a big black round shadow covering the moon. It was a horrible atmosphere all around. Then the shadow passed and two other shadows came, much more little this time and quicker in passing. After this, the moon turned to a red-rusty color, just as it is on a real Moon Eclipse. Then, I woke up.

At breakfirst, my mom told me that she heard me somehow calling in the night, but thought that it wasn't real.
I think that the lunar eclipse stands for the pain for Gribi. The moon is for Emotions and the darkness is what I feel. The red color is the "bleeding heart". The two other shadows that passed may be the other problems, the loss of the car, for example.

Reconstructed sight of the Eclipse in the dream.

Another day

First of all, let me thank you for your compassionated comments. They really helped me. I know that several of you had similar experiences with beloved pets and therefore, know very well on how that feels.

It is still an open, bleeding wound. Meanwhile I manage to do some work, but very little.
I am not feeling guilty about "slacking" , because I just need this time until I can get back to work just as before. I am only doing a stroke or two here and there, surf on the net, try to distract me or simply sitting there, crying occasionally.
I also take a lot of time for my other cats; Flecki, Pico, Millie and Georgie.

In the dreams I had before that day, I saw Gribi several times, coming to me, as if to say goodbye. I also saw him turn into a little kitten. The kitten had similar colors, although not the same. I don't want to get lost into a vein idea, but believe me, if perchance I cross such a Kitten and if it was conceived after Gribis death and is for adopting, I WILL adopt it.

We still couldn't proceed to Gribis burial. Soil is too frozen. Therefore we had to transport his corpse outside. Frost will prevent decaying. I see it as a slight progress that the idea of carrying him outside into the cold, doesn't seem as unthinkable as it used to, until yesterday. I am now more able to perceive his corpse as empty shell and feel his spirit independent of it.

It seems to be part of my fate that when a long held wish of mine comes true, Another event in my life saddens me so much, that I can't enjoy the wish's Fulfilling. This was also the case yesterday: The workers came to install the new floor in my future room. This was really a day I yearned for so long time ago and now that it became reality, I was too depressed to even realize it properly.

This is Pico, inspecting the new floor. It is almost finished, it just lacks the parts that connect to the wall.

Back home

Home again.

Yesterday, the mechanic called me to say that my car has a damage that can't be fixed. Its old, rusty and not worth the high price reparation. Obviously the damage from the crash I had  in December had bigger effects.
So here I was, without a car anymore. My travelling insurance, at least, was very supportive. They sent me a Taxi to take me home from Basel to my village (200 kilometers!) and they also will take the car off that garage in Basel to bring it to a French wrecking yard. The same day I lost my cat I lost my car, too.

When I finally arrived at home yesterday, I saw the box where dead Gribi is in. I could see his little head from behind looking out the blanket and then, I had a mental breakdown. I literary drowned in tears. I went to him and petted his head and even had the hallucination of him moving and responding.
I cried for about an hour and after this, was at strength's end.
I really would like to bury him as quick as possible, but the earth is frozen and snow is everywhere.

Farewell to Gribi

Gribi has gone to the Otherworld.

As I am writing this, I am sitting in an Internet Cafe in Basel.

On the journey to Basel on monday, the car started to have a sort of a "tremor" and made a real nasty noise. So when I finally arrived, I decided not to depart again before a mechanic had a look at it. I called one and he said he could come on wednesday. (today). Since we couldn't let the cats alone this long, my mom went home by train.

Before she traveleld off, we had a long talk about Gribi. He went worse the past last days and the medics didn't barley help anymore. Therfore, we finally decided that she would call the Veterinarian once at home. A hard decision after the years now we took intensice care of him.

This morning, she called me to say that the Vet was at home and Gribi had a peaceful trespassing after a quiet morning.

I know it was for the best, still, it hurts beyond any description. I also feel like a coward because I was not there, at his side. I was present when he was born, but not when he left. But I was with him in my mind and my heart. I layed on the bed and cried all the time. It is so extremly hard. Gribi was with us for 17 years. Always friendly, always kind and calm. I wish so much I could hold him in my arms at least one more time.

But I know that we were lucky, already. In November 2008 He didn't come home from a trip outside and was missed for several days. I knew then that something bad  happened and had the pain not only of the loss but also from that awful feeling that I would never know what happened to him and if maybe, he was in distress and would need help.
Then one night, he was at the window. It was like a miracle! a second chance. Since then, we lived with "borrowed" time.
And now, at least I know where he his and that he had a peaceful leaving. Therefore, I know we were blessed by the fact that obviously, Gods thought that the first Loss in November 2009 was too cruel. So I try to see that blessing.
Now, I will have to shed all the tears that have to be shed and bear the pain. Then I will have to find the way back into life. Life was very much under the assignment of Gribi-care all the past months. I am physically and psychically exhaust. The thought of a life without looking for Gribi as first Duty after getting off the bed and as the last before getting in, is strange to me. Also will I have to find more time for the other cats that were left pretty  much behind during all this time. Except from Pico, they are all not really young anymore. It is important that we share the time that we have together.

Gribi - you were one my best friends I ever had. I love you so very much. 

Europareise

Yesterday, I started the work on a new JFK Book in German, the first one that will be an illustrated book, instead of a comic. I am very excited about it and I will tell about its progress here, just as I do with the Film.

The working title is "Europareise".  (Journey to Europe) I don't know if it will be the definitive title, but we have to call the project somehow. The story will be about a very turbulent journey of JFK and some of his spouses (Jackie, Theo and, for the first time,  Anastasia)  trough Europe and the Island of Etruria.
I am still not yet used to the new medium and so the whole thing is also an experiment. It will have more illustrations than a normal written book. No lead-desert there!

What's for sure, is that it is in no way less work, even if I don't have to draw so much as in a regular comic. The text takes more care and time instead.
Where I am still hesitating is from whose sight the story should be told. I feel that the classical non-personal storytelling "he did this, she said that and then happened this" may not suit. Therefore I thought about telling the whole thing from the view of an involved spouse. I think, it is a possibility to drag the reader more into the whole atmosphere. In the other hand, the telling person should be more an observing instance and not one to whom happens the most.  Let's see. Nothing is decided yet.

Swiss miniature

Last night wasn't a really good one. I didn't smell the poison in the living room during the day, but in nighttime and half-sleep, my senses are sharpened and suddenly, I felt like I was gonna suffocate in the vapors of that  nasty stuff. The phenomenon lowered in the early morning hours and today, it's much better. Even upstairs. Pheew! One big step that is done. Hopefully, the next ones will be less stressful.

In the night before yesterday, I had another of those dreams that keep your mind occupied for some time: I went to the Swiss Miniature Park. I addition to all the models and miniatures that are there in reality too, they had sort of an artists workshop with big boxes  dressed on a field where artists kept their ongoing work. The boxes could be opened and their content seen by anyone. In one, I found several comic books, the last issue still in work, even with a 50 Euro bill saved for the printer. I looked at the comics. They were about JFK. The drawings were pretty bad, but you could recognize JFK with red hair on a black horse. I realized that the artist must have taken that from my drawings and stories. Indeed, when looking more into his work, I found a couple of other details that revealed an obvious inspiration from my own work. I wasn't sure if I should feel flattered or pissed off. I then decided to take it as a compliment.  I placed  the books back in the box again and thought that I should start my own project within this workshop.

What makes the dream special is the strange reference to Suisse Miniature. I was there only once, as a child, more than 30 years ago now. Since this dream, I feel a deep urge to go there again. It is very fascinating. Then of course, every time I dream of artwork that doesn't exist in reality, I am thrilled. Difficult to explain why.

chemical warfare

Today, the first step in the fixing Mrs. Kennedy's Room project was done. It was not an easy one: "First thing to do is to kill the furniture beetles that eat your house" said the worker and so he came with a big bottle of poison and treated all the wooden beams and timbers as well as the stairs,  both in my future room as in mom's room. This is why my mom has traveled to Basel this early: Nobody can live in that room for at least 3 days.
What concerned me, is that the worker didn't use any protection, such as special suits or at least some sort of breathing mask. I heard him coughing upstairs as if he was suffocating. "I am used to that"' he said. Well, being used to it doesn't mean it's harmless. :-/

Soon, the house began to stink as hell. The  Vapors crawled down the staircase and penetrated the kitchen. When the work was done, I closed the door of the staircase, leaving this hell of stink and poison do its lethal job on the little bastards that dwell in the timbers. I will not open it before a couple of days.

Project52 - 5: The color Green

Did you know that the color green is the color the human eye can distinguish in more shades than any other color?   Green is a very important color for us all. I make no exception - and hey, I am an Irishman!  I have a green spirit, so to say!
A lot of things are green: The Green Man, shamrocks, aliens and frogs. My eyes are green. Faces of ill people turn into green. Jealousy is said to be green. Monsters puke out green slime, at least according to popular movies.  Greensleeves and Green Grass of Home are well known songs.
When you get drunk by Absinthe you see a green fairy, they say. I just heard of that, never tried it out myself - I swear. Okay, I know you don't trust Presidents who swear that they didn't do something, so believe what you like, I don't care!
I feel that this entry comes out as pretty senseless. Well, I bet that the theme "the color green" was picked up  only because people  long for the spring anyway. So what do you expect from such a thin premise?

Imbolc Night with JFK

Wow, you can say that last night was the Night of Imbolc!  - something special. It provided me a real wonderful and deeply intense dream of JFK. I will not go into details, since they are too intimate, but it was highly thrilling and was one of those dreams that leave an "echo" over weeks, making you feel different and inspired.
After a time of very few dreams with him, they got more during January, so I guessed -  or better,  hoped - that "something bigger" was going to be prepared and I was right.  He even promised me in that dream that he will give me some more and higher, soon. I am pretty excited because he always kept such promises.
This "parallel life" trough the dreams and visions is what makes me keep going. What happens there is as important to me as what happens in normal reality.

Thanks, darling! You made my day!

Imbolc -and misc thoughts

Since my Mom had to go to Basel today, we celebrated Imbolc already yesterday. It was only a little celebration, but very nice.
Driving my mom to the railway station wasn't easy. Lots of snow on the roads and it took me half of an hour to digg out the car. But when I returned, the weather went even worse, lots of snow, a storm and the roads got slippery as hell. I finally managed to arrive home safely. So here I am as a straw-orphan for a week.

The English Kennedy Site is online again: http://www.john-f-kennedy.eu/tales/ I will have to update it more thoroughly, but at least its online and doesn't contain outdated stuff.
Speaking of English JFK Tales: They are available as print, as you may know, but not only as Graphic Albums at Lulu, but also in the classic Comic-Book Format. These are a lot cheaper. They may be a good choice if you prefer this over expensive, big bound albums:

Issue 1: http://www.comixpress.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=0&products_id=375

Issue 2: http://www.comixpress.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=0&products_id=570

I will see that I can complete this series by publishing the other tales at Comixpress, too.