November 1997 is a memorable month and my back still aches by the thought of it. We went for a short break-away to Shri Lanka and on the way back to the airport in Colombo Yvonne saw a life-size wooden dog in a shop window and once she set her mind on something it becomes a mission and this time I was the one who had to carry it all. The shop did not have credit card facilities and the banks nearby were out of money so I had to go downtown (luckily with the husband of the shop owner as a guide) through a busy maze of (side-)roads to find a bank with money in stock. Ever participated actively in the traffic in Colombo? Well I can assure you that this is very stressful especially when you are pressed to be on time at the airport as well… But the worst had yet to come; I also had to carry the dog all the way from the car rentals on the airport in Colombo and from the customs on Amsterdam airport to the car parking and guess who parked the car there and forgot all about where….???… But that is history except for my back.
I never carried that dog; not even with our removals to and within South Africa. Until this morning for a photo session.
All the pictures were taken within 10 meters from the corner in the living room where our ‘Tibetan Pitbull’, as I disrespectful named this sculpture since my miserable experience, resides. The featured B&W is photoshopped.
And of course I had to make a portrait together with Rits; our lively lab who feels a bit alone since his sister Roets went to the ‘eternal sniffle fields’ a few weeks ago. It went all very well as Yvonne co-operated in the carrying this time …..