"Saving Namou, If Only Temporarily!"

I'm told it is an English Bulldog!

 Good "windswept" Saturday Morning, y'all.

A few years back, there was a home off Pat O'Brian Road where, standing on a concrete pedestal on the front lawn, was a three foot walking "Patty Playmate" type doll circa 1960's.

The owner, on special occasions and seasonal holidays, would bring the doll out in all sorts of fashions like summertime bikinis, festive Christmas costumes, an Easter ensemble, Mardi Gras regalia, and Catholic "back to school" uniforms. At times, I'd take the long way home just to see how the doll was decorated.

As they say in these parts, "It Ain't Dere No More!"

Fast forward to the Covid years and lo and behold, a neighbor here in Merrywood decided to brighten the lives of all that drove by her home with a smiling, wooden English bulldog head peaking behind the driveway fence.

I noticed, when the owner of the home took down a Mardi Gras colored boa from around the dog's plywood head, that it needed a bit of TLC. One morning en route from my home to "Giddy Up" in downtown Folsom, I spotted the lady of the manor walking her dog. I introduced myself and proposed, with her permission, to give the peekin' pup a well deserved makeover.

At first, she was a bit skeptical, but I won her over by assuring her that I was a professional artist and could help to restore it.

So, yesterday, with an hour to spare between my wife's hair appointment and the coming rains, I grabbed a tube of acrylic titanium white and a tube of ivory black and went after the restoration.

In the process of completing the project, the owner, Christiane Mummectheu, drove up with her pup,"Doodlebug". We had a good conversation about the history and condition of her "Namou." She told me how nice it was for me to help save her welcoming doggie decoration. I told her the story about the three foot doll off of Pat O'Brian Road and how much I enjoyed seeing it from time to time. I hoped to continue to see Namou everyday as a I drive by.

 A work in progress...

A bit later, I apologized for having to end the "chit-chat" as I was up against the clock to finish. She said she looked forward to seeing the finished product, told me that she had errands to run, thanked me again and took off.

I finished up with the dog's eye lashes as it started to drizzle...

Good Timing!

Copyright 2022/Ben Bensen III