Adrian C. Sinnott's Traveling Sketches

Wet noses

acsinnott — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 02:53:50 +0000

You don’t really notice it but dog’s noses come in a variety of colors. Well, shades of colors. With Matilda wanting to lick you in thanks every five minutes, you tend to get a close up view. Matilda’s nasal planum is jet black. We had a golden retriever named, Kodiak, after the bear since he was huge, too. Kodiak had a fleshy pink nose that would change to a brown color at certain times of the year (referred to by some vets as “snow nose.” Darker in summer, lighter in winter, cause unknown). Our cocker spaniel had a similar brown tinted nose. This fellow here could apply to be Rudolph’s stand-in.

I can also be your third brake light when I sit on the back window ledge.

Foxy

acsinnott — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 02:47:00 +0000

“As cunning as a fox who’s just been appointed Professor of Cunning at Oxford University?” In the very last episode of “Blackadder,” Baldrick, Capt. Blackadder’s dogsbody, offers one of his oft mentioned “cunning plans” to save them from having to “go over the top” to almost certain death. Blackadder responds, “Well, I’m afraid it’s too late. Whatever it was, I’m sure it was better than my plan to get out of here by pretending to be mad. I mean, who would have noticed another madman round here?”

My grandfather was a “sapper” in the Royal Engineers (long before Ireland gained it’s independence from England and, for some, the only way to get work). He fought in both the Boer War (1899) and then again in WWI and survived both. So he must have known just what that cunning plan was all about.

Hmmm . . . Professor of Cunning? I could do that.

Georgetoon

acsinnott — Sun, 18 Jul 2010 16:42:18 +0000

My friend and fellow cartoonist, Mark Szorady, has announced his new cartoon-related blog at georgetoon.com. There’ll be postings of Mark’s strip, “George,” and other bits of useful information with a humorous twist.

Jetsons

acsinnott — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 02:57:36 +0000

Well, it’s finally happening. The Jetsons are almost a reality show. I still remember the telephone exhibition at the 1964 World’s Fair. You could stand in one booth and see the person you were talking to on a screen. Of course, you could also see them if you looked across to the other booth. It’s taken a long time but you can now do it on mobile devices such as the latest iPhone. Now, if only the flying car were here. Then again, perhaps not, people have enough trouble when they can’t see the lines in the road during a storm. It wouldn’t be hard to image the devastation of people trying to fly to work.

Is that what's for dinner? Perhaps I'll stop in at the fly-thru on the way home!

Barbecue season

acsinnott — Sun, 04 Jul 2010 20:26:34 +0000

Our house is on a tiny plot, it filled a need at the time we bought it. The main problem with the minuscule yard is that we tend to be downwind. Our neighbor’s barbecue fills the house with the aroma of lighter fluid every evening from March to December. At about 6 p.m., we run around closing all the windows on that side of the house. Just like the Banks’ in Disney’s Mary Poppins when the cannon is fired. I wouldn’t mind so much if they’d invite us over.

I'll bring my own utensils.

Step quietly

acsinnott — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 04:33:39 +0000

Here I am walking quietly into the bedroom trying not to wake the puppy. Moments later my ankle came into contact with an immoveable object — the edge of the platform bed. Now I know why it’s called “hardwood.” A week and a half later, I’m still hobbling.

The pain has registered in the eyes but the brain has yet to find out.

The “Bunny Bash”

acsinnott — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 03:50:40 +0000

Every June the Berndt Toast Gang holds it’s monthly meeting at the home of the fabulous, Bunny Hoest. Bunny Hoest and John Reiner carry on the work of her late husband, Bill. Bill Hoest created “The Lockhorns,” “Agatha Crumm,” “What A Guy,” “Laugh Parade and Howard Huge (both in Parade magazine),” “Bumper Snickers,” and untold numbers of gag cartoons. Bunny’s daughter, Sharon Bowers, and I collaborated on “Hunny Bunny’s Short Tale,” one-minute bedtime stories for kids (which was syndicated by King Features in the mid to late nineties and was one of the first panel cartoons delivered electronically).

The June meeting has become “The Bunny Bash” and is a high point in the professional cartoonists calendar. Cartoonists come from all over the US and occasionally, internationally, to join in the fun. Mort Drucker (MAD magazine), George Booth (the New Yorker), Stan Goldberg (Archie), Arnie Levin (the New Yorker), Sam Gross (the New Yorker), Mort Gerberg (the New Yorker), Howard Beckerman (animator, teacher, author), Don Orehek (gag cartoonist), Joe Giella (Mary Worth, Batman) and Sam Viviano (MAD magazine) are just a few of the cartoonists you’ll find sitting in the sun and enjoying the views. We usually even make the news.

Here are a few photos:

The "castle" before the crowd arrived.

Stan Goldberg, on the right, telling Aron Laikin (caricaturist, in white shirt) and Mark Mitchell (Disney) why Archie chose Veronica.

The inimitable Don Orehek!

George Booth and John Reiner discuss which sandwich to try first.

And here's "Hunny Bunny."

Cat Blender

acsinnott — Tue, 15 Jun 2010 21:27:36 +0000

Matilda has found that there is one advantage to wearing the “cone of shame.” Now, if she can just keep him from sticking on the edge. In reality, Stanley and Matilda get along well but she likes to remind him of just who’s in charge. Then Stanley sneaks up and swats her.

The best bits are always just out of reach.

Cone Head

acsinnott — Sat, 12 Jun 2010 03:01:46 +0000

Poor Matilda, she just came back from the vet . . . wearing the “cone of shame.” It’s taking her a while to adjust to the fact that she now needs twice her width to fit anywhere. There’s a lot of “plastic clunking into things” sounds. It hasn’t fazed her personality, still as happy as ever. It does keep the rain off her head, as long as she doesn’t look up.

Either let me in or get me some scuba gear, please!

When?

acsinnott — Mon, 07 Jun 2010 03:35:40 +0000

You may have noticed a lull in my ramblings. Whenever that happens, I must be working against a deadline. With Memorial day last week, the NCS convention, and our anniversary, my schedule has been crumpled like Matilda’s doggie bed. In the back of my head, there’s a client’s voice saying, “Where is my job!”

Well? Where is my job!