Disparu!!

As reported in my last missive, Curly Bob was thought to be on his way back home. However this  was not supported by any hard facts and in particular how he would manage to reach the U.K. without being arrested again for breaching the terms of his release from Avignon prison.

Apparently Paris is having an election to appoint a new Mayor. The 2 main contenders are both local women who are, like all Parisiennes, both intelligent and beautiful. Given Curly Bob's immense popularity and charm & savoir faire (Is this the same bear we are talking about? - Ed), both of the candidates have been seeking Bob's endorsement.

Rather than have to disappoint either of them he decided it was time to come home. Informed sources claim a cunning plan has been hatched to enable Bob to avoid the clutches of the Gendarmerie and paparazzi plus negotiate the hazards of Customs without his passport. Readers will remember it was confiscated following his arrest in the South of France.

Meanwhile his Christmas presents remain unopened under the tree which I have not had the heart to take down ( Gulp again!)
It remains to be seen whether this plot is successful. If it is, I don't know whether I will give him a hug or wring his neck!

One thing is for sure none of this has distracted Bob from his life mission. Before leaving Paris he emailed to ask me to post " Grasses in The Sun", oil on canvas from 2008.

Still Missing

.Hopes of having Curly Bob back home have been dashed yet again reliable sources in Paris(i.e. in the same bar) have confirmed Bob is alive and well but not yet ready to come home. Actually he is ready to come back due to a lack of cash but the Gendarmerie are still scouring the streets and bars looking for him.

The place just doesn't seem the same without him. I often pass his room and look in somehow expecting to see him there.

I have kept nearly everything as it was when he left for France. His little bed is next to the bookshelf containing all his well pawed bedtime stories (gulp). There is a poster above his bed of his all time hero, Yogi Bear and on the other side a poster inviting all bears to come to Jellstone Park. His stock of Koala Brothers DVD's are stacked next to his tv with bear friendly remote control (sniff).

It is true I cleared up all the empty honey pots under the bed and other evidence of numerous midnight feasts of which all bears are so fond.

At first it was a relief to have Bob away for a while. I took the opportunity to refit my studio and order art materials. I was even able to do some painting. Bob has never really grasped the concept that, to donate works to charity fundraising, somebody has to actually paint them in the first place.

Given the number of sightings of Bob , exclusively in bars, it is no wonder that many of the gendarmes allegedly searching for Bob are volunteers!Unconfirmed reports of late night parties in the Pigalle area of Monmartre, Paris suggest all is well with the curly one. I am not sure if it is the lure of hanging out with artistic degenerates or the rather exotic night life, (Probably both - Ed).

Anyway I expect him to come home to soon as he will want to celebrate his 2000th fan club member and 3000 hits on his blog. Both targets are expected to be reached before the end of next week.

As always, Bob has his paw on the wheel and has asked me to post "George" a work in graphite pencil on cartridge paper from my early days before he adopted me.