DAY 194 Challenge Update & The Lost Story

Hello Journal & Friends,

It's time for The Perfect 10 Challenge update for Week 7.

My goals, which were to exercise 6 days per week, have been met, all except one day of my stretching, when I just plain forgot! I had to make it up the next day.  I miss the rebounder, but can see that I needed the stretching all along. So even when I can re-start the rebounder, I am thinking I will keep the stretching as a regular part of my routine.

And now for The Unknown Fact about myself:

I have a collection of little stuffed animals. 

But it is a collection with a PURPOSE. You see, I have this children's story I've wanted to write and illustrate for... years. The working title was "Us Four & No More". 

It was a fable for the young... and young at heart, about the power of attitudes.

The main characters were to be a Husky dog, a brown Bear, a Dalmation dog, and a black & white Cat.

A new stuffed animal came to live with them, and they did NOT like her... she was too colorful, too bold, too... different. She was a cat made from a bright print fabric, and her name was Kool Kat.

So they put on their tiny backpacks and left home, going on an adventure around the world. Everywhere they went, they met little stuffed animals, and the story follows their adventures to...

Tibetan Snowy mountains, and  Spotted Snow Leopard

African plains, and Elephant and Lion and Zebra

China, and Panda Bear

Under the Pacific Ocean, and Orca and Dolphin

the American Forest, and Racoon and Rabbit

the South American Rain Forest jungle, and Tiger and Monkey

the Arctic, and Polar Bear and Walrus

(At one time, I had all of these small-sized stuffed animals)

Everywhere the four main characters go, they meet animals that are happy because of their attitude. Our little troupe of 4 learn as they travel...

The last stop is the Arctic. It is white, white, white!! Baby Polar Bear takes the unhappy travelers home to his ice cave, and Mama Polar Bear gives gentle wise advice that convinces them to go home, and look at things in a new light, saying: "Go home, children, and choose to be happy."

They decide, after seeing nothing but white, white, white, that they miss color! And now they can appreciate the bright, cheery colors of Kool Kat. It's all in how you choose to look at it..... The End.

Well, that's the itty bitty version of my story. :-D

I gave a lot of the stuffed animals from the story away to kids over the years. Maybe as a reward to myself later, I will replace them, and actually write and illustrate that story. I am sure I can find a "vanity press" to publish it, LOL!! 

Here is Butterfly... she thinks if she sits very still she can sneak into the stuffed animal pictures!

From Dr Phil's book: "Forgiveness is a choice."

My verse for today: "He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak."

My quote for today: "A happy person is not a person in a certain set of circumstances, but rather a person with a certain set of attitudes." --Hugh Downs

Enjoy the Journey,

Loretta

=^..^=