Inflating Beach Toy

Known as Inflating Beach Toy, I see this image is sold online.

Den favorite Rachel suggested I share more back story of this family portrait from my last post.

I love the chippy 1949 caption..

Here is a pic taken during the staging.

Artist Stevan Dohanos adjusting window and talking to grandmother Dodie while Auntie J gives rambunctious Uncle S sisterly scold and father, FRL, topping off convertible with petrol. Gas station owner Walt Brown at far left.
pic: Connecticut Historical Society

We had to sell the original (in my Uncle L's possession) to help pay Grandmother Dodie's medical care after dementia/Alzheimer's set in. A cruel irony that her charm & beauty, no doubt prompted their next door neighbor enlisting Dodie to pose as subject, was being sold off to cover costs for her last phase of life. Our family never talked of money and when Auntie J and I made the journey down to Naples, Florida to get Dodie (who had been widowed for over a decade) and bring her back to Chicago and placed in a facility for Alzheimer patients, Auntie J mentioned she had only recently discovered there was very little left of what had once been rather substantial resources. Nobody knew where the money went. We did discover that a close companion during the last few years, a very nice older gentleman named Art, had received some very significant checks from Dodie and also a car she had purchased and put in his name. Art was nowhere to be found upon arrival in Naples.  I raised the possibility of lawyering up and recovering some of that money but then realized and agreed with Auntie J and Uncle L that Dodie would have never wanted that as her friend Art did give her several years of devoted friendship and Dodie likely was quite generous.

Stevan Dohanos also did this stamp back in 1967.

                    After thinking about dear old Dodie, I decided I needed her in my life every day

                                         so retrieved my framed magazine cover out of storage....

 ....and discovered this pic of my old pup Bandit who is the inspiration for my children's book series.