The DogStar

Right now I'm reading the Stravaganza series by Mary Hoffman.
I read book 1 -City of Masks today and I'll be finished with book 2 -City of Stars as well today.
Once I finish this post lol :)
Its a favorite series of mine, because its easy to fall in love with the characters and their dilemmas. :)
I've read it over and over, even if no book is coming out.
But sitting here reading City of Stars and seeing the Moon peaking through my blinds...
Its brought me to thinking about my Favorite Star.

The DogStar.
Also known as Sirius.
Most people know of Sirius due to Sirius Black from Harry Potter.
But that's not why the DogStar is my favorite.
That's not why my email address contains those words.
Or why the web address to reach this blog contains those words. :)
No. The DogStar has been my favorite since I was elementary age.
Due to a book I found called DogsBody by Dianna Wynne Jones.
She was a favorite author of mine back then, still is now.
But she was one of my main stepping stones into the world of Fantasy. :)
I devoured anything written by her that I could get from the Library.
But DogsBody has remained my favorite up to this day.
Whenever I'm asked what my favorite 'single' book is (meaning its not a series)
I unhesistantly answer "DogsBody"
Why?
Its about the DogStar. Sirius.
He's been convicted of murdering another luminary (the person in charge of a particular star) and loosing a precious object of power.
As punishment he is sentenced to life on Earth into the form of one of Earth's creatures where this object of power has supposedly been lost. To give him a chance to find the object. If he finds it he becomes the luminary of the DogStar again. If he doesn't...he'll die in that creature's body.
Like the title suggests Sirius is placed in the form of a Dog.
Its a simple but complex tale of a girl looking for a friend as well as a search for identity.
Its a moving book. And I have read it through closed the book and two minutes later opened the book to start reading it over again.
I love the book.
I can't really explain it. Its such a sweet and heart breaking story and I love/hate the ending :) lol.
I've always hoped for a sequel so I can get more of Sirius, but the book is such a good book on its own...it doesn't really need a sequel :)
Still it had a strong impact in my life and I love the DogStar even more for it :)
(it helps that I was really obsessed w/ dogs as well at that point I suppose haha. )
If you have a minute to read it. Go find it and read it :)
I love this book. And its a short read as well. Only 261 pages long :)

Until you next see these words;
I'll be watching the leaves.
Enjoy the day!

-Sarnic Dirchi

The Dream

......I was with this guy. Cute, with gold colored hair. And we were walking up this white fluffy cloud path up to a white park of sorts. Where we sat underneath a tree next to a swirling pond of mists that was pretty clear. It almost reminded me of the 'memory thing' in Harry Potter.
I sat in between the guy's legs leaning against him. I didn't know him that well, but I felt pretty safe in his presence...beyond the fact that I didn't know him.
Together we gazed into the pond.
And the 'mists' swirled and parted revealing a fourteen year old me and him. Talking and laughing. It was our first meeting. I was showed other events. How our relationship progressed.
Until I was suddenly in my grandma's house. Me and my husband were newlyweds. And I was doing chores around the house. I think my husband's name was Adam...but I'm not sure on that.
He was being somewhat distant to me....we had been happy, but then something had changed to make him be more distant.
Then a bunch of his friends....that I knew too from High School showed up.
Brandon Martindale, and BJ Olsen were sitting on a porch swing in an open pathway area with a roof overhead that opened out into a garden...but then it was like we were in a sewing room or the living room, though it did still have a gardeny feel to it.
And Taylor Clutter walked in the door, I hadn't known he was in the area. And i was genuinely surprised and happy to see him. So I let my husband talk with his best friends Brandon and BJ as I walked over to Taylor's side to greet him and ask him how he's been.
I got a sense of.....'You're walking away from your husband." but I had no intention of leaving him. I was married to the guy after all. It felt kinda awkward to me to greet an 'old boyfriend' when I was married. I didn't want my husband to be jealous. But I still was friends with him and my husband couldn't fault me for talking to a friend especially since Taylor was his friend too and I wanted to be included for a moment before I let them get to their "Guy's Day"

And then the unholy tones of daylight pulled me away....
and I became myself again.

It's a dream, now that I'm reflecting on it....I think I've had it before. At least the 'white' part.  Where I'm taking up a fluffy pathway with bits of silver and gold. to that park.

-S.N.D