Anne-Marie Jennings
Northern News Services

NNSL (Sep 04/98) - "To whom it may concern: I have left for a two-week vacation. Sorry for the short notice. Sydney the Gnome."

What a long, strange trip it's been for a Yellowknife garden gnome.

Six weeks ago, Sydney the garden gnome was torn away from his backyard home and thrust into a western Canada adventure.

David Sever, whose backyard garden on 52nd Street is Sydney's home, says they were beginning to fear the gnome would not return.

"Whoever took the gnome left a note saying it would be returned in two weeks," he says. "We figured he was gone for good."

When the gnome was returned, it was left right where he belonged -- along with some photos documenting his journey. Among the snapshots were scenes of the gnome in a bar in Lloydminister, on stage with McCuaig, a B.C. band who that recently appeared in Yellowknife, eating breakfast at a Smitty's Restaurant, and in a number of other exotic locations.

The message left upon Sydney's return included an explanation from Sydney of his extended absence.

"Glad to be back! I regret that I'm late in returning. Rehab is a six-week program.

"I had a wonderful time at the Winnipeg Folk Festival. Then I relaxed at a farm in northern Saskatchewan for three days. This vacation was lovely.

"Enjoy the pictures!"

Neither Sever nor his mother have any leads as to who may have wanted to take Sydney on an extended leave of absence from his home.

"I don't think it's one of my friends. They would have said something about it.

"I also don't know of anyone who has been gone on a six-week trip to Winnipeg."

Nick Basta, Sever's manager at the Unicorn Pub, says he knows otherwise.

"I know who it was, but I'm not telling David," Basta says.

Though still visibly shaken from his six-week ordeal, Sydney was glad to be back where he belongs.

"I'm glad to be home," he says. "The trip was the chance of a lifetime, and I thank the people who took me to places I never thought I would see."

Sever says that while Sydney will not suffer any long-term effects -- he was returned in perfect health -- from his tour of Alberta and Saskatchewan, the mystery of the intruder in the Sever garden still remains.

"My mom has noticed that a bullfrog and a birdbath are now missing from the garden," he says.

Stay tuned.