BIRTHDAY BEAR TRADITION

I have 9 old, wrinkly friends, who are retired or semi-retired. Five of them all used to work together and the other four are husbands. They didn't want to lose touch when they retired so they decided to meet and have lunch or dinner when it was their birthdays. However, they got disenchanted with buying a present every time, and decided instead to give a Birthday Bear (thats me.) I get passed from one birthday person to the next each time they meet. The fun part is, that I get to be dressed differently each time, usually to reflect some aspect of the recipient's personality or life.
PS: Two of my wrinklies, Chris and Bob, have gone on a working holiday tour around Australia so they don't celebrate with us very often.

Thursday, October 24, 2013

I'M GOING YABBY PUMPING

I had loads of fun making jam, chutney and pickles with Helen but now I'm looking forward to doing some yabby pumping and fishing with Paul. For bears and friends who live overseas, yabbies are crustaceans. There are two kinds: One lives in fresh water and humans eat them but the other kind is the one we are going to catch for fish bait. They are marine crustaceans, which live in tunnels under the sand on the shore line. My human had to help me look this info up on Wiki.

Anyway, Ann dressed me in my fishing clothes and George even made me my own yabby pump. I can't wait to go yabby pumping, where we put the pump into the sand and pump up and down and suck up the yabbies.

See I have already got some in my bucket. I caught them with George when we were trying out my pump.

Paul is happy that I have my own pump and can help him catch yabbies for bait.

He even said I can go out in the boat with him to catch some fish. Woohoo. This is so good to see Paul well enough to do this. He has been sick with cancer for a long time.

We were celebrating Paul's birthday at Ceylon Inn in Graceville. It is a nice restaurant with Indian food. 

Bill shared his lamb curry and steamed rice with me. It was dulishus!


Wednesday, October 23, 2013

BEAR IN A JAM

Boy am I excited today? Actually it wasn't today it was some time ago when we went to "Fish 52" restaurant at East Brisbane to celebrate Helen's Birthday.

 Mary dressed me in my fine cook's clothes so that I can go home with Helen and help her cook jam and chutney caus she loves doing that and so do I. We are going to have so much fun making jam.
 I even brought my Cook Book to help Helen with some new recipes. I also brought my cook top and pots and pans. Boy am I prepared.

I have even got some ingredients and utensils too as well as some Jam I've already made.

Me and my wrinkly friends are waiting to be served some fish and chips. Yum I love fish and chips. My silly human helper stuck her finger print on the camera lens and blurred Chris. It was great to have Bob and Chris with us again. They have been travelling round Oz but are back in town for a while.

Saturday, October 19, 2013

A VERY NERVOUS BEAR

I was having trouble seeing my honey pot and reading my bear friend's blogs so my Diane took me to the hopstital to have my cataracts removed. I was bery bery nervus but it wasn't too bad at all and I was well enough to go to Mary's Birthday celebration at the  Sunnybank Hotel, Sunnybank.

 Mary is going to take me home and look after me while I recover because she has just had the same operation and she just knows how I feel.

I still have my hopstital gown on with a badge telling doctors which eye to work on. You never know these days they could do the wrong eye. I have my eye drops and a bunch of grapes. I didn't want to share any fish chips with my wrinkly friends but I wish they had remembered my honey.

At least i don't need to wear my blue glasses anymore.

 I love my new pink slippers. When I am better I will be able to read the eye chart right down to the bottom line.

Mary looks great after her operation, she doesn't need her glasses anymore.

Saturday, August 24, 2013

WONDERFUL WEATHER FOR DUCKS

We all arrived at North Shore River Cafe on a lovely winter's day to celebrate Diane's Bithday. It was so good to see the sun out as it had been raining for days and days.
 The view from the cafe was delightful but I was more interested in getting inside to surprise Diane for her birthday.



I was dressed up in my flash rain gear with a cute umbrella and a flock of rubber duckies paddling around my lovely red boots. I even had a plastic rain hood on as well. I couldn't believe that it was so sunny today and I didn't need my rain gear. Diane liked my leopard skin pants.

 Diane had a yummy salmon lunch and.........

 she even shared some delicious lemon meringue pie with me.





Now I am back at Diane's house still waiting for more rain so I can go and play in the puddles.

Saturday, June 22, 2013

I AM A JOHNNY APPLESEED

When it was George's birthday, Mary dressed me as Johnny Appleseed so that I can help George in his veggie patch.

I had my garden clothes on and everything I needed to grow lots of vegetables. I had a shovel, watering can, seeds, fertilizer and seedlings. I also had a photo of me with a huge rock melon (cantaloupe) that I grew.

There was the usual crowd of wrinklies, George, Bill, Paul, Helen, Mary, Diane and Ann. We had lunch at "Cucina of Italy" restaurant. Yummo do I love Italian food? I think my bear ancestors are from Italy. Mamma Mia!

 Bill shared his lasagne with me.

 Diane shared her pasta with me. Yum I was full when I had finished.

George is very happy to have me help in his veggie patch.