It's Raining, It's Pouring

It’s cold and rainy outside at the moment. My friend Sally tells me this is good, because it makes the farmers happy to have enough rain to make their crops grow. I know Sally is happy, too, because her garden is getting plenty of water and her bulbs are starting to poke their heads up, and the pansies she planted are just starting to flower.

But, much as I know the rain is good, staring at rain falling outside, and shivering away in the toyroom, I can’t help but feel a little grumpy and gruff. Just as well I have Primula here. She caught me frowning and suggested a song to cheer me up. So we’ve been singing Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head – obviously a very apt song for the occasion – and now I don’t feel too bad. I googled and managed to find a cute ecard version of the song, so if you are feeling blue, have a listen (and a look) at this.

Hope it makes you smile.

Wear a Bear Day

Primula told me this morning that May 30 is Wear a Bear Day.

'But Primula, darling," I said, quite horrified. "Why would people want to wear a bear? And will they be skinning us to wear us?'

Primula giggled as she gave me a lovely warm hug. "You're a funny bear, Pemberthy. There's no need to panic. On Wear a Bear day people pay $2 for a tiny clip on bear which they wear to show support for Princess Margaret Hospital, Perth's special children's hospital.'

Then, as I sighed with relief, Primula took me over to the computer to show me the website. Little Stitches the Bear is quite cute - though of course, not as cute as moi. So, if you're in WA and have $2 to spare, why not buy and wear a bear to show your support for sick kids.

My biographer, Sally, has had cause to take two of her children for treatment at PMH in the past and in fact her lovely niece is in there at the moment, following surgery. So, for kids like these, I think $2 is well worth it.

Go on, wear a bear!

I'm at Dromkeen

Whoo hoo, yippety woo!

My biographer, Sally, has just returned from a trip to Melbourne. While she was there she went to Dromkeen, a wonderful house that hosts a collection of children’s literature and illustrations. Exciting enough, but what is REALLY exciting, is that while she was there, Sally spotted ME on the wall. Only a small image of me, but I was there, nonetheless, as part of a poster promoting Dromkeen with illustrations form a range of wonderful illustrators, including Jacqui, my official portrait painter.

Here’s Sally, pointing happily at ME on the wall. I’m famous! I’m at Dromkeen. How exciting.

Rejoice.

Hoppy Easter

Hoppy Easter! Hoppy Easter! Two celebrations in one week. Lucky us!
I have to confess that I like chocolate almost as much (or maybe even more) as honey – which is saying a lot, given that I’m a bear. We had an egg hunt all around the nursery, then shared what we’d found so no one missed out. Sharing is an important part of any celebration. When you share, the joy multiplies. And, when the chocolate was all gone, we shared other stuff – games, jokes, stories, hugs. What a wonderful day!

Hope there was lots of chocolate at your house this morning, and lots of sharing all day long.

Happy Saint Patrick's Day

Happy Happy Saint Patrick’s Day to you – or should that be Top of the Mornin’? Primula and I have decorated the toy room in green in honour of the special day. It looks like a troupe of leprechauns have paid us a call.

You might have guessed by my name that I am NOT really Irish, but my friend (and biographer) Sally does have an Irish surname and some Irish ancestry, so I guess that makes me Irish by association. Sally says that anyone who has ever had even a tiny connection to Ireland claims to be Irish on Saint Pat’s day. So, just for today, I’m celebrating.

Actually, if the truth be known, I like to celebrate every day – celebrate Saint Pat’s day, celebrate Friendship Day, celebrate Easter (nearly here) or just celebrate being alive.

So, for today, Happy Saint Patrick’s Day. And for tomorrow – Happy Day!

Happy happy happy.

Pemberthy's Word of the Day: Foible

Time for a new word of the day (perhaps, though, as I’ve said before I should call it word-of-the-random-timeperiod since it has never been a daily offering in my blog). Anyway, today’s word is: FOIBLE
Foible (noun) a failing or weakness of character.

So a foible is a failing one has, but I’ve noticed that the term is often used in an almost endearing way – as in ‘he has his little foibles’ rather than ‘his foibles really annoy the heck out of me.’

The word has got me thinking. "What are my foibles?" I asked Primula, but she wouldn’t have a bar of this sort of soul-searching. “I’m not going to list your faults, Pemberthy dear,” she admonished. “I love you warts and all. I don’t want to hurt you.” Warts? I have warts? Lucky my fur keeps them covered. Anyway, Primula suggested if I wanted to know about my foibles, it was better to do some quiet reflecting on them for myself. So, I started a list, and here it is, for public consumption.

Pemberthy’s Foibles:

1. I have very poor balance. This is what led to me falling from the shelf which, ultimately, was a good thing because that’s how I met Primula.

2. I tend to be a bit gruff. However, since I met Primula, I am much happier and much nicer to be around.

3. I am sometimes a little conceited. Yes, I know as one is cute and fluffy as well as being a great singer and a good writer, that I have a lot to be proud about, but at times I forget to be modest. I’m working on it, though.

4. I have warts. Apparently. Though I didn’t know this till Primula told me so today. I’m not sure if this is a foible or not – after all, warts are just a skin condition, really. – not a personality trait.

So, there you have it – a list of my foibles. Can you still love me after knowing my faults and failings? (That sounds like the title of a book – faults, failings and foibles.) I do hope so. I try hard to be loveable.

An Alphabet Story

I asked my friend Sally to give me a writing prompt to get my pen moving again, as I haven’t written much lately.

She challenged me to write a story of 26 words, with each word starting with the next letter of the alphabet. This is my attempt:

A beautiful cougar deftly explores forests grumpily. Hovering, it jumps knight-like moving nimbly over puddles. Quickly running, staying to unlit walkways. Xavier yells ‘Zikes!’

Primula liked it, but had to ask who Xavier was. ‘That’s easy, Prim dear,’ I explained. ‘Xavier is the wood cutter, out to start work in the early morning when he comes across the cougar. Wouldn’t you yell ‘zikes’ if you came across something as scary as a cougar?’
Primula smiled. ‘You have such an imagination, Pemberthy dear,’ she said.
I think she meant it as a compliment.

What have you written lately? Perhaps consider putting your skills to the test and try writing an alphabet story.