I Was Just Playing!

 

Ladies and gentlemen, I would first like to thank my lovely BFF, Di, for kindly transcribing this blog entry, since Clare is currently working on the traditional, end-of-trip game of Luggage Tetris, which I cannot do with my little suction-cupped paws, and because as Di says, while Clare is the Queen of Tetris, Di is the Court Jester thereof.  Also, I'm kinda in the proverbial "doghouse", which would be "bearhouse" if such a thing existed, and that could be considered unfair to us bears, but whatever!     Side note: The pic is of the couch set-up where Clare and Di spent most of the last two weeks (with way more blankets and pillows of course, not sure why Di felt the need to clean it up before getting the picture).  

And why am I in trouble, you might ask?  Well, of course you would!  I am rather fascinating, after all, and this certainly makes a fabulous entry!  It all begins at the end of our visit at KayRena's.  You see, I had thought the game of Hide and Go Seek was so much fun with Di, I talked a certain someone into playing a quick game with me before Clare, Di, and I had to leave back to Di's.  To protect the innocent, I will not reveal the name of my accomplice, but she knows who she is!  Mostly, I just didn't want to have to leave so soon, when I finally had my chance to be back with my playmates among KayRena's kids!  And that's my story and I'm sticking to it!   My little game was supposed to end when Clare loaded the car and wondered where I was.  Sadly, she did not, and I could technically argued that I was left behind, and was not even noticed as missing until they were back at Di's!  I could, and maybe even should, be insulted by this oversite, but since *I* was the one playing hide-n-seek, I don't have a very convincing argument.  Plus, when Clare found out what I'd done, and realized she had to drive back to Orem (almost two hours out of her way), well I wasn't really in a position to complain at all.   So it is that Clare hurried to throw all her stuff into her two bags, load up the car as soon as laundry was done, and head back south to meet KayRena and Tristen in Draper.  They had kindly driven me part way to Salt Lake City so that Clare wouldn't have to drive quite as far (bows humbly to the drivers that probsbly saved me a very squished and awkward trip back to Canada in some box or shipping tube).  After a short visit in a McDonalds parking lot, and a second good-bye in two days, we headed back up to Salt Lake City and the hotel Clare had booked earlier in the day.    

Clare returned the car (right next door to the hotel) and then spent the evening trying to play the afore mentioned Tetris because she's too cheap to pay an extra $35 for a second checked bag.  I sat silently in the corner, thinking about my actions and wondering just how long she would make me wait for another's adventure after this trick.  "I'm sorry, Clare!"   Whatever!   

I'll Never Complain I'm Bored Again!

Ok, I suppose I should start with a little back story here.  For those who have been wondering about the lack of posts recently, or how empty the posts seemed to be when they did exist, it is not entirely because Di and Clare have been ignoring me and talking all hours of the day and night.  Truth is, Clare has been quite sick, but didn't want to make a big deal about it (unlike me who probably would have complained regularly).  She is ok, and we even had a trip to the ER one night to make sure.  Now there's an adventure I've never had before, and let's be honest here, I hope to never have again (as interestingly as it might have been).
    
Anyhow, she's doing somewhat better, at least better enough to take Di and I down to visit my other Utah family; KayRena and kids! We drove down yesterday afternoon, had our traditional tea party (something I was afraid I would miss completely this trip) and then a wonderful movie night, and then I got treated like a King as KesLeigh kindly made sure I brushed my teeth, had a bath and was put to bed, all using her dollhouse accessories.  There was a time when I might have been horrified by this, but after almost two weeks of sitting on a shelf, I was grateful for any attention at all.

Today made the difference though, as I was told we were going to the Museum of Natural Curiosity (as opposed to the museum of artificial curiosity??).  KayRena and Kes joined Di, Clare and me (Di says it's "me" and Clare thinks it's "I" - use whichever you please because I'm a bear and I don't care) as we headed up to Thanksgiving Point where this new adventure awaited me.  Little did I know I would be put through so many wild experiences that I was left more exhausted than any days in Disney!

Here is the condensed list for your amusement:

- survived an earthquake and a tornado (apparently the hurricane display wasn't working)

- explored how water works (and get wet, naturally)

- discovered way more than I ever cared to know about geometry

- had my head sat on a table (without my body)

"Staring Whatever"

- put my name on the Marquee of a theatre

- participated in a puppet show

- sat on a giant-Lego chair (meaning the Lego was giant, not the chair, for those who need that specified)

- read news from a TelePrompTer (is that really how that's spelled or has my auto-correct gone berserk? - Hey, thanks Wikipedia, apparently TelePrompTer is the original company that created it, but it has now become generic and doesn't need capitalizing, but I guess nobody told my iPad that.  Now, don't you all feel slightly more intelligent having read that?)

- checked out a vet and got X-rayed

- went to an awesome library with talking statues (Dickens and Mark Twain, whoever they are - fun quotes though)

- climbed through a cave and followed bear tracks to find some old ancestor of mine (he was a little cold and stiff)

- got constricted by a rattlesnake

- danced on a stage

- rode a zip line, And

- held on tight on a rope bridge!

Does that not sound exhausting to you?  Heck, the tornado and earthquake alone would be enough to finish most people off in one day!  But to continue on as if neither had happened... 

Whatever!

Umm... Yeah, about that?

I Have a Guest Speaker Today!

Okay, I'm going to take a little different approach, this post.  

Since Clare and Di have spent a good deal of time sitting up all night, talking, laughing, and generally carrying on like a couple of teenagers on holiday, I've been more or less hanging out, bored, wondering how humans could possibly have so much to say to each other!  In fact, in all of their very wordy adventures, you'd think they might have put some of those words to good use and written a blog post for me!  Seriously, ladies!    
      
 But today Di and I had some of our own time to hang out together, since Clare hasn't been feeling well, so my BFF and I could have a little one-on-one time, so I'll let that slide - for now!  Since she is being so kind as to be my scribe, I'll also let slide that because she is from the States, she's also insisting on spelling words her way.  You win some, you lose some, I'd always say, if I actually said it more than once!  You win some, you lose some!  There, now I can honestly say I always say!

Speaking of winning some and losing some, Di and I decided to fill some of the time amusing ourselves - and everyone else - with a little game of hide and go seek.  Unfortunately, since I'm actually a stuffed bear, it's kind of impossible for me to just go hide on my own, so the game was slightly unusual.  You might enjoy how the results turned out!  In fact, while it might be unlikely, feel free to try to guess and make this an even more fun game!  All ya gotta do is reply to the email if you'd like to send in your guesses, and maybe if you do, we can discuss the responses in another post, if Di gets around to sneaking the blog away from Clare, again. ;)

Yup, it's been an interesting visit so far, despite the relative boredom after last week! But Di does like to dote on me and Clare a bit, so I guess it's also a good time to kick back, take it easy, and let our friend do what she does best when I'm around! It may not be the adventure of a lifetime, but you know, it's still great to be spoiled from time to time.  It really is the way folks should be treating such a world-famous bear!

Whatever!

Boy, am I stuffed!

Before Spa

While today was still rather boring when it comes to adventures, I can tell you I finally got my spa treatment, and I can now hold my head high again (literally).  

 The day started fairly slow, and I was initially really irritated that they went shopping and left me alone, sitting on the couch, staring at a blank tv screen.  I mean, how rude is that!  However, they returned with some special supplies for my spa day, so can I stay mad at them?  

 As usual I got a nice run through the washer and dryer (kinda fun spinning around in the water, and then all the warm air, although I don't recommend it for you humans), and then got my little suction cup paws all cleaned up and scrubbed, as well as my fur de-linted.

The part I wasn't expecting was, well, let's call it reconstructive surgery.  Most if you may not realize that one of my arms had no stuffing left, and the other wasn't much better, and neither was my neck, making it hard to hold my head up.    

What surprised Clare as she started my procedure, was that when she cut one stitch at the back of my neck, the entire seam came undone and I nearly lost my head.  How scary (thankfully I was unconscious for this).  You'll be glad to know the surgery was successful, and I now have two functioning arms (with both beads and stuffing), and more stuffing in my belly and neck, so I sit up straight again.  Yay!   

Then came the best part of today's spa treatment; as Clare tried to cover my "tail" (remainder of a white tag) with black sharpie marker, she discovered it worked well on my fur as well.  She then kindly gave me a full makeover with the marker, possibly making me more black than I was when I was bought (but that was so long ago, I might just have forgotten).

Still, I feel like a new bear tonight, well stuffed, and looking quite handsome if I say so myself.  

Whatever!

After Spa

 

Bored. Bored. Bored.

I am not a child!

No, I haven't dropped off the face of the earth or anything, but maybe that would be more fun than sitting on the end of a couch waiting for something to happen.    

 Clare drove up to my good buddy Di's house yesterday morning.  I was very eager to see her, and very hopeful for the spa treatment I always get when I go to her house.  For some reason that hasn't happened yet (although I've heard rumours of it).  They literally talked all day yesterday, except for a brief run to a Walmart for some groceries.  Then today they slept in (big surprise there), and have spent most of today watching tv and talking some more.  

 Like the title says: boring!  Here's hoping tomorrow brings something more interesting.  

 Whatever!

Happy Halloween??

Ok I think I have now come across a whole new level of strange for you humans.  The way I see it, you dress your little ones up in all kinds of costumes (and it seems anything counts in that regard) and then take them on long walks around the neighbourhood in the dark, and they get candy for it.  And what exactly does "trick or treat" mean anyways?  I saw no tricks at all.  Very strange, but I digress...    

So my day started with a trip to the grade school to watch the parade of costumes.  I counted 14 Elsas and 2 Annas (Frozen), 3 Dorothys (Wizard of Oz), at least 15 or 20 variations of wizards from Harry Potter (lost count), 3 Iron Men, lots of princesses, robots, zombies, and then some, including many costumes I had no idea what they were (and some even Clare didn't know).    

After a quick grocery trip, KayRena had to go into work so Clare and I did laundry (ok mostly Clare did that), then watched a movie with some of the older kids before they had to go to their jobs or whatever kids who have graduated do.  When KayRena came home they made what she said was their traditional Halloween supper (sloppy joes and homemade root beer) and then we all got into our costumes.  As I said before, I was not too keen on the costume picked out for me, but it's not like I have any choice in the matter.  Of course, I didn't know the candy deal yet, so I was just a little grumpy as they carried me outside for pictures (if you can't tell, Clare is Strawberry Shortcake and KayRena is Blueberry Muffin, whoever they are!)  

We then headed down the street with lots of other kids in costumes, and started knocking on people's doors and saying "trick or treat" while holding out bags, and I watched in amazement as candy was dropped into these bags.  What is this?  I want in on this!  Suddenly my costume didn't seem so silly, and I got my own little haul, which got too heavy for me to hold up even (Kes insisted I add that part).  Too bad I can't eat any of it.     Two hours later we returned with bags full of candy, and some of us (ie everyone but me) even got to enjoy tasty treats made right on the spot in someone's driveway.  KayRena said they were scones (deep fried) but Clare said they didn't taste like any scone she had before, they were more like donuts.  Must be nice!   So that was my first Halloween.  Weird celebration you all have there! Whatever!