A Daring Rescue

Hi all, two posts in two weeks - wonders will never cease! (Watch it!)

This week we were off to Germany.  He doesn't work on Fridays, so what were we doing working in Munich on Friday? (You may well ask bear. Sometimes I just do - Sigh).

Anyway we flew out on Thursday and I was safely tucked into his bag with my book to read. All very nice and not at all forgetful, otherwise he'd have never heard the end of it.  He ought to understand that our heads may be full of fluff, but we have LONG memories.  (I do understand, and I try not to forget you, but sometimes it happens that way. On with the story, 'cos it's quite 'citing).

Well, anyway, I got out in his hotel bedroom and had a good read and next morning we set off for a business meeting with our friend Herbert.  He says it was a good meeting, but I just had a read and a zizz. (Luckily no-one else noticed the snoring from my briefcase!) What, me? Snore? I don't do that. Anyway, who wants to listen in to a scabby old business meeting?

There was a slight hope of another meeting but it didn't come off, so we had a few hours to ourselves in Munich. So his bag was parked in the station and off we set.

It was cold and grey in Munich, but we made the most of it. One of the first places we saw was a big place that was a prison for bears. Look at the picture and you can see some bears behind the glass - I wanted them to come out to play, but they couldn't 'cos they said they weren't 'dopted whatever that means.  We went inside and saw some other captives, I saw one and said to Alan that I really wanted to help him to excape.  I asked the bear his name and he said "Andi."  I said, "Would you like to come home with us?" Well he got quite tocited about it and jumped up and down. He said, "Ja, wunderbear!"  That's your actual bearish German, you know. Aren't you impressed that I understood it? (Watch it big head.) I don't know what you mean.

The staff said we'd have to think about it and come back later.  "Oh, oh," I thought, that means "We'll see," and we all know what that means don't we. So I waved bye, bye to Andi, who looked quite crestfallen. But I told him I'd be back, and I'd drag my human with me if necessary.

So we walked out, with me craning round to wave goodbye to a tearful Andi,  and went down the street and until we came across this dramatic boar.  I sat down at his feet so you could see just how big he is. Look at his tusks. He looked very fierce, but really he was very friendly and he let me sit right on the end of his nose, but I had to keep away from his sharp tusks.

 After that encounter we went to a brewery for lunch. The food was very tasty and we washed it down with a dark wheat beer. Then we moved on the the famous Marienplatz with the city hall and statues all around.

There was quite a fierce looking cherub slaying a dragon, and all that bronze was a bit cool under my bot.  But the idea of a fierce cherub got me talking to Alan about my plan for the daring rescue.  He said that it would have to wait until we got back up to the shop.  "Shop!" I said, "it's a nasty prison for bears, I see'd it and I know."  He just chuckled, but I wouldn't let him off. He hadn't said, '"Yes," but then he hadn't said "No," so I was getting quite hopeful.

 It was quite a walk back up the road and we saw lots of strange people purtending to be statues, but then they moved so I could tell they weren't really statues after all.

Then he stopped for some fresh dates, something to do with pudding, but fruit isn't pudding. (I know but much better for my waist line than a big bit of cake.) Maybe, but not half so sticky.

Then, hurrah, we entered the place of captivity and stood looking hopeful by a cabinet full of bears including Andi.  Then a gaoler lady came along with a whole set of rattly keys and she opened the door and we managed to get Andi out. He came with a little travelling box and a tissue blankie. We had to queue up and the staff waved a bit of plastic about. I wanted to know what it was for, and Alan said it was to pay Andi's ransom.  I thought we should just run out, but Alan explained that paying the ransom meant that we were 'dopting Andi, so I was happy about that.

When we got outside Andi and I got quite tocited. He dried up his tears and had a long drink of his beer. Then before any nasty people chased us and put him back in gaol, we sat down and had our picture taken with the prison in the background. The staff said I shouldn't worry, but until we were well clear I couldn't relax. 

Soon enough we were at the airport and the plane was late and that made us anxious, then we got to Dusseldorf where the plane to Manchester was late, and that made us even more anxious.  It was very late when we finally made it home, where Andi was introduced to Ann.

Here he is to-day. Aren't his lederhosen very smart, and he has his own stein of Bavarian beer. Isn't he lucky?

I'm really happy to have Andi as a friend 'cos he's even smaller than me, so I have someone that I can boss around at last. (Excuse me bear, did I hear you right?  That's not fair and I won't let it happen.) Well...... but someone has to show him the ropes around here 'cos he's much less experienced than me.  (That's guidance, not bossing around.) Yes, I suppose you're right.  I'll enjoy doing that.

Until next time.

Hugs,

Jock

Reeling around

Well, this week he was good.  He and Ann were off out for the day and he took me along.  Ann was surprised when I popped out of the bag when we got to our destination.  They were at some sort of school thingy, so I thought "Boring," and sat and read my book.

It was a nice day and I had plenty of time to read, or so I thought, and all sorts of nice people came and spoke to me and picked me up.  I was quite enjoying the attention, and my book was very exciting, so I didn't notice what was going on for a while.  But then I became aware of 'Tum-te-tum-te-tum te-tum" noises and when I looked up everyone was dancing!  I thought, "This is the sort of school I want to go to."

I told him he hadn't told me people would be dancing and he said, "Silly bear, I did tell you it was an RSCDS (Royal Scottish Country Dancing Society) Day School."  Well, I did scratch my head and I have to admit that, having been so aggranoyed at him the previous week, I had not really let that settle in. That made it an even better surprise. 

SO.... I had a wee nosey around and I met this nice man called John who played all day and for the evening too.  I bet his hands were tired when he was done. He played lots of tunes, reels and jigs and a hornpipe and some Strathspeys. Some he played lots of times while everyone learned new things and some he played only once when they had the dance.

I really liked the banner that John had on his music stand and he let me sit down in front of it.  I know that Katy and the clan live at the Littlest Thistle - well I think I was sitting in front of the Biggest Thistle! 

John was helping a very nice lady called Linda Gaul who was teaching the classes.  There was a session in the morning and one in the afternoon, and then in the evening there was a great dance. Everyone dressed up and the men wore their kilts. Here are some of the others having a dance.

 

I got to dance too. Once I danced in Ann's pocket and then I was her partner. It's a bit tricky doing jetées when you have stiffish ankles, but everyone thought I did well for a beginner.  Mind you it fairly puffs you out. ('Scuse me, you did one dance when you weren't in pockets.  We danced all day long.)  All day long? (Yep!) Nope.  (??) You had breaks for lunch and dinner so not all day at all. 

Whether they actually danced all day or not is immaterial, by 10.00 pm they were quite worn out poor old things. (Watch it bear, we're just experienced!) Mind you, as you can see from the photie above he coped quite well.  This was at the end of the day and I'd just been birled and jounced around.  I didn't know whether the dizziness or the height was worse, 'cos it was a long way down past his kilt.

I have to admit that even I was a bit tired, and I was really glad to get home at the end of the evening.  I wonder what's next?

Keep in touch,

Jock

The Runaway Bear

Sniff, sniff, is there anyone out there who loves a bear?  Abandinged again! I would seriously consider an offer of new home.

So there I was yesterday morning all tocited And ready for another adventure, when off he swans happy as Larry and leaves me behind!?!  I was sitting there shouting for him and he just waltzed out the door with his camera bag and went off to Liverpool ON HIS OWN - swine.

 

He saw nice yellow lorries that go in the water and a big red boat with a light on the top and I didn't get to see them.  I could have had great fun playing with them, but it didn't happen, 'cos I didn't go.  I just sat and cried and cried.

 There was only one thing for it - to teach him a great big LESSON.  I decided to run away and see how long it would take him to catch me.

 Well, I told Ann that it was all too much and that I'd be leaving as soon as I was packed and ready.  She was very sad, but I said that there was no changing my mind, and could I please use that nice spotty hankie as it was perfect for taking all my belongings.

 So I got some hunny and chocolit and biskits and a book to read and I wrapped them up in the spotty hankie, and got a stick so I could carry them.

 Then I made for the big wide world, and it looked quite scary, 'cos I'm only a wee bear and even what he calls "Those bloody cats." are quite big. I'm smaller even than the singing blackbirds and they're very pretty and tuneful.

 I was very determined, but then I realised that the jar of hunny weighed more than me and the step was quite high.

 I was still trying to get over the step when he cam home and picked me up.  He was very sorry, but I wasn't ready to forgive him.  But then he let me have a pickernicker on the spotty hankie, and it's amazing how good a biskit dipped in hunny can make you feel better, specially if it's accompanied by a bit of chokolit.  I had a nice read of my book too.

 Ann came home and found that I hadn't run away after all, so she was very happy and dried up all her tears.

So it all ended quite well, though he had better watch out, 'cos next time he might not be so lucky.

I'm very, very sorry Jock.  I didn't mean to leave you behind, and I had pangs of conscience when I realised, but by then it was too late to go back home.  I'll really, really try to remember to take you next time and to write it up too.  Next month we're off to Portugal and Amsterdam, and in December to Colorado, so you'll definitely get out and about for those trips.

I forgive you this time, but you'd better remember to take me or there'll be trouble.

Till next time,  all the best,

Hugs, a slightly mollified,

Jock