A new adoption

Today, I convinced Scott to come along with me to a swap meet and I think he's still shaking his head and thinking he got conned! The Toowoomba swap meet is one of the largest in SE QLD, with between 20,000 and 30,000 people browsing through HUNDREDS of stalls over two days. Now not all of these 'items' for sale are fantastic quality, but you've heard the saying that one man's trash is another man's treasure. And so it seems! We enjoyed (well, I enjoyed!) wandering through the rows and rows of stalls for an hour or so, before we came to the smaller show pavilion where the models were set up. We walked into a long hall that was wall to wall matchbox cars, sail boats, miniature trucks and so on. We looked ... and were heading for the door when a little flash of gold caught the corner of my eye and I said to Scott, "Wait! There's a bear!" With a long-suffering sigh (something I've given him lots of practice at heaving!!) he followed me back into the hall where, sure enough, there was a bear - one bear in a room full of cars and models, and he looked desperately in need of a good home! After liberating said bear, we headed for the door at last, me nursing my new furry family member (I couldn't just stick him in a bag, you know!) and I said to my beloved, "I suppose you're wondering how I managed to find one lonely little bear in there." He replied, "Nope. I think it's a kind of built-in radar!" Tee! Hee! Hee! So, here is my new adopted family member.

I've named him Rupert - it seemed to suit! He's a little worse for wear at the moment. He's lost both of his original eyes and only has one of his replacement button eyes left, hanging by a thread and his side seam is a little loose, but I'll have him spruced up in no time and he'll be welcomed into the ever-growing Tag Along Teddies bear hug!! I just had to adopt him because he reminded me very much of a bear I had as a child - which my mother gave away when she thought I'd outgrown it!!! Oh dear! It's not really her fault, I suppose! My mother is not a 'collectables' person and who could have known so long ago that I would grow up to be an arctophile! I once read an explanation of what an antique/collectible is: "Grandmother had it, mother threw it out, I brought it back!" That about sums it up for us! So, I will keep you updated on Rupert's recovery, but for now, I think I'm off to beddy byes cos I'm a tired little teddy bear! Til next time,

CHEERS!
KRIS