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.

Tuesday, March 12, 2019

GOING MINING

It was Helen's Birthday celebration at the Botanic Gardens Cafe. I was dressed by Chris and I'm going to remind Helen of her great trip to Western Australia. I'm dressed like the many miners over there. I would rather drive the big trucks than dig up the ore. Chris helped me make a photo album of Helen's trip to WA.


 Helen and Chris enjoy the album of their trip.

 After lunch some of the wrinklier went walking through the gardens. Others including me stayed behind to have a yummy dessert.

Sunday, March 10, 2019

ZUMBA BEAR

Wow! I'm going to do workouts with Diane at Zumba lessons. It was Diane's Birthday and Mary dressed me in Zumba clothes ready to go to Zumba.

I had all the accessories too.


Diane is happy to have a Zumba partner thanks to Mary.

BAKING BEAR

Yea!! I'm helping Mary bake for her church group. I love licking the bowl.  We celebrated Mary's Birthday at the Southside Sports Club .
It was nice walking into the newly renovated club.

 Chris dressed me for Mary's birthday and Mary is happy to have a helper on baking day.

 We all enjoyed being at a new venue. I hope they are going to share their meal and drinks with me.

These old wrinklies have been friends for many years. They all met when they were working at Kuraby State School. They vowed to keep in touch by sharing their birthdays with one another and ME.

Saturday, March 9, 2019

DIVING WITH A WHALE SHARK

I'm so excited because Chris is going to teach me how to snorkel and swim with a whale shark. She and Helen went to Western Australia and learnt how to swim with these huge gentle animals. We celebrated her birthday in their new house on their country property. I saw lots of wallabies.



Chris was happy to have me come snorkelling with her.

It was nice to be in the country.

 There was a huge tree next to the house.





WHOO HOO I HAD A RIDE IN THE WASHING MACHINE

I'm embarrassed to say that it is a long time since I had a wash. My wrinkly friends have been a bit lax when it comes to bathing me. Anyway, Ann decided I needed a ride in the washing machine and an all over shave as I had quite a few long hairs. Lucky I can hold my breath for ages while I sloshed around in the nice warm soapy water but when It came time for me to go in the drier I refused.Its too hot and too fast so Ann hung me on the line in the sun. It was great to feel white and clean again. I took a long time to dry out. At last it was time for Ann to dress me for Bob's Birthday.


 I'm going to the country with Bob and help him build a house on his property. There are lots of native animals there.

This time we celebrated in Helen's home because Chris and Helen were leaving for a long holiday to Western Australia the next morning. Diane and Bill couldn't make the dinner because they are on a plane coming home rom Melbourne.
We had fish and chips and donuts for tea. I loved the donuts.


I'M LEARNING TO PAINT

Its Bill's Birthday and I happened to find out that he likes painting so I brought my paints along to his Birthday Lunch. Ann helped me bring the stuff. Bill is happy to have me help him next time he paints.



Thursday, March 7, 2019

I MUST BE GETTING OLD.

I've been finding it hard to see lately and so my Bear Doctor said I needed a cataract operation. It didn't hurt a bit but I had to have my eye covered for a day. When I went to George's birthday celebration at Michael's Chinese Restaurant I was not surprised to learn that George also needs a cataract operation. In our spare time George and I enjoy doing jigsaws and Diane had brought one along for us to do. Not all our friends could make lunch today because of illness. The rest of us enjoyed a banquet.