getting dressed

1st May 2020

I’m a bit embarrassed.

Since I came out of the cupboard, I haven’t been wearing any clothes.

Even when I blew my whistle for the hospital teddies on Thursday evenings!

I wonder what the neighbours thought.

I have some very nice clothes.

Some very smart clothes.

But I think I’ll go casual for today.

How do I look?

Is it all right from behind?

Nice and comfy for the yoga.

I would like to wear my strategy suit some time.

It has a real jelly pocket!

To be honest, I’ve never tried putting jelly in the pocket.

Maybe lockdown is the time to experiment.

Strategy suits were all the rage when I was young.

I first heard about them on the wireless.

Look – this is a perfect example of a strategy suit with a jelly pocket.

My grandmother made it for me when I was a young bear.

I was the envy of all my friends.

Of course I only wear it for VERY special occasions.

Not likely to be any of those for a while.

friends keep checking up on me

3rd May 2020

People seem to have heard that I’m out of the cupboard.

The phone never stopped ringing today.

Elly phoned,

Didcot phoned,

and Points phoned.

Very nice of all of them, ringing to check up on me.

It made me think that I should phone Jenny.

She is my sister, after all.

But of course, if I had gone to stay with Jenny, I’d have had to be on my best behaviour.

Life is easier on my own, knowing that nobody will be coming to visit.

I’m saving a lot of time on housework.

It’s much quicker if you eat straight from the tin.

And I have all my meals on the draining board, to save carrying the dishes about.

Don’t tell anyone.

music locked down

7th May 2020

My friends have been ringing to check that I’m all right.

I started to worry about the people I haven’t heard from.

I rang Bimbo.

He had a big operation while I was in the cupboard.

That’s funny.

With such a long nose, Bimbo is usually very sensitive to smells.

We said we’d practise our instruments, and maybe play a duet in a day or two.

I’ve set up my triangle.

I might play it at clapping time this evening.

oh dear, oh dear, oh dear

7th May 2020

I didn’t know that people were reading my blog!

Ted says that Lopsy was very upset by something I said about her.

I’m very fond of Lopsy, and I wouldn’t want to hurt her feelings for anything.

I tried to write to her.

What can I do to make it up to her?

I’ll make her something stripy. She’ll like that.

A stripy scarf?

Those are rather big stripes.

And it’s not really the time of year for stripy scarves.

I could draw her a stripy picture.

But Lopsy could probably draw a better picture herself.

She’s quite Artistic.

I wonder if I could make some stripy biscuits?

I’ll have to use that funny flour that Ruffy got me.

It’s hard to get ordinary flour these days.

I hope I haven’t said anything mean about Ruffy.

He’s been very kind. It’s not his fault that I don’t like being given advice.

Well, he can have some of the biscuits too.

I’ve got butter, and sugar, and cocoa.

I tried a small one.

They’ve come out all right, I think.

I’ll give Lopsy the bigger ones.

She has more capacity than me.

I hope she likes them.

They did take a very long time to make.

secret midnight mission

10th May 2020

I hope my stripy biscuits will cheer Lopsy up.

I found a stripy envelope to pack them in.

I’ll send it first class, because it is urgent.

The post workers are overworked at the moment, so first class may not guarantee next-day delivery.

Specially as it’s a second-hand stamp. I didn’t have a new one.

But the post workers are nice people.

I’m not supposed to go out at all, because I’m Extremely Vulnerable.

Not even to post letters.

I could have asked Strawberrry to post it for me.

She’s the helpful little bear who lives up the road, always pleased to help.

But it might have been too heavy for her.

Anyway, I’m tired of being stuck indoors. Twelve weeks is a long time.

I hope Ruffy isn’t reading this, because I’ve made up my mind.

Please don’t tell him.

I’m going to go out to the post-box.

It will be quite safe at night. There’ll be no one out in the streets, no germs around.

It’s a special occasion, so I’ll put on my strategy suit.

I’m waiting till it’s really late.

I haven’t been out of the house for more than six months.

After I’ve posted this packet, I’ll go for a nice long walk.

Fresh air!

All the space in the world!

The moon doesn’t seem to be shining tonight.

I can’t see any stars.

Better get this posted.

Perhaps it wasn’t sensible to come out.

The NHS letter said that I am at high risk of severe illness if I catch the virus.

Stay at home! Protect the NHS! Save lives!

I’ll go home now. I’ll go quickly.

being sensible

13th May 2020

I wish I hadn’t gone out last night.

I wonder what Ruffy would say if he knew.

Someone may have posted something in the post-box just before me, and left little viruses on it.

I won’t like it if I get ill, and I’ll feel bad if I use NHS resources just because I’ve been stupid.

I won’t like it at all if I die.

Even Lopsy isn’t silly enough to go out when she’s been told not to.

She has quite a serious underlying condition. She has no internal organs at all, except possibly in her head.

Her mood is very up and down.

I hope my biscuits will cheer her up.

I’ll be more sensible from now on.

I’ve put away my strategy suit.

I did my yoga first thing.

I had a healthy breakfast. Fruit and only a little bit of a stripy biscuit.

Teddy says Lopsy was pleased with the biscuits I gave her.

She made Ted see if he could find them when they were camouflaged against her furry stripes.

Teddy’s very kind.

I’m going to plan my day.

Ruffy says he’s sorting his cupboards.

That’s a very good idea.

I’ll go and sort out my box.

Then I’ll be ready to make decisions, and start the new, sensible, lockdown life.

(cough, cough)

I think that was just the dust from the box, making me cough.

It doesn’t seem to be a continuous cough. Not yet.

And anyway, I don’t think symptoms show up that quickly.

I wish I hadn’t gone out last night.

But I must learn from my mistakes, and do better in the future.

(cough, cough)

sensibly tidying my box

15th May 2020

Ruffy mentioned that lockdown is a good time to tidy up and sort everything out.

I got out my box, and found a great many useful things in it.

I’ve already started using some of them.

You may ask what is that silver thing.

It’s a kaleidoscope. Inside, it has three mirrors.

The way you use it, is to look through one end, and it makes everything into a pattern.

Nice, eh? Though it does make the tidying seem quite urgent.

I wonder what happens if you look through the other end?

Scary! (I did it in front of the mirror.)

So, I was getting on well with sorting out the box, when the phone rang.

My friends all seem to think I must be bored.

I said I’d ring them all back when I’ve finished my tidying.

I really can’t talk now, just when I’m getting my belongings into some kind of order.

pasta and the Book Club

18th May 2020

When I sorted out my box, I found a nice piece of pasta.

I cooked it for my lunch, and I was just sitting down to enjoy it, when the phone rang.

I’ll have to cut the wire if I want any peace.

Ah, they don’t have wires any more.

(I think I was only joking.)

I was going to say no.

I’m not really a great reader, and I am very busy, what with everything.

But perhaps it’s sensible to be sociable, and to push myself a bit.

Of course the pasta was cold by then.

But quite tasty.

can’t I have a day off?

19th May 2020

I ought to be choosing a book to read for the Book Club.

And I should be tidying up.

The more I tidy, the more things there are to sort out.

I put all the long thin things together, and all the round things together.

But that doesn’t really work.

I need a better system.

I think I’ll have a day off, and do something I really want to do.

Today can be the day that I try out the jelly pocket in my strategy suit.

I wonder how you make jelly?

Jenny will probably know.

I don’t have any of those things.

Ruffy might know a different way of making it.

That’s not really the point.

Bimbo will know. He’s a great cook.

Lie down? In the morning? I hope he’s all right.

Perhaps he’s not quite over that operation.

Well, I’d better use cornflour. I do have some of that.

I think this is all I need for the perfect jelly.

This may be quite messy.

I’ll need an apron and my wellies.

They’re my sister’s wellies, but she won’t mind me using them.

She lent them to me last year, when we went for a muddy walk.

All right, I’m ready to go.

Actually, all this telephoning, and organising, has made me tired.

Perhaps I’ll have a little rest too, and get up strength for the project.

making jelly to put in my pocket

19th May 2020

(Not really jelly, but same sort of thing.)

This is so good.

It’s what I’ve always wanted to do.

I’ve got everything ready.

I’ve got my wellies on.

First, I need to mix up a good oobleck.

I love oobleck.

It stirs like a liquid.

It slops like a liquid.

Oops, I didn’t mean to slop it that much.

But see that corner? That’s a bit odd, isn’t it? That’s oobleck for you.

But when you whack it with the spoon…

Oh. It splashes like a liquid.

But also it cracks like a solid, so it is very strange.

Seems a bit non-Newtonian to me.

I should have worn my badge inside the apron.

I find I have so many badges, that I plan to wear a different one every day.

Now I’m boiling the milk and mixing in the oobleck, little by little.

Stir stir stir stir, so that it won’t go lumpy.

I’ll make it pink with a bit of beetroot juice.

I don’t have real raspberries, but the pink will make it taste like raspberries.

I’m putting in a little marmite, because Michael says it makes everything taste better.

Mmm, that certainly does add a bit of oomph to the flavour.

Stir it all up. Oh dear, I didn’t quite avoid lumpiness.

Who cares? The lumps are the concentrated essence of tasty blancmange goodness.

Put it in the jelly moulds.

Now I have to leave it somewhere cool and go and do something else.

I can’t wait to try the jelly in my jelly pocket!

I’ll see if I can find a book about bears. That’s the next topic for the Book Club.

Oh no, that’s the phone again!

Maybe I’ll just leave it, and they’ll think I’m out.

Well no, they know I can’t go out, but they’ll think I’m asleep.

What a racket!

It’s going on quite a long time.

Oh, all right, I’ll answer it.

Oh dear oh dear. That was Bimbo.

He’s not very well, and he wants me to help him.

I said I’d just wash my paws, and then I’ll ring him back.

I’ll leave the cleaning up till later.

How can I help him? He’s not allowed out, and I’m not allowed out.

Oh dear oh dear oh dear.

helping Bimbo from a distance

23rd May 2020

Poor Bimbo really isn’t at all well.

He thinks it’s The Virus.

This is an emergency.

I’m glad he chose to phone me.

But I wish he’d chosen someone else.

I’m staying calm.

You don’t just rush round to your GP, or to the hospital.

It’s all different now.

(If you’re ill, it’s important not to get dehydrated.)

I found Ecosia.

I typed in my question.

So now I’m waiting.

I’d better get some clothes on before I speak to the nurse.

I didn’t have time before, because of the emergency.

I’m wearing my strategy suit.

I am very worried about Bimbo, but I could make use of the time while I’m waiting.

Perhaps I’ll get the jelly out ready for testing.

There they are, two jellies, waiting to come out of their moulds and into my pocket.

waiting for the nurse to phone

25th May 2020

My friend Bimbo is ill.

A nurse is going to ring and tell me what we should do.

I told Bimbo to drink lots of water so as not to get dehydrated.

I’d better drink some too.

This is an emergency, so I need to be fit and strong.

I should really do some yoga while I’m waiting for the nurse to ring.

But first I’m going to test out the jelly pocket in my strategy suit.

This should have been such a happy, proud moment, but I’m too worried about Bimbo to be very happy.

However, it’s no use leaving the jelly for another day.

It won’t last that long.

I keep getting a spoon out – it’s very tempting.

Oh! there’s the phone!

Oh dear.

Have I hurt her feelings again?

I hope the nurse didn’t ring while I was on the phone to Lopsy.

It’s not ringing now.

I’ll get the jelly out of the moulds.

It’s interesting – it turns out that it’s possible to be extremely worried, but also extremely excited at the same time.

DING-DONG! DING-DONG!

Oh no, that’s the doorbell!

But the nurse isn’t meant to be coming here.

They should go to Bimbo’s house.

. . . . . . .

Ah, that wasn’t anything to do with the nurse.

It was my neighbour from up the road, little Strawberry.

She’d heard that Bimbo was ill, and brought a posy for him.

She put it on the doorstep, and waved from a safe distance.

What a kind little bear!

I said I’d get Ruffy to take it round to Bimbo.

Ruffy’s young and strong, so he’s allowed to go out to be helpful and kind.

I’ll put the flowers in water to keep fresh.

The blue ones are forget-me-nots. Aaaah.

Bimbo will be delighted.

I forgot about him for a moment. I hope he’s all right.

I hope the nurse phones soon.

I’d better wash my paws, because I’ve touched something from the outside world.

Maybe I shouldn’t have touched the flowers.

RRRRRINGGGGGG!

testing the jelly pocket at last

28th May 2020

I spoke to the COVID-19 nurse about my friend Bimbo.

Oh Bimbo, oh dear, I hope he gets better.

I’ll phone and tell Ruffy.

So I phoned to tell Bimbo’s friends.

I put his flowers back in water.

(They had an accident when I answered the phone.)

I ate the strawberry.

I can tell Bimbo how nice it was. Or maybe I won’t.

I’ve made him a get-well card.

He can have it when he gets home.

This time I’ll ask Ruffy or Strawberry to post it for me.

So now I’d better get on with everything else.

May as well test out the jelly pocket on my strategy suit.

I’ll put on a sporting badge, for this challenge.

This is something I’ve always wanted to do.

The jellies have turned out well.

One of them looks like a pear, and I think the other one is a tortoise.

I’ll use the fat part of the pear.

The pocket is ready.

Here goes. This is the moment of truth.

The jelly is in the jelly pocket.

A triumph. It fits perfectly.

(Of course, jelly does tend to fit into things pretty well.)

I think we’ve established that the jelly pocket is remarkably suited to its purpose.

That’s something to tell Bimbo about when he’s better!

Now I can eat the jelly.

Very tasty indeed.

locked down gardening

31st May 2020

(Will it work indoors?)

It’s hot today.

I’ve put on my shorts.

(That’s the jug I learned to read on.)

They’re not exactly holiday shorts.

They’re from my school days. I haven’t grown much since then.

Anyway, it’s not a holiday today.

There’s work to be done.

First I’ll phone the hospital.

I do hope Bimbo’s getting better.

Well, that’s encouraging. But I wish he was all right.

Now, it really is time I chose a book for the Book Club.

It has to be about bears.

Teddy’s wondering which Winnie-the-Pooh story to choose.

Lopsy said we must all read The Winter’s Tale, but I think she was just showing off.

Shakespeare doesn’t really write much about bears at all.

Not brass nor stone nor parchment bears, not one. Well, maybe one.

Well, that’s enough about books for today.

But you can read the book about Horace if you like.

I don’t recommend it.

I’ll choose my Book Club book tomorrow.

Time for some tidying.

Every time I look in this box it seems to have more stuff in it.

And that’s after I’ve put at least half of it away.

I’ve found a bean.

I wonder if you can grow beans indoors?

Oh! I heard the letter-box.

A post-card.

But I’m not allowed just to pick it up and read it.

Ruffy says I must leave the mail on the door-mat for a while, or else wear the virus-proof gloves he gave me.

And actually I don’t really want to die quite yet.

Ruffy’s given me lots of these gloves.

They come in fives, and you just cut one off when you need it.

Let’s get this postcard into the light, and see who it’s from.

It’s from Snowy and Bunce.

I haven’t seem them for ages.

They’re farming down in Outermost Wessex.

Oh look, it’s a picture of their farm.

They grow every possible kind of leaf.

Now, can I read Snowy’s writing?

Oh yes, it’s quite clear.

Very nice to hear from them.

I hope they find someone to help with the fruit-picking.

I wish I could ask them about growing beans, but they’ll be out in the fields.

I know – I’ll phone Madame Cholet and Reindeer.

You should see their garden – it’s an arbour, an oasis, a bower.

What kind neighbours I have!

Just as well I forgot to empty the tea pot.

Now to plant the bean. They said two inches deep, but that would be underneath the flower-pot.

Nothing much is happening yet.

I’ll just phone and see if that’s normal.

I’ll wait for the bean to grow. And I’ll wait for Bimbo to get better. And I’ll wait for lockdown to end.

Anyway, that’s enough tidying for today.