Tuesday 10 May 2011

Z will survive

Thank you for your concern over my hand, it really isn't so bad and here is a picture to prove it.  I'm sure it would have blistered badly if I hadn't kept it doused in cold water for a long time, it is still hot to the touch all these hours later, but I've been lucky and the red area has diminished a lot from last night.
You might have spotted someone in the background.  He's not quite a life-long friend, my parents bought him when I was five or so, tired of my quarrelling with my sister over ownership of her Big Ted.  I believed strongly in the principle of sharing.  I was slightly discomfited when bought my own teddy, which was far too new and yellow to love like Big Ted, but I no longer had an excuse to claim him.

He used to live in a spare bedroom, but he went to a party a couple of years ago and it gave him a renewed taste for company, so now he remains in my study.

When the sun is shining through the window, I find that he has moved across to bask in its rays.

20 comments:

PixieMum said...

Ian never had a teddy bear as a child, his was an army family so moved a lot so personal possessions were few.

As an adult he commissioned his own bear, Bulgaria, who resides proudly in our sitting room. No doubt he'll have pride of place when the new sofas arrive.

Will take picture and if I may, copy you and mention it in my blog.

Take care, suggest all cooking is delegated.

Z said...

When I had my hip op last year, the Sage took over cooking for a month - but I don't think he'd care to make it a permanent arrangement.

I was never a child for dolls but I was fond of stuffed animals.

Anonymous said...

He looks familiar. It's in the family.

PixieMum said...

Ian is keen on cooking, I worked full time for 8 weeks, then part time for nearly a year and he did all the catering and housekeeping. He started his OU studies as I finished work but we still share it all.

I'd go to work with a packed lunch, come back to a beautifully cooked meal. Home made quiche, home made bread, in the summer veg and salad from our garden. I had to phone when I was leaving so 18 miles later I could eat within 5 minutes of arriving home.

Regarding dolls as a child apparently I asked what was I do with the doll. Preferred toys that had a purpose, I was knitting and embroidering quite young, had a tiny weaving loom and read a lot. Remember being very bored, went to the library a lot but in retrospect would have liked guidance about what to read.

Thanks for the asparagus advice, I suspect we don't have the space but I will discuss it with Ian who is the gardener. At most our garden is barely 40 by 50 feet.

savannah said...

OUCH!OUCH!OUCH! yikes, sugar, hope all is better now. xoxoxo

Jane and Lance Hattatt said...

Hello:
We are so pleased to learn that all is well as far as your hand is concerned.

The teddy bear is wonderful and is clearly enjoying life in the sunshine of your study. We have two in Budapest, both dating from the 1950s. Edward lives in the Back Hall, less nice,and the other [nameless] in the Main Hall. We shall move Edward on our return next week!

Z said...

And you mentioned billiards and boxing in the comments, Mago. Quite a coincidence.

Alex is doing nearly all the cooking for his family, and Ro usually cooks for himself and Dora. It's not surprising, as I've always been an enthusiastic cook. When the Sage was doing all the cooking, I made soup and cakes, not to interfere with his role but to have one for myself!

My mother didn't have space for an asparagus bed, so planted a few crowns in her border. You have to be able to get to them to cut them, but after late May you have to leave them to grow and gather strength for the next year, and the fern is decorative, of course.

I liked books, board games, jigsaws and embroidery. I would have loved trains and cars, but it didn't occur to my parents to buy them for me, and of course I wouldn't have dreamed of asking!

Thank you, Savannah, it's actually still hot, but doesn't hurt.

This is a late 50s bear. I liked my sister's better because he'd lost an eye and his arm had been sewed back on - he was very well loved, possibly by the three dogs my parents had when Wink was small. Your bears will let you know when they are in the right place. They speak to you, bears do.

Dave said...

I have no stuffed animals in this house.

I do, though, do all my own cooking.

Blue Witch said...

Yow. But, you did the right things with it - it always amazes me how many people burn themselves but don't think to put it straight under a cold tap. I use wine bottle coolers for the same sort of thing. Much more durable than the ice-packs the physios sell.

The stuffed animals do the cooking in this coven.

Jihad Punk said...

I had a teddy once. The Dragon threw him in bin. I still think about him.

Anonymous said...

I still have my teddy; he sits on my dressing table. He's a bit frail these days, the sawdust is showing through in a few places (another 1950s bear).

Z said...

You did have a teddy though, Dave?

There is still heat there - I think it would have been a nasty burn if I hadn't treated it with cold water for a long time.

JP - that's awful. That should never happen to a teddy bear, or a small boy.

Ronan is very protective of his teddy bear, whose neck is quite fragile - the grandchildren are not allowed to play with him. He lives on a bookcase on the landing. By bear still has his growl, though he's a bit under-voiced nowadays.

martina said...

What is your bear's name? He looks quite happy in the wing chair. I never liked dolls that much, preferring stuffed animals and toys. Inherited Dad's childhood fox stuffed animal, named very creatively..Foxy. Foxy is circa 1930,probably a Steiff. he is sitting and you can rotate his tail and head, but he is a bit lacking on fur due to being very loved.

Ivy said...

I`m glad your hand is healing.

Teddy`s are very special aren`t they? Mine is very similiar to yours but very threadbare and has had a few "operations"! - apparantly I cuddled him so much when I had measles or something that he had to have his head sewn back on! and has had new paws and feet (black felt was the only thing available apparantely to replace them with then). But I`ve still got him.

Z said...

He hasn't got a name, he's just my teddy, but if I speak to him I address him as Teddy or Ted.

It must have been horrible for children back in the days of scarlet fever and so on, when all the things that had comforted them when they were ill had to be destroyed. The memory of the comfort really matters!

Sarah said...

I too have a much loved teddy that sits on my bedside table. Exactly the same age as me made by mum when she was pregnant with me in the long hot summer of 76. His head has been sewn back on and the hands, feet and ears repatched 2 or 3 times. the rest of him is threadbare. He also has those "glass" eyes that wouldn't be allowed on any teady these days.

Eddie 2-Sox said...

Aw, poor Z! Hope things cool down soon.


Don't really understand the teddy bears for adults thing.


But they do say that to be happy, do what made you happy as a child.

Eddie 2-Sox said...

Mind you, to say "I find the bear has moved" is odd. Somebody moved it!

Z said...

Sarah, hello. My son Alex was born in April 1976 so I remember that long hot summer very well. The drought broke on August Bank Holiday weekend and it rained for months after that!

I'm not really a toy person, Simon, don't worry. And indeed, I sit on that chair sometimes, so Ted gets put back in a different place each time. I haven't actually lost my marbles. But no more has anyone here, they don't think that the teddy moves when we're not looking. Please don't take us seriously xx

Anonymous said...

I think they have a life of their own. Accepting this helps a lot with cultural science. And respect.