Sunday, July 26, 2009

Hug History...or his story

If you recall when I recently spoke with Tricia Jean Bear, she eluded that her family was not really the beginning of the hug. So I decided to pursue the tip she gave me and speak with her Uncle John Thomas Bear. He told me he'd be happy to share his story. So John Thomas and his boys joined me for a some fresh air, snacks and his story.
Michael Morgan (MM), Baby John (BJ), and John Thomas joined me for a snack & his story outdoors.

John Thomas:
Well, way back in the seventh decade of the last century, I came to live in Illinois. A good friend of your grandma's, Mrs. Jones and her daughter brought me here. You might say they were my "adoption facilitators".

They were on a vacation in Florida. Mrs. Jones decided

Tuesday, July 21, 2009

Skunks and Forgotten Bearthdays...

What do skunks and my forgotten bearthday have in common? They both stink!

Since I joined the bloggasphere several of the bears I've met have talked about or celebrated their bearthday/adoption day. I asked mom to help me research mine. Mom always told me when I'd ask that it was in August. Because they adopted me while they were on a bear-cation in New Hampshire. She remembered that they took those trips in August just before Brother T would go back to school. I always accepted that, but this year I had to know for sure.

Yesterday, when I read my friend Sir Woodstock's posting, I saw those cute little bear cakes. I pressed mom again to open my adoption papers. For you people reading this, that meant she had to go back in the archives of receipts. Fortunately my dad never throws those away and they are organized by year. So last night we looked through July and August receipts over a three year period. Mom said it was kind of like looking for bear in a haystack. I think that's how she worded it.

Ta-Daaaah! We found it, a credit card receipt from Yoken's in Portsmouth, NH. But it was dated July, not August!

Monday, July 20, 2009

What bears will do when left alone...

While I was gone with mom and dad to Chuckles house last Sunday Tigg started exploring. Now Tigg is still rather new to our hug. He's still in that I'll try anything stage of life. This is what we caught Tigg and Cocoa doing when we got home Cocoa was pretending to be a pirate with his light sabor as a sword. He said the light helped Tigg see as he climbed up to the crow's nest. Bet you are wondering what that thing is they're climbing on, right?

Well, over the 4th of July Brother T brought this home and left it in the hallway. He decided he didn't have a place for it his new home. Truth be told he's getting new furniture. It had been in the hallway for a week now waiting for dad to put it up in the attic. You may have notice it there in the photo of us watching fireworks on TV. Tigg had been secretly eying

Friday, July 17, 2009

Met a bee, but no honey...

We were recently at Chuckles house for a BBQ. We had Bro T's car as he had borrowed our truck. We also had the back seat bears Boston and Benzer along for the ride, but they stayed in the car. I took along the Peoria girls to the BBQ as I was allowed one guest, but I didn't think they would mind if both of the girls came. They wanted to see their mom, because they were missing her a bit. Bro T came and brought Scruffy along.

Scruffy told me all about his greeting.
Wow, look at the size of the flowers my cousin
bought his wife. He must love her a lot!

It seems baby Ethan had given Scruffy quite a greeting before we arrived. Four big kisses and some hugs. Upon hearing this, the girls, ever afraid of baby drool, weren't so sure they wanted to sit with in Ethan's reach. So they each chose a tall speaker on which to perch.

Thursday, July 9, 2009

Gooseberries, three pickers and a recipe...

We have a gooseberry bush that mom grew from one of those sprouts. You know the ones that come practically dead, in a box, you find in the garden center of your Kmart, Wal-mart, or home improvement store. You buy it, plant it and wonder if it will ever grow, let alone produce anything.

As the deal goes mom and dad grow the berries, grandpa picks them, grandma stems them and we get half. I looked out the window this morning when I heard mom talking to grandma on the phone. So this was the day grandpa would be coming to pick the gooseberries. I thought I'd take a look

Saturday, July 4, 2009

Independence Day at our house...

The 233rd annibearsary on the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Here in America we celebrate the day with parades, picnics and fireworks.

It was a rainy day, so no parade for us. Made it easier for dad to say no, without having to admit he'd be embearassed taking us. Besides, he still had some things on his help mom get ready for our picnic list.

Scruffy and Bro T brought some of his Chicago friends.

Benzer (in back; l to r ) Braxton, Skipper and Scruffy

It was great to see Scruffy again. The first time