SCOUT: "Daddy? Daddy!"
DADDY: "Yes, Scout?"
SCOUT: "Daddy, can we go out for a walk, please?"
DADDY: "Yes of course, Scout. Is there somewhere in particular you’d like to go?"
SCOUT: "Anywhere there are flowers, please Daddy!"
DADDY: "Well, it is wintertime now, Scout, so a lot of the flowers will be asleep, but we will see what we can find."
SCOUT: "Come on Paddy and Rosie! I know Daddy says that it’s wintertime, but if Cornelia found some pretty flowers for Moesje, maybe we can find some pretty flowers for Oleg and mijn beste vriend Peter."
ROSIE: "Who also happens to be mijn prins Peter! Yes! Let’s go, Scout! Peter saw me in his magical crystal ball, so I want to give him some beautiful flowers as a thank you for thinking of me!"
PADDY: "Yes, let’s go, but let’s wrap up nice and warmly first, everybear. "
SCOUT and ROSIE: "Yes Paddy!"
DADDY, PADDY, SCOUT and ROSIE: *Go for a walk.*
PADDY: "Oh look Scout and Rosie! There is a whole bush of pretty red Prunus flowers! We can pick some of them for mijn best vriend Oleg and your beste vriend and prins, Peter!"
ROSIE: "Prunes? Oh yuck! I hate prunes!" *Sticks out cute little pink bear tongue.* "They taste disgusting! Blagh!"
SCOUT: "Oh, I hate prunes too, Rosie! Yuck!" *Sticks out cute little pink bear tongue.* "Daddy makes me eat prunes when I can't..."
PADDY: "Ahem!" *Clears throat.* "Scout!"
SCOUT: "What?" *Looks at Paddy questioningly.*
PADDY: "There is no need to discuss bodily functions in public, Scout!" *Blushes pink beneath plush fur.*
SCOUT: "But it's true, Paddy! Daddy makes me eat them when..." *Lowers voice to a whisper.* "When I can't... can't... can't go visit the... the... the Lady Louisa!"
ROSIE: "Considering that mijn poor prins Peter got stuck on the poop chair, he might not like these Prune flowers that help you go poop."
SCOUT: "Oh, I hadn’t thought of that. We don’t want to upset mijn beste vriend Peter."
ROSIE: "Who also happens to be mijn prins Peter!"
SCOUT: "Maybe we better find a better kind of flower than these Prune flowers then, Paddy and Rosie!"
PADDY: "Prunus flowers, Scout and Rosie, not Prune flowers."
DADDY: "Actually Paddy, I think you'll find that those red flowers are actually Japonica and aren't Prunus at all. Sorry to correct you."
PADDY, SCOUT and ROSIE: "Oh thank you for telling us Daddy!"
SCOUT: *Scratches head.* "What is a Japonica, Daddy?"
PADDY: "Isn't that a type of Camellia, Daddy?"
DADDY: "Well, it is, but it is also the proper name of the Japanese quince or Maule's quince."
SCOUT and ROSIE: "Oh! Thank you Daddy!"
PADDY: "Yes, thank you for correcting me, Daddy."
ROSIE: "You are so knowledgeable Daddy!"
SCOUT: "I bet you know the names of every flower, Daddy!"
DADDY: "Well, perhaps not every flower, Scout, but quite a few common ones."
SCOUT: "Daddy? Daddy! "
DADDY: "Yes Scout?"
SCOUT: "Do quinces help you..." *Lowers voice to a whisper.* "Go to the Lady Louisa?"
DADDY: "Well they can Scout if you eat too many of them, but they don't work as well as prunes do. Why do you ask, Scout? Do you need some help?"
SCOUT: "No! No! No, Daddy!" *Shakes head vehemently.*
ROSIE: "Good! Well, now I know that it isn't a prune tree! I like these Japonica flowers! They are pretty! Maybe we can pick some for mijn prins Peter" *Smiles.*
My Paddington Bear came to live with me in London when I was two years old (many, many years ago). He was hand made by my Great Aunt and he has a chocolate coloured felt hat, the brim of which had to be pinned up by a safety pin to stop it getting in his eyes. The collar of his mackintosh is made of the same felt. He wears wellington boots made from the same red leather used to make the toggles on his mackintosh.
He has travelled with me across the world and he and I have had many adventures together over the years. He is a very precious member of my small family.
Scout was a gift to Paddy from my friend. He is a Fair Trade Bear hand knitted in Africa. His name comes from the shop my friend found him in: Scout House. He tells me that life was very different where he came from, and Paddy is helping introduce him to many new experiences. Scout catches on quickly, and has proven to be a cheeky, but very lovable member of our closely knit family.
Rosie is Scout's cousin, because like Scout, she is a free trade knitted bear from Africa. She was made in Kenya by one of the Kenana Knitters, Martha Wanjira. She is made from home spun and dyed wool. She was a gift to me from two very dear friends, includng the one who gave Scout to Paddy.
Being colder here, Paddy and Scout are wearing hand knitted scarves, Paddy is wearing hand knitted hat and Rosie is wearing a hand knitted cape made by Lorna's Lovely Looks. Paddy sports a heart pin and Scout insisted on wearing a pink cupcake one, which seems most appropriate considering his perpetual grumbly tummy. Both were gifts from a good friend who is very fond of both Paddy and Scout.