Did You Bring Your Teddy Bear To Work?

Yes, that’s what it is today. Bring your teddy bear to work day.
It is also World Octopus Day.

And Pet Obesity Awareness Day

I’ve never taken my teddy bear to work. In fact, I never had one until much much later in life , when a friend thoughtfully got me one for my birthday. I was already in my thirties at the time and treasured it like crazy! But I never took it to work, obviously. Imagine me walking into the office in my four inch heels, briefcase in hand, dressed formally and in an aura of fragrance, clutching my teddy bear in the other hand?

I just had to laugh thinking of that!

The funny thing is, this teddy bear seems to have set the pace for more – as I suddenly started receiving them in various sizes from other friends. Soon, I had a rapidly growing collection!

My favorite teddy bear was, however, a live one! And I still enjoy cuddling this particular teddy bear – whether he enjoys it or not is an entirely different matter! Oh yes, I’ve taken him to work several times! When I started working from home, he took permanent residence in my chair!

Here is my favorite teddy bear, my first real teddy bear and in the extreme left with the wonky eyes and blue body, Quasimodo.

Look at these relaxing. I used to be amused that my son looked after them so well. The little yellow one is in the wrapper I used for Vidur when he was a baby.

The bigger chap in the Bob the Builder vest had to have surgery as the stuffing started spilling out of his head, so I patched it up – using a yellow cloth for the forehead area and a pink shoulder pad from a blouse for the face. Then Vidur drew an expression on him. Quite cute, I thought. Still have him! And I couldn’t resist adding the symbol of the Artist Formerly Known As Prince on his forehead.

Here’s a serious bit of cuteness – he’s a camouflage for a miniature hot water bag. No wonder it is such fun to have imaginary pains and want a hot water bag!

And how could we not attempt one? This backpack is child-sized and sits safely inside Vidur’s bookshelf.

I’ve barely touched the tip of the teddy bear iceberg – we’ve got a whole collection of them. Predictably, I have one that is guitar-shaped!

So…next…

How to celebrate World Octopus Day? You could go see one or just learn about them!

Octopuses are worthy of appreciation for a number of reasons. First of all, they are one of earth’s great survivors. Indeed, despite their relatively short life span, octopus fossils date back more than 300 million years, meaning that they pre-date even dinosaurs. They are also highly intelligent, with around 500 million neurons located in their brains and arms, allowing them to bypass their insticts, learn lessons and solve problems.

In addition, they are visually stunning, coming in various different colors and shapes, while the Giant Pacific Octopus is able to grow to weigh more than 600 pounds!

Here’s my favorite octopus, Oswald! I’ve spent hours and hours and hours watching him on TV with Vidur.

Pet Obesity Awareness Day is earmarked to raise awareness about the health problems our pets face and to promote healthier diets for them so that they too might live happy lives. Give your pet a special hug from me!

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If you enjoy a good mystery, read this fabulous story written by Kathy Combs, titled “Unforgivable Sins“. I loved it!

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