Paddington Gets Ready for a Special Luncheon

PEARL: "Ooooh! Look Sapphire, big bows made of satin." *Giggles.* "How exciting!" *Dives into bow ties.*

 

SAPPHIRE: "Ooooh! Daddy's house is so full of interesting things to play with!" *Giggles and joins Pearl.*

 

PADDY: "Pearl and Sapphire, please come out of Daddy's bow tie box. It's not a playground for little bears!"

 

PEARL: "Sapphire and I beg to disagree!" *Giggles, and continues to play with Sapphire amid the bow ties.*

 

SCOUT: "Paddy? Paddy!"

 

PADDY: "Yes Scout?"

 

SCOUT: "Paddy you look so beautiful dressed up like that! That bow tie suits your plush colourings perfectly!"

 

PADDY: "Why thank you, Scout. That is very kind of you to say so." *Preens.*

 

SCOUT: "But Paddy, why are you getting all dressed up? Christmas is over!"

 

PADDY: "I know it is, Scout, but you are still dressed up in one of your new tutus from Father Christmas and the Christmas Bear."

 

SCOUT: "I know, Paddy, but that is because I am always fashionable! Wheeee!" *Spins around making the bells on his tutu make a jingling sound.* "Unlike yo..."

 

PADDY: "Ah-ah, Scout!" *Gives Scout a hard stare.*

 

SCOUT: "Ahem!" *Clears throat.* "Unlike some bears, sometimes."

 

PEARL and SAPPHIRE: *Giggle.*

 

PADDY: "Now don't you start, Pearl and Sapphire! Scout hardly needs encouragement."

 

PEARL and SAPPHIRE: *Giggle more and focus on playing with bow ties.*

 

SCOUT: "So why are you getting dressed up, Paddy?"

 

PADDY: "Well Scout, mijn beste vriend Oleg received the most wonderful Christmas gift from Father Christmas and the Christmas Bear..."

 

SCOUT: "Oh wow! Did Oleg get a tutu, too? Wheeee!" *Spins around again making the bells on his tutu make a jingling sound.* "But Paddy, what does that have to do with you wearing a bow tie?"

 

PADDY: "Scout, Oleg did not get a tutu for Christmas."

 

SCOUT: "Oh he must have been so bitterly disappointed. I know I would have been if I hadn't received any tutus, or if mijn beste vriend Peter hadn't received his choo-choo train."

 

PADDY: "But Scout, Oleg didn't want a tutu for Christmas."

 

SCOUT: "He didn't?!?!" *Shocked.*

 

PADDY: "No, he didn't Scout. Anyway, the present he received was an invitation to afternoon tea for two bears at The Palm Court at the Ritz in London!"

 

SCOUT: "An invitation to afternoon tea? Wow! That is so exciting, Paddy!"

 

PADDY: "I know!" *Trembling with excitement.* "And as I said, it's for two bears!"

 

SCOUT: "Oh how lovely Oleg is to ask me to afternoon tea, Paddy! And look, I'm all dressed in my new favourite pink tutu and ready for tea at the Ritz! Wheeee!" *Spins around again making the bells on his tutu make a jingling sound.*

 

PADDY: "You Scout?" *Alarmed.*

 

SCOUT: "Why of course, Paddy. Who else would he ask?"

 

PADDY: "Ahem!" *Clears throat.* "Me of course! Oleg as mijn beste vriend has opted to invite me to take afternoon tea with him at the Ritz!"

 

SCOUT: "Oh! Oh of course Paddy!" *Blushes red underneath woollen plush.* "How exciting for you, Paddy!"

 

PADDY: "Thank you, Scout! And that is why I'm getting dressed up. Mijn beste vriend Oleg says that a limousine is coming to pick me up, so I have brushed my plush to a gleaming shine and borrowed one of Daddy's best bow ties to wear. It always pays to dress to impress."

 

SCOUT: "Oh I agree, Paddy! Will there be a lot of food at the afternoon tea at the Ritz do you suppose, Paddy?"

 

PADDY: "I expect so, Scout. Why do you ask?"

 

SCOUT: "Well, since there is going to be soooo much food, there will probably be too much for you and Oleg to eat, so maybe mijn beste vriend Peter and I could join you and we could eat lots of yummy afternoon tea too! After all, I am all dressed up and ready for the Ritz! Wheeee!" *Spins around again making the bells on his tutu make a jingling sound.*

"And I do have a grumbly tummy, Paddy! Grumbly tummy Paddy! Grumbly tummy!" *Rubs tummy vigorously.*

 

PADDY: "Well.. I.. err..." *Blushes.*

 

PEARL and SAPPHIRE: *Giggle even more.*

 

My bears Paddy and Scout have made very good friends with two bears in Holland called Peter and Oleg (www.flickr.com/photos/40262251@N03/galleries/721577154558...) and their Mummy (www.flickr.com/photos/66094586@N06/) . Peter and Scout are very similar and have become best friends. Paddy and Oleg are very similar too and have become best friends as well. Oleg received an invitation for two bears to afternoon tea at the Ritz in London as a Christmas gift because he is such a good bear. You can see him sitting proudly with his invitation here: www.flickr.com/photos/66094586@N06/53420027529/in/gallery... or in the first comment below.

 

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.

 

Pearl and Sapphire are both little Russ Bears who arrived on Christmas Day 2023. They travelled from Mama Kim's house in Alabama all the way here. Both are sweet little bears who are tenacious and cheeky, but full of love and snuffly kisses most of all.

Done