Paddington and Scout Welcome Granny Duck

DUCKIE: "Paddy! Scout! My Granny has arrived."

 

PADDY: "Oh good, come into the dining room Duckie and bring Granny Duck with you!"

 

GRANNY DUCK: "Oh what a lovely house you live in my Grand Sunny granddaughter. There look like lots of nice nooks and crannies to nest in."

 

DUCKIE: "Well, some I'm not allowed to, especially Daddy's pretty china teacups and sugar bowls. Here we are Granny!"

 

PADDY and SCOUT: "Surprise! Surprise! Welcome Granny Duck!" *Clap paws in delight.*

 

GRANNY DUCK: "Oh! Oh my goodness! A nice morning tea for me? What lovely and kind bears you like with my Grand Sunny granddaughter!" *Flaps wings in delight.*

 

DUCKIE: "Yes, they are very kind and loving bears."

 

SCOUT: *Shyly.* "Hullo Granny Duck. We have heard so much about you from Duckie. It's so nice to meet you." *Smiles.* "I thought that since you are a duck, you might like to take tea from our Goosey, Goosey Gander tea set."

 

GRANNY DUCK: "Oh how thoughtful, sweet little Scout!"

 

SCOUT: "Goodness! How did you know it was me, Granny Duck? Are you magical?"

 

GRANNY DUCK: "Goodness no, Scout. It was your kind sweet attitude that gave you away. No-one could be best friends with little Peter and not have a big and kind heart like you."

 

SCOUT: "Do you know mijn beste vriend Peter, Granny Duck?"

 

GRANNY DUCK: "Oh yes I do, Scout. He is a very kind and helpful bear."

 

PADDY: "We hope that you will enjoy your stay here with us, Granny Duck."

 

GRANNY DUCK: "Thank you Paddy. It is Paddy, isn't it?"

 

PADDY: "It is, Granny Duck. How perceptive you are."

 

GRANNY DUCK: "Well, to be best friends with Oleg, you would have to be kind and mannerly, Paddy."

 

DUCKIE: "And drink lots and lots and lots of Twinings English Breakfast Tea."

 

GRANNY DUCK: "Indeed my sweet Grand Sunny granddaughter! Oh it is lovely to be celebrating Easter with you as I'd hoped!"

 

DUCKIE: "I'm so happy you are, Granny!" *Snuggles against Granny Duck.*

 

PADDY: "Now that he is home, we have Daddy making tea for us. We thought we'd let you get settled in first, have some tea and then we will introduce you to everybear else, Granny Duck."

 

GRANNY DUCK: "Oh that's very kind of you. Thank you."

 

SCOUT: "Did you and Duckie have a nice ride on the tram from St Kilda Beach with Daddy, Granny Duck?"

 

GRANNY DUCK: "Oh I did, Scout! I've never been on a tram before!"

 

SCOUT: "I like trams! They go fast and take you to wonderful places where you can have adventures!"

 

GRANNY DUCK: "Oh yes, I'm sure they do, Scout."

 

SCOUT: "And hopefully we will have some adventures tomorrow. We are just waiting for the Easter Bunny to deliver some yummy Easter eggs. Easter eggs Granny Duck! Easter eggs!" *Rubs tummy vigorously.*

 

PADDY: "And did you sleep comfortably in Mrs. Kanga's pouch last night, Granny Duck?"

 

GRANNY DUCK: "I did, thank you Paddy. It was very cosy and warm. Perfect to snuggle in, and almost as good as a nice nest."

 

PADDY: "Well, Daddy has organsied a very lovely nest for you to share with Ducky during the duration of your stay."

 

GRANNY DUCK: "Oh how kind he is!"

 

DUCKIE: "Oh look! You've been good enough to leave us an empty bowl."

 

PADDY: "Oh dear! That's the sugar bowl. I forgot to fill it with sugar. I'll just go and do that now."

 

DUCKIE: "Oh no! Don't do that, Paddy!"

 

PADDY: "Why ever not, Duckie?"

 

DUCKIE: "Because this empty bowl will suit us just fine for our purposes, won't it Granny?"

 

GRANNY DUCK: "Oh indeed it will, my clever Grand Sunny granddaughter!"

 

SCOUT: "Why, Granny Duck and Duckie?"

 

PADDY: "What are you going to do with it?"

 

DUCKIE: "Well, Granny had brought us a delicious treat all the way for the Netherlands!" *Licks beak with cute little pink duck tongue.*

 

SCOUT: "Oh wow! have you brought some Tom Poucen, Granny Duck?"

 

GRANNY DUCK: "Oh its much, much nicer than Tom Poucen, Scout!"

 

PADDY: "What is it then, Granny Duck?"

 

DUCKIE: "Delicious dried insects!" *Flaps wings with excitement and licks beak with cute little pink tongue again.*

 

PADDY and SCOUT: "Dried insects? Yuck!" *Stick out cute little pink bear tongues.*

 

DUCKIE: "See Granny! I told you that bears have no appreciation for fine cuisine."

 

GRANNY DUCK: "Tisk... tisk! You bears really don't know what you're missing out on. Dried insects are delicious!" *Licks beak with cute little pink duck tongue.*

 

DUCKIE: "See Paddy and Scout! Don't be hasty to judge them until you've tried them! Actually they are delicious!"

 

PADDY and SCOUT: *Look at one another doubtfully. "Yuck!" *Stick out cute little pink bear tongues.*

 

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/). Granny Duck who is Duckie’s Grandmother suddenly turned up one day at Mummy Marian’s house after being absent for almost a year! Granny Duck did indeed swim the VOC (Batadvia) route and finally made it here after a somewhat circuitous route that took in Malibu, Christmas Island and New Zealand before finally arriving on picturesque St Kilda Beach! You can see here: www.flickr.com/photos/66094586@N06/albums/721777203151324... or in the first comment below.

 

This beautiful nursery pantomime nursery dinner set was made in England by the Shell China Company in the 1920s. It features multiple cups, saucers and plates as well as a teapot, milk jug, sugar bowl, platter, sandwich plate, a lidded soup tureen on its own dish and a gravy or cream jug on its own dish. Each piece is gilt edged and decorated and feature different nursery rhymes, but today I have only included the "Goosey, Goosey Gander", ones in honour of Granny Duck's visit. The set I acquired from England, and it is a sister set to a 1930s Shell China Company faerie tale tea set. This set was given as a gift some years ago by a close friend who knows I collect nursery ware and children's tea sets. There are also doll (bear) sized tea spoons which are sterling silver salt spoons.

 

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.

 

Duckie I saw when I was at a Sunday market on a stall of homemade knitted and crocheted items. She caught my eye straight away with her happy, smiley face and bright colours. I think she finds life with my bears intriguing and perhaps a little confusing, however she is learning.

 

Thank you to Marian Kloon (on and off) for the use of Granny Duck's photo in my photo montage.

Done