An Afternoon Tea in Honour of Peter and Super-Padd

Super-Padd, who has recently taken up residence at Mummy Marian (Marian Kloon (on and off)\'s) house in the Netherlands wants to visit Cousin Paddington, Paddy, Daddy Jesse and all the bears in Australia. Unfortunately, he couldn\'t go through the magic portal that exists between Mummy Marian\'s House and Daddy Jesse\'s House as he is too big and too tubby. Peter asked for help from Fairy Mum, who has made Super-Padd a little...well...a little too little, but still big enough to visit Cousin Paddington via the magic portal. Cousin Paddington and Scout waited for the arrival of Super Padd and Peter, and when they arrived escorted them to the house.

 

COUSIN PADDINGTON: "I hope you are hungry, dear Super-Padd, and that Fairy Mum's magic hasn't shrunken your appetite."

 

SUPER-PADD: "Oh no, Cousin Paddington! I have a very grumbly tummy! Grumbly tummy Cousin Paddington! Grumbly tummy!" *Rubs tummy vigorously.*

 

PETER: "I have a grumbly tummy too, Cousin Paddington! Grumbly tummy Cousin Paddington! Grumbly tummy!" *Rubs tummy vigorously.*

 

SCOUT: "I have a grumbly tummy, three, Cousin Paddington! Grumbly tummy Cousin Paddington! Grumbly tummy!" *Rubs tummy vigorously.*

 

COUSIN PADDINGTON: "Good! Good! As soon as I heard you were coming, Super-Padd and Peter, I had Daddy put on the kettle and he has made a beautiful afternoon tea, in honour of your visit! Come along."

 

SCOUT: "Yes! Come along mijn allerbeste vriend! Prinses Rosie and afternoon tea is waiting!"

 

PETER: "Oh! Mijn allerliefste Prinses Rosie! My heart goes flippity-flop! I can\'t wait to see her!"

 

COUSIN PADDINGTON, SUPER PADD, SCOUT and PETER: *Hurry across the lawn to Daddy Jesse's house.*

 

DADDY: "Oh hullo little Peter!"

 

PETER: "Hullo Mr. Daddy." *Shy.*

 

DADDY: *Turns to Super-Padd.* "And you must be Super-Padd, Cousin Paddington's relation."

 

SUPER-PADD: "How do you do, Mr. Daddy!"

 

DADDY: "Goodness! I was expecting a slight bigger bear than you are, so I have probably prepared too much food."

 

SUPER-PADD: "There is no such thing, Mr. Daddy! And I'm usually more Cousin Paddington's size, but... well it's a long story."

 

DADDY: "Well you must come and tell me all about it over a cup of tea, a mince pie and some shortbread biscuits."

 

PETER: "Mince pies!"

 

SUPER-PADD: "Shortbread biscuits!"

 

DADDY: "Yes, I have been baking today in readiness for Christmas, so your arrival is perfect."

 

ROSIE: "Oh mijn handsome prins!" *Gasps and claps paws.* "There you are!"

 

PETER: "Oh! Mijn allerliefste Prinses Rosie! You are soooo beautiful! My heart goes flippity-flop! I have missed you soooo much!"

 

ROSIE: "Oh me too, mijn prins!" *Blushes red beneath pink woollen plush.* "I have been saving up my soft snuffly kisses for you!"

 

PETER: "I have been saving my soft snuffly kisses for you too, mijn allerliefste Prinses Rosie!" *Blushes pink beneath plush fur.*

 

DADDY: "Now come along everybear! Because the weather is so beautiful and warm today, I have set up tea for you all on the back terrace. Scout insisted on using his special Little Red Riding Hood tea set in your honour."

 

PETER: "Oh thank you, mijn allerbeste vriend! I am so honoured!"

 

SCOUT: "Oh, you are welcome mijn allerbeste vriend! Ik hou zoooooo veel van jou!"

 

ROSIE: "Ik hou zoooooo veel van jou too, mijn handsome prins Peter!"

 

DADDY: "Now eat your fill, everybear and then you can all go and play in the sunshine together before Peter and Super-Padd go home for dinner."

 

COUSIN PADDINGTON, SUPER-PADD, ROSIE, SCOUT and PETER: "Thank you Daddy! Grumbly tummies Daddy! Grumbly tummies!" *Rub tummies vigorously.*

 

Scout's Christmas present from Father Christmas and the Christmas Bear in 2022 was a beautiful 1930s Little Red Riding Hood tea set for six. It was made by an unknown maker in Stoke-on-Trent. Not all the set is being used today. It features beautiful, brightly coloured transfers of different parts of the faerie tale.

 

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 Marian Kloon (on and off). Peter and Scout are very similar and have become best friends. Peter also loves Rosie and she loves him, so they have become prince and princess to one another. Super-Padd (www.flickr.com/photos/66094586@N06/albums/72177720322005215/) is distantly related to Cousin Paddington. He has taken up residence at Mummy Marian\'s house, and can now take advantage of the magic portal between Mummy Marian\'s house and mine! You can see Super-Padd flying through the sky here: and being reduced in size here: www.flickr.com/photos/66094586@N06/54176124571/in/album-7... or in the first comment below.

 

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, including the one who gave Scout to Paddy.

 

Travelling all the way from London, Cousin Paddington was caught in transit thanks to the Coronavirus pandemic, so it looks like he is stopping with us for a long while. That makes me happy, as the more I look into his happy, smiling face, the more attached I am becoming to him.

 

Thank you very much to Marian Kloon (on and off) for the use of her photo of Peter and Super-Padd to help make my photo montage.

Done