PADDY: *Calls.* "Scout! Algie! Where are you? It's time for afternoon tea!"
SCOUT: "We're over here, Paddy!"
PADDY: *Follows Scout's voice before stopping in alarm.* "Scout! Algie! What are you doing?"
ALGIE: "Oh, just hanging around, Paddy." *Smiles.*
PADDY: "Oh my! How long have you been hanging upside-down like that?"
ALGIE: "A while I think." *Ponders.* "I can't tell the time like you can, but since the big yellow ball in the sky was below us. Now it is to our left..." *Contemplates.* "Or is that our right? Or your right... or left, Paddy?"
SCOUT: "We've been hanging like this for a few hours now, Paddy."
PADDY: *Alarmed.* "Scout! Algie! All your stuffing will rush to your head and give you a headache! if you hang upside-down like that for too long!"
ALGIE: *Chuckles sheepishly.* "Oh I never get a headache hanging upside-down... or is it downside-up? I never can tell. I get confused. Anyway, I don't have much stuffing to fill my head either way, Paddy."
SCOUT: "Algie has a good point, Paddy. We might not be upside-down. You may be the one who is downside-up, and we are the right way around!"
PADDY: *Scoffs.* "Don't be ridiculous, Scout! Of course you are upside-down, and I'm not downside-up, I'm the correct way around!"
SCOUT: "Says who?"
PADDY: "Says anybear, Scout!"
SCOUT: "Well we don't, Paddy. Isn't that right, Algie?"
ALGIE: "Is what, what, Scout?"
SCOUT: "Isn't Paddy downside-up?"
ALGIE: *Considers Paddy thoughtfully.* "Well, he could be upside-down, Scout... or downside-up. He looks a bit downside-up to me. It depends on whether we are downside-up or upside-down."
PADDY: *Rubs forehead with paw.* "All your talk of upside-down and downside up is starting to give me a headache, Algie!"
SCOUT: "Aha!" *Triumphant.* So you are upside-down, Paddy! All the stuffing is rushing to your head and giving you a headache!"
PADDY: "Well, if you are really the right way around, and I am upside-down, how can I go inside and eat afternoon tea, Scout? If I were upside-down, the food would fall out of my paws."
SCOUT: "Hhhhmmm" *Considers.* "That's a valid point, Paddy."
PADDY: "Well, if you're hungry, Daddy is putting out a lovely, freshly baked lemon cheesecake with a biscuit crust served with cream if you want to come down and come inside to our downside-up dining room. Bye-bye!" *Waves, turns and walks away.*
ALGIE: "Baked lemon cheesecake!"
SCOUT: "With a biscuit crust, and served with cream! Grumbly tummy, Algie! Grumbly tummy!" *Rubs tummy vigorously upside-down.* "We need to get down and get downside-up, Algie. How do we do that?" *Expectant.*
ALGIE: "Oh, I don't know, Scout. I thought it was my job to get us upside-down, and your job to get us downside-up." *Hopeful.*
The theme for “Smile on Saturday” for the 13th of September is “upside down”, and I immediately thought of my Algie Bear, who was made for me by a very good friend, is a very adventurous little boy: he loves to climb and sit on top of gates, edges of tables and chairs. He adore climbing trees, and will cheekily sit there with crossed legs. He's very friendly and he loves adventures of any kind. Therefore, when the theme was announced, it was Algie whom I immediately thought of! Of course, if there is an adventure to be had in our house, then my little grey woollen knitted bear Scout is usually part of it, so of course he had to get in on the act! Oh and don't worry about Algie and Scout's grumbly tummies! When I head from Paddy that they were stuck, upside-down in a tree, I went and rescued them, so that they both got an extra large slice of baked lemon cheesecake with extra cream! I hope you like my choice of subject for this week's theme, and that it makes you smile!
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.
Algie is made by the same friend who made Jago, Daisy-Maud, Orson and Danny Boy, and he comes frpom Junie Bears in Norfolk. He is very floppy with poseable paws, and he is made of sparse English mohair, has paws of ultra suede and eyes of glass. A very adventurous little boy, he loves to climb and sit on top of gates, edges of tables and chairs. He adore climbing trees, and will cheekily sit there with crossed legs. He's very friendly and he loves adventures of any kind.
