November 9, 2003 - From Ms. Mary to friends:
Wednesday night I had dinner with Jayne at El Torito in the big mall. On my way back to my car, I walked past a couple of cart vendors. One of them had just gotten in a bunch of stuffed animals with musical talent. I brought home "Just Ducky" (a yellow duck with a permanent frown, a Bah! Humbug! type fellow who stomped around saying, "Yah, right, everything is Ju-u-ust Ducky!") and a little bear sitting down holding a birthday cake with one large candle in the middle of it (the "birthday cake bear" as opposed to the "birthday bear" who already resided here).
When I squeeze the duck's tummy he quacks 8 times, pauses, quacks 8 times, pauses, and quacks another 8 times. When I squeeze the bear's birthday cake, the tip of the candle flashes on and off, and the cake plays "Happy Birthday to You." The cart vendor was so pleased with my enthusiasm about the adoptions that she gave me a large daisy at no charge and she knocked the cents off the adoption fees so I paid even dollars.
I was a little leery of adding a sourpuss duck to the family, but Just Ducky said, "I will never be able to stop frowning at the world -- it's just the way I am -- but I promise to NOT grumble or complain or stir up trouble. I just wanna be loved by you." Well, how does one say no to that? The Birthday Cake Bear has hair in his eyes so he can't see where he is going. He sits happily and safely on the bookshelf, playing music, and helping me celebrate the birth of my new life.
My ChinaTown baby, Miss Liberty, is in the photo album. She is named in the order her names were received, and we used all of them since there were only four: Liberty Melody Barbara Hope Francis. She is not allowed to be on the bookshelf without supervision because she is still learning how to "pet nice." The animals love her dearly, especially when she says "I love you" and sings "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star," but even Patriot Bear SIR would lose patience with her after an hour or so. One can handle only so many ear-tuggings, nose-beepings, and tail pullings.
The saying is "The more the merrier" and that is pretty much true; yet, as the family increases, there are times when they can get a bit unruly. It helps to have Patriot Bear SIR up there to keep everyone in order.