This fine bear was given to Ed when he was a baby by a friend of mine, and was a special edition from a department store in Glasgow (hence he has Frasers Bear, 1996) embroidered on his paw). But we've just always called him Bear. For the last few years he has taken up residence on a special chair in the corner of the kitchen. It's the chair the boys used to sit in when they were too old for a high chair but too small for a full-sized chair - it matches our kitchen chairs, but is taller and with a smaller seat. Bear watches proceedings from his perch, rather like a tennis umpire, and he dresses in accordance with the season or prevailing mood. The "bear chair" is still commandeered by a young visitor every now and then - most recently, during Jak and Lana's visit last month. Bear allowed Lana to unseat him with only a modicum of grumbling. He's now missing having Jak and Lana around, and so, in honour of sending off their Christmas parcel to Thailand today, he is sporting the cosy hat and scarf combo that Lana wore while she was here - he thinks he looks rather sytlish. Don't tell him, but the hat and scarf looked better on Lana, though! He doesn't keep marmalade sandwiches under his hat like Paddington (far too sticky on the old fur!) but he might be tempted to pop a bacon butty under there, as he knows those are the favourite nibble of a certain little girl!
