The Pigs have flown - to Italy: Four Cuddlies have found Forever Homes - and there's a new Patient to treat

Hello Everybody - this is Cy Bear once again.

As the title implies, The Pig Twins have been chosen as a First Wedding Anniversary present by SnraCF  for her son and daughter-in-law and are already en route to Italy.  Funnily enough, their destination is not far away from where my friend Ed Ted and The Italian Mob (**) are now living.  They left us last Tuesday by first class Air Mail, and with luck should be with SnraCF in a few days time.   They are not needed until sometime in September though.

Before they left, the customary farewell photograph was taken -

Now, while awaiting their replacements - someway down Isobel's "To Do" List I think - am delighted to tell you that another Patient was admitted to the Stuffed Animal Restoration Clinc (Etsy Listing 79124185) at the week-end.

 A selection of the Cuddlies - not the usual suspects - together with a sample selection of the Slippper Collection, were taken by Isobel to become a Craft Stall at the weekly Produce Sale in Heytesbury Church. The Hospital of St. John, where we live, was the appointed organiser and when that happens, we are invited to take a stall.  Isobel then contributes 10% of her takings to the overall total sales for the day.   Four Cuddlies found their Forever Homes - and alas, as I wasn't present (I was guarding the remaining Cuddlies, which were strewn across Isobel's bed in their various carrying bags until the roaming Cuddlies returned) no farewell photographs could be taken.

However, we do know a little about where their futures are going to be.  Jubilee Rabbit is going to become the Forever Friend of a little girl, whose first birthday is today.  The Fox Childrens' Slippers are destined for her brother who has a birthday sometime in October, and the third grandchild of the lady resident in the village (who doesn't have a birthday close by, but wasn't going to be left out by Granny) will become Hal, the Baby Hedgehog's Forever Friend.  (He's currently de-activated in our shop at www.Etsy.com/shop/coldhamcuddlies, but will be up again soon - as he doesn't take Isobel very long to make when she gets going!)

The fourth Cuddly - one of the Baby Koala Bears (Etsy Listing #55190188) was bought by one of the S Hospital's Trustees - and at present, we don't know where his Forever Home will be.  Isobel will have to find out the next time she sees MrsC and I'll let you know then.  So, on top of the slipper production to form the 2013 Christmas Sales Campaign, Isobel is going to have to do some rapid replacement sewing - once Bernard Bear's treatment is complete.  That begins today or tomorrow I believe.

Meanwhile, allow me to introduce our new Patient and Associate Cuddly - he belongs to Mrs EJ a lady who lives here in Heytesbury and until Saturday had always been called "Teddy".  So, in order to differentiate between all the Teds or Teddys we've had the pleasure of welcoming to the Clinic, Isobel told MrsEJ that for our purposes, he will now be known as TJ Bear.  It does make things so much easier if our patients can have their own individual names.

Compared with many of our Patients, TJ is in pretty good shape. His coat has very few bare patches, but  he does need re-stuffing though, particularly in his limbs and body.  His head is very hard, and Isobel suspects it is full of wood chippings or something similar, so MrsEJ has agreed that new stuffing should be used there as well.  He needs his nose re-doing and has got a rather slanted smile at the moment.  MrsEJ  would quite like his mouth to be straightened, but we'll see what he looks like when he's completely re-stuffed.  The slant does give him some sort of character doesn't it?  Apparently, he used to have a growler once upon a time. So, while he's getting his body re-stuffed, a new one will go in.  Also, having had a chance to look at him closer, Isobel is going to suggest that we replace  his paw pads and claws at the same time as re-stuffing his arms.

Sitting on Bernard Bear's lap, you can see that TJ is quite a small Bear - as we Bears go.

Here I am - keeping an eye on things, perched on the back of the Lloyd Loom chair where all our Patients wait until their treatment turn comes around - with the fabric that is going to be used to patch Bernard Bear and make him look a smart Bear once more.  The plush actually matches his existing fur a lot better than the pictures shows:  that's because the backing fabric is a lot lighter than Bernard's original one.  A long time has passed since he was first made and dyes have changed;   he's been in a cupboard for many years too, and may look a lot lighter once he's had one of Isobel's regular luke warm baths, before he gets re-stuffed.

Until next time - it's been good to be with you all again.   Cy Bear.

(**)  If anyone wants to know about them, Ed Ted and The Italian Mob featured in several posts earlier in the life of this blog.  Ed Ted was in a dreadful state when he appeared, and it took 9 posts between 28.06.2011 and 31.07.2011 to describe his treatment and rejuvenation:  and the Italian Mob were mentioned in a post dated 02.02.2012.  One of the Italian Mob was Big Koala - whose own treatment was featured in a post published 16.01.2012)