Surprise Adventures

pssstt.... are we there yet? ... I think we're traveling!! I stowed-away and... let's see...

Hmm... looks like a ferry to me!!

Ooh... with Grampa!!! I wonder where we're going??

It sure is stormy out there - lots of rain.

Maybe I shoulda packed my rain slicker instead of my winter outfit?? *** yawn*** gonna just take a quick nap... you know how winter makes bears slee.... p.... y.... ***snore***

umm... wow... time flies when you're napping. Now where am I? Ooooh... it's Sassy the Cat!! Hi Sassy! We're at Rose's place!!! Oooh, can't wait to see Rose. She's at school though...

But Auntie Pam is here... and she's going to host Grampa for a visit for a few days!

She says she bought me a Christmas present!!! Ooohhh!!! What is it??? Where is it??? Whaddya mean you're "not telling". Argh!!!

Huh... I don't see a present under the tree with my name...

Although there is a cute little fox decoration...

And the Christmas windmill is out...

 And here's Daisy!! Daisy is looking beary old... She is 12 which is getting up there for a dog. I'm just going to lie here with her and have a quick nap... zzzzz...

 What the heck??? Where are we now??

I didn't even get to see Rose!!! You mean I slept the whole afternoon and night away? I really gotta get me some anti-hibernation vitamin supplements or something. This is ridiculous!

Ummm... I think we're at the airport but... where is everyone???

Maybe I shoulda stayed home and supervised Christmas? I have no idea where we're going... and it is beary early in the morning...

Definitely at the airport... maybe we're going to Mexico?? In which case I sure hope my shorts are in that massive suitcase!

Yay... on the plane and there's even a bit of sun out there. Our flight was delayed due to freezing rain at the destination so I'm thinking it's not Mexico (drat)...

I'm just gonna close my eyes for a second... cause the flight is beary turbulent and little bear stomachs don't like turbulence... Good grief... here we are! Is it a hotel room?

I don't think it's a hotel room...

Ooohhh... I know where we are!!!! I'm so glad I tagged along!

We're at Gramma's place!!!!

Christmas Preparations

Hullo! Isn't Spooky cute with her Santa hat? It's almost time to dig out the Christmas decorations...

... which of course requires a stuffie's supervision... particularly in this case.

The stuffy tickle-trunk has been opened!! Hi guys!!! Oh boy... some of them look like they're in hibernation mode...

 And there's the big Santa sack... which looks kind of full...

Hmmm... I see some black and white toes!

It's Spooky! It's nice and snuggly in here...

 Wait a minute... there's a suitcase here. What is this doing here? I asked Mama and she looked kind of sideways and said something about needing to move it to access the Christmas trunk. Uh-huh... I'm just going to do some investigation.

Weird... there's a carry-on suitcase in the big suitcase...

Don't you think that's weird? I think that's weird...

AND... it's full of Christmas presents!!  For me??

Nope... for Rose!!!

I think this is beary suspicious... like someone might be going on a trip and NOT telling me!

Several bags of hazelnuts as well... everyone knows they are used for Christmas baking... and Rose and Auntie Pam are expert bakers! Hmmm...

I think this suitcase needs a stowaway... don't you? Except there is Christmas Setting-up Supervision duties... ohhhh the indecision...

There are a tonne of stuffies in that trunk and when they come fully out of hibernation mode, they can supervise just as well as I can! I am doing a stowaway! See you in a bit!

A Visit to the Beach

Hullo! Got down to the beach in between rain storms... it was nice.

There was this piece of driftwood with a stone all engulfed in the wood of the root...

Neat!

Drool Alert... Ham!

Chef Sandy here... today we got a smoked pork picnic shoulder for super cheap... mmmm....

Oh... and in case you missed the title... this is a Drool Alert video... at least for carnivores... although herbivores might find something yummy here too.

You can cook a smoked pork picnic shoulder many ways... some people leave the cheesecloth on and boil them... today, we are going to bake it with a glaze.

Usually, the glaze calls for orange juice or something similar... we didn't have any...

But we did have honey...

So Chef Sandy got creative and used blackberries instead of orange juice... wow... that is one pink glaze!

I hope this works out...

It is beary pink...

so... you put the meat in the pan with some water, cover it with foil and bake it for a while (1.5 hours).

Then you take it out... and pull off that chunk of skin... the pork rind. Some people (or dogs) might have done something with it... but we just pitched it. (do I hear shrieks of dismay?)

 You leave the fat on... but score the fat and the meat...

Then add some glaze...

Then it goes back in the oven for a bit... then gets re-glazed... more oven... etc.

We made some veggies up to roast in the oven as well - potatoes, sweet potatoes, beets, onions.. mmmm...

Hmm... some more glazing required.

And... the veggies are done!

And the ham is... done! A bit dark but... oh so yummy!

That's it... won't show you us chowing down cause that would not be fair!