The things we love...

Say hi to my brother's Ben's teddy, Teddy. Don't ask me why he lives with me, somehow I became his surrogate carer. I'm happy I am because he is so gorgeous and he reminds me of my brother who lives a long way away. Teddy was loved so passionately by Ben that he had to have surgery to remove his foot. Ben would 'foof' it so much that it pretty much disintegrated.  All around his little face too are signs of that long ago 'foofing', when Ben was a boy.

This is Little Ted. He belonged to my first boyfriend, Ant ( Antony).

When Ant died at 19 I was lucky enough to adopt Little Ted. He is a daily reminder of a beautiful person who died too early, who remains forever in my heart. I know that he loved this little bear,

when he was little and somehow that is a comfort to me, and brings me closer to someone I will always miss.

When I was a little girl my greatest love was Floppy. She is still with me and when I found her yesterday in the Trunk of Memories, she still made my heart skip a beat. She is a funny looking old thing, very low on stuffing and wonky of eye, but boy is she adorable.

She has the cutest little pink swan hair clip, a jumpsuit with animals on it and a fabulous dressing gown with a tiny pocket. I used to tear up tissues to make her own mini tissue and pop it in that pocket. I cuddled her at night, talked to her, told her all my secrets. She loved me back and kept me safe. Oh....Floppy.

There was also a lovely little doggie who I adored. Snowball, see above. She has really dynamic personality and we went on many adventures together. Floppy stayed home and minded the fort. I've always been partial to dogs with whiskers..I have Snowball to thank for that.

When Sunday was a baby we gave her a green teddy from the Poppy Shop, in Carlton. She grabbed that Teddy and never let him go. She cuddled him so much his fur all rubbed off.

So we bought another, and another. This was also helpful as there were a few occasions when she misplaced him and oh boy, the night is long when a teddy is missing.

She also had her own branded of 'foofing', a kind of sucking the thumb and twiddling arrangement that created holes in her teddy's ears. Teddy No.1 became Hole Ted.

When Lucy was about one we went to Kmart for some pre Christmas shopping. On the way out she grabbed a teddy that was in a big box of mixed toys. Being the total sucker I am we took the teddy along to the check out where the assistant told us she wasn't on the stock list. Someone had left her behind. Teddy was put in a brown paper bag and sent away to wait for a month to see if she was claimed. During that time I forgot all about her until I got a call from the shop.

"Your teddy is waiting for you"

Excitement! Lucy opened up her present on Christmas day and there she was. Her pre loved, forgotten teddy.And he's been with us ever since. Even I like to have a cuddle of Teddy, she is pretty special.

And they all are. All the toys that our family have loved over the years. Char had a Panda with one eye, Bill had a Captain Feathersword, I'm sure Mark had a beloved bear too. And Rosie has Lucky, the op shopped hound dog from Woodend.

I love the way these creatures of comfort are so meaningful, the way they bring us happiness, memories, friendship and love. Do you have someone special in your life? I know some of you do as you told me in my giveaway post. I had so much fun reading about the dolls and toys of your childhood.

That's all from me today folks,

time to skedaddle out the door for school pick up.

Hope your week is travelling along happily,

see you soon, lovely ones xo