Happy first day of Spring, here in the northern hemisphere. Up in the upper left hand corner of the continental US, we are having what we like to call “fake spring”. That is when we have up to a weeklong stretch of days in the mid 60’s and the sun shines and gentle breezes blow, and everybody shrieks when they see how dirty their windows are, and all the things that need to be done in the yard…you get the picture.
2 days later, it will start to rain and temperatures will drop back into the 40’s and 50’s and we will remember those warm, halcyon days fondly and pining away for their return. If we are lucky, they will return just in time for the 4th of July, when we transition into Seattle Summer.
Enjoy it while you can!
I love the Spring Equinox, as the days grow longer every day till we reach the Solstice. We need to take some joy where we find it.
I’m trying not to make any formal New Year’s resolutions this year. That said, there are things I would rather not keep doing (scrolling endlessly on social media before getting out of bed) and things I would like to do more (work outside in my yard, eat more healthy food, and not stress myself out)
In the interests of not stressing myself out so much, I do not have a brand new ‘toon for today, as I kind of took the weekend off to read and nap and then before I knew it, it was Monday afternoon and it wasn’t raining and it was kind of warm, so I went outside and now there is no new ‘toon for tomorrow.
But since what I probably would have done was a new ‘toon on the resolutions Pinky’s mommee prepared for her, and since I’ve escalated about as far as I can escalate that joke, I thought I’d share them with you here, going back as far as I can find resolutions for Pinky.
Here we go!
Okay…this first one isn’t an actual Pinky resolution ‘toon, but it’s one of my favorites and I bet it’s one of yours too…
See? I told you it was broken!Pinky: “rules are for other pandas.”Bubba: my resolution was just to chew my food more, an’ mebbee not eat so much frosting.
Ping: ping!You would think Pinky would already have improved her behavior by now…It was either this or a double semi-tractor trailer!
This year I think Pinky is going to resolve to do all she can to get Mittens out of our lives, even if it means she needs to support Joe Biden for president.
(Pinky: as if!!!)
If you are in the mood to see what last year in ‘toons were the ones that stuck out to me as the most emblematic ‘toons of the year, panda hop on over to my Substack page (Nazi-free since 2022!) and see my year in Review posts. The first one is tomorrow!
Thanks to all of you who have hung in here with me, all these years. We are going to need each other more than ever in the year coming up!
Be the bears! Bob T I’m not scared if you’re here Panda
I went on a retreat with my group of kid lit writing buddies, and so I am behind on posting. Hopefully, next week I will be back on schedule.
I am taking part next weekend in a local holiday artist sale and will have some of my original watercolor illustrations from The Panda Cub Swap available for sale, so if you were thinking about getting one of these for yourself, now would be a good time before I sell the one you wanted! Send me a message through the CONTACT US page!
I am going to add a design or two to my Redbubble store, so if you were thinking stuff with pandas on it would make great presents, be sure to check in this week. I can’t keep up with all the sales they are running this month, but pretty much from day to day, they are offering some great discounts. Check them outHERE!
Honestly, I can’t think of anything to write that doesn’t depress the hell out of me, so I’m just gonna say, I hope this day is everything you wish it to be, that you have enough of what you need, and that you get to have something to be thankful for, and maybe a little bit of pie.
Rather than send everyone on a giant bummer, I’m just going to leave you with a thought and a wish. I wish you find what you need, that if you have more than you need you can share with others, and that someday, we will get to have more pandas here.
And here is a little refresher of the beginning of our story!
So, that’s where our story started. The most recent installments were on Tuesday the 21st, and Thursday the 16th. Tune in next week as our story continues. And check out Substack in December, where I will be re-running some of our Christmas stories, including the ever popular 12 Days of CrispMoss!
Panda on Bob T full of gratitude for all of you Panda
Spoonflower and Redbbuble are in the throes of their holiday deal season. So this would be a very good time to hope over to my shops on Redbubble or Spoonflower to do a little holiday shopping. I’ve also been easing into my winter felty routine so if you were thinking about ordering some felties, this would be a great time to do it. Just reach out to me through the Contact Us page with your wishes and desires! And Panda Chronicles books make excellent presents! There are 10 now, plus the coloring books!
They just WANT you to believe that the pandas have gone back to China
But we know better, don’t we?
I am going to get back to my other story (The Mister Poppee, Pookie, and Bikkie adventure) sooner or later, but we had to provide some answers about what would happen vis-a-vis the “real world” (as if!) relocation of our pandas to China. I mean, the late Mehitabel is still commanding the NooZ desk at ZooNooZ heading onto 7 years since she departed for other realms, so do you think a little thing like reality is going to dissuade me from pretending the pandas are all still here?
I don’t know about the rest of you, but I’m still having a hard time coming to terms with the pandas leaving DC. I mean…how do we know that they didn’t double back, go through the secret tunnels Pinky had built, (MX: “WHAT secret tunnels?” Pinky: “um…you must have mis read dat, mommee…”) and are now hanging out in the luxury suite behind the scenes?
I guess we’ll find out soon!
Be the Bear Bob T I know nothing about any secret tunnels Panda
I bet everyone (in panda fandom) is having a day like I am. It’s like the day after you get dumped. You wake up, slowly open your eyes, then think, “why should I get out of bed….ever.”
But of course you have to get out of bed. You need to go to the bathroom. You need coffee. Your mouth feels like a truck with a bad exhaust problem drove through your mouth and parked there with the engine running for 5 hours.
You think…”pandas might be gone, but I still have The Panda Chronicles, right?…RIGHT????”
Why yes you do.
I mean…Pinky still has to run for president next year right? And those cuppycakes aren’t going to eat themselves. There may be a slight disturbance in the force, and we may have to briefly dip into reality (No! Say it isn’t so!) before we go on our merry way, ignoring reality and keeping all the pandas (and other bears) right where they belong.
Here, in Pandyland.
Panda on, Bob T be nice to yourself today Panda
PS: Also the Democrats kicked the GQP’s butts in Tuesday’s elections, so there is that too.
