In case you were wondering, Six and Sebben turned sebben…um…I mean seven this year on Sunday. I’m going to put together a little retrospective for them over at the Substack, maybe around Wednesday…
Anyway, due to recent events taking place down in Pandalanta, they decided to give Pinky back her suite as they have VERY IMPORTANT things to do!
I’m sure Six and Sebben will be a HUGE help to D.A. Fani Willis!
Be the Bear!
Bob T Is not an un-indicted co-conspirator Panda
The GQP are in equal parts enraging and hilarious. A recent news story about ol’ Smokey Eye Sarah, revealed that on the website, a requirement for people wishing jobs or to be on commissions, must write a 500 word essay about what they admired most about their dominatrix…um…I mean governor.
It really should be illegal to steal ideas from a panda.
Be the Bear
Bob T what do you like most about me Panda
I don’t even know what is going to happen next!
Bless their hearts!
Stay ‘tooned. Maybe I’ll figure out what is going to happen next? No dull moments at the Panda House!
Panda On
Bob T is on indictment watch Panda
Meanwhile, back in the Panda House, Mei is trying to juggle room assignments, head off fights between Six and Sebben and well, anyone else there, and keep Josie happy while keeping Frank and Mikey out of her way. Whew! I’d say she has her paws full.
Hold onto your boo shoots. I think this summer is going to get crazy between indictments and panda room assignments.
Be the Bear!
Bob T never been indicted Panda
Oh yes…As we return to our previous story…let’s see…Josie arrived looking for her cub Pookie. Pookie and Bikkie did not want to be separated, so somebody (who knows who…maybe Bikkie?) invited Josie to move in too. We’ll see how long that lasts. Lun Lun snuck out with Yang Yang after Ya Ya’s goodbye party, leaving Six and Sebben behind.
Fortunately, construction was completed on Pinky’s penthouse suite (hey, it’s fiction!) in advance of scheduled completion, so looks like there is room for everyone! As usual, Mei Xiang must make everything work and keep everything from falling into chaos.
I’ve been writing a little Inner Panda Diary over at my Substack home. You could check it out.
Also, I have procrastinated getting these original watercolors from The Panda Cub Swap posted. Rather than bombard you with all of them, all at once, I thought it might be easier to post them in groups.
This group is the small spot illustrations that appear in a double page spread in the book. They are each $95 including US postage. Outside the US (if anyone is interested) postage will be at cost. International shipping has gone up, so be forewarned. If you are interested, use the Contact Me page, and identify the painting by number.
The individual paintings are all about 4″x6″ ish, and are matted at 6″x8″
Be the Bear!
Bob T my house is still standing after the fireworks Panda
Ever since I discovered that Mei Xiang and Lun Lun were half sisters, it opened up all sorts of story lines in the pandasphere. I know Aunty Mei loves her little nieces to death, bless their hearts!
If, like me, you are avoiding all mention of the debt ceiling hoo haa, there is no better distraction than pandas! Turn on the Panda Cam for the 245 hour a day loop!
Be the Bear
BobT the GQP are morons Panda
Surely there is more room in the Panda House
Be the Bear
Bob T is not watching Mittens Town Hall Panda
So as I recall, PPJ showed up, poofed Frank, Mikey, Bikkie, and Pookie into a hot air balloon and off they went. Meanwhile, Josie finally found her way from Alaska to the Panda House at the National Zoo.
Okay! you are caught up.
Meanwhile, Friend to Bears Lucilla suggested that a gathering of pandas to say farewell to Ya Ya as she returns to China would be a fun thing. I immediately pounced (like a cat!) on this as a way to wrap up a story that seemed (like a hot air balloon) to be drifting aimlessly on the breeze.
Maybe don’t stand right under the balloon?
Be the Bear!
Bob T I bet somebody is gonna get grounded Panda
…for all who celebrate!
Sadly, we are destined to be a country without pandas in the next year or two. San Diego’s pandas were sent to China in 2019, and the pandemic, not to mention TFG’s crappy stances on China meant we weren’t going to get a new panda loan agreement any time soon. Noted panda writer Henry Nicholls wrote an opinion piece for CNN about our addiction to domesticated pandas. That might not be quite how he put it, but he does have a point.
Pandas in the wild are different animals, and now it appears there may be some genetic difference between pandas that live in the wild and pandas that grew up on the all you can eat cruise ship model. “Pandas are solitary? Who knew?!!!!” said a group of pandas sitting around the table chowing down on boo shoots while playing Mah Jong.
Any way, now Ya Ya is on her way back to Beijing, alas without Le Le who succumbed to a previously undiagnosed heart ailment.
Stay tuned for further developments!
Be the Bear!
Bob T pass the endless boo buffet Panda
If you haven’t read Henry Nicholls’ The Way of the Panda, you should fix that immediately. It’s a great book about all things pandas, the politics of pandas, and there is a cameo appearance of a ‘toon that was perhaps done by your favorite practitioner of panda satire! My literary claim to fame!
I’m sorry to leave the bears upon in the air, but there has been so much going on! I hope this will fill in a narrative gap or two. (While I figure out what is going to happen next, and take care of a few other things!)
Bears will be bears!
Be the Bear
Bob T bears behaving badly Panda
BTW I have a new rant on Substack this week! Check it out!