Before we fully dive into 31 Days of Pandas, we have a couple more episodes of Bears of the Baskervilles! I’m going to run them today (Tuesday) and then tomorrow (Day 1 of 31 Days of Pandas) and then we will go into our 31 Days of Pandas programming, while I figure out…um…I mean FINISHBears of the Baskervilles. Then I will do a full recap of B of the B towards the end of the month, so it’s not too confusing as I cut in and out of other stories.
Because after 12 years of doing The Panda Chronicles, I have more than a couple holiday stories!
We have many new readers, and those who have been around for lots of this panda journey enjoy seeing them again!
So, here we go with episode 9 of …
Bears of the Baskervilles!!!!
I bet you knew that it was going to be Six and Sebben!
Be sure to ‘toon in tomorrow for ANOTHER episode, and day 1 of 31 Days of Pandas!
I know it’s kind of a cliche to suddenly remember, once a year, that I am grateful for a bunch of stuff, but this being my Birthday Season, and several other minor holidays (ha ha!) that hype thankfulness and gratitude, I must admit that there are things I am grateful for, despite all the traumas of the last 5 years.
Of course 2020 was the worst.
I think I am still suffering from the extreme trauma of TFG’s final (we hope) year in office, with a global pandemic that said former guy used to try to punish his enemies and do a little extra grifting at the same time.
Sigh.
First, I am grateful that most of my friends and panda community have stayed safe through all of this. There were some casualties but in the scheme of things, compared to much of the country, my personal world was not destroyed. It was rocked though, (and not in a good way) and I miss seeing my far flung circle of friends in person.
I am grateful for the daily text check-ins with the Traveling Panda Sisterhood, without which I might have lost my mind. I mean more than usual.
I am grateful that I found needle felting. It was a small miracle that I got to repeatedly stab things without getting arrested. (Note the the FBI: I am referring to making wool animals from wool fiber, so please do not show up on my porch to question me.)
I am grateful to all of you who have decided they couldn’t live without little felt pandas and subsidized my wool purchase.
I am grateful to my writer friends who encourage me on this path and that my agents haven’t fired me.
I am grateful to the galleries and other venues that continue to show and sell my paintings, and keep a roof over my head, and remind me that my 7 years of art school and decades of continuing to put paint on paper and canvas were not wasted effort.
I am grateful to all of you who continue to read my ‘toons, buy my books, and tell me that I am, in fact, funny.
I am grateful for pandas, who provide inspiration every day. I would be REALLY grateful if I could hold a tiny baby panda someday, but I may have to be content with watching videos of panda nannies dandling tiny pandas on their laps, and know that they love their little, fluffy, chubby charges.
I am grateful for so many things
Please say it isn’t so!!!!!
Hey! it’s almost time to get ready for 31 Days of Pandas!!!
Our new character probably needs a little introduction. Last year I was messing around making felty pandas, and I made one that kind of looked like a nun (wearing pink!) I knew it couldn’t be Pinky, so I decided her name was Sister Mary Fluffy (calling her by her initials may get your mouth washed out with soap!) I also decided that she needed to go to a home that was more…um…fitting of her status than my home, so I sent her off to live in Virginia with the spiritual advisor to the Panda Chronicles.
I had hoped that she would lead a quiet contemplative life, but if you are a follower of either #TheBearchelorette or #BearchelorInParadise on the Twidders, you might have bumped into Sister M.F. (see? what did I tell you?) mixing drinks down at the bar. She has also been a regular player in a little behind the scenes Panda Improv!
But let’s introduce her, and find out more about the good Sister…
“Can I put a little something in my cocoa?”
Stay ‘tooned! More to come next week!
Don’t forget to ‘toon in on Sunday, when we have the concluding installment of A Halloween Carol, as well as some of our favorite Halloween ‘toons!
Boy there’s a lot going on! Rumors of a sting operation in Maryland…no, not THAT one! The one where they are planning to use more zebras to lure the remaining escaped zebras back to captivity, Another valiant red panda escapes to join the Red Panda Liberation Front, this time at the Woodland Park Zoo in Seattle (the scene of another daring escape attempt a few years ago by brave red panda girls)
But I have a story to tell! Would I tell you what was going to happen if I knew? Hmmm…
Fortunately, I have no idea where this story is going!
Luckily for all concerned, Six and Sebben are not in this story…or ARE they?
This is SO exciting!!!!
Don’t forget to ‘toon in Sunday for the first part of another Panda Chronicles Halloween Classic Encore Presentation, the first part of A Halloween Carol! This was Bubba’s first starring role! Okay, Pinky was kind of a star too!
Well, till then, REMEMBER TO VOTE IN YOUR LOCAL/STATE ELECTIONS, ‘toon in to The Panda Chronicles, and Buy Stuff With Pandas!
My new book, The Panda Chronicles Book 9: What Could Possibly Go WRONG! is now under review, and I hope that it will be available later this week! This is exciting news, indeed!
But now, let’s stop in to the Panda House and see what’s happening…
Mommee Mei is stonewalling Mikey’s questions about you know who!
You can be sure I’ll let you know the instant the new book is available! Stay ‘tooned! And don’t forget to check out The Wizard of Wu, parts of which have run the last two Sundays. More to come this Sunday next!
I must sadly tell you that ONCE AGAIN I was not awarded a MacArthur Foundation Genius Grant for Panda Satire. Announcement day has left me a sad panda (but you get to see my favorite cartoon!)
In 10 Years There Has Not Been One Grant Awarded in Panda Satire!!!!
Why IS there no MacArthur Fellowship for Panda Satire, anyway?
Also, today is National Voter Registration Day. If you are not registered to vote, what are you waiting for? By not using your voice, you allow others to speak for you and you might not like what they’re saying. Please register and please vote. Even in little pesky local elections like school board! You might not think those are important, but we are finding out that they are. Even here on (mostly) true blue South Whidbey, there is an ongoing attempt to replace smart, caring school board members with anti-vaxxing, anti-equality right wing authoritarians.
I’m gonna be voting, I’m going to remind my friends to vote. Don’t let Mittens rule from the rear!
Bebe Maurice will have his paws full trying to get everyone to sit still and pose for this Pawtrait. I hope he can paint fast! The birthday season is barely a week and a half away! And Bikkie is bereft of his Beary Poppins. Will the dashing duo make it in time for the party?
Stay ‘tooned!
Everyone smile! Now hold it….keep holding…keep holding…
