Monday, December 3, 2012

IN WHICH BEAR GETS "BOUNCED," AND SUFFERS ONGOING PROBLEMS

To Begin at the Beginning

The story is told (by A. A. Milne) of how a Strange Creature arrived one day at the Hundred Acre Wood. The "Forest" was the home of Pooh Bear, Piglet, Eeyore, and many others. The Strange Creature turned out to be Tigger, a Tiger, who was a friend of Christopher Robin. 

Having a Tigger was not such a problem, except for one thing. Tigger was very Bouncy. And that disturbed the other characters in the Forest, particularly Rabbit. (In fact, Rabbit, Pooh, and Piglet developed a plan to Unbounce Tigger — it didn't work.)

All this is preface to my experience of being Bounced, as surely as if Tigger had landed on my bed first thing in the morning. 

There was a meeting of the Animal Research Ethics Board last Wednesday at the University. The Board needs a couple of Community Representatives when it is going about its work. It's a matter of Transparency and Accountability — which are both Very Important Things. And, well, yes . . .  I needed to be there. This, just after I had finally settled into Hibernation mode. And, well, yes . . . I got a reminder. The "ping" on my e-mail program woke me with a start; that's always unsettling! And, well, yes . . . I did go to the meeting (though I warned them at the outset that I was a tired and grouchy Bear). 

Anyhow, we accomplished what we needed to, and that was good. I came home. I though I would fall back into Hibernation mode. I did not. I could not. I . . . um . . . ah . . . had been well and truly Bounced. 

Now it is almost a week later, and my heart rate and breathing rate are nowhere close to Hibernation levels. Woe is me! I toss and turn, and am not comfortable. 

Meanwhile, . . .

The situation has not been a total loss. Someone came along and painted the whole scene outside with hoar frost. Rather like a faerie wonderland.


All quite nice, actually. 

Then yesterday, and overnight, it snowed. And snowed. And snowed. And the river, already full of ice, almost froze over. 




Yes, the scenery is delightfully wintry. 

But I'm stil not back to Hibernating!

Sigh!

Blessings and Bear Hugs, friends. 

32 comments:

Helen said...

Bear, you are quite the tease ~~ this back and forth thing with sleeping!

Hilary said...

Lovely photos, Bear. I sure hope you're back into sleep mode for when you want to be.. and back to blog mode for when you're well rested.

cheshire wife said...

Maybe hibernation is not such a good idea after all. You miss so much when you are asleep.

lotta joy said...

The best way to get to sleep is to give up trying to get to sleep. I think it overworks the eyelid muscles.

Rob-bear said...

® Helen: Really, it's not as much fun as it sounds. I am dreadfully tired; the dark months of the year do nothing good for me at all, except encouraging me to sleep. Whether in Ursine or Human form.

® HIlary: Glad you enjoyed the pix. And yes, I seem to be very back and forth this winter. When I'm up, I'll have a look at your photos — they are always great.

® Cheshire Wife: I was just over at your place, reading your doom and gloom story about electricity and British Telecom. I do hope life picks up for you, soon; otherwise, you may want to hibernate, too.

® lotta joy: Point taken. Perhaps a snack of hot chocolate and a couple of chipmunks would help, too.

Rosaria Williams said...

It's global warming, Bear. You're not supposed to be your old self.

Rob-bear said...

® rosaria williams: No wonder I've been having problems. The Polar Bears are drowning in the Arctic because the ice is going. Then rest of us will get sicker because we don't hibernate well, rest our bodies, and break the disease cycle.
So now, when I do get to hibernating, I'll be having terrifying dreams.
"Thanks," Rosaria. You're very consoling. Grrrrrr!

Irene said...

You must have been only dozing off to have been woken up so easily. And you do have that sense of duty that will call you into action. I suggest lots of meditation to get your heart rate down to a hibernating mode. In the meantime you did take those wonderful photos. That's worth something. xox

ReformingGeek said...

Oh, so pretty! I'm sorry you had to come out of hibernation.

[Softens voice]

You are getting sleepy, sleeeepy, sleeeeeeepy.

Ker-plunk.

Sorry. My head hit the keyboard.

Janie Junebug said...

I, too, am experiencing sleeping problems. I'm too itchy to sleep, and I have sooooo many gifts to wrap. Might as well stay up until after Christmas. I recommend some mulled wine for bears.

Love,
Janie

Starting Over, Accepting Changes - Maybe said...

That meeting must have given the bear a little bit of anxiety.

Now bear, just look at those beautiful, peaceful pictures you posted. Ahh, don't they put you in a nice place now. Relax, relax, everything is coming into place.

A Lady's Life said...

How can you sleep with such beauty around you?
Go outside and breath some fresh air lol

kj said...

i for one am pleased you have not yet hibernated. i wonder if you can rest and converse at the same time? we could have tea and tell each other stories while we fluff up our pillows.

love love
kj.

Jackie said...

Oh...it is a beautiful wonderland you live in Bear...simply gorgeous!
I wouldn't hibernate there at all....not until all the beautiful white snow was gone...and then, the time for hibernating would be gone...alas.
Thank you for sharing those photos with me. I love to see photos of snow!! (Something I don't get to see down here in the Southern USA.)

J Cosmo Newbery said...

Your loss, our gain. But I will pass on the frosty stuff.

The Broad said...

I'm just glad to see you again, Bear! But I'm sorry you are out of 'sync' with the world and hope you manage to be able to have a period of calm -- so important at this time of year. Lovely pictures -- I rather miss winter ...

potsoc said...

Seems winter has elected to stay west this year. In the east we are having defenitely "unhibernating" weather. Foprecasts call for 10C today and rain showers.

Frances said...

Well Bear, I'd say that your wintry Bounce is our gain...it's fun to see what can happen to a certain Bear when his hibernation is interrupted.

xo

Inger said...

I thought at first your inability to hibernate may have something to do with global warming, but then, all that snow!!! Maybe you just need to take a hot bearbath and then you will go back to you cave and come out come spring.

DJan said...

That gentle Night should be returning sometime soon. In the meantime, we all get to enjoy your scenery. How absolutely gorgeous, Bear! :-)

Chatty Crone said...

Okay Bear - I think your problem is you are fighting your bodies bio-rhythms. You should sleep when you want to sleep and be up when you want to be up. No worries what season or time it is. Haha - what do you think? I must say I am glad to see you here! But I feel selfish. You need to take care of you. sandie

susan said...

Thanks for taking time to post these lovely pictures before returning to your cave. I'm still glad it doesn't look like that here.. yet.

About Last Weekend said...

Love the scenes from your window, have to confess all that cold and snow outside would make me very yawny!

Manzanita said...

Dear Bear,
I'm tip-toeing in and hope I don't hit a squeaky floor board. Just want to wish you a happy hibernation but I'll whisper it. You already have too many interruptions and now the Bounce. Sounds more like a dance. I remember that part of Poo Bear. I read it to my kids, over and over but most likely it was more for my own ears.

Hope you can get back to sleep.
Sh-h-h-h

Genie -- Paris and Beyond said...

Oh, I am late, but glad that I caught you before the hibernation. What a glorious sight you found as you stirred from your brief slumber. Sleep well, dear friend, and I love this glimpse of winter!

Bises,
Genie

Anita said...

You're a bear in demand. :)

Rob-bear said...

Not a very good day or useful evening.

I wrote replies to many of your kind comments, only to have my page literally "flip out" on me, leaving we with nothing. Nada. Rien.

And today's news for Newtown, CT was utterly horrid.

I want to go back, please, and start the day all over again. Oh, I see; that's not going to happen. So very sadly.

Heidrun Khokhar, KleinsteMotte said...

Too sad that the computer age is giving you some issues but the post is delightful!

Rob-bear said...

® KleinsteMotte: I'm going to try this one more time.
Thanks for dropping by. Another couple of days, and I will be deep into hibernation. It's well past time.

chicago foodie girl said...

Just stopping by to check in with you, as I haven't seen you around in a bit. Happy New Year! :-)

Lisa @ Two Bears Farm said...

Wow, you get snow early there!

Rob-bear said...

Welcome to "The Great White North," Lisa. Yes, we get a lot of snow, starting about November 1 (most years).

Come, Lisa; learn the meaning of the phrase, "Be cool but stay warm."