Last Monday our long awaited and anticipated house guest arrived.
It was WALT (West Australian Lone Traveller), the travelling teddy!
Walt has been AWOL for coming up to two months, and we were all becoming seriously concerned for his health and welfare … and with good reason as it turns out.
He arrived without backpack, his t-shirt stained and bedraggled, and with terrible injuries, so we can only guess that he got mugged somewhere along the way. He wasn’t saying. (Well you probably wouldn’t either if you’d lost your head!)
That night he underwent emergency lifesaving surgery at the skilled hands of Dr Hubster (who can fix ANYTHING!).
Walt spent the next few days recovering in the ICU, being tenderly cared for by Miss 16, and all the other toys (you can meet Sophie and friends here. And yes, I am a grown up who talks to stuffed toys and they talk back – what of it?!). I washed his shirt, and he borrowed one from Bananas the Monkey in the meantime.
And then Walt made it known he would like to part-ay, if you please. Instead he had to settle for sightseeing, with myself and Miss 16 as his tour guides. Oh well. They don’t call the Redlands the Deadlands for nothing!
First stop was the famous Cleveland Lighthouse, which he tried to climb – even though we told him it was probably a bit soon after his surgery for such antics!
He got some of the ants out of his pants playing at the park at Cleveland Point (actually he doesn’t wear pants, but why let a minor technicality get in the way of a good story). Everywhere we went people (especially children) pointed and smiled at this madwoman carting a teddy bear around. Can’t think why.
We showed Walt the deck where the “Dawn Treader” ship was located and filmed for the Narnia movie, and he enjoyed the feeling of the sea breeze in his fur.
Next stop was the historic Court House restaurant, where the hubster and I had our wedding reception over 23 years ago.
But by then he was pretty pooped, as he is only a little bear after all, not to mention still recuperating from surgery.
Over the weekend we hosted a BBQ in Walt’s honour – so he did get to do a little bit of part-ay-ing after all.
And now it’s time for Walt to continue his journey, although we would have loved him to stay longer. Miss 16 in particular is going to be devastated to see him go, but the reality is he needs to keep moving or he won’t fulfil his ambition of being home for Christmas!
I heard he’s off to our nation’s capital next …
If you’d like to follow WALT on his adventures, here’s are some of the other places he has visited:
What an adventurous teddy you are, WALT. And how blessed you have been to live with Janet and Co for your surgery and recovery. Take care xo
Wow Walt has been up to something, maybe partying too hard. I am surprised at what he wanted to get up to considering his recent decapitation and need for recovery. I hope he hurries along on his travels so he can make it home by Christmas.
You sure have a way with words lovely! Love your little side comments throughout this – made me laugh out loud! and that hubster sewed up WALT, legend much?! And I actually love the shirt he had on for awhile, much more his style/size 😉 Sounds like he had so much fun with you and yours xx
Naww thanks Em, that is such a compliment coming from you – one of the funniest peeps I know!
Loved the new shirt. I couldn’t find one small enough for him so he had to put up with the smallest I could find which is a bit like a dress. Hopefully he might end up at a home where they have fantastic dress making skills and can redesign it perhaps.
Looks like he has had a WOW of a time. Thank you so much for having him. Glad I am not the only person who speaks to a stuffed bear. A MASSIVE thank you to your husband for his medical skills.
Shame that his backpack is missing. Is his diary still with him? I gather the addressed post packs are still with him?
Yes, diary and post packs are still with him 🙂
thats a relief.
An awesome place to recover, in sunny Queensland, our hubby is very useful isn’t he! I love the photo with Sophie, she looks very concerned 🙂 So glad to see Walt is in one piece again and continuing his travels 🙂
He’s been a delightful guest and we will be sad to see him go 🙁
Haha! Lovely post Janet! I want Walt to come and visit me! How cute!
My little friends are so excited to see WALT again! They were devastated to hear that he had got lost so it’s great to be able to follow him once more. I can’t believe he lost his head (again) but he seems to have pulled it together with your tender loving care and I hope he makes it to his next stop in one piece!
Hubster put a bolt in Walt’s head so hopefully that will do the trick 😉
This is a cute post Janet. I wonder if he’s continued his travels in the years since???
Heh heh. The Little Prince sometimes travels with me…
I’m just glad Walt enjoyed the barbie, what kind of guest doesn’t love that?! 🙂
He was such a cutie! I wonder how his adventures have gone since then.
Very cute! Nothing at all wrong with a grown woman enjoying child like things!
Yep I’m a complete dag like that 😉 . A psychologist might have a bit of fun analysing me and my love of “transitional objects” LOL …