The Cinnamon Bear is back in town!!

When Teri and Cindy were little, Darrell and I would take them to see the Cinnamon Bear every year, sometime between Thanksgiving and Christmas. He would be set up in a department store in town, and there was always a line of happy little kids waiting to sit on his lap. We all loved it and looked forward to it every year. This picture is of Teri – I do have one of both Teri and Cindy on his lap, but neither one is smiling, so I used this one. Teri looks so happy, so why didn’t they both look happy? Was the Cinnamon Bear doing something naughty? They won’t be seeing him this year as they left town shortly after the picture was taken.

I remember all the fun times we had during the holidays, starting with Halloween. It seems like they just went on and on and we all enjoyed it – especially our girls. I remember when I was a little girl in Hood River, my dad would get on his horse with a sheet over his head – my dad’s head, not the horse’s head - and ride really fast on the golf course, scaring all of us kids as we were trick or treating on the road by the golf course. He was a good headless horseman, but I always wondered how he could see with the sheet over his head. Do you suppose he ever ran into a tree? I never asked as I wasn’t supposed to know it was my daddy. Teri and Cindy never saw that, but we told them about it. There were so many events we never missed – driving around neighborhoods to see Halloween decorations and seeing Christmas lights in certain sections of the city. We always ate at our special place in a certain mall – it was so special I can’t remember the name, but I think it had “Elephant” in the name. And we probably had a potty break at that restaurant.

Those days are long gone, but Teri and Cindy have carried on the same traditions with their kids. I don’t know about the Cinnamon Bear though. But they did what we used to do which is the way it’s supposed to be. I really miss the times with my girls when they were little and they depended upon me for nearly everything. It scares me to think of the role reversal that seems to take place in every family as the years go by. I guess that’s the way life is if you’re lucky enough to live that long!

Teri just called me as I was writing this, and we made plans for when she comes into town this weekend for the Oregon State football game. She’ll be with me Saturday night, and Sunday afternoon we’ll go to a movie and then have dinner. After that she’ll disappear back to New York. I can hardly wait! We couldn’t talk very long as she said, “I have to go buy some underwear now. I left all of mine in Brazil!” I never thought I’d ever hear anyone make that statement! But she was in Brazil not too long ago, and I’m wondering if she has been “going commando” at work every day.