#2021GOALS

New Year’s Eve parties in the Bear Cave have become synonymous with ‘festive splosions’, as Mousie unleashes rounds of noisy party favours. Confetti litters every crevice of my office, which takes Mousie days to ‘collect for reuse,’ with her miniature broom and dustpan. This year, however, the diminishing supply of ‘Pop-Its’ in Mousie’s stash, and the Mousie decreed kibosh on in-store shopping, obliged the aforementioned party animal to make due with ‘inanimate decorations’ for our 2020 year-end celebration. Such are the sacrifices of a pink mouse during ’Cave Lockdown’. Photo: The aftermath of a previous New Year's Eve.

Yesterday morning, in a last-ditch effort to organize a more elaborate celebratory display, Mousie inquired as to whether I could build a fleet of drones programmed to ‘dance in the sky like synchronized swimmers’ to the tune of ‘Love Conquers All’, as the clock struck twelve. This idea, however, came much too late for any real action, and would have undoubtedly broken the bank… at least in December 2020. No, our 2021 New Year’s celebration did not bring the usual spectacle, but was instead a sedate, cerebral event, involving a simple, but delicious, spread of mouse-made party snacks, and an online Zoom call with our teddybear neighbours, Teddy Yeti and Boo Bear. After exchanging well wishes, we mused on New Year's goals, which Mousie suggested we record in our blog as a show of commitment. So I, being at the wheel of the computer, took down a few notes and made the following ‘goals’ summary:

#2021GOALS

Bear: to stay calm and ‘torpor on’ until most of the humans have been vaccinated; to dust off the ol’ Escape Plan blueprints, for when society returns to its state of ‘normalcy’.

Mousie: to prepare for loving reunions with friends once lockdown has finally ended; to make further progress on the perfect ‘Pink Punk’ band outfit; to continue spreading peace, love, joy and happiness, in-person and online.

Photo: When Mousie opened this pink wig that Teddy Yeti sent to her for Christmas, she proclaimed that it had 'Pink Punk' written all over it.

The little BUddies: to bestow a name upon and practice caring for their new felted pet.

Photo: Mousie gave this furry critter to her little buddies for Christmas. She says that her little BUddies say their pet loves Cheerios.

Teddy Yeti: to expand his English language study to include reading and writing, in order to more effectively advise Bear & Mousie in the translation of the Yeti Travel Journal.

Photo: Mousie collaborated with Boo Bear in ordering a basic alphabet book for Teddy Yeti for Christmas. Boo Bear thought this Star Trek themed one looked ‘super’.

BOO Bear: To do all kinds of very ‘super’ things, TBD.

Photo: Here, Boo Bear is featured with an inspiring twinkle in his eyes, in the ‘very super bedsheets’ Mousie sent him for Christmas.

Mousie now hopes to hear all about your New Year’s goals, and wishes peace, joy, love, happiness, and good health to ‘everyone’ in 2021.

Photo: When we got to '2' during the 2021 countdown, Mousie snapped this shot to show her wish for ‘peace to everyone’.

Happy New Year to one and all. See you on the other side of Torpor Time, when the residual craziness of 2020 has subsided. For now, this is Bear, signing off. 🐻💤