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Helena Bears-a-Bruin!
Macclesfield, UK
Posts: 1,291

Until recently my oldest, dearest teddy was safely stored (or so I thought) at my dad's house, which used to be our family home. But last week my dad (who's 77, lives on his own and is currently overwhelmed by the thought of selling the house next Spring) took it upon himself to give my teddy to charity! Dad is aware that the house is full of 45 years worth of clutter and is trying to clear some of it.....starting with my teddy it seems.

I'm trying sooooo hard not to be upset about this, but....  bear_cry  bear_cry  bear_cry

This is the bear I posted an old photo of some time ago. It was the first bear I remember having, was given to me by dad (ironically!) and although the bear didn't have a label he looked a lot like an unjointed Chiltern. He was 40 years old and in pristine condition. We have tried to retrieve him from the charity shop but he's been sold already  :(.

Oh well. I think I'm going to be scouring eBay and the web for a similar one from now on. I doubt I'll be successful though - I haven't seen another like him yet.

Sorry - just had to share this!!!

Delartful Bears Delartful Bears
Australia
Posts: 3,518

Oh Helena . .....  Sorry to hear it  :hug:

Perhaps you could go and save your  teddy that's at the charity????  Did it go to a shop?

Danni

Daphne Back Road Bears
Laconia, NH USA
Posts: 6,568

I was having hope until you said he had been sold already.  bear_cry
I'm so sorry....

Replacing the bear is one thing but the sentimental treasures THAT bear held for you are irreplaceable! Thanks goodness for memories!

I hope you do find another one day.... maybe you'll even be reunited with YOUR bear once again some day! (I'm a romantic so can't help but imagine you poking through an antique shop, flea market, tag sale one day and there he his!)

:hug:   :hug:   :hug:
Daphne

Dilu Posts: 8,574

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starlite Starlite Bears
Renfrew,Scotland
Posts: 1,676

Aaww Helena,
I am soo sooo sorry about your bear friend bear_cry  - I hope you find an understudy for him soon :hug:  :hug:  :hug:
Did you think of asking the charity shop if you could put an ad in their window to try and find him??
:hug:
Anne

Donna Donna's Duin Bruins
Burbank, CA
Posts: 900

Can you write an article to have printed in the local paper in hopes that whoever has the bear will read it and return it?  It is the right time of the year to keep our hope alive, so go for it!
Donna

Carolyn Green Draffin Bears
Auckland New Zealand
Posts: 5,354
Website

Oh no Helena - that is so sad.
I agree with what Donna has written and good luck in tracking your
precious bear back home again.

The episode of the Simpson's where Mr Burns bear Bobo turns up - I hope that it can
be said the same, for yours.

Marie_ Kiprie Bears
Yokohama, Japan
Posts: 2,735

Helena ....I'm sorry to hear that your bear friend was
sold.....  bear_cry  bear_cry  bear_cry

I hope you do find him again in future some day.....   :pray:   bear_innocent

Hugs/Marie

SueAnn Past Time Bears
Double Oak, Texas
Posts: 21,911

SueAnn Help Advisor, Banner Sponsor

Oh goodness, Helena!!  My mother did something very much like what your dad did.  I'm so sorry it was your childhood teddy, though!  My mom decided to get rid of all the stuff my sister and I had left at home - without telling us.  This included my sister's StoryBook doll collection and my record collection . . . both of which would be worth PLENTY today!!  I hope somehow that your teddy will turn up - good luck!  :hug:   :hug:   :hug:

doodlebears Doodlebears
UK
Posts: 7,414

doodlebears Celebration Ambassador

Oh Helena, so sorry to hear that your much loved bear has been sold at the charity shop. I would try asking the shop manager to put in a request for your bear to be returned  in the window. Maybe the person who has your bear will feel sorry for you. You posted a picture of him here so you could add his picture to the message and hope they return him.

:hug:  :hug:  :hug:  :hug:  :hug:  :hug:  :hug:  :hug:  :hug:  :hug:  :hug:  :hug:  :hug:  :hug:  :hug:  :hug:  :hug:  :hug:  :hug:  :hug:

Jane

jazzyrags Jazzy Rags
nsw
Posts: 1,494

How come you did not have it at your casa helena under close watch?

patsylakebears Patsy Lake Bears
Sydney
Posts: 3,442

Helena, how sad that is  bear_cry  bear_cry  bear_cry I didn't even have a ted until I started making them

Helena Bears-a-Bruin!
Macclesfield, UK
Posts: 1,291

Thankyou - you're all so kind and have made me feel much better  bear_original

Fran, I keep asking myself why that teddy was still at dad's place.... I've had the nagging feeling recently I should bring him home with me. Aargh. I left home to go to University when I was 19, and only took what I could fit in a suitcase. I've moved a lot over the years and some things just got left at my parent's, for safe-keeping. Plus my mum would encourage me to store things there.... I think she secretly liked having some of my things to look after, if you know what I mean. Anyway, mum died last year  bear_sad  and dad is now planning to move (house is too big) and needs to have a clearout. Poor dad, he feels really bad about this (he shouldn't though, because if it's anyone's fault it's mine for not collecting my stuff sooner!).

Anne, Donna and Jane - that's a great idea about putting an ad in the shop/newspaper. And I might just do that. Part of me wants the bear back (of course!) but there's another part of me that thinks it's time to say bye-bye. Maybe it's more complicated than just losing the teddy. Ack.

Sue Ann - sorry to hear you had a similar experience :cry:. I don't know how you felt about it at the time, but I think it has taught me a few lessons. And I'll be keeping a close eye on dad and his decluttering ways from now on!

Pipa UK
Posts: 971

Helena can you not goto the chartiy shop and see if he's out there or ask them to look for him ?

Helena Bears-a-Bruin!
Macclesfield, UK
Posts: 1,291

We asked and were told he's been sold, Pipa. The lady in the shop remembers Dad taking him in, and remembers him selling the next day...  :|.

lapousmor Sophie Z'Ours
Sarthe, France
Posts: 2,770

Oh, Helena, how horrible was that!  bear_cry Poor little teddy has been taken away....  bear_cry  bear_cry  bear_cry  bear_cry Your beloved teddy...  bear_cry
My mum did the same with two of my dolls: she decided they were not beautiful enough to stay (what I don't understand is why she trashed Pimprenelle: she was a pretty doll) !!! Of course she did not ask me first  bear_angry . So after I noticed the lost, I said her not to trash any other of my belongings!
Luckily, she did not trash my teddy bears: she just put back the one I "borrowed " to my brother when a young child (I was thinking this was logic I take one of his bears as he had more teds than me!!!) in his bedroom.

I hope you will manage to have your teddy bear back...

Beary hugs,
Sophie.

Pipa UK
Posts: 971

Wow they sold him already dammit. :(

how awful

bear_cry

DebbieD Posts: 3,540

I'd really be inclined to run an ad in the paper local to the shop that sold him.  I think you'd stand a good chance of getting him back, especially if you made it clear that you wanted to buy him back and how important he is to you.

As for trying to replace him with another one of his kind....I've tried this, and it didn't work.  Actually the bear I got was in better shape than my Nana bear, but she just wasn't MY Nana, if you know what I mean....

I do hope you can get him back, though...  bear_cry

Tammy Beckoning Bears
Nova Scotia
Posts: 3,739
Website

Helena, that is awful.  You must be so upset to think he was around for all these years and now gone to a stranger.  I too hope you can track him down.   bear_noexpression

Shelli SHELLI MAKES
Chico, California
Posts: 9,939
Website

Shelli Retired Help Advisor, Banner Sponsor

bear_sad  bear_sad  bear_sad  bear_sad  bear_cry  bear_cry  bear_cry  bear_cry

bearsbybeesley bears by beesley TM
Tofield Alberta Canada
Posts: 6,818

Oh Hon! So sorry! Make yourself a little bear in memory of that wonderful bear and cherish it for all time!

Many Hugs Louise

Jennskains Posts: 2,203

The smething happened to my mom's monkey. bear_cry    :hug:   I hope you can track him down!

Eileen Baird'sBears
Toronto
Posts: 3,873

bear_sad  Helena, that's so sad!! I hope you manage to get him back, luv  :hug:

My mom stored by bashed up old ted over the garage for years, then tossed him out when he'd gone all moldy. I still feel guilty about not protecting him, but I was young and mobile!!

You can't ever trust parents with your bears, no matter how good they are!!

Eileen

WildThyme Wild Thyme Originals
Hudson, Ohio
Posts: 3,115

Helena!   :hug:   I 'm so sorry.  I can only imagine how awful this must feel. 




SueAnn wrote:

my sister's StoryBook doll collection

Were they the Nancy Ann Story Book dolls....?  The little ones about 6 inches high or so, Alice, RedRiding Hood, etc, etc.?

Beary truly yours,
Kim Basta
Wild Thyme Originals

SueAnn Past Time Bears
Double Oak, Texas
Posts: 21,911

SueAnn Help Advisor, Banner Sponsor

Oh gosh, Kim . . . I don't know.  :redface:  But she had sooo many of them.  She's 3 years older than I am and I'm afraid I didn't pay too much attention to what she was into while we were growing up.  Were Nancy Ann dolls around in the late '40s and early '50s??  That's the time period it would be.  I'll ask my sister if that was what they were - although she's still upset with our mom for getting rid of them!

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