Yesterday I found the perfect stuffed polar bear I need for a school project (for the book rap on the children’s picture book “Bear and Chook”) at a local Salvation Army “Salvo’s” charity store. I’ve been pricing toy polar bears all week, and this one was just $2. He was actually dressed for Christmas (in July?), but even his garments are worth way more than $2! (Boy, am I glad I didn’t buy the one I saw for $130 during the week!)

Even better, Bear’s the perfect scale for my battery-operated “Choke-a-Chicken” (below), who’ll be standing in for the character of Chook. (Remember “Choke-a-Chicken”? A real novelty hit several Christmases ago. He does the Chicken Dance, and squawks in agony when you pick him up by the neck!)

It was the most amazing day. I was dropped off at the station, to head into Darling Harbour and have lunch with friends at the Meat and Wine Co. I had just missed a train, so I headed off to the shops for a while, and then decided to check out the stuffed toy section of the “Salvo’s” charity store on High Street. Sure enough, there was Bear, waiting on a couch and looking resplendent in his Christmas outfit. You could have knocked me over with a feather when the woman serving me said, “$2 please”!

Of course, I then had to take Bear into the city with me – and pay an extra 95 cents for a recyclable carry-bag – but who cares when I’d just saved $128! I also managed to miss the next fast train into the city, which was also frustrating, but again – who cares when I’d just saved $127.05!

Introducing “Bear and Chook by the sea”: Emma Quay, illustrator, and Lisa Shanahan, author.

The “Bear and Chook” series book rap commences in Term 4 for students in Early Stage 1 and Stage 1! Watch this space!