Surprise Visitors

Hi. I'm Charles the Bear Cub. You know me. I live on Sparkle Road with my buddy, James. He's really old. He was the second Canadian to get off Noah's Ark, you know.

 Oh. Wait! Chance lives with us, too. He's a newborn cubby someone left in a basket on our doorstep. He's a wee little thing. He doesn't have a tail, yet. He doesn't even have any teeth. Chance just drinks owls' milk out of his bottle.  He makes little squeaky noises when he's happy and little squawky noises when he's hungry or has to poo.  I look after Chance, too. He's a handful!

Know what? We got surprise visitors. I love surprises!  Grandma Bonnie and Grandpa Terry came to our house! They live in British Columbia. That's pretty far from our house. I know where British Columbia is. It's in O Canada. I can show you on the map. It's the first province on the left. We had fun with Grandma Bonnie and Grandpa Terry. They kissed our noses and tickled our ears. We went out to eat. Chance got apple juice. I got chocolate milk and a bendy straw. We played games and we shared a box of Smarties, too.


When Grandpa Terry and Grandma Bonnie left our house, they got on a plane to fly to Newfoundland and Labrador. That's in O Canada, too. I know where Newfoundland and Labrador is. It's the first province on the right. Miss Jackie taught us all about  in jogfree class at the Scruffy Maple Day Care Centre.

 Oh. Wait! Did you hear that? James is hollering, "Where are my handsome bear cubs? Where are my Sons of Windsor? Where are my Princes of Ontario? That's me! Charles! That's Chance! We're handsome bear cubs. We're Sons of Windsor and Princes of Ontario! We gotta go find James so we can get our ears tickled and our noses kissed.

 This is me, Charles the Bear Cub saying, "Be good citizens. Be kind to friends and neighbours. Good citizens get to eat Smarties and drink chocolate milk with a bendy straw. Oh! Wait! Come over to our house and play with us! We can have fun together! Okay! Over and out!"

Our Trip on VIA Rail

Hi. I'm Charles the Bear Cub. You know me. I live on Sparkle Road with my buddy, Grandpa James. He's really old. He was the second Canadian to get off Noah's Ark, you know.

Oh. Wait! Chance lives with us, too. He's a newborn cubby someone left in a basket on our doorstep. He's a wee little thing. I look after Chance, too. He's a handful! Hi climbs way up high on things and then he can't get down. He makes little squawky noises 'cuz he's afraid.

Know what? I'm at VIA Rail. I'm helping Grandpa James buy a ticket. We're going to Toronto. Grandpa James says six million people live in T.O. That's a lot of people, you know. I wonder why they live so far away from Windsor. Windsor is the bestest city. It's the centre of the known universe and the nicest part of Detroit.

 I know that Toronto is the capital of Ontario. I know where Ontario is. It's in O Canada, our home and native land.

We're waiting to get on board. When we ride on the train, we are on our best behaviour. We use our inside voices and we say 'please' and 'thank you' to the nice people with the beverage and food cart. Know what? We always get chocolate milk to drink. I know where chocolate milk comes from. It comes from the dairy case at Sobey's. Grandpa James says it comes from chocolate cows but sometimes he makes up stuff, you know.

I l-o-v-e to ride on VIA Rail. Trains are lots of fun to ride.We can look out the windows and see everything. Trains go fast, you know.  Chance likes to ride on the train, too. Chance doesn't talk 'cuz he's so newborn but he makes squeaky noises when he's happy. Whenever I say, "Train!" Chance makes squeaky noises and runs to get his suitcase.

The seats on the train are very comfy. They have little dinner tables. Chance is so little he has to sit on the table to drink his chocolate milk. Know what? We get bendy straws for our chocolate milk. Bendy straws are special. I think they make chocolate milk taste even better!

Sometimes we climb up high and look at the other people on the train.  Grandpa James says it's not polite to stare at them. Chance stares at me. I stare right back at him. We stare and stare and stare. I make faces at him. If he laughs first, I win. If I laugh first, he wins.  I almost always win that game. Oh. Chance thinks he's invisible when he closes his eyes. He's not. I can still see him. Newborn baby cubs don't know any better.

When the train stops at Union Station we're in Toronto. Grandpa James says all roads lead to Toronto. Even railroads. I know when we're in Toronto 'cuz we can see the CN Tower. It's really tall. I bet Chance would try to climb up to the top of it if he could. I don't know how I would get him down. It's so tall it touches the sky! That's way taller than me. I'm one metre and 41 centimetres tall. That's pretty tall, you know.

We learned about the CN Tower at the Scruffy Maple Day Care Centre. Miss Jackie is my teacher. I will tell you a secret. I think Miss Jackie is a princess. She's pretty. The CN Tower has a restaurant at the top. We can ride up to the top on the glass elevator. It goes really fast and makes my tummy feel funny. The top is 533 metres up in the air. Miss Jackie says it has 181 storeys and is the third tallest building in the whole wide world! When we get to the top I would ask the nice people for chocolate milk with a bendy straw.

Oh. Wait! Did you hear that? Grandpa James is hollering, "Where are my handsome bear cubs? Where are my Sons of Windsor? Where are my Princes of Ontario? That's me! Charles! That's Chance! We're handsome bear cubs. We're Sons of Windsor and Princes of Ontario! We gotta go find Grandpa James so we can get our ears tickled and our noses kissed.

 This is me, Charles the Bear Cub saying, "Be good citizens. Be on your bestest behaviour when you ride VIA Rail. Then you can eat Smarties and drink root beer on the way to Toronto. Oh! Wait! Come over to our house and play with us! We can ride on VIA Rail together! Okay! Over and out!"

We Love VIA RAil!

Hi. I'm Charles the Bear Cub. You know me. I live on Sparkle Road with my buddy, James. He's really old. He was the second Canadian to get off Noah's Ark, you know.

Oh. Wait! Chance lives with us, too. He's a newborn cubby someone left in a basket on our doorstep. He's a wee little thing. I look after Chance, too. He's a handful!

Know what? We're at Union Station in T.O. That's a nickname for Toronto. Toronto is a great big city. It's the capital of Ontario and Ontario is in O Canada, our home and native land.  We had fun in Toronto. Now we're gonna ride home on the train. It will take us to Windsor. Windsor is the centre of the known universe and the nicest part of Detroit. Know what?  The train has a name. It's name is VIA Rail. VIA Rail goes all over Canada and to the Knighted States, too. The best part is VIA Rail comes all the way to our house!

This is our buddy John. He works on the train. He smiles at everyone and makes them feel really special. I could work for VIA Rail,  you know. I can say, "Would you care for a snack?" I can say, "Would you like a beverage before dinner?" John asks people if they would like to read the Globe & Mail or the Toronto Star. Those are newspapers.

John's job is very important. He looks after the people on the train so they don't get cranky. Cranky people have to take naps.  Really cranky people have to sit on the Time Out Chair AND take naps. Don't be cranky on the train, okay?

We get to ride up front. That's nice. Some people ride Coach. That's behind us. I think some people have to ride Baggage. That's way at the back of the train.

John gives us chocolate milk to drink. I l-o-v-e chocolate milk. It's yummy and that's one of the four food groups in the Canada Food Guide. Chance likes chocolate milk, too. He drinks chocolate flavoured condensed owls' milk. I know where condensed owls' milk comes from. It comes from condensed owls. I get to eat a whole meal. That's 'cuz I'm five and I'm pretty grown up, now. The food on VIA Rail is really yummy.

Look at Chance. He's being silly, you know. John gave me a serviette for my meal. That will keep me from getting all covered in food in case I spill some. I put the serviette in my lap. That's good manners. Chance put the serviette over his head. Now he thinks he's invisible 'cuz he can't see me. I can still see him! I can see his feet! He's underneath the serviette. I pull it off of him and shout, "Boo! Boo! I see you!" Chance makes little squeaky noises when I pull off the serviette. That means he's happy. I'm lucky to have a little brother.

Oh. Wait! Did you hear that? James is hollering, "Where are my handsome bear cubs? Where are my Sons of Windsor? Where are my Princes of Ontario? It's time to pre-board the train so we can go home.

That's me! Charles! That's Chance! We're handsome bear cubs. We're Sons of Windsor and Princes of Ontario! We gotta go find James so we can get our ears tickled and our noses kissed. We wanna go home so I can ride my blue bike with the Canada flag on it and climb the sugar maple in the back yard and dig some really big holes, too!

Chance and me know how to use the telephone to make reservations at VIA Rail so we can go to Toronto or Cornwall or Montreal or even to your house!

This is me, Charles the Bear Cub saying, "Be good citizens. Be nice to John on the train. If you are nice and polite, he might give you Smarties and chocolate milk. Oh! Wait! Come get on board VIA Rail with us! We can ride home together! All aboard! Tous a bord! Okay! Over and out!"

Chocolate Milk

Hi. I'm Charles the Bear Cub. You know me. I live on Sparkle Road with my buddy, James. He is forgetful and really old, like 20. He was the second Canadian to get off Noah's Ark.  I have to look after him. Oh. Wait! Chance lives with us, too. He's a newborn cubby someone left in a basket on our doorstep. He's a wee little thing.

Know what? We l-o-v-e chocolate milk. I know where chocolate milk comes from. It comes from chocolate cows. The cows put their milk in jugs and then they load the jugs onto a truck. A big transport truck brings all the chocolate milk to Mac's Milk and we buy it from Miss Wendy and Ricky and Sam. They sell whole milk, too. Whole milk comes from whole cows. They got half-and-half milk. That comes from half cows. I don't know what the other half is. Oh! Wait! Maybe it's from owls.  Chance doesn't have any teeth. He only drinks condensed owls' milk. I know where that comes from. It comes from condensed owls.

Did you hear that? James is hollering, "Where's my handsome bear cubs? Come here you sons of Windsor! Come here my Princes of Ontario!" That's us! Charles and Chance. We're gonna go find him so he can tickle our ears and tummies. Maybe we can have some chocolate milk before we go outside to play! This is me, Charles the Bear Cub saying, "Be good citizens. Take your empty milk jugs to the store. Wendy will give you a quarter for every one you bring. Okay, we gotta go! Over and out!"

Peanut Butter & Me

Hi. I'm Charles the Bear Cub. I live with my buddy,  James, on Sparkle Road.

Know what? It's raining so we're staying indoors today. Maybe we'll build a tent in the living room and eat peanut butter and licorice sandwiches in the tent at lunch time.  James has a surprise for me. He brought out the picture album with pictures of when I was a newborn cubby. Look at me! I was really little! I liked peanut butter when I was a wee little thing. I'm five but I still l-o-v-e peanut butter. It's yummy and sticky and that's two of the four food groups in the Canada Food Guide. Peanut butter is so good for bear cubs they put our picture on the jar.

I wish I had a little brother to play with. I want to buy one at Canadian Tire. I got $8.57 in Canadian Tire money.  James just laughs, tickles my ears and says, "Fat chance, Charles. You're a handful and a half, already." If I had a baby brother, I'd be really good. Honest.

Okay. I gotta go. We're having chocolate milk and we have lots of pictures to look at--pictures of me in the olden days when I was just a cubby. Bye for now! This is me, Charles, saying, "Over and out!"

Chocolate Milk

Boo! Did I surprise you? I hope so. I'm Charles the Bear Cub.  You know me. I live on Sparkle Road with James. He's my buddy. I look after him cuz he's old and forgetful. He says, "Charles, you're as busy as a beaver." Now you know why I have to look after him. I'm not a beaver. I'm a bear cub.

I'm five. My birthday is on Canada Day. Know what? I'm hanging out in the fridge at Mac's Milk. I like to surprise people. When they open the door to get milk, I holler, "Boo!" and hand them the milk.

That makes me a helper and helpers are good citizens, you know. I get to drink chocolate milk and eat Smarties, too. Oh! Wait. Did you hear that?  James is hollering, "Who's a handsome bear cub? Who's a Son of Windsor? Who's a Prince of Ontario?"

That's me! Charles. I'm gonna get out of here and go get my ears tickled. I l-o-v-e having my ears tickled. I can laugh right out loud and chocolate milk comes out my nose. I sure hope there's someone special to tickle your ears today! Bye for now. Be good citizens. This is me, Charles the Bear Cub saying, "Over and out!"

The MiLL Tavern

Hi. I'm Charles the Bear Cub. You know me.  I live with my buddy,  James, on Sparkle Road. That's next to Sandwich Street. We're at The MiLL Tavern. That's at Mill and Sandwich Streets.  James is talking to people. I put up my feet so I can think better. Thinking isn't so hard when I put my feet up.

Know what? This is a comfy chair. Bill and Aggie are the nice people who own this place. They have a website. www.themillonsandwich.com Know what? I want French fries and chocolate milk. They're yummy and yummy is one of the four food groups in the Canada Food Guide. Some nights there is music at the MiLL. I like music. My favouritest song is Rubber Duckie. Oh. Wait. I like songs by Raffi, too. Know what? I could be a singer. I'd sing songs about bear cubs. I'd sing about  James, too. We're on the internet, you know. We're internet poem stars 'cuz we know lost of poems. Here is one--

The dinosaur,
A beast of yore,
Doesn't live here,
Anymore.
THE END.

Gotta go. My French fries are getting cold. This is me, Charles the Bear Cub saying, "Be good citizens. Eat all four food groups. Over and out!"

Breakfast

Hi. I'm Charles the Bear Cub. You know me. I live with my buddy  James on Sparkle Road. That's not very far from Sandwich Street. I look after him 'cuz he's forgetful and old. He was the second Canadian to get off Noah's Ark. He must be really old.

Know what? I'm not having porridge with gummy worms for breakfast 'cuz it's too hot outside to cook. I'm having chocolate milk and wallermelons this morning. Oh. Wait. I got toasts with peanut butter and maple syrup, too.  James makes happy faces in the peanut butter when he spreads it on the toasts.

We thank God for the good food before we eat. This is what I say: "Thank you God for all the good food you put in the Canada Food Guide--except brocollis and sauerkrauts. They're nasty, God. You shouldn't make anybody eat them. Amen." I need to eat all my food 'cuz I'm going to be busy all day.

We're going to the park. I can ride my blue bike with the Canada flag on it, swing and slide and dig holes and climb trees and play Hide & Seek. Then we'll eat a picnic lunch and I'll read my Spiderman book before I take a nap under the big maple tree. On the way home we'll stop at Mary Ann's Bake Shoppe and get brownies. She makes the bestest brownies in the whole wide world. Oh! Wait! I gotta go. The day might start without me! Be a good citizen and make sure someone tickles your ears today. Bye for now. This is me, Charles the Bear Cub. Over and out! PS: I forgot. Okay. Bye!