And now, 31 Days of Pandas returns to our story which was interrupted by our…um…rant about whether we were allowed to have an opinion or not. Word to the wise, do not make a panda mad! Anyway, we left our story with Pinky at home, hiding under the covers as she tried to come to grips with the fact that she lost the election, and not only that, that the forces of evil and self interest had won by possibly sly and devious means. At the very least, the “winning” ticket has an interesting relationship with the truth, by which we mean that they lie like a rug.

But while the possibility that democracy would come screeching to a halt, lying twisted and smashed as if it were a speeding car that had hit a bridge abutment after skidding on a banana peel, a bigger catastrophe was taking place, just down the road at the National Zoo, and it had nothing to do with the 39,465,975 gallons of pink paint that Pinky had stored at the elephant house.

Bubba had a medical crisis!

Yes! the real life Bubba, aka Bei Bei, our junior panda in the seat of power, was not feeling well, from what turned out to be a lemon size wad of un-digested bamboo that was stuck in his intestine. He was hauled off to the hospital, where kind and dedicated, not to mention skilled veterinary surgeons removed the obstruction, sewed him back up, and sent him home to mom, who gave strict instructions to rest, play quietly inside, and for crying out loud, chew before you swallow! Dinner time is not a race! At least I think it was Bubba’s mom who said  this. I might be remembering someone else.

But first, this happened:

Meihems to the rescue

And for today’s #TravelsofMiniBob offering, we bring you Mini Bob posing with a portrait of someone who is a shining beacon for all who toil in the gardens of children’s literature. Of course I am referring to that pioneering writer and artist, Beatrix Potter. Her portrait resides at The National Portrait Gallery in London, which is one of my favorite museums, especially when you skip the floor with all the dour looking folks in black coats and big ruffly collars, and head straight to the 19th century.

Look how excited Mini Bob is to pose with one of his heroes!

Until I saw the movie Miss Potter, I did not know that Beatrix Potter was the mother of the Land Trust movement in England; she bought and donated over 3,000 acres of open farmland in the Lakes District in England, thus ensuring it’s preservation for all to enjoy. She also licensed the use of her images on pottery, stuffed animals, and whatnot, thus ensuring that she could buy all this land and save it for the likes of us. It’s no wonder she is a hero to Mini Bob!

Panda on!