Our new recruit leaving Canada via CFB Trenton and met a lovely lady at the National Air Force Museum, Mrs Elizabeth Constantine, who is a board member for the trust. She lost her husband 40 years ago in an aircrash. She adored the bear. She's given her permission to have her pic published as long as we mention the museum. I gave her the website link, asked her to consider linking it. The Foundation was established in 2001 as a registered charity with the mission of raising funds to support the operations of the National Air Force Museum of Canada. Since then, The Foundation has grown steadily and now has the ongoing support of more than 900 active members across the country. Virtually anyone is eligible to become a Foundation Member on either an Annual or Lifetime basis. Many members also choose to supplement their fees with additional donations, usually on an annual basis. Please support them.

It's a fit up! Once the 'misunderstanding' had been sorted out I was treated to an interview WITH coffee, and cake as well

Met some sharks, minced about, had a few beers and threw a couple of shrimps on the barby. I traveled with Old Baldy to the Somme where I met up with Ord Sgt, and then onwards to The Hague. An early morning start on Wednesday saw us on the train from The Hague to Schiphol airport for the first leg of the trip to Sydney via Hong Kong. 12 hours later we are descending into Hong Kong’s airport.

I’d heard from Horsa that this bear handler was into dressing up so  hopes were high for this expedition,  turns out I shouldn’t take things at face value. Every one was dressed up all weekend, but not in anything that required the aid of talcum powder.

Fifty Five thousand people gathered together for four days to drink and wear costumes proclaiming their allegiance to one fandom or another, most of which seem to compose of little more than a couple of sticking plasters. On the men it can  be a little stomach churning.

For the duration of the event I followed the bear wrangler around with a camera, taking pics of  women  wearing either very little (I tried to get in on those) or some good costumes.

Due to a busy calendar I tasked Corporal Horsa to accompany K13 EOD to the Shetlands.

Trip reporting by K13 EOD. I had been in the Shetlands for just over 3 weeks enjoying the unusually balmy weather when Cpl Horsa arrived on Saturday 6th September. I was in a particularly foul mood having had the jaguar bonnet mascot swiped of my car the evening before in Lerwick, but Cpl Horsas happy bear face soon cheered me up.

My first visit to Jersey was quite brief, as I was held up by Customs and missed the pre-weekend round of parcel deliveries. As I result, I was seriously glad to get out of my little [12x10x10] cardboard box and get my fur sorted out.

A drive around the eastern half of the Island produced a few photo opportunities. The most spectacular was at Gorey, halfway up the East coast. The beautifully restored castle of Mont Orgueil overlooks this delightful village, and its picturesque harbour. The castle was built and developed from 1200 to 1450.

A great couple of weeks in sunny Brazil with my new friend 'wheel' Met some very interesting people and the views were fantastic. Highlights of the trip included backpacking to the lighthouse at Fort Salvadore, riding a turtle at Pria Da Forte beach and of course lounging by the pool taking in the sun and great views.

As for the assault on Helvellyn well I’m sure Sgt Slingsby organized the weather to be as challenging and perilous as possible, I swear I could hear bear chuckling from the bergan.

Come to think of it, it must have been the unceremonious stuffing of the wee guy into a plastic bag and then bergan that was the catalyst for his behaviour although that annoyance should surely have been mitigated by the fact that he was sharing his bergan space with stockings and stilettos.

Had a very pleasant day out on the water at the West of Scotland Amateur Boat Club. The Royal West is just to the right on the large new building at the bottom right of one of the pictures.