Checking on Uppie

 Hello everyone!  Here I am, in the Bear Bag, having arrived on board Polar and Grizzly's narrowboat, Uplander II or 'Uppie'.

You probably know that humans aren't allowed to have holidays on their boats, or to make unnecessary journeys while the nasty virus is still very widespread, but they are allowed to visit to do essential maintenance and checks.

So, when we had a sunny day earlier this week and all the snow and ice had melted, Polar and Grizzly decided to check on Uppie and do some important winter jobs.

'We'll take one bear with us to help,' said Polar, 'As this isn't a holiday or a day out.  Who wants to come?'

The other bears said I could go, as I was the original Boat Bear, so I put my warm hat over my ears and jumped into the Bear Bag for the short drive to Uppie's wharf.

Polar had an indoors job to do, which she said would stop Uppie getting damp while nobody was on board.  This involved putting some white crystals into strange little plastic boxes.  She said I must be careful not to get them on my paws.

'They are made from a mineral called calcium chloride, which absorbs water,' she explained.  'We put them in this little plastic cage, which sits on top of a tray.  The crystals attract water from the air and the water then collects in the little tray underneath.  It will stop the seats and mattress from getting mouldy, and protect the little books in your Libeary, but we'll take the pillowcases and duvet home again.'

I watched what Polar did carefully, so I could tell Hanley, our Science Bear, all about it.  We put one by the stove, as there always seems to be dampness there.  Polar isn't sure whether there is a small leak around the chimney or whether it is condensation, so she has also put a different cover over the chimney pot, which is plastic, not metal, and has more air vents in it.

The other one went on the shelf above the bed.

Then I checked on what Grizzly was doing outside.  He was tacking some chicken wire onto the wooden boards alongside Uppie, which get very, very slimy and slippery in cold, wet weather.

When the planks were safe to walk on, Polar chopped back some brambles growing from the wharf too, so now it looks nice and neat.  Polar and Grizzly both wore their masks in case anyone needed to come past, as the path is not very wide.

I was sad when it was time to leave Uppie but hopefully, thanks to the little jobs we did, it will stay cosy and dry on board.  

Polar says that when it is safe, we will bring some spare pots down and make a little garden beside the boat that we can enjoy and so can our boat neighbours.  I'm sure Endon would love to help with that!  

In the meantime, Polar says she wants to make Uppie some new curtains, which sounds like a job small bears can help with too.