Old Fuzz Bear stories are about the power of the imagination.  More Old Fuzz Bear stories can be found at http://www.oldfuzzbear.com

A Sample Story:

Swimming With Dolphins -- by Fran Kramer

Old Fuzz Bear yawned and stretched in his carrying bag.   He looked out the car window to see sailboats, motorboats, and fishing boats of all sizes lined up against the pier.  He said to the slightly daffy, older lady with gray curls who took care of him, "Ma Mère, I hope we get to see dolphins on this sailing trip!"

 "Oh, so do I, Old Fuzz!"  Ma Mère replied she parked the car in the yacht club parking lot. 

Old Fuzz, even through his cataract eye, could see that the sea was choppy.  The boats bobbed like yellow plastic ducks in a bathtub.  He said with a heavy heart, "Ma Mère, don't forget to give me some Dramamine.  We'll be on the Perrys' sailboat soon."

"Thanks for reminding me, Old Fuzz," Ma Mère answered as she pulled him from his carrying bag and set him on the roof of the car.  "I don't want you tossing cookies off the rear of the Perrys' beautiful sail boat."

Old Fuzz started jumping up and down in his bag.  He cried, "Ma Mère, look!  The Perrys brought Danny along on the trip!" 

Ma Mère turned to see her friends, the Perrys, and their five-year-old grandson, Danny, on the dock next to their sailboat.  Danny was sun-tanned, skinny, and tall.  Ma Mère thought he must have grown six inches since she last saw him.

Danny came bounding up to Ma Mère and Old Fuzz.  The boy whooped, "Oh, Miss Jane!  You brought Old Fuzz Bear!"

Ma Mère replied, "I thought you might be coming, Danny.  When I told Old Fuzz about the trip, he begged to come along, despite his not having sea legs.

Danny gave Old Fuzz a big hug.  He asked, "How can a bear have sea legs?"

Old Fuzz replied in a very dignified, grave voice for only Danny to hear, "I will try to be a seafaring bear, my young man.  Bears can be quite at home on the seas.  Take polar bears, for instance.  They live their lives on bobbing ice flows." 

"You're an old land lubber!" Danny said, using a new word Grand PaPa had taught him.  "You're not a sailor like my Grand PaPa!"

"Only because I dread being dizzy!"  Old Fuzz insisted.  "I love the sea!"  In truth, Old Fuzz was a hale old bear, but nevertheless prone to dizzy spells-especially while sailing the seas.  His heart went out to anybody who got seasick.  Old Fuzz Bear could now see Grand PaPa Perry's big black sailboat rocking at the dock.  Just looking at the shiny deck rolling this way was enough to make Old Fuzz turn green about the gills-if bears had gills, that is.

Ma Mère bent over and whispered into Danny's ear.  She said, "Give Old Fuzz some Dramamine so he won't get sick."

Danny took an imaginary pill out of his pocket and put against Old Fuzz's muzzle.  Danny noticed the big grin on Old Fuzz's face. "He's happy now!"  Danny said, clapping his hands.

Grand MaMa Perry pulled Danny to her side and said, "Come here and let me get you into this life jacket."

"Oh, Grand MaMa," griped Danny, his shoulders sagging.  "I don't want to wear it!  I won't fall overboard.  Only little kids wear life jackets."

"Danny, everyone has to wear life jackets," Grand PaPa said, "This is not a short sail around the harbor.  It's a long trip in deep water to Martha's Vineyard." 

Danny stubbornly held his arms close to his sides so Grand MaMa couldn't put his arms through the vest.

"Danny, Ma Mère said, "Even Old Fuzz is going to wear one."  Ma Mère then grabbed a size Large orange life vest-because Old Fuzz is a big teddy bear-and strapped it around the bear's fat waist.  His paws stuck out like sticks from each side of the vest.  "See, Danny, Old Fuzz doesn't mind wearing a life jacket."

Old Fuzz whispered to Danny, "Don't tell the adults-but I actually I do mind.  However, I'll wear the life jacket."

"Why?" Danny asked holding the bear close. 

Old Fuzz answered, "Let an old bear give you a piece of advice.  Some things you just have to do even if you don't want to.  Wearing a life jacket just might come in handy!"

"Aww, ok," Danny said with a pout.  He let Grand MaMa strap the life vest around him.

Danny then grabbed Old Fuzz and looked up at the tall mast of his Grand PaPa's sailboat.  He had heard the mast was 58 feet tall.  It was so tall it disappeared into the sky.  With his free hand, Danny grabbed his Grand PaPa's arm and said, "The mast looks like it's stuck in the sky!"

Grand PaPa laughed, "That's only the morning mist.  It will blow away soon, and then we will sail to Martha's Vineyard!"

Old Fuzz Under the Shade of the Dodger

Before long, everyone found seats in the cozy cockpit.  Old Fuzz, who didn't want to get too much sun, sat under the shade of the canvas dodger.  Grand PaPa, sporting big dark glasses, sat at the helm and steered the boat out of the harbor.  As the fresh sea air blew through everyone's hair, and glasses of cool lemonade were passed around, Grand MaMa talked about going back to school.  She tied her sun bonnet about her silver shoulder length hair, and with a nervous laugh said, "Jane, do you know that at my age I am starting school again?  Just like Danny here, starting school!"

 "You sound a little worried," Jane commented.  "Why?  I bet you'll do well.  This is something you always wanted to do."

"I do want to go back and finish college." Grand MaMa said wrapping her arms around herself.  It's really something I have to do for myself.  I'm just a little timid, I guess."

"Well, I don't want to go to school!" Danny interrupted, cross his arms over his chest.  "And I don't mind saying I'm scared!  Do I REALLY have to go?"

Grand PaPa said in a grave voice, "At age five, you're a big boy.  It's time to start kindergarten."

Old Fuzz, who was sitting next to Danny whispered into his ear, "Remember what I said about doing things you have to do?"

Danny, who had lost his patience, cuffed Old Fuzz on the ear as he said, "Hush, you!"

Grand MaMa took a sip of lemonade and said, "The other night, I had a beautiful dream. I dreamed I was swimming to new land.  As I was swimming, three graceful dolphins rose up out of the water next to me.  They rose up and went under, and rose up and went under again.  I felt protected."

Ma  Mère said, "Oh, maybe that's you now, on your new adventure!  You could see wonderful things like dolphins as you go!"

Grand MaMa then jumped up excitedly pointing to starboard, "Oh, look!  Just as we were speaking-there are dolphins!"

Everyone looked to starboard.  Sure enough, a school of dolphins was racing beside Grand PaPa's sailboat.  They jumped out of the water and dived back in as they swam along the side of the ship.

"Aren't they graceful?"  Ma Mère asked as she grabbed her camera to get a shot.  She didn't notice Old Fuzz jump from his seat under the dodger to the scoop transom in the back of the boat to get a better look at the dolphins.  The scoop transom was a platform on the side of the boat.  It was easy to swim from the boat there-or fall from there, too.  Just then, a big wave hit the boat, causing it roll to the side.  Old Fuzz went flying-right into the ocean!

"Help!" Old Fuzz screamed as he splashed into the water.  He didn't know who could hear him.  Ma Mère had the ears to hear but she was taking pictures.  "Danny, you better hear me!  HELP!"

"Grand PaPa!" Danny screamed as he turned to see Old Fuzz hit the drink.  "Old Fuzz fell overboard!"

"Hang on, Old Fuzz!" Ma Mère screamed as she ran to the back of the boat to get the grappling hook.  "Thank heavens we put a life jacket on you!"

"Hang on! Don't sink!" Danny yelled as Grand PaPa struggled to slowly turn the big sailboat around in the strong wind and choppy waves.   Danny held his hands together and prayed Old Fuzz would be all right, and that the dolphins would help him.  Old Fuzz, despite all his stuffing slowing getting waterlogged, didn't sink.   Instead, the life jacket kept his head above water!  And all of a sudden, the dolphins appeared, swimming around Old Fuzz, as if to protect him! 

Danny bent over the side to get a better look, whooping and clapping his hands with joy.  Grand MaMa grabbed on to Danny, not believing her eyes.  Ma Mère snatched the grappling hook, leaned over the side of the boat and managed to hook Old Fuzz by the neck.  All soggy, he weighed a ton in the wate.  Ma Mère struggled as if she was pulling in a huge marlin.  Finally with a mighty pull, she hauled Old Fuzz into the boat. 

"Thanks, Ma Mère," Old Fuzz said sputtering.  "You could have gone easier on the hook.  I will have a bruise on my neck for a month!"

"Hush, Old Fuzz!"  Danny heard Ma Mère whisper.  "You smell like wet dog and dead fish!  Into the wash you go when we get to Martha's Vineyard.  I will have to restuff you!"

Not able to hear this conversation-some adults can't really hear talk with teddy bears-Grand MaMa looked over the water and said sadly, "Oh, the dolphins are gone!  They were so beautiful!"

Ma Mère replied, "I think they'll be back if you need them.  It seems like they are protecting us.  Just like in your dream."

Old Fuzz whispered to Ma Mère, "That was a very sensible thing to say-good for you.  And as for you Danny, see how my life vest helped me, even if I didn't want to wear it?"

Danny, hearing this strange conversation, said, "Huh?  Well, if it was me I could swim or float."  Danny said proudly.  The neat thing to happen was that you got to be protected by dolphins!"

Old Fuzz was patient.  He continued, "Ahem, my point still stands.  Sometimes doing what you have to do but don't want to do can lead to great things-like be protected by dolphins!

Ma Mère said, "Enough!  Who knows, Danny, maybe something magical like dolphins might protect you and your Grand MaMa at school?"

As Grand PaPa got the boat back on course on Old Fuzz thought everyone else, including Grand MaMa and Danny, were now safely on course in their lives.  They would do fine in school.  Martha's Vineyard, here we come!

Your comments are appreciated!

After 35 years of dreamwork, I have seen a deep correlation in my dreams between dream images and processes and the state of my health.  I believe that dreamwork can be a useful tool to

• maintain good health,
• learn about impending health issues, and
• provide ways to deal with or treat or those issues. 

Dreamwork, of course, is no substitute for visiting the doctor regularly and getting a test for something that is of concern.  But dreamwork can be one more source of information (and inspiration) for keeping and acquiring good health.