Many a cat can only be lured in by switching off all the lights and keeping very still. Until the indignant cry of a cat-locked-out comes at the door.

Becoming a grandmother is wonderful. One moment you're just a mother. The next you are all-wise and prehistoric.

We expect too much at Christmas. It's got to be magical. It's got to go right. Feasting. Fun. The perfect present. All that anticipation. Take it easy. Love's the thing. The rest is tinsel.

Bears being sent through the mail should never be squashed up to make them fit. It gives them indigestion.

If you've only one breath left, use it to say thank you.

In a world gone bad, a bear - even a bear standing on its head - is a comforting, uncomplicated, dependable hunk of sanity.

Bears need people. People need bears.