She made a special point of taking us upstairs to show us her collection of Steiff stuffed toys. Someone asked me: "What is the significance of Steiff?" I had to explain that during the Presidency of Theodore Roosevelt the idea of a Teddy Bear was born in the United States based on a cartoon showing President Roosevelt in Mississippi to resolve a border dispute between Missiisippi and Louisiana, refusing to shoot a bear his aids had tied up for him to shoot. The cartoon was published nation wide and the wild bear Teddy refused to shoot became known as Teddy's Bear, was made into stuffed bears by a small toy shop in New York City, thus starting the love affair with the Teddy Bear in this country. Simultaneously in Germany, Richard Steiff, son of a toy manufacturer, Margaret Steiff, drew more cuddly models of stuffed bears, modifying that companies stiff bears that were on all fours to an upright bear which was softer and more cuddly. This newer Steiff version of the stuffed bear appeared at a Leipzig toy fair where American buyers saw it, knew the Teddy Bear craze that was going on in the US, and brought the Steiff bear to the US. Hence the story of the simultaneous appearance of the cuddly stuffed bear in the US and Germany in the early 20th century. Heidi's collection includes not only bears, but many other Steiff stuffed animals.
We had the unusual pleasure of hearing Paul play his guitar for us. He has learned this instrument admirably and provided some background music to our conversations. Then he played two songs to which we could sing. They are two Beatle Songs. But I am not sure that most of us would listen or completely hear the words when listening to the Beatles sing them. We had the words printed out for us and I, for one, was surprised at the depth of the words. They are printed here for your perusal. Click Read More below.
Imagine there's no heaven
It's easy if you try
No hell below us
Above us only sky
Imagine all the people
Living for today...
Imagine there's no countries
It isn't hard to do
Nothing to kill or die for
And no religion too
Imagine all the people
Living life in peace...
You may say I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us
And the world will be as one.
Imagine no possessions
I wonder if you can
No need for greed or hunger
A brotherhood of man
Imagine all the people
Sharing all the world...
You may say I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us
And the world will live as one.
Happy Christmas (War Is Over) -- John Lennon and Yoko Ono (Lyrics and Chords)
So this is Christmas
And what have you done
Another year over
And a new one just begun
And so this is Christmas
I hope you have fun
The near and the dear ones
The old and the young.
(Refrain)
A very merry Christmas
And a happy New Year
Let's hope it's a good one
Without any fear.
And so this is Christmas War is over
For weak and for strong If you want it
For rich and the poor ones War is over
The road is so long Now
And so happy Christmas War is over
For black and for white If you want it
For yellow and red ones War is over
Let's stop all the fight Now
(Refrain)
And so this is Christmas War is over
And what have we done If you want it
Another year over War is over
And a new one just begun Now
And so happy Christmas War is over
I hope you have fun If you want it
The near and the dear one War is over
The old and the young Now
(Refrain)
War is over, if you want it
War is over now.
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