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I have always loved
Care Bears, starting from my fourth birthday when I received the
entire set of poseables. Please read below for tragic, yet heroic
stories about the bears in my life.
 Dec
23, 1984 - Received the Care Bear poseables along with Care-A-Lot,
Cloud Mobile & the Rainbow Roller (I'm the one to the right,
with the bow on my head, the other gal is my sister).
Dec 25, 1984 - Got my first plush Care Bear stuffed animals.
Wish & Bedtime Bear.
Jan 1986 - My miniature Gram's bear is accosted during Sacrament
meeting at church by who I thought was my best friend. It debilitated
her symbol and left her sullen forever more. It also took me months
to convince my mom to let me bring toys to church again.
Summer 1986 - A fierce competition brews between my Care
Bears and the Strawberry Shortcake dolls. Each one of them strives
for domination over my little girl heart. A battle ensued in which
my Care Bears ran over every prissy doll with the cloud car, tied
them up, and lived and looted in the luxurious Strawberry Shortcake
Berry Happy home. Grumpy bear even tried on Lemon Meringue's dress.
It was nothing but parties during that brief period, until my mother
forced me to keep all my toys together in the correct sets. It's
too bad too, because my Care Bears were on their way to conquering
Castle Gray Skull, Rose Petal's Watering Can, and the My Little
Pony nursery. 
Summer 1986 - The tragic and mysterious disappearance of
the Love-A-Lot and Bedtime bear poseables wracks the Care Bear community.
All clues pointed to a young girl visiting in the house who left
with pockets a little fuller than before. In the end there was not
enough evidence to convict her and rumors of the two running off
together hung in the air like the smell of bad cheese. They were
never found. The rest of the bears held a farewell ceremony and
the symbol spinner on Care-A-Lot remained on Grumpy's symbol for
weeks.
 Christmas
1986 - My father and stepmother gave me all the Care Bear Cousin
common poseables. The favorites are Bright Heart and Cozy Heart,
because I'd always wanted a pet raccoon, and penguin.
Spring 1987 - All my Care Bear Cousin Poseables except Lotsa
Heart are mistakenly given away while moving to another house. All
attempts to rescue them proved futile. They later reappeared in
various distant relatives homes and are rumored to live with an
aunt along with a basement full of toys.
Christmas 1987 - I get my first Care Bear cousin plushies,
Gentle heart & Swift Heart. I also get a Care Bear cousin bed
spread set (pictured a few pictures below).
Summer 1988 - In a horrific and tragic lawn mower accident
Lotsa Heart's nose parts company with his body. Lotsa Heart soon
found a nice landfill in which to settle down in.
Summer 1989 - I excitedly announce to my mother that I had
made a punching bag for my Care Bears who want to become professional
boxers. She turns to see a tampon tied to my Care-A-Lot play set
ledge. You can only guess what I used for Care Bear beds the next
day.
Winter 1990 - Wanton for Star Buddies, I perform PVC surgery
on the cloud keeper's broom and PVC's, permanently maiming them,
but obtaining two new star buddies, which were later eaten by the
family dog.
Spring 1991 - Cloud car is totaled.
Summer 1991 - Allowing my youngest sister to play with my
Care Bears proves disastrous when in a feverish fit of frivolity,
my Friend Bear poseable is lost forever.
1991 - 1995 - My Care Bears are encapsulated in total darkness
for several years inside my spider infested basement. Some went
crazy, others invented imaginary friends, while others took to constant
muttering - all combating the darkness and isolation.
Spring 1995 - In a malignant attempt to show my Care Bear
pride I destroyed my PVC story book case, took out the pictures
and pasted them all over my locker and folders at school in Jr.
High. The kids still thought I was a dork.
Fall 1996 - I invent the Scare Bears, the opposite of Care
bears. Characters include: Dumbswine, Tenderfart, Lumpy, Swear,
Goo Muck, Fiend, Baby Thug, Baby Drug, Scam Bear, Wishy-Washy, Bad
Time & Shove-A-Lot. What can I say, I was a teenager!
Summer 1998 - I discover the amazing world of the
internet and find an actual site selling Care Bears. Dreams of replacing
my lost three float around in my mind, but lack of funds puts off
the vision.
Summer 1999 - I discover ebay and begin wiping out my check
book by buying tons of 80's & 90's toy collectibles. I reunite
the long lost Love-A-Lot, Bedtime & Friend poseables with their
kin. I begin gathering the care Bear cousin poseables.
 Summer
2000 - I pay $7.00 for 30 Care Bear stuffed animals at a garage
sale. I also got a really keen looking microwave! (Okay, so that
wasn't Care Bear related) The microwave later died of un-related
causes as well.
Jan 2001 - A whole room in my house is filled with 80's
toys. I have to decide which will stay and which will go. I decided
all go but Care Bears, for they always dominate my heart. Then I
proceeded to sell thousands of dollars worth of toys on ebay.
 July
2002 - I begin my hunt to finally complete my care bear collection.
Purchase a catalog on ebay from 1986 featuring rare care bear poseables.
July 2002 - I discover the Caring Board, a community of
collectors and lovers of cuddly bears. I make myself right at home.
 Fall
2002 - Play Along Toys reissues Care Bears for all the world
to remember. I am driven silly with excitement.
October 2002 - I buy up the first six 20th Anniversary poseables,
but have to wait for Christmas to open them! I might add that this
was very hard, but at the time frivolous purchases of this sort
had to be justified.
December 2002 - Through a miracle and a birthday present,
I obtain rare Loyal, Proud and Playful Heart Poseables. I stay awake
for weeks until they finally arrive. When they do I don't stop looking
at them for weeks more.
Spring 2003 -Play Along Toys released
preschool play sets - I start up toy selling again to support
the new collection.
August 2003 - The Care-A-Lot Castle comes out!!!
August 2003 - My web site is launched.
October 2003 - My little girl (Abigail) goes as Bedtime
bear for Halloween (no, I'm not brainwashing her!) Anyway, she has
also adopted my little sister's plush Share Bear as her new tote-around.
Abigail really loves her Care Bear plushies.
Summer 2004 - The Care Bear frenzy has reached a fevered pitch. All over the world collectors are flocking toward these cuddly creatures. This helps support my new ebay career.
 August 2004 - My web site is closed to provide a fresh new look.
September 2004 - I obtain a set of rare environmental prototype poseables from a private seller who has links with Kenner.
October 2004 - Abby and I get to meet our very own Care Bear at the National Care Week kick off at Toys R Us!
December 2004 - My web site reopens with it's fantastic new look! Just in time for Christmas!
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