The teddy-bear trend is spreading like ... well ... margarine on a nice fresh and crusty piece of bread.
You thought we were going to say spreading like something else then, didn't you?
As you may know, Louise Hislop started a teddy-bear spotting game in Cooks Hill.
The idea is that people put a teddy bear in their front yard, so kids can go on a bear hunt as they walk or drive around the neighbourhood with their parents.
We're glad to report that loads of people are taking up the trend. We've had teddy bear pictures from The Junction, Tighes Hill, Glendale, Bar Beach, Newcastle, Croudace Bay, Cessnock, Ellalong, New Lambton Heights, Cameron Park, Maryland, Rathmines - and even Port Macquarie.
We also had an email from Maryland's Chris Maskell.
"My bears have been too busy training for the 2021 Olympics to spend time sitting in windows. Here are a few shots from their training regimes," Chris said.
The pictures show Chris's teddies doing synchronised swimming, equestrian, the 100-metre sprint and rowing.
Let's keep this teddy-bear trend happening to cheer everyone up. Send your teddy bear pictures to topics@newcastleherald.com.au.
Teddies in Albania
Our teddy-bear stories prompted this message from a reader named Ian.
"Look up teddy bears hanging off people's houses in Albania. They used them to ward off the evil eye. Serious. They're everywhere. As they weather, they get spookier."
The Albanians, we're told, are lovely people. They're also very superstitious.
The teddy bears in the Hunter are kind of like those in Albania, only ours are to ward off the blues.
Swim With The Tide
New Lambton's Warren Beacher belongs to a group of blokes called Seals.
"We've been going for about 12 years," Warren said, adding that they swim one kilometre every Saturday around dawn at Merewether Ocean Baths.
"We try to get the odd swim in during the week, with a lot of the retired members generally swimming every day.
"With the possibility of the pool closing, one of our members - Keith Harris of Hamilton South - has sent out an invite to join him for a swim in his makeshift pool. Only condition is he has lane 10. He's yet to get any takers."
Dunny Roll Ballad
This from reader Ross Illes: "You may have seen the Ballad of the Dunny Roll on YouTube. If not, have a look. It's extremely funny and clever. Australian humour which no other country would understand."
Viral Joke
Due to self-isolation rules, some friends decided to have an online party. They all wore masks. They're calling it a masquerade party.
