Introducing: Bruce, the Wombat of Wellness

Bruce was a gift to me when I was a child, and he's been part of the family ever since. He was the scale by which my brother communicated how big my niece was when she was born a month after I moved to America, and how much she had grown whenever we spoke. He has provided comfort to family members recovering in hospital, and he is a source of comfort to me when I'm feeling unwell or just a bit low.

Bruce is an important connection for me to my family and to my home country, Australia. I have fond memories of watching an Aussie TV show called A Country Practice, where one of the cast was a wombat named Fatso who lived with the town's doctor.

Why did I name him Bruce? I don't recall exactly the origin of the name but I strongly suspect it had something to do with my family's enjoyment of Monty Python.