Wow,
Tom Turkey is eaten,
and
wouldn’t you know it,
it’s time
for yours truly,
to be a
Christmas poet.
So let’s see what transpired,
how the
year has blessed,
and send
seasons greetings
to
those we love best.
Our “close by” family is OK,
we can
start with that news;
son,
daughter and families …
none are
singing the blues.
We are thankful for that,
and hope
you are happy as well;
may this
holiday season find you
with good
stories to tell;
Mae’s mom … our “Suggie”
has had
some bad shoulder pain
she is in
our prayers this season…
yes, now
… and … again n’again.
At 85, shoulder replacement
is just
not in her plans;
her
children are doing their best
to help
… however they can.
My folks too, turned 90 …
(I hope to have those genes),
they are
… “getting by” …
as each
… on the other … leans.
So our parents still teach us,
with
wisdom we still see,
how to
take the day’s blessings
and grow
old … gracefully.
When the
we were
off to
took
Brent to see the Rizzutos,
our
friends for many a year.
O joy to see that whole family
and
while returning and a’going,
we
spent time at “Nanny’s” where
the Cox
family had faces a’glowing.
Everyone was looking great,
their
smiles a welcome treat;
Brent loved the Saint’s museum
and NASA
was …“real neat”!
In May, Mae and daughter Cindi
at the
Elia’s beach house had a date;
those
rooms got all painted,
… that
Faux stuff looks just great!
The next month I saw it too,
back to
but the
wind got up and water too,
so that
house got … a test.
Come July, Mae was off to see
Suggie,
and … I
… to
Poppa’s 90th birthday
celebrated,
listened how
his cup … “overflowed”!
Good to see many of the family,
the
Rucker clan seemed “all smiles”;
and
Poppa’s “remembrances”, well
… they
made it all …worthwhile!
Off at the beach were the
grandsons,
Ryan, Brent and Colin too; their
Mommas & Poppas were with
them,
so
cousins stayed out of the stew.
Suggie was getting a little TLC
when
Cindy and Mae came around,
a’ cleaning, cooking and a’
running
… made a
tiny star in their crowns.
Then sister Jenny and dog Sid
Vicious
showed up
to lend a hand,
Suggie has to get better …
to
avoid the Spivey girls plans.
And cousin
Robbie helps our Suggie,
we can
point to her with pride,
almost
every Wednesday
she
provides a beauty shop ride!
August was our month for
traveling,
and
overseas … our destination,
when
…she joined us without
hesitation.
Eastern Europe we toured for two
weeks,
Palaces, waltzes, and
sightseeing,
Hard to tell which
was the best.
We ended up in
in
to meet
up with lovely Katherine
Cindy’s
exchange student from ‘98.
Met her mother & brother for
lunch,
Katherine introduced us to
pirogues,
certainly nice
to us Americans because
we must
have seemed like old fogies.
From the inhumanity of
to Jasna Gora and it’s shrine;
we saw
the sights of east
most
behind the iron curtain, at one time.
Grandson Colin turned 17 in
September,
Wow, doesn’t the time just fly
by,
He’s a’trucking all round
Rockmart,
not just
one girl has caught his eye.
In October Mae got to
to help
Suggie with some stuff,
but home
in time for Halloween,
and
planning Christmas...sure enough.
Mae likes to get things
organized,
helps her
accomplish much… you see,
but
because of planned trips to
in
October we put up a Christmas tree!
My schedule was also hectic,
two
weeks in the
and I
was there when they elected
Right before that little jaunt,
I was off to
Colin and Brent our high school
students,
… and
Lipscomb they wanted to see!
While they were off a’visiting,
I got to see my Mom and Pop,
Computer scanned old pictures,
now I
can give them…or even swap.
Missed
mother’s 90th birthday party.
would have
loved to have seen you all,
so
blessed, she remembers the good times,
the other … she might
not recall.
Our youngest grandson …Ryan,
has a
musical love like his Dad,
so for
his 12 birthday party
concert
tickets were what he had.
Off to
to
listen to the singer … Chris Rice,
just turn
on your Christian radio,
you will
hear him singing so nice!
Mae spent Thanksgiving at her
mother’s
and they
joined the Spivey bunch,
Joyce and Jimmy invited them over
for a
feast …. and goodies to munch.
I went over to Russ and Janet’s,
they too
had cooked up a storm,
and when
Janet’s family brought dishes,
we all
ate it up in good form!
I guess the Pilgrims got it
started,
but we
seem to have gone one better,
and it
should not surprise me …
that I can’t
seem to button my sweater!
We have one more trip before
Christmas,
away off
to
to
drive back one of the imports,
that our
friends the Rizzuto’s now sell.
So we place you now… dear reader,
right at
the door of our heart,
with hope
in this
in these
wishes you will take part.
It is you …for which we are
thankful,
for you
…we wish happiness… galore.
May the joys of this holiday
season
stay with
you in...two thousand and four!
John Rucker – December 2003