Two thousand and twenty five’s rapidly waning.
It’s time for my eloquent-quaint-entertaining-
annual-poetical family synopsis. I’ve not started
yet! Please hold your applause. Is everyone settled?
Alright—here we go:
January brought us a fair bit of snow, which
the kids found exciting. We all went outside
with beach boogie boards and started to slide
the mountainous hill that leads to our house.
Speaking of which, we had to delouse our garage,
which’d acquired a scraggly grey guest—
not a mouse, but America’s (only and) best
marsupial creature—a possum! Ben wheeled
it out in a barrow. It cowered and squealed,
ran into the woods.
My next little quandary was how so many wrappers
wound up in the laundry. Some days there were dozens,
some days there were less. Alex’s pockets
were a comical mess (he’s been better since
then about using the bin).
In April I took to the polls once again—first time
ever voting on Canadian matters. They say to
“vote early, vote often!” I live by that mantra.
Now hear one from Phoebe, who thinks there
is only one place that we should be—
the pool. She inquires from October to May
whether we can go swimming. Will today be the day?
So from May to October I’m sure you can guess
where we spend our time. The kids have progressed—
they’re sleek and they’re fast. Two made it to county
(where Zo sang the anthem)! Now Ben swims year-
round; he’s perpetually fetid with eau-de-chlorine,
a regular butter-back-breast-free machine!
This summer we all drove down to Panama…
City Beach. Gotcha—we’re not that bourgeois!
Though, to be fair, both Mimi and Rachel went
with Grandpa and Darla to see the palatial
city of London, a trip fit for a grad.
Rachel’s subsequent move to the Y made us sad,
but she’s doing so well with scholastic endeavors.
Following footsteps of her predecessors she
works at the library—in cataloging (for music
and dance stuff, if we’re pettifogging).
Soon after she moved, Grandpa Frank passed
away at ninety-six years. Our German nisei
taught all our kids to be wary of Krampus.
This fall we had Miriam drive me to campus
to rack up some hours toward earning her license.
She learned reverse parking with technical guidance
from Auntie K, who came out for a visit. She took
us to Tennessee—it was exquisite: we visited Rosie,
spelunked Ruby Falls, but we had to get home—
as they say, “Duty calls.”
As if swimming and music stuff wasn’t enough
we added gymnastics for Zoë. She’s rough-
-ly as bendy as a bendy straw. Her backbend
encourages jaw-dropping awe.
Alex got baptized on November first.
Dad had a conference (and got reimbursed).
He packed up a suitcase with all of his clothes…
except for his pants. Seems he forgot those!
Pneumonia knocked Phoebe out for a few weeks
(she’s still a bit gravelly whenever she speaks).
But I left her behind and I took off to Vegas
to present my research/have a mothering hiatus.
My trip home involved a stop at BYU to visit
with Rach (who came down with the flu),
my parents and sister and all of her cats.
We’ve been married for twenty whole years now
and that’s a long time to’ve published these
Christmas narrations. I think I’ve fulfilled
this year’s obligation, so let’s end this
issue. I will not inflict you with more rhymes
‘til two thousand twenty and six!
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