Christmas Joy

Puffy warm snowsuits and mittens on strings
Mugs of warm cocoa and sleigh bells that ring
Long winter shadows on short sunny days
That Christmastime feeling comes so many ways.

A star in the East and a star on the tree
A wee gift from you and another from me
Shortbread and whiskey leave friends in a daze
That Christmastime feeling comes so many ways.

Flakes on the window and boots crunching snow
Miles of bright lights left to twinkle and glow
Linus and Rudolph and Frosty for days
That Christmastime feeling comes so many ways.

This loveable writer has one wish, it’s true – That she brings that Christmastime feeling to you!

run frogger,8,1

Back in the early 80’s, when I was yet a child of the single digits, the morning show of CFTR with Tom Rivers and Mike Cooper Brampton radio station CKMW ran a contest surrounding the hit new board game SuperQuiz. (Editor’s Note:  Mum corrected me on the station and says she can’t remember the DJ’s name but does remember that he was very good looking!  I think it was Russ SomethingOrOther…) My mother managed to get through on a regular basis and became one of the multi-show winners.  One of the early prizes, of course, was the actual game.  As the contest went on, Mum continued to win as did two other contestants.  All three became finalists in one last game held at the centre court of the Bramalea City Centre.  The grand prize was a brand new Commodore 64.

My father being a young electrical engineer, this was quite a coveted prize.  In preparation, he and Mum spent their evenings memorizing every card and every question in the box.  As a result, Mum was indeed crowned SuperQuiz Master and the computer came home with us that day with full fanfare from family and friends.  Its arrival in our living room was a grand party – complete with pizza and flowing alcohol.  The kids were spellbound and the adults jockeyed for position at the keyboard.  I’m sure my sister and I were carried off to bed just before our eyeballs dropped from their sockets.  The adults, meanwhile, stayed up learning all about BASIC, floppy disks and that oh so brightly coloured joystick.  Everyone had a great evening.  Except, of course, for the poor frog; he never did make it across the highway that night.

Red Plastic Skis of Doom

The yard stretched out before me, a barren wasteland of snow and ice. Shadows were gathering in the late afternoon gloaming beneath low grey clouds laden with snow. Tears freezing on my cheeks, I let out another wail.

“Mummy!”

No good. I could see the flickering of the TV in the living room and knew that Daddy was watching Buck Rogers from his yellow recliner. I couldn’t see her, but figured that Mummy must be upstairs with the baby. They were all warm and dry inside and couldn’t hear me.

Just Me and Just You

You sparkle and twinkle and shine like the sun,
Your life’s full of promise – it’s only begun.
You’re a princess, a dancer, a pirate at sea;
Oh yes, you can be anything you could be!

You’re the bulb to my socket, the toast to my jam.
You’re just as yum-yummy as a warm Christmas ham!
And I think it’s amazing, my darling wee fart,
That you’ve burrowed your way right down deep in my heart.

For My Marjie you are and Your Auntie I’ll be,
As the days turn to years and for eternity!

Put your hand in mine, darling, we’ll watch the world grow.
I’ll teach you to wiggle and giggle just so.
You’ll teach me to see and to learn all anew.

And we’ll always be buddies – Just me and just you.

Lady Eve

The Lady Eve was born the year of nineteen thirty one,
In early May just as the earth was warming in the sun.
A second child but the first girl for parents Fred and May,
She and Ted then ruled the roost not far from Humber Bay.

These two were joined by Connie and Pat and the siblings numbered four,
And the little town of Burnhamthorpe grew up a little more.
The Reeves’ were just a part of this community that would thrive,
And many other friends were there to stay throughout their lives.

The years flew by and soon Eve was at high school in Port Credit,
And though her beaus were many she soon turned to William Pellett.
She’d known him long but took her time to finally agree,
To leave all others and to bind the Reeves and Pellett trees.