50 Something Moms

A Christmas Poem with My Apologies to Mr. Moore


Twas three nights before Christmas and out in the garage
The cat was all toasty, the mice frozen in the yard

The stockings, found finally, were flung cross a living room chair
Waiting to be filled with the year’s supply of socks and underwear

The youngest daughter was nestled, though not quite asleep, in her bed
with visions of dollhouses prancing in her head.

While I at my keyboard slaved over this rhyme
My husband the elf hoped to finish the dollhouse in time

From out in the garage I could hear all the clatter
Because finishing the darn thing was all that mattered

I peeped through the windows behind frozen sash
Remembering he’d said it would be done in a flash

The streetlights revealed a crisp crusty snow
And hoar-frosted trees cast a wintery glow

When suddenly before my wondering gaze did appear
A cart load of elves pulled by one tiny reindeer

Okay, that didn’t happen. A girl can dream can’t she?
No nose-wiggling was going to produce that tiny mansion.

So back to my desk and my writing and thoughts
To wonder where the meaning of Christmas was lost

Not on my child. She knows it alright.
It’s all about Santa who comes in the night.

Nor on my husband whose heart is in the right place.
It’s all about putting a smile on her face.

The older two daughters consulted with Dad.
To discover the gifties to make us all glad.

‘Tis I who am grinchy and Scroogey to boot.
Thinking we should’ve saved money not bought extra loot.

We’ve pared back this year, but will we be safe?
In this unfamiliar world, where so many chafe?

‘Tis not too long ’til Christmas, there is still much to do.
But the cards are in the post and the packages too.

Time to lay fears to rest
And hope for the best

Happy Christmas my friends and a Joyous New Year
As John Lennon said best, let’s hope it’s a good one without anymore fear

This was an original 50 Something Moms piece.

FYI – New Posts and a Book Giveaway


Don’t forget to leave a comment on tomorrow’s post for a chance to win Joshua Henkin’s novel, Matrimony.

And if you have a few minutes, check me out on 50 something Moms – here and here. And leave a comment there as well.

It’s Friday. Here’s Your Update.


Since I have been posting updates the last few weeks, I decided to again, but mainly because I am a little wrung out creatively speaking. I have written about four pieces over at 50 something Moms and adding pages to the memoir plus written the Christmas letter, a snarky little ditty that says nothing people who truly know us don’t already know and yet manages to remind others they could be keeping in better touch if they tried harder.

I am swamped with “to do’s” and find this amazing because I wasn’t this busy when I was gainfully employed. I have the Strathcona Writers website to try and log on to and update (not to mention create a blog and a Facebook group for) and the Fort writing group anthology is just taking off and is much more work than any of us thought it would be. And isn’t that usually the case?

My brother has been in touch several times this week too. There are things to worry about but not in print. Suffice to say, he is a long way from okay, but not in any danger that anyone in the family is aware of at this point.

Yesterday was my birthday. BabyD gave me a book called The Art of Column Writing that a writing friend and fellow blogger recommended. She is one who thinks I have the makings of a good columnist, one of my goals in the first quarter of the new year.

Yes, my year is now divided into frames of time as though I were a corporation. I am getting ready to map out the coming weeks and even meeting with someone at the bank on Monday to set up a “business account” because even though I have no inflow, I have expenses and, I think, a good business woman keeps those things separate from the household accounts for tax purposes – right?

Like a business card. I have gotten it into my head I need one. Now I just have to figure out what it should look like and say.

Rob gave me a digital voice recorder for my birthday. Instead of stopping in my tracks to pull out my notebook and a  pen (provided I can find them in my stuffed little purse – there is something else I need to “update”), I can whip out my recorder (yeah, definitely gonna need a new purse) and talk to myself. That will provide the locals something to give me “the look” about.

I got “the look” today from the spin instructor at the gym while I was snapping photos of the equipment for a piece I am going to write for 50something Moms.

“What are you doing?”

“Taking pictures for a column I am writing for a blog.”

And then comes the look. The one reserved for those of us who are a little bit off.

Tonight the Christmas Train is stopping here in Jo’berg. Country singers, sleigh rides and a bonfire with eats.

Later tonight the temps plummet and the weekend highs will be in the minus 20 c and colder range with minus 31c by Monday morning. Not cold enough for BabyD to need to be driven to school. Buses will run until minus 40. School, by the way, is never called off. Canadians are incredibly sensible about travel and road conditions. If they feel the roads are too bad to drive, they simply don’t. They don’t go to work. They don’t take their kids to school. There don’t seem to be repercussions for this because everyone from high up to lowest on the pole are of the same mind on the matter.

I am taking the elevation of my age by another year in stride. A thorough assessment reveals that I am not too fat, the skin under my chin is soft but not waddly and the white in my hair can still be camouflaged with minimal intervention. I do have crows feet. I am wearing progressive lens. But overall I appear to be maintaining.