With due deference to Clement Moore
‘Twas the night before Christmas, in a condo we rented,
No one was stirring, they’re all quite contented.
The stockings were emptied, to wait we couldn’t bear,
We had to use Zoom, so Lindsay was there,
Now Molly and Mitchel nestled in their bed,
While visions of scrapple dance in their head.
And Lise was snoozing, while I did a nightcap,
This whole crazy year I wanted to recap.
My thoughts were all swirling, my brain pitter-patter,
Nothing was clicking, not sure what’s the matter.
Thoughts would appear, then disappear in a flash,
Whirling and twirling, then they would crash.
All of them spinning could make one feel sick,
Focus and think, get it together right quick.
When what to my wondering mind should appear,
We had us a riot at the start of the year.
tRump lost the election, but he couldn’t believe it,
He ranted and raved, pushed his minions to riot.
More rapid than eagles, his flunkies they came,
And he whistled and shouted and called them by name.
Now! Dimwits, now! Dummies, now! Proud boys and Flynn,
On Qanon, on Nazis, on Oath Keepers and kin.
Assault Capitol Hill, and climb up that wall,
Now march away, march away, march away all.
As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,
They marched to the Hill, for a coup to try.
They invaded the Capitol, but their coup did fail,
Left to hang by their leader, many went to jail.
And then in a twinkling COVID came to mind,
A worse pandemic you rarely will find.
New versions have hit us and nasty the lot,
Till all are vaccinated, our efforts are naught.
It keeps coming back, I fault anti-Vaxers,
Here’s hoping they all have a date with the knackers.
Thoughts were still coming, not all of them bad,
This year has been strange, but not everything sad.
We managed some travel, going by car,
Not wanting to fly, we couldn’t go too far.
Some trips to Delaware, with side trips to Philly,
And missing Marquette would simply be silly.
We got to Nebraska, and now Florida too,
With Molly and Mitchell, most of our crew.
And our crew’s doing well, we’re proud of them all,
Each has good reason to be standing right tall.
Molly and Mitchell still living in Philly,
they travel all over, their schedule’s a dilly,
Mitchell’s new tech job means working from home,
Comes in quite handy as much as they roam.
Lindsay heard a calling, it’s her future you see,
Now she’s in grad school, soon a teacher to be.
University of Michigan, she’s now Maize and Blue,
To the old Green and White, she couldn’t stay true.
Molly’s been published, working on that degree,
To be the first in our family with a big PhD.
Tho’ times may seem dark, there’s always some light,
So happy Christmas to all and to all a goodnight
Ed's and Lise's Biggish Years 