Christmas-Eve Day

“Twas Christmas-Eve day," and all through our house,
The kitties were stirring, in search of a mouse.

With Missy on guard, and Junior prowling ‘round. We were watching TV, not making a sound.

The stockings were hung on the mantel with care,

In hopes that Junior would not go on a tear.

Filled with ornaments and lights, to brighten the season,

The house was all warmed . . . 'gainst the cold was the reason.

Mother was nestled all snug her chair,

While the TV was blaring with holiday fares.

Me in my sweater, with Junior in lap,

Had just settled in for an afternoon nap.

Sunlight caressed the freshly mown lawn,

Gave warmth to the day,

as dog-walkers trudged on.

Then the doorbell rang, there arose such a clatter,

Junior sprang from my lap to see what was the matter.

Away to the window, he flew like a flash,

Tore open my leg, while Missy chewed on the sash.

When what to my drowsy eyes should appear,

But gift-bearing neighbors, with sweet Christmas cheer.

Their mother was jolly, so lively and quick, I knew in an instant it wasn't St. Nick.

Up to the door, the young family came.

With a card and a package, she called us by name - "Where's Patrick, where's Lori we have a gift!" she exclaimed.

Their eyes how they twinkled, their dimples how merry!
Cheeks like roses, nose like a cherry!
They were dressed all in red from their head to their toes,

And the smiles they wore set their faces aglow.

A bright red platter in the little girls' hand,

Was extended with joy, that was part of the plan.

Perched on the window and balanced with care,

The kitties just watched but tried not to stare.

We accepted warm cookies, a right jolly old snack.
I looked like a peddler adding gifts to the stack.

I spoke not a word, but went straight to work.
Filling the stockings then turned with a jerk.
And warming my fingers by striking a match,
Strolled to the fireplace, to open the hatch.

As the neighbor’s departed we heard them say, “Happy Christmas to all,” . . . Have a Great Day!

Updated 12/24/2019

Comments

A Mother’s Day Reflection

With Mother’s Day here and the world bustling with cards, brunches, and busy schedules, I find myself reflecting on something a bit simpler: taking a moment to remember the person who helped shape my earliest sense of home. Mauricette Elaine (Bontemps) Ball. My Mom. We arrived in Cuba after leaving La Rochelle, France, in 1959—a transition whose enormity I only fully appreciate now. My mother, barely in her mid-twenties, stepped into Midwestern life with remarkable courage. Her smile could warm the coldest Illinois morning, and her hugs lingered long after she let go—quiet reminders that you were deeply loved. Born February 16, 1934, the third of four children, she grew up in Nazi-occupied La Rochelle. As kids, we listened wide-eyed to stories of soldiers patrolling her streets and fear shadowing everyday life. Yet she carried none of that darkness forward. What endured was resilience and an unwavering devotion to family—qualities she carried across the Atlantic and planted firmly in C...

Time Travel, Roving Mics, and Muscle Memory

In this episode, the 2026 Sinkankas Symposium. Let’s get one thing straight: I didn’t arrive in a DeLorean. No flux capacitor, no dramatic lightning strike—just a Saturday parking pass and a name badge. And yet, somewhere between the rotunda doors and the first handshake, it happened anyway. This past Saturday, April 25th, I was transported—effortlessly and completely—back in time at the 20th Annual Sinkankas Symposium on the GIA campus in Carlsbad. Walking into that magnificent main campus rotunda early with my colleagues, Paul Mattlin and Glenn Wargo, felt like wrapping myself in a familiar, gem-encrusted blanket. It was less a building, more a family living room where nobody ever really forgets your name. The halls were quiet (a rare and beautiful thing), and the soft echo of our footsteps on the polished floors sounded exactly as I remembered it. For a moment, it wasn’t 2026—it was April 1997, my first time walking onto the beautiful, brand-new GIA campus as Director of Alumni. Som...

Freedom 7 - 65th Anniversary

Podcast - Freedom 7; 65th Anniversary . "Man must rise above the Earth - to the top of the atmosphere and beyond - for only thus will he fully understand the world in which he lives." - Socrates, 500 B.C. May 5, 2026, marks the 65th anniversary of Freedom 7's launch. Commander Alan B. Shepard, Jr. became the first American in space. A 15-minute sub-orbital flight, a day for the history books; the entire world was watching. NASA and the world had witnessed many trial runs explode violently on the launch pad. The space program was in its infancy. Unlike today, there were far too many unknowns. This prompted me to pull out one of my favorite books from my office library, Light This Candle , by Neal Thompson, copyright 2004. Light This Candle is a biography of Alan Shepard, Jr., you won't be able to put down. It's - "Story-telling at its best . . . every page is alive," says David Hartman, U.S Naval Institute. In the opening pages, you read endorsements fr...

Ode To Gemology

For over 80 years, students of gemology have struggled with spectrums, bewildered by birefringence, and simply plagued by pleochroism. The following sonnet is guaranteed to bring a smile to your face, a glow to your heart, and a simple reminder that students of life and gemology rediscover nature's gifts every day. Ode to Gemology , by a GIA on-campus student. Dispersion, fire, adventurescence. Orient, sheen, or iridescence. Refractive index, high or low. The luster should indicate that, you know. Polarization, double or single. What to do now, they intermingle. Pleochroic colors you really should see. Was that only two, or actually three? Birefringence should help you a lot. Use your polarizer and watch the spot. Now, did it jump most on low or high? Sure, you can get it if you really try! Your liquids should be an aid, I think. Does it float, suspend, or slowly sink? Just use your imagination now. (He doesn't see me wiping my brow.) Solid inclusions or only bubbles? Huh, th...

On The Fly

Search This Blog