Christmas Letters Past - 2007

We wrote this poem because there just wasn’t very much drama this year. Please read out loud (preferably to someone else) with many hand gestures. The extra hamming it up improves the poem.

I’m afraid things were somewhat boring this year.
The sky has not fallen, no gall bladder grew back
Our health has been strong,
And this year we’ve suffered not a single deer attack.

I still work at Lowes, peddling appliances
While Phyllis still schools; Calc. II, Reading, and the Social Sciences.
On many Sundays I play in a wind quintet
While Phyllis studies, and cooks, and studies, and crafts, and studies…
and plays with our pets.

Phyllis is now an Alpha, a Rho and a Zeta
an Omega, a Mu and even a Theta.
So many societies joined, pins and braids amassed
At graduation General Phyllis she’ll be called
Receiving salutes when the ROTC walks past.

Our seasons were somewhat flipped this year
With an autumn arriving in early Jan,
When a new niece with bright red hair did appear
Autumn Faith Galley, the third little Galley
In Nicole and Kent’s clan.

Though things were somewhat pedestrian this year
Phyllis and I suffered a number of broken limbs,
But not of ourselves, just of our trees
When the January downpour began to freeze.

While others were without power for days, even weeks
Only one day without did Phyllis endure
I say Phyllis alone,
Since I was warm at work, not cold at home.





Though limbs cracked and broke we kept our unusual luck
For none struck house nor car nor truck.
Lucky we were though it took 12 loads or more
to remove all the debris from our old Sycamore.

Tess left us this year
Always we were her pets, She
The caring owner.

We now have a new cat, Izzy,
Isabella on a rare occasion.
She keeps Snickerdoodle great company
And has a better sense of her cat station.

Though things weren’t particularly exciting this year
A party was thrown, a fortieth anniv. party for Nola and Manne
Plotted and planned by Phyllis and Nicole and me
With an assist by Annalee… Who
Told us that wedding cake and punch was just not enough
Favors for the kids were required for the party to be up to snuff.

We surprised Manne and Nola and were surprised ourselves
For from fifty, 100, even 2000 miles away friends arrived.
Cake was eaten punch drunk and the party thrived.
Some people renewed acquaintances after many years
A day full of smiles, laughs, hugs and tears.

Earlier this year another anniversary party we did attend
To honor George and Dody, their 25 years as one.
On a beautiful Spring Sunday, blue skies, white clouds and sun.

This fall two more loved ones passed away
Phyllis’ Grandma Altom and Uncle Johnny
They will be missed.

Thanksgiving we dined at James and Sue’s,
Eating turkey and ham, pies and cookies and candies and cakes,
Dumplings and dressing and devilled eggs and oooh
did we relish our overfilled belly aches.


Phyllis finals are finished,
Our shopping (near) done,
We wish you a happy, healthy, merry, Christmas,
and a new year of fun.


Darren and Phyllis Magady