Friday's Flash: Christmas in July

I have decided to use Fridays for everyone to post something about their upcoming novel,story, WIP, or really, whatever they want to post, but it has to be 30 words or less. I'm calling it Friday's Flash.

Today, someone mentioned Christmas in July. So I decided to post a poem I wrote a couple of years ago. It's hardly 30 words or less, but I'm excusing myself from that rule for today! It's a parody of sorts on the age-old poem, The Night Before Christmas. I hope you enjoy it.

Twas The Night Before Christmas

Twas the night before Christmas and all through the house
not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse.
The children had all been out on the loose,
Now the house looked like it had been struck by a moose.

Kids had been settled all snug in their beds,
while visions of Christmas mayhem danced in their heads.
My husband had settled down for a long night’s nap
But this, I was sure, was just the first lap.

So I in my pjs and with my hair down to here
Said, “Aha! The children are abed, no one is near.
Now is the time to write a few more words.
Yet I knew as I spoke, the thought was absurd.

The computer was on, the house was still.
I pounded the keys, so determined …until
There arose on the lawn such a clatter
That I sprang from my chair to see what was the matter.

I flung open the door, and light showed outside
A lawn full of snow with nowhere to hide.
My wandering eyes followed footsteps to the roof
As four kids struggled to find a reindeer on the hoof.

I screamed and I yelled, I called them by name.
Down David, Down Lisa, down  Susan and Dane!
Onto the ladder, carefully onto the ground,
While you’re awake, Santa won’t be around.

Again into bed, where tears did abound,
“If we’re good now, will Santa come down?”
I could threaten or cajole, but the looks on their faces
Melted my heart and put them in my good graces.

I sank into my chair, the computer was still on.
I knew that now I could write until dawn.
But my brain was tired and slowly it closed
So my body could rest and then I dozed.

Sleigh bells were ringing, now where were they from?
I thought I was awake, so when had I become
An over-large elf dressed all in green?
I can’t be awake, this must be a bad dream!

Down the chimney he came, this little old man
With a fat round belly and clearly a plan.
For he spoke not a word but he winked at me,
As he placed all the presents under the tree.

He filled all the stockings, then gave me a smile
And nodded his head like elves were in style!
He grabbed all the cookies, made last night,
And looked quickly around, but no kid was in sight.

He adjusted his pack and pulled on his cap,
But he looked to me like he needed a nap.
The next thing I knew, he was gone in a flash.
All he had left was a sprinkling of ash.

I looked at my clothes but saw no elf,
“Of course it was a dream,” I said to myself.
But then I saw all the gifts under the tree,
Who had put them there? Certainly not me.

The cookies were all gone, the stockings were filled,
Toys everywhere, the children would be thrilled.
Was  this just a dream out of my writer’s mind,
Or could this Santa be real, jolly and kind?

T’was the night before Christmas and all through the house
Not a creature was stirring, not even my spouse.
I hurried upstairs to get into bed
A few hours sleep would be good for my head.

But then I heard the pattering on the roof
And  knew in my heart it was too heavy to be a hoof.
Out of bed I jumped, to the window I flew,
The kids, of course, I needed to pursue.

Three kids on the ground, one on the roof.
“Santa’s come!” he exclaimed, “here’s the proof!”
One tiny sleigh bell he held up in delight,
It shimmered and shined in bright moonlight.

Twas the night before Christmas, and all through the house
The children were threatened , now quiet as a mouse.
Thank heavens that Christmas comes just once a year
It makes monsters of children who usually are dear.

Twas the dawn of Christmas and all through the house
The children were up and so was my spouse.
“Cool!” “Sweet!” “Oh boy!” sounds came from below,
The day had begun,  the morning was aglow.

The looks on their faces as I entered the room
Made it all worth while, and dispelled my gloom.
Their laughter and cries, the sparkle in their eyes
Made the night before Christmas a blessing in disguise.

Until next time,
That's a wrap.

Monday Musings

Do you ever get to a point in blogging where you think there is absolutely nothing for you to write about that will interest someone else? That's where I am now. Actually, I've been there for a while, as most of you know. With my son's diagnosis last August of FrontalTemporal Lobe dementia, and my husband's very serious and complicated surgery as an emergency in May, my creative thought process seems to have disappeared. So I'm trying to think of ways to jump-start that process again.

Some say, when you reach this point ( supposedly, all bloggers do), write about current events. Whoa! that's a decidely negative thought! Who wants to talk about the unrest and close-to-civil-war in Egypt? or the latest forced furloughs (one day a week working without pay) all government employees are having to take, thanks to our huge financial deficit? No thanks, that won't work for me.

Others say, create a specific day-writing, like Kelly Hashway's Monday Mishmash, or Katrina deLallo's Six Sentence Saturday. Hmm...well, I guess there could be...Wednesday's Wannabe, where I could encourage visitors to talk about the most famous author, or any celebrity, they want to grow up to be like. Or how about Friday's Flashers, where everyone can give a Flash of their soon-to-be-published book or their WIP in 25 words or less? Okay, so maybe that one isn't so bad, at least it refers to writing! Umm, of course, new visitors to my blog might mistake the word "Flasher" to mean something else, and then we'd all be embarrassed.

Obviously, if I'm going to do this "day-writing" thingy, I need to give it some more thought. Serious thought.

So today, I'll just talk briefly about a new experience I had...some very nice welcoming comments from the Authors Forum at MuseItUp publishing, where my debut novel, The Freedom Thief, will be coming out in November. I just joined the forum, introduced myself ( and probably talked to long, at that), and my Inbox was almost immediately full of lovely "welcomes" from other authors. It was such a friendly experience! I tried to answer each one independently, and then wondered if that was going overboard. I think there are about 296 authors, so I guess I shouldn't respond to each one, if they all send me welcome notes, right? Hmm. Probably not. But it's fun getting to hear from so many individually.

I guess I should probably stop for today, and get back to thinking. "Friday's Flashers" is still on my mind. I don't think it's such a bad premise, but I definitely need to come up with a new word. "Flashers" just doesn't seem to quite do it, for writers, ya' think?

Until next time,
That's a wrap.