Last Trail Run in Paradise!

Vol. 1  Chap. 526

 Last Trail Run in Paradise!

Quarantine in San Diego,

It Didn't Mean You Have to Go

Stir Crazy Looking at Four Walls,
Nor Even That Your Training Stalls!

Mom’s Been a Social Distancer,

When Running In Nature's Splendor!
Now They're Closing Parks, Trails and Beach!
Moving the Best Runs Out of Reach!

Scenes Like All Runners Huddling Near

Are Gone Till Covid’s Out of Here!

Until They’ve Capped This Fierce Outbreak

Outside Run’s a Risk Mom Won’t Take!

Like Nurses and N.P.s World Wide!

Mom Does Her Part to Stem the Tide!

Volunteered to Man a Test Tent!

Her Team’s Courageous, Won’t Relent!

When It’s Over, As It Will Be!

Don’t Forget Who Served So Bravely!

They’ll Sleep for Days!  And Then, Surprise!

They’ll All Run Trails in Paradise!

Your Grampa Sure Loves Y’All!

Love~Grampa 

One Great Age!

Vol. 1  Chap. 525

        One Great Age!

Well I’m Not Scared!  I’m Calm (Mostly)!

Though Downtown Streets Sure are Ghostly!

You Can’t Turn on the Ev’ning News

And Not Hear Pretty Chilling Views!

No Senior Prom, Here or Elsewhere!

I Feel Bad!   But I Really Care

About Our Senior Citizens!

Protect Them from Folks Ignorin’

The CDC Regs, "Stay at Home!"

Avoid Travel, Espec’lly Rome!

But Wait!   We Live in One Great Age

When Virtual is All the Rage!

We Skype!   We Text!  We’re Not Alone!

Connect with LapTops or Cell Phone!

And These are Skills Easily Taught

To Grandparents!   Now What They’ve Got

Is Trips to Museums and Zoos!

To Broadway Shows Sure to Amuse!

The Old Folks Say, “This Too Shall Pass!”

“Once It Does … Look Skyward, Young Lass!"

       Stay Healthy Everyone!

Your Grampa Sure Loves Y’All!

Love~Grampa

Unplanned School Vacation!

Vol. 1  Chap. 524

     Unplanned School Vacation!

        I’m Thinkin’ There is Not Much Chance

        Bella’s Friends Get to Sing and Dance

        At Her Sleep~Over Birthday Fete!

        Say, "Pandemic" and What You Get

        Is a World That’s Turned On Its Ear!

        Full~On Panicked Corona Fear!

        They’ve Added Weeks to Our Spring Break!

        Cancelled All Sports for Heaven’s Sake!

        I’ve Told Mom She Can Count on Me

        To Shepherd Bella Watchfully

        For the Entire Strange Duration

        Of This Unplanned School Vacation!

        Social Distancing’s What I Hate!

        I Predict Right Out of the Gate,

        Kids Grow Sick of Isolation!

        Give Us School or School Vacation!

        Who Ever Heard of School~Free Time

        When Hangin’ with Friends is a Crime?

        Long 'fore Corona We've Been Clean!

        We've All Perfected Our Hygiene!

             Happy Birthday Bella!

               Stay Healthy All!

Your Grampa Sure Loves Y’All!

Love~Grampa

Empty Self Esteem!

Vol. 1  Chap 523

      Empty Self Esteem!

     I’m Not One to Grouse and Complain

     But One Thing ‘Bout Drives Me Insane,

     That’s When Well~Meaning Adults Act

     Like Kids are Chicks Whose Shells Just Cracked!

     When You Feed a Steady Diet

     Of Endless Praise, We Don’t Buy It!

     Superlatives are Meaningless

     When They’re Not Earned, So Let Me Guess!

     You Read Somewhere That Self Esteem

     Is Fragile, So You Feed a Stream

     Of Praise, When No Praise Has Been Earned!

     Is That Cuz One Time You Were Spurned?

     Join with Those of Us Who Have Learned

     Esteem’s Hollow When It’s Not Earned!

     When You Master Your Toughest Chore

     You’ve Earned the Right to Crow!   What’s More

     You’ve Added to Your Arsenal

     Firm Knowledge That You Can Do Well,

     That's Born of Sweat, Perserverence ...

     If Lucky, the Right Audience!

    

                     You Got This!

Your Grampa Sure Loves Y’All!

Love~Grampa

Snow Bunny!

Vol. 1  Chap. 522

          Snow Bunny!

      There’s Times When I Think It’s Funny

      Some Folks Call Me a Snow Bunny!

      Ever Since Back When I Was Small

      I’d Strap on Boards and Zoom Down All

      The Killer Slopes That I Could Find!

      Adrenalin Junkies Are Kind

      Of Crazy!  Yes We Really Are!

      We’re Born Under a Shooting Star!

      At Big Bear, With the Mann Fam’ly,

      Plus Mom, Audrey and Crazy Me!

      The Sun Just Clears the Mountain’s Peak!

      Look Close!   That’s Me!   That Blurry Streak!

      Hard to Think of Another State

      Where Fun Choices Are Quite This Great!

      By Morning, Ski the Mountain Side …

      Then Swim the Ocean’s Evening Tide!

      A Snow Bunny?   That Sounds Too Tame!

      I Swear to You, My Claim to Fame

      Is I’m Who Added Gray Hair To

      Our Mom’s One~Time All Red Hair~Do!

                Sorry Mom!   Zooooooom!

Your Grampa Sure Loves Y’All!

Love~Grampa

Report Card Reward!

Vol. 1  Chap. 521

         Report Card Reward!

         On Some Days We’re Both Serious!

         Today We’re Both Delirious!

         I Don’t Think There are Any Girls

         Who’d Miss a Chance to Get Their Curls

         Worked On By a Pair of Hair Pros!

         True We Gave No Chorus of “No”s

         When Mom Said That Most Lovely Word,

         “Salon” … Our Report Card Reward!

         True, Mom Bribes Us to Get Great Marks!

         Since Pre~School Our Mom Lights the Sparks

         That She Believes Will Motivate

         Me and Aud Both to Concentrate!

         While I’m in the Hair~Dresser’s Chair,

         I Hear, “Which of This Gorgeous Pair

         “Wants to Convince My Young Daughter

         “To Study Hard, Like She Aught’a?”

         Truth is … and I’m Sure Mom Knows This …

         No Bribe’s Needed For Either Miss!

         But Here is Where We’re Both Stylin’!

         Here’s Where We Just Can’t Stop Smilin’!



             Congratulations Once Again! 

Your Grampa Sure Loves Y’All!

Love~Grampa

Audrey's New Semester!

Vol. 1  Chap. 520

         Audrey’s New Semester!

          I’m Not Just Sayin’ Audrey’s Smart!

          I Think We Know That Smart’s Just Part

          Of What Makes Her an Ideal

          Student as Well as One Sharp Gal!

          She Takes French II!   Oui, Oui It’s True!

          Her Class Schedule’s All A.P. Too!

          There’s English, History and Math!

          Advanced Chemistry Lights the Path

          That She’s Laid Out, College Pre~Med!

          I Feel Up Tight Having Just Said

          That List of Killer Courses She

          Embraces!  Better Her Than Me!

          “How Do You Handle the Pressure?”

          “Do You Know Some Secret Measure

          “That Helps You Stay Serene, Focused?

          “Is Your Calm All Hocused~Pocused?”

          “Of My Classes, You’ve Just Named Five!

          “The Sixth is What Helps Me to Thrive!

          “Music Conjures Rapt Behavior!

          “My Time In Band … That’s My Savior!”

Your Grampa Sure Loves Y’All!

Love~Grampa