I send a picture of zucchini pancakes with cranberry-applesauce
to Rose, and her husband Martin says it passes
because his treif wife made the sauce.
We might do take-out lunch together on the patio
once more this year. Indian food stays warm the best.
Or maybe it will be sushi on Zoom.
I invite Nancy for pumpkin soup on my porch.
She returns my call to relay a tale
of gingerbread houses, candy pieces, sugar, sprinkles,
and grandsons on her porch.
A friendly mess she would not
like to repeat. Our laughter is warm but,
it’s not fun, anymore.
I Zoom with Allie & Adam
while they eat their gingerbread house.
I play the wicked witch and
threaten to throw them in the oven.
“No Gram, “ they say.
“You can come next Halloween
and be the witch.”
I asked them to leave a trail of crumbs.
With my musician friends we try to ‘name that tune’
played by the Cleveland Tower Carillon.
Frank gets the chord pattern, and Ellen and I
sing along with any song that suits us.
The bells change keys and time signature, so we
change up the words. We Wish You a Merry Christmas
turns to Bicycle Built for Two.
They waltz while I dance circles around them,
a good way to stay warm.
Three part harmony for I’ll be Home for Christmas
we can plan on that,
without company and
probably green not white.
Kathryn Weidener is a professional storyteller and has been telling tales all her life. Her publishing credits include Schuylkill Valley Dispatches, arielchart.blogspot.com, US1, Hobby Farm Magazine, and Sandpaper. A BA degree in communication also led her through careers in social work, accounting, and ESOL tutoring. She currently resides in Princeton.
