The Christmas Letter . . .

Many years ago on an antiquing jaunt,

I came upon this framed handwritten letter.

(Translated below the photo)

I am honored to hold it for safe keeping, as it seems to me 

it was written by a father to the child he was missing at Christmas time.

This simple letter has always tugged at my heartstrings, but especially so

this year as our own children were celebrating elsewhere.

(Tho, we will celebrate bit by bit as each schedule 

will allow and cherish the prolonged season!)

The Letter:

(Capitalization and punctuating are true :-)

Down Where The Three Big Maples Stand

They Are doing Things Today,  They Seem To be

Moving in A quiet Misterious Way,  They have

Taken down The Curtains,  They have Scrubbed

The Kitchen floor,  There's boys Carrying Water

And They Are Going back for More,  They have

Give The Rugs a beating  been dusting off  The

Chairs,     And i overheard Them Talking About

Cleaning The Upstairs,  They Are Shining up The

Windows  Putting Varnish on The floor,  And They

have a Great Big Gander Anchored by The

Kitchen door,   They say That He"s Trait or been

Takin on Too Much Fat,  It's yore one Conclusion that

They Are Killing him for That.  There"s Holly in The

Hallway,  Other bundles here And there,

And The Whole darned Place is taking on That

Old Time Christmas Cheer,  If you Knew What

i was Thinking of.  And how I Really care,

You Would Not have to Ask Me if 

 you Were only Here   ~    DAD

Enjoy,

Lori Ann