'Twas three nights before Christmas, when all through the house,

Not a creature was stirring, except for the stupid dog;

The stockings were tossed in the basement somewhere,

In hopes they might get washed before the end of the year; (along with the underwear)

Our young one was nestled all snug in her bed;

Finally falling asleep after watching one more of those hideous Lifetime Movie Channel Christmas movies with her Yaya;

Then Yaya in her 'kerchief,  (NOT Victoria's Secret mind you), and I in my cap,

Had just settled our brains for a long winter's nap,

When out on the lawn there arose such a KER-AAC-KKK,

I sprang from my bed to see WHAT THE HECK?

At four in the morning I flew like a flash,

Tore open the front door in time to hear the KER-AA-SSH!

When what to my wondering eyes did appear,

But a big ole' limb from my once pretty tree,

Heavy with ice, on the power line, a victim of gravity.

I knew in a moment when I saw the first flick,

That the power was about to go out oh, Frickity-Frick! (sadly, those aren't the words I used)

So I ran in a dash and unplugged the TV,

Computers, and anything else with solid state circuitry.  (Robert taught me that!)

On, Teresa, on Zyvah, get up out of bed!

And help your dear Papa find where he hid all the #&*!@**candles!

Now the blessed saints were with us,

As the line did not fall;

And the power stayed up, not failing at all!

So into the Lazy Boy my butt went to perch,

As I sat myself down with a bit of a lurch (too many Christmas cookies),

And then, in a twinkling, I became most inspired,

Shouting, woman, make breakfast straight away,

In case the lights do retire.  (DO you REALLY think I had the nuggets to say THAT?)

But compliance was had and I took a deep breath,

Is the smell of bacon and eggs cooking absolutely the best?

Then off to the showers,

In the name of hygiene...

Okay.  That's enough.   I'm out of rhymes.  If you want to finish it, leave a comment.

Truth is, we're very lucky that the broken limbs haven't pulled the electric service out of the house.  I think it was Winston Churchill who said, "that would suck."  I hate to see trees damaged by the ice.  It makes me sad.  My neighbor really has a mess, which I suppose I'll drag over and burn sometime here soon.

But through all that, there is some beauty.  I ventured out to take some pictures, but didn't stay out too long, because that rain was dang cold.  And I am very delicate.