Twas the night before Christmas and I was already in bed
With Charlie’s black butt against the side of my head
Marco curled tween my legs where he is known to head to
Making three roasting chestnuts where there should have been two
MacDuff and Big Titus making the rest of the crew
The inmates of the Casa seemed to be much less few.
With Mom in her jammies and I in my drawers
It sounded like a sawmill from all of the snores
When there appeared in my mind like what happened to old Scrooge
Many ghosts from the past
A massive deluge
Dogs without number that have gone on before
Through the Casa del Whackos, in and out through the door.
Though the room was pitch black, my heart was filled with bright light
Seeming somewhat surreal in the midst of the night
Instead of a little old driver who resembled St Nick
a vision of myself in years past though much less geriatric
And replacing the reindeer that I expected to see
Was a plethora of canines encompassing me
Oh Stevie! Hey Echo! Bull Taco and Max! Mamma Mia and Claire, Angel and Ajax!
And on back through the years, to Beebe and Uki
So many ghostly dogs
That it should have been spooky!
But there wasn’t a hint of any feelings of fright
As they frolicked all about me much to my delight
Then what to my wondering eyes should appear
Was a little round man
Who appeared to like beer
Instead of red clothes and black belt all covered with soot
He was dressed in motorcycle gear
From helmet to boots
His eyes were all red and swollen
From lacking for sleep
When sharing a bed with four dogs, rest doesn’t come cheap
And the goatee on his chin was as gray as the sky
A telltale sign of winters long since gone bye bye
built like a fire hydrant with a little round belly
That shook when he laughed, like a bowl full of jelly.
He was chubby and plump, a sarcastic old elf,
And to my chagrine realized; I was seeing myself!
But as soon as it started, the ghosts of the past they were gone,
but never forgotten, their memories live on
The ghosts of the present and future were still there with me
The Judebear that is with us, and Theo soon to be.
Not replacing the dogs, lest that’s how it should look
But another great chapter towards the end of the book.
Until then, we’ll keep riding through bright days or fog
Every trip an adventure
When traveling with dogs
The road never ends
There’s much left to see
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year
From Charlie Bravo and me!
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