Although this blog runs a little sparse these days, there are a few “must captures”.

Rob’s Christmas poem is one for sure:

Christmas 2023 

It all started clear another CDF year

It started with one of our New Yorker crew celebrating a birthday 

Shortly after we had Josh celebrating too

In Ottawa and studying in the capital city

He finished year one sitting pretty 

Soon he’d be in his new student house without dispute

Warding off any ill repute

Sam graduated the last to complete

He was through the gauntlet of high school so neat 

Planning began for Sam’s somewhat late 16 trip

London, Liverpool and Manchester’s factory hip

Immersed in the Brit pop hatchery young and tenda

We saw the Hacienda where there had been many a benda

We stood where Bowie became Ziggy in a back alley stoop

We covered the best of every Brit pop group 

Strawberry fields and the Cavern Club

We even enjoyed some good pub grub 

Pics outside the Salford Lads club like a group of grifters

We even met the purveyor of the famous Sifters

Heading to the warmth of summer birthdays coming fast – Leah, Zandra, Ilyah and Rachael too

My goodness they’re so many to name we are an expanding crew 

Then celebrations for Gabe, Sam and Zach 

Soon they would all 

to Fulton be back

Josh replenishing the planet with trees all around

Forest fires avoided and new money found

Sam at Kops spinning a disc or two

I think he even managed to sell a few!

Zach and Rachael oversees in France

Studying and learning, nothing left to chance.

They let him play with some patient’s ticker

Getting some medical experience couldn’t be sicker 

Then it was Zandra and Ilyah’s upcoming nuptials 

Songs and some dance school house rule

We all enjoyed meeting added family members to the pool

A magical night filled with speeches and delight

Zandra a bride illuminated the night!

A wedding and night to set their future bright 

However with the ups come the down

And we held each other and fell to the ground

We would hold on to all we could

With heavenly angels we all stood

Changed we all are

Love and support near and far

Then it was time for the last to be university bound

It was Ottawa that would solidify out Canadian education ground

And Gabe and Shannon a mock trial room makes the defence look like gumps

Our New Yorkers another year closer to real court room triumphs 

Celebrations and student transportation complete, it was Leah’s chance to be on stage!

Not surprising and to everyone’s delight, Leah and her talk were all the rage!

Leah showed them all the nervous system flop

She left the conference flying on top!

With a major launch and a business on a rocket 

Leah got a lot of extra change in her pocket 🙂

Then we were off to the Outer Banks 

To the ocean waves and sand to say thanks

We worked and slumbered in a sandbar rental

Reggie on the beach harvest moon sentimental 

And on return we planned a birthday surprise

A pair of tickets that all across the country would prize

Sarah and Swift to Toronto will go

To the world’s biggest concert show!

To Mexico to close out on our trips

We even left some pretty good tips

Slightly tanned and and feeling a lot betta

Rob got a nice Orange BARCHETTA

But not to distract, back to the Christmas cheer we want to hear 

For this let’s be perfectly clear

We are thankful for all we have and are blessed

It’s time for old St Nick to rest

Lots of love and not a flake of snow 

But regardless let’s just go! 

Merry Christmas to all

Let’s start this festive ball!