Christmas letters from Ruth & Adrian Sharville
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Sharville Christmas Newspoem 2003

The sun is out, white fluffy clouds abound;
The tractor tows the covers from the ground;
The umpires stride towards the browning wicket
To start the last day of this game of cricket.

The season's nearly through, as it's September;
It's far too soon to think about December.
But think I must, if you're to get a ditty.
(To stop them now to me would be a pity.)

And can it be we've been in Chepstow now
More than a year? It makes me wonder how
It is that still the house is in a stew -
Maybe it's just there's better things to do.

We have enjoyed films, music and theatre,
And really summer could not have been better.
Home-grown courgettes, tomatoes, runner beans
Made it a daily pleasure eating greens!

New windows we now have, and a new door
(The old were in condition pretty poor.)
And soon we hope that we will make a move
The kitchen and the bathroom to improve.

For holidays this year we travelled to
Some islands we love well, and also new.
The isle of Lanzarote was first call,
Volcanic, lovely beaches - that's not all.

Manrique left a legacy of art -
The island is the better for his part,
For he ensured no nasty high-rise blocks
Would spoil this island of black sand and rocks.

Next Shetland was our summer destination;
So good to be there just for recreation!
Dear friends had milestone birthdays - a good reason
For sharing happy days this summer season.

As well as having fun, life's gone along
With work and home and bellringing and song.
(And Gloucester won the cricket, in a match
I really was so glad that I could catch.)

Our mums keep well - we see them much more now,
Whenever Adrian's shifts weekends allow.
About the cats there are two things to note:
Flash started school, Jet's old enough to vote!

To my delight, I have my own Ford Ka.
Grounded no more, I travel near and far,
(Like Yorkshire, to see friends and one last game,
Then summer was all over - what a shame!)

So, mobile now, I plan to join a choir -
I hope I still to standards high aspire,
To sing new music, maybe tour around,
Before like an old sheep I start to sound!

And Adrian continues care assisting,
Enjoying it, a change of job resisting.
They value him a lot; they've upped his pay,
And clearly hope with them he'll choose to stay.

November, and the islands call again -
A top-up before winter's wind and rain,
In sunny Gran Canaria's warm blue sea,
And scary roads, steep cliffs, and scenery.

And so the time has come for me to end
Two thousand and three's poem. To each friend
We both wish joy, prosperity and cheer
For Christmas, and throughout the coming year.

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