We had a kettle; we let it leak:
Our not repairing made it worse.
We haven't had any tea for a week...
The bottom is out of the Universe.
-- Kipling
Our own list of repairs is almost completed,
Two ridiculous years since we started;
We'd never have guessed it would last such a stretch,
after we and our condo had parted.
It's been a tough year (or two, three, or four);
four moves in two years is no fun.
But unopened boxes sleep quiet below;
the course of renovation has run. (Almost.)
We've homeowners now; our days are quite filled
with planting and raking and mowing
One thing gets fixed and another thing breaks
but at least the small children are growing.
Kavya has almost completed her training,
of pull-ups let no more be spoken (hooray!)
Anandan sleeps through the night on most nights
and it's rare his poor parents are woken (oh, yay!).
The girl loves to draw, and the boy loves to run;
they snarf macaroni-and-cheese.
She tells endless stories; he's learned lots of words
like elephant, poop, and (sometimes) even please.
We keep telling ourselves (and I think that it's true)
that the light in the tunnel is nigh
the children are playing (not fighting!) most days;
those days are starting to fly.
As for our work, often it seems
paperwork has swallowed it whole
but we are resolved to find time to do math
and write, for the good of our half-starved souls.
Kev has a chalkboard built into his wall
with a door that in theory can shut,
but our children think daddy's the funnest of all
to bother and pester and so interrupt.
I did start a new book, crowd-funded entire
through Kickstarter, strange as that seems
strangers and friends quick-pledged their support
it still seems almost a dream.
So here's to a new year where we slow ourselves down
rest and relax and renew
enjoy our new home and the children and work
in year two-zero-one-and-two!
Merry Christmas, everyone! Hope you're enjoying a wonderful holiday season!
