FATHER CHRISTMAS MIGHT BE LATE

Father Christmas might be a little late this year,

As the elves who do all the hard work have caught the flu.

Father Christmas has a sniffle and a slight cough; he may have caught it, too.

The Tooth Fairy has been asked for help as she knows some magic spells.

She called on a wizard she knew, with a mind so bright, to combine his brews and her magic spells; together they toiled night after night

To get everything back on track, with all the presents labelled and in the right sacks for the children, to be delivered to the right countries, too. 

Some of the animals heard of the drama, and came in from the wild to see if they could help. 

The Tooth Fairy cast a spell for one night, so they could do the work that the sick elves used to do.

Together they toiled to dispense on time a flu-destroying spell to the elves, and Father Christmas too.

The reindeer were fed and harnessed, patiently waiting outside with Rudolph’s nose glowing brighter and brighter.

An odd jingle of harness bells, as the sleigh was loaded for their Christmas Eve night-time ride.

At the last minute, the cry went up: “It is working. It is working.”

Father Christmas appeared, jolly and bright. “All is well; let’s go. Let’s go. Thanks, everyone. Now no child will miss a present this Christmas Night, thanks to you. Merry Christmas.”

Bundled up in his warm coat, he slipped into his loaded sleigh, and gave the command to his trusted reindeer for extra speed tonight.

So no child would ever know that, but for the help of some magic spells, he might have arrived a night or two late this Christmas time.

Father Christmas is on his way tonight. Ho! Ho!

Merry Christmas everyone!

2025 © Penny Wobbly of WobblingPen

Photo: pexels.com 

  IT AIN’T NO FUN BEING A CHILD TODAY

It’s no fun being a child today.

When indoors, we are told we should be out.

“Are you on that computer again? I have told you it is for homework only.

“It is not for those mind-ruining computer games, costing us a fortune.”

When we go out, we are quizzed, “Where have you been? I told you not to leave the street and to be back by six. Who were you with? Your meal is ruined.”

It ain’t no fun being a child today.
School bombards us with homework my parents don’t know how to do; even they do not have the answers. It’s miserable.
Computer games are fun at first but become a bore.
When we realise we need the vital human interaction, rough and tumble, friends to have forever more,
We have to grope our way through good and bad bullies on the way.

It ain’t no fun being a child today.
Holidays have changed. There is less and less for us to spend, as times are hard.
If the parents bend to the cries of, “Oh Mum, Dad, please can we go to a show just once? Our friends have”,
The pain is felt on the return home, when the bills come in and we all have to think thin and do without other things.

It ain’t no fun being a child today.
Bad news at school: someone died; a drug overdose.
The danger is always there; touts hanging around the school gates,
Peer pressure trying to make others join the deadly mind and life-destroying path.
Not for me. I have other plans.

It ain’t no fun being a child today.
I have a plan to change it: work hard at school, keep my family and good friends close,
Help others in my street, seek to volunteer, when Mum and Dad say I can.
Jobs are few and far between at holiday times, and volunteering gives work for idle hands and minds. Skills and friendships acquired last for a lifetime.

Things are changing, slowly it is true, but there are now more things arranged to do.
As a family, we have more to say about what we each do day by day.
Budgets are planned so we understand how they have to stretch to meet our needs.
We never used to understand, with heads buried in the sand.
Things are changing. Hope they are for you, too.

2025 © Penny Wobbly of WobblingPen

Photo: LivH

 

WAKE UP, WAKE UP

Wake up, wake up. Do not stay asleep too long,  

Or everything you have cherished and loved will have vanished and gone. 

The saying that anything that looks too good to be true, is exactly that: not true 

Easy options often turn out to be the most difficult and protracted to retract 

Wrap yourselves in the letter of the law which has lasted the test of time.  

In time, laws need small adjustments, not their complete obliteration.  

Stand up and be counted to keep the standards most trusted and known by all.

 

2025 © Penny Wobbly of WobblingPen

Photo: pexels.com 

                                                                    

THUNDEROUS CHANGE

It started a glorious day, when like a herd of stampeding buffalo,

The storm hit, bellowing, wrecking, destroying all we knew.

For an hour or two it enforced its terror, nothing we could do.

Except to know life for now would never be the same.

All we had was hope, love and community spirit to rebuild the trampled land.

To remain strong and know our human family, can work to return our community to order and our homes to peace and a different tranquillity again.

2025 © Penny Wobbly of WobblingPen

Photo: pexels.com  

 

I’M GOING TO BE HAPPY 

I’m going to be happy.

I’m going to shake off the blues.

I’m going to try smiling.

At anyone who comes into view

And wait for someone to smile back in reply.

Hoping they will be comfortable enough to pass it on and on.

With this contagion, smiles will be on their way.

So some of you may be able to smile today.

Chasing any misery and dark moods far away.

Have a Happy Day

2025 © Penny Wobbly of WobblingPen

Photo: pexels.com 

 

HAPPY NEW YEAR 

Happy New Year 2026 to all our readers and friends.

My biggest wish is that world differences will be settled peacefully in this New Year, 2026.

My second wish is that TRUTH, RESPECT, KINDNESS, and HOPE spread evenly amongst us, in our families, in our local and wider communities; to continue extending them to all countries struggling at the moment; to hold on firmly to irrepressible HOPE.

The above wishes are mine, as I try to tackle my feelings of pain while vast areas of our world struggle with war, and natural environmental disasters, with too high or too low temperatures, and the almost unbelievably vast populations of displaced people and their animals, desperately seeking cover or a home, food, medical care, support, in order to survive and have a future.

GOOD NEWS

There have been some wonderful advances in the treatment of some cancers and MS. Amazing work is being done with GENE and DNA therapy, SAVING YOUNG LIVES!

Driven by food poverty, people are working to find new ways to grow more much needed food for us all. 

More people are planting fruit and nut trees and bushes. Growing trees for construction purposes is so needed. 

Coral is now being produced to renew bleached and dying coral reefs. 

Mangroves are being cultivated and replanted to protect low lying parts of the world. 

These show the strength of people fighting to survive, to assist and return their protection of the land, sea, and skies. 

We all have a responsibility for the health of our world: do not leave it to governments. Local people know what they need. 

Those of us who have enough need to share what we have. Food banks are one way; just drop in what you can spare. Assist a family or a single person caring full time, by giving some of your time and help, so they can have a rest, or a good sound sleep. 

We are capable of giving support and hope to others by sharing some of our time and good news stories.

There are some exciting times ahead, needing hard work, caring, sharing and laughter.

Remember: truth is a powerful tool and, given time, lies unravel.

Wishing everyone, wherever you live, a Happy, Healthy New Year. We hope to see you here in the days to come.

2025 © Penny Wobbly of WobblingPen

Photo: Pixabay.com 

 I AM ME. YOU ARE YOU

Sitting here together, now aged eighty-two, remembering when we first met with our mums at the explorative age of five. You offered me an orange, a gift, then quite rare from the bottom of the bungalow stair.

“Would you like to come out to play?” you asked. I was longing to say yes, but I had the most irritating spots upon my chest. 

Dad said, “Sorry, girls; not just yet,” and your face fell, mine as well. “There will be plenty of time for play and friendship when those itchy spots have faded away.”

We did not know—how could we?—that we would be sitting here, still the best of friends at the grand old age of eighty-two, with years and years of stories to tell of sad goodbyes and joyful hellos, as we followed each other around the world.

You were the quiet bookworm, well educated. I was the adventurer and very creative. 

It was a combination of talents that served us well as years slipped by. 

Marriage for a time kept us apart, until your children appeared and captured my heart. 

Now empty-nested, we sit reminiscing with tears and laughs, struggling to recall the names of people we met a long time ago.

Here we are: you are you and I am me, with limbs creaky, a few replaced, too. Contemplating the memories of the vanishing world we once loved and knew. 

Preparing for the approaching, emerging world, all brashly unfamiliar to us, it is true.

As we hug each other preparing to say farewell, thankful we lived when we did.

Time now to hand over to the young, and hope strong friendships like ours will help carry them through.

I am me and you are you, so thankful for our friendship, still not at an end.

You are and always have been a most remarkable, true and loving friend.

2025 © Penny Wobbly of WobblingPen

Photo: Pexels Licence