Copper Christmas 2004

Ho Ho Ho

It is hard to conceive

I really don’t believe

How things kicked into gear

And bam there went the year

The year was not all kind

Now it is time to rewind

We dined on pheasant

As the family gave Brenda her present

She just did a little dance

And named her new dog Chance

He was born Christmas Eve Day

What can we say

As the year took off

Brenda had her annual Bake Off

As always it was a mission

To continue in the 14 year tradition

Chip Copper is not really hip

But we gave him a tip

Don’t be a martyr

Give mom and dad a granddaughter

Can you imagine the joy

To be born to a family of nothing but boys

Having a baby was a thrill

She will sure to be in our parents will

Yes it is true

We now have Play Station II

We managed to hold out

But Zac won the bout

After the New Year Zac and Jeff were up for the trip

To meet the IU swim team in Ft. Myers for a dip

The day was like magic

But the next day was tragic

It hit us all like a rock

To get word of the passing of Doc

For weeks we were out of sorts

What a sad day for all sports

Jeff had passed on a few

This year he finally joined a Krewe

That meant he joined the floatilla

And marched in Gasparilla

Beads on his back was what he was cartin’

Dressed like a true ancient Spartan

The crowd was not at bay

It was like being a Rock Star for a day

Oh my god all the beers

We have had over the 25 years

Oh what could possibly be the lure

To go see Jimmy Buffett every year on tour

It was a hell of a lot of fun

On our 25 trips around the sun

In the past some would scoff

At the Back Yard Rib Off

This year those that put on a bibb

Got to read about it in the Tampa Trib

Twenty one grillers just chillin in the sand

This year we featured a band

It took all the next day just to mend

In total we had 140 people attend

Our next trip was to Indiana for communion

And an IU swim team reunion

We all wish our old swim coach Doc could be there

… if he was his butt would be out and be bare

Doc was quite a hoot

If he needed to kick you he would with a boot

The stories of his driven

How could he ever survivum

Let me tell you  dud

Doc could put away the food

It was no hoax

He told some off color jokes

In the end we can all boast

That Doc was our swim coach

The reunion was great

Jeff got to see all his old college roommates

Dan O, Ugene, Cleofis and Gern

As adults we have our concerns

Off to Ireland and on to a Pub

In minutes we were in some kind of club

The people were as nice as can be

They offered a cup of tea

USA Olympic Swimming Trials were in Long Beach

It seemed out of reach

Jeff’s company agreed to fly him

And he was just dying

Attending was a joy

Jeff competed just twenty years before

Being in California was like being on Mars

He got to stay with his old friend Lars

JT & Zac went to their grandparents for Copper camp

Things turned out to be kind of damp

So the kids twirled their golden locks

Then sold Jeff’s parents on XBox

Hurricane Charlie, Frances, Ivan and Jeanne

Tell me it was all just a dream

We learned this… even those in the ivory tower

Were days without power

During Charlie we had a date

At Brenda’s mom we had to evacuate

For a while we feared we would never hear a turkey gobble

Thank god the Hurricane had a wobble

We all got a little closer in the neighborhood

As we shared our plywood

For each hurricane we held our breath

And got a call from our old friend Seth

In the end we made it through

Not just us but the entire crew

Brenda wanted to play

On her 40^th birthday

She said she couldn’t because of the rain

When we knew it was her back pain

She is actually in good shape

Even without duct tape

Seriously, we must report

Brenda is the family back support

The attorney general is after Marsh

The repercussions at Aon are not quiet as harsh

Still Brenda does her best

And is up for the test

Each year for Halloween we build a float

Last year we built a boat

This year for JT we did promise

To build a replica of Thomas (the tank engine)

Cardboard, Duct tape and some paint

Picasso I can tell you we ain’t

In the end it got all done

And the kids had a lot of fun

Before Thanksgiving we stopped our SUV rig

For lunch at The Smoky Pig

Brenda strolled the Randolph Macon Campus grounds

Among the Coppers there were no frowns

We took a picture of the House of Phi Mu

JT said Me Too!

As we strolled around in our pack

Brenda kind of wished she was back

Zac has it made

He is in 3^rd grade

His teacher Ms. Thompson is smart

She keeps Zac focused on the behavior chart

This year Zac cut the deck

And signed up for drawing class with Ms Steck

He says the class is a ball

Although it will end this fall

Brenda thought it would be cool

And help us manage carpool

Now he is quite the duda

Swimming for the Berkeley Baracuda’s

We don’t have any doubts

Zac loves the Cub Scouts

Day by day we avert disaster

Jeff is the Cub Master

We took the neighborhood by storm

Selling Cub Scout popcorn

As Zac likes to tell

He thinks he can really sell

He makes the number one with just a fist

His total sales topped the pack list

Zac is in Webelos year one

Jeff says this is the last one he will run

It will be such a delight

When Zac earns his Arrow ofLlight

JT keeps trying to dodge her

His teacher is Ms Rogers

He enjoys pretending to have tea

His grade is pre K three.

JT is taking lessons to Swim

And now tumbles in the Gym

With his activities we are in a tizzy

Now we are really too busy

JT’s shorts are long enough to be knickers

He is signed up for Kiddie Kickers

We fear he won’t be tame

Based on the family Thanksgiving soccer game

Now let me tell you the story of a fool

Who succumbed to the pressure to putting in a pool

The kids though it would be cool

Ant that the neighbors would all drool

If Jeff was smart he would have said I object

This was way too big of a project

Running electricity, gas, speaker wire just made sense

But it did not end there it included a fence

A sound system, furniture, Landscaping, Lights and a shed

It seems the family left Jeff for dead

A hammock, music system, and a child fence

Totaled up and told us we were that dense

My god! Stop the world it’s getting dizzy

Or it could be we are just a little busy

For now I am tired of typing for good reason

We’ll catch up with you next holiday season

Happy Holiday

The Exhausted Coppers!