A Christmas Tale

Once upon a time, many years ago, I lived in a small cottage in Rhode Island. My neighbors were the Arnolds. . Minnie and Hobart, known to us as Minnie Mouse and Hobo and they were adopted grandparents to my children. Hobo, as we called him, was a short stocky gentle man who made the garden come alive with vegetables and fruits of all kinds. Minnie was tall, stern and would not stand for any fooling around, but she loved my children and made sure they knew it as she doted love and attention on them. She made sure they learned lessons of life and how to take care of growing flowers in their beds, She was a no nonsense kind of lady and ruled with an iron fist as the old timers used to say, but she let her love show and taught them how to enjoy the gardens and the flowers that grew so lovely and colorful in their beds. Their back yard backed up into a lake so she made sure they knew the rules and paid attention to being careful to adhere to her rules. They were many and the children didn't like having to mind their manners but they did because she ruled the roost and if they wanted to be with her then minding their manners was important. We spent many hours sharing time summers and winters, spring and fall....for each day was special and sharing time with them made life so happy in the caring and sharing. Just talking about them brings back memories so dear and sweet, so loving and so missed as they have gone on to their just reward a long time ago. They live in our hearts. How much they gave of themselves to make life happier for all of us. Minnie was tall,sharp of tongue, a no nonsense lady and woe to you if you walked into her garden beds and disrupted the lovely flowers growing there. Hobo was short and stocky with a smile that would melt the hardest heart and loving with no holds barred. He loved children and he was very good to mine. He taught them a lot about his garden and I bet if you were to ask them today they would tell you some of his tales. He loved children and he was very loving and good to mine. We have wonderful loving memories in our minds and heart of two loving people who shared themselves with us. They have been gone for years but they live in our hearts and minds. The tales we could tell. How lucky we were to have them as neighbors. How lucky we were to be part of their lives. So, my Christmas tale this year is of our Minnie Mouse and Hobo, neighbors, friends, who live in our hearts and memory forever. So, as an aside, if you have some elderly folks living nearby, take time out to get to know them and you will find a treasure. Your life will change to a happiness you have yet to find and you will find a love you never knew existed until you give 'the old' folks next door an invitation and a smile.