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Ho, Ho, Ho
It's here again. The holiday season. Regardless of what holiday you celebrate, I want to wish you, my loyal readers, a wonderful season. We'll all be ready for the New Year. I have some pretty exciting plans.
A Cruiser’s Christmas
By
Pendelton C. Wallace
(With apologies to Clement C. Moore)
Water Color, A Cruiser's Christmas, by Patricia Riley
‘Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the boat
Not a creature was stirring, not even goat.
The stockings were run up the halyards with care,
In hopes that St Nicholas soon would be there.
Odin was nestled all snug in his bed,
While visions of Purina danced in his head.
And Dawn in her ‘kerchief, and I in my cap,
Had just climbed into our bunk for a long winter’s nap.
When out on the dock there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from the bunk to see what was the matter.
To the companion way I flew like a flash,
Tore open the doors and slid open the hatch.
The moon on the still water of the bay
Lit up the marina as if it were mid-day.
When, what to my wondering eyes should show,
But a miniature dinghy, and eight brown pelícanos.
With a little old driver, so lively and quick,
I knew in a moment it must be St Nick.
More rapid than dolphin his big birds they came,
And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name!
"Now Spinaker! now, Genny! now, Stays’l and Mizzen!
On, Halyard! On, Turnbuckle! On Sonar and Risen!
To the head of the bay! To the top of the sea wall!
Now splash away! splash away! splash away all!"
As blown spume that before the wild hurricane flies,
When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky.
So up to the dock the pelícanos they flew,
With the dinghy full of boat parts, and St Nicholas too.
And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the deck
The stretching and preening of each elongated neck.
As I drew in my head, and was turning around,
Down the forward hatch St Nicholas came with a bound.
He was dressed in Bermudas, with a bright Hawaiian shirt,
And his clothes were all tarnished with salt water and dirt.
A bundle of parts he had flung on his back,
And he looked like a cruiser, just opening his pack.
His eyes were dilated! his dimples how merry!
He must be a rummy, with a nose like a cherry!
On his head was perched a black captain’s cap
I yawned and considered going back to my nap.
A corn cob pipe he held tight in his teeth,
And the smoke it encircled his head like a reef.
He had a broad face and a little round belly,
On his feet he wore flip-flops that were mighty smelly.
He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old hearty,
And I laughed when I saw him and said “Welcome to the party.”
With a wink of his eye and a nod of his head
“D’ ye have a spot of rum?” he then said.
We drank and we yarned all though the long night,
When we finished the bottle, ‘twas almost day light.
“I must get a goin’,” he said with a start
Then picked up has bag as he let out a loud fart.
He staggered to the tiny tree, all decorated with charts,
And filled all the stockings, then laid out the boat parts.
A compressor, an impeller, a shinny turnbuckle,
He carefully arranged them, then turned with a chuckle.
And laying his finger aside of his nose,
And giving a nod, up the hatchway he rose!
He sprang to his dinghy, to his team gave a whistle,
And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.
But I heard him exclaim, ‘ere he sailed out of sight,
"Many thanks for the rum, mate. I think you’re all right!"
A Cruiser’s Christmas
By
Pendelton C. Wallace
(With apologies to Clement C. Moore)
Water Color, A Cruiser's Christmas, by Patricia Riley
‘Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the boat
Not a creature was stirring, not even goat.
The stockings were run up the halyards with care,
In hopes that St Nicholas soon would be there.
Odin was nestled all snug in his bed,
While visions of Purina danced in his head.
And Dawn in her ‘kerchief, and I in my cap,
Had just climbed into our bunk for a long winter’s nap.
When out on the dock there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from the bunk to see what was the matter.
To the companion way I flew like a flash,
Tore open the doors and slid open the hatch.
The moon on the still water of the bay
Lit up the marina as if it were mid-day.
When, what to my wondering eyes should show,
But a miniature dinghy, and eight brown pelícanos.
With a little old driver, so lively and quick,
I knew in a moment it must be St Nick.
More rapid than dolphin his big birds they came,
And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name!
"Now Spinaker! now, Genny! now, Stays’l and Mizzen!
On, Halyard! On, Turnbuckle! On Sonar and Risen!
To the head of the bay! To the top of the sea wall!
Now splash away! splash away! splash away all!"
As blown spume that before the wild hurricane flies,
When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky.
So up to the dock the pelícanos they flew,
With the dinghy full of boat parts, and St Nicholas too.
And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the deck
The stretching and preening of each elongated neck.
As I drew in my head, and was turning around,
Down the forward hatch St Nicholas came with a bound.
He was dressed in Bermudas, with a bright Hawaiian shirt,
And his clothes were all tarnished with salt water and dirt.
A bundle of parts he had flung on his back,
And he looked like a cruiser, just opening his pack.
His eyes were dilated! his dimples how merry!
He must be a rummy, with a nose like a cherry!
On his head was perched a black captain’s cap
I yawned and considered going back to my nap.
A corn cob pipe he held tight in his teeth,
And the smoke it encircled his head like a reef.
He had a broad face and a little round belly,
On his feet he wore flip-flops that were mighty smelly.
He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old hearty,
And I laughed when I saw him and said “Welcome to the party.”
With a wink of his eye and a nod of his head
“D’ ye have a spot of rum?” he then said.
We drank and we yarned all though the long night,
When we finished the bottle, ‘twas almost day light.
“I must get a goin’,” he said with a start
Then picked up has bag as he let out a loud fart.
He staggered to the tiny tree, all decorated with charts,
And filled all the stockings, then laid out the boat parts.
A compressor, an impeller, a shinny turnbuckle,
He carefully arranged them, then turned with a chuckle.
And laying his finger aside of his nose,
And giving a nod, up the hatchway he rose!
He sprang to his dinghy, to his team gave a whistle,
And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.
But I heard him exclaim, ‘ere he sailed out of sight,
"Many thanks for the rum, mate. I think you’re all right!"
 An alternate history pirate romance
I did it again. I published a new book, now I'm ready to take my punishment.
The Pirate and the Princess is an alternate history pirate romance. I twisted history here and there to enhance the story. The story takes place in 1853. After the Mexican-American war, California decided not to join the United States and became in independent kingdom. Oregon opted to be an independent republic. The good king, Gavin Newman, is insane. The barons select his daughter, Princess Sophia to serve as regent until he recovers. The doctors tell the court that Gavin will never recover. The barons don't like the idea of being ruled by a woman. Palace intrigue fills the book. Meanwhile, back at the ranch, the Dread Pirate Duncan's ship is caught is a massive storm. He puts into San Diego to affect repairs. He goes into the market and meets a lovely peasant girl. The girl is Princess Sophia in disguise. They instantly fall in love. But a princess can't marry a pirate. Mayhem ensues. Read the book to find out if a pirate and a princess can find true love. Stop the Presses
Have you read the latest headlines? Russia has perpetrated a massive cyberattack on the United States. I saw this coming. Read all about it.
During an all-out cyber-attack on the United States, Ted Higuera is inexorably drawn into the plot, making him a suspect. Can he stay out of the grasp of Homeland Security and discover who is behind this mysterious attack? Catrina Flaherty Mysteries
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Ted Higuera Thrillers
Other Books by Pendelton Wallace
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