I just arrived at home from our local mall after receiving inoculation number three

The line that was formed was as far as you could see

It was the booster shot that all the experts recommend

Will this Covid merry go round ever come to an end?

The vast majority of us are all trying in vain

To eliminate this virus and finally get off this train

Even though most of us have done what we should do    

We are now experiencing another case of deja vu

All because some people just refuse to get their shot

While the rest of us are giving it all that we got

We have transitioned from Delta now to Omicron

How many more mutations before we can finally say it’s gone?

More unvaccinated people will be affected as a result

This ounce of prevention to them is considered an insult

This new virus is more contagious than the previous version

These anti vaxers will continue on with their aversions

Refusing to cooperate and not giving in

Seems we are in a battle that we may never win

This plague will feast on those ones that continue to abstain

This group continues to be whittled down, but they will never gain

The emergency rooms will be flooded by those affected once more

The casualties will be tabulated and added to the score

Schools will be closed and our freedoms will be affected

It’s happened so often now, we all know what is to be expected

The reset button is once again pressed to repeat

Time to get our hopes amped up and then fall in defeat

How many more cycles will we have to experience along the way?

Will this be a lifestyle that we will be forced to play?

The theory is that when we get the percentages up we will be in the clear

Reaching this targeted goal has been harder than it would appear

With all the kids now on board, are we getting close?

We have to persuade this no needle group to take their dose

The idea that this could happen, to me, seems totally absurd

How are we going to convince them to take the second and third?

Restrictions are now being put in place, we all know the drill

A few may give in, but not that many will

We are on opposite ends of this issue, there can be no debate

The only thing we can agree on is that we are tired of the wait

It’s late on a Saturday afternoon and I am trying to put a poem to pen

My deadline for creating one is coming even closer again

I want to watch the “Blackhawks and “Leafs” game tonight

Which only affords me only a couple of hours to get it done right

I want to be able to watch it all from the opening faceoff and through

Procrastinating all week is something I am in the habit to do

Not that this past seven days is any different from the ones before

When I finish a poem, I always plan to write even more

I never seem to accomplish this and I only have myself to blame

Now I’m trying to rush this one out before they start tonight’s game

Tomorrow there are two  football games that I plan to see

After the hockey game finishes who knows how well I will be?

The “Leafs” are the superior team and are playing great once again this year

If my “Hawks” want to be competitive, they’ll have to step it up another gear

The status of these two franchises has taken quite a turn

If my team wins tonight it will certainly be earned

Tomorrow the “Buffalo Bills” play “Brady” in Tampa Bay

Then I’ll watch the “Grey Cup” championship to finish off my day

I am picking the eastern “Ticats” to win in this final quest

They should beat the “Blue Bombers” who are representing the west

The fact that they get to  play at home should help them in this way

Even though there will lots of western supporters to watch the “Bombers” play

The CFL will be done but the NFL has five weeks to go

I thought the “Bills” were “shoe ins” but now I don’t know

They haven’t been consistent and dominating as they were

They have a tough schedule so now I’m not sure

They’ll have to play their best games in order to stay in this race

It’s going to be hard for them to retain second place

These next five games they will have to prove who they really are

If they want to succeed they will have to raise the bar

They looked like they could be a dynasty with a little tweak

Their running backs lately have looked a little weak

The way they have been playing lately is causing some alarm

This team has become dependent on “Josh Allen’s” arm

Tomorrow, “Tom Brady” is the man they have to beat

They can’t afford to leave Florida with another defeat

I figured they had this division and it wouldn’t be hard

Now they are fighting to get into the “wild card”

Tomorrow will show if they have their “mojo” back

Hopefully it’s not too late to get this team back on track

I managed to finish this poem before the hockey game somehow

Now it’s all set to go on Monday morning now

Next week for sure, I will start to write some more in advance

Who am I kidding? There isn’t a chance

Last night ended with my team going down in defeat

I am just happy that they are showing that they can compete

Their season is starting to turn around has they have won seven of their last ten

Hopefully they won’t fall back into another terrible slump once again

Watched some you tube videos later into the night

Then decided to call it a day and then turned off my light

Got up early this morning just before the sun

Then proceeded to go on my ritual dog run

Put on a reflective vest in order to be seen

Then walked  around our town in my fluorescent green

Last night I had no intentions of taking the walk this morning

Figured it was going to be impossible due to the heavy snowfall warning

Turns out this storm starts later on today

So I hooked the pooch to his leash and we proceeded on our way

My dog has issues with snowballs clinging to his feet

This morning I changed my route to be close to the city streets

So now we were on the sidewalks because they are usually clear

Will get back to our old trails when spring returns next year

Eventually I got back to Memorial Drive and continued on our stroll

The path I took however, was a kilometer short of my goal

The whole idea is to get all my ten thousand steps in before I reach home

So I will have to add on another few blocks next time I get out to roam

Once inside I turned on my computer and it went into a crash

Hopefully I will be able to fix it without having to spend any cash

I am now at the crossroads of having to upgrade to windows eleven

When I purchased this one, it was using number seven

Do I tinker more with this and try to get it to run?

Or upgrade to windows eleven and purchase another one?

It’s much too close to Christmas for me to have to decide

I’ll just stick to the laptop and for now let it ride

I have no time right now to try to get it to go

I have to save all my energy for shoveling snow

I’m looking out the window and see the flakes starting to fall

Could this weather warning prove to be right after all?

We could get twenty five centimeters before it’s finally through

It certainly isn’t something that I am looking forward to

So in the morning it’s looking like we will be covered all in white

Hopefully the snow we have to move will prove nice and light

I’m hoping before tomorrow morning when we have to begin

My team’s fortune will be better tonight and will end with a win

Two high profile murder trials ended last week in the United States

While juries were deliberating, the whole nation was left sitting in wait

Both the verdicts that were rendered were different as night and day

One got away with murder, the others will have to pay

Kyle Rittenhouse was acquitted of all charges for killing two and injuring a third

It was a case of self defense which to me seems totally absurd

The whole situation was racially motivated even though white people were shot

It was at “Black Lives Matter” protest that he took a rifle that he illegally got

He injured the first man then killed two others who had joined in his pursuit

He thought he was in danger and these two other men he would also shoot

Both these men were unarmed when they issued the chase

The jury found that his life was in danger and they proved their case

Now he is being hailed as a  hero and is the darling of “Fox News”

If this continues to gain traction, the heightened violence might prove hard to diffuse

Reports are saying that Rittenhouse visited Trump at his Florida retreat

You know the guy who has never admitted his defeat

This could be a powder keg and just fans the flames some more

This is just the type of stuff that appeals to the Republican core

So the courts in Wisconsin have let this murderer go free

As far at three men in Georgia, that’s not the way it would be

This case, a father, his son and their neighbour were all doing fine

That was until a video of Ahmaud Arbery’s shooting was leaked online

They were Greg McMichael who is the father and Travis McMichael, his son

Their neighbour William Bryan who decided to record while they were on this run

They said that Ahmaud was a burglar and chased him down their street

The fact they chose to film this event would result in their defeat

If this video was never taken, this case would have never gone to trial

The fact that they all ended up being convicted just makes me smile

This lynch mob chased him down in a pickup with a “Confederate” flag on their plate

This just adds to the proof that all these three men deserved this fate

The fact that this racism is so blatant is unreal

Of course the lawyers for these men are going to try an appeal

The Prosecutors did not argue that racism motivated this crime

The Federal authorities have however, so they may serve more time

Video evidence usually helps you if you are involved in a case

Most people have a cell phone that they take from place to place

If you have a record of it, you have something that can be shown

This is the safest weapon that you may ever own

It didn’t help in one case, most of us will have to agree

But if the others didn’t film their adventure, then all of them would be free

I went to brush my teeth last Friday evening, and what did I see?

One of my eyes was coated in red where the white is supposed to be

It certainly shocked me when I looked at myself in the mirror

My online diagnosis said things aren’t as bad as they would appear

They called it a subconjunctival hemorrhage, a bleeding of the eye

All I can say is that it scared the hell out of this guy

I was satisfied with what I read and headed to bed for the night

I got up in the morning and started to feel uptight

My left eye looked redder than the night before

Decided to go to emergency just to be sure

I didn’t want to do it because it was a cab I would have to call

Just to get to the hospital totaled twenty five bucks in all

I had to sit in the back behind the plexiglas barricade

I am still lamenting about the fare that I paid

The hospital issued me a new mask to replace the one I wore

I had to switch them or they wouldn’t let me through the door

Once I checked into emergency they gave me a wristband to wear

Then sent me to the waiting area where I spent four hours in my chair

While I was sitting there, everyone was busy gawking on their phones

A roomful of people and still everyone was alone

Seeing I couldn’t concentrate, I put my phone to airplane mode

There was free wifi available which didn’t require a code

I found myself watching the television for most of the time I was there

I couldn’t really hear it well, so I just sat there to stare

They had it on HGTV and I recognized the show

I had to know if they were going to love it or list it before I had to go

I was thinking of taking the bus home when I was done

I also thought of walking although it would be quite a run

I was too stubborn to pay for another cab because I am too cheap and thrifty

No way I was doing that because the amount would total fifty

Finally my named was called out and then spent another hour waiting to be seen

It turned out the information I read was exactly what it had been

The actual time with the doctor turned out to be very brief

It was nice to get out of there and have that sense of relief

I got out of the parking lot ended up walking home all the way

It turned out the distance was shorter than the course I take everyday

There’s a band on Brookes Street that has been together for a while

Decided to play their last performance and go out in style

Together they have been experiencing many highs and lows

But every night they had their members out to maintain the show

The number of musicians varied from night to night

No matter how many participated they got through it alright

They played every evening and never found the time to rehearse

The more members playing, the sound of it just got worse

Instruments used were improvised by each attendee

The whole objective was to be as loud as you could be

Most of us banged a pot or chose to ring a bell

Judging by the noise level, we all did very well

At one time our whole block came out to play

Then the numbers just slowly dwindled away

Some nights the neighbourhood children would join us in the fun

Essentially it came down to six that would continue on this run

I can’t say for sure when was our first day

Seems to me this tradition started last year in the month of May

Needless to say it has continued going and it was never done

Most nights we had full attendance, some nights it was down to one

It was decided that this Thursday past would be our last engagement

Attendance would be a must for what would be our final arrangement

So there was Meredith, Margaret, Jack and myself, four of us alone

Rick was gone hunting and Denise would join us on the phone

This is the group that has kept this tribute going strong

It was a nice touch to have three grandchildren play along

Denise was out of town and didn’t want to make us have to wait

Now when you count the kids,  our finale totaled eight

Eighteen months or five hundred and twenty nine days we were out each and every night

To honour all these selfless front line workers that choose to continue in this fight

These people are also heroes in every single way

That is why we chose to stop on this Remembrance Day

They may not be in a war, but they have to battle through it all

They like soldiers, have chosen to answer the call

They have casualties and deaths like on a battlefield

This virus is an enemy that refuses to yield

Just because we aren’t banging the pots doesn’t mean we have forgotten you

We are still admiring every one for all the things you do

You should also be honoured because you have chosen to defend

We are hoping that this conflict will soon come to an end

The “Chicago Blackhawks” have been a major topic in the latest news

There are so many people out there willing to share their point of view

Problems for this team are being experienced on and off the ice

So many people who are not involved, offering some advice

When this assault occurred this team was  in their playoff run

The “Blackhawks”  hadn’t  won the Stanley Cup since nineteen sixty one

It would take over fourty nine years for this franchise to relive their dream

Unfortunately it wouldn’t be all that joyous for a member affiliated with this team

In May two thousand and ten, Kyle Beach was finally in a position that aspiring hockey players desired

He was called up from the minors to participate in the playoffs if required

Just twenty years old and he would be a “Black Ace”

Meaning if someone was injured, he was there to take their place

The following are allegations I read on a news report

This May seventh Kyle filed a lawsuit and is taking the “Blackhawks” to court

This incident occurred over eleven years ago

This is what I researched just to let you know

Brad Aldrich was a video coach that this NHL team had hired

Later on that year he resigned but he was never fired

He invited this rookie to his apartment for drinks and a meal

That would be the location of this terrible ordeal

He forced oral sex on Kyle and told him to pretend to like it all

Then told him if he didn’t the “Blackhawks” would never give him another call

Beach managed to escape and informed the club about the situation he went through

It would be another three weeks before they decided what they would do

The administration knew about it but decided to postpone this case

They couldn’t be bothered, they were in a playoff race

Aldrich informed  the team the sex was consensual but resigned after two thousand and ten

Unfortunately it wouldn’t be much longer until he struck again

He was now affiliated with a high school team and accosted a sixteen year old

This might have never happened if the Kyle Beach story had been told

Aldrich pleaded guilty to sexual conduct with a teenager and was sentenced to nine months in jail

The behaviour of this NHL team proved to be an epic fail

The “Hawks” ignored their mistake and even let Aldrich have a day with the Stanley Cup

We learned he brought it to a high school, now that they exposed this cover up

The executives that were in charge are now officially done

Those ones that were involved during the first playoff run

Stan Bowman resigned and was the last employee who really had to know

Quenneville met with Bettman and Joel decided it was time to go

Only Kevin Cheveldayoff is the last man to hold a post

He’s General Manager of the “Jets” and the league has allowed him to coast

The way this team has handled the situation really is a shame

They even chose to have the Stanley Cup be engraved with Brad Aldrich’s name

They have had this name removed from it since this news came to light

It is going to take a lot more than this to make this hardship right

I admire Kyle Beach for coming forward and I hope he has his day

There is no way he should have been brushed off in this way

He has given others a voice that is now loud and clear

For those with similar experiences and are living in fear

I hope he is properly compensated for the nightmare he went through

Which in turns inspires others who have been through an experience like this too

We are now at that time of year when temperatures begin to fall

Being a northerner, that fact shouldn’t bother me at all

I took it as a challenge, I took it as a dare

Refusing to give in because there’s a chill in the air

 I could build up my resistance and take it all in stride

Even decided not to engage the furnace once I went inside

It didn’t feel like such a stretch when I’d been out all day

I was feeling snug in a t-shirt everything was okay

Not feeling cold at all when walking around the place

Still feeling very snug in my little space

The first day there was no problem, the temperature was sixty eight

Slept comfortably through the night and everything was going great

The conditions did change and it started to cool a little more

Still I was comfortable walking barefoot on the floor

I had no problem through the day and at night hopped into my bed

With no gas being used, I was now a few bucks ahead

Day three I awoke from my slumber and was feeling fine

I jumped when my feet touched the floor, it plummeted to fifty nine

It was now time to put socks and slippers on my feet

Accessorized with a hoodie to make my ensemble complete

The next two days the weather was close to freezing

Could feel my body cooling, but not once was I sneezing

Decided to crawl down to the basement when I wanted to watch tv

The reason for doing this was because it was warmer by a few degrees

It was finally getting to me and I was starting to feel a chill

It was the fourth day which was Friday, when I finally lost some will

I turned on the thermostat and set it to sixty five

I wasn’t in a panic, I knew I would survive

I knew this would make a difference and warm me up real quick

Went back to sit on the couch after I heard the little click

The furnace kicked in right away but soon the noise was gone

Tried to get it to go again but it wouldn’t turn back on

Called the “Reliance” dealer because we pay for their service plan

Figured they would show up just as soon as they can

Perhaps this company should consider changing their name

It was not until Thursday when they finally came

Surveyed my situation and announced that I needed a new part

Once the package is shipped to me, then the repair could start

The item was delivered to me around noon the next day

The contact told me that between one and five they would be on their way

I sat there patiently anticipating that they would be here soon

That’s when my phone rang at around three thirty in the afternoon

The man on the other end apologized and said they couldn’t make it after all

They referred to their schedule to book another call

Once again they squeezed me in between the hours of one to five

But the day would be Wednesday when they would arrive

So tack on five more days which makes it over two weeks without heat

Sunday night the the front door opened a lot as the kids were out to trick or treat

Now it’s Monday morning  and I have a record low

The thermostat reads fifty seven, how much lower can it go?

The next few days coming are going to be colder than the rest

Trying to stay warm inside will really be a test

I never did anticipate to go this long without heat

Over fourty eight more hours before it will be complete

True it has been difficult, but I like to think I won

I won’t be declared a champion until this repair is finally done

All this week the weather will be chilly and they are calling for some frost

Will my problem be resolved? I’ve got my fingers crossed!

The topic that I have chosen may not be of interest to some

They perhaps will just ignore it and think that it’s dumb

The research involved reading many lists

There were so many examples, it was hard to resist

These so called “top ten” are seldom the same

In some circumstances, we may be to blame

I am just going to mention a few that appear more than the rest

Some you may not find bothersome, while other you’ll detest

Pet peeves is the subject that will be my muse

There is a few of them that I will randomly choose

People not washing their hands before they leave a washroom

Is more relatable to most because of the pandemic I would assume

People saying “no offense” when you are engaging in a chat

Nine times out of ten will most likely end in a spat

Grooming yourself in a public place people share

Things like applying makeup, clipping nails or even brushing your hair

People doing speech to text seemed to irk quite a few

They want you to use your fingers like the rest of us do

Slow drivers in the passing lane was another complaint

The comments made showed little restraint

Here’s another no no that I never knew

Apparently passengers fiddling with the car radio is something that you shouldn’t do

Sharing your medical conditions in detail is crossing the line

So if someone asks how you are feeling, it’s better to say “fine”

When misplacing something “Where was the last place you were?”

Hell if you knew the answer, this incident would have never occurred

Whether you agree or disagree with any of these it is all fine

Now I want to bring up a couple of mine

The first one I’m sure all of us can understand

Is against all bakeries and I am making a stand

You can make fun of me if you must

When we get to the end of a bag why is there only one crust?

Loaves are being sliced in odd numbers, that’s what is being done

To make a sandwich you are forced to go out and purchase another one

That’s why toasters only come in twos and fours

It’s just a conspiracy that all of us have chosen to ignore

Last but not least is another numbers game that some of us play

Did everyone enjoy their breakfast today?

I eat a cereal that is nutritious but not very neat

The company is “Nabisco” and it’s their “Shredded Wheat”

Eating two biscuits is considered a complete meal

So you open the box to see what it reveals

They are packed in sealed containers that contain three

Just how more inconvenient could this possibly be?

So you take out the two and save the third for the next day

Wrap it up in the torn wrapper and pack it away

There are crumbs on the counter and more on the floor

Twenty four hours later you repeat the same procedure and spill even more

I came to a solution, proving I’m not a total dunce

I now put this trio in a cereal bowl and eat them all at once

No mess to clean just put the residue in the bin

The answer to a problem, a total win

As for those establishments with their yeast and dough

If you can solve this bakery scam, please let me know!

The NHL season is now starting their second week

Winning their first game is what my team sorely seeks

Just managing one point after playing game three

Isn’t going the way that I thought it would be

They have been terrible right out of the gate

Somehow I was expecting a much better fate

Opponents have scored early and often too

This is just a slump that they have to get through

Two of  these games, they were behind on the first shot

They are now just one point out of last spot

I guess you could say that I am in a state of shock

Still I haven’t given up on my beloved “Blackhawks”

Right now things are  rough, but they can only get better

Hell, they haven’t played a game at the United Center

There is still another seventy nine games left to play

The playoffs won’t be here until we reach the month of May

With so many changes, this team needs time to gel

It may take some time for things to start to go well

Let’s put things into perspective, they are only three points out of first place

If they manage to stay this close, they will have a playoff space

Their power play has been potent, they have had success in each game

Let’s face it, this team just isn’t the same                  

Fleury was pulled early in his second start

Let’s not panic and think things are falling apart

They have to be ready at the drop of the puck

This season they have had nothing but bad luck

Seventeen seconds into the second game and fifteen seconds the next night

First shots from their rivals turned on the red light

So far they haven’t been able to play with a lead

They certainly have to repair this if they hope to succeed

This dismal start should motivate them to stick to the game plan

Especially since their next four games are in front of their home fans

Playing in Chicago into next week

Hopefully will bring an end to this losing streak

It’s too early to panic, I don’t intend to go down that hole

It will take some time for each player to learn their role

Things aren’t as dire as it would appear

This team will be in the thick of things by the end of the year