Seasonal Doings

Every year, without exception, Christmas-is-coming creeps up on me.  Now I'm under the gun, especially for anything to be sent to Singapore and Tokyo.
After our walk and breakfast, I went to A.C. Moore and got modest gifts for the girls.  The family is spending Christmas in Australia, so I had to get them off shortly.  Also picked up a gift for the Ocean County Toy Collection and dropped it off at the county office.
Re the preceding: This year, as last, those attending our Women's Club luncheon--which I am--were asked to bring a toy for the Marine Corps' "Toys for Tots."  Since I can't, in good conscience, contribute to such an organization,* I decided to donate elsewhere.
Wrapped the presents for the girls and took it to the post office. Came home and dug out parts of the costumes I wore in Hedda to prepare for the carol-singing at Arcadia nursing home.
Brother Frank called and we had a nice chat.  He lives in Alameda, near San Francisco and is going to see if he can go south to see me while on the west coast.  He didn't mention it, but Jim, his Ob/Gyn son, got a major award from The March of Dimes for neonatal research (see link below).
I dressed more or less in costume and picked Aline up at 5:30. Arrived at Arcadia rehab and nursing home at the stated time of 5:45 and found it had actually started at 5:00--there was a screw-up somewhere. This included a tree-lighting ceremony and there were lots of people there from little children to the elderly residents.
Anyway, there were eight of us from LETCO and we sang the usual seasonal songs.
After, the gang was going to Mystic Casino (actually, just a neighborhood tavern), but Aline begged off, as she was tired.  Not I, so I dropped her off at home and joined them.   Just stayed for an hour or so and had a lot of laughs, along with a few glasses of dark beer, then said goodbye and left.
Turned out to be a fun day, after all, but now I'm ready for a little non-scheduled downtime.
 * I assume that years ago, some advertising hack came up with the "Toys for Tots," thing for the Marine Corps.  I find it particularly disgusting, as it suggests the Marine Corps is a benign institution--look, they gather toys for the poor little kiddies, don't they?  As in a zillion other ways, the general populace--ever ready to be hoodwinked--buys right into this, but I'll be damned if I will.
My nephew, Jim:
http://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/honoree-dr-james-byrne-md-attends-march-of-dimes-news-photo/459999434