Women's Club and the Marines

Woman's Club luncheon at SeaOaks, which I like, and it was pretty fun.  I told Susan I'd drive myself, as I wanted to go to Kohl' for shoes after.  Sat with her, Bessie, Carol, Pat H., Mary-Jo, and Iris, with Eleanor and Julie L. on either side of me.
Eleanor is somewhat restrained or withdrawn; or maybe she's just a bore.  She didn't say much except that she had lost eleven pounds. Julie and I, though, had a good time together.  I was on the outs with her for some time, but no longer.  I think she and I are quite a bit alike: opinionated, self-righteous, and acerbic, but coming from me, it's droll and witty, from Julie, it's offensive.  (Su-r-r-e...)
Anyway, it was funner than Tuesday's lunch with the Catholic Crowd, although it dragged on pretty long.  Started at noon and we didn't get out of there until 3:30, due to long waits between courses and the interminable "prizes" handed out.  I did win a thirty-dollar (unusually generous) gift certificate to Calloway's, a restaurant I like.
WIDER:  This time, at least we weren't subjected to one of our "heroes" extolling the Marine Corps Toys for Tots abomination.  From last year's Christmas luncheon entry:
--There was a large pile of donated toys in the upstairs room where   the event was held.  The club president got on the microphone     and "proudly" introduced a young woman "who has three children herself" and was--the heart swells with awe--both a marine veteran and a present member of the National Guard.  The woman, dressed sloppily in jeans and a pilly sweater, got on the mike and treated us to a talk on how wonderful it was that needy local children will get these gifts  That elicited applause and oddly, nobody asked, "Do you think the children in Iraq and Afghanistan are needy?"  (No, because they're dead.)--
There was a similar pile yesterday, so I guess this will be one of those tiresome annual events that make the sleepwalkers feel they're doing something good. I had taken a toy to Ocean County's "Toys for Tots," so if I don't feel particularly virtuous, at least I didn't join in the whitewash of those licensed to kill.