A Quest And A Meeting

After walking Kimball (and I was pleased to see Irene back, as she's been ill), I made out another Christmas card to send Greg's mother. Went to WinCo for Dave's Killer Bread, iced tea mix, and lettuce, then to Sprout's for blueberries. Bought El a present in Kohl's and while I was there, Betty called. She asked me to scan this article:
from The Atlantic City Press of December 22, 1936 and send it to Carolyn, so she could print it out and give to Betty to show people. She asked if I could do it by 5:00, as she was going to a Christmas gathering where she lives. Said I'd try, then I went on a quest.
Now, I don't, as a rule, wear "Christmas jewelry." Frankly, I think it often looks tacky. However, I decided to wear green and white and I thought a tasteful red bauble would look nice with it. Looked in Koh's--nothing. Went to two 99-Cent store--nope. Drove home, then got the bus  to the mall  and looked at Target--uh, uh. Searched in Sears, Penney's, and some smaller stores and came up empty. I then decided the hell with it.
Got home and had a bite, then showered and dressed. Instead of actual Christmas stuff, I wore a red rose in Lucite and matching screw-on earrings, a set I've had for at least sixty-four years, as I remember wearing them in high school.
Went to the Humor & Drama Toastmasters Christmas meeting, which was--well, somewhat bizarre. Judi, the leader or something, is about my age (as of this very day, 82), but was decked out in the predictable: Christmas tree lights necklace, Santa hat, and so on. The "program," if you can call it that, was a snooze fest, aside from Fern explaining the new member packet. John C., who is one of those obnoxious old men who thinks his every word is golden, read--yeah, he always reads, except when he rambles on, pointlessly yet this is supposed to be a public speaking group--a long, predictable story about judging and buying Christmas trees when he was a kid. Then, Dick, a etired cardiologist who's really, really old, read something he called "The Magi." Two seconds in, he mentioned "Della," and I knew, of course, it was O. Henry's hoary old piece, The Gift of the Magi, published in 1905! We studied it in high school and I didn't even like it then, but we had to sit through a long, ponderous recitation--AAGH!
At least, there were refreshments half-way in, although three-quarters of them were cookies and cakes, which I didn't want to eat. Had some seafood appetizers, crackers, raspberries, and a few swallows of lukewarm iced tea--store bought and pretty disgusting.
I was asked to talk about my Christmas memories, which I did, and crazy Annette said she had a cold, was saving her voice, then presented me with a children's book of The Night Before Christmas and asked if I'd read it. Oh, good grief! I reluctantly said I would, but luckily, there wasn't time, and I didn't.
Anyway, I dunno. I resigned from the Poinsettia group because it seemed too serious, but this is so far the other way, it sometimes seems to be an extension of the funny farm. Well, guess I'll stay in for now, but it's anything but stimulating, I'm afraid.
Betty called during the meeting to thank me for the article; I'll call her today to wish her happy birthday.