Merry Christmas 2011!

It's the afternoon of Christmas Eve as I write these words to you. To all my fellow Christians who read this, here's wishing you and yours a very Merry Christmas! (While I'm at it, here's wishing a Happy Hanukkah to all my Jewish friends, and Happy Kwanzaa in advance to my African-American friends.) It's a bit of a downer this Christmas, with my Dad in the hospital now. Last Friday (16 Dec.), he fell at home and was taken to the hospital the next day. The doctors found out he had fractured his pelvis (a flight fracture), and not a broken hip as we first feared. Dad's undergoing physical therapy now and recovering. Mom and I hoped he'd be home by now, but it looks like early next week at the soonest.

Last Friday afternoon, I was at Gravois Bluffs Shopping Center in Fenton, Missouri on behalf of IPMS/Gateway. I presented our club's $250 donation to the US Marine Corps Reserve (USMCR) for the Toys for Tots program in Metro St. Louis. Y98 radio was hosting a remote broadcast from Gravois Bluffs that day to raise donations for Toys for Tots, so that's why I was there. (Julie Vaughn, our treasurer, took the photo of me presenting the check to a USMCR corporal.)

That night, I joined Stress Free Fridays at The Signature Room in Overland for happy hour. As usual, it was a real nice time. The next day found me at Gametime in St. Peters for youth futsal refereeing. I had three matches scheduled for late afternoon to early evening, but it turned out my schedule had been changed so that I would have done the one game earlier than previously scheduled and not do the last game scheduled, but the assignor didn't inform me of that. Oh well, at least all games were covered. That meant I was off earlier than scheduled to attend Del Miller's Christmas party that night. We had a real nice time, mixing with people from IPMS/St. Louis and the military reinactors that Del participates in.

Sunday night (18 Dec.), I was at The In Spot in the Delmar Loop area for a happy hour. I hoped to find some Meetup friends there, but for some reason I did not. At least the night wasn't a total waste.

Last Tuesday night (20 Dec.), IPMS/Gateway's meeting featured elections for 2012 club officers. I was unable to run for president again, due to term limits, but I was elected vice president. We got through the elections fine, plus we had a recognition contest (I tied with two others for highest correct scores) and we had a large raffle of prizes. Just before adjourning, I thanked everyone for being their president the past two years, and wished the new executive board well.

I had hoped to hear back this past week on a temp job I interviewed for the previous week, but the temp agency said the client decided not to go with the assignment. They added the client didn't give any feedback or reason for the change. A bummer. We'll see what happens regarding other opportunities.

I got out just about the last of my Christmas greetings today. Just a few left to e-mail. I visit Dad late in the afternoon, then to church for service that night.

Later.