Marilynne's World

They loaned him a cart so he didn't have to make so many trips.

Roy returned to LA and bought even more toys.  He really got into doing this.  Then we delivered the toys to the Salvation Army.

Roy's gifts were accepted on behalf of the children by Major Ebel.

Now here’s a photo of me with Roy’s second haul.

So many toys, so many kids needing Christmas gifts.

Again, Roy bought in bulk.  Most were in packages of a dozen toys.  I think he would have liked to keep a bow and arrow set for himself.  The arrows had rubber suction cups on the end.

Marilynne

You know how hard men are to shop for.  Well, Roy is now an exception.  Today we went to LA to shop for Roy’s Christmas Gift.  Since we used to live in this area, it’s always fun to go back.  I’d never been in LA’s Toy District, though Roy shops for me there at times.  (Yes, I’m just a kid at heart.)

Here are some pictures to get you in the mood.

This part of downtown LA doesn't look like I remember. I remember the skyscrapers in the background.

It's like being in a foreign land.

For several years now, we’ve named our own “big” gift and gone out and bought it for ourselves, just the style and color we wanted. Then last year, we changed it. We realized we could buy our big gifts for ourselves any time we wanted to. We also don’t really need much now. We decided to name our favorite charity and have the other person carry it out. We didn’t know exactly what happened until Christmas Day.

I’m rather fond of giving goats, ducks, and such to people in poverty. This year Roy said he’d like to give toys to the Salvation Army’s Christmas Toy Drive. Not only that, but he said, “Let’s go to LA and buy them wholesale.” I quickly agreed. We only have one little kid in our family and I send him a check so he can buy what he wants. I love shopping for toys.

It was so much fun.  I’d ask what the price was on something.  Then I’d ask how many I’d have to buy to get the wholesale price.  It was usually around a dozen, and so we bought a dozen dolls, and a dozen transformers, and on and on.  I’ve never before bought so many toys (and I’ve never paid so little for them).  We bought 70 toys and didn’t break the bank.   Tomorrow we’ll take them all to the Salvation Army for distribution, but Roy needs something to hold in his hand for Christmas.  I’m afraid it only shows some of the toys.  We did buy a lot.

I'm sure this is the largest number of gifts Roy's gotten for Christmas and definitely the first time he's received dolls. You can't see them all. If I'd spread them all out I wouldn't have been able to take the picture.

Mid way in our shopping spree we stopped at a Vietnamese restaurant on Main St. named Blossom. It’s pretty small, but the food was superb and superbly served. Lucky the people who chance by here. It was also reasonably priced, about what I’d usually spend for lunch. I’m sorry I didn’t take a picture there. In the lady’s room there was a marvelous ink and watercolor of peonies I’d love to have in my home, but it resides in the lady’s room brightening up a small spot.

Happy Christmas shopping to you all.

Marilynne