NAUGHTY OR NICE? Walter Reed Christmas FReep, Week 88 -- 12/22/06

DC Chapter | 12/27/06 | Albion Wilde, with photos by [Mrs] Trooprally

[Albion Wilde]

Washington, DC, Dec. 22, 2006-- It comes but once a year. Christmas is a time for joy! In spite of the steady downpour, the DC Chapter turned out to stand with Santa Claus at Walter Reed, grateful that it wasn't the paralyzing snow storm that was grounding holiday travelers and mail in Denver. We've been out here every Friday evening for the past 88 weeks to wave to the troops, their family members and staff who come and go from the hospital on Friday evening. This week, those who came and went were those who had to stay at the hospital over one of the most family-oriented holidays of the year. And as many of them told us, they were happy to see us on what could have been an uncertain start to the holiday weekend.

This thread will be a short one, owing to the holidays, for both the readers and the writer.
Our story is told in [Mrs] Trooprally's wonderful photos:

Even at the apex of his busiest season, Santa Claus sheltered from the rain under his matching umbrella to wave greetings to the troops.

Fraxinus, against a backdrop of holiday lights on Georgia Avenue.

[Mr] Trooprally sports his Christmas present from [Mrs] Trooprally -- a waterproof rain suit -- perfect for the occasion.

Stalwart lurker Bill from Maryland is still at his post on the southeast corner, rain or no rain.

Jimmy Valentine's Brother and 3D-Joy bring cheer, and Joy's patriotic bumbershoot, to the northeast corner.

From left, Jimmy Valentine's Brother is joined by Sensei Ern, who also does occasional stand-up comedy gigs for the troops at Walter Reed, and [Mr] Trooprally.

Like water off a duck's back: Doctor Raoul and Cindy-True-Supporter light up the southwest corner. Nice!

Naughty: Eight anti-war diehards display their usual whines at their ignominious outpost down the street. Later, they would drag one additional malcontent to their array of holiday gloom: their elderly, wheelchair-bound lady weighing approximately 85 pounds. Someone hand her a nice, fat turkey leg -- and get the rest of them a gallon of Christmas cheer!

Doctor Raoul and Jimmy Valentine's Brother were just two of the fourteen nice FReepers who kept the naughty children away from the gates of Walter Reed this night. Here's the Honor Roll: Lurker Bill from MD; FReepers 3D-Joy, Cindy-True-Supporter, Doctor Raoul, Fraxinus, Jimmy Valentine's Brother, Just a Nobody, Kristinn, Plea Deal, tgslTakoma, Trooprally [Mr & Mrs], Sensei Ern and myself, Albion Wilde.

Santa's helper Kristinn demonstrates cheery holiday wavation.

Nice!

The DC Chapter wishes all our participants and readers a FReepin' wonderful 2007!

***

An archive of all Walter Reed FReeps by BufordP.
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[nutmeg]

Merry Christmas and THANK YOU, DC Chapter members! :o)

God bless you all for doing this, week after week... month after month...

nutmeg & zelig

[E.G.C.]

BTTT

[Jimmy Valentine's brother]

What a night! My hat was soked through and water started to run down the back of my neck. However I as glad I made it. We got lots of honks for the troops.

[FrogHawk]

Merry Christmas to y'all. Your Friday nite efforts really do make a difference. Thanx

[Albion Wilde]

WR regulars ping!

[tgslTakoma]

DC Chapter ping

[Albion Wilde]

What a night! My hat was soked through and water started to run down the back of my neck. However I [w]as glad I made it. We got lots of honks for the troops.

Everyone in the chapter is always glad when you are there! And yes, the passing motorists seemed to recognize the wistfulness of being wounded and in the hospital at holiday time -- there was a steady stream of waving and tooting.

They were nice!

[Albion Wilde]

Lovely holiday card, WVNan, thanks!

[Albion Wilde]

We can always use those blessings, and the troops even more! Thank you...

[AppyPappy]

I'm sure it reminds you of the warm nights of summer on a Friday night.

Happy New Year

[Albion Wilde]

Someone really should call Social Services to care for the old woman in the wheelchair.

When I say "die-hard", I am not kidding. They are seriously convinced that urging the U.S. to lose the war and abandon the engagement over there would be a good thing.

We have a revolving bunch of perhaps 100 who FReep at Walter Reed over the course of a year, so that only a handful of our most dedicated leaders are there most weeks. The anti-Americans have a skeleton crew who must always be there in order to hang on to their permit, and when I say "skeleton" in relation to that lady, I'm not kidding, either.

Now that we have beaten their brains to make them stop the totally obscene signage, their meaningless wishes for an abstract kind of "Peace" defined as "Bring the Troops Home NOW" inspire nothing but pity.

I think we may be almost ready to claim another victory over them -- Code Pink seems to have abandoned their "vigil". We rarely see the Pinko gals any more. The anti-Americans are now mostly men from a variety of socialist and rage-equals-coolness groups.

[Albion Wilde]

Awesome home page, Allegra! Thanks for your post, and keep up your good work!

[PleaDeal]

Thanks for the great report and pics. You guys are the best!!!

[Albion Wilde]

A belated Merry Christmas...! Thanks to you and all the DC Freepers for standing up for our troops.

Greetings back at ya, RedRover! Meeting the troops when they come out to talk with us or shake hands is a privilege and honor. It keeps us coming back with happy anticipation.

[Albion Wilde]

Thank you, Spirit, for your greetings and post. We appreciate your support, and so do the troops!

[zoomie81]

AWESOME!!! An inspiration to all Americans :-) God Bless You>
Happy and Blessed New Year

[Albion Wilde]

Plea Deal, hope you are feeling better! Get well soon!

[Albion Wilde]

Happy and Blessed New Year

Same to you, special Zoomie!

[Albion Wilde]

We appreciate your posts and bumps to this thread! Hope your New Year is bright!

[Sensei Ern]

Hey all!

It was wet, but was a lot of fun. Jimmy Valentine's Brother, and another Freeper (Frax, I think) were kind enough to let me test out some new material on them...most of which will be subjected to the troops at Walter Reed in just a few weeks.