What a Day!

Today I had an Eastern Star Home Board meeting in Boone. I figured that it would take me about 20 minutes to get there so I fiddled around and left here at 9:30 for a 10:00 meeting. Well I went outside and it was snowing. I was not paying any attention to the weather so I was not prepared for the extra time it would take me.

I started out with lights on and engaged the 4 wheel drive part time. I love the 4-wheel drive but it doesn't help much in stopping on ice. So as I got out to 13th and Dayton I started to slide. Fortunately the light was green so no one was stopped in front of me and I was able to make the turn. There were about 5 cars in the ditch along Highway 30 and I almost turned around but I just drove carefully and kept on. I am the Secretary Treasurer of the Home Board this year and felt an obligation to get there. The only nice thing about the trip over was that I saw a beautiful pheasant along the side of the road. I love these beautiful birds and always feel good when I spot them. Especially when it is NOT pheasant season.

I had a good time at the Home Board. We had a couple of extra people there and they were a nice addition to the group. There were not enough places set up for everybody at the lunch table so I sat with my "ladies from December. I love them and they graciously allowed me to eat with them. Evelyn and Carol were with me in December (picture taken then) and Theo was there today also. Carol gave me her e-mail address so I hope she can start being a cyber-friend. Theo reminded me of my grandmother as she looked like her. She had been a teacher also and when I found out that she taught at United Community I asked her if she knew Magy McClean. Turns out that she was really good friends with Magy. Magy was my first Worthy Matron and one of my favorite people. Mother was her good friend and we all had lots of fun together. It is really weird.. I found out that Magy's granddaughter was the scholarship recipient for Arcadia Lodge last year and about a week ago I got a letter from one of her daughters wanting information about her OES membership and her husband's Masonic membership. I was able to give her the contacts at the Grand Lodge and Grand Chapter so she could get her information.. Less than 6 degrees of separation here.

Then on the way home I mailed the 225 letters that I had addressed and stuffed over the week-end. I spent the afternoon working on "stuff" and e-mail talking with friends. (that is when you send e-mail back and forth and carry on a conversation)

This evening about 12 of us met at Pizza Ranch for dinner. We had a really nice time in the party room of the restaurant. (I just remembered when I told Carol about the
restaurant she called it a grabateria. See why I love being around her. She is the one who says that the day is wasted if you don't learn something or laugh.) Then it was to the Lodge for the meeting.

We opened on the Chapter and I got to do the Captain of the Host part. And I remembered most of it. I really like doing ritual openings (and I didn't used to) and it went very well. We had three guys there from Des Moines. We changed our meeting date so that we would not conflict with them and we were going to go down last Wednesday to their meeting but January weather being what it was we decided not to go. But they were able to come up to our meeting. It was a very good egregore in the room and I can't remember when I have had such a good time at a York Rite Meeting. The fellows there are all very congenial and are there for the fellowship and the companionship and I really appreciate the fact that we all like each other and get along so well. Most of them are joining the York Rite College on Saturday. It will be a good day (I hope). In the Royal Arch we call each other Companion and in Ames York Rite that feeling of Companionship is a true one. I really appreciate that our High Priest, Master and Commander David is such a good leader. He is a hard worker and a "natural" Mason. I am going to enjoy watching him in the future.

I hope your day was a good one also. Tomorrow I had planned to go to Nevada for a First Degree but have just been called to go to Story City to do a Masonic Funeral Service for a Brother. It is important that I do that and I did know the brother and his family. Remember you are loved. Hugs, j