Monday Diary

Well I got the pictures to upload after all- they are in reverse order. So I shall edit a little.

I went to Des Moines tonight to Acanthus for the Stated Meeting. Phil prepared a great Chicken Cordon Bleu dinner and the fellowship was wonderful I sat with some good conversationalists. I enjoyed it very much.

I had driven down by the back way and drove past Big Creek State Park and across the Saylorville Mile long Bridge. I am not fond of that drive at all. I did get a couple of nice pictures on the drive and one interesting one of a sunset on the way home but stupid Blogger won't upload them. But now they are up. I had to use Safari to upload them and Firefox to edit.
I am not sure that I enjoyed the Stated Meeting as much, however but then who enjoys stated meetings? I do appreciate that it was run efficiently and not much time was wasted. There was an excellent education presentation and a couple of good reports from the Fund Raising and Public Relations Committees. The things mentioned in the Public Relations Committee Report have some excellent points in it which fit right in with some of the things I mentioned in my post earlier today. There is no ignorance and apathy in this Lodge. (Actually I belong to three great lodges and I could have said the last statement about either of them.) I commend the leadership in the Lodge.
One of the things which my lodges have in common is struggling to make ends meet. I belong to a lot of organizations and my dues really add up. But all in all I agree with something I read on one of the Blogs (I think) where a Brother mentioned that giving his Lodge $20 a month would not hurt him. That is only $240 a year. Less than a dollar a day. I go to the movie and spend more than that on movies and pop corn during the year and I get more enjoyment out of Lodge. One of my Lodges is $80. Another is $75 and one will be $100 (a Lodge U.D. can't charge dues) so that is $255. for 3 lodges. A lodge has to pay Grand Lodge 30 for each member so if you take 30 from the 80 you get 50 for one lodge (and they take 3 to the Charity fund so that is only 47) that the Lodge has to operate on. They must pay utilities and purchase supplies, etc. with that 47 dollars. (42 from the other lodge) And yet we have to go begging to get people to pay their dues. It is the one thing I don't like about being secretary. But you know we have a valuable product and I think it is worth it. Lodges need to stop devaluing themselves and charge enough to make ends meet. At least that is my feeling.

Speaking of movies - Mamma Mia opens this Friday. I am either going Friday or Saturday afternoon. After watching Pierce Brosnen on Letterman I can't say I am looking forward to watching him sing but Mereyl Streep will make up for it. So that is enough for tonight. I still feel like an outsider part of the time at Acanthus but perhaps that is because I have been unable to get down much this year. Each Lodge is different and each has something to offer. I am not asked to do much down there and that makes a difference. I suppose it is for the best. I seem to have enough to do. ARTYAL. Answer your e-mail and give someone a big hug! jcs