Home Again.

This is me at the Saturday Banquet.The lady sitting next to me took the first picture using my cell phone. Her husband took the other one with the regular camera. I like the expression on my face in the second one but the first one is maybe more distinguished......or maybe just pompous.

To be honest I have not had a picture taken that I really liked since I was Grand High Priest and that was in 1981--- almost 30 years ago. Then the only other one was when I caught the 14 (probably really 13) pound Northern on Leech Lake Minnesota. It is the only big fish I have ever caught and I was skinny then. I had a 38 inch waist...

Anyway for what it is worth this is what I clean up like. If you have been looking at the pictures from the Red Cross Meeting you will see that we are by in large an older group of Freemasons. That is because the Red Cross of Constantine is an honor that not very many Masons achieve.

I was asked to join the year I was Grand High Priest and to be honest I think it was more exciting to receive that honor than it was to be Grand High Priest. There are a lot of Grand High Priests who have never been asked. I was thrilled that my friend Hugh nominated me to be a member.

And now to be the Intendant General for the Division of Iowa is also something I am very proud to have been asked to do. I was nominated for this office by the previous Intendant General Glenn Holmes. I would not really believe it was going to happen until they read my name and Freddie (Glenn's wife) placed the jewel around my neck.
Anyway there are two pictures which I can live with and I hope you enjoy seeing them.

When I went out I took two days. I drove to St. Joseph (I thought I was in Benton Harbor) and stayed overnight and then on to Troy. Today I made it in one day. I got up at 4:45 am (That is Eastern time folks so in real time it was 3:45 and was on the road by 5:11. (I got home at 3:15 PM) I messed up on one road and had to take a little detour but it worked out fine. It was rainy when I left with grey clouds and either mist or downright rain but thankfully no downpours. I drove more slowly than I do on dry pavement because one time I hydroplaned on wet pavement and have been scared to death of it ever since. Then I could see this sky for awhile.
Blue with rain clouds. Fortunately I headed south about here and missed most of the weather. The sky became blue all through Illinois. There was not much traffic and I did not have any trouble with the south of Chicago bottle neck. Getting into Iowa I knew I was home. The music I was playing on the radio hit a perfect "Welcome to Iowa" crescendo as I drove across the mighty Mississippi. And the clouds became our beautiful Iowa clouds with some of them dark on the bottom.
Basically I drove straight through. Stopping for gas and rest stops. This is the Mormon Trail Rest stop just before you get to Iowa City. Kind of neat.

I took these sky shots there. It was awesome driving across Iowa under this beautiful sky.

In Iowa we have a place called the Amana colonies. It is about two hours from home and well know for its good food. However they have something there that I had spotted on the way over and decided I wanted to stop for a MAID RITE on the way back. I grew up in a town that had one of the original Maid Rites and I grew up loving them. I miss them and have to drive to Tama to get one. I won't get one in Marshalltown because they are Maid Rite snobs and would not give me ketchup to put on mine. I don't like mustard and the Marshalltown Maid Rite doesn't serve ketchup so they do not get my business (excuse the mini rant)
I talked to two of my Lodge Brothers on the way home and the traffic was not too bad. It was good to catch up on things. Miles and Bailey were glad to see me. Ginny and Bruce had done a wonderful job cleaning the garage while I was gone. Brandon had been over and done some work. He is going to have to come back because Miles was bad.
He chewed the linoleum in the kitchen. I am thinking of pulling his teeth.. Not really he is just being a dog. I think they did pretty well being cooped up in the kitchen for almost a week. He has been chasing the cat all over the place and is getting into mischief. I think he is punishing me for leaving him.
The house looks pretty good and I am having the carpet cleaned Friday afternoon. I am doing about five loads of clothes and sitting in my lovely recliner. Glad to be home and glad to have gone. I had a wonderful time and I hope you enjoyed the pictures. I learned some things, made some new friends and am now looking forward to next years Assembly.
It is going to be a week later in Boise, Idaho. That is going to be at least a three day drive and I am looking forward to seeing some of the West again. I have never been to Yellowstone and if it has not erupted by then I may try to come back that route. Thanks for stopping by. Have a great week. Hugs, j