I was at the Eastern Star Grand Chapter for awhile this week-end. I had to go for a Home Board Meeting and to give a report. It was the most expensive Grand Chapter I have ever been to - more about that later.
I just finished five years (my how time flies when you are having fun.) on the Board of the Eastern Star Home at Boone. This is one of the most satisfying things I have ever been on and I enjoy it very much. I had to put my name up for re-election this year. You can serve a total of 10 years before you have to take a year off. I was president last year. The Sister who would have been president this year resigned as she was asked to be Grand Warder for the Grand Chapter for the coming year so I have been re-elected as President.
Why was it expensive? Well I purchased a new Scottish Rite ring at one of the stands. I did not have one (having given my 14th degree ring to a friend) and this one was in the oblong style which I like. It had been purchased from a Jewelry store that was going out of business and was not previously owned. And the dealer had not increased the price even though the price of gold has gone up. But I spent more at this Grand Chapter than at any other, Also got a cookie jar and some chocolate covered caramel pecans from Acanthus Chapter.
Last night I went to the Grand Master's Area Education Meeting and watched as the Grand Master and the Lodge Service Committee laid out the program for this year's Grand Lodge. The Grand Master has an ambitious program and I hope he can accomplish the things he wants. It won't be because he did not try. Craig is one of the nicest, hardest working Grand Masters I have seen.
Friday night was the Festive Board for Specialis Procer Lodge. W. M. Hoffmann read J.W. Kevin Christian's paper on the Council. It is posted at the Lodge's Blog for papers here. Kevin had to be at his other Lodge in order for them to be able to open. We missed him but enjoyed his paper. I wish that I could say that I enjoyed the rest of the evening but I didn't - I won't go into that.
I put in about 60 hours last month attending meetings and that does not count the time I spent at home working on Masonic things....typing letters, sending them out, answering e-mails, writing minutes, and for what? I am beginning to realize what Jerry Marsengill meant when he said, "You know Jay, if I had it to do all over again I would spend more time other things and less time on Masonry." Sometimes the "returns" don't seem worth it. yeah, I am going through a "down" time again. Feeling low and left out. I hate it when that happens. One positive note I did get asked to help with the Christmas Dinner named for him this year. Last year I was unable to go down because of the vile weather we had on Christmas Day. I hope it is nice this year.
I would rather spend time with friends, eating out and visiting but that is not happening either. I had a delicious meal at Chef's Kitchen in Des Moines last night.. But it was by myself. I miss the times I had when Kurt and Severn and I would go out to eat after Kurt and I had practiced ritual. It seems like that never happens anymore and I know that is a part of the reason I am feeling "low" -
Am going out with my sis and her guy tomorrow night. I have an idea of where I want to take them but don't know if they will want to go there or not. Will have to see.
The trees are mostly all gone now as far a color is concerned. I really hate this time of year. From now until April or May we live in a drab brown world which will be covered with snow for part of the time. I am already cold and I don't like that either.
I didn’t write the following. The actual author is unknown but he/she speaks gospel. In anticipation of this election and most assured coronation of the astroturfed group as kingmakers, no matter the outcome:
When Did You Get Mad
You didn’t get mad when the Supreme Court stopped a legal recount and appointed a President.
You didn’t get mad when Cheney allowed Energy company officials to dictate Energy policy and push us to invade Iraq .
You didn’t get mad when a covert CIA operative got outed.
You didn’t get mad when the Patriot Act got passed.
You didn’t get mad when we illegally invaded a country that posed no threat to us. You didn’t get mad when we spent over 800 billion (and counting) on said illegal war.
You didn’t get mad when Bush borrowed more money from foreign sources than the previous 42 Presidents combined.
You didn’t get mad when over 10 billion dollars in cash just disappeared in Iraq .
You didn’t get mad when you found out we were torturing people.
You didn’t get mad when Bush embraced trade and outsourcing policies that shipped 6 million American jobs out of the country.
You didn’t get mad when the government was illegally wiretapping Americans.
You didn’t get mad when we didn’t catch Bin Laden.
You didn’t get mad when Bush rang up 10 trillion dollars in combined budget and current account deficits.
You didn’t get mad when you saw the horrible conditions at Walter Reed.
You didn’t get mad when we let a major US city, New Orleans drown.
You didn’t get mad when we gave people who had more money than they could spend, the filthy rich, over a trillion dollars in taxbreaks. You didn’t get mad with the worst 8 years of job creations in several decades.
You didn’t get mad when over 200,000 US Citizens lost their lives because they had no health insurance.
You didn’t get mad when lack of oversight and regulations from the Bush Administration caused US Citizens to lose 12 trillion dollars in investments, retirement, and home values.
No…..You finally got mad
When a black man was elected President and decided that people in America deserved the right to see a doctor if they are sick.
Yes, illegal wars, lies, corruption, torture, job losses by the millions, stealing your tax dollars to make the rich richer, and the worst economic disaster since 1929 are all okay with you, but helping fellow Americans who are sick…Oh, Hell No!!
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