This past weekend started in Yorba Linda. The Grand Officers made their Official Visit to our Senior Living Community. It always seems like a bit of a misnomer to me that we call this event an Official Visit because usually at a Traditional Official Visit, we are visiting and see the local people perform the Ritual work for us, but the tradition for the OV to the SLC is that the Grand Officers take their stations and perform the work on behalf of the Residents. It is fun because the Residents enjoy seeing the work performed by the Grand Officers and it is nice to be able to provide them with the opportunity. We have a lot of very wonderful members living in our SLC and it is very warming to be able to perform this little service for them.
Of course, it means that we have make sure that we still know our own work, since we haven't done it in the past month or two when we finished the Instructionals. That isn't quite accurate for everyone though, because when you have a Traditional OV and there is an office for which there are no officers for a particulart station in the entire District, then the Grand Officer takes their chair for the evening. We had a few of those instances occur in the past month, so SOME of the officers had practiced more recently, but the rest of us had not. I have not had to take my station so far this year, but if I make it all the way to the end without taking it, it will be the first time since I sat in the chair at least once every other year so far.
Anyway, the theme was based on the musical Wicked, which I understand is a favorite of our WGM, so there were green tinted glasses and beads and green scarves and many other things that were green. Even some of the refreshments were green.
The next morning, I got up to go back to the SLC for our Home Board of Trustees and Finance meetings and was doing fine until about mid-morning, when I thought that something I ate did not agree with me and I didn't feel well. I made it through the first part of the Finance meeting, but then they booted my AGP and I out of the room for an executive session. I would have gone back to the hotel to lie down, but we had to hang out at the SLC until the Finance Committee was ready for a little bit of a presentation about next year's budget and while I hoped it would not be too long before they were ready for us, it turned into quite some time. Finally we were asked back in and fifteen minutes later, we were on our way back to the hotel. By that point, I really didn't feel well and didn't want to think about what I ate at dinner Friday that could come back to bother me so much, since I didn't think I ate anything particularly weird. But boy, whatever the something was didn't like me AT ALL.
When it came time for dinner, I didn't feel up to it, but my AGP and his escort, who are AWESOME at taking care of me brought me back a little dinner and I did eat some of it, but then we were supposed to change and go to Escondido for another OV and I knew that I wouldn't make it there and back again in any kind of decent shape, so they went without me and made my apologies. I felt really bad about missing, but given how the rest of my evening went (and I shall spare you the details that you DO NOT WANT!!!) it was absolutely the right decision.
The next morning I was feeling better and made the OV in Hemet and then had a small bite to eat before heading to the airport and back onto my plane home. But what was particularly interesting to me was the graphic example of the "small village" nature of our Order and the caring heart that goes with it. Because on Sunday, pretty much every person I spoke with knew that I hadn't been feeling well the night before, even people who hadn't been in Escondido the night before. That's how fast news spreads! But on the other hand, every person who spoke to me asked me how I was feeling and not just as a matter of form but because it really mattered to them.
That is why I do this.
Next weekend, I am in Oakland and Richmond, but will miss Ukiah and Sebastopol.
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
Wednesday, March 7, 2012
A Material Girl
Last weekend, there were two events on Saturday and Sunday was open, so I had some more time to look at fabric and to find out all sorts of interesting things and get interesting results.
Saturday morning was the Orangebelt event at Benedict's Castle, which is a home for Teen Challenge, a great program that assists youth with various problems and issues to get control of their lives and learn life skills that allow them to do well in the world. I have been there two or three times before. The food is usually good and the grounds are beautiful. But it seemed like there were less people there than last year and no one was quite sure why. Of course with the economy the way that it is, maybe the ticket price was an issue, but that was the same last year and from what I have heard, while the area around Riverside is still very hard hit economically, it is no worse than it was last year according to the locals. We also wondered if it was because last year was a themed event or whether more entertainment would help boost attendance. We also talked about maybe inviting the local Lodges and other Masonic Family groups to attend next year because it is an open event, so anyone could be asked to come enjoy fun and fellowship with us. It will be interesting to see how that all comes out and I can't wait to see what my very clever Dragon Riders come up with for next year.
Saturday evening was the Official Visit in Coachella. I've been in that hall a couple of times before, especially for Hands Across the Border events with Arizona. It is a great Chapter room although the lounge and bathroom set up can really confuse you the first time you go in there. If you go in the door marked Ladies, you don't end up in the room with the fixtures and if you go in the lounge, there is also a door marked Men and then it gets really weird from there. But the lounge is enormous which is always awesome for people to change clothes before heading home. The Chapters did a great job with a lovely "heavy appetizer" spread that made for a very nice meal before the OV and road snacks afterwards, which was good because lots of us had two or three hours to drive after the OV to get home or to hotels, etc.
So then on Sunday, it was time to get measured for dresses and get a form put together that I can give to my eventual Grand Officers so that their dresses can be put together. That all was pretty easy, but then we drove down to the LA textile district to start looking for fabric and that was an adventure.
Now I have to digress from my story for a moment to admit that I have been given the most amazing example of the old saying that no learning is ever wasted. One of my guilty pleasures (big admission time - please do not think too much less of me) has been watching Project Runway over the past few years. The episodes are saved on the On Demand function of Comcast cable so I can watch them for free whenever I happen to be home, since there is no way that I could ever watch any show at the same time every week. Heck, I can't even seem to get home at the same time on any day of any week. But with the On Demand function, I can watch the episodes in order whenever I am home. I don't really care for the "drama" part of the show, where the designers talk about all their "stress" and make catty remarks about each other. But I do enjoy seeing what they come up with and, as I have mentioned earlier, I get to learn that I have no "fashion forward" sense whatsoever, because I often find the winning design to be something unwearable by any woman who has a shape other than "thirteen year old boy with plums in his front shirt pockets."
However, the one thing that I have learned from watching the show over all these years is different fabrics, which is why I knew the difference between embellished net and embroidered organza which I mentioned last week. So as we went through the shops in LA (we only made it through about a third of them), I at least knew what to ask for and several times that meant that we popped in and then out. I have also learned to ask "what can you order" and "what do you have in stock" and "how much" meaning yards not price.
So we started out at Joann's, just to get some base line ideas and found a couple of fabrics that could not be gotten in enough quantity, but someone in our group said, well, why don't we just get six to eight yards and we can make you a dress, so the next thing I know, our quick stop to get some base line ideas nets me fabric for two dresses and vest material for two vests for my AGP. If only I had realized that this was going to be a trend!
So as we go through the shops, rejecting the ten billion embellished net fabrics they have, I find two or three organzas that I like, but no one can provide the needed quantities. But someone said, well, why don't you get six yards and we can make it up for you, so then I had another bundle.
I also found the most perfect beaded chiffon that I thought would be the perfect session dress material, but after the gentlemen searched their inventory, it turned out they only had eighty yards of it and they couldn't order more because it was last year's fabric, but somehow I ended up with eight yards, because we can use it to make a dress for you.
Somehow, I spent hours trying to find fabric for other people and now I think that I have fabric for four dresses for me but no final selection for what I was looking to buy. Next week I will be down in LA for a weekday and we will see about searching another third of the textile district to find something that will work, but I fear that I will end up with four more dresses worth for me and zero for what I need. Sigh!
Next weekend, I am in Yorba Linda, Escondido and Hemet, but will miss the Sunday breakfast.
Saturday morning was the Orangebelt event at Benedict's Castle, which is a home for Teen Challenge, a great program that assists youth with various problems and issues to get control of their lives and learn life skills that allow them to do well in the world. I have been there two or three times before. The food is usually good and the grounds are beautiful. But it seemed like there were less people there than last year and no one was quite sure why. Of course with the economy the way that it is, maybe the ticket price was an issue, but that was the same last year and from what I have heard, while the area around Riverside is still very hard hit economically, it is no worse than it was last year according to the locals. We also wondered if it was because last year was a themed event or whether more entertainment would help boost attendance. We also talked about maybe inviting the local Lodges and other Masonic Family groups to attend next year because it is an open event, so anyone could be asked to come enjoy fun and fellowship with us. It will be interesting to see how that all comes out and I can't wait to see what my very clever Dragon Riders come up with for next year.
Saturday evening was the Official Visit in Coachella. I've been in that hall a couple of times before, especially for Hands Across the Border events with Arizona. It is a great Chapter room although the lounge and bathroom set up can really confuse you the first time you go in there. If you go in the door marked Ladies, you don't end up in the room with the fixtures and if you go in the lounge, there is also a door marked Men and then it gets really weird from there. But the lounge is enormous which is always awesome for people to change clothes before heading home. The Chapters did a great job with a lovely "heavy appetizer" spread that made for a very nice meal before the OV and road snacks afterwards, which was good because lots of us had two or three hours to drive after the OV to get home or to hotels, etc.
So then on Sunday, it was time to get measured for dresses and get a form put together that I can give to my eventual Grand Officers so that their dresses can be put together. That all was pretty easy, but then we drove down to the LA textile district to start looking for fabric and that was an adventure.
Now I have to digress from my story for a moment to admit that I have been given the most amazing example of the old saying that no learning is ever wasted. One of my guilty pleasures (big admission time - please do not think too much less of me) has been watching Project Runway over the past few years. The episodes are saved on the On Demand function of Comcast cable so I can watch them for free whenever I happen to be home, since there is no way that I could ever watch any show at the same time every week. Heck, I can't even seem to get home at the same time on any day of any week. But with the On Demand function, I can watch the episodes in order whenever I am home. I don't really care for the "drama" part of the show, where the designers talk about all their "stress" and make catty remarks about each other. But I do enjoy seeing what they come up with and, as I have mentioned earlier, I get to learn that I have no "fashion forward" sense whatsoever, because I often find the winning design to be something unwearable by any woman who has a shape other than "thirteen year old boy with plums in his front shirt pockets."
However, the one thing that I have learned from watching the show over all these years is different fabrics, which is why I knew the difference between embellished net and embroidered organza which I mentioned last week. So as we went through the shops in LA (we only made it through about a third of them), I at least knew what to ask for and several times that meant that we popped in and then out. I have also learned to ask "what can you order" and "what do you have in stock" and "how much" meaning yards not price.
So we started out at Joann's, just to get some base line ideas and found a couple of fabrics that could not be gotten in enough quantity, but someone in our group said, well, why don't we just get six to eight yards and we can make you a dress, so the next thing I know, our quick stop to get some base line ideas nets me fabric for two dresses and vest material for two vests for my AGP. If only I had realized that this was going to be a trend!
So as we go through the shops, rejecting the ten billion embellished net fabrics they have, I find two or three organzas that I like, but no one can provide the needed quantities. But someone said, well, why don't you get six yards and we can make it up for you, so then I had another bundle.
I also found the most perfect beaded chiffon that I thought would be the perfect session dress material, but after the gentlemen searched their inventory, it turned out they only had eighty yards of it and they couldn't order more because it was last year's fabric, but somehow I ended up with eight yards, because we can use it to make a dress for you.
Somehow, I spent hours trying to find fabric for other people and now I think that I have fabric for four dresses for me but no final selection for what I was looking to buy. Next week I will be down in LA for a weekday and we will see about searching another third of the textile district to find something that will work, but I fear that I will end up with four more dresses worth for me and zero for what I need. Sigh!
Next weekend, I am in Yorba Linda, Escondido and Hemet, but will miss the Sunday breakfast.
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