Magnificent Powers, Teeny Tiny Living Space

Sunday reminded me of that scene in Aladdin when the genie is trying to explain about how genies have all these wonderful, incredible powers, but only get a teeny, tiny lamp to live it. We had our first Official Visit for the northern part of the state on Sunday. Traditionally, there is an expectation that the first three Official Visits in the North and the first three Official Visits in the South will be very well attended because it is traditional to introduce those who served the year before and other years that are significant to the Worthy Grand Matron and Worthy Grand Patron, so people from those years, especially the previous year's Grand Officers, try to be there. In addition, we had a brush up school for the northern Deputies on Saturday, so lots of Deputies had already come down to Martinez for the Saturday school and many could stay over to Sunday, so nineteen of them were also able to attend the OV. The other reason that these particular six OVs are special is because the districts in which they are held are also set by tradition. The first ones north and south are supposed to be in the Districts of the Past Grand Matron and Patron who appointed you Grand Marshal, the second ones are for the Past Grand Matron and Patron who chose you for Appointive Grand Officer and the third ones are for the Past Grand Matron and Patron who chose you to be a Deputy Grand Matron, assuming that you have held all those offices, which most WGMs have. So I already know that there is an expectation that my first three North OVs will be in Fresno, then Napa, then Tracy and my first three South OVs, which are really two because the first and second are both from the same District, so my three for two are Pasadena and Palmdale. This tradition put the year's first North OV in Concord. Unfortunately, the hall that the particular Chapter in question usually uses has had some roof problems, so the Chapter is meeting in a very accommodating, but teeny, tiny room in the Oddfellows Hall nearby. They put three rows of chairs on either side and three more or so in the back and we still had people that couldn't get in. It was total standing room only and not much of that either. On the one hand, it was wonderful to have so many people attend. On the other hand, when the chairs are tight together and all the Grand Officers are in full formals with petticoats, you have to be very, very friendly and understanding and take turns getting up and sitting down so that everyone can get their dress out from under everyone else's dress. There were some very chivalrous gentlemen who gave up their seats and stood in the back so that the ladies could get seats and that was very nice of them. I am happy to report that chivalry is not dead. It is doing very well in the fraternal world, even if it is on life support in the outside world. For all that sardines are better off than we were for space (sardines do not have to keep getting up and sitting back down in their can over and over, adjusting petticoats as they go), it was a truly lovely afternoon. The remarks were entertaining and we were made very welcome. I got to meet more of my girls and they did a really good job on their parts. We did have to stay in our chairs while they took away the Chapter room set up from the middle of the room and brought in the refreshment tables to occupy the same space, but it was clear that the members in the area knew that they would have to do this and they had it worked out to perfection. They got those tables up and the food out in practically no time at all. And what a spread it was too! Next week I am in El Cajon, Fallbrook and Escondido.