Weekend Stuff

Here we are Monday is once again right around the corner. I had a very busy weekend and will hit a few of the highlights.

Friday I left for the 230th Scottish Rite Reunion in Yankton. I headed out of town about 9:15 A.M., it was raining hard and really blowing. I took it easy on the way to Yankton as there was a lot of water on the road and the wind was really gusting. Once I arrived in Yankton I made my way to the Scottish Rite Temple and checked in for the weekend. The dudes running the reunion were pulling their hair out by this time. The snow had started, people were calling in a saying they would not be able to make it due to the weather and conditions outside were only getting worse. Discussions were held on if the whole thing should be called off. The decision was made to continue with the reunion. If you have not had any experience with the Scottish Rite I will give you a little information on the reunion.

The Scottish Rite Reunions are held 2 times a year, each spring and each fall, the reunions are a chance to see other members, discuss business, and do degree work. In order to become a full member of the Scottish Rite first you have to become a Mason, once that is completed there are 32 degrees (classes) of Scottish Rite training you have to complete. The degree work started Friday at 12:30 P.M. and went until 10:30 P.M. Friday night, resuming Saturday at 6:45 A.M. and finishing up at 4:00 P.M. Saturday afternoon. After the degree work was done a dinner and banquet was held, I even had to give a speech.

The degree work is a look into yourself as a person, your relationships with others and your purpose and place in the world. The way this is accomplished it through acts, you are put into was is best described as a play and you are a character. Everyone else is in elaborate costume and knows their lines, except you. You are given instruction but part of the process is how you react to the different situations and how the different situations make you feel. It is really full theater, the sets are 100 years old and are really unbelievable.

Last but not least is the reason for the Scottish Rite, one of the main reason it exists is for philanthropy. The Scottish Rite philanthropy is children with speech and language disorders. The provide funds to run clinics and give book grants & fellowships for speech/language students. I will stop now since your probably sick of this by now, but if anyone wants more information feel free to contact me.

Sunday (today) was a recovery day, I was so tired from the weekend I slept in while the Mrs. and the kiddos went to church. This afternoon I did get off my butt and mowed the lawn. Only in South Dakota can you have a blizzard on Friday and mow your lawn on Sunday.

Here's to hoping for some good riding weather this week!

Later