November 21 - 30, 2013

Zibiah Temple in Tulsa was our next stop on the tour. The banquet was held at the Saba Grotto building, which you ask, what is that? Well, this is another masonic organization which assists the less fortunate with gaining accessibility to dental care. To my knowledge it is an international order and has many locations in North America; new to me?! The weather has been cold and now freezing rain was predicted for Oklahoma and northern Texas. Great!; just the direction we were going. Oh, well, I kept telling myself, we’re from Maine so we can handle anything…..freezing rain is a fact of life in New England, so off we went to Oklahoma City on the 22^nd.

 

Shrine Patient Ambassador Brendon Wiseley was the guest speaker at the Zibiah Banquet.

 

 

Another Shrine Center opened their doors to us; India Shriners and am glad that we arrived when we did. The freezing rain began just after we set up across the parking lot from the building. Within an hour my car was coated with a thick sheet of ice and so was the parking lot. No fear, I’m from Maine, I can handle this! Despite the inclement weather, the ladies did a great job with their ceremonial and I got to fill in as an attendant, what fun! Actually since being on the road on this tour, I’ve had the chance to pro-tem the stations of Banker, Recorder, Tirzah, Royal, Attendant, Marshal and walked the part of Badoura. (I know all of you non Nile people have no idea what these positions mean, sorry.) The banquet for Adoram Temple was held at Remington Park Race Track and Casino on the east side of the city. The freezing rain was still falling…..did it concern me? No, I’m from Maine. Granted just because I knew how to drive on these roads, I recognized that many Oklahomans did not so, cautiously we hit the highway, arriving safely at our destination after witnessing several cars off the road. The Remington Park Complex was a really wonderful venue to host the banquet. The private dining room overlooked the horse track so we could watch and bet on, if desired, the races. A former Shrine patient, who is also the granddaughter of my counterpart Val Daniel, made a presentation to Margaret Ann, a Past Potentate of India Shriners recited the “Old Red Fez” and two of the India Divan members held a friendly competition which involved raising money for the Love for the Children Tour Million Dollar Fund. (We started this “fund” a week or so earlier by putting out a request to have 1 million people donate 1 dollar each by December 15, 2013, of which all collected money will go to the Shrine Hospitals this fiscal year.) These two gentlemen passed their Fez’s and we collected about $150.00. Thanks guys…every dollar counts!! This was really a fun day, regardless of the weather; it certainly didn’t rain on our parade!! Off to Wichita Falls, TX and the last stop on this leg of the tour before the Thanksgiving week break….yeah!!!! Even though the weather forecasters were predicting more freezing rain, they were wrong; the skies actually starting clearing and the rain moved out, however 25-30 degree temps were still a little below the norm. We drove to Maskat Shrine Center where Shelomi Temple meets. A wonderful surprise for Margaret Ann was that 10 of the ladies from her home Nile Temple, Rithmah 93 drove up to surprise and support her! Directly after the banquet, we hit the road for Keller, TX, arriving just before 11pm.

 

 

We celebrated Thansgiving in Keller, TX at Bill and Margaret Ann Risk's home. The week flew by as there was much stuff to catch up on, plus, we had to get some shopping in! Bill roasted a domestic duck as part of the Thanksgiving dinner....my first time eating duck and found it quite delicious! Saturday of Thanksgiving week we drove to Roanoke, just north of Keller and had lunch at Babe's; a locally famous restaurant which has only two entrees on the menu; fired chicken and chicken fried steak. Both were excellent!!!