October 13, 2013 – Since our hiatus which began on September
18th, we have traveled to Point Peninsula New York where we pretty
much closed up camp for the winter and where we left Nila so we could travel to
home by car and confirm that all was well on the home front. Our week at home
flew by much too quickly however; we were able to spend time with my folks, my
sister Karen and her husband Phil, our kids Jeff and Tracey, Chris and Rob and
their families. Fall is soccer season so we had the opportunity to watch Ryan
play in two high school boys’ varsity games (and I might add that he is
awesome)! Grandsons Brennon, Brady and Devin all play on youth rec teams so we
saw all of them play as well. Fun, fun, fun!!! We headed back to camp in a very
loaded Mazda Protégé, (Harold’s summer beater car) to finalize the closing of
camp, say goodbye to friends, reload Nila and hit the road for Chicago. Thank
you Wal-Mart for allowing travelers to park in many of your parking lots
overnight. On the way to Chicago we stayed in Erie, PA and Elkhart, IN. The
third night on the road we had reached our destination of Yogi’s Jellystone
Park in Portage, IN. The 2.5 day trek from upstate New York to Portage was
wonderful; the landscape of the states which we passed through is gorgeous! New
York and Pennsylvania and their acres and acres of vineyards, Ohio and Indiana
with miles and miles of corn, soy, oat and livestock farms. The harvest season
was in full swing with many of the fields already having been plowed and
readied for the winter rest. The fall foliage was changing colors along the route;
however, I didn’t see anything that mirrors the beautiful fall colors which we
left in Maine. Love you Maine!!
We visited and toured the Shriner’s Hospital for Children –
Chicago on October 10th. Our tour guide, Cathleen Himes from the
Public Relations Dept. of the hospital led us through this wonderful hospital,
introducing us to many staff members as we were guided through the units. This
hospital specializes in orthopedic surgical procedures especially spine and
spinal cord injuries and abnormalities. When we arrived at the hospital and got
out of the car, there was the wonderful aroma of chocolate in the air. This
hospital is located next to a MARS candy factory, which very generously assists
with special hospital events by supplying lots of candy! Yum! The tour was
followed by a luncheon in the private dining room where we enjoyed the company
of the hospital administrator Mark Niederpruem. Every hospital which we have
visited has its own character and uniqueness, they are all different, but one
common denominator with the hospitals in this network is the upbeat and happy
demeanors of the staff! The positive attitude permeates throughout the halls of
these facilities and you see the outcome in the faces of the patients and their
families. Folks – this is what it’s all
about!!
I have to add that when “Nila” and two of her inhabitants
were on hiatus, Supreme Queen Margaret Ann was busy at work in the Northwest,
visiting 15 Daughters of the Nile Temples and 3 hospitals. She joined us in
Chicago. The next day we visited Aretas Temple in Michigan City, IN and were
escorted from the noontime banquet to the Ceremonial venue by Orak Potentate
John York. It has been amazing to me, the support that we have had from so many
of the Shrine Temples, sitting Potentates, Divan members, Gentlemen of the
Creek and Masons. Thank you all! We left directly after the Ceremonial at
Aretas to get a head start on out drive to Saginaw, MI and the Official Visit
of Makere Temple. It was another Wal-Mart night, this time in Lancing, MI. The
ladies of Makere put on a wonderful ceremonial and their banquet was done by
the Marsha Washington OES chapter; a fabulous meal of homemade cooking! Those
OES chapters really know how to put out a meal! Today, October 13th
we are in Southfield, MI just a suburb west of Detroit, for the Official Visit
of Ahmose Temple. Stay tuned.
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| Imperial Sir, Bob Bailey and SQ Margaret Ann |
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