Grand Chapter of Wisconsin, 6.15.11

On Tuesday, 6.14, Julia and I took off for Green Bay, Wisconsin, and the Grand Chapter of WI.   Door to door is 555 miles which took us about 10 1/2 hours.   The biggest problem was getting through Chicago.  Even though it was after 10 A.M. Chicago was its typical mess.  Express lanes were closed and there was construction.

We got to the Sierra hotel around 3:00 PM Wisconsin time.   Don & Theda Losasso, George & Sharon Shell and Keith and Cindy O'Dell were also at this Grand Chapter.

There only a couple of pictures from this Grand Session as I don't like to take them when visiting.

The Sierra Hotel is an outstanding venue to hold a Grand Session.

The first picture is looking from the balcony by our room toward the registration desk.

Every room has a bar with a microwave and refrigerator.  There are even two 1/2 bottles of wine in the room.  The are not free but cost $11.95 each.

There is a flat screen TV in both the sitting area and the bed room.

As you can see Julia made herself comfortable about 5 minutes after we got to our room.











The Grand Session started at 7:00 A.M. Wednesday with registration and breakfast.  The breakfast was part of the room cost and it was a real breakfast.  Eggs any way you wanted them, omelets, home fries, bacon, sausage, yogurt, pan cakes and assorted pastries.

The Grand Session started at 8:30 A.M. with Wisconsin's Grand Officers entering and then all distinguished guest following.  The business session was over at 12 noon.   I was honored at that session by receiving an honorary membership in the Grand Chapter of WI.   The Grand Chapter of WI has approximately 1300 members.

The order of Anointed High Priest was at 1:30 P.M.   Unlike Ohio it is not done in costume.

At 7:00 P.M. there was an informal dinner followed by the inevitable hospitality suite.

Julia and I headed home about 8:30 A.M. Wisconsin time.

Now a little note about the trip home.   We went through Chicago at 60-65 mph. It was fantastic.  Wen we got about 1/2 way across the Indiana turnpike the problems started.   There was a wreck some miles ahead of us and it had traffic stopped.   I found this out when I came over a small rise and a green Honda was setting where I was headed for.   Rather than hit the Honda I went on the shoulder.   The Honda truck behind me had to do the same.  Unfortunately I stopped quicker than he did.   Bang!  He pasted the back of my van.  Neither Julia or I was hurt BECAUSE WE WERE WEARING OUR SEAT BELTS!  A third vehicle, pulling a utility trailer then got with the fun.  He came over the rise, saw the Honda and went for the shoulder.   Since it was already occupied by two cars he took to the ditch.  The ditch was deep, full of water and cat tails.  Watching all this action was a Indiana State Trooper  setting on the other shoulder directly across from us.
Nobody was hurt and only my van was hit.  They pulled the guy out of the ditch and he had no damage to his car at all.  They picked the mud and cat tails off the car, he paid the tow truck driver $300 and away he went..The trooper gave the both me and the driver an accident report that contained all the information either of us needed and after an hour and a half later I got to leave.  Damage estimate to my van is around $4500.

The saga continues.   When we got to the toll booth at the Ohio turnpike a car used the outside lane to pick up his ticket.   Well that lane is reserved for emergency vehicles and there is no ticket booth.  Well he jumped the barrier and got a ticket at the booth I was approaching.   That lifted the arm and now I can't get a ticket and traffic is backing up behind me.   The sign says blow horn for assistance so I did.  A lady came over, saw what happened and gave the guy a piece of her mind, took the ticket away from him and sent me on my way.

It turned out to be quite a day!  We finally got home at 8:00 P.M.

'til the next time.