The regular meeting held on Thursday the 20th of October was a Third Degree. If you weren’t there you missed a belter of a night! A number of the floor workers were attempting pieces for the first time, and with several apologies tendered we had a couple of stand in office bearers and various routine parts of the ritual being given by some for the first time in many’s a long year.

Attendance was on the modest side as result of the those apologies with no visiting brethren present on this occasion. Now this isn’t always a bad thing as it can take a wee bit of pressure off those taking on an unfamiliar role, and if truth be told it’s on occasions such as this that the true “spirit of St. Olaf” can be seen most easily.

Our lodge prides itself on it’s ability to balance the formal processes of the workings of the lodge with a self assurance that allows it to suffer any imperfections in the most endearing of ways. We at least believe this to be the case, although, it has to be said that the dynamic of an evening is undoubtedly affected by those in attendance. This will in some way explain how the workings of this particular evening were benefited by the presence of only St. Olaf members.

Without going into any detail which would be altogether inappropriate, it would be suffice to say that the harmony which exists within of our lodge allowed the slip of tongue or missed cue to enhance the enjoyment of the evening rather than distract from the proceedings yet at the same time a maintained dignity was prevailed, not an easy balance to strike as has already been stated, but one which I trust will long be an aspect of our lodge’s personality.

As mentioned in previous dispatches (see the notes following our first meeting of the year on the 6th Oct) Our splendidly refurbished lodge rooms are a warm and welcoming place to spend an evening added to which the harmony and enjoyment of the evening, topped off for the majority with a few ales in the local hostelry, add up to a grand night out. If you haven’t been down for a while, why not make an effort to attend the next meeting on Thursday 3rd November where the business of the evening will be a 2nd degree.

As also previously mentioned, the lodge has produced it’s own DVD detailing reflecting much of the recorded images of events covering the last 20 years or so. Although by no means comprehensive, it is an enjoyable snap shot and does acknowledge our early beginnings in 1919. You can obtain a copy of this DVD (for a modest £5.00) from the treasurer or secretary in person or by placing your order by email, just click here to link to the contact page where you will find their details.