Dear Brethren All,
Well, the weather has been quite different recently with nice sunny days, to some though it has been too hot, many have left their waist coats off at meetings. The soft fruits have been producing in abundance and Pat has made some both raspberry and black current jam. There is a lot of rhubarb available so that might get cooked and frozen down ready to be made in to either crumbles or tarts, we might even get some rhubarb and ginger jam, who knows what is around the corner.
A mixture of life recently; I attended Anneli Bird’s funeral a few days ago, this was well attended by many brethren, to pay our last respects and to give Paul Bird moral support. Please keep him and his family in your prayers. Elliot Penn was in attendance with his wife, it was good to catch up with him. On Thursday, 27th, I attended the Annual Meeting of Buckinghamshire Mark Province, this was well attended and I was able to meet up with Rt. W. Bro. Keith David Bristow, the Provincial Grand Master.
Keith and I go back about 55 years when we crewed a police traffic patrol car together in Andover for a while. When I was in the chair of the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Installed Mark Masters Lodge, some years ago, I made a visit to Buckinghamshire as such. I was paraded in with other VIPs and who should be one of the Deacons holding a wand but my old friend, Keith Bristow. Neither of us knew of the others involvement in Masonry but now we are able to catch up now and again. Keith was Initiated into Masonry in Portsmouth and is a Hampshire Mark Mason. Another person at the meeting was W. Bro. Jim Stott, he is not too bad and sends his best wishes to all who know him. He is not up to travelling from Northampton to Hampshire but still has us in his mind.
Pat still feeds the birds and the other morning we were blessed with seeing a baby goldfinch feeding himself, there were also young black birds and sparrows present. I often find Pat looking out of the kitchen window and having the enjoyment of seeing so many wild birds feeding from the feeders or catching grubs or worms on the lawn. She does though get fed up with some of the larger birds, pigeons, rooks and crows making their presence felt.
Unfortunately, I have received notification of three deaths recently, W. Bro. Dennis Brown, W. Bro. Bruce Dyson and Bro. Edward Piggin, all of whom will be missed. It is my intention to attend their funerals if possible. Can I please ask and remind all, that we have an In Memoriam page on the web site and it would be good if entries are posted regarding those who have been called to the Grand Lodge Above.
Please keep those lines of communication open and I hope to see many of you soon.
Best wishes to you and your families.
Malcolm Lloyd, P.G.S.D., Prov. Grand Almoner