June 25, 1951..........

Felicity

....Archer and I decided to join friends, Beatrice and Gerard, in Colorado. Beatrice and I had met years earlier and become lifelong friends. She was living in the wilderness of Oregon with her trapper husband, the son of Veronique, a descendant of Marie Antoinette, and Atian, a native American. Gerard was in town to participate in a “Rocky Mountain Rendezvous”, and we were also here to celebrate Archer’s 40^th birthday.We had a keen interest in the mountains (I, mostly to photograph them and Archer enjoyed anything to challenge himself). Archer would hike, climb and fly fish, while I took my camera equipment and took off in search of wildlife. We decided to stay at the Stanley, a fine and  immense hotel near the entrance to the park.

We checked in and were assigned to room 217. With a day to explore before Bea arrived, and without even unpacking, we turned in early to get a good nights sleep. When we awakened we found not only a hot, steamy breakfast awaiting us, but our bags had been unpacked and our belongings put away as well! We gingerly gathered up the food to “go” and stopped by the desk to thank them for the wonderful hospitality. Interestingly, they told us no one had delivered any kind of service to our room….what room was that again? Room 217………………….there was a hush amongst the staff and they all walked away………astoria

By the by, appropriate attire:

        

Josephine

https://www.etsy.com/listing/92394356/
russian-inspired-slit-sided-walking-coat

                        

Josephine

https://www.etsy.com/listing/92394356/
russian-inspired-slit-sided-walking-coat

Felicity

https://www.etsy.com/listing/94357588/
camel-hair-jacket-with-fur-cuffs-vintage

By the by, the Stanley is the hotel featured in the movie, The Shining…..as in the history of the real hotel, strange things happened in one of the rooms, and ghosts of children appeared on the 4^th floor. For a reminder of The Shining, see:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Cb3ik6zP2I

By the by, for more on the Stanley and it’s haunted history, visit: http://stanleyhotel.com/

By the by, for  more on Rocky Mountain Rendezvous,
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rocky_Mountain_Rendezvous

By the by, background on Beatrice: It was while waiting for a train in Grand Central Station that I met Beatrice. I was on my way to Philly and she was going west. Both trains had been delayed due to flooding, so we struck up a chat. I’ll never forget her exquisite green eyes……they sparkled like gems, and she was quite stunning in a big, swing coat and fur pillbox hat. She was on her way to the Pacific Northwest to marry a man she hardly knew. She met him quite by chance, and it was love at first site….he, a trapper, and she a showgirl. As adventurous as my life had become, I still found myself envying her “joi de vivre”!

By the by, more on art in Estes Park:

http://www.estesarts.com/Gallery/Legends4.html

By the by, to go back to the beginning and catch up to all of Astoria's adventures go to: http://buttonbroadmemoirs.blogspot.com/2012/02/on-this-my-100th-birthday.html