Day 10, Denver Stamp Show.

Hotel  waterfall.

We go down for breakfast; $7.95 all the grease you can eat. We politely tell the waitress no. She then goes into a huff, because she knows she is actually going to have to wait. Cereal and bagel is plenty, even if it costs as much. “Jan. why don’t we go buy sandwich fixings and eat in our room for lunch, we don’t need all that stuff?” So we found a Safeway and restocked the cooler. The show is good. I have spent my next two months allowance…… Went to the President’s cocktail party, we had booked. A slight misnomer. A table for ten, but only five seated. Two bottles of champagne. Only Jan and I drink…….  It is a pasta buffet with prime rib. Nice. Goodnight!

Day 11, More show.

Loosing track of time. If its Saturday, it must be Denver. The local stamp club created a philatelic reference library about ten years ago. Four of us and a driver take a tour. It is about 20 minutes away. In the car is a Hispanic lady. “Maria, do you remember Jan and I? We met at this show two years ago.” She sort of does. Then, she was on her own waiting for a seat at a restaurant, and we invited her to join us for dinner. The other person in the car is a writer, publisher for one of the stamp magazines. The library is modest in size but packed with books, periodicals and clippings. We learn they hope to expand. Most interesting. I wish we had something like it close by.

Hotel bar.

Back at the show, today I spend time studying the exhibits. Always something to learn. There are many special study group meetings and lectures. We decide to attend one on the use of CD Roms in philately. Disappointing. Not to brag, but I could have presented more interesting information. We leave, Jan to watch TV, me to make a few more purchases. Thank heavens for plastic!

We need ice. There is a softball tournament in town. Hundreds of teen girls. I venture down the hall, bucket under arm. Eight girls are holding court in the hallway. I attempt to pass. One puts her leg out in front of me and demands ‘the password’, I mutter ‘softball.’ I am permitted to pass amidst giggles. Oh to be sixteen……

At 6:20pm attired in jacket and evening wear, we go to the Vail Room for a cocktail party and awards banquet. At last years dinner, I was the only man without a jacket, most embarrassing. At the show in Chicago, we arrived late, and had difficulty getting seats together. So here we are both prompt and proper.

The dinner was good. Often it is difficult to keep everything hot for a big gathering, but the staff did a commendable job. We had salmon and wild rice. Later we both found the rice a little wild!

The lady President Darlene, identified some folks who she called “Life savers” for the association, and gave each one a packet of them. An amusing touch. The tables seated ten, but we had only eight. The company was good and the small talk interesting. We clap politely through the awards.

Not much more to report for this day.