After Chicago, we continue

After Chicago, we drove home exhausted and we still had to prepare for our big deal in Canada, We were to be the MAIN speakers at the Canadian National Convention. We found out later that the committee searched for information about our credentials from many sources, not really knowing about us personally. It was to be held in Saskatoon and I thought we would be close to Alaska and see Eskimos. Everyone laughed at me. (We did have lectures in Canada before this to be told to you in a later blog). It was a very long trip and we were quite excited.

As we entered the lobby of the hotel, there at the desk were many and I mean MANY ESKIMOS! See? I was not that dumb! But I did find out later that Alaska is quite a distance from this area. But, I did see Eskimos! The streets were narrow and the scenery gorgeous. There was a castle on a hill over a river that was fabulous to see. It was not that cold either. We were entertained to the hilt. Our programs went very well. We were quite excited to meet one of the best National Geographic photographers who wanted to see "my" work. I really did not want to show them to him, but he insisted and said they were good. I think he was just being nice.

During out stay, we were swamped with invitations to visit studios and to give advice. It was really something. But the nicest compliment to me came from a VERY famous U.S. photographer. He had very specific ideas about how to display one's work, contrary to mine. His girlfriend insisted he just stay awhile at my first lecture, and he stayed the entire time. Then that night - in the middle of his talk, he said: " That's was a damn thing I ever saw", and "What ideas". I had no idea what he was talking about, but then he said: " if anyone missed Marian's program on merchandising missed the best I ever saw in my life". I nearly fell off my chair. This guy had about 6 or 7 bars each worth 25 credits for lecturing or quality photographs, and believe me, I was the one impressed.

Most of my slides of this gorgeous place is in storage in my son's garage, and I fear are now just about destroyed. That is the sad part of having to move and scale down one's living space.

I promised to tell you about the Clap of Thunder at the wedding. About a year after was another American National Convention and this time in Washington, D.C. The three of us drove down, and got a room where the pipes kept dripping on us at night. Mel called down to complain saying that he was a personal friend of Tip O'Neil (Mel did his daughter's wedding) and he would hear about it. In a few minutes we were moved bag and baggage into the VIP section of the hotel with two bedrooms, a kitchen the works. Not bad, eh? We met GP who had his new RV parked on the roof.

We asked how things were, and he was evasive. It seems that he had taken to drink several glasses of scotch every night before going home. I asked about his wife and again said very little. His in-laws were still mourning the death of their only other child, a son, who was killed in an auto accident in Europe. He was only 19 years old.

The convention was wonderful, and we had nice chats with Mr. Gittings. We were invited to VIP parties by people we did know, but I guess they knew of us. It was a great time.

After we returned from a lecture there was a call from GP's mother-in-law asking if we wanted the gifts we gave her daughter returned, It seemed they got a divorce and part of the settlement was GP's sports car that his wife loved. Her mother informed us that her 25 year old daughter crashed into a wall and was killed instantly. She felt it was kind of a suicide due to the divorce. Her parents left Rochester and moved to their second home in Mexico.

That clap of thunder DID MEAN SOMETHING! And it was NOT good.

The rest of the 70's held more events and a long hospital day for me. So, keep reading, and find out how being in a wheelchair did ot stop me from continuing our lecture tours.

Thanks for reading, Marian