Page 80 - Demo

Me and my three aunts, Sr. Carolilla, Sr. Johanella, and Sr. Emmalita.In the summer of 1962, between my 7th and 8th grade years, Dad and I went flew to Colorado Springs for his sister Susie%u2019s (Sister Johanella) 50thJubilee as a nun. It was held at her order%u2019s Mother House, where she was living in her retirement. Dad and I slept in the convent%u2019s rustic guest cottage. As lay people, and as males, weren%u2019t allowed to take part in the actual celebration, but two of Susie%u2019s sisters, who were also nuns, were there for the occasion and were allowed to join in.Dad rented a car for us all to go sightseeing. On the day of Susie%u2019s Jubilee, with the nuns busy, he and I drove to Pike%u2019s Peak and took the cog railway to the top%u2014where we found cold weather and snow, which we weren%u2019t dressed for, so we didn%u2019t stay long.Then we visited Buckskin Joe%u2019s (a western theme park) outside Ca%u00f1on City, and the Royal Gorge (site, at that time, of the world%u2019s highest suspension bridge). It was a time when I was immersed in stamp collecting back home so, for the places having a small Post Office, I bought an embossed envelope%u2014in Ca%u00f1on City, and at the Royal Gorge%u2014and had them cancelled. Those two Covers were my only souvenirs of the trip.On the days the nuns were free, we all visited local attractions such as the Garden of the Gods park, Buffalo Bill%u2019s Grave, and the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo. We also saw the U.S. Air Force Academy Cadet Chapel, which was of particular interest to the three nuns. On another day, when my aunts were busy, Dad and I drove to Denver to see the U.S. Mint. Because his family lost their farm during the Great Depression, Dad was always aware of the financial aspects of everything so, to him, the Mint was worth seeing. For me, I was a coin collector as well as a stamp collector, so the Mint interested me as well. Unfortunately, there were no tours the day we were there. In order to not totally disappoint us, an attendant let us look into a room with a million dollars of gold bars sitting on a palette.