May 26 2017  While in Europe this month I ran across a blog answer by a lady who personally knew my painter hero Donald Evans  ( see the Stamp Art tab to learn who he was ).  So I emailed her from Italy telling her we were headed for Amsterdam and could she meet for coffee ?  Well it turns out that Cecile lives in the Hague and was agreeable to meeting my wife and I if we took the train over from Amsterdam ( which only takes ~ 1 hour )  So we did, she was at the station and we had a lovely lunch together.  I learned about Donald first hand ( who has now been dead for 40 years ).  Cecile has been a watercolor artist for many years herself.  Here she is with me at lunch —–

and she introduced us via phone and email to a couple that played a big role in Donald’s life in Amsterdam.  They invited us to their house there and showed us many of his stamps and further talked about what he was like.  Here they are—-

I am so grateful to this three generous people for visiting with me on short notice and with so much hospitality.  I now understand my hero, Donald, much better.  And I feel an even stronger kinship with him. Life is so magical at times.