Glenmere (Portal to the Past)

Whoa. I’m getting chills. Hairs raising on my arms. Flush of heat in my chest.

I've been researching Marie Clews, who I'll be soon writing about at a residency in a chateau in the south of France. She and her (second) husband Henry turned La Napoule from ruins into a fantastical artists' residence - and a monument to their love.

Marie and Henry believed they were soul-mates who were fated to find each other again and would be together for all time.

I don't yet know exactly what this piece of theatre will be. But I do know one question I'm burning to explore:

DOES "FATE" EXIST?

DO I BELIEVE IN IT?

Ok, back to the chills.

For today's research, I want to learn about her two sons, who she left behind for Henry.

I wiki her first husband, Robert Goelet.

He came from a rich real estate dynasty.

He built a stunning villa called Glenmere.

Which became a hotel where Babe Ruth and the Duke and Duchess of Windsor stayed.

Which became a convent.

Which fell into disrepair.

Which was bought by this guy with the money he got for the land that became Chelsea Piers in New York.

Which that guy decided to rent out for events.

Where the first event was -

MY WEDDING

 Let me repeat:

Marie's first husband built the place my husband I got married.

We were the first wedding held there.

As Humphrey Bogart said in Casablanca, Of all the gin joints...

This is a crazy coincidence. (CC)

But is it?

Because it's not the first coincidence.

Because this is not the 1st nor 2nd CC. It is 4th CC linking my life to Marie and Henry Clews.

1st Coincidence:

Mancha Clews, their son, spent his last years in a very small college town in New Hampshire. Hanover.

Which is my college town.

2nd Coincidence:

Mancha and Margaret Clews

Their daughter-in-law Margaret painted portraits of woman from different cultures and times.

Which is what I do, with my work, but with words.

Plus, she had an exhibition of them at that same small college. My college.

3rd Coincidence:

A friend of mine from high school (Chicago-area) has an (adopted) son who is dear friends with a woman named Pip.

Pip Clews.

Marie's and Henry's grand-daughter.

4th Coincidence:

Perhaps the wildest of all. Glenmere.

FATE ...?

 Chills. Still.

Stay tuned...