We Had Traveling Beads

 For whatever reason Old Lady thought we needed beads for our travels. They were lovely and we received several comments about them.
Old Lady and I travel well together. We are both low key. Enjoy laughing. Very low maintenance. We were dropped off at Midway by a sweet friend. Within minutes of arriving in the airport we were separated by security. Old Lady was sent down a long,  curving hall. I assumed she was in the "you look safe, we do not need a body scan line." I hoped she would be waiting at the end of my security check. She had our gate info. Finally, I see her scanning the crowd for me. After almost jumping up and down she noticed me. I found out later she was looking for a lady in a turquoise top. I was wearing brown. To be safe she sent a text with our gate number in case she was not able to find me. It was the wrong gate number. At this point we realized we needed those wrist leashes parents use with toddlers. We were very relieved to get on the first plane safely. I learned quickly that I still hate to fly. New to my flying is I can no longer sleep on the plane I hate being on.
After a very long evening, two planes and a layover, we arrived safely. We were very proud of ourselves. Easy Rider picked us up and our first stop was In and Out Burgers. A yummy treat.
Old Lady and I stayed at different locations. She was with Easy Rider, I stayed with Arizona and her family. Arizona and I stayed up very late. She has a very nice, comfy home. Her older son was awake and ready for gifts. He wanted a giant lollipop. He was disappointed with the little one he received. That was because of his Mom. I was ready to go HUGE.
I had a large blow up bed that was very comfy. Also, very dangerous....
In the next installment you will find out why.

It Really Is For Real

The other day I made it official, I bought plane tickets for a trip to Arizona.  The Old Lady and I are taking a long week-end to visit Arizona and Easy Rider.  The e-mails have been flying.  Making plans where we will go, what we will do.  I will be staying with Arizona.  Old Lady will stay with Easy Rider.  They live 10 minutes apart.  They have not met yet. 
First I would like to mention that I hate to fly.  I mention this to remind my friends how much I love and miss them to get on a plane.  Hate flying......
Arizona wanted us to take an epic trip to the Grand Canyon.  I am the only one of the group to have seen it.  Old Lady nixed that.  People can fall into the canyon.  Obviously, we have some issues within our group.  Still, this will be a wonderful trip.
Looks like we have all agreed on visiting Jerome.  An old copper mining town, now a ghost town.  (I probably should not have used the word ghost.)  Hope our small group does not have any fear of ghosts!!! 
We are very excited to have a book club meeting while we are together.  We have still not decided on a book.  It has to be an easy read.  Arizona and Easy Rider do not have time to devote to reading right now.  Speaking of being book nerds, we want to visit a three story Barnes & Noble while we are together.  Might have our book club meeting there.  Seriously, I cannot imagine how excited we will be. 
I am anxious to see both my friend's homes.  I want to accurately picture them when I think of them.  I am excited to spend some alone time with Arizona.  Over the top excited!!!  I hope her beautiful boys will warm up to me.  We have not lived in the same state for years and have managed to stay close.  Having a few days with her will be so wonderful!!!
The time will be mainly about good friends.  Throw in some good food.  Lots of laughter.  I know it will be a great vacation.

Dusters and A Dream

Old Lady and I are having a good time with this "trip" planning.  Several texts were exchanged last night.  The book has an official title.  OL said she is buying a mega ticket on Friday.  Guess I will too.  Better chances if both of us do it.  I suggested that I should just find a publisher for the book.  They can give me an advance and that will pay for the trip.  The book would be the next, Eat, Pray, Love.  Only better!  I immediately started thinking of who would play us in the movie version.  Guess we better continue working on the book.  Worry about the movie later.  (You know OL and I will be texting who should play us in the movie!!)
Here is the official title:  Duster And A Dream
I love it!  OL came up with Dusters and I finished it.  We have a title.  That made the cover much easier.

 

This will appear just before the first page:

 

Get your motor runnin'
Head out on the highway
Lookin' for adventure
In whatever comes our way

Yeah, darlin' go make it happen
Take the world in a love embrace
Fire all of your guns at once and
Explode into space

I like smoke and lightnin'
Heavy metal thunder
Racin' with the wind
And the feelin' that I'm under

Yeah, darlin' go make it happen
Take the world in a love embrace
Fire all of your guns at once and
Explode into space

Like a true nature's child
We were born, born to be wild
We can climb so high
I never wanna die

Born to be wild
Born to be wild

Get your motor runnin'
Head out on the highway
Lookin' for adventure
In whatever comes our way

Yeah, darlin' go make it happen
Take the world in a love embrace
Fire all of your guns at once and
Explode into space

Like a true nature's child
We were born, born to be wild
We can climb so high
I never wanna die

Born to be wild
Born to be wild

 



 





Book Title

Sounds like we need some suggestions for our book title.  Old Lady will give me ideas.  I will write our story.  Maybe it will be more like a novella than a book.  So need ideas for titles.

Old Lady & Alice   (Like Thelma & Louise.  Pray we run into a Brad!)
The Big Adventure
On The Road With Old Lady & Alice

Here is the cover picture.  Until we have one of Old Lady & I at the Grand Canyon.

I know what you are thinking.  Which one is Old Lady?  Which one is Alice?  You figure it out. 

This is also on our list!  What is this under?  Things to Do???? (I know this is going to have the Old Lady sitting at her desk at work cracking up.)

Preparations Continue

A trip of this magnitude cannot be planned overnight.  We have the RV.  It has two bedrooms and we each have our own bathroom.  Old Lady and I enjoy each other but we are both used to our own space.  There are several decisions we have to make before we leave.

What books do we pack?  Do we each pack a few and trade?  Both of us have e-readers.  Both of us would rather read real books.  We will take the e-readers in case of emergencies.  We are going to be in the middle of nowhere.  What if we hear about a book we need immediately?  I think we need a few of the same book.  That way we can have daily book clubs.  We find time to read in the evening.  The next day we can discuss the book while we drive.  Can you imagine being in the middle of nowhere.  Stars so bright.  Warm outside but not too crazy warm.  We sit outside in our dusters in comfy chairs.  Reading by book lights.  Does that sound like heaven?  Old Lady and I have matching dusters.  This will be the perfect opportunity to use them.  We should probably buy several more. 
Why dusters?  I wake up in the morning.  Eat a light breakfast.  Want to start driving but not ready to do the whole shower, get cleaned up.  I slip on some comfy shoes and ready to go.  Need gas?  Not a problem.  A duster is dressy enough to pump gas in.  I know this must be true.  My Grandma would wear a duster to the grocery store.  Right her imagine Old Lady and I in dusters.  We go into a grocery store in a small town.  Do some shopping.  We are not in a hurry so we can take our time.  Check out all the fruit and fresh veggies.  When we pay, pull out a change purse and say, "I know I have enough in here.  Just let me dig for it."  Fifteen minutes later we are on our way.  People in the store would be talking about the Old Ladies in their house coats.  They would be wrong.  We call them house dresses!  They are comfy.  Lightweight.  Perfect for the warmer climates.  To shop I would put on flip flops.  To drive I would need sneakers.  What if we want an afternoon nap?  Already in the dusters.  You can go from bed, to shopping, back to bed.  We will have real clothes too.  I think the dusters will just be great for traveling.  A step up from sweats or yoga pants?
Books are a must.  There is going to be some alcohol.  For evenings when we sit around the RV park.  Music?  Sure.  OL and I have ipods.  We do not necessarily love them.  We will take CD's.  Because we like them!  Both of us like to listen to all kinds of music.  I can promise there will be plenty of oldies.  We might give books on audio a try.  We can listen to the book and have a discussion while we listen.  Pop it on pause and do our thing.  We are going to need magazines.  US and People.  The passenger can read to the driver.  Reading magazines will give us lots to chat about.  The Oprah magazine will also be a must. 
The great thing about a friendship like the OL and I have is, we can enjoy quiet together.  I can imagine us riding for miles.  Just listening to the tires on the road.  Enjoying the beauty surrounding us.  Those times might be the best times.  You know you have a good friend when being quiet together is still a great time.
Both the OL and I used to smoke.  We sure did.  We liked it too.  I think I will purchase us both smokeless cigarettes.  The electronic kind.  Not nicotine flavored.  I will get flavors without nicotine.  It is the act of smoking we enjoy.  We can drive along, flicking ashes that are not there.  That will make the trip awesome.  We will talk about the good old days when we were young and did not believe cigarettes or anything else could hurt us.
Next on the list is loading up the RV and heading out.  Sure we could hit bad weather leaving in January.  Does not matter.  We have nothing but time.  If we get stuck somewhere for a few days, no big deal.  We will have books, booze, and the RV to keep us warm.