"Fan" mail from a reluctant bus wife to be

[QueenOfTheRoad]

I thought I would share an email that I got this am from a woman in OH. It's a HOOT! (I wrote her back and suggested her hubby join this forum for great advice, guidance and comraderie. Want to take bets on whether she'll share my email with him?)

Dear Doreen:
My husband just foisted your book on me to read. I am doing him a huge favor by reading it.
He sits at his computer for hours every day dreaming of owning his very own Prevost. He has the model, length, and other requirements already chosen. It's just a matter of when, not if.
I'm to the point in your book where you are on the 3 week trial run and leaving the mother-in-law.
I have to read the book in the garage because I'm not allowed to smoke in the house. Don't start on me.
I'm not at all crazy about driving around the country in any type of vehicle. Where is the exercise in that? All I see are giant hips in my future(more giant than they already are). Our dog kills cats, which we have aplenty. My husband isn't going to want to live that close to a litter pan.
My husband can also fix anything, but at his age, under a bus, on the side of a highway? Oh please.
Well, I have to get back to the book. To see what happens next. So far, you are addressing my fears, too.
You are a very entertaining writer.

[tdelorme]

That lady is kidding herself. Her husband has already bought the Prevost and has it parked down the block. He is just easing her into the idea of owning a bus. Been there, done that, wearing the t-shirt.

[lewpopp]

She smokes....Where is the exercise in that? Jeeze!!!!

[QueenOfTheRoad]

She just emailed me and said her hubby saw my post, so he's already a member of the forum! Thank you, Barbara's husband for "foisting" my book on your wife. I'll take readers any way I can get. (She really does sound like a hoot.)

I have to admit, I'm not a big exercise fan, myself. But, on the road, I bought one of those little mini-trampoline things. We kept it in the bay and I'd set it up in the kitchen (it just fit) and would run/do jumping jacks, etc on it while I watched TV. If the weather was nice, I'd set up a mat outside and jump rope. Yeah, yeah... what about all those gorgeous places we went? Why didn't I just hike? I'm not much of an outdoorsy type. And, believe me, after listening to my whining when Tim does take me along, he's only too happy to hike solo the next time.

[phorner]

We found that the first casualty of retirement and full-timing in the bus was the waistline!

It's a constant battle to maintain some semblance of a healthy lifestyle.

Can a simple margarita really have that many calories?

[QueenOfTheRoad]

Margarita you say? Tequila has no carbs and I found a lo carb margaria mix (check out the Baja Bob line). No carbs, no problemo.

And, BTW - every chpt of my book starts with a delicious fruity martini recipe concocted by me on the road to commemorate on of our many disasters. (NOW I have your attention!)

Here's one to wet your appetite (developed after we had to forge a washed-out culvert and barrel through a bridge with a "LIMIT 13 TONS" sign as Tim helpfully assured me, "That bridge is too small to have all three axels on at the same time."

Hurlatini

1 part rum
2 parts Midori
1 splash pineapple juice
1 splash sweet 'n' sour
1 white-knuckled squeeze of lime

Pound martini shaker against emergency exit until window breaks or ingredients sufficiently mixed for tasty self-medication.

[sawdust_128]

We found that the first casualty of retirement and full-timing in the bus was the waistline!

It's a constant battle to maintain some semblance of a healthy lifestyle.

Can a simple margarita really have that many calories?

Caloric content of various home remedies:

White wine spritzer 80
Red wine 170
Champagne 86
Light beer 75
Bloody Mary 130
Dry martini [2.5 oz] 163
Dessert wine 174
Hot buttered rum 254
White Russian [4.5 oz] 404


Hey, no shooting. I'm just the messenger.


P.S. Teq. (J.Q Gold) has 97 calories per 1.5 oz.

[QueenOfTheRoad]

Fortunately, I count carbs, not cals!

[mcirco]

I just received my book yesterday. Laura and I have read a number of the pages aloud already with many good laughs. I can't wait to read it all. The only problem so far is the dog and I having the same name.


Miles and Laura Circo
2004 Country Coach 45' XLII D/S

[QueenOfTheRoad]

Thanks so much!

No problem being named the same as our standard poo. It's not like he sheds or anything.

[Ray Davis]

Doreen,

Not sure if this is worth mentioning or not. I ordered two copies from Amazon on the day it opened. I also ordered another book to make $25 minimum purchase for free shipping.

Sadly your books arrived packed only with some white filler paper around the books, and one was damaged. Not bad enough to return, but it crinkled the corner pretty good.

At the same time, the other book must have come from a different warehouse, and it was shrinkwrapped to a piece of cardboard, which held it in place inside the box.

It might be worth checking why your books didn't get a similar treatment?

Looking forward to reading on the airplane today. I'm heading out to Seattle in a couple of hours, and have 3 hours of plane/reading time ahead.

Ray

[QueenOfTheRoad]

Hey Ray,

A few friends (and my poor mother who also had to order her books, as I just don't get many from the publisher - I'll be hearing about that for quite awhile, I'm sure) have also gotten varied wrappings of my book. None of them has had any problems, though.

My publisher (and it's Random House, so not like it's Joe's Warehouse, or anything - no disrespect meant, Joe!) has been trying for months to get Amazon to add the catagory of "memoir" to the "travel" ones QUEEN OF THE ROAD is already in and there's no response. So, I think it's pretty hopeless for my trying to do anything re the damage. You can, of course return them for a new copy free of charge for you. Returns are very easy through their website.

Hope you enjoy it on your plane ride!

[Ray Davis]

Doreen,

It's certainly not worth the trouble of returning by any means. Was just a coincidence that I got another book in the same load, and it was packed differently.


Kinda reminded me of years ago. I moved from a house in one city where my wife subscribed whatever was needed to get the Publishers Clearing House coupons to send back to get a chance in the 1 million dollar give away. When we arrived at our new house (where we not subscribers), we got the "generic" entry coupons (non-subscriber).

I found it interesting that the subscriber coupons were wax coated, while the non-subscriber's were just plain flimsy paper. Anyone reaching into a barrel to pick a "winner" would easily feel the difference and pick a subscriber!

Don't know why I just thought about that, but .... oh well.

Enjoying the book, so far!

Ray