Continuing with the theme of "meeting" (and in the following case, meeting) online friends:

Before leaving California, we got a chance to really meet someone I had previously only "met" online.

I met Ray on the Prevost Owners Group Forum (I like to refer to its members, myself included, as "POG People.")

He happened to email me, wondering if we would be in Los Angeles during our sojourn home. I told him we were considering it, since we were thinking of swinging by Disneyland. His response, "Well, if you go to Disney, I'll sign you in."

Say what?

I didn't know that Ray works for Pixar, and so can sign anyone into Disney he likes. (And, he likes us! He really likes us!) Actually, it was his lovely wife, Kathy, who did the signing in (picking us up at our RV park, no less). Then, we all met for dinner afterwards with another fabulous POGy couple.

That's Kathy and Ray Davis, Janet and Ken Zittrer, and of course, me and Tim.

I've "met" so many wonderful people online since QUEEN OF THE ROAD came out, and I cherish all those relationships. But, after getting signed into Disney, I must ask the rest of you, "Nu? What have you done for me lately?"

For any who have read the book, we also had dinner in Redondo Beach with John Rainey, screenwriter and screenplay critiquer extraordinaire.

We met him at his bachelor pad first, so got to see "Rainy Central" - where all that screenwriting magic, as well as the crushing of dreams (of certain clients, never yours truly - I hope) occurs.

He lives across the way from one of the stars of that surfing reality show that took place on Hawaii a few years back. (It only lasted one season and the name escapes me - anyone know?) When John mentioned that, he was rather surprised I had seen it.

Oh, John. How little you do know me.

'Twas time to make Our way home. We did. With alacrity. Even choosing to take the potentially treacherous Vail Pass, cutting a day off our trip.

But first things first:

Lest any in the Kingdom think We exaggerate when describing Our slothful and PJ-loving nature:

After a full day's drive, we (small "w," since in reality, We mean "Tim") pulled into an RV park at 4 pm. As usual, We would be the one checking Us in at the office while Tim unhooked the tow vehicle. However, as he turned off the engine, he turned to Us and had the temerity to command your Sovereign, "Can you please get dressed?" We were shocked (at the need to get dressed, or at the realization that, verily, We had been in PJs all day, We shall leave to your imagination).

We sojourned in Grand Junction, Colorado for a mere overnight, as the weather report from a different government agency (ie different than Our Kingdom), the Colorado Department of Transportation informed Us that Vail Pass was, indeed, passable. And, truly, that is the state We found Vail Pass to be in - passable - and no more. No honors, cum laudes, etc., here. Merely Passable. This, due to some harrowing moments.

You be the judge:

I must say, I took it all with aplomb:

And, the vistas in my adopted state do much to soothe:

Tim insists I point out, in the above photo, how "clever" it was that the engineers put the opposing lanes of traffic on top of each other, rathen than side-by-side, to minimize the impact on the mountain.

Then, the Eisenhower Tunnel. (Yes, I know it says, "Johnson Tunnel". It says, "Eisenhower" in the opposite direction. I have no idea why, nor why everyone refers to it as "Eisenhower.")

This was potentially, the worst (ie iciest) road of the trip. I thought I was doing pretty well until Tim, helpful as ever, exclaimed, "Come to the light!"

I recently called into a lovely book club in Centennial, CO, The Queen Bees. (How come my book club doesn't have a cool name like that? Well, I said we were lazy.)

Several of the gals purchased their books at the Park Meadows Mall Borders, in Lone Tree, CO. It's one of only a few Borders "Concept" stores across the country, and is absolutely gorgeous, along with having a wonderful staff.

Julie told me when she got the book and informed the manager, Michael, that I was going to call in to her book club, he said to tell me, "Hello." I'm glad he took that tack, as he could just have easily have exclaimed, "She better not darken our door, again!" You see, when QUEEN OF THE ROAD first came out, I drove around the Front Range signing stock. While Michael helped me at this particular store, I took the opportunity (surely you know by now I'm not shy), to tell him about the book. A couple of customers overheard and (remember: not shy) I started handselling to them! Truth be told, Michael was rather amused by the spectacle. He was such a good sport, I asked if there was a staff member who might like her own autographed copy. Although I didn't get to meet her in person, I've since heard from Beth Ann, the Sales Account Rep, that she enjoyed the book and has been handselling it herself. Didn't I say this was a wonderful store?

So, here, without further ado, are the fabulous Queen Bees:

Starting top left: Julie, Lori, Dawn, Lynne, Kathleen.
Starting bottom left: Michelle, Celia, Krista.

The gals concocted their own martini recipe which they were toiling over (arduously toiling, I tell you!) to perfect during our discussion.

They were kind enough (and somehow managed to remember), to forward the recipe so that all in the Kingdom may enjoy:

Queen-Bee-Tini

2 parts vodka
2 parts OJ
1 part Passionfruit liqueur
Squirt of Agave honey to take the sting out...
"Buzz" around your girlfriends, "hive" a great time!

I haven't tested it yet, but, from what I heard that night over the phone, can attest to the fact that it certainly sounded like a libation fit for a queen - or in this case - queens.

As often happens with many of the book clubs I call into, this one also commented on how "wonderful," "marvelous," etc. etc. etc. (yawn, whatever), Tim is. (He certainly didn't help matters by giving me a message to convey to the group: "Tell 'em I hung drywall for you by day and am cooking for you by night." 'Tis true, I must admit.) However, this club went one step further: They informed me that they had read their husbands sections in QUEEN OF THE ROAD about Tim.

I am now proud to be married to the Most Hated Man in Denver.

A while back, I was invited to "do" a book club in Ft. Myers, FL. While this was my second book club in Ft. Myers (is it something in the water?) QUEEN OF THE ROAD was this club's very first book.

Oh, the pressure. Even more so when I was informed that the group consists of lawyers, judges and mediators. (Can one be sued for snark? How about causing the breakup of a book club before it really even gets started?)

"Judging" by the picture, I need not have worried, as the gals certainly got into the whole Queenly scene. Besides, I'm quite certain they would have granted me diplomatic immunity, especially while they were imbibing my patented (hear that? Patented. And just look at the legal muscle I have now to enforce it!) Jubilees:

Doesn't that make you want to go out and get one right now?

See ya!

(And gals, if you're still meeting, please let me know. Yes, we had a lovely discussion, but I need to be reassured I wasn't somehow single-handedly responsible for the demise of your fabulous group!)

I recently got an email from a fan (yeah, yeah. I can't believe I have fans either, but you didn't have to say it, did you?)

Francine Gipson wrote that her daughter in Alaska sent her a copy of QUEEN OF THE ROAD, thinking she would enjoy it, because Francine and her husband became full time RVers a year ago. After reading the book, Francine said she thought we had a lot in common. I believed her when I saw how she signed her email: It wasn't telling me that her rig was a 2007 Monaco Diplomat Special Edition, but rather her adding "like that matters, it's still a damn bus and I have no home to go to!"

"Damn bus." Yes, I can relate. She further convinced me of our sisterhood when she wrote about my recent blog entry:

Don't you just HATE those signs that say, "Runaway Truck Ramp?" They always put the fear of God into me. I squirm and get really uncomfortable. Those signs and the 8% downgrade signs get my blood pumping. Tight turns, ugh. You say, "I'm going to die," or something of the sort ... I always chant (in my mind of course), Carrie Underwood's song, "JESUS TAKE THE WHEEL!" If I said it out loud, Les would probably desire dropping me on the side of the road - which, at times, would be a welcome relief. Ahhhh, the joys of bus travel.

Les is employed in the Gulf of Mexico on an oil rig, and works two weeks on, two weeks off. They travel (apparently indulging his penchant for 8% downgrades, which sounds to me like he and Tim share a brotherhood) when he's not working. During the two weeks on, she has her Yorkie, Morgan, to keep her company at the RV park in Foley, AL.

Here are pictures of Francine, Les and Morgan in Foley, AL. Oh, yeah - and the damn bus.

Well sister, if you ever see our damn bus coming down the road, please do say "hello" (or run for your life - whatever seems appropriate at the time).