Then it hit me. I'm going to Maryland/Virginia - and I don't know ANYONE who's going to be there. Oops! Okay, I'm brave... but not that brave. So I called my friend Cathy (from those red-necks I used to hang with) and asked her if she was interested in a Road Trip! I explained what it was all about, and she said sure she'd go.

Then while emailing on the list - I found out that our one and only CARLA...lives not that far from Haggytown. Soooo...I, being the persuasive kinda gal that I am.. talked her into meeting up with Cathy and I at the signing. In the weeks just before the siging, since we didn't know what each other looked like (lol) I sent her a picture. No - it wasn't of me... but hey - it COULD have been me - in another life. LMAO. It was a picture of a woman in full dessage uniform on a Freasian horse. (I was looking into the horse at the time). ANYWAY...lol.. Carla freaks out and says it's been nice knowin' me and to have a great time at the signing. LMAO. So I had to come clean and tell her it wasn't me.

The weekend finally arrives and I get my DRIVING directions from MapQuest.com. Those Boggerheads!!. They had me goin' down 81, then to 83,,, then on the BELTWAY.. then over to WEST VIRGINIA!!! Once I figured out what was goin' on.. we turned around and finagled our way to the general location of the hotel. Passed the turn to the hotel about 8 times. Stopped in a McDonalds to get directions.. and to PEE..(priorities don'tchaknow..) and then found out we were less than a mile from the place. Woohoo!

Now for the shocker of the trip. While driving down - while talking about this and that.. Cathy blurts out ..." Laurie... I can't read. Is that going to be a problem this weekend..?" HUH?? What!?!?!? You gotta be kidding me!!! I'm like... WHY didn't you tell me this before!? Now I'm feeling like the worlds WORST friend.. bringing a woman who cant' read - to a READERS - booksigning WEEKEND! OMG. How uncomfortable she must be feeling. I told her to relax and that nobody was going to be asking her to read anything. (Good Lord I hoped not!) So now I'm all worried about Cathy, nervous about meeting a group of women that I don't know...and we're in the mountains!!! (really COOL mountains I might add).

So, it's about 9:30 when we finally get to the HillTop House - it's pitch black outside so I don't really get a good look at the area. Just walk in - sign in - then dump our stuff in our room (in the annex). Then head on back to the main hotel and hit "the Tap Room". We walk in, and there must have been about 20-25 women sitting at on long table, all talking, laughing, having a great time. I'm basically a ball of nerves now, and Cathy and I sit at the bar. The bar where Lloyd is serving up liquid refreshments. Liquid is good. Liquid is FINE. Liquid was had by us both. Then I hear NancyD talking about "introducing everyone". So I swivel around and pay attention. Then she looks right at me and says..." You're NiMo.com -aren't you!?" LOL.. (that was my email address at the time). I say yes - my name is Laurie Jewell." "OH yes - Jewells from NY." Well okay - that works too. So then everyone turns around and checks me out - then looks at Cathy - and I say - "No...she's just along for the trip - she doesn't read Nora." I prayed to GOD that would suffice - and it did - no body said anything.

So the rest of the night was mostly just sitting back - watching how all these women interacted - chatted with us when they needed more liquid - and we chatted up Lloyd. We ended up closing the bar with Lloyd. Lloyd really took a liking to us. He asked us if we wanted to go "into town" to a bar he knew for a few. Ahhhh - thanks, but no, it's been a long day, gonna be a long day tomorrow too. But thanks.

We get back to the room and I get into my jammies, and I'm in bed already, when I find out that Cathy told him she'd go with him!! WHAT!!?? ARE YOU INSAINE!. So off she goes ( he came to the door to get her). OMG. Now I'm freakin' out. But, i was also tired, and had me some liquid. I dozed. I wake up two hours later and NO CATHY!!! IT's almost 2:30 and I'm really freakin' out here. Sat there thinking of things that COULD be happening to her, then thinking of ways I'd kill Lloyd if anything DID happen to her - when she STUMBLES into the room. Not drunk like I though - just bone tired and...get this.. DISSAPOINTED that he didn't show her a good time AT the bar. Then she says that he did try the old "etchings in my appartment" routine - which she went up to.. then while he "got things in order" she slipped out the door and came back to the room. OMG!!! I told her she was grounded for LIFE! I didn't care if she's 12 years older than I am... SHE'S GROUNDED!.

Saturday dawns BRIGHT AND SUNNY. We didn't bother with breakfast as it was kinda late, but the ladies the night before said we'd all be "heading out" around 11 or so to the book store. So we made sure we were in the parking lot ready to follow the others. It seemed like FOREVER before we finally got there, but in retrospect - it's only about 25-30 minutes away. Sometimes longer - but only due to construction and traffic.

Carla and I had arranged to meet outside the book store. I told her to watch out for my red blazer with NY plates. We parked in the Creamery Parkinglot (found out that was a no-no) and walked around the corner to the store. Saw Carla looking at us - like.. is that YOU!? Walked up to her and gave her a BIG hug. =} Yep... it's her awright! Do the meet and greet on the sidewalk.. then turn and head on into the bookstore.

The CROWDED book store. The very SMALL book store. The VERY VERY WARM book store. lol. Did I mention I'm not all that fond of warmth. Even LESS fond of EXCESSIVE warmth!?!?! LOL? We get our numbers and get in line.

Now, this my FIRST EVER book signing.. let alone a NORA signing. Had NO clue about how one is to conduct one's own self during this. I'd had with me the first 3-in-1 that was published of hers - Born In's. MY FAVE!!! I hand it over to Nora and she says " Oh wow.. I haven't seen this one yet - where'd you get it?" Huh? She SPOKE to me? Now I'm expceted to ANSWER HER?? OMG!. And do ye think I could remember? HELL NO.. I turned to Carla and say - "where did I get this".. LIKE SHE'D KNOW!! Carla blurts out... "Double day maybe" Oohhh yeah.. that IS where I got it~ damn".

And there you have my first meeting with Nora. Could I have MADE a worse impression?? LMAO.

The rest of the afternoon is a blur - as it was spent getting to know Carla better, and chatting with all sorts of people. Later - back at the hotel - back in the Tap Room, Cathy and I were much more relaxed with the crowd - as we'd just spent the entire day with eveyrone. Got drunk. =P Closed the bar again.. and THIS time...walked out before Lloyd could come on to Cathy again. NOW he gives her the heebee-jeebee's.

Sunday comes and it's time for the BRUNCH... which - conveniently was to be in the Tap Room. The food sucked.. but who cares.. we were in the presents of NORA. Now - not knowing that Nora is the fashion Diva.. and not getting all that great a look at her outfit.. what I DID see... looked like a polyester Pant Suite from the 70's. LOL. I'm SURE it wasn't.. but not kwoing a damn thing about fashion... that was my first impression on Sunday. Cathy and I were sitting the next table over from Nora. I'll admit it.. I was starin' at her for a w hile. But.. then it was time to mix and mingle a bit before we were all hittin' the road back home.

The drive home was spent basically recapping the entire weekend. We both had a blast, and Cathy said she'd like to come again the next year if they did it again.

During the drive back home I asked Cathy if she was interested in learning how to read. It had been bothering me all weekend - so I had to ask. She said she'd thought about it, but with her "lifestyle" and all that she had going on - she didn't think she'd have the time. I told her I had a friend who works for the Literacy program in Syracuse, (she's an editor) and I could get info from her on tutors and stuff. She said okay - give her the information. Longer story short.. she did it for about 2-3 months and quit. Guess she really wasn't interested in learing. She said her three kids help her when she needs help. Okay - it's her decision. I haven't seen or talked with her in about 2 years now.. so I have no idea if she ever got back into the tutoring or not.

Cast of Characters in attendance that weekend (who are list members here) are: CARLA!!!...and PAMMY!! and TRACIE O'!!!

Now who wants te hear about the 2nd one - where the official JDRobbers show'd up!?!?! LOL. I've got PICTURES from that one! might even be tempted to try this here scanner thing....

the end. fini. it's over. i'm done. honest! =}

Good LORD this is long! hehehahahahahahhaa....