Sara's TTP Travelogue
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- Thursday, July 10
- Mom and I got on the road around 11AM. It's only a 5-6 hour drive, so that should have gotten us there around 5 or 6. We kept hitting that annoying sprinkling rain, you know where it can't decide if it's going to rain or not. We stopped in Wheeling, WV for lunch and then kept going. As we were driving on I-68 in Maryland, it got REALLY foggy and then it started pouring down rain. So as we're driving down one of the many grades, I start to hydroplane. I went from the right lane, over to the left lane, back to the right lane, did a 180 and hit the guard rail. I couldn't get out on my side, since my side is what hit the guardrail. My mom was able to get out and she said the damage wasn't that bad. Luckily, someone who worked for the state of Maryland, pulled over to see if we were okay. My mom said yes and he called the state trooper for us. The state trooper got there in about 5-10 minutes and took my license, registration and insurance card and told me that he would be right back. The guy that helped us said that he had a tow line and that if he could do it safely, he would tow me out so I could get turned around and head towards Hagerstown again. The state trooper came back with my stuff and the guy from state towed me so I could get turned around. I got turned around and made it the rest of the way to Hagerstown without incident. Mom and I checked in to the hotel and then decided that we both needed some Advil. So we drove up to the CVS and then we stopped at Bob Evans for dinner. We then headed back to the hotel. I told Mom that I was going to go the bar to see who was there and she decided she was going to stay in the room. So I headed to the bar and who was the first person I saw? Laurie! Hugs all around and I told her what happened on the way to the hotel, she told me that I can't drive in inclement weather anymore.:) Pam's friend Laura was there as well as Kristin. Also Kelly , Jeannie, and Lee from ADWOFF. I found Pammy at the bar as well. We were waiting around for karoke to start. As we were waiting for karoke to start, KarenL, Autumn, Tracey and AnnL and her daughter Stacey arrived. Karoke started, Laura got up and sang quite well. We would all continue to chant her name that night. I stayed in the bar until about midnight or so and then headed back to my room, I was beat.
- Friday, July 11
- On Friday morning, mom and I took our time getting ready. We figured we didn't have to rush around anywhere, so we finally left the hotel around 11AM so we could go to Valley Mall to look for something at JCPenney for my mom. She couldn't find what she wanted, so we decided to head over to the outlet mall. My mom found some new walking shoes at the Nike outlet and then we headed over to the Carter's outlet and found an outfit for my nephew and my uncle's foster son (6 months old). We got the stuff at 40-70% off, so we couldn't pass it up. It started to look like it was going to storm again, so we decided to head back towards the hotel. We stopped to get some lunch at Burger King. As we were waiting in line to give our order, my cell phone rang. It was my insurance agent calling me back to tell me what to do with my car. I got all the information from her and then I got back in line to get lunch. Mom and I ate lunch and then we headed back to the hotel. We just hung out in the room for awhile, Mom watched TV and I read for awhile. Around 5 or 6, we headed over to the hospitality room to see what was going on. There were loads of books that we could take from the room, plus lots of food, drinks, and jello shots. I went back to my room really quick and got my stuff to put in the raffle baskets. The room off the hospitality suite was filled with baskets. You had to be careful where you walked or you would trip over them. It was great. After that, I told mom I was going to go to the bar, she said she didn't want to come, so she went back to the room and I headed to the bar. I ran in to KarenL, AnnL, Sherryberry, Lee and more that I cannot remember. I watched people dance and talked to people. We saw Becky at the bar and we met Julia!!! It was so great to finally meet her. She is so sweet. Annie and DDDeb came in shortly before or after that, I don't remember. Annie went to her room to put the basket together. So I sat and watched people dance and talked to people, when who should walk in but Jill and her friend Sondra. We all got caught up and chatted for a while. We turned around later and there was Darla! She, Carl and the boys got there safely. YEAH!! I told her about my accident and told her she was alone on mishaps on the way to TTP. We all hung out in the bar for a little bit. Around midnight, I headed back to the hospitality room for something( I can't remember what) and ran in to Annie again. She showed me our basket(which was awesome, Nancy, you're a lucky girl!) and then we got caught up. I was getting tired, so I headed back to my hotel room.
- Saturday, July 12
- It's TTP day! Mom and I got up and got ready to go. We left the hotel around 9AM and got to TTP around 9:15 or 9:30. We waited in line for our numbers with Wendy, Carla, and KarenL. Norma came out to hang out the open flag and we all got in line for our tickets. Mom and I got 'A' tickets. So we looked around the store for awhile. My mom got a couple of books for my nephew and herself, and I got some books for me and a t-shirt. I then went outside to look for Annie because Linda was supposed to meet us there around 10AM. Linda got caught in a detour and got there later than she expected, but she got there. So I met Linda and her kids, Sarah and Jason. They are the sweetest, most polite children I've ever met. I've never met a 7 year old boy who says 'please' and 'thank you' so much (remember, I work with 7 year olds.) So Annie, DDDeb, Linda, her kids, their friend Susan from another board and her son, my mom and I headed up to Asaro's for lunch. I sa next to Jason, who talked to me about pretty much anything. I asked him if he was getting ready to go in to second grade and he said yes and I told him that I work with second graders a lot and he thought that was pretty cool. so we ate lunch and then headed back outside to see the quilt blocks for the cat quilt that Annie is putting together. They are really neat. Annie, Linda and Susan went up to Linda's car to get blocks from Linda's car and then they were going to head over to Barnwood. Mom and I stayed back because it was almost time to call letters to line people up for the signing. They called our letters, I was second and Mom was third in line. I gave her two of my books to get signed. So they started the signing. I got "Killing Moom" from Rebecca York (from Mary Beth's recommendation and AnnL's later on) and got my books signed from Nora. Then Mom and I headed outside and decided to go down to The Creamery. KarenL came with us. We ate our ice cream inside and then when more people arrived, we moved outside and talked with AnnL, Stacey, Darla, Pammy, Tracey, Autumn, Laura, Kristin, and Donna Kauffman. After a while, we all started to get hot and decided to head back to the hotel. mom and I went to our room and I read for a little bit. We went out and got dinner around 6PM and brought it back to the hotel. After we ate, I told Mom that I was going to go to the bar, she said she didn't want to go (she doesn't like the smoke). So I went to the bar. I met up with Jill and CarolP(from ADWOFF) and we had a drink and watched the people dance. I was really tired so I headed back to my room early. It sounds like I missed some stuff;) I got some stuff packed up in my room, watched a little TV and headed to bed.
- Sunday, July 13
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Mom and I woke up early and started getting ready for
brunch. Mom got ready first so I started packing.
When she got done, I showered and got ready and then
finished packing. We started loading up the car and
then headed back to our room and read until it was
time to leave for Asaro's. We headed up to Asaro's
around 10:30AM and got there around 11AM. We hung out
outside for a little bit. Gerri and Nora had Nora
draw names for who got to sit with her at her table on
the TTP porch and then we headed in to Asaro's. Mom
and I sat with Annie and DDDeb. We were by Laurie,
Carla, Wendy and Darla. Brunch was good. I had
spaghetti with marinara sauce. It was very good. The
cheesecake for dessert was absolutely delicious. Then
it was time for the raffle. Baskets were made for
Gerri, Lee, Phyllis and Stacie for all the hard work
they did for the weekend. Then Nora started drawing
names for the baskets. She called my name third or
fourth, I believe. I picked the 'Curl Up and Read'
basket that The Wreck Room made. It has some really
neat stuff in it. A CD, a robe, a book cover, a
coffee mug, and bookmarks with a picture of a girl
sitting up against a tree reading a book that says,
"Curl up and Read with Nora Roberts." It also came
with tea, slippers and other assorted goodies. Becky,
Wendy, Pammy, Kristin, my mom, Jill, and her friend
Sondra, and others from our group won baskets but they
are escaping me right now. We raised a lot of money
and then we headed outside to do pictures. We had
pictures taken with Nora with our JDRobb group and
then we headed home. At lunch, Laurie was taking bets
for "What time was Sara going to get in a car
accident?";) So luckily, I didn't get in one, so no
one won;) Mom and I had an uneventful trip home,
thank goodness! We pulled in to the driveway around
9PM, unloaded the car and went to bed.
- So a great weekend, other than the accident, but as we said, our luck turned around because Mom and I won baskets. It was so great to see everyone, I miss you all already.
Sara
Graphics on this page courtesy of
.
- So a great weekend, other than the accident, but as we said, our luck turned around because Mom and I won baskets. It was so great to see everyone, I miss you all already.