THE Event @
TTP!
TTP
by Carolyn (aka CarolynSB)
As I've mentioned before ... my husband really
started to question how one afternoon, mentioned in
passing a few months before the event, could become
a four day weekend. Well, only this group could
expand into that much fun!
I issued invitations to whomever wanted to stay
with me, but I think Sue's cats sounded like less
of a threat than my three year old! I was so eager
to meet everyone as the weekend drew nearer, I
begged Nina to keep me informed of everyone's
arrival times and plans. So ... she forwarded all
the information as it was passed on to her and as
she made reservations. I talked with Sue on-line
the morning Diane and Nina were due to arrive. She
told me what she'd be wearing and asked how she
would recognize me. I replied mysteriously that she
shouldn't have any trouble spotting me.
<sigh> As always - everything that can go
wrong, will!!
My 3 year old split his lip open that morning. (It
was a helicopter accident ... I'll spare you the
details ...). I was away for a couple of hours that
afternoon, and when I got back my babysitter (who
is only 11) told me she thought he should see the
doctor. I took them both across the street consult
her mom (who has 3 kids older than mine - such an
expert!!) She agreed with her daughter's diagnosis
- so off to the ER we went. By the time he was
taken care of (steri-strips - NOT stitches!) and
then down to VA and dropped off with his
grandparents, and I got to the airport and
figured out their new parking garage ... I was way,
way, too late to meet Diane's plane. (As it turns
out - she arrived 2 hours early to boot!)
So - here I am -okay ... it's not United anymore
... What is Nina flying?? American?? Hmmmmm ...
okay ... we'll try it ... why - oh - why didn't I
bring that itinerary I printed out? Okay ...
picture me ... I'm blond and yes ... sometimes the
brains DO go with the bleach <wince!>
wandering through the airport. I'm not wearing the
t-shirt I made with my screen name on it because I
had such a delay with Eric ... It's still sticky
... I'm looking for 2 women I've never seen ... one
has on black shorts and an Orioles t-shirt ... that
I know ... and I'm just cluelessly scanning every
hallway I go down ...
Wait!! There's a woman over there ... she's jumping
up and down with excitement ... I can hear her
chanting ... "That's the plane she's on!" Hmm ...
black shorts ... t-shirt ... another woman with her
... BINGO!! So ... I pull my t-shirt out of my bag
and start over ... and say ... "Well ... I hope
you'll recognize the screen name!" And Sue gives me
a big hug ... I turn to Diane (who is a lot more
shy and reserved until you get to know her) and I
say ... you must be Diane and give her a hug too.
Sue tells me that is Nina's plane outside the
window! We all wait (impatiently!) for them to
start deboarding ... and we slowly move closer to
the arrival door ... is that her? Look for a blond
... look for something off the wall ... look for
... wait ... no ... is that? ... <sigh>
Finally ... near the end ... a woman ... fairly
low-key looking ... in a vest and pants ... pulling
a suitcase ... she moves toward us and then flips
open her vest as she says, "You looking for me??"
She has a Noraholic button pinned square in the
center of each ... well each ... well ... you get
the picture?!
Hugs and excitement all around ... let's go get the
car rental taken care of ... we have an hour before
the next arrival ...
We head off to ... the Hertz counter?? I know my
information said ... Avis ... but ... who am I to
question ... must be a change ... I wait with Diane
while Sue and Nina head to the counter ...
discussions ... raised voices ... quizzical looks
... Yikes!! We're at the wrong place! LMAO ... I
guess someone should have said something ... Off to
the Avis counter where they DO actually have a
reservation ... and we get that straightened out
... wait for Joan ... wait for Joan ... Nina needs
food ... everything is shut down ... National is
not your all-night kind of airport. Great guy at
one of the bars throws (literally!) some food our
way ... (I liked him much better than the rental
car guy ... kind of a Kevin Costner thing going).
Joan's plane is delayed ... wait for Joan ... wait
for Joan ... everyone deplanes ... NO JOAN!!! We
finally get our information straightened out ...
they head to Sue's ... I head to my parents. We'll
call in the morning - get our plans coordinated
...
Friday ... Mom gets me sucked into helping her ...
hear from Diane ... they aren't heading my way
after all ... going to the airport to meet Debby
and Joan ... and Tracey ... so I miss them that day
... but help my Mom ... and that's a good thing
...
Saturday morning ... talk to Sue on-line again ...
"I'm leaving soon ... where should I meet you
all??" At TTP itself we decide ... I tell them I'll
be there around 9:30 or 10:00. "Fine ... See
you!"
I get there a few minutes before 10 ... they
aren't open yet ... I don't see the rental car ...
hmmm. Well, we are talking about a bunch of women
getting ready ... <grin> Bruce seems a little
distraught that we are all descending at such an
ungodly hour ... the signing isn't until 1:00! Okay
... I'll wait outside ... they have a great front
porch ... relaxed seating ... I'm comfy ... Nora
gets to the store. Heads out to talk to me ...
gives me a hug ... "Which one am I?" "CarolynSB ...
that's me!" I've met her at a couple of signings
... never got up the nerve to talk ... can I do it
now? Sure ...
Where could they be?? Oh ... that looks like them
now ... "Wave," I tell her ... (she's sitting on
the railing) We are both leaning out waving our
arms ...they spot us!! Cars turn around at the end
of the block ... Nora heads inside ... I wait to
meet the group! I haven't met Tracey, Debby, or
Joan ... and Wendy is with them, too. There were a
few women wandering the street <evil grin> as
I was sitting on the porch ... they approach as
well ... hugs all around!!! Sue has t-shirts made
up that quite a few are wearing ... with our screen
names and the J.D. Robb books listed in a unique
sentence on the front ... And the three lurkers??
Jaci, Nancy ... and Nancy's sister!! (Oh ... I wish
you'd approached earlier ... was lonely until Nora
arrived!)
So ... we spend the day there ... sharing stories
... meeting Nora and her family ... learning the
ins and outs of Boonsboro (they have a charming
library ... but not a lot of selection on their
to-buy table ... ) We met more of our on-line
friends as the day wore on ... we had lunch
together at the little Italian place down the
street ... and we cleaned out quite a few of the
door prizes! Tracey of course having the coup of a
lifetime ... advanced copy of SeaSwept
... not due for release for about 1/2 a year! I
went back down to TTP to let some of us know that
we were having lunch ... walked in as they
announced my name for a door prize ... got a Nora
goody bag with lots of cool Nora stuff ... J.D.
Robb mittens will be keeping my hands toasty this
winter!
Finally decide to head back and get the rest of us
checked into the hotel ... and have dinner ... this
group needs lots of sustenance ... we work hard at
our fun and play! Get the rooms coordinated ...
roommates selected ... and we head out to dinner. I
won't say that we had too much fun ... but Jaci did
try to sign her check with a straw ... After dinner
... a walk for a few of us ... trips around the
mall ... no - not inside!! we have SOME control. So
... outside. I guess Wendy and I are the diehards
... we stuck it out for several laps ... And I met
a new buddy here that lives close by! She and I
have managed to get together once since we got back
... and plan to get together more.
Saturday night ... All of us in one room ... I
won't say harassing but we did enjoy having the
front desk clerk fulfill a few needs ... <wicked
grin> Sue was typing ... keeping all our friends
back here on-line informed ... and we all went over
the days "haul" I controlled myself very well thank
you ... only came away with about ... mmmm ... 8
books ... And I have all of Nora's - so these were
all just recommendations ... Nina is great for
that, by the way. Sue had (I kid you not!) an
entire case, carton,whatever you want to call it
... filled with books!! And of course we all had to
at least touch Tracey's copy of
SeaSwept ... <sigh> (I read the
first chapter!!)
Some of us stayed up later than others ... so
Sunday morning found some of us awake and ready to
leave ... and others ... well ... dead to the
world! So a few of us decided to head over to the
battlefield nearby ... Antietam ... and see what
was going on over there. Wendy, Diane, Jaci and I
were the lucky four.<grin> And guess what!!
It was Artillery weekend at the battlefield site.
We received a very interesting lecture on the
weapons used ... the advantages the North had with
their superior industry ... but the advantages the
south had with their placements in the field. Part
way through the lecture ... the guide was relating
some of the different parts used in firing the
cannons ... and (this is for all of you who have
seen references in posts and wanted to know ... )
he mentioned the "worm" was used and also that they
"sponged the pieces." Well ... it just struck Jaci
the wrong way ... and she got the giggles ... poor
thing moved all the way in behind me to try and
stop ... all four of us were snickering trying not
to laugh ... and you know when you get into that
mind-set ... the most innocent comments just ...
well ... we got some strange looks throughout the
rest of his lecture ...
But all in all it was an interesting day ... and we
got to see them shoot the cannons as well. So very,
very loud ... can't imagine what it must have been
like to be in the middle of that with dozens of
them continuously firing ... Then on to a drive
around the countryside ... and back to meet the
others at the restaurant for dinner. I understand
that the rest of the group (the one's who didn't
head down to D.C.) went shopping for ... more
books!! LOL ... used bookstores around the area ...
We all used my van as a changing room (I think
Diane opted for Wendy's car ...) and all of us
emerged like butterflies from a cocoon ...
<grin>
Nora was already there ... and then Bruce joined
us. Jaci promptly realized she had locked her keys
in her car ... and a call to AAA took care of
that.
Dinner was very nice ... very interesting ... I sat
on BW's right and talked with him about various
things ... Did you know they conduct several
signings a year?? And have as many as (I think he
said) 12 authors at a time?? Can't imagine how they
adjust the space to accommodate ... but we all
moved through just fine. So ... all in all a very
enjoyable ending to a very enjoyable weekend. Nancy
and her sister Lanell had to leave us early ... and
then the rest of us headed outside for a major bout
of picture taking.
I'd like to thank Nora and Bruce once again for
their hospitality and their treat of dinner ... we
all enjoyed it so much ... and being able to sit
and get to know firsthand people we admire so much
... really a very exciting prospect ... and now to
have that fulfilled. Goes down in the record books
...
As for my thoughts on the weekend ... I have to say
that I was just thrilled to meet and spend time
with my on-line friends. We all laughed and played
and shared with each other the same way we do here
in the chat rooms and on the boards. I came away
able to put names and voices and faces to the
screen names. And to reissue my invitation ... I
live less than an hour from TTP ... so if any of
you make the trip out PLEASE let me know! I love
meeting all of you ... and can probably change my
schedule around to hook up with you if you do make
the trip out! Talk to you soon ...
ADWOFF > Newsletters > Edition
4 > TTP
I > TTP
I Diaries > Carolyn's
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