I have the BEST FRIENDS!

It's so true! I have the best friends a girl could ask for. When I was first planning my book tour to central Kansas, I knew that I would need to drive as opposed to flying due to the number of books that I would need to bring, as well as other display items, promotional materials and equipment. Right away my friend Donna Brown offered up her services as a travel companion pointing out that it is not safe for a woman traveling alone by car for three days half way across the country! (Unfortunately I do not have a picture of Donna - she is extremely camera shy and avoids pictures at all cost!) That left me with the task of finding someone to ride home with me since Donna informed me right away that, "I will be flying home as soon as I get you there safely. What am I going to do in Kansas for two weeks??"

Step in my sister-in-law Dru Nordmark. She decided she would like to fly out for the second week and then drive home with me. That plan was going along nicely until some unforseen family things got in the way and sadly she had to back out. NO PROBLEM! My oldest son, Carlo, who is a history teacher said that he would gladly take Friday April 30th off and fly out to Kansas and help me drive home. GREAT! Problem solved. Until......yesterday when he informed me that since the school system was going to be changing their "No Child Left Behind" testing methods, all staff would need to attend a three day training from April 29th - May 2nd. Ut-oh!

What to do? No way was I up for driving across the country by myself. It would take twice as long and be twice as stressful! With fingers crossed and wishful thinking, I sent an email to my best friend from high school, Karen Williams (that's her in the picture on the left) who - even though we had been out of touch with one another for 30 years - I had recently reconnected with and found that we hadn't missed a beat in our friendship. I knew she was between jobs, by choice, so there was a chance.....

I am pleased to say that the answer was an immediate YES! and Karen has already booked her flight. Problem solved, book tour ready to get underway, I am a LUCKY GIRL! Looking forward to meeting lots of wonderful people in and around Salina, Kansas!