Several years ago my cousin Berni Frees and her husband Rocky spent the summer parked next to us here at Elkhart Campground. We were sitting under the awning of their motorhome one afternoon when somebody walking by stopped to ask if I was Nick Russell. When I admitted that I was, he asked if I would autograph a copy of the Gypsy Journal for him. This happens occasionally and I’m used to it. But Berni was really impressed. She had to call her sister in Ohio to tell her, “Guess what? Nick’s famous! People ask for his autograph!”
Yes, those were the good old days. If nothing else, I was a legend in my own mind. But apparently, as the words to the classic Elton John song go, I was just a candle in the wind. And my flame’s been blown out.
Yesterday our friends John and Kathy Huggins from the Living The RV Dream podcast arrived at the campground, and a couple of hours later and Charles and Chris Yust from C&C RV Insurance pulled into the site next to us. Everybody gathered together in our Winnebago for a visit, and pretty soon a woman named Joannie Webb came to the door asking if I was Nick Russell. I said yes and invited her in, but she wasn’t looking for me, she wanted to see John and Kathy. And when she found out that Chris was here too, she was thrilled. Me? I was just chopped liver, apparently.
Joannie and her husband Keith are followers of John and Kathy’s podcasts and between them and Charles and Chris, she felt like she was in the presence of royalty. So while they all visited I just sat off to the side basking in their reflected glory and contemplated my navel, remembering the good old days when I was famous too. 
Besides the folks I mentioned above, Keith and Donna Green also stopped in for a brief visit yesterday. Keith has dealt with some serious health challenges in the last couple of years, and it was a real treat to see him up and about. The fulltime RV community really is a huge extended family.
It’s Wednesday, and you know what that means. It’s time to kick off a new Free Drawing. This week’s prize is an audiobook of Judy Howard’s Going Home With A Cat And A Ghost. All you have to do is click on the Free Drawing link and enter your name in the comments section at the bottom of that page (not this one). Only one entry per person per drawing please, and you must enter with your real name. To prevent spam or multiple entries, the names of cartoon or movie characters are not allowed. The winner will be drawn Sunday evening.
Thought For The Day – Remember when we were young and couldn’t wait to grow up because we could do whatever we wanted, whenever we wanted? How’s that working out for you?
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Nick Russell
World-Famous, New York Times Best Selling Author, and All-Around Nice Guy!
Well, Nick we all have days like that!! Heh, whenever I have to be with my husband’s dad and sister…yep, chopped liver that’s me. Perhaps tomorrow will be a better day for being famous!! Heehee!!
To quote Hermit the Frog… ” It’s not easy being green” I have been in a few situations that brought distended friends together and just leaned back and enjoyed seeing it all happen. It is a very enjoyable experience. I’m sure that you had something to offer.Otherwise the gathering would never have happened. Maybe your time spent on that day can be conversely expressed in saying ” It’s nice being green”
Nick, you’ll always be famous to us. You are pretty much responsible for getting us to write our books. Just remember that we gathered at YOUR rig. Can I have your autograph?????
We are two sites away from you, I think. I thought I saw you getting into your car to leave for dinner last night.
HI!
We have been running around, so this HI is in case I don’t have a chance to say it in person.
What a hoot. Just too dang funny.
LOL I get a chuckle every morning from you Nick. I love a man who can laugh at himself. It’s sexy. So there you go, you’re not only famous, you’re sexy too! Watch out MIss Terry or GQ magazine will be putting him on the cover. Maybe a Playgirl centerfold?
How funny! Love your blog every day. But how does Terry put up with all of your hijinks? It must be a full time job just keeping up with you. Please don’t ever change Nick. The world needs more people like you and your beautiful lady.
No Playgirl centerfolds for me, Lea. Have you seen where they out the staples? Ouch!
Awww Nick … you’re still my RV hero!!
awww. . .I’ll be there Saturday. . .maybe you can autograph a copy of your book on my Kindle. . .LOL! and Miss Terry can autograph a copy of her book too. . .
Janice and Dave
http://readytogofulltimerving.blogspot.com/
you are famous to me too, I have read all three of your novel so to me you are famous author. Besides to me you are also a good friend, one day our paths will cross again. I really miss the rallies.
Did you mean infamous??
Wow, now don’t I feel like a heel. I admit I was a little awestruck and giddy finding John and Kathy there. I at first felt like a stalker searching out where they might be. But if it makes you feel any better (which I hope it does) I have told everyone that we met up with John and Kathy at Nick Russel’s RV and he is a famous writer. The next time we are in the same vicinity, I will invite you over and tell everyone that NICK and Terry RUSSEL (the famous authors) came to our motorhome.
And I hope you will!