Eighteen years ago today we were at the Escapees RV Club’s Raccoon Valley Campground, just north of Knoxville, Tennessee, when my daughter Tiffany, back in Arizona, went into labor with her first child.
We didn’t have a cell phone and it was during the evening, and the only pay telephone available was in the campground’s laundry room, and Miss Terry taking the phone to reassure Tiffany that she could in fact deliver this child. I remember standing there feeding coins into it and getting updates every half hour or so. And then, when the phone rang in her room at the hospital on one call, someone picked it up and I heard a baby crying. My first grandchild! My knees went weak and my eyes filled with tears of joy.
That little baby girl, Hailey Nicole, has grown into a beautiful, sassy, independent young woman who I am very proud of. Wherever the road of life takes you, Hailey, stick to your ideals and keep focused on your goals. I know you can do it. I love you!
Last night Tiffany told me that it blows her mind that she couldn’t keep a houseplant alive, but she did a human being. And that her daughter still likes her. Now that’s an accomplishment!
Tiffany also said she can’t believe she has a daughter that old. I told her to try being me. My daughter has gray hair! I guess raising a girl to eighteen will do that to you.
I spent most of yesterday making corrections to chapters I have already written in the new book and doing some research on a couple of issues that I wasn’t too sure about. As it turned out, I was half right, which also means, of course, that I was half wrong. I’ve got to go back and rewrite part of one chapter but it shouldn’t take me too long.
Aside from that, there’s not a lot going on, just writing, waiting for it to cool down enough that we can get our kayaks in the water, and staying away from other people. Life under COVID.
And finally, here’s a chuckle to start your day from the collection of funny signs we see in our travels and that our readers share with us.
It’s Thursday, so it’s time for a new Free Drawing. This week’s prize is an RV camping journal donated by Barbara House. Barbara makes several variations of these, and they all have pages where you can list the date, weather, where you traveled to and from that day, beginning and ending mileage, campground information including amenities at RV sites, a place for campground reviews, room to record activities, people met along the way, reminders of places to see and things to do the next time you’re in the area, and a page for notes for each day. To enter, click on this Free Drawing link or the tab at the top of this page and enter your name (first and last) 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 – I have discovered that answering the door naked discourages trick or treaters. Oh look, here come two dressed as policemen!
Nick Russell
World-Famous, New York Times Best Selling Author, and All-Around Nice Guy!