Are You Serious?

I get a lot of e-mails every day from people asking questions about my books, RVing, or life in general. Many times I share those questions here in the blog if I think they would be of interest to other readers. But sometimes I get an e-mail asking me something and I have to scratch my head and wonder if these people are really serious. Here are two real examples from the recent mailbag.

Someone wrote to say that they are considering becoming fulltime RVers and asked me what was the best RV to buy. I get this question a lot, and I always reply that there is no one size fits all RV. What works for one person might not be a good choice for somebody else. Some people like to go to state parks and travel back roads that might not be appropriate for a large RV, and they should go with something smaller and easier to maneuver in tight places. Other people want all of the creature comforts they can get, as well as a lot of cargo capacity and the smoothest ride possible. A large Class A diesel pusher might be the best for them. Others have hobbies or interests that could make a toy hauler their best choice.

The woman wrote back and replied that I wasn’t really answering her question, she didn’t care what was right for other people, she wanted me to tell her what RV her and her husband should buy. I replied once more that I could not tell her what was right for them because I didn’t know what their needs were and it would be impossible for me to advise her. I suggested that they visit several RV dealerships and look at the options available. She immediately wrote back saying I was wasting her time and to at “least give me something to start with!” I replied that they should start with something with wheels under it. Yes, I know that was snarky, but it seemed to work, because except for replying with a one word response describing a certain body orifice, I haven’t heard any more from her.

And then we have the person who told me that they have been fulltiming for three years now and have decided it’s not for them and would like to find a home somewhere in coastal Florida. He said they have visited Florida twice now and like it and asked me for any recommendations.

Again, a lot of that depends on their needs and interests, as well as their budget. I told him the reasons we settled where we did, halfway between Daytona Beach and Cape Canaveral, were because we can be at the beach in a matter of minutes, we like the small town atmosphere yet we are close to Orlando and Daytona Beach if there’s anything we need we can’t find locally, as well as for medical care. He asked several questions about the area and I told him about several local Facebook groups he might find interesting and where he might get answers for other questions he had.

His response was that he thought he and his wife would like to come and check out the area, and rather than bringing their RV, could they stay with us for a few days to a week or so. He said that would make it much more convenient for them, and they sure would not say no to any of Miss Terry’s home cooking.

Now keep in mind, this is not somebody we know personally, or even somebody I have an extended online relationship with. It’s just somebody who follows me on Facebook and reads my blog. I replied that we’re not in the habit of having people we know stay with us, kind of let alone strangers, but suggested several local hotels and said that maybe we could get together for lunch or dinner while they were in the area. He wrote back and said he didn’t understand why staying with us would be a problem, it wasn’t like they were ax murderers or serial killers or anything like that. I’m not sure ax murderers and serial killers tell you what they do to people they cross paths with, but I still didn’t extend an invitation to stay with us.

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.

Be sure to enter our latest Free Drawing. This week’s prize is an autographed copy of Big Lake Hoarder, the most recent book in my Big Lake mystery series. 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. Note: Due to the high shipping cost of printed books and Amazon restrictions on e-books to foreign countries, only entries with U.S. addresses and e-mail addresses are allowed.

Thought For The Day – I hug the people I hate so I know how big to dig the hole in my backyard.