Collection Of Friends, Old And New

Taking My Home to My Friends’ Homes

Can you believe it’s been almost six weeks since we embarked on this crazy adventure? This post is a whirlwind tale covering epic people stories we’ve seen on the Caroline RV, spanning from California to Florida.

In my previous post, I yacked about how we kickstarted our journey with Elizabeth, Gordon, and many more.

And now to the new stories:

Colorado River Park, Arizona. Our first park allowed us to meet wonderful people: Rose and Dave Moore from South Dakota, Kelly Cameron from British Columbia, and the wonderful Betty, who invited us to a game and a sail on a catamaran. I promised all of them to visit.

Scottsdale, Judy and Teddy’s place. We met on a cruise and became friends; they invited us to visit. With me, if you don’t mean to invite, don’t invite, as I am coming! Ask many friends of mine all over the world. Trust me, I’ve shown up in the oddest spots.

Thanks to my friend Yamit, I met a lovely group of girls for a mini book party. Efrat, you were a sport for hosting me. I loved your home-baked bread and the Israeli pickles.

Then to Sun City! Phyllis. We met in 1980 in Athens, Greece, on the day Ronald Reagan won the election. We met again and again, including me designing the baby bedding for her granddaughter Tori, who is now 32. Terry Veysey from New Hampshire, hope to see you in July.

From there, we continued to Fort Worth, Texas.

Sherry, a talented artist I met in 1994, gave me a lavish book party with lovely guests, including Patty, with whom I reunited after 30 years. We worked together at Bellini Beverly Hills in the early ’80s. Sherry was shocked to find out that we were staying in the RV for the night, as I learned to love the RV bed. There is nothing better than visiting and taking your home with you.

We swung by Michal in Austin, who hosted a last-minute book party for me. She is a friend of my friend Ayala from Toronto (the orange suits story). There was something about the fact that it was a last-minute party; every woman who entered the house was celebrating the surprise element. None of them knew me, but now I have a few new friends, for sure.

Then… I caught up with Emily and Ryan in San Antonio for a great book party decorated with Israeli and American flags and foods from all over the world. Emily also has a Caroline, and she got the Caroline glasses for the girls. Wonderful ladies, and thank you, Suzanne, who invited me to a book party on August 20th in her home in Illinois. Melyssa Ashley, loved meeting you and your lovely daughter. It’s clear to me that the power of the RV trip created a new reader base that I would not have had if I had stayed in Tel Aviv.

We then visited a ranch in the San Antonio area of Michelle and Rony Lidor, dear friends from the ’80s. Rony is a retired Israeli Air Force pilot who took us on a sightseeing flight above San Antonio in his helicopter. We met friends of theirs. Two ladies are now added to my Rolodex of friends: Lee Anne and Chen. The latter, I added to my circle of adopted daughters.

Off to Galveston for three days! We stopped in an RV park, where we met Keren and Greg from Iowa, Carmen and her hubby from Indiana, and sweet Jackie. All are now my new Facebook friends. We plan to visit Indiana and Iowa, as both of them have RV pads to park on in their homes.

Now, for some hand-me-down friends. Melisa, my friend, introduced me to Barbra and Mike, who gave us a warm welcome in their Houston home, and Melisa’s friend Sandra came to meet the “wild Nava” in person.

Wrapping up with Shelly and Thom in Panama City, Florida. Again, we met them on a cruise, and they invited us. They were very surprised that we made it, but we had a fabulous time. They took us to a beautiful restaurant on the water, and I cooked matza ball soup and pear cobbler for them.

Just yesterday, we stumbled upon an entrance to a private home. We knew well that it was a private parking spot, but Google Maps led us to that area for some cosmic reason, and that’s how I got to meet Kathy at her property. She was so kind to ask if we were okay. Let me be as frank as I can be: if some RV parks at my property, I don’t think I will ask if they are okay. Lessons in kindness. Strangers are the best form of new friends to make. She was so kind to let us park and have brunch. And we became Facebook friends, too. She will read my book. Anything to acquire a new reader.

The Caroline RV adventure continues! Our next stop is with Melisa in The Villages near Orlando. Stay tuned for more tales from the road! #EpicRVAdventure #RoadTrippin’ #rvlife #itallbeganwithcaroline