Perhaps we should take a moment to go back a bit and give a little SEND-A-HUG background.

The SEND-A-HUG Campaign was born out of a desire
to personally connect with those devastated by Hurricane Katrina.

After donating money to several organizations, I still felt a bit... empty.
Although happy to contribute, I somehow wanted the folks on the Gulf Coast to know I was thinking of them.
Really, I wanted to give them each a hug.
This same sentiment was felt by friends, family, coworkers, the cashier at the market (you get the idea.)

Recently I visited a few different friends in the hospital, always with stuffed animal in tow.
I loved watching their expressions and instant reaction to hug their new pal.
The exact same response came from both children and adults both in the hospital
and when I worked with the homeless.
It made me misty when the adults would gently ask "may I have a stuffed animal too, please."
I was astounded and very touched, that although they appreciated the other items distributed
what they most wanted was a little friend to hold onto.

And so, the SEND-A-HUG Campaign was born,
while weepily driving my car listening to story after story of devastation and loss.
It's a way people can personally connect to to folks thousands of miles away.
All one has to do is get a new stuffed animal,
have their photo taken while hugging the cuddly creature.
Attach the photo, with a note and a self-addressed envelope to the hugged pal
and it's ready to be delivered to someone who could really use a hug.



Doctor Reverend Ronald Myers of the Myers Foundation in Mississippi,
emailed me and wrote "please come and deliver badly needed hugs."
Uh, my heart! I can't get there fast enough!!
Go to www.myersfoundation.com for more information regarding our very first hug delivery.

Percy, my puppy, and I are headed there now,
to Mississippi to personally deliver each hug
and take the photo of every recipient with their hug,
so we can mail it to the original hug sender.

(I tried downloading the SEND-A-HUG flyer
but Blogger's not havin it.
Feel free to go to www.travelhound.tv
for a peek, but please note
it's still underconstruction
but we have high hopes for the future.
Yep, I'm wearin' shades.)

Often I catch people saying they'd love to volunteer with the homeless
or be a big brother/sister, but unfortunately they can't find the time.
SEND-A-HUG provides folks the opportunity to really make a difference with just a little effort.
It's also a great way for families to contribute TOGETHER!
They can pick out the stuffed animals together, take turns taking eachother's photos
and together can open their returned self-addressed stamped envelopes
and experience the joy of seeing the faces of the people they've connected with.

Truly, the list of locations in need of hugs is endless.
The hope is that eventually there will be an endless flow of hugs,
for all people in need,
"because a little hug goes a long way!"


At the moment funding is being provided by the sale of my condo.
Yep, I sold my condo and quit working
so that I could make SEND-A-HUG a reality.



Honestly, it's the best thing I've ever done.
I've finally found exactly what I want to do with the rest of my life.
I plan on traveling the globe delivering hugs.
The beauty of a hug -- it has no language barrier.

****

Besides realizing that I've got to improve my backing up skills with regard to towing
it's occurred to me that IÂ’ve really got to bone up on my knowledge of mechanics.
For example, my car battery has died three times now AND
I'’m not even driving it.
There'’s a power connection from the RV to the Matrix
so that when I stop and signal the car will relay that info as well.

Okay sure, leaving the key turned on in the ignition all night was probably a bit brainless,
but OTHER than that little snafu, I felt like everything was copasetic. Oh contraire mon frere.

Finally, I decided to call my pals at Majestic RV in Thousand Oaks, CA who installed the tow hitch.
I spoke to Jason who schooled me in the art of hooking up the car.
"Hey, so Jason, my car battery keeps dying, what's up with that?" "Oh yeah, what most people do," he informed me, "is unhook their battery or install a switch." "Hmmm, fascinating, that would have been a great tidbit to share with me when I was learning the ins and outs of towing, no?" "Oops, sorry about that," he laughed apologetically.
In the meantime, I've had to get a jump in every state. Although, I must confess, it is a great way to get to know the fine people of this country.



After a long day of driving and a longer day of not eating,
and aimlessly looking for nonfast food cuisine we ended up partaking of dinner
at the Texas Road House – in Wyoming. Not only was the food decadently delish,
including their award winning ribs, but after hearing about SEND-A-HUG,
our waitress, Jenna and the manager, Josh participated!
Josh was also kind enough to arrange yet another jump for my car.

How great is that.
Tack on a trip to Target and these gals we’re ready to get back in the saddle again.

Bedazzling witches for Halloween and bedazzle them we did!
As much as I'd like to take credit for coining the phrase "bedazzling witch"
it was our good friends at Target who came up with that descriptive gem.



Look at me blogging for you all in my ensemble at the Trail Coffee House in Cheyenne Wyoming.
Probably the all time BEST pumpkin muffin I every had AND
Rebecca, the darling gal behind the counter who gave us treats for
sportin' costumes, also jumped on the SEND-A-HUG bandwagon.

I'll tell ya what folks


there has GOT to be a way to earn a living


with this SEND-A-HUG business.


I've been on the road for a day and a half

and I may have to get my cheeks surgically deflated.


I almost iced my face, it's THAT sore from smiling!!!





Last night on our way up to collect a large contingency of hugs we stopped into Andersen's Pea Soup for dinner. When the heck did they start the "no Cheddar cheese spread after 8pm policy?!" So wrong.
And the kids menu previously large and chock full o'fun, a mere fly fold-up, hardly worth the green crayon's time. But, I've always been a sucker for the touristy photo op...



Today we (me, Percy and my pal & camera gal, Annika rolled up to the Matthew Turner Elementary School in Benicia, CA.




I'd love to throw some props out to one of my new all time favorite gals, Desiree Jansson, what a gal!!!

Shocking really, she arranged the SEND-A-HUG drive at her school.
All I can say is I sure wish I had HER for a teacher.
She's one of those kinds of teachers that even the little girls have crushes on
cause they all wanna be like Mrs. Jansson.

Benicia, northeast of San Francisco, a delightfully charming little nugget of a town where the folks couldn't be friendlier and the views are heart expanding.

No view more breathtaking, however,
than the sight of the 60 kids
sitting indian style on the floor of a mini amphitheatre
packed to the hilt with hugs.
(Sadly, NOT pictured here)
BUT, it took about four hours to go through all 160
(that's right, one hundred and sixty)
stuffed animals, checking for photos, self-addressed stamped envelopes,
and getting them to fit in the Toyota Matrix

which proudly displays SEND-A-HUG car magnets.
(I promise to get that photo to ya'll post haste.)

After entertaining 60 kids

and collecting 3 times the amount of hugs,

not to mention bestowing quite a few himself,

Percy was one pooped little puppy.




It's been raining all night and its magical. The pitter patter of droplets on the fiber glass roof. It's really rather romantic (in a non-candlelight sort of way.)

We stopped for lunch at the First Street Cafe

-- written up in none other than Bon Appetite Magazine for their Crab and Artichoke open face sandwich --
well, when in Rome... and yu-u-u-u-um!!!!!!!!!!!! Deeeeeelish!
Super decadent, especially when you consider the
not one,
not two but
THREE
desserts
we got to go.

There are moments in my life when I think: I really like me.
I experienced such a moment when I suggested we whip out the chocolate cake during a serious traffic jam.
And we've decided, Annika and I, that if everyone ate chocolate cake while waiting stopped on a freeway,
the world would be a much better place!
Maybe I'll institute RIDE W/CAKE
after SEND-A-HUG's run it's course.
Although, we've also surmised that if peoples all across the land
participated in SEND-A-HUG
imagine what a well adjusted world we'd be!


After a most scrumptious meal,
we strolled about the street stretched with enticing shops.
And just when I thought a nicer gal could not be happened upon (after the lovely Mrs. Jansson),
we came across two more: Paula and Renee at Studio 41.

Forget the fact that you could spend days upon days in that shop
and still not see all of the marvelous trinkets, eye candy and jewelry,
but those darn gals went so far as to invite us to plug our RV into the front porch of their home.
CUT IT OUT!
NOT makin this up folks.
This is what the good people of America are like.
And if your not buyin' it, then get out of your houses, out of Los Angeles and see for yourselves!



But wait, there's more!
Ya know how the plan was to hit Chicago when I was shooting TravelHound along route 66 --
which of course ends (or begins) in Chicago.
Oddly enough, although we're headed to the coast of Mississippi, we've managed to make Chicago "on the way!" WAHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOoooooooooooo!

And with that my friends, I must snooze I gotta lotta states to stick on that map (a present from my pals Jim & Joyce of Star Spangled banner fame on TravelHound -- everyone who's anyone in the RV world has one!)

nighty night, and may the road call to you in your dreams!

The following entry was written on August 11th, but never posted:

Have you ever felt like the bottom of the bath water, that part that seems to just whirl around and around
and yet seemingly getting nowhere?
That was my homeward bound driving experience.
After a delightful visit with my pal, Chick at the Route 66 Museum in Victorville, CA

(wanted to give her - her 75th bday present - the "It's nice to have friends all over the Universe" piece by Louis Buchetto, the Flagstaff, AZ artist.)

During our visit Chick informed me that the TravelHound coverage of Brownie the Railroad dog's grave saved Brownie's grave from desecration. I don't know if she was exaggerating, but I couldn't be more thrilled and percy of course is beside himself or me or both.

Anyway, from there I proceed to sink deeper and deeper into a world of lost, hot and angry - it was ugly!!! You know how you're in your own world of pain, a depth of dark despair that seems to have no final resting place, I went to that lonely, awful place and it was terrible.
Upon leaving the Museum I had mapped out a route that although was off the beaten path SEEMED to be more direct. I proceeded down the desired hwy, however the direction I headed was most undesirable. "That's okay, these things happen." Having NOT gotten too far out of my way, I merely turned around and head the appropriate way - West on the 18 towards Palmdale (passing the 15 - which any schmoe can take, but not me no sir I'm a TravelHound, I'm an explorer up until the last mile!) As I pleasantly rolled down the road I noticed a sign for the 18W which seemed to go inconjunction with the 15south, hmmm, interesting I pondered as I passed right on by. Well, what to make of this, I wonder what road I'm on, shall I turn around, surely a sign will imerge and show me the way as has always been the case. AHA!!! Look at that I'm on Route 66 -- how destinatious. I began my trip on Route 66, makes perfect sense to end it as such. Hmmmmm, hhmmmmmm, driving, driving. What! Entering Barstow. Oh for the love of... well, I'm most definitely headed the wrong way and have certainly sealed the deal as to whether I'd be making Charlie and the chocolate factory with my nephews. Called my sister, "i can't believe it, I suck, got lost, went the wrong way, never gonna make it" And she supportively laughs, "happens to me all the time, don't worry about it, call me when you get closer." Well, things went from bad to I'm gonna kill myself or someone else!! It was hot, I took a random, out of the way what the hell was a thinging, I hate my guts route and an 1 1/2 later I was just arriving in Palmdale. AFter begging Percy to go PEE PEE, I get back in the RV to hear my sister's message, "on the fwy now headed to the movies where are you." And I lost it. What, she's locked me out of her house in this bazillion degree weather. Why wouldn't she check on my status -- how come she didn't use telepathy to know exactly what I was dealing with and that I was barely hanging on! "Hi ya Daisy, where are ya?" "I'm in Palmdale, where are you!" "Headed to the movie, you're gonna make it right?" I'm in Palmdale, please tell me you didn't lock me out of your house." "Oh yeah, it's locked, where are you?" WHAT!!! I;'ve been driving for 6 flippin hours what the hell, work with me try and put yourself in my shoes -- seriously, you locked me out!" "Geez, remain calm and put the air on." It IS ON I'm driving a TRUCK its not like a car, why are you torturing me." "Oh, there's a key." What key WHERE! Anyway, you get the drift it wasn't pretty. I lost it or so I thought I had. After flipping out on my sister I get back on the road. The little red beater car is going way to slow in the fast lane. I go around him am driving in the slow lane and now he decides to speed up -- IN THE SLOW LANE!! Honestly, I screamed profanities I didn't even knew I was aware of and my head didn't just do a 360 it literally POPPPED right off my neck!!! I had to clutch onto the wheel with my right hand while I fished around with my left to try and grab my noggin. Which was tough since my eyeballs were on the floor next to the brake pedal noticing that I really ought to take better care of my feet. Poor Percy! I took a deep breath, which isn't quite as satisfying when your head's detached but nonetheless recognized my insantiy and sad state of affairs, collected myself, including reattaching my cabeza and laughed. Whew! Apparently I needed that, felt worlds better. But boy was I exhausted and still not quite sure where I was. had to pull over again and collect my thought - easier to do now that all extremeties were placed accordingly. Okay, go to mom and dad's take a break and continue onto the nephews after traffic hour. SO I decide to sneak over the folks, feeeling confident they wouldn't be home, I was in no condition for visitations. Oh, better just let them know I plan on coming over to decompress. "Hi Dad." Daisy! Where are you! "Dad, I need to ask you a big favor. You're on your way out right, cause I'm about ready to kill myself or someone else and I really REALLY just need to stop driving and take it easy. I'm just not up to talking to anyone." "Oh, hold on Joel wants to talk to you" (our relatives in from out of town.) In the short time I was on the phone with him I almost missed my exit and got into an accident trying to make it. "Hey Aunt Daisy, get over here and you drive careful." I'm so embarrassed, in the excitement of almost ending it all i said the f-word under my breath. n ot sure if he heard me, but if youre out there cousin joel, it wasn't dire cted at you, it was just sheer terror talking. And then... laughter. Ah, the humor of it all, of me taking myself so seriously, of the Universe conspiring to make it all soooo ridiculous I'd juist have to laugh.


Still new firsts in the RV coming my way: showered in my RV for the first time.
I'll be honest it was much more pleasant than anticipated. Perhaps it was the way the camera man scoffed at my shower when he saw it for some reason I thought, perha[s my shower is unworthy. Oh contraire mon frere, it was refreshing and bright -- thanks sky light, and a bit of an adventure. For a minute there I was pretty darn sure I had locked myself in.

Although I missed the movie, it just made the joy of my first hosted slumber party all the sweeter. My first night back in town I parked infront of my sister's place and the boys slept over.

Proceed of course, the following night by parking in front of my brother's house and the girls slept over. In fact, we held Mertzel card nite in the mini TravelHound mobile home. It was quite a squeeze getting all 13 of us in there. (3 Mertzel's were missing).
Now I'm parked at the beach soaking up my little stake of beach front property. Percy seems rather perky over the whole thing. We're ocean people, not that either of us actually go IN, but just looking at it puts a wag in both of our tails.

It's feasible that RV life may be losing it's luster. In all fairness to my mobilehome, it could just be my need NOT to be mobile that's now putting a damper on this un-adventure. It's one thing to be bouncing from town to town site to site encounter to encounter. But, coming back home and needing stay put in one spot -- mostly because I now have two sets of wheels. The Matrix, my turbo station wagon AND the Phoenix Cruiser. Using the RV as an everyday car proves to be less than practical, don't even care about the gas prices, it's really just the whole spatial issue around parking. So, now when changing venues becomes necessary I must constantly plot and plan and enlist an assistant. I'm most grateful for the delightful aid thats come my way -- but a fiercely independent gal has a hard time with a continuous state of neediness. Sure it's okay if someone ELSE needs me, but not so comfy for me having the shoe on my foot.

I type to you now from the Walnut RV Park in none other than Northridge, California, which is pretty darn hi-larious considering I'm from Northridge and have fought living here tooth and nail. My space is out of reach of the wireless internet and I had to refrain from typing to brace myself as the 10:20pm amtrak went blaring by. Ah, the mystique, the glamor that IS RVing in the Valley - "like oh my god," indeed!