Tuesday, September 13, 2005

Going on Vacation!!!

Bob and I are going on vacation for an entire week and we're leaving this weekend. This is our first week long vacation for a couple years.

Bob is part owner of a small business and it's difficult for him to get away. His business is having its best year ever and they are really busy. He almost postponed our vacation but I gave him crap!! They can survive for one week without him.

Anyway, we bought a recreational vehicle (a fifth wheel) two years ago and have hardly used it. So we are busily planning a road trip with the RV from our home near Seattle to northern California. We will head south through Portland and cut over to the beautiful Oregon coast, then head south till we hit the Redwood National Forest and stay there a few days. On the way home, we will stop at Crater Lake, and Bend Oregon, and the rest we will play by ear. I'm cringing at the price of gas but I figure it will be cheaper than flying to Hawaii which was my first choice.

I am one of those lucky people that can read in the car. And since Bob doesn't trust me (and I don't trust myself) to drive with the RV in tow, I have hours of reading ahead of me between gazing at the beautiful scenery out the window. ::sigh:: Heaven!

So one of the major decisions I need to make is what books to bring along, naturally! Looking through the TBR mountain, I realized I have some historical romance classics in there that I may or may not bring along.
  • Dance by Judith Cuevas
  • Flowers From the Storm by Laura Kinsale
  • The Shadow & the Star by Laura Kinsale
  • Shattered Rainbows by Mary Jo Putney
  • A Rose at Midnight by Anne Stuart
  • Beast by Judith Ivory

And many others. Maybe I'm weird but I'm almost afraid to read any of these because I have heard so much praise that I'm afraid they will disappoint me. I know, makes no sense.

I decided to bring about 20 books along mostly all from my TBR and will try to pick some that have been in there the longest. I know I can't read that many in a week, but I have the space in the RV and I want to have some extras in case I get a real stinker and can't finish it. I'll be lucky to read 10 (about 1 book per day). Once I decide which books to bring, then I throw some food and clothes in and off we go! I have my priorities straight, don't you think? :)

6 comments:

Suisan said...

I have the same issue when I decide to read a book that "everyone" loves! What if it's a let down?

Can you bring some great, eh, I mean, well-reviewed, books and just some random ones from TBR so that it's not a pressure thing for every book?

I've read Beast, Flowers, Shadow, and Shattered, but not the other two. I don't think I'd want to reread them all at once, back to back. Might be too much. (A lot of tortured hero in there--they can get silly when you overload.)

Have a great trip--I love riding as the passenger. Knitting, reading, looking out the window. Aaaah.

CindyS said...

Good for you, getting away!! Like you it's all about the books I can take. Not only that, but half way through the trip Bob (my Bob) heads to a bookstore so I can stock up. It's really bad when I take 6 books for an overnighter ;) If we were to go away for a week I might have a panic attack!

As for books. Stuart - you know, you liked Black Ice so you should like ARAM. I've read Flowers from the Storm and I loved it but have never re-read it. It's very very engrossing so I guess you have to decide if you want to be able to put a book down when you get somewhere.

Do you read in a moving vehicle? Can't do it myself. Wish I could.

Have a great trip!

CindyS

Tara Marie said...

Have a wonderful vacation. I love to read in the car, my husband and son both talk constantly and I can blissfully ignore them by reading.

What is it about readers, we need to bring a ton of books just to make sure we have the right ones (kind of like shoes--LOL).

I've read all the books you listed, lots of tortured heros, maybe bring something funny to lighten things a little.

Megan Frampton said...

Have a great vacation! I third the comment about bringing something a little lighter...I've read all of those except for MJP, and there's no-one who loves the tortured hero more than I do, but I think you need some froth. I wish I could remember which road it was, but I found a bunch of good UBSs on the road from the Sylvia Beach inn to Portland (my best friend works at Powell's. Not much romance there).

Kristie (J) said...

Enjoy your vacation. I think 20 books is lowballing it though for a week *grin*. I'd be taking more like 25 or 30 - so I have all moods covered.

ReneeW said...

Thanks, everyone!

Suisan - Yes, I'm going to mix them up with some lighter ones from various genres. You knit too? I just remembered I have a pink scarf I started last winter for my daughter. I think I'll bring it along.

Cindy - LOL. I always bring at least 6 for a weekend trip. I'm hoping I can spot a bookstore along the way. Small town bookstores sometimes have wonderful treasures.

Tara Marie - LOL. Shoes & books...perfect analogy :) Definitely planning on bringing something light too.

Keishon - Thanks, I'll report back on what I read. Wow, that might be a lot of writing, so I'll keep it short.

Megan - Looking for froth in the TBR tonight. I went to Powell's once, and their romance section is pitiful. I'm keeping my eyes peeled for USBs along the way.

Kristie - Now that you mention it 20 is kind of on the low side :) I figured out I need at least a couple each of regency, historical, contemporary, categories, paranormal and rom. suspense so I have all my moods (light & dark) covered like you said. Also I have a couple historical fiction from the library I'll bring along.

I'm going to miss my computer though!

Wow, I haven't touched my blog in over 6 years and I'm still logged in!  Good thing because I have no idea what my password is.  In ...