Radcliff, KY May 2009

The day the MacHalo arrived in Knoxville, I was so excited. I tore open the box, being careful not to destroy it in my excitement, and pulled it out immediately. I know I must have had the goofiest grin on my face. I just couldn’t stop smiling. Then I pulled out the journal and started reading. It was just so cool seeing what all the people had to say.

I set up a day and time to meet with a few of the ladies in the area. My mom and I drove out to the restaurant and waited, but alas, no one showed up. I was so disappointed. When I got home, one of my nieces was at my house and wanted to try on the Halo. Olivia has blonde hair and blue eyes and is my very own Mini-Mac. So, on goes the Halo and out comes the camera. At least I got pictures of somebody wearing the Halo, LOL.

Well, a couple of the ladies said that they were so sorry but things had come up and they just hadn’t been able to make it the last time, so we set up another date to take pics, and once again, no one showed. I felt so bad. People in the area had showed an interest in having pictures made with the Halo and twice now no one showed after all the trouble and expense of sending the Halo here.

The next weekend was a book signing in Radcliff, KY at The Bookstore which I was attending. Cheryle and Jen (Natresse) live in Radcliff and several other Maniacs were making the trip to Radcliff for the signing so we decided to meet for lunch beforehand and take some pictures. This was the first time that I had met with any of the other Maniacs in person and I had an absolute blast. It was like I had known these people forever. JeanT came up from Alabama. LisK and Mechelle were there from Nashville. Baublelover, Michelle-my-Belle, Kristen and several others all came to lunch and we had a wonderful time. We even got Hannah, Cheryle’s daughter, and Ken, Cheryle’s husband, to let us take their pictures in the Halo.

After lunch we went to the book signing and several people who aren’t members of the forum, but are readers of Karen’s books, asked to have their pictures made. Jerry, the owner of The Bookstore, even modeled the Halo for us.

In all my excitement, I totally forgot to take my picture in the Halo. Leiha was so upset with me. It wasn’t until the Bloodrush event in Atlanta that I finally got my picture made in the Halo.

All in all, it was a great experience. I got the whole range of emotions, giddiness at the Halo’s arrival, disappointment when no one showed for the first meeting, sadness and then anger when no one showed at the second one, joy and happiness at finally getting to take some pictures of Maniacs in the Halo, and finally contentment that the Halo’s trip to Knoxville wasn’t a waste. LOL Having the Halo here was like reading one of Karen’s books. A rollercoaster of emotion, and I wouldn’t trade it for anything in the world.

Apryl