I missed the Chicks last week when some of them were in Nashville. Not that I would’ve seen them in person anyway. But, because they were in Tennessee — and I wasn’t!
I do get a bit homesick. Not because I’ve ever lived in Nashville. I lived in and around Memphis for most of my life. My brother and his wife lived in Nashville for a while. And my sister and her husband lived in N’ville while she was in law school at Vanderbilt. Of course, I visited both of them while they lived in middle Tennessee. But while living in West Tennessee, John and I frequently traveled to Nashville for weekend getaways and sometimes just for the day. It’s a 3-plus hour drive from Memphis to Nashville.
I know I’ve been to the Opryland Hotel more times than any of the other Chicks, or even all of them combined. Although I’ve always preferred to visit in November-December. This is when the hotel is decorated for Christmas. And, the weather is a damn site cooler than visiting in August. Although I’m sure they were perfectly comfortable wandering around the very air-conditioned hotel.
I couldn’t go because I’m still waiting for my knee replacement. Doctor says my A1C is still too high for surgery. And I would’ve needed a wheelchair to get around. That’s no one’s fault, but I’m still a little jealous that some of my favorite people to hang out with got to go to one of my favorite places in the world without me!
Next year Bouchercon will be in New Orleans —another favorite city of mine, even if it’s not home. I’m saying prayers I get to go in 2025. Even though the first week of September isn’t the week I’d choose if it were up to me. Still a bit too warm outside. Maybe I’ll fantasize about going to Malice in Bethesda, instead.
If my knee is still not in working order, I might as well fantasize about it being in Europe. Actually, one of the Chicks recently went to Sweden. That’s another place I’d like to fantasize about.
My husband suggests I write another book instead of fantasizing about mystery cons. In fact, he says if I finish my book, he’ll gladly take me to Nashville!
I hope your travel plans are working out better than mine. And I hope I’ll see some Chicks readers, as well as Chick pals during the next calendar year. Let me know your plans and I’ll start at least fantasizing in that direction!
If you had a nice trip to Nashville, or anywhere else this summer, please share a bit about your travels with your homebound friends, like me.
Chicks on the Case 
Good luck with getting your knee replacement surgery. Since I had both done, walking is much better (still my back issues hurts walking).
The hotel for Bouchercon Nashville was wonderful except for being so huge and the walking.
Right now I’m registered for LCC Denver, Malice and Bouchercon New Orleans. Hope I can see you at one of them.
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Dru Ann, you did an amazing job navigating that crazy hotel! Brava!
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Sorry to hear about your knee, Vickie. I didn’t know that knee surgery was contraindicated bt diabetes. We are heading for the Creatures, Crimes and Creativity (C3) conference in Columbia, Md this weekend. It’s a multi- genre con that we first attended last year. It has a good representation of crime fiction writers, and I’m looking forward to it since I had to miss the Nashville cons to attend my son’s wedding.
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Congrats to you and your family on your son’s wedding, Tom! Hope to see you again in person sometime soon.
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Congrats on the family wedding! Hope to see you at one of the cons next year, Tom!
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Vickie,
you are one of the two chicks I’ve never met. I so want to!
I understand kind of about you missing things for health reasons, and sympathize. I don’t miss things because of my health, but more along the lines of work getting in the way. Or my daddy’s and the hubbs illnesses getting in the way.
I want to go to LCC because I spent 10 years in Denver (2 kids live outside of the city) and Bouchercon because NOLA is where I had my first alcohol, during MF when I was just 18. Great memories of both. Malice is easy since I live here.
Bucket list (originally thumb typed loser 😝) does include Nashville/Memphis, because, you know, Elvis baby!
my travel is limited because the hubbs is a fuddy duddy. We went to peddlers village last month, and gonna spend a few days at Nora Roberts B&B in a couple of weeks. We are staying in the Elizabeth and Darcy room this time. The Hubbs doesn’t know who that is! 😝
hoping to go to Williamsburg for my birthday (week before Christmas), but I bet the hubbs doesn’t make the hotel reservations in time.
you should call me so we can commiserate together!
Hestia
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Hestia, you are a whirlwind of travel, in my book! Shall we all send the hubs some little “reminders” re: a birthday trip to Williamsburg? We can be very creative–and persuasive, heh heh.
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shoot! Give up it a try, Lisa . Couldn’t be worse than 3 years ago (or was it 2, or maybe 4) when I had to take 5 weeks off at the end of the year or lose lots of free vacation. I gave the hubbs a list of what I wanted to do. What did we do? Visit the in-laws, and not a darn thing on my list! Not even driving locally to see the Christmas lights!
hestia
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It’s hard to believe we’ve never managed an in-person meet, Hestia! Hope 2025 turns out to be our year!
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I hope you get a shiny new knee soon! Mine has been a very good experience (aside from the surgery and recovery, which are–pretty awful, but totally worth it). It’s hard to understand why human joints aren’t made better! My joints have been keeping me home lately–not the knees, other stupid joints. I hope you get to do and I hope I can get to some cons next year too!
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We’d love to see you again, Kaye! Still fondly remember our last panel.
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Thanks, Kaye! I’m stubborn, so I’m not giving up on getting a new knee this year!
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You go, girl!
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Sorry to hear about the knee. Hope you can get it fixed soon. As Dru said, the hotel for B’con was nice, but HUGE.
Looking forward to seeing you sometime in 2025!
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Thanks, Liz! I look forward to seeing you in NOLA or Bethesda next year!
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We missed you in Nashville, Vickie, and raised a glass (or three) to you–and all the other Chicks who couldn’t be there, as well! Here’s hoping you get your new knees pronto, and we get to raise glasses together in NOLA next year!
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Leslie, sounds like I’m behind in my drinking! I’ll look forward to having a glass, or, two, of Persecco with the Chicks!!
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So want to see you in 2025, Vickie! Hoping you get that knee in working order soon!
I’m signed up for Left Coast Crime already but haven’t booked others yet.
P.S. to everyone else: It was me–I went to Sweden!
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And I really, really hope you write a post about it, Jen!!
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Well, I’ve definitely got enough photos for a post–or three!
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SAME!!
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Since LCC is in Denver next year, I’ll for sure be there! I’m also planning on Malice, since it doesn’t bump right up against LCC this time AND because if I go to Bethesda, I’ll get to see my grandson in Baltimore AND his new baby sister expected in March. An embarrassment of riches. I hope we can have a full slate of Chicks at least at one of them! Fingers crossed for you, Vickie!
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Awww, that would be so amazing to do the Bethesda/Baltimore trip!
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Becky, I believe you’ve been a little stingy with sharing grandbaby pictures!
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I look forward to seeing more Swedish pix from you, Jen!
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We miss you in person, Vickie–but you are always in our hearts wherever we go! We’re all pulling for you as you face these huge challenges–but we know you will soon defeat that AIC and kick any other setbacks with brand new knees! Also…we are all joining your hubby in the clamor for that new book. (Can you hear all that chirping, peeping, and cackling?) You can do it!!!! And can’t wait to read the new book!
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Yes, we’re chirping for you!
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Aw, thanks for the vote of confidence, Lisa!
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Vickie, if you got to one of the cons, it would be a dream come true for all of us too.
All my travels these days are book-related. I had a wonderful time at the ALA convention in San Diego. Jer came with me and he slept in our lovely hotel room while I wandered the convention. But we did get to have a lovely dinner and lunch on the harbor.
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Yay, El! Glad Jer got to make one of the cons with you! I plan to see you and the gals next year!
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Best wishes, Vickie, on successful knee surgery. I hope to see you at Malice!
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Really hope to see ya there, Karen! Plus my sister lives in Alexandria,so, a trip to Bethesda always means I get to see her, too!
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Jope you the replacement soon, Vickie. I have two sisters who had the procedure and felt SO much better afterwards. Hope to see you at either LCC or Malice next year!
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I’m planning on doing a mystery tour as soon as I’m able, J.C.!
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I’m like you, I haven’t gotten to travel much this year, and it’s haunting me. But I am hoping to be at Malice in April.
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Malice is always a magical place for me. So many great mystery authors in one place!!
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Hope to see ya in ‘25, Dru! You handled all the walking in Nashville like a champ!
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Add my voice to the chorus wishing you well–and that the knee replacement happens sooner rather than later, dearest Vickie! ❤
I’ve had quite a travelin’ year, but because life be a-lifing, I haven’t attended a con in what seems like forever. BUT…one of my best friends lives in Denver, so that seems like a good time to break my no-con curse!
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Kathy, I’ve noticed your many trips this year. Happy for you and only a tiny bit envious! I’d love to go to Fatima, and Portugal more generally. Really hope our travels coincide at a con next year!
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