Saturday, May 26, 2012

Sisters on the Fly



We get many types of camping groups during the season.  There are canvas campers, Pwp’s, Scouts, church groups etc.  Last weekend we had a group called Sisters on the Fly.  Intrigued by the name, I immediately went to the computer and consulted the google guru. Sisters on the Fly began with two sisters who liked fly fishing and were having such a great time, they started inviting their girlfriends along.  It reminded me of the old Faberge shampoo commercials.  Do you remember them?  The original user was so pleased with the product that she told two friends, and they told two friends and so on…and so on….capitalizing on the impact word of mouth has on advertising and marketing.  This sisterhood has done the same, growing from the original two to the over twenty-six hundred members currently signed up. I was awestruck by these women, and if I am to be honest, a little envious of these ladies, who could gather together for a carefree jaunt without husbands, boyfriends, children or pets.  Not that I have never traveled without husband or children myself, but that there were so many others who did so on a  regular basis in such an organized fashion impressed me.  I felt an immediate kinship with these women of all ages, occupations, and personalities.  Some of them were meeting for the first time, though their exuberance and excitement at seeing each other gave the impression they had known each other all their lives.    They are a sisterhood of fun-loving independent women with arms open waiting to embrace a new family member.   Several travel in vintage trailers, and tiny teardrops, tricked out and named to reflect their own personalities.  I had my doubts about fitting in, since my husband and I recently purchased a 30ft motorhome  on the hope that we’d be able to sneak away a few times per year. But I was assured that it wouldn’t make a difference what I was camping in.
Though I never had the urge to buy Faberge shampoo, I was compelled to buy into this sisterhood.  Rather than living vicariously through their friendly blogs on their website, I joined after that weekend, and am now sister #2615.  I wasn’t sure what to call my RV.  I am always looking for a reason to bug-out of my duties at the campground, and have been accused of doing it at lightning speed!  I relate to lighting more and more as I get older –as my mind produces an occasional brilliant flash before returning to a dark void of nothingness. And…. during a menopausal hot flash, I can not only rumble like thunder, I’m capable of vaporizing anyone or anything in my path just like lightning! And I almost glow, flushed with excitement at the idea of leaving the campground. In view of these observations, I’ve  decided on Lightning-Bug-Out.  My daughter even sketched a cartoon lightning bug standing thumb out, motioning an escape, a martini glass, wine glass and jug in the other hands.  Now I am anxious to attend a meet-up, to feel that I truly am a part of the family of adventurous Sisters on the Fly!