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Sonia was once stationed in Sitka, AK and I informed her that was our favorite Alaskan town. She proceeded to one-up me, saying it was her favorite place to live, ever. In fact, when she and her husband left on the Marine Highway's ferry, he grabbed her waist so she wouldn't be tempted to hurl herself overboard and swim back.

When we started the discussion, each of the women told me where they had lived and I do believe amongst them, covered most of the states. DesaRae has orders to leave for San Francisco in a month, and although seemed sad to leave her friends, was also hoping the move would help cancel out the Staten Island accent her twins had picked up. (Good idea - the younger the better. You should have heard my Long Island accent growing up. Oy.)In addition to being married to a Guardsman, DesaRae herself graduated from the Coast Guard Academy in 1994.

From left to right: DesaRae, Rhonda, Jada, Sonia and Brett.

She signed her email, "President, CG Spouses Club Book Club." Good thing, too: As Queen, I only deal with heads of state. The VP or (shudder), treasurer would never do.

Our common denominator is that we are all spouses of Coast Guard active duty members stationed on Staten Island, New York or Bayonne, New Jersey. Every year a third of us move to a new duty station, so each year the composition of our membership changes dramatically. Because most of us are not near family, we rely heavily on each other for support and friendship. Our book discussions are usually liberally sprinkled with what is going on in our homes.

The book club I called into last night sure does: Always Ready. (It's the U.S. Coast Guard's motto.) Why would they, you might ask? Well, here's how DesaRae described her club when she first emailed me:

I didn't know what it means, either.

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Posted on April 2, 2009 4:20 PM

Diana leaves May 4th for her own RV adventure - four months in Alaska. She doesn't want to go. (Sounded like she was having some anticipatory RV anxiety of her own, but as I always say, "I gave at the office" - sorry, Diana.) Her husband just retired and this is his dream. Sound familiar? Might I suggest that you do what I did: Grow a prodigious bus butt to show your darling hubby that living one's dreams can have its nightmarish aspects.

"Oh, yeah. That's exactly how it happened." Fine.

While almost all of the book clubs I call in to comment on how "wonderful" Tim is (yawn), this one also mentioned how nice it must have been for him to "have a wife who made him laugh and was such a good sport about going on a trip she didn't want." They really said that. And no, they didn't sound too drunk or anything when they did. Of course, I told Tim (conveniently leaving out yet another night of Project Nerd-directed superlatives). His response?

(That's Susan on top, then L to R: Lisa, Diana, Dana, Linda, then bottom row L to R: Becky and Katie. So, nu? Who are the sisters? Susan and Becky.)

This book club has sisters of its own. Can you tell?

As I mentioned in a , one of the gals in that fabulous Lopez Island, WA book club recommended to her sister and I hoped that didn't mean she hates her. Well, I guess she doesn't, as Kristy (sister of Jane from Lopez) liked it enough to bring it to her book club in . (It's a lovely town in So Cal; it only sounds like something you'd want to be innoculated against.) Although, I suppose it's possible that Jane hates Kristy and Kristy hates her book club, but really. Let's just assume the best for once, shall we?

Temecula - Don't Worry, It's Not Catching

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What Do You Want From Me? by Doreen Orion: April 2009 Archives