My Sister Story: Paulette, Sister #249

Ten years ago I saw the Sisters camped out at “The Farm” in South Pheonix. When I saw the trailers, I knew in an instant I was going to join this group. I visited Maurrie at her home to sign up and ask how to find a trailer. One week later I had a 1961 Shasta with the original interior. It was so 1960s I had to give it a name from that time period. I altered a song name from 1961, SugarPieHoneyBun, and gave her a diner theme.
I told – not asked – my husband that I was doing the entire Route 66 trip, where the Sisters traveled the entire length of Route 66. It was not on my bucket list but it 100% met my need for adventure, challenge, and self-reliance. And, “Joy” is the word I would use to describe our trip – pure joy.

If I wasn’t feeling very joyful at any given moment, all I had to do was look around at a Sister on a stick pony wearing a petticoat or hula hoop or singing karaoke and I could not help but smile.

Then there were the moments of joy that came from accomplishment and overcoming a challenge: a trailer pushed out of the mud, a Sister joining the caravan for the first time and in the end, there we were a group of thirty Sisters stands on the Santa Monica Pier! There is the joy of sisterly friendship – the smile you get from another Sister who hasn’t seen you for a while or a Sister who makes you laugh during a challenging situation or the one who puts a hand, quilt, on your shoulder says, “everything is gong to be ok.”

We are a can-get-it-done group that just wants to have fun. A whole lot of fun is what we had. Life is good!                                                                 –  Paulette, Sister #249

This story originally appeared in the book, Sisters Get Thier Kicks on Route 66