Driving Miss Norma
Subtitle: one family's journey saying "yes" to living
By: Tim Bauerschmidt, Ramie Liddle
Contributors: Liddle, Ramie, author
Edition: First edition.
Publisher: HARPER ONE; HarperOne
Published: 2017
Language: eng
Number of pages: 239
ISBN-13: 9780062664327
Subjects: Mothers and sons; Older women; Families; Description and travel; Cancer; Quality of life; Travel; Philosophy; Terminally ill; Patients; Recreational vehicles; Psychological aspects; Biography
Description: "When Miss Norma was diagnosed with uterine cancer, she was advised to undergo surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy. But instead of confining herself to a hospital bed for what could be her last stay, Norma--newly widowed after nearly seven decades of marriage--rose to her full height of five feet and told her doctor, 'I'm ninety years old. I'm hitting the road.' Packing what she needed, Norma took off on an unforgettable cross-country journey with three professional nomads--her retired son Tim, his wife Ramie, and their standard poodle Ringo--in a thirty-six-foot RV. Driving Miss Norma is the charming, infectiously joyous chronicle of their experiences on the road--a transformative journey of living life on your own terms that shows us that it is never too late to begin an adventure, inspire hope, or become a trailblazer. As this once timid woman says 'yes' to living in the face of death, she tries regional foods for the first time, zip-lines through a former stranger's yard, and reaches for the clouds in a hot air balloon. With each passing mile (and one educational visit to a cannabis dispensary), Miss Norma's health improves and conversations that had once been taboo begin to unfold. Norma, Tim, and Ramie bond in ways they had never done before, and their definitions of home, family, and friendship expand. Stop by stop, state by state, they meet countless people from all walks of life--strangers who become fast friends and welcome them with kindness and open hearts. Infused with this irrepressible nonagenarian's wisdom, courage, and generous spirit, and filled with sixteen pages of color photographs, Driving Miss Norma reminds us that life is beautiful and precious, and that family, fun, and self-discovery can happen at any age"--

When Miss Norma was diagnosed with uterine cancer, she decided not to confine herself to a hospital bed for what could be her last stay. At ninety years old she took off on a cross-country journey with three professional nomads: her retired son Tim, his wife Ramie, and their standard poodle Ringo. In their thirty-six-foot RV this once timid woman said 'yes' to living in the face of death, found her health improving, and strengthened bonds with her family and with strangers who welcomed them with kindness and open hearts.
Table of contents: title: Prologue: Home : Baja California Sur, Mexico; title: Priorities : Presque Isle, Michigan; title: Exploration : Northern Michigan; title: Discovery : The Heartland; title: Trust : Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming; title: Perspective : Boulder, Colorado; title: Dreams : Jemez Pueblo, New Mexico; title: Healing : Fort Myers Beach, Florida; title: Flight : Orlando, Florida; title: Impact : Saint Augustine, Florida; title: Kindness : Hilton Head Island and Charleston, South Carolina; title: Celebration : Marietta and Atlanta, Georgia; title: Integrity : Newport News, Virginia; title: Flavor : Winthrop, Massachusetts to Bar Harbor, Maine; title: Balance : Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming; title: Change : Friday Harbor, Washington; title: Rest : Baja California Sur, Mexico.