Adventures of Three Grannies

By Barbara Furlow

Denisa Porter, Mallorie Johnson, and Saundra Greene are three middle-aged African American women who have been friends for a long time. They share each others joys and sorrows and have been life rafts for one another as they work through raising children, being in relationships, and maintaining their careers.

When they grow weary of battling husbands, children, grandchildren, and work, they start escaping together each year on a girls trip. Over the course of nine annual vacations, they visit places throughout the United States, in the Caribbean, and as far away as Australia and New Zealand. Along the way, Denisa, Mallorie, and Saundra discover that life is an adventure filled with culture and wonder; they also hold close to the love they have for their families and come to the realization that its okay to let go and be true to themselves.

This lighthearted novel tells the story of three middle-aged friends as they deal with those who depend on them and experience the world together through travel.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Archway Publishing
• Release date: Feb 26, 2018
• ISBN: 9781480859630

Barbara Furlow

Barbara Furlow is an African American mother of two and grandmother to four. She is currently retired from an United States Federal job. This novel is one of many things on her bucket list.

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Copyright © 2018 Barbara Furlow.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

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Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.

This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, names, incidents, organizations, and dialogue in this novel are either the products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.

ISBN: 978-1-4808-5962-3 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4808-5963-0 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2018902169

Archway Publishing rev. date: 2/23/2018

Acknowledgements/

Dedications

I dedicate this book to my mother, Rebecca Furlow. I miss you still everyday.

To my children TaKesha and Tavon, though we don’t see things the same, I will always love you.

Also I dedicate this book to my 4 granddaughters Elektra, Sunev, Lourdes and Leighton.

The final outcome of this project required guidance, assistance and overall friendship from several people. I am extremely privileged to have met Herb & Sylvia Plever, Chip & Tonya McCuan, and Arakai Moon & Katryn Von Rooyen.

A special acknowlegement goes to Stephanie Hunter. You have been a good friend and sister that I never had.

Hope is being able to see that there is light despite all of the darkness. DESMOND TUTU

Contents

Acknowledgements/Dedications

Trip 1   Bermuda

Trip 2   Barbados

Trip 3   Dominican Republic

Trip 4   Sedona, Arizona

Trip 5   Mexico

Trip 6   San Francisco

Trip 7   New Bedford, Massachusetts, And South Carolina

Trip 8   New Orleans, Louisiana

Trip 9   Australia And New Zealand

The Retirement

About the Author

Trip 1

BERMUDA

Denisa

I’ve been friends with Mallorie Johnson and Saundra Greene for many years. We have been there for each other’s joys and sorrows. We have been life rafts for one another. Raising children, being in relationships, and working are always a struggle for women, but we do it all with lots of love.

The three of us would like to share some of our memories of trips we have taken and give you a small look into who we are.

My name is Denisa Porter. I’m a black female, a widow, and the mother of two and grandmother of five. My husband, Kevin, died of a heart attack about nineteen years ago. The dating scene sucks because everyone is all about playing some sort of game. Yes, I may be alone, but I am far from being lonely. Yet many people assume I am gay. Why must a person be in a relationship for the sake of being in a relationship? Kevin was my friend and my lover, so my next mate has to become my best friend first.

Anyway, Dale, my daughter, is my older child. She’s thirty-seven and has a fourteen-year-old son and a set of four-year-old fraternal twin girls.

She and I differ greatly in our views of her childhood. It’s funny how two people can have totally different memories of the same events. But I love her dearly, and I have accepted the fact that we might never see eye to eye. When she isn’t pissed off at me, I can spend time with my grandbabies, but if she is, well, I have to pay to see them.

Kevin Jr., or KJ, is my thirty-three-year-old son. He lives at home with me while juggling two kids (ages four and one) and two baby mamas. I love my son,