Women Weaving A Tale of Their Own

"I haven't told my husband that yet," fretted Casselton when the trip was revealed.

"None of us have told our husbands yet," Geldzahler cracked back. "But they do have until 2013 to brace themselves for it."

The women joke that someday, when they've all outlived their husbands, they'll buy a house together and spend all their time reading. Lynalise Woodlief, who at 41 is the youngster of the group, will check up on them.

"We'll have bibs with Jane Austen on them," Casselton said.

Since the group first started meeting, Kaine has ascended from successful Richmond lawyer to city council member to mayor, and finally, to governor. With her new role, Holton said it will be helpful to have old friends with whom she can laugh, knowing she'll be treated no differently than before she got a state police bodyguard.

"My book club and neighborhood friends will help us stay normal," she said. "They'll kick me when I need it."

And the women have promised to do just that. All Kaine supporters, they said it is nevertheless easy to think of the family the way they always have.

Well, mostly.

"Her walk-in refrigerator," said Geldzahler. "We are sort of in awe of that."