Jun 24, 2012 - Meeting at the Airport (Raleigh-Durham)

Hey! This morning was hectic as I tried to finish my packing in time to meet the rest of the group. I was in such a hurry I almost forgot my camera! Luckily I remembered it right as I was walking out the door. I can’t wait to see all the sights in South Africa, from the safaris in the northwest to the beaches in Cape Town! We met at the airport, and everything went smoothly because we arrived with plenty of time to spare. We made copies of our most important documents to keep at home with trusted people, and we also each exchanged for a few...

Apr 18, 2012 - The State Capitol

NC STATE FAIRGROUNDS RALEIGH,NC WEDNESDAY 4/18/12 Trivia for today....70 years ago today, Jimmy Doolittle led the bombing attack on Tokyo, flying B-25 Mitchell bombers off the carrier Yorktown. It was a tremendous morale boost for our country, after 4 months of defeat after defeat. We got up this morning to gray skies with a forecast of showers. The temperatures were supposed to stay in the 60's but that didn't happen. After breakfast for me and a few cups of coffee, I washed yesterday's accumulation of bugs off the windshield and front...

Apr 17, 2012 - Back to the mainland.

NC STATE FAIRGROUNDS RALIEGH,NC TUESDAY 4/17/12 We were up early this morning, after an early bedtime last night. Nice weather again. The rig was ready with our toad hooked on, a little after 0900. Our trip to Raleigh today is 227 miles, so we are not in a hurry. Also have a good headwind, so slower speeds will save fuel. As we approached the long bridge over Oregon Inlet on the Banks, Edie decided to record the length of the bridges. That one is 2.4 miles. The next one, over to Roanoke, is only 1 mile, but is 80 feet high (according to...

Apr 8, 2012 - Photo Workshop

After spending time with the family on Easter, we we went to the JC Raulston Arboretum for a photography workshop in the evening. Chris started the workshop going over some of the basics of photography, such as aperture, exposure, ISO, and field of depth. Then we started walking around the arboretum, practicing what we had learned. Chris let me borrow his dSLR camera for a while, and Sandy had borrowed her dad's camera, so we had a lot to work with. I'll do through the pictures shortly and upload and hopefully my photography skills will...

Jan 29, 2012 - Back Home

We checked out of the hotel and headed back home. On the way, we tried to stop at a recreation area along the way in George Washington National Forest, but they were closed for the season. We did stop at a pull off for a nice view of the Jame River, then finished the drive home.

Jan 2, 2012 - Duke Uni- Raleigh

Today we had a lazy morning involving a bit more shopping I am now the proud owner of a gridiron helmet- Miami dolphins of course! After our shopping trip we went over to Duke University in Durnhum. This is the second university in Raleigh. Although it looks like it was built in the 1700s it was actually built in the 1930s. Based on the English castles and cathedrals , the stonework was amazing. The masonry in and around was spectacular! It felt like a facility in hog warts -Harry potter! The cathedral was covered with the most amazing...

Jan 1, 2012 - UNC Day!

Today saw us hit UNC! What an amazing and beautiful place. The University of North Carolina is an institution started way back befor Australia was even discovered! In the district of Chapel Hill the uni is set amongst old and new facilities and venous grounds and parks covered with beautiful trees, maintained gardens and monuments. Statues adorn the various resting spots and parks while the squirrels playfully move around the undergrowth, picnic tables and their treetop homes. The buildings have that old English look but Americanised with...

Dec 31, 2011 - Basketball -NBL, College!

It has been a couple of very busy and crazy days! Yesterday the boys played their final game in Charlotte and boy was it tough! We even had to take one boy to hospiital to get stitches!!! It wasn't Jacko! After the game we headed back to Charlotte to go to the NBA game between Charlotte and Orlando. We arrive early to the stadium as Chris, the HSE organizer had managed to get us into the pre-game warm ups. We were court side while the boys from both teams shot hoops and prepared for the game. then as they were leaving they signed a variety...

Dec 17, 2011 - Rod's Umstead Ruins Hike

Back home, I did my first post-honeymoon hike. I went with Rod for his Umstead Ruins Hike, going around Umstead Park and seeing old homesteads and other sites and learning about the history of the area. We started at the Reedy Creek parking lot and head down Company Mill Trail to start. Early on, Rod pointed out a rock pile, a sign of an old homestead. Then on to the Company Mill Site. Here Joe, who was a child during the 1930s and lived in the area that is now the park, joined us to tell first-hand stories about the park's past. We...

Dec 1, 2011 - Thanksgiving in Raleigh

It was a long day; we arrived at the NC State Fairgrounds and settled in for a week for the Thanksgiving Holiday with the Bryant Family. When we returned to the fairgrounds after our Thanksgiving Dinner we were truly shocked to learn that our newest neighbors were 2 enormous elephants. They were parked with their 18-wheeler and handlers for 2 nights (waiting for the horses to depart from the North Carolina State Fairgrounds). This fairground is always packed with a wide variety of scheduled events. When we arrived a “horse show” was being...

Nov 27, 2011 - Family Thanksgiving

We are thankful for our family and friends who have supported us during this temporary medical journey. Caring is the spirit of America. It is our wish each of you stopped to inventory just how much good there is within your lives. Julia and Laurie prepared a traditional, bountiful Thanksgiving feast. Need I say more. Even four days post infusion the food was appealing to me. There is alot of time and effort invested in a family dinner; 20 minutes later we are moaning and groaning like pigs wallering in a mud hole. Don't forget Smithfield...

Oct 6, 2011 - Arrived in Raleigh

Arrived in Raleigh, NC on Friday. Called our friends and Dan said to meet him on the Walgreen's parking lot right near their house. I decided to change clothes while waiting for him and tried to extend the bedroom slide out so I could get to the drawers. It went out at a bad angle and I quickly brought it back in. I went outside to see what I had hit and found a LARGE amount of hydraulic fluid by the back wheel. Was still able to drive the RV so we went to the lot behind his house and parked. No jacks and no slide outs. Went up to our...