Travel Day home

The end of our time in Durham has arrived.  Time to clean up and pack up.  We went to Nathan's apartment to help him get packed up.  We were not much help so Jeanne and I went back to the hotel to get Rebecca and to check out.  We met Nathan and George at el Patron for lunch.  I had a very good sincronizada.  It is like a quesadilla.  It was very good.  I saved half to eat on the flight home.

 Jeanne left right after lunch.  She was driving. to see a friend on the way to Cleveland, then Madison, then back to Ely.  All the other various people have gotten safely back to where they started from.

Nathan had to put the stuff here 

and much of what was here

 
into here!!! Nathan did it. Of course he is very practiced with this.

We had to call Uber to get a ride to the airport, since Nathan's car no longer had room for us.  This is the first time we have used Uber.  Very easy.

I saw this large art work on the wall at the airport.


up closer

Up close, it was all computer keys.

The flight to Chicago and then to Portland was uneventful.  Rebecca was on our same flights.  We all got to sit together on the first leg but not the second.

We took the shuttle to the parking lot where we had left the car.  We got home just before 11 pm.  We had a very nice time, but as usual it was great to get home. 

Sunday, May 14

After breakfast we all went different directions.  Jeanne, George, Nathan and I went to a state park and went on a 2 mile walk through the woods.  It was very pretty.  

The we all met at the Sitar Indian Restaurant for lunch. We had 22 people.  This was for Nathan's graduation, so it was our treat.  It was a buffet so everyone was happy.  I hope everyone was happy. We talked to some local people and they said it was the best Indian food around.  It was delicious and they had some dishes that I had not had before.  

 

Sharon, Michael, Linda & Miguel had already left. They were driving to DC

After a liesurely lunch we headed back to the hotel.  Jeanne, George, Nathan & I headed off to a swimming hole.  Jim & Pam were heading off to the airport.  Rob & George S had left early in the morning to go back to Ohio.  

We did not actually do any swimming, though Nathan did get into the water.

odd to see a bike on a little island

cute little frog

Took a picture of the hotel carpeting.  I like it.

After getting back to the hotel, Jeanne & I went to the Tiger Rescue Center.  WOW.  very impressive place.  We had a great time.  I really enjoyed seeing all the various wild cats.  They fed some of them treats so they were more active.

we were very close to the animals.

white tiger

This is kinkajou, sort of an odd, racoon type animal.  Not a cat.  It was cute.  Liked  bananas and eating upside down  

The animals were all mostly awake and active.  The lions would start roaring periodically.  

There was a small snafu with dinner.  Even though we had a reservation, they were late seating people, which worked out great because we were late getting there.  Harvest 18 is a farm to table type of restaurant.  Very good food but I was not very hungry.  We placed our orders while we were driving there.  I just had two side dishes. We ordered wine when we got there.

sour cream mashed potatoes and sauteed spinach.

This was only with Dorothy & Ed and us.

We headed back to the hotel. Chance to blog tonight instead of in the morning.  What a fun time we have had.  Everything worked out.  Restaurants all ended out being good choices.   

Graduation Day

Jeanne, Pam, Nathan, and I got to the graduation location early to save 18 seats.  Nathan, of course, had to get there early anyway. 

note the all are welcome sign

 Once we got there we found my Uncle Paul, Rachel, Nell & Joe were already there.  Everyone arrived in time for things to start.  We had the usual speakers to welcome.  One special speaker was Nancy.  She is the event planner and very popular.  The students voted to have her speak.  She was the highlight of the speakers.  

Then there was the handing out of the diplomas and hoods.  I moved up toward the front so I did not acutally get a very good picture. 

But luckily some other people got some good ones.

 There is a story about the turtle.  Kind of a family thing.  

After the graduation there was a very nice reception.  We managed to snag a classroom where we all could be together, all 18 of us!!  

Nathan with his cousins, Sharon and Linda.

Nathan and Rebecca

Family photo

Some of us on the roof top garden

We took a tour of the campus to see my old stomping grounds.

A sculpture in front of the school.  A lot of people take pictures here.  After touring the campus we went to the lemur center.  That was very enjoyaable.  Lemurs sure are cute. 

George, Dorothy & Rob - the siblings. 

After the lemur center we regrouped at the hotel.  Then we went to my cousin, Jeep's for dinner.  All 25 of us.  Wow.  I was impressed.  Jeep and Mary Ann provided quite the spread.  Appetizers, beverages and then a huge dinner and desssert.  We had a very nice time.  I took a bunch of pictures but I can't put them all in.  It was fun.  

Elli, Tia (who was graduating from Wake Forest), my cousin Barb and Mary Ann (she and Jeep hosted this fine event)

Three big tables all set.

the back yard.