So we got up and got out a reasonable time. First stop, coffee for mom - and other things - at Target. She let me park her with her coffee in the teeny cafeteria area while I ran around and got the things we needed. Well, we didn't really need a hippo pillow pet - but we got one anyway. She was thrilled! I wonder if she has forgotten it already and will be thrilled anew when I give it to her for the ride home. We shall see.
Next stop, the First Citizen's bank in NC. I didn't really have to stop there. I could have stopped in any branch and also could have just kept the money until I got to Geneva. But I wanted to see my old branch and some of the people that I have known for years. Luckily, my favorite teller, Diane, was there and we got a chance to chat a bit! Yay!
Then it was oil change/tire rotation time. I dropped mom at Bojangles and then took the car across the street to Just Tires. Mark was on duty and recognized me right away. He took the car and I went back to get some food with mom. Boy howdy do I miss the occasional Bojangles meal. It was as tasty as it usually is. I think mom enjoyed hers as well. In the line, I heard a familiar voice. Turns out I was correct - it was Leon, the person who used to do my yard work. I felt a smidge guilty since I stopped using him when Cate moved in - Cate had promised to mow the yard in partial payment for staying in the house. I am not good with things like that - telling people that I am moving on, changing services etc... Oh well. He was very nice - charmed my mom - he is 75 and solid. Does 15 lawns still. Goodness. And has prostate cancer! Eeek! He didn't seem too concerned - apparently there is a very effective new cryo-surgery that he will be having. Freaked me out, that's for sure.
Well, by that time the car was done, so mom and I headed to the house in Clayton. On the way we took a quick stop at Goodwill to buy mom a new sweater. The one she had brought was hole filled and quite stained. We left it with them to be ragged. Then, on to the house, for real.
I still love my house, even if it is teeny, crappily built and weirdly designed. Gee, sounds like me in some ways. Pekoe the Chihuahua and Greta the German Shepherd greeted me with open paws. They were a little leery of mom - ok, Pekoe was leery - Greta loves everyone indiscriminately. Pasha made an appearance looking for food. My main reason to be there was to fill up my water bottles, though I also wanted to see if there was anything that I could take with me to Geneva. I found a few movies, a tripod, an easel and a passel of mail. And I filled up 48 bottles of water with well water! Yippee!
Last scheduled stop was the Clayton Library. Miss Betty asked after my mom's health every time I stopped in, so I thought it only polite to re-unite them one more time. Miss Betty is retiring, so I am glad that I saw her. I also got to see Pam and Mardia (and Christian, Mardia's son). Great stuff! Gave the library a copy of the book! I doubt anyone but Pam will read it, but that is ok. I am very glad that we stopped there. Felt like old home week.
Then it was time to head to the Saucer - with a brief layover at the Best Buy to look for a new GPS. Sadly, no sales person could be found to talk with me about them, so I looked at a few and then left. I will try again, but it is not urgent.
The Saucer was fun - didn't sell many copies of Diary of a Plate Addict - see my writing blog - (or my kvetching blog post). Big news there - Kim drank her 1000th beer - making her the first female MOU at the Raleigh Saucer! Go Kim - she was given MOU card number 0100! Yay her!!
After the Saucer, mom and I headed to Five Star for food. I love that place and never went there enough when I was living in the area. If I had lived in Raleigh, I might have been a regular there. Oh well. I think mom enjoyed it.
All in all, a day full of fun and accomplishment.
Pictures from December 6, 2011:
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| My house |
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| One bag filled, one to be filled |
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| Kim's MOU #0100 card! |
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| Five Star Food! |
2 comments:
Glad you're having a good trip home and your book signing went well. Even though I don't see you, am sending you good vibes. :)
Thank you! So, when do we get to see each other? :)
Happy Wednesday!
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