In the Plane I Went to Carolina...

Parenting has many challenges, but in my experience, manifold joys. So far, near the top of the list of joys is taking your near adult child on tours of colleges.

I did it with D1 to two places: UF, where she ended up, and New College in Sarasota. The Sarasota trip was delightful --D1 and I sat on a Gulf beach in the evening, watching sharks swim off shore. She ended up NOT LIKING New College, but I still treasure the memory of our visit.

Well, with D2 I had a new experience: combining a college visit with Canes football AND a fun trip with a dear friend.

Mike, Amanda, D2 and I just got back from Raleigh, NC. We flew up Friday, rented a car, and drove to Chapel Hill. It is early Fall there, and the trees are just turning colors. We had a great tour led by a very openly gay Carolina senior. He saw D2's "Wicked" sweatshirt, and fell in love with it. I mean OPENLY gay!

Carolina is a gorgeous campus, with rolling hills and oaks, and quads of traditional buildings. They have a wonderful bookstore, where we drank coffee and talked of the future. D2 and Amanda have known each other since they were born, and to see these lovely young women, finishing high school soon...ah...the strains of "Sunrise, Sunset" play in my head...

After the tour, we went to a restaurant I knew in Raleigh called the "42nd Street Oyster Bar." It's Raleigh's Joes Stone Crabs --packed, but predictably more downscale and cheaper. I knew Mike would love it --they bring over a huge basket of hush puppies and butter. Mike and I drank local beers and the four of us ate fresh oysters, mussels, and fish.

Saturday, we slept in,, and then headed for Durham to see Duke. The skies had cleared, and we parked and walked around. But then --it was 11:30, and Mike insisted we visit a famous barbecue place: Bullocks. We got there as they opened at 1130, and ate heartily, again. Fortified, we walked around Duke's gorgeous campus, and spent a delightful half hour on a grassy knoll behind the famous chapel. D2 and Amanda rolled down the hill, like they did when they were little girls.

At 3, we headed to the stadium, to watch our beloved Canes play the Blue Devils. The Canes started out poorly. We were concerned. The day lowly Duke beats Miami in football, the sun will rise in the West. Fortunately, the Canes rallied, and won going away.

Afterwards, we found some great pizza, and then back to the hotel for a 445 am wake up call.

It was a succesful, delightful trip. D2 seemed to like the colleges, but still favors her sister's place: UF. I'd love it if she went there. I guess we'll know in a little more than 1 year.

Thanks, Carolina, for a swell weekend.