End of the never-ending nightmare?

You know how you can have a bad dream over and over? It comes when you least expect it. Eventually, if you plan and choose a different strategy, you can react differently in the dream and change the ending.

That's how I feel about North Carolina. Our first two trips involved Furnitureland, the door of which we will never darken again.

I was not thrilled to learn that Robert's mom was flying into the Greensboro, NC airport. (She saved $250 on her airfare, so it was understandable.) I strategized again, planning what we could do while we were there, being sure to stay faaaar away from anything resembling home decor.

We stayed close to the airport, in the beautiful town of Oak Ridge: new build; new money; new Chili's. It was very nice inside--new--the first Chili's we've ever seen that didn't have faded 1970's photos of chili cookoffs covering the walls.


Robert and Trevor found giant pinecones and had a pinecone fight in the parking lot.


Jean's plane was on time, so we raced to the airport. There was loads of new construction, orange cones and signage. A little nervous I headed for "paid parking." I shouldn't have been worried--we put a quarter in a parking meter and walked 20 feet to the terminal. This is a town that is planning far into the future. The place was huge and completely deserted. It was 7:00 p.m., and the airport shops were closing. Robert and I panicked briefly when we saw "Winston Salem Regional Airport" engraved on the fountain--since we were supposed to be at Piedmont Triad International Airport. But apparently they are the same thing. (Go figure.)


Yay! Jean's here!


We were 70 miles from home. I had a choice, drive unfamiliar roads in the dark and worry about hitting a deer, or worry about getting carsick. I suppose I'll do both eventually, but this time I chose to drive.

It was all in the strategy. But I'm not at the point where I'm looking forward to going back next week!