Greetings From Raleigh!

I must admit that I was very nervous about my trip to Raleigh. It wasn't the flight. It wasn't the responsibility of picking out a condo. It wasn't the anticipation of having a wonderful time with the "children". It was traveling with the "devil dog" Weezie. That is how I described Weezie after her first flying experience. It was so bad that I decided one of us was going to be medicated on this trip....me or her! And I have no qualms about being medicated. Not at all. But I guess it was better to have the dog medicated, so we visited the vet and got some med's. We also went to the pet store to purchase ANOTHER $60 travel carrier for the trip. On her first horrible horrible trip, she clawed and chewed through the webbing and climbed out. Then we went and got a pretty new pink collar and hair bows...and...a cute little pink dress. She looks so cute.....I know, I know......she acts like she is truly disgusted. But it entertains us. I will post a picture of the "Pretty Pretty Princess". I guess I didn't tell you that she was a wonderful traveler this trip! We had a layover in Washington and I let her out of her bag there and she wanted me to hold her. She was so sleepy that she immediately started snoring. Now this delicate little "Pretty Pretty Princess" snores like a man. Very Very Loud! I noticed people were starting to look around for the "man" who was snoring. Finally the woman behind me turned around and asked "Is that your dog?" And like the Southern Belle I am, I said, "Yes Mam!" The remaining part of the trip was very uneventful which is how I like it. I did not have a seat mate on either leg of the trip. Which is also how I like it.

I have started another paragraph to tell you something very important that occurred at the end of the trip. I decided not to tell the "children" that I was bringing Weezie (Pretty Pretty Princess". They begged everytime I talked to them for me to bring her. I told them repeatedly I was not bringing the "devil dog"....who is now referred to as Pretty Pretty Princess.......ANYWAY.....I went went down the escalator at the Raleigh Airport and saw the "children", I reached down and unzipped the carrier so Weezie could run the 5 feet to them. They were already kneeled down to get her. She had barely gotten her front paws out of the bag when an airport officer ran to protect the public. I had her leash ready to hook her up, but obviously it was not quick enough. He scolded me for letting her out of the bag. Now I was just in two different airports where officers and employees petted, talked baby talk (!), loved on and complimented her on her beautiful pink bows. Thank goodness someone in charge of security of an airport saw the danger of a 14 pound drugged Shih Tzu. I feel safer. Don't you?

I just love being with the children. They make me feel good. They had made up a song.....it had Fran Fran Fran Fran sang one time after another. They were so proud of themselves. It was sung to the tune of the NC State fight song. I mentioned that it sounded like the song from Gomer Pyle USMC. Nathan later confirmed that NC State uses that tune for their fight song. But now it the Fran song.....I bet you can sing it too! Go ahead, I know you want to!

We rode around a while looking at condo's then went to Chris' apartment. Chris has been very busy working and going to school, so he has not had alot of time to clean or take out the trash or spray deoderizer.....you see where I am going? We spent the first hour I was there cleaning bathrooms, picking up trash, taking out trash, cleaning the kitchen (Thanks Linley!) and vacumning. Then we went to a Armadillo Grill for some delish mexican food. By the time we got back, I was tired and went to bed not long afterward. I slept like a baby.....with a Pretty Pretty Princess curled up beside her head. Then my arm. Then my leg. Then my feet.

Monday I met with the realtor. I was not excited about this because I didn't feel like I had connected with her at all on the phone. I am proud to say that my first impression was completely wrong! I really like her and had a great time looking around at condos. We do not want to buy a condo in a complex that has only students living there. Chris' apartment is all students and the noise level is horrible. Chris has been very frustrated with the incondsiderate people below him. And the apartment manager has not been very cooperative about helping out. I could go on and on about our frustrations, but I will stop. I found a town home I like and think will be good for them. I must have a room with a bed that I can sleep in when I come. They can use the closet for their stuff and study in there, but I must have my own bed. I must. We will probably make an offer later today.

I am meeting Julianne at 12 to eat lunch at her dorm. Parents eat free.......too bad they don't have anything that I really, really want to eat! We need to have a little one on one time together. She needs some mommy time.

So now you know how my trip to Raleigh is going. Oh! They have this green stuff on the ground and these pretty colored things growing in the ground and this green stuff attached to the tree limbs. What on earth could this be? We don't have anything like that up in Maine. We only have white stuff everywhere! I am going to have investigate it! I might have to order it!

I will talk to you later! Tootles!