What were we thinking?
I had planned this trip a little haphazardly and allotted for snow, but we were going South for pete’s sake, and I certainly didn’t plan on a blizzard! The day before we left, there was a 75-car pileup on route 95, the road we take most of the way, due to snow and ice. Chapel Hill schools had been closed for most of the previous two weeks due to snow. On top of all that, our friends were moving house so even more chaos than usual was guaranteed. But, as I kept texting Dr. Mama, hell or high water- we were going!
Carolina sunset as we rolled into town, Fiercely & sisters selfie in the car
Chapel Hill and the Fabulous Family
North Carolina was melting. Prior to our arrival, there had been an unusual amount of snow and the accompanying panic this entails in the South. It was warmer the day we landed, and there were rivers of melted snow everywhere. Dr. Mama was feeling the effects of over two weeks of homebound children, enforced homeschooling if you will, and happy as we came into town. She had been packing for six weeks, having some painting/minor repairs done in both houses, managing five kids, two cats and the dog, and working at her job as an ER pediatrician. Dr. Papa and his father Mr. F were on hand when we arrived to the ‘old’ house.
My kids immediately settled into the snowbound vibe in the big, nearly empty house. There was a snowy yard, 3 pets, lots of echoing rooms, exciting snacks, a functioning screen for movies, a giant bathtub, and, of course, nine kids, aged 4-14.
Cozy does not begin to describe the scene. Cozy with a big bunch of crazy! Anyway, that was the old house. The second day, we moved many boxes to the new house. We were a fearsome crew, what with the motivated under-tens who were paid for their work loading the van, the formidable septuagenarian Mr. F, Drs. Mama and Papa, and yours truly who has gypsy wanderlust in the blood and a related love of moving. No joke, I love moving, even if its not me moving. I love the change in spaces, the physical work and the camraderie, the getting rid of stuff, the new perspective – its hard for me to believe I haven’t personally moved for almost 8 years! So I get vicarious pleasure from helping other people move. But I digress. This was a long day of moving boxes, many to the third floor of the new house where the play room and one bedroom are located.
Many props to Mr. F, an Irish-born font of unstoppable energy. He is of a rapidly disappearing class of person who has probably worked from sunup to sundown since he could walk and, despite some slowing down and minor problems in his 71-year-old knees, worked harder and longer than any of us. Fortified by his daily breakfast of a customized oatmeal-root-herb concoction, the man moved boxes, hung framed art, assembled furniture, attached light fixtures, installed a cat door, and did I don’t know what else all day. Dr. Mama had to make frequent runs to the store for various projects to keep him busy “or else he would start doing things that don’t need to be done” like altering the cabinetry. I wish I had a good picture of him, but I was too shy to get one, plus he doesn’t slow down much!
Dinner for 13 in the new house! There is Mr. F in the big white Irish wool sweater sitting with his back to us at the counter. Lacking a dining room table, we ate on the floor “like most of the people in the world” as Dr Mama correctly pointed out!
moving van! Unpacking and playing!
The new neighborhood was very walkable with the kids’ grade school and a small shopping center a few blocks away as well as a paved trail that connects to other trails in the Chapel Hill area. When the rain stopped and we were at the new house, we took a walk around the area.
Above – neighborhood and nearby creek. Below – I took these when I went for a run on the path called (I think) Fan Branch Trail. Amazing, well-maintained trail with bridges, tunnels, and signage similar to a highway but for bikes/joggers/etc.
Museum of Life and Science, Durham
The Fabulous kids did go to school one day, so I took the Fantastics to this museum. I have written about it before here and here. The weather was not too great and we really only went to the main building this time, but with the changing exhibits there was still a lot to see at this cool place.
Interacting with media – “catching” projected images and making music by running around
Learning about salt at the lab, witchy sisters at a cauldron at a weather exhibit
So we spent a lot of time in both houses, doing various moving-related things and also just hanging out. We hated to say goodbye, but they were getting back to their routine after many snow days and a move, and we were headed to the nation’s capitol and, more importantly, LW and Lincoln of DC fame. We learned of Winter Storm Thor as we were headed into it. What happened next? Stay tuned, tripsters!
Tripping Fantastic 