Strange Start

     We've been back in Durham a little over two weeks now and it has been very busy and a bit bizarre.  For Nan the week before classes start is full of meetings and social events.  With one car mobility is for me a bit of an issue.  But we've managed.  As noted in my last entry, Nan and I attended a Durham Bulls game that featured 7 home runs.  The Bulls lost, but it was exciting.  Two days later I attended another game with some of Nan's Thompson Writing colleagues.  We had pretty goods seats as you can see from the picture below.

This time the Bulls won, but only got 1 hit.  A few walks and hit batsman and the home team "walks" away with a win.  Although the game was less than exciting the conversation and camaraderie was great.
      I had an opportunity to attend a Duke women's soccer game down at Chapel Hill.  We played the University of Montreal and came away with an easy 5 - 1 win.  A brief shower produced a beautiful rainbow, which of course we took as a good omen.   The game was part of a tournament.  My friend Mark and I stayed for the second game which was a boring 0 - 0 tie between UNC and Florida.  I didn't go back two days later for the championship game and it was just as well, Duke lost 3 - 2.

     In addition to soccer,  I went to the opening football game.  Every year the University throws a party for their employees for the first game: free food and free admission to the football game.  We took advantage of the "perk". It was extremely hot and humid so friends who came with us decided to eat and run(well walk - slowly), so I went to the game alone.  Football is not the strongest sport here at Duke, and it looked like it was going to be another bad year when our opponent Florida International Univ.  scored 43 seconds into the game.  Things improved greatly after that and we actually won 46 - 26.  The game featured pre-game and half time firework.

In addition to the football game, I went to see the men's soccer team play the University of Delaware.  I have joined the Big Blue Army(or something like that)  which gave me a shirt and scarf and free meal.  We also won.  Thunder showers caused several delays in the game as it has been really hot and humid so it was a long afternoon.
      Just in case you think I only go to Duke sporing events, Nan and I have been active on several other fronts as well.  First, I talked Nan into singing with the church choir at the Eno River Unitarian church.  We attended a welcome back pot luck supper and got to meet a number of interesting people.
We also went to see a production of August Wilson's Radio Golf.  It's not his best play but the production was fairly good. Although several of the performances seemed a little "one note", possibly because the parts were underwritten, the overall effort was good.  As part of Nan's birthday celebration, we went for a hike up at Falls Lake Recreation area.  The Mountain-to- Sea Trail runs along the southern side of the lake and we hike about 6 miles along it.  Unfortunately, it will be the last hike for awhile.  Nan rolled her ankle walking the dogs this morning, and has broken the end of her fibula.  We are in the process of deciding whether she'll be able to go the the conference in Wales.  Hopefully we'll get to see the doctor tomorrow and be on our way to England Wednesday evening