Trip to NC visiting Sister and Daughter

QuiltCon was a stake in the sand to establish when I flew out to NC from CA to visit my sister, Maxine. Timing my visit for during the quilt exhibition was a great incentive for my daughter, Robin to fly out from OK to join us for part of the visit. Robin is also Maxine's goddaughter. Robin's and my flights arrived late Thursday night within 30minutes of each other at the Raleigh Durham airport. We Uber'd to the hotel and Maxine joined Robin and me the next morning.  Our plans were to attend the show on Friday and possibly Saturday as well. All three of us did enjoy our day at the show on Friday. We were still smiling at our departure but unanimously agreed that we were worn out and that one day had been enough.

Although we'd spent only one day at the show, I had booked us five nights and four days at the Embassy Suites so we'd have to time to further visit, rest up, and play games. The location is within the area known as the Research Triangle.

The Research Triangle (or "The Triangle") in North Carolina is a premier U.S. innovation hub anchored by Raleigh, Durham, and Chapel Hill. Named for its proximity to three major research universities—Duke, UNC-Chapel Hill, and NC State—the region is famed for its high concentration of tech/biotech companies, elite education, and high quality of life.

The hotel had its own restaurant and free breakfast so we did not even have to venture out if we were not energetic enough to do so. Perhaps the research aspect of the location influenced the decor of the restaurant area. In the bar section, the wall paper imitated a blackboard inscribed with formulas. Another seating area had a design on the wall that made me think of some sort of chemical bonds among molecules.

Saturday morning we opted to skip the free breakfast, sleeping in and playing games instead. We played Kollide. 

Kollide is a TikTok-famous magnetic strategy board game for 1-4 players (ages 8+). Players compete to place all their magnets inside a flexible rope ring without letting them snap together. If magnets collide (link up), the player must take the entire cluster back, making it a high-tension game of skill, precision, and focus.

Seeing those magnets zip together in an unpredictable fashion was a lot of fun and sparked much surprise. We jumped and laughed at each collision and its collateral damage. Robin lost to Maxine. In solo games where each player attempted to put all twenty gold stones within the rope ring, only Maxine succeeded in the solitaire game.

That Saturday we also competed in puzzles races. Maxine had brought two 50-piece puzzles, one with a pizza theme and one with a strawberry theme. I started with the pizza one and Robin with the strawberry one. We had some initial confusion with starting the timer on the cell phone — or rather debating the resolution to two timers on two cell phones — when we realized it did not matter what the actual time was, just who was faster. Further complicating a rather simple task, was the fact that neither Robin nor I knew what the picture on the puzzle was, nor what the finished dimensions would be. Robin had hers completed while I was still struggling to make the border. She won hands down! When we traded puzzles, now knowing the image and size, Robin was faster than me by a wide margin. Robin took those puzzles home with her to conduct her own familial races back in Oklahoma.

Maxine spent some time sharing her Quiltcon purchases and admiring her zebra-striped zippers. Robin and I also shared our purchases. (See purchases section of DL2Q for 3/7/26.) Then we decided to go out for an early dinner at the Cheesecake Factory in the Crabtree Valley Mall across the street.

The Cheescake Factory had a two hour wait list. We added our name and then set out to walk the mall a bit. The restaurant had an entrance that opened out into the mall proper.  Maxine and I could not remember that last time we had been to a mall, so it was a nostalgic, nice treat to just window shop. We made it about two-thirds down the upper level and never got to the lower level before my cell phone went off that our table was ready. The territory we covered is marked in red in the following diagram. The Cheesecake Factory is indicated with a yellow arrow. We did not go into any major anchor stores of the mall.

Maxine ordered Truffle Honey Chicken and was impressed with its presentation since she loves asparagus. It tasted real good, too. I think I had a salad and do not remember what Robin had, but I do remember that Maxine and I ordered cheesecake to go. Robin refrained. She was flying out very early the next morning and thought a heavy dessert like that was not a wise option. My Peach Perfect with Raspberry Drizzle lasted two days and Maxine's Mango Key Lime Cheesecake also required multiple sittings to finish. Sunday and Monday were sweet.

Robin left on an early flight Sunday morning. Maxine and I were content to just hang around the hotel. The view out our window was underwhelming — air conditioners and a parking lot. Inside was better. I liked watching the indoor scenery pass by while on the glass sided elevator. Maxine faced away, closed her eyes, and did not look. She said it made her woozy. We did explore a sitting area with comfy pre-St. Patrick's Day chairs. Maxine preferred to let the world pass by her, rather than her pass by the world.

I'd brought along my iPad and was able to log in to recordings for Olympic opening and closing ceremonies which Maxine has missed during the original broadcast. We also watched skating, skiing, sledding, and hockey. We watched, and rewatched,  and re-rewatched, the winning goal that earned the American hockey team a gold medal. Maxine is an ardent hockey fan.

Maxine had brought her copy of Scrabble and we played many games. She hates to have her picture taken so these two are all I could manage of our games together. That should teach her to cooperate and be more photogenic! I had to settle for a photo of the completed board only, after one game. 

I brought a 300-piece jigsaw puzzle from CA. We enjoyed doing that together one evening.

Tuesday morning I took an Uber to the airport for my flight back to CA. Maxine packed her belongings after I  left and checked out of the hotel to go back to her home in Cary, NC. All in all it was a very happy trip; I am so glad I made it. We will need to do it again, even if there is no quilt show to inspire the date.

A Week with My Sister in NC

Wednesday April 26 - Tuesday May 2, I flew east to North Carolina to spend a week with my sister. We had a mini staycation at the Embassy Suites, just north of and adjacent to the Raleigh Durham International Airport. I took the hotel shuttle from the airport and Maxine met me at the hotel which is a 25 minute or so drive from her home in Cary. Our suite surprised us with a pair of bunk beds to the right of the door as soon as we entered. As two senior ladies we were relieved to realize that we did not have to use them; the adjacent bedroom had two queen beds. The sitting area had a couch and two chairs and a huge TV, so large that the people on it had heads bigger than ours. There was a large round table that we used for fun activities such as games and puzzles and dessert devouring.

Our suite was on the eighth floor, the highest one, and we had a great view of the planes flying by and the traffic below. Sometimes we just sat and watched. Yes, we could hear the planes if we paid attention, but they were not obnoxious. 

The folder for our electronic room key listed a reminder that every morning we were welcomed to a free breakfast. Every evening there was a reception in the lobby with snacks 5:30 pm to 7:00 pm and each of us had coupons for two free drinks, each reception. I would have a Strawberry Daiquiri (or two) with whipped cream. Maxine was more diverse with a Screwdriver or a Fuzzy Navel. We each have a penchant for fruity drinks.

The wall at the end of the hallway on our floor had a queue of tall slender people. It was almost like a welcoming committee each time we approached the door to our room. They also kind of stood there somewhat judgmentally when we went down for drinks. Or maybe that was only my inner guilt at possibly becoming a lush.

On Thursday, my first day there, Maxine took me to the Cary Quilting Company. It is an enormous shop, brightly lit with the natural light from the sunshine streaming in at all the windows. I browsed for an hour and a half (Maxine claims two hours) while she relaxed in a white rocking chair near the front of the store and struck up conversations with the staff and other shoppers. I told the clerks repeatedly what a beautiful store they had but also told them that, regretfully, my suitcase weight 38 lbs and so I had room for only 12 lbs of purchases. More about my purchases at the store can be read in my other blog at DianeLoves2Quilt, post for 5/16/23.

We went back to the room Thursday night, admired my fabric and pattern purchases, and then had dinner at the Embassy Suites. It was so convenient to go down in the elevator, grab a seat by the window, and eat without having to drive anywhere. The "no driving" was fortunate since we had both imbibed our free drinks. We repeated dinner at our hotel Wednesday, Thursday, Sunday, and Monday nights which was nice and convenient with no driving necessary.

Friday night Maxine had purchased tickets for us to see a local production of the musical Fiddler on the Roof at the Cary Arts Center. So as not to be rushed or late, we ate dinner at a local IHOP to be close to the theatre. I voiced a  bit of dismay that IHOP had recently changed/updated the menu. I could not order "my usual" but actually had to read the menu and re-decide. One thing for certain, we shared a large piece of luscious chocolate cake for dessert. 

After our decadent dose of chocolate, Maxine drove us back to her house. From there her husband Bob drove us to the Cary Arts Center, about three miles away, and would pick us up afterward since parking could be an issue. We had aisle seats in row J – a great view and easy access to the bathroom (important at our ages). The players did a fantastic, energetic job and did justice to the songs and dance numbers of Fiddler. Maxine and I enjoyed it immensely.

Saturday afternoon we drove to visit the home of Maxine's youngest son Dean and his family in Matthew, NC. From Maxine's house in Cary to Dean's house in Matthews is just under a three hour drive. We enjoyed dinner there and they held an impromptu birthday party for Maxine for her 84th. 

After dinner we played a few games of SkyJo with the family. Then, to round out the evening, after others had gone to bed, Maxine and I watched a hockey game on TV. The Devils is the team of choice for Maxine's oldest son's family in NJ. Unfortunately they lost.

We returned to Cary Sunday morning, stopping about an hour out from Cary to get a Domino's pizza for a late lunch. In the afternoon and evening at the hotel on Sunday and throughout the day Monday Maxine and I continued to relax in our room with low-key activities or just talking. Maxine found the movie Pretty Woman on the TV one afternoon so we both enjoyed watching it. We know all the best parts by heart and were waiting for them to come up. Free movies on TV are often edited to shorten their run time and make room for commercials; one of our favorite parts of Pretty Woman had been edited out. When that scene was skipped we both simultaneously cried out our indignation. It is the opera scene where Julia Roberts claims the opera was so good she nearly "peed her pants" and Richard Gere quick-wittedly covers up for her, by saying instead that she like it better than "Pirates of Penzance". I did locate that scene on the internet in this YouTube clip.

Throughout our stay we played Scrabble, Sequence, and did a 300 piece jigsaw puzzle. The chocolate torte we shared from the hotel kitchen was not so big in size, but it was very big on flavor. We relished every gooey, luscious bite.

Maxine left to go to her home Monday night. I took a final evening selfie of the two of us. I also took a selfie of me with the people down the hall as a sort of farewell to them, too. I would be taking the hotel shuttle to the airport 8:00 am Tuesday morning.

The unique lighting in the bathroom merited a photo or two, also. The mirror had a donut of light all around it that made our eyes look weird, like something from a horror flick. I tried to capture the spirit and essence of the mood. Note the glow around my pupils and my attempt at a diabolical grin.

The following photo was my view at Raleigh Durham Airport, Gate A5, Tuesday morning when my 10:25 flight arrived. I boarded my flight to my connection in Denver.

I feasted on an informal dinner in Denver. What else is there to do during a three hour layover?

Maxine and I had packed a lot of visiting and relaxing into six days. It felt good! Frank came into the terminal at Oakland to pick me up instead of me waiting curbside with my luggage. It also felt good to be pampered. I'd had a great time, but I was glad to be home.