Day 8: Off to Charlotte

We missed breakfast again.......and Mark was quite annoyed!! Brekkie is usually till 10 and they were completely packed up at 9 and he wasn't happy!! He made me a coffee and while I read the paper, USA today, he went on about how hot it was in the hotel ( we had the aircon on all night) and how he hadn't had brekkie! We packed up our room and tried mighty hard to try pack our car and ummm.. We couldn't see the poor kids in the back!! We went back to southpoint mall to pick up a few prezzies for Christie..... Happy love? And Aden wanted to get a few more things too and I need another coffee (surprised?) we rearranged the car so all the bags were in the middle and Aden and Patrick had a door each. separation being the key word here!!!
We had a bit of time and decided to go
Back to Duke as we were too rushed before. While Aden went back and bought the shop out ......again! We walked around the grounds and it is magnificent!! So majestic looking with all the same gothic looking buildings in the same stone. We went to the chapel and even went inside and signed the visitor book! The stained glass windows were gorgeous, even Mark was impressed and didn't try hurry me out. The church was built in the early 30's and the tower is 64 metres high!
We kept walking around and were in awe of the grounds and Surrounding buildings.
Father time brought us back to earth and we needed to push on, so we could make Lachlan's game and have something to eat.
A nice leisurely drive to Charlotte.... Mark isn't as stressed now, he is even turning the radio on and sipping coffee !!!
I mentioned to the boys how impressed I was with the clean freeways. There was no rubbish and it looked so picturesque with its forrest, bush or scrub (don't know what they call it) either side of the road. Then we noticed black or white plastic bags of rubbish littered every so often, dumped along the side of the road.
Then we saw a huge orange sign with 'Inmates Working' and they were picking up rubbish and obviously leaving the bags for someone to come and collect. Great idea we thought.
We stopped for a late lunch 3.30 and it was already starting to get dark! We filled up with petrol. (gas) but we didn't put too much in this time $20 Mark just couldn't seem to get the petrol flowing so we had to ask... I went in to pay and get a chocolate fix ( our chocolate is soooooo much nicer!!) but he'll when you are desperate you will eat anything!!
We drove through to Davidson County and wow!!!! Some affluent houses there!! Magnificent and then two minutes down the road there were trailor homes. This was a very nice school and obviously very wealthy. We paid to get in $18 and took our seats in the stands. There was 40 minutes until the game so I just updated the blog and and the boys just watched the kids warm up.
The start of the JV game was terrible., the other team scored really quickly and we just couldn't get it together. At one point our boys we 13 points down.. After a few rev ups by the coach, the team got it together and played some basketball! It got really exciting and after the lead changed a few times and about 16 seconds left and they were leading by two points with a side ball throw in and I thought we were finished... (pessimist that I am) Jeremy got a fabulous steal and on the way to the basket was fouled!! He made both to level the game. In overtime it
Was really even and anyone's game. They got a few easy baskets and the last minute I think lasted a good ten minutes!!! We eventually lost by 4 but it was very entertaining to watch!!
The varsity boys came on to warm u and a lady came and sat next to me. She was so friendly and proceeded to tell me EVERYTHING about everything! We found out that Michael Jordan's nephew Jackson Jordan was playing in the team. His parents were there filming the game to send off to scouts!! Very exciting info. This team were brilliant to watch and they dunked it a few times to get the crowd going. A well drilled and very talented side! A few have been committed to college scholarships and it was no wonder as they were awesome!
Our coach said it was the best drilled team he had seem in his 30 odd years of being involved in basketball!
We left Davidson Day School and set off in search of dinner. We drove around for a while and came across a bank of shops and Patrick was craving sushi so we decided on Chinese. Mark and I shared a couple of entree meals (Entrees are mains here) Aden had his own and Patrick was wanting Tuna sushi. Our meal arrived and it was delicious and Aden loved his too and poor Paddy stuffed up yet again.... The tuna was raw!!!! He was expecting the can tuna they use in Oz. Not admitting he didn't like it, he offered to share ( my first clue it wasn't what he wanted!!) we got some fortune cookies and aid the bill and left. The whole exercise took half and hour!!
We came back to the room and had a a couple of drinks with a friend and finally for to bed around 3.
Another great day!!
More photos to follow..... I'm tired and the iPad has put them in a folder and I need to check where they are!! Grrr