Ford fun in Chapel Hill

As Gary and the boys load the car, I'll take advantage of the Brookline wifi to catch up on our adventures...we got to spend time with great old and new friends in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, when we visited Jen, Nick, Isabel and Charlie.  Our kids were like Chester and Wilson, Wilson and Chester.  The greatest part of watching the kids together is that they were so interchangeable (as long as siblings were apart).  Emmett and Charlie made this amazing fort in the backyard, for example; Emmett and Isabel also had a great time taking Jen and I shopping.  How Jen and I (and Gary and Nick, for that matter) created children who like shopping for its own sake is beyond me, but I know of extended family members (ahem...Janet?  Katie?) who may have passed on this trait.  

side view of the fort

or was this the side view?

Isabel and I had a great time talking books and in general being silly.  She shared her bow collection with me, and we can safely report Isabel has a bow for every occasion, including her awesome jumprope team, the Bouncing Bulldogs.  We were so happy to have been there for the end of camp performance!  What a cool group to belong to!

Jen is as great a cook as ever, and we lucked into the Ethiopian feast she makes once a month.  I'm sorry I don't have a better pic of this lovely friend!

Four peas in a pod

 We had a great time touring the Duke campus, with its surprisingly tiny basketball court.  That's where all the magic happens?

Duke also had some beautiful botanical gardens, which we somehow managed to avoid taking pictures of.  G made me take the requisite picture; I have avoided pulling over the road for so many things named Bear, that I felt I should give in over this one.

 While Isabel and Emmett shopped, Des and Charlie took their dads to a Durham Bulls game.  Just like his father, Des will take baseball any way he can get it.

boys with bull

they got to run the bases at the end!  Go farm teams!

Thanks so much, Fords, for a great visit.  We hope it's not our last with you!  Now we must go explore Boston.  When asked if they wanted to learn about pilgrim days, revolutionary days, or abolition, the boys picked abolition.  Can't say no to the learnin...off we go to see where the Underground Railroad took people in Boston!  Love to all y'all...under one month left of this crazy journey!