We are now looking at two long days from here in Durham to get back to Halifax. An early departure on the 27th, traveling as far as Hartford CT on that day thus breaking the back of the really large and congested cities of Philadelphia and NY and getting to a hotel around 2200 or so. Then another early departure and arriving at our daughter's place again at 2200. Hopefully our friends will be able to come down to meet us the following day, Sunday, out at the airport which is where we have to return the rental van. Then it will be the two hour trip back to Shelburne and unloading the stuff from our friend's trailer. We have already asked another friend to turn on the heat pumps at home so once we are unloaded all I will have to do is get the water flowing again and a quick trip to the grocery store and we will be back in business.

The long range weather forecast shows 1 or 2 degrees below freezing at night but anywhere from 5+ degrees above during the day so I am hoping that much of the snow will have melted by the time we get back. Fingers crossed!

Meanwhile we are spending another delightful day being hosted by Peter and Lynn here in Durham. Even Peri is having a good time (for that translate that any time not in his travel crate is a good time). We went out to walk through the Duke Gardens which is a large landscaped area with all sorts of plants, shrubs, water gardens, Japanese tea houses and all sorts. It was absolutely remarkable. Then they took us onto the Duke campus and it reminded us even more of Dalhousie only it is ten times the size, for a coffee and a tour of the chapel and some of the rest of the grounds. Then, and this was particularly astounding, they took us on a tour of the downtown area in a region that used to be all of the tobacco factories - Camel, Lucky Strike, etc. which have now been converted into business and residential condos but what is really neat is they have built a channel of a stream that came through the area anyway and made it into a series of rapids, waterfalls and ponds. It's really attractive and a nice place to sit and have lunch or a beer or both.

This city definitely warrants another visit.