Up early and on the road. Michael and I drive to Charlotte, where he kisses me goodbye and heads back to New York. I head further down the highway toward Raliegh/Durham, but getting sleepy. I pull off the highway to fill up on gas and chug a sugar-free Red Bull, then back onto the highway. However, in my inattentive state, I once again head for Charlotte, just like this morning. After about an hour I check on my iMaps and am shocked and dismayed to realize that I have been heading in the wrong direction waaaaay too long. I turn around and head east once again, having added 2 extra hours to my route. Oh well. Don’t pick Stacey up from the airport but head straight to the hotel, the Washington Duke Inn and Golf Club. Very nice and stately old building.
Stacey arrives about 15 minutes after I do, and mom, dad, Lee and Betsy about an hour after that. We have a light snack and head over to the gardens for a preview of coming attractions.
There are about 5 people still busy working on finishing the garden for the dedication tomorrow. Back to the hotel and then I head downtown to do some laundry. Coffee, iPad, clean laundry and then meet everyone at the restaurant for dinner. Mu right eye has been bothering me since Tuesday and it’s getting really red. I duck out of dinner, thinking there’s a pharmacy nearby, but there isn’t. After dinner, Stacey goes with me to urgent care, but it’s a one and a half hour wait for the doctor, so we head down the road to Walgreen’s and get me some eye moistener.
Back to the hotel and to bed. Big day tomorrow!