Spring trip

On Saturday, I boarded the Delta flight to North Carolina to help my son with some home repairs, babysit the dog while they were away, and again when they ran their first 50 K trail race.  The weather in Minneapolis was 35 degrees and sunny, and I was heading to 70m degrees and sunny.  The flight was uneventful until the end.  They said there would be turbulence; only once had I flown where I thought I would get ill.  This flight almost made me regurgitate, and it took about an hour to feel better again.

I arrived just after 6:00 PM and was at Jordan's by 7:00 PM.  For some reason, this trip made me very stiff and sore.  It was difficult to walk without minor pain.  I went to bed early and slept poorly.

I was awake at 8:00 AM, and we moved the shelving into the garage, lubricated, and repaired the garage doors.  They were very noisy, and we attributed it to loose chains.  Some bolts were loose. 

North Carolina VS Louisville softball game

I attended the University of North Carolina vs. Louisville softball game at Noon. They split the earlier games, and this was the third to see who would win the series. It was a one-sided slugfest, with North Carolina hitting 5 home runs to a 14-to-3 victory.  While I have attended many games and watched North Carolina play in many other sports, this was the first time I saw the logo as the bottom of a foot on the helmet and a black heel.  It made me think about how they got that mascot.

Familiar logo

Logo on helmets today

I discovered the term “tar heel” dates back to North Carolina’s early history when the state was a leading producer of supplies for the naval industry. Workers who distilled turpentine from the sticky sap of pine trees and burned pine boughs to produce tar and pitch often went barefoot during hot summer months and undoubtedly collected tar on their heels. To call someone a “rosin heel” or “tar heel” was to imply that they worked in a lowly trade.

During the Civil War, North Carolina soldiers flipped the term's meaning and turned an epithet into an accolade. They called themselves “tar heels” as an expression of state pride. Others adopted the term, and North Carolina became known as the “Tar Heel State.”

After the game, Jordan ran 14 miles while I biked 20 miles and provided water at various points along the run.  It was warm, and he needed more than 20 ounces of fluid.  I am glad I picked up an extra bottle!

I am debating whether I take any sleep aids or try sleeping without anything again tonight.  After last night, a second night of poor sleep is not a good idea!

Carry on my friends!