WeaselAdventure

Well we've been back for so long and embroiled in work, school and many other stories. Eli's about to back to school and I'm about to enter the Autumn touring schedule at work. So rather than rattle on about America and how awesome it is, was, always will be.. I've taken the executive decision to post up a wee photoblog of the last week in America.

We had a wonderful time. The Tilford's took us in when we were hungry and treated us like family and the Freelon's, as ever, looked after and welcomed us. Kevin's mom let us bunk in her house, though we didn't get to meet her, one day, soon I hope we can return the favour and David was amazing at making sure we didn't get lost! We had a wicked time taking it easy at his moms house and exploring the park. It's great to know we're part of all their extended clans!




Just like old times in College Hill!



'mon the bevvie!



Good work.



Over engineering.



Miles Davis' ...



Lard! It's been here for years!



The dug!



This landed here and then a butterfly flew out!



The 'other' room mates..



'I'm not going up there double fisting it.'



David and Ashanti.



The original line up...



Who looks the business?



Kevin, me and Brandon...



All three Freelons...



Kevin and Eli...



Old friends and new ones!



Sergio!!



Weasel in New York...

Our best intentions to finish the holiday blog have been left aside in the wake of work, family and five 42oz steaks. However, our scribblings have been so well received that they’ll probably become a permanent fixture. It saves listening to us talk so much. Anyway, one thing at a time. Let’s finish the holiday.

In the sweaty heat of North Carolina, Eli and I took a wander into the College Campus. It was still mildly strange to see Eli wandering around a place where I spent so much time away from everyone in Scotland. Like a wise man once said: Like a dream where you see your Gran in the Cathouse.



The campus has grown quite a bit. A fair number of new dorms have sprung up around the place and for once the fountain was on in front of the Caf. They have even built new music building with Miles Davis’ trumpet in the foyer. After a quick trip down memory lane we headed to out to Geoff’s parents.



They live in a beautiful house out in the countryside of North Carolina. Of course you’ve got to be aware of what that actually means. Most cities and towns in America have a similar feel. Intersecting roads built on a planned grid and 1980’s neon signs sitting comfortably with 50’s bleached billboards. The American’s don’t renovate or replace they just keep adding to what’s already there. Usually this doesn’t include pedestrains who are absent from the American town picture. This is a country built on cars. A country where they don’t think twice about building a bar somewhere you actually have to drive to drink in.

The little town is a perfect example of this American chic. It’s got lots of supermarkets and not much else. Being the south, it’s also got a lot of Conservative and religious types. So much so that they only just got a bar you have to drive to. It’s the only bar in town. Even buying a bottle of wine was fairly difficult . The supermarket sold all manner of non-alcoholic wines but Satan-be-damned if they have any booze. Wasn’t that Jesus’ best trick? You could however buy a twelve kg tub of lard. We were tempted to grease ourselves up and wrestle.



Geoff’s parents are great. Lovely and laidback and, boy, can they cook a steak. We spent the evening eating and hanging out the back porch with them and his brother and the dugs – a former racing lurcher and medium-sized over excited Heinz. The house is way out the sticks and it was nice to escape and listen to tree frogs and crickets for a few hours.

By the time we got back it was too late to pick up some beer so we turned up a Pony’s place empty handed and enjoyed a game of risk. My old roommate David came over and it was great to catch up. He’s engaged to the girl he was seeing while I was over there and had more than a few fun stories about getting stuck in New Orleans and proposing over dinner. It was great.

We're home now. Safe and sound... but there is still a fair bit of travelog to go, so before we officially flush America out of our systems, we'll continue with the chat.

Our second flight of the day was in an Emberer Jet. It's a little 25 seater aircraft that scares the bejesus out of me. To make matters worse they found a problem with the engine while we were boarding. We had to sit in the glass fronted terminal watching some men in jump suits shrug their shoulders and make a face that said 'oh well' before boarding.

One girl even got off the plane. Scary stuff.

Anyway, we landed proper and Geoff was on hand to collect us. He sporting a rather large mustache that gets into his food and causes him a great deal of distress, but it goes well with his pseudo gypsy image.

His apartment is about a mile off campus, an old 1920's building with a lot of character, particlarly the huge brown heater in the middle of the living room that seems to have a mind of it's own. I think it may have been retrofit in the 70's, but it's a nice place for Geoff to build steampunk outfits from.

Geoff's next door neighbour is an odd looking strange talking oldish man who seems to have a very long whacking stick. Even at conversation level he repeatedly bangs on the wall, for upwards of 3 minutes at time. Geoff was delighted we were staying because everyone else we know is scared to come round. I thought it was great. We only saw the guy once, partaking in his favourite hobby which is standing outside on the side walk just looking at cars...for hours.

Immediately we headed out to El Carratton.. the wheel barrow. A popular hang out with the international kids back in the day and glad to report it hasn't changed at all. Much like the rest of Greensboro.

We grabbed a case of beer and rushed to Kevin's appartment where he was sat in his shorts, playing video games.I even found a bottle in his bathroom for spitting dip into. Like I said, things haven't changed. It was great to see him again and the same jokes flew thick and fast as we caught up with the biggest man on campus and his infectious laugh.

We headed out to College Hill, which was Geoff and I's old haunt and it was particularly trippy to have Eli there. There was lots of toasting to the old and to the new as we got progressively more drunk and boisterous before being turfed out at 2am... I think it's a record for us to make it to closing time in that place.

We crashed out at Geoff's place rising at around 4pm before having some breakfast at a really sketchy diner. A spot of laundry, some more catching up with a friend called Brandon.. otherwise known as Pony after his incredible hair...and then off to the mall, where I successfully blew a few hundred dollars on a Carolina Panthers shirt and pair of trainers.

We took things a little easier that night, talking video games, comic books and music just like old times before hitting the hay at a respectable time.

The weather thus far had been cool but it was starting to pick up over night. By the end of the week, we were sweaty ugly messes, full of the southern joojoo.