My alarm went off at 8:15, and though I was supposed to wake up Irene, I smelled coffee as soon as I opened my eyes, and I knew she was already up.
Along with our coffee, I had a hardboiled egg, and some toast, and she passed on breakfast before we left for our walk.
We did indeed walk the unpaved side of the lake, and it was not at all as we’d anticipated. That trail is poorly, poorly marked, and we came to a dead end at least two, if not three times. I probably won’t be doing that side again any time soon.
We did finish in less time than we anticipated, though. We probably cut off some of the two miles being lost. Oh well. I’m glad to have “tried” it. 
Where’s my life’s to-do list?
I took Irene to the Alamo place at RDU, where she rented a nice blue Jeep Cherokee, after being persistently sure that they couldn’t get an import from anywhere.
I transferred her luggage from my trunk to her rental, and we exited the airport, she taking 40-E, while I took 40-W.
En route to Piper’s in the Park, I decided to call Robert, instead of trying to surprise him with lunch, to make sure 1) that he could take the time to eat, and 2) to bring him something that he’d actually want.
I’m glad I did, as I was going to get him one of their Pimento Cheese sandwiches, which I love, but when I mentioned that to him as a possible item, he made a face, with his voice that is, that indicated that that wasn’t going to be his choice.
He got a patient while we were talking, so I told him I’d call him back when I got to Piper’s.
I got to Piper’s and found it closed, as well as just about everything else in that little strip mall area, including Jersey Mike’s. I called Robert back to tell him, and after talking about it, ended up not meeting for lunch, though he very much appreciated the thought.
At home, Irene called me from I-40, where the traffic was totally stopped around Clayton, to ask me if I had computer access at the moment to see a traffic report that might shed some light on what might be causing the jam.
Joe checked in later in the day, and hit the same mess on his way to Wilmington this afternoon.
Irene called back between 6:30 and 7:00 to report that her rental car was “hesitating” as if it were running out of gas, but the tank was still a quarter full.
She asked if I’d come rescue her and Maria if they broke down, and I was a little short in saying, “I think you should call Alamo.”
I only meant that we would probably most likely both get to them at the same time, and it seemed to me, they’d be arriving with a replacement vehicle, while I wouldn’t.
I hadn’t heard from them by about 7:30, so checked back in with them to find them having made it to the Crabtree Marriott safely, and the Alamo people on the way with a replacement vehicle, and a tow truck to take the other one away.
I had to choose between dancing and Pride & Prejudice at the NCMOA tonight. By the time everything got settled with Irene tonight, dancing was the better option as it didn’t involve a time commitment by which to get there.
I checked in with E-Ching and the gang, and it sounded like they were on their way to having fun in spite of my absence. >Yay!
I told E-Ching and Courtney to lust after “Mr. Darby” for me. Hot man.
Dancing was pretty decent tonight for a Saturday.
It was “Leather Night,” though at one point, Adam (the DJ) made an announcement, “We’d like to welcome the Carolina Bear Lodge tonight.”
Later he said something to the effect of, “Ah, actually it’s Leather Night, so welcome to the Tarheel Leatherman.” And then added, after the laughter, “Bottom line, there’s a lot of leather queens up in here tonight.”
I drifted over to CCs after dancing, where I wish I hadn’t, and didn’t stay very long. Interesting note, Al Parker was the singer in the piano lounge. I didn’t know he was a singer.