[ 01/04/24 ]: I was looking for library book sales online yesterday and came across the online site for the Chapel Hill Library (friends) bookstore. I saw there was a pickup area where book purchasers could come to pick up the books they had bought online. *I did drive all the way to Chapel Hill and drove into the Staff Parking area, where there were a couple of “pickup” parking spots for the two days designated. I then drove around and parked in the Library parking area and made a call to the Publix in Fayetteville to reserve a “Roasted Chicken – Original.” I told them I would stop by to pick up the chicken at about 4:30 pm, and within a few minutes of that time, I was there. They were busy, but I saw what I wanted on the hot counter. I took the bag with the roasted chicken in it and went to the Service Desk, where I was able to pay and where I asked them to notify the “Prepared Foods” section that I had already picked up my order.

While looking online, Google Maps, for the Chapel Hill Library location, I viewed the aerial view of the location where the old Southern Seasons store was located. But, there was nothing there, or very little. The store was gone, or a good portion of it. I wasn’t sure if I was looking at a view from a long time ago, or something more recent. But, when I actually drove by this location later in the day, “Yup, it’s gone.” And, I just checked online and they started to demolish the Southern Seasons building back in March 2023.

I liked visiting & shopping at Southern Seasons. The store was large, had a cafe/restaurant section accessible from inside, but maybe not a part of Southern Seasons proper. There was a large coffees/teas section, cheeses & deli meats, a wall of candies, a wine and spices section and a large area of kitchen utensils. I think this is where I first purchased “Grains of Paradise.” They also had “tongue” baloney. They had the Hot “Chinese” Mustard that you could add water to, for egg rolls. 

Once, I seem to recall buying the various ingredients to make a sandwich lunch in my car. I had a tongue baloney sandwich and I think I bought a single serving bottle of special ginger ale.

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On my way up to Chapel Hill, I stopped by Golden Hex in Cary, walked up and down the various isles, past the cheese and deli meats section, and only ended up buying some pickles. As I am watching more closely what I am eating, I know I don’t need the fatty sausages and deli meats. I’m not saying I don’t enjoy the different flavors, but I know at this time I don’t need to buy any more. I wish Golden Hex well though!

After Golden Hex, I drove over to the Cary Wegmans and went in. I had been thinking of buying a single Miami Onion Roll (@$1.10) but when there decided against it, and although a large blueberry bagel would have been delicious, I didn’t buy one of those either. I looked at the Andouille sausages, but didn’t buy those either, although an Andouille & Lentil soup would be good (today is much colder than yesterday).

I did buy a puck of Bucheron (semi-soft, tart, goat cheese) and also some yellow/orange grape tomatoes. I looked for unsweetened dried cranberries, but they only had sweetened ones. I did buy dried Currants that were supposedly unsweetened, but later noted that they had a bunch of natural sugar.

I walked out to my car and drove to a less crowded section of the Wegman’s parking lot and ate the lunch I had brought with me, along with a little of the Bucheron cheese. I had carried my homemade Greek Salad, with dressing, a cooked hamburger patty, a slice of sweet onion and a slice of wheat bread, cut in half and dressed with my mustard/horseradish/sweetener on one slice and Duke’s Mayo on the other. I had a couple of the rice crackers I like with my salad. They don’t become soggy, but these had become tougher to chew.

This Wegmans is in the flight path for RDU Airport and it is amazing how many large jets fly overhead in a twenty minutes period of time. There must be at least two runways, set slightly askew, because all the jets took one of two different angles toward the airport.

After going by the Chapel Hill Library, I headed back through the UNC Campus & Chapel Hill on a slight “scenic” tour. I drove past my old dorm (Aycock), who’s name was changed a few years ago because Charles B. Aycock was racist. But in his day, he was the next Governor of North Carolina after Lindsay Russell (Republican and distant relative). But, they had a mutual respect for each other, and Russell left the Governor’s Mansion better kept and stocked for his successor.

When I lived in Aycock Dorm in the early 1970s (1972-74) it was a standalone three level building (4 if you count the basement). I lived on the 3rd floor, 318 I think. But some years ago they built a connector to an adjacent dorm and completely got rid of the small courtyard and bicycle parking area at one end of these dorms. Oh, there was a Lewis Dorm at that time. Probably still is. But, I had a slightly younger roommate that would call out from our 3rd floor window and say, “Lewis. Leewisss…, Lewis.” And someone from Lewis Dorm would inevitably say, “What,” to which my roommate would reply, “Eat Shit!” *This roommate also taught me the art of cussing.” I think to that point my cursing vocabulary only consisted of “shit,” “damn,” and the occasional “fuck.” But this roommate would string together a bunch of dirty words in a quite artistic manner.

I don’t recall the name of this roommate (he wasn’t Keith Smith, my first roommate at Carolina, and Keith a Senior), but he was a very good tennis player and had nice rackets. I was never interested in tennis while there, but only a year or so later when attending Campbell College (it was a college then) did I take up the sport of tennis, and after several years was an okay player, and even taught both youth and adults (through Onslow County) tennis.