Wednesday May 21, 2008
Our day started at 3:30am, as we needed to get ourselves ready for our flights to Chicago(Angelina--aka Lina) and Orlando(Hazel & Andy--aka mom & dad).
Lina got up and took a shower, while mom and dad started getting themselves ready. We had to drop Lina off at the high school by 4:30am. After making sure Lina get checked in, we said our good-byes and saw that Lina was starting to tear up a bit, but mom and dad needed to get back home as our limo driver was picking us up at 5:00 for our trip to the Philadelphia Airport. We arrived at the airport at 5:15 and was in the security line by 5:25. The line was quite long and it took until nearly 6:00 to make it through the security check point.
It took Hazel a little longer to get through security, she needed to be scanned because of her total hip replacement. The TSA security at the airport was quite understaffed this morning for the amount of travelers passing through the airport. Some people’s tempers were on a short fuse.
We start boarding for our flight at 6:40 and we were pulling away from the gate at 7:00 and headed for the runway. Our scheduled departure time was 7:05, and we were airborne at 7:08. It is 8:15 and we are currently cruising at 39,000 feet. We have a scheduled arrival time in Orlando at 9:25.
More Later!!!
Hazel and I arrived in Orlando at 9:18am, collected our suitcase at baggage claim, then went to Budget to get our rental car. I had reserved a mid size car, and was quite surprised when the car we were given was a PT Cruiser. I hade almost bought a PT Cruiser a couple of years ago, but decided on a Pontiac Vibe by the insistence of the car dealer.
We finally pulled away from the airport around 10:30 and headed northwest to Tavares to visit with my mom and Walt. We arrived at their place at 11:45, then the four of us went to Steak and Shake for lunch. Following lunch we went back to the house, where I fell asleep in one of the recliners.
Around 4pm, Hazel and I decided to head to our place. We got within a few miles of our trailer when we spotted a lot of smoke in the sky. The closer we got to the trailer, the larger the cloud of smoke appeared to be. After arriving at the trailer, we turned the thermostat down to 78* then headed to Wal-Mart to pick up a few items we needed, such as a 20“ flat screen TV, microwave oven and some food. On the way back to our trailer, I took some photos of the smoke, from the brush fire, with my camera phone.
Thursday May 22, 2008
I woke at 4:35 this morning, wide eyed and bushy tailed, LOL!!! Signed on to my laptop and checked my e-mail and the DISboards. Hazel woke up around 8am, shortly after that we heard a loud boom and the electric in the trailer went out. We later found out a transformer at the end of our street exploded. The service was restored a couple of hours later. We also lost our phone service, but as of 5pm (the time I am typing this message) the phone service is still out. At least Hazel and I both have our cell phones, which we have used to keep in touch with Lina (who is having a great time in Chicago) and with other family members and friends.
Hazel and I were supposed to meet up with a friend for lunch in Titusville today, but because of the raging brush fire just three miles from our trailer, and the fact that we had lost our power, we decided to stay around our trailer. I forgot to mention earlier, Hazel was in the shower when we lost power and since we have a pump that runs by electricity, the water stopped running in the shower. All I heard was a scream coming from the bathroom, “I don’t have any water in here, what happened?” Luckily, Hazel had just finished rinsing shampoo out of her hair and was just getting ready to put in the crème rinse when the water stopped.
Since we didn’t make it to meet our friend for lunch, Hazel and I headed into town and made another stop at Wal-Mart to pick up a few things that we had forgotten the night before. If you can’t tell by now, we like to visit Wal-Mart, LOL!!!
The brush fire is about 20% contained (as I type this), and I still hear news helicopters flying over our trailer. The fire has burned about 1,000 acres so far, many residents in the Deerhaven area were evacuated. We live only a few miles from Deerhaven, and the smoke smell is very strong around our home. As of this typing, no homes or injuries have been reported because of the fire, for this we are very grateful!!!
To think I left New Jersey for this, some vacation this has turned out to be. I’m not saying that in a negative way, Hazel and I have had quite a few chuckles over the past few days. So, feel free to chuckle along with us, LOL!!!
Friday May 23, 2008
I was awaken at 6:00 this morning to the sounds of what sounded like a loud croaking frog, in fact I hear the same croaking noise as I type the update.
After waiting over 25 hours we finally have our phone service back on!!!
Hazel and I took a ride into town, made a short visit to Wal-Mart(again, LOL), then we took a ride to see if The China House restaurant was still open for business. Not only were they open, but they have added on to the restaurant since we were last down here. We arrived at 12:10 and the place was packed. I soon found out why. I didn’t see the sign in the window as we were pulling in because the traffic was heavy on this very busy road and I needed to make a quick turn into the parking lot. Once we got out of the car, I saw the sign in the window, the all you can eat lunch buffet was only $3.99 and the all you can eat dinner buffet was only $5.99, these prices are good Monday through Saturday but only for a limited time. Let me tell you, the food was just as good, if not better, since we were here last.
After lunch we went back to the trailer, Hazel took a little walk to visit with one of my mom’s friends. I decided I needed to take a little power nap, so that’s where I am headed right now, byeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee.
I woke up from my power nap this afternoon to the sounds of thunder. We had some severe thunderstorms go through the area, but the rain was much needed as it has been extremely dry in this part of Florida. Looks like Hazel and I brought the rain from New Jersey, with us to Florida, LOL!!!
I just heard on the 5pm news that the brush fire here in Lake County is now 50% contained, that is great news!!!
Saturday May 24, 2008
I woke up this morning to the sounds of that croaking frog or whatever it is that is making that god awful sound. It sounds as if it under our home and right under our bedroom floorboard. Hazel takes out both of her hearing aides before she goes to bed, so she doesn’t hear the thing croaking like I do.
Hazel and I will be going to visit my mom and Walt today. My mom fixed some pants for Hazel and we have to pick up some paperwork for one of my brothers back in New Jersey. We will be flying home on Sunday, so I will be checking us in for our Southwest flight later today. Not looking forward to going back home already. If this was a little taste of what retirement is going to be like, I’m ready for it, LOL!!!
OK, just got Hazel and I checked in for our flight home on Sunday, now we are getting ready to go to visit my mom and Walt, we might even spend the night there as we are under a severe thunderstorm watch until 9pm tonight.
Had a relaxing morning at the trailer, not really ready to head home, but we don’t have much of a choice about that, LOL!!!
Sunday May 25, 2008
Woke up at 5am this morning to peaceful quietness, no frogs croaking at Walt’s house, LOL!!!
Since I was the only one awake I took advantage of it and got myself ready for the day. By the time I finished shaving and had my shower, my mom already had Walt go out in the backyard and pick some oranges off the tree so she could make us fresh squeezed orange juice to go along with our breakfast. When Hazel and I arrived on Wednesday, my mom had a larger jar of fresh squeezed orange juice ready for us to take to the trailer. Walt had also picked a few grapefruits for us to take to the trailer also.
At 8:30, Hazel and I loaded our bags in the car and headed for the airport. An hour and 15 minutes later we were dropping off our rental car and headed to the terminal to check in for our flight. Since the check in line was so long inside the airport, I found a red cap and had him check us in and take our bag. We only had one bag to check in, for me it was worth tipping this young man to avoid standing in the long check in line.
For the first time in a while, Hazel and I both passed through the security check point without either one of us being pulled aside. Since we still had two hours before our flight was scheduled to depart, we went and had a snack to hold us over until we arrive home later this afternoon.
We started boarding our plane at 12:20 and were in the air at 12:50, only five minutes behind our scheduled departure time of 12:45. As I type this, we are currently cruising at 39,000 feet and just passed over Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Our scheduled arrival time in Philadelphia is 3:20 and we just found out it is sunny and 72* in the Philadelphia area.
Once we arrive home, Hazel and I will go get some supper, then we will wait until it is time to pick Lina up at the high school, her flight from Chicago is due in around 7:30pm at Newark, NJ airport. The buses carrying the choir and band are due back at the high school at 10:15 tonight.
Even dealing with the brush fires, loss of electric and phone service, it has still been a nice 5 days reprieve from work Now, it’s time to start saving up for the next trip!!!
Arrived home a few minutes ago(4:30pm) now it’s back to reality.
Incase we dont speak before you go, have a wonderful time in Florida
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