Thursday 7th September

Such a beautiful morning to wake up to: blue skies, warm temperatures and a gentle breeze.

We decide to make the most of the ‘calm before the storm’, and take a drive along Alligator Alley, not the whole way to the Gulf Coast, but halfway. We are mindful of the decreasing amounts of fuel available in the garages, and have seen extremely long queues of cars waiting to fill up, or yellow tape around the pumps, proclaiming no fuel at all. We also went into Walmart to buy a few items, and predictably shelves were empty of water, bread, snacks and the like.

We now seem to be biding time, until Irma arrives, and then await to see the aftermath.

Of course, we are watching, listening, taking note of the developing situation. Right now, at five thirty this afternoon, we are waiting to find out if we are to be forcibly evacuated from our hotel, here in North West Miami: it does not have toughened glass in the windows necessary to withstand the strong gusts.

All surrounding hotel rooms have been taken, or the hotels closed.

We are now looking at moving into a shelter…….

I’m not sure how you would have coped with this, my darling. Probably not very well.

We are missing you so much

Sweetheart Angel son

xxxxxx

Off to Alligator Alley….

Pretty reflections in the water of the Everglades….

Not many on the highway….

Grinch came along for the ride…..

Palm trees line the road, canals of the Everglades behind….

Wednesday 6th September

So, Irma thwarted our vacation plans, and has cut short our time in the Keys by almost a week.

A mandatory visitor evacuation for the whole of the Florida Keys began at 7:00am this morning.

Locals have to leave by 7:00pm.

All emergency services will have moved out by Friday.

We were up at 5:00am, packed, checked out, coffee and on the road by just after seven.

There was a beautiful sunrise, a calm, warm and quiet start to the morning.

There was no mad, panic exodus, but many gas stations do not have fuel, and supermarkets ran out of bottled water yesterday.

We’re now in Miami, and plan to stay here until the storm passes ~ unless the Weather Channel says otherwise…. or the state governor…..

Love you my darling

Beloved Angel son

xxxxxx

Such a pretty sunrise

Calm before the storm

So quiet on the Overseas Highway at 7:00am

Across the causeway

Bye bye Florida Keys

Early morning reflections

Now safely in our new hotel, checking out the pool

It’s partly cloudy, but warm at 85°F

Tuesday 5th September

Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear.

It looks like Hurricane Irma is about to spoil the end of our summer vacation. Mandatory evacuation orders have been issued for the Keys, and all visitors must begin leaving the area at sunrise tomorrow morning.

I was beginning to enjoy ‘Island Time’ very much indeed: beautiful weather, surroundings, atmosphere and way of life. We really were becoming used to having a few days to wind down, before heading back home to England.

So, there is no question about it, no arguing, no negotiation, no chance….. ya gotta get outta here.

And it will be “Good-bye, Key Largo”. For this vacation anyway.

Not sure what you would have made of it all ~ jumping up and down, shouting orders, telling us to get a move on, and secretly loving all the drama.

Sleep tight sweetheart

Precious Angel son

xxxxxx

Oh my…

It’s on it’s way

But it’s so gorgeous here….

A chair for me, and one for you…

Don’t want to leave….

A perfect day….

Monday 4th September

I imagine we’re walking along the sand

Watching the sunset, hand in hand

Warmth of the day, shoulders tanned

Colours in the sky change, as we stand

Listening to the sounds of a steel band

Thinking of you, when life was grand

For now we exist in No Man’s Land

The path of our lives didn’t go as planned

Stuck in the mud, sinking in quicksand

But the love in my heart does expand

And I just wish that I could understand

My Angel son

Forever young

xxxxxx

Lunchtime at a roadside bar

Alabama Jack’s, Card Sound Road, Key Largo

Country and Western music and dancer

Hot, even in the shade

Our table had a waterway view

Fascinating memorabilia everywhere

Conch fritters, blackened mahi mahi, fries, salad and beers

Dad swimming in the pool, later in the afternoon

Quiet, peaceful and relaxing

Just watching the swaying palms

Enjoying the shade

Sunday 3rd September

We took a glass bottom boat trip this afternoon out to Molasses Reef, off Key Largo. It was really quite warm, but wonderful in the shade on the top of the boat. Taking forty five minutes to reach the turquoise blue waters of the reef, we were lucky to see snapper, parrot and angel fish, tang, barracuda, ray, sergeant​ major fish, and a sea turtle. 

I remember when we went on a glass bottom boat trip with you, my darling, when we were on holiday in Tobago: you were chuffed to bits at the name of the operation ~ Frank’s Glass Bottom Boat Tours.

I wish you had been with us today

Love you sweetheart

Treasured Angel son

xxxxxx

Grinch came along too…..

A nice Donzi….

A cool house…..

Turquoise blue ocean…..

A sea turtle….

In the shade….

Windy hair…..

Canals, houses and boats….

Almost back to where we started….

Saturday 2nd September

This time it’s three hours and two hundred miles down south, and we’re safely ensconced in Key Largo.

We haven’t stayed on this Key before, usually choosing Islamorada or Marathon, so there should be new places to explore, other options for dining, and different activities to try out.

Wish you were here too

You should be

Here with me

Darling Angel son

xxxxxx

Palm trees

Marina reflections

Friday 1st September

This morning was spent exploring the isolated beaches on Hutchinson Island, to the east of Port St. Lucie. Beautiful, isolated stretches of sand, with no footprints, no noise and no litter, as far as the eye could see: just the sound and movement of the breaking waves. 

Blowing kisses to heaven my Angel

Dearest, darling Angel son

xxxxxx

Entrance to Frederick Douglass Park

We are the only people on the beach

No one for miles ~ no footprints, no litter, no noise

So quiet and peaceful

Surveying the ocean

Beach flowers

An empty car park

Bathtub Reef Beach

Not much for the lifeguard to do

Bathtub Reef Beach

Protected dunes and a living reef

Thursday 31st August

Almost two hundred and fifty miles, and four hours later, with the car devouring the long stretches of Interstate, we’ve arrived at our next destination. We’ll be here for a couple of days, then onto the Keys, to round off our holiday.

The temperature is a good ten degrees warmer, and the skies are a beautiful blue. 

Tired and weary after two long days of driving, we’re happy to do very little, apart from something to eat and a little shopping, a cup of tea and a shower. We’ll go exploring the coast tomorrow, from Fort Pierce down to Jensen Beach.

Thinking of you all the time

Wishing you were here

Loving you forever

Precious Angel son

xxxxxx

Dames Point Bridge over the St. Johns River, Jacksonville

Driving on past the road to Daytona Beach

Wednesday 30th August

Almost four hundred miles south, six hours later, with three stops for food, drinks and bathroom breaks, and we’re back in Florida, having driven the length of South Carolina and Georgia. A quick overnight stay before heading further south tomorrow, then on to the Keys after that.

Wish you were in the back of the car with us; wish you were here in the hotel now ~ you’d be off to the pool, splashing and swimming about, or you’d take control of the television, and flick through the masses of channels, searching for SpongeBob or Batman or Star Trek. 

We think of you all the time; what you’d do, what you’d say, what you’d choose. That will never change.

We miss you every single moment. That will never change.

We love you so much. That will never change.

Dearest, darling Angel son

xxxxxx

Sunrise this morning, before we left……

With pretty, fluffy clouds

“My mom always said life was like a box of chocolates. You never know what you’re gonna get.”

Tuesday 29th August

And so we come to the end of our two week stay in North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. 

Two weeks of doing nothing.

Nothing to worry about.

Nothing to stress over.

Nothing to think about.

No problems.

No concerns.

No fears.

And it has been so restful, recharging, relaxing and calming.

We missed you every single day

Love you my Angel

Treasured son

xxxxxx

An early morning knock on our door ~ a delivery from our good friends ~ hello breakfast

A grey, quiet start to the morning

Clouds gathering this afternoon

But still pleasant to sit on the beach