Playing catch up with the blog again!
A lot has happened since my last post way back in August...
I drove over to Melbourne on the other side of Florida to meet with the US family for Jack Sirois' first birthday! It was really great to see them all again and to finally meet baby Jack. Emma Kate is growing to be such a clever and beautiful young lady.
However, upon making the drive back, my roommates car broke down... so I had to leave it in Melbourne! Her dad is willing and able to fix it, but not for a while... he has to travel from Connecticut!
Since my last post I have also taken my US license written exam, and passed of course... ;) Just need to take my practical test now. Having a US license would help me a lot with ID issues, and even insurance in case I intend to purchase my own car.
Me and one of my best friends Sohmer took the chance to see our first ever burlesque show! It was strange and awesome. We scrubbed up for the event of course.
My roommate Cat and our friend Sandra saved some baby bunnies that had been abandoned... look how small!!
During Labour day, me Scott and Debra took a visit to Orlando to have a good walk around two hotels they designed for. It was great to finally see the Cabana Bay Beach Resort, as it's been on my bucket list for some time, the wayfinding and thematic signage was really incredible, and great to finally see it in the space. We also took a trip over to Trader Sams in the Disney Polynesian Hotel, to meet with their friend Merritt, and her brother who are both in the themed entertainment industry, and have worked with both Universal and Disney. Was great to be in such intelligent and interesting company.
Even if I did forget my passport (disneys only accepted form of UK ID) and so had to settle with a 'chocolate milk'...
Then, on our drive home from Orlando we heard about a little hurricane called Irma, that was planning to devastate the Carribbean and head straight for Florida.
Both Scott and Debra have been so supportive and flexible for me and my decision to evacuate myself up to Tallahassee to stay with family out of the way of the storm, and I am extremely grateful! I was pretty scared, I won't lie.
I took the decision last Wednesday to rent a car and drive 5 hours for what turned into an impromptu week away up north. It looked like Irma was headed straight for the west, then the east, then everywhere then Tallahassee. Luckily, in the end it wasn't harsh at all up north, and quite minimal damage in Sarasota, too. Other places weren't so lucky, including The Keys. Lots of places are left without power and water, and lots are flooded. It was truly terrifying to watch. Getting kind of sick of 'once in a lifetime' weather catastrophes happening once a week, aren't you? And they say climate change isn't true...
It was great to spend time with the mordens and extended family. Me and Sarah really did just pick up where we left off, like it was 2005 again!
Sarah took me on a magical mystery tour of Tally which included the Florida State Capitol building and the automobile museum.
Sue and John were so accommodating of me this past week, they really were the perfect hosts. Their patience and level headedness kept us all together for a week long hurricane party!
New-to-me 1960s bag gifted to me by Sue from a thrift shop in Tallahassee.
Irma's path of destruction:
Emma Kate catching up on some light reading before the 'cane:
My roommates dog, Addie posing for a portrait.