Dear Diary: The Month We Were in a Hurricane

Hello, hello! To say October was an eventful month for me would be an understatement. We went to Florida for a family vacation and it just so happened to be the same week of Hurricane Milton. It was just a week or so after Helene, so everyone was on edge.

Had we paid better attention to the weather, we would have rescheduled. When we left on our way, the storm seemed far enough from where we would be and there was no indication that it was going to be ‘the worst storm ever in the history of time!’ It was the night we arrived in Florida that Milton was starting to look like the worst storm ever. We took the trip one day at a time and for that reason, it was the longest week of vacation I think that we ever had – and not in a bad way.

Thankfully, the storm wasn’t as bad as it could have been. We were in Orlando, center state, so we thought we’d fare well through it. All the locals we talked to weren’t worried. The worst we had was a category 1 with peak gusts at 92 mph, and if the weather app was correct, steady winds at about 50 mph through the night. The rain wasn’t bad and we hardly heard the wind from inside the house we were staying. There was a garage for our vehicle and the dogs were able to go outside for their last potty break before the worst of the wind came. When we woke up there were a few shingles in the grass and the front bushes were slightly angled, but that was all.

There is no way we would have stayed had we been anywhere but Orlando. And for future reference, I think I will do a better job weather tracking before a gulf state trip. Especially if we decide to book as far in advance as we did with this one. I shall avoid hurricane season next time. (For some reason I originally thought the season was over in October. I was wrong.)

We had two days where we didn’t do much but just stay at the vacation house we rented and hang out. We played games, watched some shows, swam, and enjoyed the company. The boy went with us and it was wonderful. Our last family of three vacation was back in 2019 so it had been awhile. I hope Ethan tagging along is something that becomes a more regular occurrence. We loved having him with us. As did the pups.

As for the highlights of the trip, we went to Universal Studios, ate at some really good restaurants, went to some fun attractions, and did some shopping. Over all it was a great week!

Universal Studios was the main event. We originally were going to purchase two day tickets, but once we got there we decided on one not knowing exactly what the weather was going to do. The day we picked was perfect! No rain and not that hot at all. We splurged on the fast passes and we will never not get them again. The longest we waited was probably 10 minutes for a ride. And the ride of the day was the newest coaster, the Velocicoaster. I was terrified, but once it was over it was pretty awesome. Maybe on another trip, I will ride it and try to keep my eyes open.

Next on the list of things we absolutely wanted to do was Cirque du Soleil. Even though it was 2015 when we last went the boy didn’t remember it. He will for sure remember this time and especially since he could appreciate the acrobatic element of it all. It was quite a show!

We did our shopping and most of our dining at Disney Springs. This was where the Cirque was. My favorite restaurant was The Edison. Not so much for the food, but for the atmosphere. Steampunk is what the kids call it, or industrial vintage is what I also like to say it reminds me of. The food was okay, but way overpriced for pretty basic hamburgers and drinks. But the presentation and the ambiance of it was was cool. I liked all the decor.

Vacation is over and while my RAV fared the trip to Florida and the hurricane well, we had a garage to park in, it did not fare the drive to Jackson a few days once we got back home. Unfortunately, I had a road hazard accident when we got back and it’s been two weeks to get my vehicle sorted out. I was so bummed out about it. Nothing like wrecking your new car. I’ll say this has not been the year for cars for the Thorpe’s.

Other than that, I have no complaints. October was pretty great! We got our first renters out at the RV campground and they will be staying until January, maybe even longer. The laundry house is functioning and the final touches of it all are in progress. And it looks like 2024 is going to be ending on a good note if it keeps going as it’s been.

With just over 6 weeks left of 2024, I am hoping for some more wonderful memories to add to the archives! Hope you all have had as great of a year so far. Until next time. I will leave you with October, one second a day.