FLORIDA: October 13 - 19
What an incredible time I had in Florida! I had envisaged a quite and relaxing week with my family in Port St. Lucie, but what a surprise was in store for me! I arrived at Miami airport 10:15pm. My brothers Trevor and Franklyn and my nephew Codey were there to get me. We didn't leave the airport until around 11pm due to a delay in retrieving my luggage. Our plan was to stay over in Ft. Lauderdale for the night and drive up to Port St. Lucie in the morning, but before going to Ft. Lauderdale we were invited to dinner by Michael's auntie Linnie who relocated to Miramar(a development close to Ft. Lauderdale). Michael had arrived and have already been picked up by Linnie from the Ft. Lauderdale airport. We arrived at Miramar around mid night, and was surprised to be greeted by a group of around fifteen friends of Linnie waiting for our arrival. There was a delicious spread of Jamaican cuisine. We stayed there eating and talking until around 2:00am. I was amazed at the hospitality shown by Linnie's friends and more astonished to learn that the gathering was held Linnie's friends' place (Loraine and Homer). I later discovered much more about how genuine and kind these Friends were. Here are some photos of those wonderful friends:
We left Miramar around 2:00am and travelled around 20 minutes to visit another of my brothers who was waiting up to see us. His family fell asleep but he manage with much effort to arouse a few of them since they had been waiting a long time to see us. We left his place around 2:45 am and headed for Ft. Lauderdale. We went to bed around 3am and got up the next morning around 7:00am to prepare for our journey to Port St. Lucie ( about 1.5 hours drive). Franklyn stayed in Ft. Lauderdale as he was leaving for Jamaica later that day. So Trevor, Codey, a neighbour and I travelled together to Port St. Lucie. We got dressed for the meeting from Ft. Lauderdale, so when we arrived at Port St. Lucie we went straight to the meeting (Park Way Cong). Can you imagine how difficult it was to keep awake at the meeting from 9:30 am - 11:30 am after staying up until about 3:15 am. The meeting started before the rest of my family arrived, so after the meeting I went around to greet the rest of my family and friends. Here are some of the photos: (the first photo is of my mother and I and the second if of my brother Trevor and my nephew Codey):
I discovered at the meeting that many of the friends were invited to my family's house for a gathering later that day. Upon arriving at the house, I discovered that Althea (my brother's wife) had planned a lavish gathering in a splendid setting at their home. There were around 65 in attendance with a buffet-stile setting of a wide assortment of Jamaican cuisine and different outdoor activities for the youths. Before the crowd came, I made sure I took a few hours nap so that I could stay awake and alert during the festivities. Everyone had a marvelous time! Below are some photos of the gathering in Port St. Lucie:
The previous photos showed the gathering put on by Trevor and Althea [my brother an his wife] at their home in Port St. Lucie. The next set of photos were taken at Universal Studio in Orlando when Mike, Linnie and I drove up from Port St. Lucie to meet Matthew and Marie for a few hours and then drove about 4 or 5 hours back to Linnie's place in Ft. Lauderdale to catch her book study that evening and to prepare for a sumptuous Jamaican Breakfast that Linnie promised to make the next morning for Mike and me and a few of her close friends from Ft. Lauderdale:
Linnie lives in a beautiful and tranquil development in the Ft. Lauderdale area called Miramar, which is surrounded by several lakes. Can you imagine how pleasant and tranquil it is getting up in the mornings and stepping out of the back door onto a pattio with a pool overlooking a lake. That's where Linnie lives and where we had the sumptuous breakfast that Linnie prepared. What a life!
During my last few days in Florida, I pay a visit to my Neice Carrie and her husband Jerome. They only got married recently (I believe in August). 
. It was very difficult deciding who to visit and for how long because I had such a short stay in each place I visit and so many people to see. However, I couldn't resist the invitation to visit Oreth (Althea's brohter) and his family, especially since Oreth planned to prepare dinner for us. Oreth and Norma's house was jsut a beautiful and lavish as Trevor's and Althea's, but I was more suprised that Oreth could prepare such a delicious meal. I thought I could cook, but he put me to shame. here are some photos of dinner at Oreth's and Norma's:
. It was very difficult deciding who to visit and for how long because I had such a short stay in each place I visit and so many people to see. However, I couldn't resist the invitation to visit Oreth (Althea's brohter) and his family, especially since Oreth planned to prepare dinner for us. Oreth and Norma's house was jsut a beautiful and lavish as Trevor's and Althea's, but I was more suprised that Oreth could prepare such a delicious meal. I thought I could cook, but he put me to shame. here are some photos of dinner at Oreth's and Norma's: 
I also visited and had lunch with some very close friends (the Carters) from Jamaica whom I haven't seen for over 20 years. I can't believe I didn't get a photo of my visit to them. This is what usually happens when you leave important things for the last minute.
Well, its now time to get packing for Jamaica. My mother has decided was coming to Jamaica with me, and I could't persuade her otherwise !!! Regardless of my reason or the ulturia motive for wanting to pursuade her otherwise, a well know Jamaican educator, Miss Rhodd would say: "Some mothers do have them!" See you in Jamaica.
