Late last night I finished my preparations for sheltering in place. After a few hours of restless sleep, I awoke this morning to a different scenario – mandatory evacuation was imminent. So, I followed the old axiom; Prepare for the worst, hope for the best.

I secured my outdoor furnishings and decor, covered my windows, loaded up my important belongings, and by noon I was on the road. My Plan B was to stay with friends in central Florida, Plan C was friends in Georgia, Plan D was friends in North Carolina, Plan E was friends in Virginia.

The weather update around 2pm tossed all those options out the window as the hurricane was predicted to track north through the South. I have stopped for the night in Charlotte, NC. Well on my way to Plan F, my cousin’s in Ohio.

Thank you to everyone who reached out to check on me, sorry I haven’t able to respond. It’s been a hectic day! The next few days should be interesting. I hope the storm does minimal damage throughout its path!

A couple months ago, I stopped at the Pinellas County Heritage Village in nearby Largo. The 21-acre site is home to a living history museum that protects 33 unique, culturally distinct buildings from the county’s early years.

I was delighted it was finally open (it had closed during COVID) and enjoyed a brief stroll around the grounds. In the visitor center I was drawn to these replica fruit crate labels. There were quite a few citrus packing companies operating in the county in the 1910s-40s. They marketed their products by putting these visually appealing labels on their crates.

During the 1940s, cardboard boxes began to replace wooden crates and need for the colorful labels diminished. In later decades, diseases and freezes crippled Florida’s citrus industry and thousands of acres of groves were developed.

Even though I had no idea what to do with them, I selected six labels from the dozens available. My next stop that afternoon was a thrift store. In the back of the shop was an old, sash window with six panes. Talk about a perfect match!

I finally got around to cleaning, repairing, and painting the old window. I’m pleased with my “new” label display!

Most days, I find a walk on the beach to be restorative. On days when I’m not feeling well, even more so. The fresh air (and the negative ions released by the crashing of the waves) soothe my soul.

I was disappointed not to see any dolphins tonight but I still enjoyed the entertainment. Never a dull moment (and it’s always better than tv)!

I found this top of a china cabinet out by the road a few months ago. It was solid oak and in decent shape (just missing a shelf and the cord for the light had been cut) but amazingly, the mirror and all the glass were still intact. I was instantly enamored with the unique, curved glass on the sides of the piece. So, I loaded it into my car and brought it home.

It sat in my carport gathering dust until I came across an oak plank the right size for the shelf. I cleaned, sanded, and painted the cabinet (using discounted “oops” paint). Then I rewired the lamp (using cord from a yard sale), added feet to give it a little height (harvested from a couch beside a dumpster), and switched out the knobs (from a thrift store). I cannot take credit for the hardest part, cutting the plank to match the curves of the cabinet. Thank you, Al, that was no mean feat!

I’m pretty darn pleased with how it turned out. Now comes the hard part, deciding what to put in there!

Caught a bit of the action as the tide was going out this evening; a jumping fish (probably a mullet) and two cruising dolphins.