Wednesday 27th August/Thursday 28th August
we decided we wouldnt go to bed as the tickets said to be at the airport 4 hours before boarding..... so we left Brighton at 3am, got to gatwick 3.40am queued for 20 mins then parted with cases/got boarding cards etc and through to departure lounge...... my knee had started playing up a few days before so by this time i was already in pain, i asked in advance of going to gatwick for special assistance as it always is such a long tiring walk.... for those of you who dont know me i had a total knee replacement last year in june, still not working leaving me in much pain and at times on morphine have been having hydrotherapy for a few weeks and they have said my knee cap is unstable!!
anyway Hubby Steve son Russ (25) daughter Lauren (12) and her best friend Jade (12) they left me at 7am when boarding gate number was put up so i waited with special assistance to take me down, we waited for one woman who didnt show and went to boarding gate for 7.45!! i was a little worried....
we boarded the plane last, got rows 9/10 this is a monarch plane, i had been worried about it before leaving but am very happy to say flight was great even tho we left 30 minutes late but uneventful except for very minor bumps..... why the captain feels its nessecary to tell us why we have turbulance i dont know.... half way there he said it was due to hurricane gustave(?) and we were going to go higher!!!![msnscared]
got to sanford by 12.30 there time and had a lovely whizz through immigration got cases and headed off to the dollar car hire..... i must say we have never found anything as pleasant and as fast as we did this trip!!! brilliant!! (car hire through here of course!!)
set off with our big town and country...... and down to Terra Verde.... found very easily, was allowed to get into house early..... everyone sorted....... off to walmart for supplies..... must admit feel a little down about this bit as we do like to buy the 8 grandchildren many items from florida including loads of toys but due to monarchs stingy luggage allowance we wont be bringing hardly anything back home!!
back to villa with much needed refreshments etc....
went out for evening meal at one of the favourite places we like Logans..... (peanut shells on floor) had a great dinner loads of fun and everyone just so happy, thought it was best to head home and try to get some sleep!
by now we were looking at midnight florida time and we had been buzzing for almost 24 hours...... went off to bed.....

Friday 29th August
i woke up at 7.30am.... i'm hopeless at lie ins!!
tried the pool very disappointed as we had asked for pool heating and paid for it but the water was to cold for me!! i had asked in the afternoon yesterday about having it turned up...... anyway as it didnt seem to be warmer i emailed the owner who sent the MC round to turn up..... well i manged to get in just to my waist.... still to cold and as we are in the 90's here i needed to get in the water.... so stood in there reading a book!!
went to look around walmart again for a few more bits and bobs etc,
Russ had hired a car from here and had been dying to drive in florida but waited till he was 25, so we went to pick it up yesterday and they didnt have the car he was booked for but they gave him one 3 times better then the one he shouldve had!! a dodge charger 08 model!! its a real beauty and to say hes very happy with it is an understatement!!!! had to go out using two cars Boys!!! what they like??????
he loves it its a beautiful bright red shiny car!!! hes already had to send picture messages back to the boys at home!!
today we were very excited as we had arranged to meet up with Tricia and Dave again (southsider here) and go see their new villa!! wow wow wow!!!
loads of hugs and kisses..... spent the afternoon catching up..... then went out for a lovely meal at mannys chophouse up on the 27, never been here before... Tricia rang and booked a table.... talk about busy!!!!!! it was lovely food was great and huge portions!!![msneek][