When I was a child, until the summer I turned 17, this was one of our Vacation Destinations. My Dad (Grandpa who raised me) loved its simplicity. Its "regular folks" charm. He always referred it it as "the poor man's beach". Not the Glitz and Glitter ( or expense) of those further South; or the "Youth and Mayhem" of Daytona or Panama City. Just a place to relax. Soak in the surf or fish off the pier. A week or two in the sun.
We always stayed just across A1A at a little Mom and Pop Motel.
One of my fonder memories of him is being surprised on the pier with THIS he had slipped back into the gift shop to purchase.
Not only did I wear a dab every day that we were there...but even today the "orange blossom smell" transports me right back to that (then) wooden pier baking in the Florida sun with my Grandpa. Him smelling of Old Spice and pipe tobacco, and this seashell package in my 7 year old hand. Smiling a huge smile.
It is one of my earliest "warm, happy, loved scents".
In later years when I was 16 and engaged (...yeah...I know...dumb idea...high-school sweetheart and all that...we both came to our senses before actually going through with it...thankfully...) they actually invited my fiancé to join us for our summer vacation here.
Late in the evening, away from prying eyes we engaged in the make-out fumblings and kisses of teenagers right there on Flagler's sandy and sand-spur covered dunes. OUCH!
Ah youth.
Friday, I received a video shot by Tony one of the restaurant owner's along A1A (Oceanside) a better documentation of the damage than any of the newscasters. As I watched the almost hour long video, horrified, it showed me what happened when Matthew was finished grazing the coastline of Flagler.
News crews would start releasing images a day later
And this still photo doesn't begin to do it justice.
The Funky Pelican Restaurant and Gift Shop and the Flagler Pier emerged largely unscathed. Somewhat miraculous, actually.
I nearly cried with relief.
Crabby Joe's is now gone. As is a huge huge swathe of A1A North. The dunes (sand-spurs and all), and the beach...gone.
A memory now, kind of like Jeff.
Just gone.
Washed out to the Atlantic.
By tonight, Matthew will probably make its turn back out to sea. In Haiti the death toll has topped 800 and they have went as far as to say there are so many missing and feared dead that the actual toll is "uncountable" at this time.
Direct Relief is a very good foundation in case you want to help the people who have survived this direct hit. Most of their funds end up as food/shelter/clothing for the people affected. We were so very fortunate. Miami/Ft. Lauderdale could have ended up much this same way if Matthew had not wobbled off its path.
https://www.directrelief.org/
Further North in The States, the slow moving wet storm has wreaked havoc and caused flooding through St. Augustine and Upper Florida, Georgia and The Carolinas. It has caused the loss of 17 lives here, so far.
St. Augustine Flooding
Watching a second emerging Hurricane in the Atlantic (Hurricane Nicole) and wondering exactly what would happen if Matthew (now weaken) and this new one would collide on the return. In my lifetime, I have never seen that happen.
Extremely glad to live land-locked.
Was sipping coffee in the cool and quiet of Sunday Morning when I heard a knock on the door. Opened it to greet not only Chris and Tina, but both my Grand-Puppies!!
Yes. T'was a Drive By Grand-Puppying!
(this is Neville's Don't MAKE me come over there, face)
Tucker was less than amused. He sulks. The Amish have nothing on Tucker when it comes to "shunning".
They have tickets for the Harry Potter Release at IMAX...are joining me Tuesday morning for Hot Cocoa and something yummy for breakfast...and are planning to join Nicole, James and I (and the Grands) with Kimber and Emma for our Fall trip to The Orchard (and pumpkins, apples, cider and hayrides) soon.
Can't wait!
Best part of Fall!
Everybody together!
This morning's visit was brief...and I returned back to The Morning Edition and simmering sausage gravy to go with biscuits. Wrote a bit. Read a bit. Napped a little. Caught the end of the Colts-Bears game. We needed a win badly, and in the fourth quarter (again) they managed to pull it off. Now we are 2-3 and the Bears are 1-4 going into the 6th week.
(...John...I heard you and Gizmo celebrating way over here!!!)
(...Diane and Lillian...I heard you both scream "FUCK" way over here, as well...)
Stuffed a chicken to slow roast and fixed the last of the summer's sweet corn-on-the-cob. Baking an Apple Crostada to drizzle with soft caramel...my latest go-to sweet.
Working tonight on my Mediterranean painting. Slow going and probably won't be ready for detailing until later in the week. So much for finishing it up this weekend.
Still not sure if I am going to subject myself to tonight's Debate. It's kind of like a train-wreck at this point. You catch yourself peering through your fingers while your hands are covering your eyes in horror. Which kind of sums up the entire 2016 Presidential Election, so far.
I am going to pick up a fresh canvas and start the "Ghost of Monet" this week, regardless, while the idea is still in my mind's eye.
Hoping to have another bit completed on The Plan (manuscript) by Tuesday evening.
More anon...
