I spent most of the day feeling extremely tired.
After waking up, I went and ate some pancakes and then we went to the beach to take some photos. When we got back, Emily came over and we watched Ferris Bueller’s Day Off. During which I almost fell asleep. It was hard watching it having seen the Fight Club trailer for it.
After that, we had dinner. A big meal made by Cathy. Pasta, meatballs, etc and chocolate cake for dessert.
Later on, we watched Across The Universe, which, as a film is pretty crap, but the use of music was pretty cool — the way they worked the different Beatles songs into it.
The last day was spent doing a lot of nothing really. Just waiting to go home, I packed up my stuff in the morning. I’d said goodbye to Steve the night before and Cathy came home on her lunch break to say her goodbyes and shortly after that, we were heading to the airport. There ended up being three car’s at the airport to bid me adieu.
Abby, Janine & I were in one car, Lauren was in another, having been at a job interview and Emily came in her car, after class. We checked out the shops, the L. Ron Hubbard books, the Harley Davidson jackets and the shark hats, before sitting down by the window, Lauren at one point described it as our Central Perk. (because we’re the cold open to Friends).
Then. I said goodbye. I hugged them all and made my way to the other part of the airport, where they couldn’t follow.
I wasn’t sure about things before going. I’d originally said yes to going and booked things, because I wanted to see the last shuttle launch. The launch wasn’t happening any more, and while yeah, I would be seeing some cool things while I was there, I would be staying with relative strangers. A family, only one of which I knew, and barely knew at that.
Do I regret going? Not at all. I had an amazing time, both with the family and in Orlando (and “just east of”…) — Everyone I met made me feel extremely welcome and despite the warnings I got about Cathy or “My Mom” (as the warnings generally came from Lauren), I didn’t once feel unwanted, or uncared for in her company… and I defintiely never felt hungry…
So thank you ‘Florida Family’ and who knows? – Maybe I’ll take you up on that trip to the Keys sometime.