21st November:

Well I was awake early mainly I think because of nerves, I know I did it last year but travelling alone is not something I am used to and to be honest the passport business has got to me a little. Most of you now know though that I opened a small drawer next to the bed which has been opened and checked many, many times and there in a bag was my passport, I didn't know whether to laugh or cry so did both!

Now came the question what to do about the tall, bearded guy with glasses that was coming to meet me at Orlando airport to conduct an interview and issue me with a temporary emergency passport. I rang the number given and went through to London and the Embassy there, I explained the situation and asked the lady to pass on the news to Orlando, she obviously did because as I hadn't heard back I rang the number again a few hours later and spoke to the gentleman who was coming to meet me..... everyone was charming and very helpful and in the end it only cost me $12 for the passport photographs I had done.

The morning did drag a little but at least the sun was shining and I sat round the pool for a while but was restless so was ready for my 2.30 pick up from Peter, and Car on the Drive, the car hire might be more expensive but to me was worth every penny, I did say that I missed having central locking though, it is amazing how much of a nuisance not having it was. Was dropped off right by the Virgin desks and there was a bit of a 'line' but when I asked the guy if there were any seats available in Premier Class he put me in that line and said he would go look. There wasn't but I could stay in the queue and went immediately to the desk.......... good  job! Security was efficient too and I am now
here with a long wait before gate opens, plenty of people watching to do though.

Now the reason I decided to ask for an upgrade was twofold, by finding my passport I saved a lot of money, probably over £300 and also I get my first OAP payment next week so I thought why not treat

myself, I have worked hard for the past three weeks and with an overnight flight I had hoped to get some sleep, I do have an emergency exit seat in the upstairs which is much quieter. Hey Jane and Viv,

I wonder if I will get the same flight attendants now my luck has changed.

Home now, arrived back at midday after a very good flight, only managed about an hours sleep though. Managed to blag a glass of fizz though without even asking for one , lady flight attendant asked me if I had had a good holiday and when I explained it wasn't a holiday as such and told her about  GKTW she said oh we had a family on yesterday who were going there and told the other stewardess to fetch me a glass of bubbly! Sat next to a young lady who was also a type 1 diabetic so we had plenty to talk about , the time passed very quickly and we landed at 830 and I was in the car and on my way home by 920. Thanks  Ian 

Went out almost immediately and we met up with Hanna, Lucy, Mark, Evie and Martha in, yes you guessed it, Costa and lovely it was too.  Off to babysit Martha for the first time tonight, she has really changed since I went away, very interested in what was going on and chewing on everything, two teeth now as well. Evie was sticking her Frozen stickers all over us, very impressed that there were 300, not bad for a dollar from Tarjei aka Target.

Well my blog for this years trip is now at an end and I have again had a wonderful time, a great charity that really makes a difference. Can't help but feel proud to be part of it.

20th November:

Well today was my last day volunteering at the Give Kids The World Village, I will be sorry to leave but also pleased to be going home to see my family, especially my grandchildren. I am fortunate as they are healthy, the children at the village less so but believe me when I say they all have a wonderful time and lots of memories are created there, I just hope that in some small way I have helped.

I did as instructed, and got there 40 minutes early for the breakfast shift, just as well I did as the roads were closed and quite a few volunteers did not arrive. Normally there are 28 per shift, today there were 15 of us serving approximately 400 breakfasts, very busy but everyone pulled together and the job was done. Worked as a server of the hot food again, today it was scrambled eggs, sausages, fried potatoes, biscuits, sausage gravy , pancakes, maple syrup and blueberry syrup. I think I have already described Mr Muscleman, yesterday he ate a huge stack of cheese omelettes, today his plate was piled high with scrambled eggs and sausages and biscuits and gravy... He got his own food and went to sit down and started eating leaving his slip of a wife to sort out the 3 children's breakfast by herself... I did ask her how she managed to feed him at home and she said he was a nightmare... not quite how I would have phrased it!

After the shift had finished I had a walk around with my camera, much easier to do in the day as the families go off to the parks, these photos will be added when I get home. The village is looking even prettier at night now as the Christmas decorations are going up, the villas are decorated inside and out too by the Elf Fairies so when the children get back from their day out, they come home to a huge
 surprise

Tonight, my last shift is Christmas, always poignant as some of the children might not be around by Christmas which is why this is a weekly event. Strange to actually put that down in writing because when you are here you really don't see ill children just lots of smiles and happiness. Of course some of the children look quite damaged but we all speak to them as normal asking if they had a great day and don't they look pretty/cool/ awesome etc.

Well I managed to be with Santa Claus again tonight helping the parents with their photographs and guiding the families through the procedure of Children first with Santa them the parents and sometimes the grandparents too and then sending them off to see the Elves for their presents - beautiful presents all donated by I think, Hambro Toys, they get to choose what they would like.

Now I didn't mention that I too had my picture taken with Santa, a really jolly fellow, he told me he is not allowed to sit any child on his knee and finds this quite difficult because some of the children cannot support themselves so he tells the parents that if they want they can put the child on his knee so they make the decision - seems a tricky subject and how sad is that.

One child had his letter written to give to Santa to ask him for a special gift for Christmas, Santa gave it to me to look after and I have it here, it says:-

To Father Christmas love  ----

Please can I have two factories and a boat that I saw in Florida.

I've been a very good, kind boy.

I hope you have a safe flight on Christmas Eve

Then there was drawing and a signature how can anyone beat that for an experience???

I have chatted to another Dad several times over the past few days, seems he moved with his family to America when he was a child and was born in Nottingham, a really lovely family and he admitted to being quite emotional tonight and yes we did hug each other, and he thanked me for being a volunteer; a special moment.

The one thing that has made an impression on me is by doing a lot of shifts over three weeks is that you get to see lots of the families and they notice that too, and are so appreciative.

Tonight I had hugs from staff and volunteers alike, took lots of photographs and will miss it all when I go home but can't wait to see my wonderful family too.

Here's hoping the tall, bearded, bespectacled man from the British Consulate is there tomorrow with my emergency passport as I have packed all my things and have not found my passport ..... a real mystery. Have checked in online, got my boarding pass, packed, done the laundry and will hopefully sleep tonight and have a morning by the pool, got a tan to work on!,,,

Thank you all the people that have made this another magical trip, too many to name it I hope to see  you all next year.

19th November:

Arrived at the village this morning ready and willing to be the train conductor, not a role I have done yet and must admit that being so cold today I wasn't looking forward to it much but when I arrived I was told they had cancelled the train today as it was too cold for the children and would I please help out in the Gingerbread House serving breakfast. Now it didn't take me long to agree as at least I would be in the warm! As soon as I walked through the door, Phil, (a Brit, originally from Warwickshire) said, "morning Lorna", would you please be a server in the hot food area, now out of the cold and into the steam suited me fine so of course I said yes! Today's food looked a little more appealing although the combinations still bemuse me, cheese omelette, fried potatoes, baked ham, biscuits, gravy and grits....., I was asked what grits were by one family, the answer I was given by another volunteer was it is like wallpaper paste, and I must admit that is what the looked like!

The gravy was sausage gravy and looks like a white sauce with lumps in it!!!! The biscuits and gravy went down a bomb today, kept having to ask for refills.  Funny but this time I have done 3 different breakfast shifts and they are completely different due to the team and the team leader, would not choose to do a Tuesday again but the people today and Thursday are lovely and worked well together. The breakfast shifts seem to be done by regulars who are a little territorial and do it their way and their way only, understandable I know but it can be a little itimidating for the likes of myself.

Now as arranged yesterday I waited for Wendy, my saviour from Quebec, who kindly drove me to the Consulate office on Tuesday and had invited me out to her and her husband's time share condo in Star Island for lunch, and a trip around to see the Floridian Hotel from Downtown Disney as that is where the guest buses run from - a tip for people that come to Florida and want to explore different areas, go to Downtown Disney and get on the free buses or boats to travel from A - B, we did have a little trouble finding where the buses went from  as there is a lot of building work going on to build new car parks  but it really turned out to be a magical mystery tour.  We did however find the bus and were taken to the Floridian Hotel which was very lovely and quite chic with a pianist playing at a grand piano, an orchestra that played big band music daily and lots of great looking restaurants at very inflated prices. It was a lovely afternoon, thank you Wendy and David for your kindness and hospitality!

I got back to my villa at 5 pm, managed to Skype Allan before dashing off the the village again for 6 pm for my third Village  Idol evening. I have to say this was a great night, the children were very good, only two Frozen singers - and I had on my Frozen hat with plait attached in readiness too!! Dan, the guy who runs this event, was on top form and really made me laugh, even Ms Hitler was pleasant tonight. I was on Hand Prints with Jay, a lovely guy who was in Florida with his partner and was volunteering for the week while his man was at some exhibition. Got back to villa about 930 and will be slightly earlier to bed tonight, because as I left the village to come home, Velvet suggested that I should get there for 7 am as the road would be closed for another 'Fun' run, oh deep joy!

Was given hugs again by a family tonight, they are leaving early tomorrow morning for their flight home,

Oh my goodness, just looked the clock and it is 11 pm, I also looked in the mirror and there're a lot of bags under my eyes so am going to say goodnight now. My last day volunteering tomorrow until next year.

18th November:

An early start this morning as I was in the Gingerbread House helping with the breakfasts, not sure how many came through today but it was non stop for 2 1/2 hours. Today I was on toast, bagels, English Muffins and Krispy Donuts, my goodness how many donuts were eaten this morning, unbelievable. The most fascinating person was a chap who obviously worked out a lot! His arms, legs, chest and leg muscles were enormous, watching him sit down on a child's chair was fascinating as was the amount of food he put away. He had a wife who quite honestly must have been a size zero! It seemed I made a couple of errors this morning and was duly chastised by the waffle maker, must try harder Lorna !!

I left the Gingerbread House very promptly as I needed to ring the Embassy guy who had left a message for me yesterday... Douglas, who was very Scottish, I won't hold that against him as he has agreed that I can be interviewed for my emergency passport at the airport on Friday, I have full instructions of where I am to meet a tall, bearded, bespectacled gentleman who will interview me and hopefully let me out of the country. I am to take along my driving licence, two pictures of myself and my credit card to pay the fee of $128. This will give me my emergency passport for the duration of my flight and it will be taken off me at Gatwick. I will then have to apply for a new passport, a massive expense because the one I had did not expire until 2020!

When I got back to the villa I had an a mail from Wendy, the lady who kindly helped me out yesterday, inviting me to go to their villa for lunch tomorrow and have explore some more of the area. How thoughtful is she!

Pat on the back time for me today because I found Walgreens which is where it was suggested I got my passport photographs done and also I managed to fill the car up with petrol. For those who don't know, here you have to gauge how much petrol you might need and pay for it in advance, I went for $30 as I had put nothing in for the whole time I have been here and we did travel around a little when Jane and Viv were her, I was pleased that I had guessed enough and even got $4 dollars back. Also here the green nozzle is diesel and the black nozzle unleaded, chose the correct one thank goodness.

The weather is really quite cold today and I had to wear a cardigan, Jane you would have needed you thick coat for sure.

Noticed last night that the toilet basin in my bathroom is leaking slightly, can't see where it is coming

from, am wondering if my passport has been shoved down there by Big Chief Tukmapaspor! Had a few hiccups this time with the villa, all been solved pretty quickly though.

Tonight it was Mayor Clayton's Surprise Birthday Party again, poor chap gets older by the week not year like us lesser mortals! It really was very cold tonight so the party was held in Julie's Safari Theatre and I have to say it was a little cramped and less well organised than usual although my friend Eric, greeted me with his usual enthusiasm introducing me to the other volunteers, all who had never done the Birthday party before. Had to train the Chicken in the Pants guy as well, being the current expert, how will they manage next week I wonder? The lucky guy only did the job for about 20 minutes because of being inside other things took over - seems a little unfair to me as I did it for an hour and a half and he was only about 12!!!!!!!!

I tried a new job this evening, yes Jane and Viv, a craft one, carrying on your stirling work making the birthday cards. The children certainly seemed to enjoy themselves and I am covered in ink from the pads too. Tonight there were two surprises, a group playing drums and singing...too loud as stunted any conversation with the children. The second was a pair of guys who were trying very hard to involve the children in their humour, trouble was most of the families had left for the evening, it really was cold so I didn't blame them at all. Had a lovely conversation with an Irish family who were there thanks to Make A Wish UK, their daughter was there to swim with dolphins and Mum said that there was a real connection, amazing animals.

Came back to villa and put on the TV, gosh we moan about our TV but this is really shocking, watching a CSI but it breaks for adverts every 5 minutes or so with no warnings, you really have to try and follow the plot. It really is so bad. The adverts are mostly medical trying to sell you a medicine but they take two seconds telling you about the benefits of the drug and then follows a long list of side effects. Crazy..

Right only two more nights and am going to take an early one tonight.

Good night all. X

17th November:

Answer to what you are all wondering is NO! I have not found my passport. Had a fitful sleep last night and started looking again before I left for my morning carousel shift, no joy. I do have a theory though..... it seems the area that the villa is on is an old Indian burial ground and we have had some odd things happen both times we have stayed here, nothing malicious just mischievous, for instance the radio has switched itself on several times in the middle of the night, the clock on the wall, last year corrected it's time when the clocks went back and it is a battery clock not electric, my loo roll have been changed over so the leaves hung down from the back and not over the front how I always put it.....this time it is going a bit too far though but perhaps Big Chief Passport wants me to stay a little longer!!!

Well talked to Allan on Skype this morning and he had done some research for me re contacting someone for a temporary passport, at least to get me home on Friday. I too had found the same address and while I was working the carousel a lovely volunteer, Wendy, a snowbird from Ontario came across to me and said she had just heard I had lost my passport and was there anything she could do to help. I told her I was going to go to the British Consulate in Orlando and she immediately insisted on driving me there. I did very gratefully accept and once the shift had finished and she had dropped her husband back to their villa we set off.

The drive there wasn't too bad and we found somewhere to park in an underground car park. We set off for the building listed on the site and approached a guy at a reception desk who told us the Comsulate had moved over a year ago, we were dumbstruck but Earl, the chap gave us their new details and said that we would probably have to drive to Miami, a mere four hour journey to see anyone re the renewal. Wendy then asked if we might use his phone, he kindly rang the number on the card and got through eventually to a person (same problem as in the UK, press button, A through to Z before you get to speak to a human being. At this point I took the phone and explained the situation and the fact I was returning to the UK on Friday evening. Several details were taken and I am now waiting for either an email or call to let me know that, yes, they can provide me with a temporary passport and hopefully. I will be able to be interviewed at the airport on Friday and collect it there rather than drive to Miami. Please all keep your fingers crossed.  Back to Big  Chief Passport, how did he know where I had hidden it....... Jane, Viv and myself all thought it was in the same place but it is most definitely not, curiouser and curiouser. We got back to the village at about 230 I think so thank you again you wonderful person

Wendy, you are a saint xxx

Now the weather, isn't Florida supposed to be the sunshine state?  Wrong, this afternoon the sky is black, the rain is falling and the thunder and lightening is happening too. Tonight's Halloween party will have to be inside again so I doubt too many families will be out late, forecast for rest of the week is cold too. Wish I saved those wretched Malls to this week and sunbathed last week. Perhaps I should carry on the passport search.

Went to the village tonight for Halloween dressed in my 60's Flower Power outfit only to find that because of the heavy rain the event would not be held outside but inside the Castle of Dreams and that nobody would be dressing up! Nevermind I think they think I am a bit eccentric anyway so proved them correct this evening. Good news also when I arrived the British Embassy had called and asked to speak to me... Poor Shannon, one of the volunteer coordinators told me the caller was Scottish and she couldn't understand him but that he had left a number to ring and he said all should be okay, I will ring him in the morning during my breakfast shift to see what else I need to do.

The evening was fun, loved watching the children dancing and interacting with Ms Merry and Mayor Clinton. Their faces said it all and several families who are leaving tomorrow thanked me for what I do, one lady said my goodness you are always here, and she even thought  that I bore a striking resemblance to Snow White, amazingly similar in fact!

Interestingly the format of the parties is very simple but the children and their families love it and the smiles are immense.

Had been home about 30 minutes and our friends from California rang to confirm some of the details for their visit at New Year, we had a lovely long chat and put the world to rights at the same time.

Well I have an early shift tomorrow so I am off to my bed, night everyonexx

16th November:

Spot the difference.........................oh yes 47 years! 

Bridgend Bus Station 1967

Kissimmee Bus Station 2014

Well I left Jane and Viv in bed this moring as they were leaving today and I am now doing 2 shifts a day until Friday when I fly home. It will be quiet without them but hope to keep busy and I will have some time to chill out in the afternoon without having to go to any Malls. Shame is though the weather is supposed to be turning cold for the rest of the week and I was hoping to get a tan too!

This morning I was the carousel operator for a three hour shift, the children love it and have multiple rides, the great thing is that even children in wheelchairs can take a turn as there are two adapted rides for them. The role of the volunteer for this very important job is threefold...there is the gatekeeper, the person who checks the children are on safely and strapped on and the person who turns the key and starts the carousel turning, we shared the jobs this morning each taking a turn on each job. The time went very quickly too. I was called over to the gate at one point by a volunteer I had worked with previously and she asked me if I would like her to make me a skirt as she noticed I always wore skirts and not trousers.., how lovely is that, I await in anticipation the result.

Got back to the Villa about 1130 to find the ladies had just about finished packing, we then sat down to a lunch by the pool and a bit of sun chatting about all we had experienced together and some of the things that had made us laugh ... I am not allowed to tell you though or else Jane would have to kill me!!! I waved them off at 230 and actually don't think anything has been left behind,  good job as my case will be full with all the bits and bobs I have bought.

Now since writing the above, I have discovered that I do not know where my passport is, I have searched high and low, many times, feel sick and am at a loss to know what to do next. I know I have had it here at the villa,, even knew where I hid it but, it is no longer there - no safe unfortunately. seems I have got to go to a police station and report it missing and then find the British Embassy to get a temporary passport in order to fly home on Friday. Don't think I will get much sleep tonight!!

I did go to my shift tonight and was actually the longest standing volunteer there....showed new volunteers to the theatre to get their instructions and explained the role of the Riddler to those given that role... I was one of them again, third time for me so quite the expert!  A lovely moment was when a lady came up to me and said, ah Lorna, I have been looking for you. Let me explain, I had spoken to this mother on the telephone earlier this year as her son had been put forward for a wish and I was the wish visitor. Unfortunately I had to tell her that MAW were no longer granting wishes to Florida to swim with Dolphins but her son could go to Portugal to do this. It turned out that he only wanted to go to Florida so I did advise that there were two other charities that still did Florida and she applied to them and she let me know they were successful and would be going to GKTW in November at the

same time I was to be here. I told her this and we did say that we hope we would meet so it was so lovely to meet her for the first time and meet her son, they arrived yesterday and will be Swimming with Dolphins tomorrow. Hope to see more of them over the next few days unless of course I will be at the British Embassy.

It was another great evening that went very quickly again. Must admit to not being entirely happy being here home alone but it is a safe neighbourhood so will be fine and all everything is well locked up.  Any suggestions re passport would be gratefully received.

Forgot to add, I have managed turn  on the TV tonight and found something worth watching!

Night, another early start tomorrow, indeed for the next 4 mornings.

15th November

A lot less to say today as we have taken a day off from the Village, amazed at how tired we are! Did not escape the shopping though as needed a few groceries to keep me going until I leave next Friday so made our way to Tarrjay aka Target supermarket, it is so much classier than Walmart's as well.

Now I went to get the food bits while Jane and Viv went to look again in the Skechers shoe shop, when they found me in Tarrjays they had a trolley filled with shoe boxes - no word of a lie, six pairs today between them!  Seems a girl can never have too many shoes.

We are off for a meal out tonight to Longhorn Steak House, will make a change not having toast or chicken for dinner.

Went to Steakhouse via Tarrjay for a last minute bit of shopping by Jane as I won't have time in the morning before they leave for the airport.

Just returned from a lovely meal at Longhorn Steakhouse, the waitress who looked considerably older than us explained the tipping system, it seems they only get paid $3 per hour so tips are very important as they are taxed, not on what they get but on what they are expected to get...tipping is something we are not as used to, 10% for good service is usually what we give, maybe a little more if exceptional, why don't they pay their staff a better wage?

Funniest part of the evening was driving along the 192 we passed what looked like a night club, I casually said shall we go there after our meal and be dirty stop outs?  Viv said yes, it's called Capon......oh no said I, I've  had enough chicken to last me a lifetime ....Jane piped up, it's not Capon, you dummies, it's Capone, the "e" has just dropped off !!!  It did make us laugh.

I have another 5 days at the village but Jane and Viv return home tomorrow, early afternoon, thank you for yor company ladies and hope you have a great flight and don't get caught at customs!

I am doing two shifts a day until I leave, starting in the morning as a carousel operator, hope to be busy as it is one of the children's favourite things to do and it is lovely watching their faces as the go round, especially the one's in wheelchairs as they can ride in their chairs, something that is not always possible for them.