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